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ABOUT BLAIR ▶
▶ 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?
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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
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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
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.
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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!