Workmatters Conference

As CEO of one of the nation's largest family owned businesses, Chick-fil-A's Dan T. Cathy represents the next generation of leadership for the Atlanta-based fast-food chicken restaurant chain founded by his father, S. Truett Cathy. Eager to incorporate his own skills and talents into the business, Dan has taken an unconventional, yet personally and professionally rewarding approach to Chick-fil-A leadership.

Nona Jones is recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on building The Kingdom through social technology. She coined the term "Social Ministry" and leads global Faith-Based Partnerships at Facebook. She has held executive roles across the private, public and nonprofit sectors and has been recognized as a 40 under 40 Woman to Watch by ESSENCE Magazine. She was licensed into the gospel ministry at the age of 17 and preaches the gospel regularly around the world. She and her husband, Pastor Tim Jones, lead Open Door Ministries in Gainesville, FL and have two sons, Timothy, Jr. and Isaac.

David "Ech" Echegoyén, is Jet.com’s Chief Customer Officer, responsible for overseeing all customer-facing aspects of Jet’s business, including marketing, brand strategy, media, UX/UI design, the site and mobile app.

Ech is a seasoned executive leading teams who architect and improve a persistent customer first mentality across an ever-growing set of customer interactions. His focus is on giving customers a seamless and solutions-oriented experience that engenders loyalty while also ensuring the brand is consistently flexing and growing across major metropolitan markets.

A multilingual global citizen with expertise in business innovation, marketing, and growth development, Ech helped build a diversified lifestyle business in ecommerce, digital media and private brands, with backing from renowned private equity firm General Atlantic (Alibaba, Uber, Airbnb). He has also delivered exceptional results, in multiple countries, for industry leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, LG and Walmart while serving as an executive at Saatchi and Saatchi X.

Kathleen Edelman has one goal in life: to help people learn to speak kindly to each other. She is certified in Biblical Studies and Christian Counseling Psychology, and has spent more than 25 years coaching clients in the art of communication. She is married with two grown children and has a surprising passion for martial arts and pickup trucks.

Shawn Blanc is a creative entrepreneur living in Kansas City with his wife and three sons. For more than a decade he's been teaching and learning about creativity and focus. His online training courses (https://thefocuscourse.com) have helped thousands of people reclaim their time, do their best creative work, and thrive in the midst of life's tensions.

Sheeba currently serves as the CEO of Akola, a pioneering social enterprise and luxury accessories brand that employs women in extreme poverty in Eastern Africa. Prior to joining Akola, Sheeba built a career building purpose-driven global brands in the CPG, retail, and nonprofit sectors. She has held executive roles leading multi-million dollar iconic businesses for Mondelēz International, Kraft Foods, and JCPenney. She also served as the VP of Global Marketing Strategy & Communications for International Justice Mission. Sheeba is passionate about redemptive entrepreneurship and is a Praxis Accelerator mentor for Christian entrepreneurs in the public and private sector. She also serves on the board of Redeemer City to City, a global organization that equips church planters founded by Timothy Keller. She holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Raynisha Robinson is the Director of Career Development at John Brown University and has over 13 years of HR, consulting and professional coaching experience having worked for retail giant Walmart Stores Inc., Yum Brands (the largest operator of fast food restaurants), and ThyssenKrupp Elevators (the largest producer of elevators in the Americas). She is a woman of faith, kingdom coach, servant leader, mentor, and is transforming HR and Career Coaching practices by inspiring and equipping clients to lead and serve through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Donnie Smith, former CEO, Tyson Foods, shaped the vision of the food business during his 36-year career there. Starting out in poultry operations in 1980, Donnie worked his way through nearly all areas of the company to take the position of president and CEO in 2009. Donnie’s contagious enthusiasm and servant leadership inspired and motivated over 115,000 team members. His passion for serving is evident both in his professional legacy and personal ambitions.

Jason Locy is the founder of FiveStone, a NYC-based design agency started in 2001. FiveStone helps global nonprofits and social enterprises through a Human Centered Design approach that drives innovation, defines brands, and populates ideas. When he’s not working or wrangling his four kids, Jason dabbles in book writing. He’s authored two spiritual living books (Harper Collins) as well as his latest book Culture Bending Narratives: Moving Beyond Story to Create Meaningful Brands.

Justin Whitmel Earley is a business lawyer, speaker and author who lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and four sons. His book, The Common Rule, Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction, is available through InterVarsity Press (www.thecommonrule.org).

Ashton Batten is the Sr. Customer Manager for Mars Wrigley Confectionery’s Walmart eCommerce Division. Since joining Mars in 2015, Ashton has held four roles in four years and is marked by a strong drive for results coupled with a soft spirit. Ashton and her husband Cody live in Bentonville, AR where they are active members at Cross Church and love calling the Hogs!

Eric is the Founder & CEO of Explainify, a firm specializing in short videos that simplify the complexities of business and help clients stand out in a congested marketplace. Since 2012, he has built and led a team that’s created over 700 videos for all businesses from early startups to Fortune 100s like Pfizer, GE and Tyson Foods.

Singer-songwriter. World-renowned upright bassist. Multi-instrumentalist. For the past decade, Scott Mulvahill has left his mark on the intersecting worlds of Americana, bluegrass, folk, jazz and more. Acclaimed for his work alongside icons like Ricky Skaggs, he showcases the work of a versatile songwriter on his first solo album, Himalayas.