Habits, Hopes, and Heroes with Tammie Jo Shults

Cut Through the Noise: What Leaders Really Need to Know About AI

(56 min.)

Recorded Thursday, October 29, 2026

SPEAKERS: Stephanie Gorski, Global Strategy Lead, Software & Platforms Practice, Accenture, Orlando Hampton, SVP, Enterprise Technology, AI Contact Center, Invisible Technologies

There is plenty of talk about AI, but not all of it is useful. Every day brings new headlines, bold claims, and predictions about how AI will transform the workplace.

We’ll explore where organizations are seeing real value from AI today, discuss developments and trends worth paying attention to, and get practical about how to start experimenting.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the AI landscape and a few ideas for putting AI to work in your own role.

Pearls of Wisdom: Laura Brown

(8 min.)

SPEAKER: Laura Brown, Journalist, Author & Founder, LB Media

In this Pearls of Wisdom session, Laura Brown explores the importance of recognizing your value beyond your professional title or role. She highlights how the skills, experience, and equity you build throughout your career remain yours, regardless of changes in your workplace or position.

Brought to The WICT Network Online Learning Library thanks to the NCTA Education Foundation.

Habits, Hopes, and Heroes with Tammie Jo Shults

(28 min.)

SPEAKER: Captain Tammie Jo Shults, Pilot, Author & Speaker

This keynote features Captain Tammie Jo Shults, who famously landed Southwest Flight 1380 after a 2018 engine failure. Through the turning points, setbacks, and moments that demanded courage, she explores the habits, hopes, and people that shape us as leaders.

Brought to The WICT Network Online Learning Library thanks to the NCTA Education Foundation.

Reinvention in Real Time

(39 min.)

SPEAKERS: Vonya P. Alleyne, VP, Employee Experience, Astound Broadband, Julie DeTraglia, Head of Content & Strategic Insights, Nielsen, Jennifer Metz, VP, Streaming Product, AMC Global Media, Fang Xu, Head of Talent, Learning & Experience, A+E Global Media

Some reinventions are forced. Others are chosen. But whether it’s a layoff that upends everything overnight, a bold leap to a new company or the decision to rebuild your career around something entirely different — the experience of starting over is one of the most disorienting and ultimately defining moments a leader can face. This conversation brings together industry leaders who have navigated their own pivotal transitions, and what it actually felt like, the choices they made when the path wasn’t clear, and what they built on the other side. For every leader in this room who is navigating change, contemplating a leap or quietly wondering what comes next, this is the conversation you didn’t know you needed.

Pearls of Wisdom: Tugba Yanaz

(13 min.)

SPEAKER: Tugba Yanaz, CEO, C-Suite Coach, Fortune500 Executive, Lead + Vision

In this Pearls of Wisdom session, Tugba shares how shifting from control to deeper listening can transform the way we lead, work, and live. She explores the importance of moving beyond constant self-sacrifice and creating space for both professional success and personal fulfillment.

Brought to The WICT Network Online Learning Library thanks to the NCTA Education Foundation.

Beyond the Hashtag: #TheAmbitionGap

(49 min.)

SPEAKERS: Diana Monk, VP, Talent Development, Charter Communications, Terri Moore, Head of Belonging, GFiber, Mary Noble-Tolla, Head of Education, LeanIn.Org, Andrea O’Leary, Head, Talent & Growth, Opportunity & Inclusion, ESPN

Recent research shows a growing hesitation among emerging leaders to pursue advancement, particularly in environments marked by volatility and burnout. This session explores how leaders can recognize signs of disengagement, reset growth expectations and create conditions where ambition feels attainable and worthwhile again.

Telling Your Career Story with Intentionality

(55 min.)

SPEAKER: Tracy Barash, Owner & Principal, Cut-Thru Consulting

Your resume is more than a list of roles. Your resume is a PROXY for when you are not “in the room.” It speaks for you. The question to be answered is, “What do you want it to say?”

Telling Your Career Story with Intentionality helps you move beyond bullet points to build a cohesive and compelling narrative that clearly demonstrates the value you can add to an organization.

What you’ll learn:

• How to bring focus and clarity to the resume writing process
• The purpose of a resume and what makes it effective
• How to most effectively present your work experience
• Why a well-written resume will have a positive effect on the interview process

The Freedom Formula

(51 min.)

SPEAKERS: Jeff Benton, Founder & CEO, Paragon Performance Evolution and Kristin Granillo, Head of Program Operations & Coach, Paragon Performance Evolution

Freedom is alignment and flow. It is consistently connecting time, energy and attention to what matters most so you operate as a creator rather than a reactor. In this session, leaders learn a simple operating system they can use immediately. Freedom in practice means regulating first, then taking action, protecting the few highest value activities that create outsized impact and building guardrails, so the calendar reflects priorities. Participants leave with a practical framework, including a 7-day Freedom Sprint, that helps them move from reaction to intentional design and strengthen clarity, flow and leadership presence in daily execution.

What you’ll learn:

• How to identify your top three priorities for the week, then translate them into calendar blocks
• How to design simple guardrails for meetings, focus time, and response windows
• How to run a daily reset that regulates first, then moves you into intentional action
• How to complete the 7-day Freedom Sprint using daily prompts and a simple progress check

The Gap and The Gain

(53 min.)

Recorded Thursday, July 9, 2026

SPEAKERS: Jeff Benton, Founder & CEO, Paragon Performance Evolution & Kristin Granillo, Head of Program Operations & Coach, Paragon Performance Evolution

Many high performers measure progress in a way that quietly drains momentum. Living in “the gap” means focusing on the ideal future that has not been reached yet, which can create constant pressure, dissatisfaction and burnout even amid success. This session shifts the reference point to “the gain” so leaders recognize progress already made while still holding high standards and forward ambition. The result is steadier motivation, greater confidence and sustained performance where progress becomes fuel, not friction.

What you’ll learn:

• How to run a five-minute gain review that restores confidence and reduces pressure
• How to set a progress scoreboard that tracks actions taken, not just outcomes
• How to use a simple reframe script when the gap mindset shows up mid-week
• How to convert your gain review into one clear priority and one next action for the week ahead

10X Mindset

(72 min.)

SPEAKERS: Jeff Benton, Founder & CEO, Paragon Performance Evolution and Kristin Granillo, Head of Program Operations & Coach, Paragon Performance Evolution

10X is not a number, it is a mindset shift. When leaders try to 2X results, the instinct is often to push harder, add more hours and apply more pressure, which creates complexity, fatigue and diminishing returns. 10X thinking works differently. It helps you identify the small set of actions, habits and relationships that already create the greatest value, then intentionally amplify those while redesigning or releasing what no longer serves the system.

What you’ll learn:
• How to map your current workload into high return, medium return and low return buckets
• How to choose one to three leverage moves that create outsized impact in the next 30 days
• How to build a stop doing list, a delegate list and a simplify list you can use immediately
• How to translate 10X thinking into a weekly plan with protected focus time and clear boundaries

Fierce Empathy: How to Lead from the Heart Without Finishing Last

(59 min.)

SPEAKER: Joseph Cope, National Speaker & Award-Winning Educator

Join The Empathy Guy, Joseph Cope, as he dismantles the myth of empathy as a “soft skill” and reveals it as a courageous, strategic force in leadership. Through raw, often hilarious stories from the classroom and the front lines of real work, “fierce” empathy is revealed as a skill to be practiced without people pleasing, emotional exhaustion or losing authority. Participants leave with a practical framework they can use immediately to shift difficult conversations, strengthen accountability and address what’s really happening beneath the surface of their organizational culture

Cable 101: Get to Know Our Broadband Network

(58 min.)

SPEAKER: Abbie O’Dell, Senior Director, Learning Services: Field Operations, Charter Communications

Ever wonder how we got from basic cable to blazing-fast broadband? Watch this session for a fun, high-level look at cable industry history and the technologies that power our network today. Abbie explores where the industry started, how the network evolved over time and the key building blocks that help deliver the connectivity customers rely on every day. This session wraps up with a quick look at newer solutions like fiber to the premises and distributed access architecture. A little history, a little tech and hopefully fewer acronyms than usual.

Be the CEO of Your Career

(46 min.)

SPEAKER: Karen Kunkel Young, Executive Leadership and Career Coach

Most professionals were taught how to follow a career path. Very few were taught how to actively lead one.

In an industry shaped by constant change and consolidation, waiting for clarity is no longer enough. This session invites members to step into the CEO role of their own careers and make intentional decisions about visibility, influence and direction.

Drawing on over 25 years in senior leadership and her work coaching leaders across industries, Karen introduces a practical framework for leading a career with clarity, agency and strategic intent. Participants learned how to communicate their value with confidence, navigate transitions without losing momentum and design opportunities rather than react to change.

Be Your Own Ally: Why Showing Up for You First Matters

(53 min.)

SPEAKERS: Eric Spencer, COO, SkyeTeam & Ruby Vesely, CSO, SkyeTeam

Based on the book You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!), this interactive session explored the five practices of an Ally Mindset: Abundance & Generosity, Connection & Compassion, Courage & Vulnerability, Candor & Debate, and Action & Accountability. We most often think of these qualities in reference to how we show up in our relationships with others, AND it also applies to how we take care of ourselves. In this interactive session, participants learned how to “show up” as a friend for yourself first, so you can then show up for others in a more connected and meaningful way.

Beyond the Hashtag: #StrongerTogether

(56 min.)

PANELISTS: Crystal Barnes (Moderator), Former EVP, Social Impact and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Paramount, Erika Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer, Offscript Worldwide/REVOLT, Sara Morales, SVP, People & Communities, Cisco, Dr. Ella Washington, Best-selling Author, Workplace Strategist & Professor Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

Change isn’t a solo effort — it’s built through collective action, shared responsibility and bold leadership at every level. In this evidence-based conversation, Crystal Barnes, Erika Bennett, Sara Morales and Dr. Ella Washington explored how inclusive leadership transforms organizations and what it takes to keep progress moving forward. This session moved beyond the numbers to explore how leaders at every level can shape culture, strengthen community and sustain meaningful change — together.

This virtual session is part of The WICT Network’s #BeyondTheHashtag Series. The series was established as part of our programming in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which ignited a global campaign concerning the obstacles women encounter routinely in their professional lives. The series has evolved to support additional causes and present real-world solutions to build more inclusive, respectful and equitable workplace cultures.

The WICT Network gratefully acknowledges Cox Communications as the Exclusive Platinum Sponsor of the #BeyondTheHashtag Learning Series

Pearls of Wisdom: Lindsay Shookus & Marcia Dawkins

(23 min.)

SPEAKERS: Lindsay Shookus, Founder, Speaker, Business Coach and 7-time Emmy-winning Television Producer, SNL, and Marcia Dawkins, Researcher, Storyteller, Communicator

A series of bold, high-impact talks from visionary leaders shaping the future of creativity, business and culture. Modeled after TED Talks, this capstone session spotlights dynamic voices who will share insights and perspectives shaped by their experiences. Through quick-hitting talks, you’ll gain lessons designed to spark reflection, inspire fresh thinking and motivate action on your own leadership journey.

Check out valuable lessons and perspectives from Lindsay Shookus and Marcia Dawkins.

Brought to The WICT Network Online Learning Library thanks to the NCTA Education Foundation.

2025 Leadership Conference: Opening General Session with Fran Drescher

(35 min.)

Loren Hudson (Moderator), SVP & Chief Talent Officer, Connectivity & Platforms, Comcast, Fran Drescher, Actor, Advocate, Former SAG-AFTRA President & Founder, Cancer Schmancer Movement

The 2025 Leadership Conference kicked off with an unforgettable keynote conversation featuring Loren Hudson in dialogue with Fran Drescher.

Beyond the Hashtag: #HispanicHeritageMonth Shaping the Narrative – Hispanic Leaders in Media, Entertainment and Technology

(55 min.)

PANELISTS: Fernanda Merodio (Moderator), Director, Business Development, Netflix, Maria Sanchez, SVP, Television Licensing, Paramount, Maria Soares, SVP, Production Support & Enhancement, ESPN

Across media, entertainment and technology, Hispanic leaders are making significant impacts that reflect the complexity, creativity and diversity of their communities. As content creation and innovation converge, their influence is redefining representation on screen, behind the scenes and across digital platforms.

In this powerful conversation, we explore how Hispanic leaders have shaped the cultural narrative by challenging stereotypes, driving inclusion and leading with authenticity. From streaming giants to media and programming leaders, their voices help build a more equitable and compelling future for all.

Whether you’re a content provider, technologist, executive or advocate, this session offers inspiration and practical insights on how Hispanic voices make their mark, and why it matters.

This virtual session is part of The WICT Network’s #BeyondTheHashtag Series. The series was established as part of our programming in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which ignited a global campaign concerning the obstacles women encounter routinely in their professional lives. The series has evolved to support additional causes and present real-world solutions to build more inclusive, respectful and equitable workplace cultures.

From Apology to Authority: Unlock Your Remarkable Potential

(56 min.)

SPEAKER: Shira Miller, Chief Communications Officer, National DCP

Have you ever wondered why some of the most accomplished people you know — and that probably includes yourself — sometimes self-sabotage? Research shows that about 70% of professionals have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. It’s especially common in high-pressure or competitive environments, where feelings of not belonging or not being capable can persist despite clear evidence of competence and success. Self-defeating beliefs, perfectionism and the tendency to over-apologize can hold talented individuals back from realizing their full potential. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this webinar, award-winning keynote speaker and C-Suite executive Shira Miller shares a powerful framework for shifting from apology to authority.

Empowering Caregivers: Balancing Work and Family

(58 min.)

SPEAKER: Liz O’Donnell, Founder of Working Daughter

This insightful and empowering webinar features Liz O’Donnell, founder of Working Daughter and a leading voice in the caregiving community. In this session, Liz shares practical strategies and personal insights for navigating the complex and often overwhelming journey of caregiving while balancing work and personal life. In addition to supporting caregivers directly, Liz discusses how organizations can be proactive in supporting their leaders and employees who are also caring for loved ones.

This session is designed for anyone who cares for aging parents or loved ones while managing a career, as well as leaders and HR professionals looking to create a more caregiver-friendly workplace.