Main Day Two: Wednesday, December 10, 2025

AI is moving fast—faster than most governance models can catch up. In HR Shared Services, the stakes are especially high. These systems handle sensitive personal data, drive employee experiences, and influence decisions around pay, promotion, and support. And yet, when we polled our HR SSOW community, most leaders admitted they had no formal AI governance in place. That has to change—and fast. This session breaks down what AI governance in HR really means, why it's non-negotiable for scaling responsibly, and how to stand up an AI Ethics & Governance Committee or Task Force in your organization. Whether you’re piloting copilots, launching chatbots, or embedding skills-based routing, governance ensures you can innovate without compromising trust, fairness, or compliance. 

• Explore the legal, ethical, and reputational risks of operating without guardrails—and why HRSS can’t leave governance to IT alone. 
• Learn how to form an effective task force: who to include, how to scope responsibility, and what decision frameworks to adopt (e.g., fairness, explainability, auditability). 
• Get tools for embedding AI governance into project workflows—from risk assessments and model vetting, to usage audits and employee feedback loops. 

Frontline workers power our businesses—but are too often left behind by digital HR experiences. Static portals and desktop-first tools don't serve a nurse on a night shift, a warehouse associate on the floor, or a sanitation worker on the road. It's time to reimagine how HR Shared Services reaches people where they are—on mobile, in tools they use, with information they need. This session explores how leading organizations are shifting away from monolithic HR portals and embracing micro front ends, in-app widgets, SMS, and WhatsApp to deliver personalized, task-driven support. We’ll also examine the human impact: How do we build trust with frontline employees who may not even know they have benefits—or who don’t feel like HR is for them? This is more than tech. It’s access, inclusion, and dignity by design. 

• Understand how modular, task-based design unlocks faster access and higher adoption—without requiring a traditional portal. 
• Learn how to build trust with underserved employee groups through design choices that reflect their realities—shift work, language needs, and limited connectivity. 
• Discover how to create inclusive, culturally aware service experiences that recognize frontline workers' schedules, environments, and digital access limitations. 

Stacy Hodge

Head of North America HR OPs, Shared Services & Payroll
HelloFresh

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What happens when a global company decides to take its HR destiny back into its own hands? PayPal did just that—shifting from a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) model to a fully captive, in-house approach. The move wasn’t just about cost or efficiency; it was about agility, ownership, and building an HR function that truly reflects PayPal’s culture and values.

 In this session, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how PayPal navigated the trade-offs, smoothed the transition, and stood up new capabilities to deliver both scalability and innovation. From lessons learned to the unexpected wins, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to evaluate your own delivery model—and the confidence to decide when it’s time to bring HR back home. 

Eric Harding

Vice President of HR Operations
Republic Services

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Your organization has a skills-based vision. The technology is bought. The taxonomy is built. But your people? They're not feeling it. That’s because most continuous learning strategies fail to translate into daily behavior—and often feel disconnected from performance or career growth. This session explores how HR Shared Services teams can operationalize continuous learning, using data to close real skills gaps (in automation, AI, and operational excellence), track progress via certifications and milestones, and bring leadership’s skills strategy to life for every employee. You'll leave with practical ways to make learning visible, personalized, and measurable—so that employees actually care, and leaders can prove ROI. 

• Use HRSS data to identify and address real skills gaps in automation, AI, and operational excellence 
• Build a continuous learning system that tracks certifications, milestones, and performance by skill mastery 
• Bridge the gap between strategy and employee adoption with better communication, feedback, and visibility 

Dr. Elizabeth Carter

Project Manager- Human Resources
Wabtec

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Ever wish you could get a straight answer from someone who’s been there—navigated the messy transformation, fought for budget, stood up AI, restructured a team, or just said “no” to a bad idea? This session gives you that chance. Join a panel of senior HRSS leaders with more than a decade of real-world experience for a candid, no-slides, no-fluff conversation driven entirely by your questions. Whether you want career advice, team-building strategies, insights on tech adoption, or help navigating organizational politics, this is your moment to ask. Come curious—and leave with actionable insights you won’t find on a LinkedIn post. 

• Get unfiltered answers to your biggest questions from seasoned HRSS leaders 
• Hear real stories and lessons learned on the ground—beyond frameworks and buzzwords 
• Walk away with hard-won advice on leadership, transformation, stakeholder alignment, and more 

Tiffany Clark

Global Head, People Solutions & Wellbeing
S&P Global

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Jennifer Swenson

Director, HR Shared Services Center
First Citizens

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Join us for a dynamic and interactive session where we'll dive into the latest HR trends and challenges. This unique activity will have you moving around the room to express your agreement or disagreement with a series of provocative statements. How it works: We'll present a variety of statements related to HR best practices, emerging trends, and industry challenges. Based on your stance, you'll move to a designated area in the room. Once everyone has positioned themselves, we'll facilitate discussions within the group. Share your perspectives, challenge assumptions, and learn from your peers.