
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Audience: ~200 physician leaders and administrators
Primary Focus: Team Accountability (no formal theme announced yet)
Content Needs: Practical, evidence-based tools leaders can immediately use to create accountable, resilient teams; approaches that improve performance with compassion, psychological safety, and clarity; frameworks for engaging low/under-performers and sustaining behavior change after the event.
Budget: $10,000, plus travel and expenses
Rob Lion is a dynamic speaker and organizational psychologist who transforms workplaces through evidence‑based solutions. Through his consultancy, Black River Performance Management, Rob helps leaders improve team performance, strengthen engagement, and address complex organizational challenges with approaches grounded in the psychology of work, human behavior, and relationships. His guiding philosophy—work should fuel the human spirit, not drain it—has driven measurable change across nonprofits, education, government, tribal government, natural resources, health and beauty, food and beverage, and financial services.
Renowned for creative, research‑informed methods, Rob connects the science of motivation with practical leadership tools. He equips managers to design environments where people choose to engage, contribute, and grow—so accountability becomes shared ownership rather than top‑down enforcement.
Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPPcdjjBN10
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/rob-lion
Speaker Website - https://blackriverpm.com/
Every leader wants a team that’s engaged — but engagement isn’t a survey score. It’s the outcome of how people feel, think, and connect at work.
Drawing from the psychology of motivation and his iNGAGEMENT™ approach, Dr. Rob Lion shows healthcare leaders how to create the conditions where people stay committed, connected, and accountable — even in high-pressure environments.
This talk is built for real-world leaders who want engagement that lasts — not another program that fades after the applause.
We often treat motivation and engagement as separate priorities—but they’re part of the same system. Motivation fuels engagement, and engagement sustains accountability. Without understanding this connection, leaders risk mistaking busyness for commitment and compliance for care.
In this keynote, Dr. Rob Lion connects the science of human motivation—grounded in the C.A.R. Model (Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness)—with his iNGAGEMENT™ Model, showing how leaders can design conditions that foster genuine ownership and lasting performance.
This session provides a practical, evidence-based approach to building cultures where motivation and engagement reinforce one another—so accountability becomes something people want to sustain, not something leaders have to enforce.
“Dr. Rob Lion is the perfect example of an individual who really knows his craft and can articulate it in a way that makes very well-educated individuals feel like they understand the dynamic of his content, while still making the content palpable for the end employee. His ability to create strategies to help with organizational behavior is incredible! If you’re looking to create behavioral changes for the better, this is your guy!" - Ryan H. RizeX Professional Network
“Rob is a fantastic presenter. He opened theLeadership Summit for Southeast Idaho SHRM with an energetic and thought-provoking discussion about motivation. Rob and his company, Black River PerformanceManagement, are great supporters of our SHRM Chapter. They have a stellar reputation in our community, working with many local companies and nonprofits, advancing learning and development to the betterment of business and employees alike. We received a lot of very positive feedback regarding Rob’s presentation as a highlight of our event. I highly recommend Rob and Black River Performance Management!” - Heidi O.
Lisa Even is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, bestselling author of Joy Is My Job, and host of the Have Good Ripple Effect podcast. She helps leaders and organizations create the Ultimate Ripple Effect—turning moments into momentum for better culture and better results. With a background in corporate leadership and more than a decade of experience across healthcare, tech, government, and finance, Lisa brings contagious energy and practical tools that make complex leadership challenges feel approachable and actionable.
Lisa’s philosophy is simple: high‑performing teams aren’t just people clocking in and out—they’re ecosystems of humans creating intentional impact. Her work equips teams to lead with presence, build trust, and translate engagement into measurable performance. For leaders seeking a positive way to tighten standards and raise accountability, Lisa reframes joy from a “nice‑to‑have” into a reliable business strategy that boosts productivity, retention, and innovation.

Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUHS7_VyUt8&t=7s
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/lisa-even
Speaker Website - https://lisaeven.com/
Too often, enjoyment and engagement are treated as “nice to have” instead of essential components of a productive workplace. Deadlines, projects, and crises take over, leaving team members feeling disconnected and drained, relying on sporadic gestures to feel engaged. And let’s face it—the word burnout gets tossed around like candy.
Additionally, it’s easy for team members to assume workplace joy is solely the leader’s responsibility, while leaders face rising disengagement without knowing how to fix it.
Research shows that joyful employees are 31% more productive and three times as creative, leading to higher morale, retention, and innovation within teams. Joy isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s a smart business strategy.
In this keynote, Lisa guides audiences through practical steps to create a culture of enjoyment and engagement. She introduces concepts such as “Crappy to Happy” to improve unglamorous work activities and demonstrates how team members can take accountability for their own enjoyment at work.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Lisa among our entire hospital leadership team and later in the day with our local Rotary club and 75 student NHS leaders! Lisa provided us with a new, refreshing lens to look through at work and at home in good and in not-so-great situations! Lisa has an ability to connect with all ages and stages with her energetic zest for joy and life! We appreciate the tools Lisa provided us with to take on life more joyfully!” - Michelle McBride, Buchanan County Health Center
Michael Laidler is a leadership speaker and resilience strategist with more than 20 years of experience navigating high‑pressure roles in law enforcement and federal leadership. His signature philosophy, Fueling Resilience, reflects his belief that resilience starts within—and it’s the fuel for innovation, growth, and sustained performance. Throughout his career as a police officer, U.S. Border Patrol agent, and federal prison executive, Michael led teams through some of the toughest environments imaginable. These experiences shaped a leadership approach centered on composure, clarity, and accountability when the stakes are highest.
An MBA graduate and best‑selling author, Michael blends research, practical leadership tools, and lived experience to help leaders thrive under pressure. His Failure F.U.E.L.S. Growth™ framework—Face the Moment, Understand the Impact, Equip Yourself, Lead with Intention, Sustain the Shift—equips individuals and organizations to improve decision‑making, navigate uncertainty, boost productivity, and stay resilient. As a keynote speaker, he has empowered tens of thousands of professionals across Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and first responder organizations to turn pressure into performance and challenges into growth.
Michael’s mission is simple: to help leaders and organizations lead with clarity, grow through adversity, and thrive when it matters most—making him a strong fit for healthcare leaders tasked with elevating team accountability amid relentless demands.

Michael Laidler | Failure F.U.E.L.S. Growth™ Leadership Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s93juS8gRmU
Gravity Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/michael-laidler
Speaker Website - https://michaelalaidler.com/
Leaders are often the first to respond, the first to act when others hesitate, and the first to absorb the unseen weight of crisis. Leading under pressure requires more than quick decisions. It demands composure when it matters most.
In this engaging keynote, Michael Laidler draws from two decades in law enforcement to reveal what it truly takes to lead others when the margin for error is zero. Through his Failure F.U.E.L.S. Growth™ framework, Michael shares practical tools and real-world lessons that help leaders thrive with clarity and resilience under pressure for sustainable organizational success.
Whether the challenge is elevating low performers, sustaining team engagement, or keeping people accountable when stakes are high, participants will learn how First Responder principles can elevate teamwork, communication, and decision-making across healthcare and professional environments.
This audience has seen a lot of keynote speakers—and they’re asking for something different. In a workplace where team engagement and accountability matter more than ever, leaders must guide others through pressure with clarity, intention, and compassion.
Drawing on two decades of real-time crisis leadership in law enforcement, Michael Laidler translates high-stakes First Responder principles into practical tools for today’s healthcare and professional teams. Rather than only motivating high performers, this session empowers leaders to elevate struggling contributors by turning perceived weaknesses into strengths that drive collective success.
Through his Failure F.U.E.L.S. Growth™ framework, Michael demonstrates how to build accountability rooted in resilience—not pressure—and teaches leaders how to respond first with clarity, coach teams through turbulence, and keep everyone aligned when stakes are high. Attendees will walk away with repeatable tools for strengthening performance, creating psychological safety, and sustaining engagement long after the moment of pressure passes.
Leaders are often the first to respond, the first to act when others hesitate, and the first to absorb the unseen weight of crisis. Leading under pressure requires more than quick decisions, it demands composure, presence, and the ability to elevate others when it matters most.
In this engaging keynote, Michael Laidler draws from two decades in law enforcement to reveal what it truly takes to lead others when the margin for error is zero. Through his Failure F.U.E.L.S. Growth™ framework, Michael shares practical tools and real-world lessons that help leaders thrive with clarity and resilience under pressure for sustainable organizational success.
But more importantly, he shows audiences how to translate these principles into everyday leadership - equipping them to coach low performers into contributors, maintain accountability , and keep teams aligned when stakes are high. Participants will walk away with actionable strategies to communicate with precision, make confident decisions under uncertainty, and create environments where people feel supported, trusted, and empowered to perform.
Whether the challenge is elevating low performers, sustaining engagement, or strengthening accountability, attendees will leave with a renewed ability to respond first before fear, doubt, or pressure take over and lead their teams with strength, clarity, and purpose across healthcare and professional environments.
“I Experienced My First Mastermind Group Led By Michael And Hopefully Not My Last! Great Communication Skills And He Did A Great Job Leading The Group. His Perspective And Experience Is Highly Valued!”- ROSA MADRID, Loan Officer/Partner at Marketplace Home Mortgage
“Awesome Guy, Even Better Coach. He Definitely Reminded Me That It Starts With You. Anyone Looking For Guidance And Direction Would Benefit From His Services. Thank You For Your Time!!! - DWIGHT ALEXANDER, Founder of Develop-U
Mark is a seasoned globally minded Employee Experience Leader who has chosen to work for big-hearted companies and focus on how he and his team can unleash the talents and passions of a company’s employees. Early in his career, he worked with the likes of Best Buy, Levi Strauss & Company, and Gap Inc. partnering with business leaders to support their human resource (HR) needs including innovative ways to create a learning organization and ensure integration between work and life. Mark also spent two years living and working in Paris, France for Thomson/Technicolor.
Mark was the pioneer of designing the Employee Experience at Airbnb, which has since created significant changes in the way organizations globally are looking at expanding the HR function to focus on the entire employee journey. This group included traditional HR functions, in addition to broader teams focused on social impact, culture and workplace. Mark helped to further Airbnb’s mission “to create a world where you can belong anywhere,” by establishing the employee experience mission that employees feel they belong at Airbnb. Glassdoor recognized Mark and his team’s work by naming them the #1 Place to Work in 2016.
Most recently, Mark was the Employee Experience Leader of the flock at Allbirds, leading their global expansion to scale their people and culture while also taking his learnings to consult with companies, from startups to large global brands, to advise on how to evolve from HR to Employee Experience, how to create an integrated internal and external brand, how to bring the mission and values to life, and how to create a greater connection between the company and their employees, between employees, with the company’s customers, as well as the communities in which they operate. In addition, Mark is also working with Backstage Capital, a unique Venture Capital firm which is focused on securing funding and resources for underestimated founders- Women, LGBT and/or People of Color. He is helping them scale their organization, seek out like-minded investors, as well as supporting their Founders to help them strategize and grow their businesses.
Mark has his JD/MBA from the University of Colorado after four formative years at Colorado College. Mark chose to leave the practice of law after one year to focus his career on helping organizations do the right thing and to attract, develop, engage and retain creative and diverse talent to drive business results, curate the culture and create community connections.
In addition, Mark has been actively involved in giving back, including helping organizations enable their employees to help those less fortunate through volunteering programs and community involvement. He served on the Gap Foundation Board of Directors and is currently on the Board of First Graduate, a non-profit which helps those who are first in their family to attend and graduate college.

Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X8kb-lhUuU
Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCfhE5K_Uco&t=793s
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/mark-levy
To be curated collaboratively with the Kaiser Permanente team based on priorities.
Inspired by Employee Experience Design by Mark Levy
How can healthcare leaders create environments where teams consistently deliver excellence—while staying connected to purpose and one another? Team Accountability by Design introduces a framework that blends empathy, structure, and shared ownership to strengthen how individuals and organizations thrive together.
Drawing on proven practices from leading organizations like Airbnb and Patagonia, this approach reframes accountability as something co-created, not enforced—empowering every team member to take ownership of outcomes while feeling supported and valued.
In a healthcare context—where precision, trust, and collaboration literally save lives—this model provides a roadmap for uniting people around shared purpose, improving communication, and driving sustainable performance.
Core ideas include:
"A pioneer in employee experience. Mark Levy was insightful, passionate and inspiring!" - Julia Douthart, Executive Director, Work Rebooted
Simone Stolzoff is an author, designer, and workplace expert from San Francisco. A former design lead at the global innovation firm IDEO, he regularly partners with leaders—from the U.S. Surgeon General to senior talent leaders at Google—on how to make work more human‑centered. His journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, WIRED, and other publications. His debut book, The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work, was published by Penguin Random House and has been translated into more than a dozen languages; it is a #1 bestselling work‑life balance title.
Simone’s work examines how organizations can curb burnout and raise standards by focusing on sustainable productivity. He brings a rare blend of storytelling and research to help leaders create environments where accountability aligns with well‑being, clarity, and purpose. For healthcare, his message resonates with multidisciplinary teams balancing high stakes, compassion fatigue, and operational rigor.

How to Reclaim Your Life From Work | Simone Stolzoff | TED - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKFbh8LPvU
Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDltqJtUNDM&t=3s
Gravity Speakers Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/simone-stolzoff
Speaker Website - https://www.simonestolzoff.com/
With the rise of employee burnout and a historically competitive job market, organizations that value their employees' lives in and out of the office attract, retain, and inspire the best talent. Simone combines his background as an award-winning journalist and world-class storyteller to help individuals and organizations create cultures of sustainable productivity.
"A timely, compelling case for designing work around our lives instead of squeezing our lives into the space around work. It’s a wakeup call for people who feel overworked and leaders who have lost sight of their humanity." - Adam Grant, Wharton
"Simone is a thoughtful, provocative, and engaging speaker. Our team couldn't get enough of him. They talked about how much useful knowledge, and perception-shifting data he shared — and he was very funny, too!" - CJ Jackson, Guild
Tianna Faye Soto is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, published journalist, and former editor at Women’s Health magazine. Known for making wellness topics feel hopeful and human, she blends storytelling and science to help audiences live happier, healthier lives. She has delivered talks to more than 100 audiences across the U.S.—including teams at Boeing, Meta, and StockX—and her reporting has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Glamour, and mindbodygreen.
As a woman of Puerto Rican and Jamaican‑Chinese heritage, Tianna is passionate about making wellness conversations welcoming for all. She holds an M.A. in Clinical & Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, where she trained in positive psychology and resilience, and holds certifications in yoga, mindfulness, reiki, and somatic anxiety coaching. Her sessions create warm, transformative experiences that spark self‑awareness, courage, and lasting change—foundations for accountable, healthy teams.
Speaker Intro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyLrbDj_1Ec
Gravity Speakers - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/tianna-soto
Speaker Website - https://www.tiannafaye.com/
Whether you’re stepping into a new role, interviewing candidates for your team, or navigating how your organization can work better together, identity matters. People are more than just their professional titles; they are multifaceted, multi-passionate humans who have unique stories to tell. This keynote is designed to help your team members bring their full, authentic selves to their roles while finding meaning in their work.
As a Puerto Rican, Jamaican-Chinese woman, Tianna understands what it’s like to exist between cultural worlds. She has also worked in a variety of professional worlds, like mental health, media, education, and more. Her diverse career path and research on well-being has shown that embracing your unique story and strengths can enhance your sense of meaning and belonging at work (and beyond).
When you feel empowered to be your authentic self, you give others a safe space to do the same. However, in our fast-paced workplaces, we don’t often get the chance to slow down and reflect. Through storytelling, interactive elements, a touch of humor, and a warm, encouraging tone, Tianna inspires audience members to own their stories and embrace what makes them unique—both professionally and personally.
“Our organization at Facebook loved having Tianna speak with our team. We learned about research, theory, and common myths around happiness, followed by engaging exercises that helped us increase our positivity. We loved the reverse bucket list and gratitude visit exercises! Tianna is thoughtful and grounding. Her calm, yet confident demeanor made for easy listening. Hope to have her back in the future.” - Sarah Dunn, former Event Specialist, Facebook Reality Labs
“During Mental Health Awareness Month, we invited Tianna to join our StockX Culture Conversation Series to share tips and resources for managing mental health both in and out of the workplace. She shared tactics, best practices, and activity ideas for relieving stress and improving mental wellbeing. It was a highly engaging session with a great turnout. This conversation was timely and meaningful, and helped us continue our efforts to ensure StockX remains an inclusive workplace.” - Brandon Boatner, Global Impact Program Manager, StockX