Featured Upcoming Event

Employer-Only Forum

Digital Innovation + Personalization =

A New Era of Employee Wellbeing & Engagement

January 28, 2026

8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (CT)

University Club of Chicago and virtual

FREE to MBGH members. Open to all health benefits professionals.

In today’s workplace, employee wellbeing and engagement are no longer “nice-to-have” — they are essential drivers of recruitment, productivity, retention, and organizational success. This employer-only forum explores how digital innovation and personalized strategies intersect to transform the employee experience. Learn how to pair cutting-edge technology with human-centered design to create tailored programs that resonate, deliver results, and fulfill the equation: Digital Innovation + Personalization = A New Era of Employee Wellbeing & Engagement.

During this forum, you will learn:

• How digital innovation and healthy tech usage can enhance the reach, efficiency, and impact of employee wellbeing programs.
• Tactics for personalization to increase engagement, relevance, and participation in wellbeing initiatives.
• Strategies and challenges in maintaining employee connection and collaboration in today’s technology-centric environment.

MBGH members will only have access to portions of the program’s recording and slides for viewing after the event. Be sure to join us in-person or virtually!

Forum Speakers

Keynote

Digital Harm Reduction at Work:

Innovation That Honors the Human Brain

Thekla Brumder Ross, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist &

Digital Harm Reduction Strategist

Digital tools are meant to enhance how we work, yet the always-on attention economy is taking a quiet toll on employee wellbeing and productivity. This session introduces a practical digital harm-reduction framework to help employers design healthier digital environments to restore focus, strengthen connection, and support healthier, more sustainable performance without sacrificing innovation.

Real-World Wellbeing:

Redefining Personalization in the Digital Era

Kat Cagle

Wellness Director and Internal Communications Director

Phifer Incorporated

Personalized Employer Strategies

That Inspire, Engage & Deliver  

Moderator: Paula Sheehan, Director Member Engagement, MBGH

Nina Auffart

H&W Strategy and Wellbeing Manager

Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. 

Niki Bourque

VP

Corporate Wellbeing

Regions Bank

Shannon

McCarthy-Bennett

Sr. Benefits Analyst

Ciena 

Clinician & Expert Insight Fireside Chat:

The New Era of Innovation & Personalization

Moderator: Cheryl Larson, President and CEO, MBGH 

Christynne Helfrich

Senior Clinical

Solutions Lead

Hinge Health

Amy Jordan

VP, Consumer

Digital Engagement

UHC/Surest

Carl M. Noble, III

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Pathfinder Health

Legal Updates for the New Era of Employee Wellbeing

Sarah Bassler Millar

Partner

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP 

Stakeholder Panel: Partnering for Innovation

to Power Personalization & Engagement 

Moderator: Pam Hannon, Former Retirement & Total Rewards

Healthcare Leader, GE HealthCare & Past MBGH Board Chair 

Jen Benz

SVP Growth & Innovation

Segal Benz

Rick Fox, M.Ed.

Senior Consultant, Central Region Leader – Population Health &

Well-being

Brown & Brown

Kathleen Schulz

Global Innovation Leader,

Organizational Wellbeing

Gallagher

HRCI Credit

This forum meets the criteria for six pre-approved recertification credits for any of HRCI’s eight credentials, including SPHR^® and PHR^®. For more information about certification or recertification, visit www.hrci.org.

Sponsors

Thank you sponsors!

Without sponsor support, this forum would not be possible.

Click on the logos to learn more.

Clinical/Expert Panel

Employer Panel

Exhibit Level

Hospitality

Resource & Polling Sponsors