Kellogg Leadership Symposium 2026

Kellogg DFW Alumni Symposium 2026

A Business Conference for Leaders Across DFW

We’re back. And we’re raising the bar.

The Kellogg DFW Alumni Symposium 2026 brings together executives, founders, investors, and operators from across the DFW business community for a half-day conference focused on how people perform, decide, and lead at their best.

This is our largest leadership event of the year and one of the most substantive business conferences in the region. Hosted by Kellogg DFW Alumni, the Symposium is open to all forward-thinking leaders, not just Kellogg alumni.

Theme: High-Performing Humans

In an era shaped by rapid change, advancing technology, and increasing complexity, performance is no longer just about strategy or tools. It is about people.

This year’s Symposium explores the human drivers behind effective leadership, strong judgment, resilience, and sustained execution. Sessions are designed to help leaders think more clearly, lead with intention, and make better decisions in real business environments.

The focus is practical, grounded, and immediately relevant.

What You’ll Experience

• Perspectives from world-renowned Kellogg faculty

• Insights from respected industry leaders and community voices

• Conversations grounded in real business challenges

• A curated audience of senior leaders across industries

• Time to connect, reflect, and build meaningful relationships

• Lunch included, with dedicated time for networking and conversation

This is not a lecture series. It is a working conference designed for leaders who value substance over noise.

Who Should Attend

• C-suite and senior executives

• Founders and entrepreneurs

• Investors and board members

• Operators and functional leaders

• Anyone responsible for leading people, performance, or growth

If your role requires sound judgment and strong leadership, this conference is built for you.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: Center for BrainHealth

Lunch: Included

Why Attend

The strongest leaders invest in how they think, not just what they know.

The Kellogg DFW Alumni Symposium is designed to challenge assumptions, expand perspective, and deliver insight leaders can apply immediately. You will leave sharper, more grounded, and better prepared for the decisions ahead.

Agenda:

Event Moderator: Chris Plumlee, CEO, Elevate Strategy Group


Event Co-Chairs: Bob Ntuaremba Leyo and Teri Gordon

8:00 – 8:30 AM

Welcome & Executive Networking
Michelle Rider, President and Board Chair, Kellogg DFW Alumni Network

Connect with senior leaders, founders, and operators across industries as we kick off a morning focused on leadership, performance, and AI-enabled decision making.

8:30 – 9:15 AM

Opening Keynote

The Trust Advantage


The Key to Unlock High Performance in Humans!

Speaker: Professor Andrew Sykes, Kellogg School of Management

Professor Andrew Sykes, leadership expert and Kellogg lecturer, opens the Symposium with a powerful framework for building trust as a leadership advantage. Drawing on global leadership experience and behavioral insights, Professor Sykes explores how trust drives performance, strengthens relationships, and enables leaders to operate with clarity and confidence under pressure.

Leaders will gain practical insights to build high-performing teams, increase influence, and lead more effectively in complex environments.

9:15 – 9:45 AM

Networking Break

9:45 – 10:30 AM

The Human Engine of Enterprise AI

Governance, Judgment, and C-Suite Alignment

Session Moderator: Professor Bryan Seegmiller, Kellogg School of Management
Panelists: Valmiki Mukherjee, Peter Vogel, George Trujillo, Vineet Rao

AI success is no longer about experimentation. It is about leadership, governance, and execution at scale. This executive-level discussion brings together leaders working at the intersection of AI, risk, governance, and enterprise transformation.

Learn how organizations are aligning leadership teams, balancing innovation with risk, and building frameworks required to scale AI responsibly and deliver measurable business value.

10:30 – 11:00 AM

Networking Break

11:00 – 11:45 AM

Leading from the Front (al) Lobe:

Training Your Brain for Optimal Performance

Speakers: Laura Gordon and Jennifer Zientz

High-performing leaders train their minds as intentionally as they build strategy. This interactive session begins with a digital Toxic Habits Quiz using Mentimeter, allowing the entire audience to participate in real time through a QR code.

Following the interactive exercise, the session transitions into a fireside chat exploring neuroscience, leadership performance, and cognitive resilience, followed by audience Q&A. Participants will gain practical insights to improve focus, decision-making, and leadership performance in high-pressure environments.

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Leadership Lunch & Networking

1:00 – 1:45 PM (Concurrent Workshops)

Gain Your Trust Advantage

A practical workshop to help you learn, practice and mature one of the key skills in rapidly building trust and gaining your trust advantage.

Speaker: Professor Andrew Sykes

In this interactive session, Professor Sykes provides practical tools to help leaders build trust quickly and sustain it over time. Participants will learn actionable strategies to strengthen relationships, increase influence, and lead high-performing teams.

AI Skills to Make You 1% Better Every Day

Speaker: Genevieve Davis and Ali Rizvi

This hands-on session focuses on practical AI application for business leaders. Learn how to improve productivity, automate repetitive work, and enhance decision-making using AI tools you can begin applying immediately.