THRIVE Live: Presenters

Karla Dougherty

Principal, Butler Street

Dougherty, a principal at Butler Street, is a seasoned professional with more than 17 years of comprehensive experience in the staffing industry, encompassing roles in recruiting, operations, sales, account management, and leadership. Her expertise encompasses consulting, training, and developing staffing firms across the U.S. An active certified member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team since 2018, Dougherty is part of a global community of experts equipped to coach, speak, and train the Maxwell Method. The program emphasizes the importance of positive influence in leadership and offers practical tools for personal and professional growth with the support of a vibrant community and ongoing resources from the team. Dougherty’s journey began in Nicaragua, where she initially immersed herself in the hospitality sector with the Intercontinental Hotels Group. This foundational experience was pivotal in shaping her understanding of the industry. After relocating to the U.S., she pursued and completed postgraduate studies at Florida International University in 2006; this marked the beginning of her notable career in staffing—particularly in the hospitality sector.

Fawn Germer

Best-Selling Author, Four-Time Pulitzer-Nominated Journalist, Adventurer, Risk-Taker, Leader

Germer is the irreverent, beloved best-selling author of 10 books, including the Oprah-recommended book Hard Won Wisdom. She emboldens us to embrace risk and maximize our personal power. More than anything, she sounds the call for happiness and balance. Germer has been a keynote speaker for nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of other organizations and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize four times. Her first book was rejected by every major publisher in the U.S., but she would not give up until it was the No. 1 nonfiction bestseller that Oprah loved. She had a Top 10 TEDx talk and is co-host of the Hard Won Wisdom Podcast, which was tagged by Apple as one of the top women’s leadership podcasts.

Susan Packard

Co-Founder and Former COO, HGTV

Packard has been on the ground floor and helped to build powerful media brands like HBO, CNBC, and HGTV. She was the second employee at HGTV, its co-founder, and its former chief operating officer. She is the author of three books, all of which deal with emotional fitness, its many shapes, and how it is essential to our living contented and accomplished lives. She is a frequent speaker and gave a TEDx talk about emotional fitness at UCLA. In 2020, she was named one of the top 40 women keynote speakers by Real Leaders, and she continues to be an active speaker at organizations and universities like Stanford Business School, Carnegie Mellon, and University of Alabama. She has contributed to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, CNBC, and Bloomberg News. Her work today focuses on growing women leaders and supporting youth in recovery.

Shelley Paxton

Former Harley-Davidson CMO, Bestselling Author, and Self-Described Corporate Rebel and Chief Soul Officer

She might describe herself as Brené Brown meets biker babe—with a dash of Liz Gilbert. Shelley Paxton is a 26-year advertising and marketing veteran whose legacy is imprinted on iconic global brands like McDonald’s, Visa, and Harley-Davidson.

At the pinnacle of her career, as chief marketing officer of Harley-Davidson, she was shocked to find herself feeling “success-empty” instead of “success-full.” That awakening led her on a profound journey that became her mission, business, and bestselling book, Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.

Now she has found her best stride, maximizing her strengths and gifts as a self-described chief soul officer. Paxton works with leaders and teams to advocate for redefining success in ways that celebrate humanity, well-being, and soul. Her influential work is an empowering antidote to corporate burnout, attrition, and disengagement. Her ideas have gained recognition on platforms like NBC, CBS, and Forbes, making her a respected thought leader, adviser, and sought-after keynote speaker who’s been called “the next Brené Brown” by Chip Conley, New York Times bestselling author and former Airbnb executive.

Paxton’s signature keynote presentation, “Where Soul Meets Success: A New Leadership Roadmap,” is inspiring ripples of impact (the new ROI) in lives, businesses, and cultures. Paxton is on a mission “to liberate a billion souls to live more bold, brave, and badass.”

Joyce Russell

President, Adecco Group US Foundation

As president of the Adecco Group US Foundation, Russell is committed to making the future work for everyone. The foundation launched in January 2019 and focuses on upskilling and reskilling American workers and helping to ensure work equality for all. Russell has firmly established her reputation and passion for working with people and providing new opportunities for both employees and companies. She constantly strives for growth both personally and professionally, while remaining focused on work-related programs, partnerships, and investments that create greater economic opportunity for American workers. In 1987, Russell joined Adecco as a branch manager in Charlotte, NC. From 2004 to 2018, she served as the president of Adecco Staffing US, leading the largest business unit of Adecco Group North America—with more than 450 branch locations, approximately 1,800 colleagues, and a diverse portfolio of clients. Russell is a member of the Committee of 200, a founding member of Paradigm for Parity, and a member of Women Corporate Directors. She holds a degree in business and communications from Baylor University.

Christine Sandman Stone

Founder and CEO, Deliver at Scale

Sandman Stone can change the trajectory of a team or a leader in an hour. An expert in modern management and career progression, she has a reputation for getting results and turning teams around. Sandman Stone pairs a master’s degree in management and organizational behavior with experience working with a large community of tech start-ups and with elite companies like Dell, McDonald’s, Volkswagen, and Groupon. She currently advises leaders and teams in Fortune 500 and start-up organizations. Sandman Stone is a partner to one, parent to four, author of award-winning The Modern Management Mentor, and a mentor to hundreds. Vices? Creative cursing, caffeine, and being a Monday and a morning person.

Eliza Harrison Smith

Singer and Songwriter

Hailing from Washington, DC, and now based in Nashville, TN, Smith is an indie-pop singer and songwriter with a mesmerizing talent. Her music combines infectious melodies, introspective lyrics, and breezy indie-pop production—all tied together by her airy, emotive vocals. She has already enchanted listeners with the release of songs like “August” and "Didn’t Love Me.” She has also performed at legendary venues across the country, from The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to The Bitter End in New York City. She has gained industry recognition as well, earning an honorable mention in American Songwriter’s 2022 Song Contest with her solo-written song "Got Away With It." Smith’s newest single, "Back Of My Mind," has been her biggest release yet—amassing 300,000 streams and counting on Spotify alone. With a five-song EP on the horizon for 2024, Smith is set to make her mark on the indie-pop scene.

Ella F. Washington, Ph.D.

Organizational Psychologist, DEI Strategist, and Author

Washington is a renowned organizational psychologist; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategist; and acclaimed author dedicated to fostering inclusive workplaces. With nearly two decades of experience, Washington is the founder and chief executive officer of Ellavate Solutions; a professor of practice at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business; and an esteemed consultant, speaker, and thought leader. As the founder of the Ellavate Charity Foundation, she channels her passion for social impact through free webinars, community programs, and research initiatives. Her work addresses both organizational and individual challenges. Her first book, The Necessary Journey, offers practical steps for organizations to progress in their DEI efforts, based on a maturity model of DEI. Her second book, Unspoken, explores the difficulties faced by marginalized individuals in corporate settings and provides essential guidance for overcoming these obstacles and achieving professional success.