October 7—9, 2025 | San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, TX

October 7—9, 2025

SPARK TALENT 2025 is your chance to answer the most critical questions about what it takes to plan, adapt, and acquire your workforce of the future. With uncertain labor markets, skill gaps, and a swarm of new talent poised to enter the market, HR pros need cutting-edge strategies. Experience this dynamic summit that brings together forward-thinking leaders, workforce strategists, and industry innovators from PepsiCo, Walmart, The Coca-Cola Company, Staples, Marriott, and more to tackle today’s most pressing workplace challenges.


Forget the fluff. Dive in deep with us and get real answers, step-by-step, practitioner-tested solutions, and actionable strategies from top organizations that are doing it right. Immerse yourself in sessions focused on doing more with less resources, AI as a tool in your hands, and beyond, including a free pre-conference workshop day with hands-on AI labs.

Talent's not waiting—are you?

          DAYS        

HOURS

MINUTES  

 SECONDS

Lock in your lowest rate by registering before July 1, 2025

Use our handy justify your trip letter to help with getting expense approval

Current Price: $1,595July 1, 2025 Price: $1,795

          DAYS                    HOURS              MINUTES             SECONDS

days
hours
minutes
seconds
00
00
00
00
days
hours
minutes
seconds

JOIN US AND LEARN HOW TO:

Build workforce agility to thrive in a disruptive era

Address generational shifts and talent scarcity

Use predictive analytics, AI, and scenario planning to anticipate tomorrow’s needs

Ensure fairness and effectiveness in AI-driven recruitment processes

Reskill and upskill your teams to meet future demands and support talent development

NOT YOUR TYPICAL TALENT ACQUISITION EVENT

SPARK TALENT is designed to work for you. As an attendee, you are empowered to create a schedule that aligns with your goals, participate in interactive group sessions, and network with other talent acquisition and workforce planning people. Our agenda is packed with sessions by HR experts sharing their pressure-tested strategies and workable toolkits of solutions for you. You'll leave feeling motivated, connected, and inspired to rethink your current approaches to workforce planning and recruiting.

KEY SESSIONS YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS

TALENT ACQUISITION

Talent Outliers: How to Find, Hire & Keep Exceptional People with Bertrand Dussert, Vice President, Talent Acquisition, Staples


Talent Acquisition Evolved: Designing Candidate Experiences that Drive Success with Blair Bennett, SVP, Global Talent Acquisition, PepsiCo


Maximizing AI for Smarter Recruitment and Skill Planning with Ross Mahaffey, Head of Tech Recruiting, Vanta


Using AI in Talent Acquisition – Keeping it Human and Fair with Meghan Rhatigan, Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition Experience, at Marriott International

WORKFORCE PLANNING

The Role of Strategic Workforce Planning in Gen AI Integration and Adoption with Ross Sparkman, Senior Director, Workforce Strategy at Walmart


Innovation-Driven WFP: New Strategies and Technological Advancements with Peter Louch, Founder and CEO, Vemo


Building a People Analytics Strategy: From Data to Decisions on a Limited Budget with Sarah Sheffer, Senior Manager, HR Data & Analytics, ADM


Building a People Strategy that Enables the Business Strategy with Sue Lam, VP of Global People Analytics, Culture, Strategy & Planning at The Coca-Cola Company

OTHERHR PROS

The Future of Talent and AI – A Guide to the Next Era Ahead with Jennifer Kirkwood, CEO & Founder, Talvana Consulting


▶  Authenticity 2.0: AI Won’t Take Your Job—But the Human Who Leverages It Will with Peter Lynch, Chief People Officer, Cardinal Group Companies

SPEAKER PREVIEW 

Blair Bennett

Senior Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition

PepsiCo

Sue Cantrell

Vice President of Products, Workforce Strategies and the U.S. Eminence Leader

Deloitte Consulting LLP

Jason Cerrato

Vice President,
Talent-centered Transformation

Eightfold AI

Cristina Costa

Founder

Cristina Costa Coaching

Bertrand Dussert

Vice President, 

Talent Acquisition

Staples

Karen Guzicki

Vice President,
Advisory Services

Human Capital Institute (HCI)

Jennifer Kirkwood

CEO & Founder

Talvana Consulting

Sue Lam

VP of Global People Analytics, Strategy & Planning

The Coca-Cola Company

Peter Louch

Founder and CEO

Vemo Inc.

Peter Lynch

Chief People Officer

Cardinal Group Companies

Ross Mahaffey

Head of Tech Recruiting

Vanta

Chris Reece, PhD

Chief Data Scientist

Vemo

Meghan Rhatigan

Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition Experience

Marriott International

Sarah Sheffer

Senior Manager, 

HR Data & Analytics

ADM

Ross Sparkman

Author and Senior Director, Workforce Strategy

Walmart

Tabitha Wright

Head of Talent Programs

GE HealthCare

DIAMOND SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

LOCATION

We can't wait to welcome you to the Alamo City! Our Grand Hyatt hotel is conveniently located in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Attendees can stroll along the scenic River Walk right outside the hotel, visit one of many trendy cafés, discover The Alamo, take in a game at Frost Bank Stadium or explore the Spanish Governor’s Palace, all easily reached from the comfort of our hotel.


Come for SPARK TALENT and stay for the charming sights of downtown San Antonio.

Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk

600 E. Market Street

San Antonio, TX 78205

Room Rate: $222 /night plus applicable taxes

Hotel Cut-Off Date: Monday, September 15, 2025

After this date, promotional room rate cannot be guaranteed.

Reservation Center: Please call (800)-803-7534 and reference The Human Capital Institute (HCI) Fall Conference or book your room here.

WHAT OUR ATTENDEES SAY

"Better than SHRM. I truly enjoyed the smaller environment compared to a SHRM conference. The workshops were great, the vendors were intentional, and it was easy to meet people."


- SPARK HR 2025 Conference Attendee

★★★★★

"Worth Every Second! I had the best time! It was full of different ideas and topics that I cannot wait to implement into our daily workings. I would love to be able to see more Benefit/Operations related discussions, but overall it was so amazing! Thank you HCI!!"


- SPARK HR 2025 Conference Attendee

★★★★★

"...this conference wasn’t just about strategies—it was about community, connection, and meaningful conversations that will shape the future of the work we do. [...] One of the most inspiring aspects for me was the sense of belonging and collaboration that filled every room. Whether it was exchanging ideas with peers, learning from industry experts, or experiencing the magic of Disney’s exclusive networking event at Epcot, the energy was unmatched. A huge thank you to Human Capital Institute and all the incredible speakers who shared their expertise. The future of HR is bright, and I’m excited to bring the SPARK back to my team."


- SPARK HR 2025 Conference Attendee

★★★★★

"...an exceptional experience from start to finish. The speakers were of the highest caliber, delivering thought-provoking sessions that left me inspired and motivated. HCI created an environment that was perfect for connecting with other attendees and collaboratively solving challenges. It was a joy to meet and engage with so many like-minded professionals. Every detail of the conference was thoughtfully planned [...] highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their knowledge and network within the HR field."


- SPARK HR 2025 Conference Attendee

★★★★★

Discover how to build tomorrow’s workforce with innovative strategies designed to tackle talent shortages, navigate generational shifts, and embrace workforce agility. Learn how AI is reshaping recruiting and workforce planning, culture-building tactics that support retention, and tools to help teams plan smarter and hire better. 


Don’t miss your chance to create solutions, unlock proven strategies, and reshape your workforce for lasting success. 

Human Capital Institute © 2025     Privacy Policy    Event Policy

Human Capital Institute © 2025     Privacy Policy    Event Policy

Discover how new technologies can simplify your life and create customized employee experiences. Learn the different combination of rewards, benefits, and recognition that work for your organization, and most importantly, get the proven strategies you can use immediately to elevate your managers into better team leaders. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this engaging conference!