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CPOC 2025 Conference: The Gathering
SPONSORS
We're so lucky to have found amazing sponsors to support us in 2025 for The Gathering.
We thank you for your continued support through sponsorship!
- The Gathering Committee
Looking to be a Sponsor?
Interested in becoming a sponsor this year?
We would love your support!
We have varying levels of sponsorship:
Sustaining (+$5,000- limit of 3) – Sustaining the organization
Elevating ($2500) – Elevating the gathering and learning circles
Accelerating ($1,500) – Accelerating the impact by enabling others to grow
Enhancing ($750) – Enhancing The Gathering experience by adding onsite experiences
Supporting ($500 or In Kind Donations)– Supporting growth and continuous learning through books and professional services
Reach out to us if you have questions or would like to become a sponsor.
CPOC 2025 Conference: The Gathering
KEY FACILITATORS
These smart and engaging facilitators have decided to dedicate their time during our conference to help lead us through interactive discussions. Check out their bios to learn a little more about them before meeting them in person in November.
About
Marsha Sampson Johnson
Marsha’s Mantra: Learn and Lead. Grow and Give-Back. Embrace each Day with Wonder.
Marsha Sampson Johnson is known for keen insights and high-impact presentations on leadership and navigating careers. She is a highly effective facilitator of management and executive teams, including work groups large and small.
Marsha connects with leaders from all sectors and skillfully navigates the dynamics of cross- functional interactions. These abilities are grounded in an exciting 25-year career with Fortune 200 energy giant Southern Company; early employment with the City of Jacksonville (Florida), Westinghouse Offshore Power Systems, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Coleman Management Consultants, and extensive service on numerous non-profit boards. She served three terms (2012-2017) as a Global Director of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) with a membership of 7,500 women leaders from 33 nations on six continents.
While at Southern Company, Marsha held several executive level positions. When named Vice President Customer Service and Call Center Operations for Alabama Power Company, she became the first African-American female operations officer for any Southern Company subsidiary in four states. Other positions held include: Vice President Birmingham Division (largest of Alabama Power’s six Divisions), Vice President Talent Management, and Senior Vice President Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer.
After retiring from Southern Company, as a way to further a life-long commitment to mentoring and learning from others, Marsha launched her website – www.marshasampsonjohnson.com and a column, “Lessons from the Corporate Jungle”, that appeared bi-weekly in The Birmingham Times. Her writings are published in CNN Opinion.com, and she is featured in the "Empowering Women Leaders” series on YouTube. As a featured speaker, Marsha presents to audiences across the United States and on international stages.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she graduated from Jacksonville University (after attending Spelman College her freshman and sophomore years). She completed Harvard University’s prestigious Advanced Management/International Senior Managers Program (AMP 157), and the Executive Accounting and Finance Program at the Wharton School of Business. Marsha is an alumna of five geographically-based leadership programs (Jacksonville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Mobile, Alabama), and she is a former Fellow of the International Women’s Forum.
About
Stan Hannah
Ph.D., Partner, Plante Moran
As the leader for the talent and organizational development practice, Stan guides CEOs and human resource leaders as they encounter challenging decisions about the talent of their organizations. He brings an objective voice to conversations that are often gridlocked by subjective information and then puts together a plan of action that is informative, efficient, and rigorous. He specializes in organizational analysis, succession management, talent assessments, management team due diligence, 360-degree surveys, and cultural transformation.
Stan’s clients appreciate that he can disarm the elephant in the room, recognize the gravity of the problem, and keep people engaged so a plausible solution is brought forward without leaving individuals feeling personally attacked.
Before starting his consulting career, Stan wanted to become a forensic psychologist. Then, he discovered the Society of Consulting Psychology and realized the force of psychology in the corporate environment. Today, he applies his investigative, diagnostic skills to organizations. One of his greatest accomplishments has been being a part of the leadership team for Plante Moran’s management consulting practice. He also has a passion for recruiting and developing the next generation of leaders. From speaking to potential interns to working alongside business leaders in the community, he looks forward to witnessing the developing talent and skills of team members.
Stan is often asked to speak about the changing dynamics of the workforce, succession planning, and techniques for evaluating talent. He was appointed by the governor to serve on the Children Trust Michigan Board. He also serves on a committee of the Board at Children’s Hospital of Michigan focused on culture and strategy. He earned his B.A. in psychology from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia. He later learned that he was the first African-American male in the program’s 50-year history to successfully complete the doctoral requirements.
Stan loves visiting new restaurants with his wife and then watching her recreate the dish at home. He also enjoys cycling, especially with his kids as they ride together to get ice cream and Slurpees®.
About
Karishma Patel Buford
PsyD, Chief People Officer at Spring Health
Karishma Patel Buford leads Spring Health’s People Team focused on building and expanding talent acquisition, onboarding, learning and development, total rewards, organizational development and employee experience initiatives.
Before joining Spring Health, Karishma led various teams at OppFi including People, Communications, and Customer Success. Her team drove key business transformation initiatives including building the organization’s HR infrastructure and transitioning its succession and total rewards practices to those of a public company. Prior to OppFi she was at Groupon, where her global team, across 15 countries, owned talent development, DE&I, employer brand, and recruiting. Previous to Groupon, she worked at BAE Systems where she built globally consistent and locally customized talent and succession management initiatives.
Karishma received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Virginia and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology.
CPOC 2025 Conference: The Gathering
WORKSHOP FACILITATORS
Meet our talented facilitators who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our weekend workshop series. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise ensure engaging sessions that will enrich your learning journey while earning CE credits.
Loren Hill
Dr. Loren M. Hill is a licensed clinical psychologist, certified executive coach, and founder of The Acclivity, a consultancy advancing healing-centered leadership and equity in education. With over 30 years of experience in clinical care, higher education, and culturally responsive training, she equips individuals and institutions to navigate complexity with clarity, courage, and compassion. Dr. Hill holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University and coaching credentials from EMCC Global and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Her leadership approach integrates trauma-informed care, executive development, and social justice principles to foster sustainable change in academic and nonprofit environments. She has held faculty and administrative appointments across diverse educational settings, leading program design, equity-centered training, and graduate education initiatives. Dr. Hill was recently appointed to the Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership, and Education, where she contributes to national dialogues on leadership, mental wellness, and inclusive excellence. A recognized thought leader and public scholar, she speaks and teaches nationally on the psychological cost of leadership, particularly for marginalized professionals. She also hosts the podcast Advancing Your Career in Academia, amplifying untold narratives of identity, purpose, and resilience in higher education.
Jeremy Hudson
Dr. Jeremy C. Hudson is an organizational leadership psychologist and the Founder & Chief Strategist of Canvas Firm, a consulting and coaching practice that equips leaders and organizations to bridge the gap between potential and performance. With more than 15 years of experience, he has led culture, leadership, and change initiatives for Fortune 50 companies, collegiate athletics, and high-growth startups. A two-time recipient of Ernst & Young’s Facilitator of Excellence award, Dr. Hudson is recognized for his ability to design transformational learning experiences that blend research-based frameworks with practical application. His doctoral research examined organizational socialization, emotional intelligence, and transformational leadership in intercollegiate athletics, fueling his passion for leadership under pressure. Today, Dr. Hudson delivers workshops, assessments, and strategy sessions that empower leaders to thrive in high-stakes environments. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his family and continues to push the boundaries of consulting psychology to create cultures of resilience, innovation, and impact.
NaTasha Jordan
Dr. NaTasha Jordan, PhD is a strategic advisor, and brand transformation expert with over 15 years of experience shaping high-performing leaders and organizations. As a former Vice President at VaynerX and Consulting Director at The Sasha Group, she worked across industries from B2B tech to luxury retail leading strategic initiatives for brands like PepsiCo, Pearson, Box, LinkedIn, Michael’s, PopShelf, & Nascar. Her expertise spans end-to-end marketing & organizational transformation. Dr. Jordan has taught graduate and doctoral courses in organizational behavior, leadership development, and performance management at Key West University and has served as an integral leader for the Society of Consulting Psychology & SIOP, where she also spearheaded national conferences. She was also a featured speaker at the first virtual APA conference, delivering a blockbuster session “State of Marketing for Psychologists” which drew over 200 attendees at 9am EST. Dr. NaTasha is an Air Force Veteran and holds a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and her dissertation explored the predictive relationship between psychological capital, military identity, and psychological well-being in transitioning service members. Her approach blends behavioral science, brand alignment, and operational clarity to help leaders grow from the inside out mentally, emotionally, and strategically. Whether designing content systems for founder-led brands or optimizing team performance for enterprise clients, Dr. Jordan is the force behind scalable change, helping people and businesses lead with clarity, conviction, and capacity.
Greg Pennington
Greg’s firm accelerates and elevates effectiveness by providing executive coaching, high performing team acceleration, targeted leadership development programs, consulting on the dynamics of differences, workshops, and keynote presentations. His approach builds on leadership effectiveness moments linking individual and organizational strengths and development areas to specific outcomes. Experienced with several assessment instruments and feedback tools, he focuses on integrating those inputs to identify critical areas of focus for development. He has held internal and external human resources and talent development roles. These include VP, Senior Leader Development and Planning for a global manufacturing company, HR Manager in a financial institution, and senior consultant and practice leader roles in consulting firms. The author of several articles, his recent publications include Your Leadership Signature: Mapping your personal pursuit of influence and impact. Dr. Pennington holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a B.A. degree Cum Laude in Psychology and Social Relations from Harvard University. He is a Fellow and active member of the American Psychological Association, and Past-President of the Society of Consulting Psychology. He is a member of the Society of Psychologists in Leadership, and a recipient of their Distinguished Psychologists in Leadership Award. He is also the founder of Consulting Psychologists of Color and active in community organizations. Always striving to blend personal passions with professional pursuits, his include drawing, dance, judo, landscaping, and enjoying three grandchildren!
Tracy Lamar-Ray
Tracy Lamar-Ray is a Business Consultant and Executive Well-Being Coach who founded Glom Initiatives in January 2020 plus owns and operates Eastern Autowerks since 2005. Her Strategic Development and Business Management Consulting firm placing emphasis on enhancing well-being while promoting strong core business acumen to optimize performance. Using strategic planning to attain desired outcomes, their consulting approach employs applied psychology to equip and empower entrepreneurs and high performing professionals with skills that allow them to avoid burnout. Tracy holds a M.A. in clinical psychology from Harvard University and a B.A. in biological science from New England College. She teaches entrepreneurship courses at Virginia Wesleyan University, is a member of the American Psychology Association and participates with the Society for Consulting Psychology. She’s worked with clients in industries including home healthcare, home baked goods, beauty and skincare, digital advertising, audio production, health and wellness, packaging and labeling, various non-profit organizations, plus others.
Ryan Warner
Dr. Ryan C. Warner is a globally recognized speaker, award-winning psychologist, published author, and esteemed executive coach. As the Chief Executive Officer of RC Warner Consulting, he enhances organizational performance by advancing workplace inclusion and promoting mental wellness for local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as high-performing organizations and Fortune 500 companies. Through his dynamic speaking, coaching, and consulting services, Dr. Warner empowers workplaces to achieve success by fostering a positive and thriving work culture where employees can excel. He has trained over 15,000 professionals across six continents, appeared on numerous radio and TV programs, and authored a wealth of scholarly research articles, impacting millions worldwide.