Alexander J. Cotoia, regulatory compliance manager, has over sixteen years of experience in the legal and compliance profession. Prior to joining The Volkov Law Group, Alexander was employed by Richard Branson’s company Virgin Galactic – a prominent suborbital space tourism company – in a multifaced legal and compliance capacity. Alexander joined The Volkov Law Group in 2021, and regularly assists the firm’s clients with the resolution of trade compliance matters arising under both the ITAR and EAR, spearheads its due diligence efforts, and assists the firm’s attorneys in advising clients with respect to sanctions regulations, the remediation of corporate compliance programs, and the conduct of internal investigations. Alexander earned an undergraduate degree at Purdue University Global and a master’s degree in law with a concentration in compliance from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach.

Alison is a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern School of Business and Executive Director of Ethical Systems. She has spent the past two decades consulting with multinational companies on risk, anti-corruption, sustainability, human rights, culture and behavior, stakeholder engagement, ESG, and ethics and compliance–including as a senior advisor at sustainability nonprofit BSR, a member of the Board at Venture ESG, and a sustainability adviser at Zai Lab, KKR, and Pictet Group.

Prior to joining Ethical Systems, she was a managing director at Business for Social Responsibility, running the sustainability management, futures and supply chain practices. Alison also worked at Transparency International, Control Risks, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Fordham Law School. She is a 2023-24 member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Good Governance, and is currently writing a book for Harvard Business Review Press on how companies can do the right thing in a turbulent world.

Bill Cameron is the principal of Cameron Advisory Services, a newly launched firm providing customized counseling and practical advice about all aspects of ethics and compliance programming.

Bill’s lengthy in-house experience and deep network of compliance professionals provides a sharp lens for assessing and reducing overall risk, including identifying opportunities to strengthen corporate ethics and compliance programs and improve company culture.

Bill brings over 22 years of Fortune 500 experience as an attorney, ethics and compliance professional, and trusted executive advisor, to ensure clients are on the path to meet best practice ethics and compliance program goals with a focus on the planning and implementation steps necessary for any successful program expansion or improvement, including engaging key stakeholders across an organization.

Prior to forming CAS, Bill led the ethics program at Exelon Corporation, with an enterprise-wide portfolio that included oversight of internal investigations, the Ethics Helpline, the company Code of Conduct and related training and communications. Prior to joining Exelon, Bill was Senior Counsel at Constellation Energy, handling all aspects of corporate litigation and dispute resolution. Bill began his career as a prosecutor in Baltimore.

You can reach Bill at billcameron@camadvisory.com for more information about his services.

Brandon Lee currently holds the title of Vice President, Solutions Engineers, overseeing a comprehensive suite of solutions for risk and compliance management. He uses his skills in people management to lead a large global team of Solution Engineers in translating complex business and technical requirements into easy-to-understand solutions that assist organizations with advancing their governance, risk, and compliance programs. Brandon holds a master’s degree in business administration from George Fox University and a B.A. in Theology from Portland Bible College.

Caleb’s years as a Solutions Engineer serving Small, Mid and Enterprise markets to build comprehensive GRC solutions have allowed him to understand the culture, tone and requirements of Healthcare organizations of all sizes. His main efforts are spent working directly with customers to collaborate on requirements handed down from boards and regulators to centralize and automate processes within the Ethics and Compliance branches of Healthcare. This partnership has allowed him to work with the various NAVEX teams to engage feedback from customers and help build an informed roadmap for the future of NAVEX solutions.

As one of the earliest ethics officers in the industry, Carrie Penman previously served four years as deputy director of the Ethics and Compliance Officer Association, now ECI. A scientist by training, she developed and directed the first corporate-wide global ethics program at Westinghouse Electric Corporation between 1994 and 1999. Carrie now leads NAVEX’s risk management processes and oversees its internal ethics and compliance program.   

Carrie has extensive client-facing risk and compliance consulting experience, including more than 15 years as an adviser to boards and executive teams. Carrie was awarded the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Compliance 2020 by Compliance Week magazine. In 2017, she received the ECI’s Carol R. Marshall Award for Innovation in Corporate Ethics for an extensive career contributing to the advancement of the ethics and compliance field worldwide.

Leading the HR and organization development functions, Cindy Raz brings more than 20 years’ experience leading human resources functions and business operations within rapid-growth organizations. Since joining NAVEX, Cindy has led several change initiatives associated with the merger and acquisition of multiple companies, including enhancing existing cultural programs, reducing undesired employee turnover and establishing people programs and strategies as a critical contribution to business success.  

Cindy has been nominated for the Portland Business Journal’s HR Leadership Award has served as a featured presenter at multiple industry events and is a featured HR Executive and Benefits Pro author. A graduate of Portland State University, she is certified as a senior certified professional with the Society for Human Resources Management and a senior professional in human resources with the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Cy Wakeman is a drama researcher, New York Times best-selling author, and 2023 World’s #1 Leadership Guru who is recognized for her Reality-Based approach to leadership. Backed by over 25 years of unparalleled experience partnering with top brands spanning all industries, Cy’s philosophy offers a modern approach to leadership in which employees and managers alike can deliver better results with less drama, higher engagement without entitlement, and more happiness in even the most challenging workplace realities.

Deemed “the secret weapon to restoring sanity to the workplace and the worldplace,” Cy empowers leaders to love their teams up while calling them up to greatness. Her client list includes Google, Meta, Viacom, NBC Universal, Keurig Dr. Pepper, NASA, Pfizer, CVS, Johns Hopkins, Stanford Medicine, Bank of America, and now NAVEX!

She has published four best-selling books, the latest of which is Life’s Messy, Live Happy: Things Don’t Have to Be Perfect for You to Be Content (2022), and shares her latest leadership insights on the Reality-Based Leadership podcast.

Ed is a partner in the Employment Department. His practice covers the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment law issues as well as business immigration.

Ed advises clients on a broad range of employment issues including board level disputes, team moves, discrimination, TUPE, collective consultation, trade union issues and litigation in the Employment Tribunal and the High Court. He also advises on business immigration issues including sponsorship under the UK Visas and Immigration ‘points-based system’. Ed has significant experience of advising on whistleblowing compliance programmes and conducting complex investigations, often involving whistleblowing disclosures and cross-border issues.

Ed is recognised by Chambers and Partners for his wide range of employment work and is listed as a ‘Leading Individual.’

Ed is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), the European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the International Bar Association (IBA) for whom he is a regular conference speaker.

Clients

Ed’s clients include Advent International, AIG Asset Management, Bain Capital, Brewin Dolphin, Estee Lauder, Lenovo, Marathon Asset Management, McColl’s Retail Group Plc, Raytheon UK, Robert Walters Plc, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Virgin Active.

Training

Ed regularly runs training sessions for HR and in-house legal teams, as well as his client’s line managers, on a wide variety of employment law topics including in particular diversity and whistleblowing.

Emily is a dedicated healthcare leader with a diverse background in urgent care, ambulatory, academic, corporate, and acute care settings. She currently serves as the Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management at Children’s Health, where she developed and implemented the hospital’s first comprehensive risk management program, leading to measurable reductions in risk. 

Emily has a strong track record of collaborating across teams to improve operational efficiency and safety. Her previous roles include Chief of Staff in the Office of the COO and Director of Occupational Health & Wellness, where she played a key role in the COVID-19 response and compliance efforts. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M University at Texas Wesleyan School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Baylor University. Emily is a licensed Registered Nurse and Attorney in Texas, and she holds certifications as a Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist and a Certified Professional in Health Care Risk Management. 

Emily is also actively involved in her community, serving in various volunteer and leadership roles. She was recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Emerging Leaders in 2021. Emily is committed to enhancing healthcare delivery systems and fostering collaborative environments to achieve strategic goals and improve outcomes.

Jamie Schmidt is a highly skilled professional with extensive experience in providing software support, implementing solutions, and managing operations across a variety of industries. With over a decade of experience, Jamie has consistently demonstrated his expertise and leadership abilities in diverse areas. In his current position as a Solutions Engineer specializing in integrated risk, Jamie has established a strong track record of delivering exceptional support to clients by leveraging his technical knowledge and innovative problem-solving skills. 

His primary focus involves tailoring solutions to align with clients’ Compliance and Risk Management workflows and processes, seamlessly integrating them into NAVEX IRM. This customized approach enables clients to develop comprehensive programs that address a wide range of needs, including compliance with security frameworks, privacy regulations, and internal requirements, thus ensuring  adherence to standards. Jamie’s dynamic career reflects his unwavering commitment to excellence, continual growth, and a genuine passion for achieving positive results. His ability to build strong relationships and inspire trust with clients underscores his dedication to delivering outstanding outcomes.

Jan Stappers is an expert in organizational whistleblowing management, data privacy, governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. He is engaged in the development of the new ISO 37002 Standard, is a frequent speaker on subjects related to whistleblowing, and has authored various articles on new legislation concerning whistleblower protection, anti-corruption, and organizational whistleblowing best practices.  

Jan is an International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E). He holds a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) from King’s College London in the United Kingdom (EU Competition Law) and a master’s degree (LL.M) from Leiden University in the Netherlands (European Law). 

Jan was recently accepted as a member into The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) “Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies.” This working party is broken into six parts and Jan is a member of the Group of Experts on Risk Management in Regulatory Systems.

Jason Conn serves as Corporate Vice President, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Deputy General Counsel of Comcast Corporation.  In this role, he supports the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer with the implementation of the global compliance program across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky.  Jason leads a team of compliance professionals with responsibility for compliance operations, program governance and reporting, complaint procedures and investigations, and data analytics.  Jason also serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Compliance & Ethics at Temple Law School.  Prior to joining Comcast in 2012, Jason was in the White Collar Litigation & Government Investigations Practice at Morgan Lewis. 

Jason is the Chair of Comcast’s Pro Bono Committee.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the Senior LAW Center, and he sits on the Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League.  In 2020, Jason was named to the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list. 

Jason graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Government from Cornell University, where he was a Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar.  He graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was Executive Articles Editor of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law.  

Jason resides in Philadelphia, PA with his wife and their two children.

Mr. Killeen became the Bumble Bee Seafoods Chief Compliance Officer in 2016. Prior to joining Bumble Bee, he was compliance counsel for 3M. Before 3M, he served 27 years as a Special Agent of the FBI in Minneapolis, New York, and Pittsburgh. He also served as a trial attorney in the FBI’s Office of the General Counsel in Washington, DC. He served two tours in Afghanistan chiefly under the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. In Pittsburgh, he was the FBI’s Chief Division Counsel, and Ethics and Compliance Officer. 

Mr. Killeen is a graduate of Grove City College. He received his law degree from Duquesne University. He is also a graduate of the Defense Language Institute School of Russian Language in Monterey. 

Mr. Killeen is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, registered as Bumble Bee In-House Counsel in the State of California, and a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional.

Josh Daymont is the founder and CEO of Securisea, a global cybersecurity assurance consultancy.  Daymont has grown the firm since its creation from one office in the southeastern United States to a global firm with accreditations to perform nearly every type of cybersecurity assurance engagement. Earlier in his career, Daymont lead multiple commercial cybersecurity vulnerability research departments at several firms which went on to become publicly traded on the NASDAQ. As the founder of Securisea, Daymont has been awarded significant research grants by the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for research in the area of cybersecurity which have led to several patents.  

Daymont has been invited to and appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg News and several local United States news channels as a commentator on cybersecurity. In addition, he has been widely quoted in a variety of news outlets and trade publication regarding timely issues relating to cybersecurity. 

Daymont holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Temple University, a master’s in management of technology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a master’s in accountancy from the University of Illinois. He is also a licensed CPA in the United States. 

Daymont has made angel investments in a variety of startups spanning the cybersecurity, privacy, biotech, fintech, payments and adtech spaces, and is a limited partner in several angel funds.

Josh Pifer has been a Solutions Engineer at NAVEX for two years. As a Solutions Engineer, Josh leverages his expertise to drive client success through innovative compliance and ethics solutions. With a passion for problem-solving and a deep understanding of regulatory landscapes, Josh collaborates closely with organizations to implement tailored solutions that mitigate risk and foster ethical cultures. Since graduating from Pennsylvania Western University at California with a Bachelor of Science, Josh resides in Pittsburgh PA. You will find most of his weekends spent cheering on the Steelers and Penn State, and playing golf.

Julia leads NAVEX marketing and communications, bringing over 20 years’ experience working at the intersection of strategy, communications and corporate culture. As a marketing and communications leader, she has been quick to harness the power of emerging technologies for corporate storytelling and was an early adopter of Agile marketing to test and iterate on initial concepts of marketing automation, social media and content management.

Prior to NAVEX, she served as Chief Marketing, Communications and Sustainability Officer at Clarivate, a publicly held global data, analytics and insights company. She also served as head of global enterprise marketing for Dow Jones, Vice President of Acquisition Marketing at the Wall Street Journal, and Chief Marketing and Sales Officer for Sterling, a mid-sized HR technology company, which was acquired by Goldman Sachs.

Kara, the Director of Product Marketing for the NAVEX One Platform, strives every day to leverage her expertise to translate the NAVEX value and show how we solve the day-to-day challenges of our customers. With over 20 years of marketing experience, she has continued to bring to market software and features aimed at improving user and employee experiences when performing risk and compliance tasks. She endeavors to help customers understand how NAVEX can assist them in achieving regulatory and cultural objectives by developing comprehensive marketing strategies that highlight what makes NAVEX products truly different. 

Before joining NAVEX, Kara refined her skills as both a competitive and product marketing manager at companies such as Xerox and Kodak Alaris, concentrating on digital transformation and artificial intelligence and increasing her knowledge in these innovative fields. She holds a master’s degree in marketing and is passionate about empowering companies to develop innovative software platforms that effectively address their customers’ most challenging needs. Leveraging her profound knowledge of technology, she is dedicated to crafting engaging and persuasive narratives that resonate deeply with customers’ needs and desires.

Katie is a seasoned solutions engineer at NAVEX assisting primarily global enterprise organizations. She enjoys creating scalable, efficient solutions that meet business needs. Through her deep knowledge of the NAVEX One Platform, she has been able to build, improve and update GRC programs to enable a better experience for employees and third parties using the NAVEX solutions.  Known for innovative problem-solving and clear communication, Katie is dedicated to driving success for clients and helping them achieve their strategic goals.

Kelle Veverka is the Product Marketing Manager at NAVEX responsible for NAVEX One Incident Management solutions and NAVEX One Disclosure Management. Working closely with cross-functional peers, Kelle works to increase the awareness and reach of NAVEX solutions, emphasizing the beneficial ways these solutions solve GRC challenges.  

With more than 30 years of program management and product marketing experience in the technology sector, Kelle leverages her extensive knowledge of messaging, positioning, and strategic planning to bring innovative new product features to market. She works collaboratively with sales, product management and marketing, supporting sales enablement, campaign execution, launches, and global market strategies. 

Kelle holds a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration – Marketing degree. She has earned multiple certifications from the Product Marketing Alliance, Digital Marketing Institute, American Marketing Association and Pragmatic Marketing Institute. 

When not focused on growing market share for her products Kelle spends time in creative pursuits, including drawing, painting, and designing.

With more than 20 years of nursing experience, Kimberly Olson began her career specializing in labor and delivery before bringing her talents to hospice. 

Having spent the past 12 years in healthcare and hospice care leadership, Kimberly is certified in Healthcare Compliance and as a Hospice & Palliative Care Nurse. Prior to joining St. Croix Hospice in 2016 as the Executive Director of Compliance, she served as a hospice clinical manager. In 2018 Kimberly assumed the role of St. Croix Hospice Chief Compliance Officer. 

Kimberly serves on the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Legislative Affairs Committee, Chairs the Minnesota Hospice and Palliative Care (MNHPC) Policy Committee, and volunteers for the Hospice Action Network as an advocate of hospice and palliative care utilization. She also co-authors the Post-Acute Care: Hospices chapter of the HCCA Complete Healthcare Compliance Manual. 

In 2022 Kimberly was recognized by Women We Admire as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Minnesota and as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Healthcare. Additionally, Kimberly’s exemplary leadership in compliance, risk management and governance programs has established St. Croix Hospice as an industry leader, with her work recently qualifying St. Croix Hospice as a finalist for the 2022 and 2024 NAVEX Excellence Awards. 

Kimberly received her RN degree from Hibbing Community College, as well as Bachelor of Science from the College of St. Scholastica.

Kristy Grant-Hart is the CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting and a compliance and data privacy thought leader specializing in transforming compliance departments into in-demand business assets. She’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Compliance Week, Compliance and Ethics Professional Magazine and many others. She’s the author of the best-selling book, “How to Be a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer.” Kristy was named a Trust Across America 2019 Top Thought Leader in Trust. In addition, she’s a former board member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and Health Care Compliance Association, and is currently on the Board of Trustees of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation UK.

Kyle Martin is an experienced leader in compliance and risk management with 15 years in the industry. As Vice President of Product Management at NAVEX, Kyle spearheads strategic initiatives and guides clients all over the world in achieving effective GRC programs. Recognized for his expertise, Kyle has contributed as a speaker and thought leader in several GRC forums including Compliance Week, IIA/ISACA GRC and ISACA Xchange, while also leading initiatives at NAVEX such as the Customer Webinar Series and the cross-functional Risk Governance Leadership Team.

Lisa Heirtzler is a growth strategy leader with deep expertise in empowering small businesses to succeed. With over 15 years of experience in the software industry, she has successfully navigated both enterprise and start-up environments, with a focus on crafting strategies that help small businesses thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. Currently, she leads the small business growth strategy at NAVEX. Previously, she led the global launch of QuickBooks Self-Employed at Intuit, empowering millions of entrepreneurs, and freelancers to simplify their business management.

Michael Olver is the CEO of Pacific Strategies & Assessments, a global risk consulting firm offering Due Diligence, Investigative, and Advisory services. He has been a corporate investigator for 15 years and has acted as an investigative responder on matters in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Olver has advised numerous multinational companies, regional government entities, banks, and high net worth individuals. Over the past decade, he has actively assisted clients in managing and mitigating complex risks across a range of operational environments from Libya during the Arab Spring to market entry assistance in more developed markets in Asia.

Michael Volkov, CEO of The Volkov Law Group, LLC, is a recognized expert in anti-corruption enforcement and defense, internal investigations, ethics and compliance, and white-collar defense issues with over 30 years’ experience in practicing law. Mr. Volkov served for 17 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District Columbia and has served on the Senate and House Judiciary Committees as the chief crime and terrorism counsel to the respective Chairmen. He also served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legislative Affairs of the U.S. Department of Justice and as a trial attorney in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. He also maintains the popular legal blog Corruption, Crime & Compliance.

Paolo is a Senior Manager with over 20 years of experience in Audit & Compliance across various industries. 

He currently oversees Enlarged Europe and Industrial Audit at Stellantis, where he also serves as the Compliance Leader for the whistleblowing process (Integrity Helpline). 

Previously, he was the Audit & Compliance Head in South America for FCA and the Head of Risk Management at Stellantis

Rick leads NAVEX Product Marketing, bringing over 20 years of B2B software leadership experience delivering new product launches, platform positioning, solution messaging, competitive intelligence and sales enablement.  As a Product Marketing leader, he has been adept at understanding customer and market needs including emerging trends such as artificial intelligence and aligning solutions to differentiate for success. He works closely with customers and analysts to understand key operational pain points, friction meeting new regulations, enterprise business risk, third-party challenges, process inefficiencies, and cultural gaps. Prior to NAVEX, he held both Product Management and Product Marketing leadership positions in the B2B software space including Infogroup and Ensighten.

Sarah is the founder and managing director of Peopleknd., an HR consultancy based in London, specializing in various HR and People & Culture matters, including employment law, performance management, People Strategies, ED&I, staff engagement, HR policies & procedures, recruitment & selection, restructuring & redundancy, workforce planning, and organizational development.  

Contributing to thought leadership in HR, Sarah Jo authors the HR column for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Magazine. Sarah Jo studied Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations (MSc) at Alliance Manchester Business School (2012) and People Analytics at the University of Cambridge (2022). She is a keen supporter of inclusive entrepreneurship and female entrepreneurs.

With a career spanning 8 years in the software industry, Sean has built a reputation for his technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and dedication to client success. At NAVEX, he is instrumental in conducting product demonstrations, leading technical discussions, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless implementation and integration of NAVEX solutions. His ability to bridge the gap between technical capabilities and business requirements makes him a trusted advisor to both internal stakeholders and clients alike. Driven by a commitment to excellence and a passion for leveraging technology to solve complex challenges, Sean continues to be a valuable asset to NAVEX, helping organizations navigate the evolving landscape of compliance with confidence and efficiency.

Stefano is a professional with extensive experience in Audit & Compliance within the automotive industry.

Currently, he oversees the Global Integrity Helpline at Stellantis, where he contributes to the Audit & Compliance department’s strategic initiatives and operational excellence. In this role, Stefano has led several key initiatives, and contributed to the post-merger deployment of the integrated Stellantis Integrity Helpline.

Stefano’s expertise spans various domains, including audit, corporate governance, and internal investigations.

Prior to his current role, Stefano held different positions in the Audit & Compliance departments of FCA and Fiat Group.

Wendy Surikov, VP, Global Head of Investigations, CBRE, leads a team of highly skilled professionals who investigate all claims of serious misconduct. Wendy joined CBRE in 2022 from Microsoft, where she was Principal Corporate Counsel assigned to the Workplace Investigations Team. While there, Wendy investigated high-level concerns related to harassment and discrimination. Before Microsoft, Wendy spent 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—rising to Supervisory Special Agent and managing a team of agents, attorneys, employment specialists, and the Department of Justice mediator corps. The FBI recognized her as one of the leading federal sector investigators in the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) field. Wendy also investigated complex federal corruption and fraud matters and served as the FBI liaison to the White House and U.S. Supreme Court.

Wojciech is an international lawyer qualified to practice in the U.S (New York), Poland, England and Wales (not practicing).

He is the co-founder of Impactiv, a boutique cross-border law firm with a lens on sustainability. Wojciech has been promoting B Corps since 2012. He is a member of the board of directors of B Lab Global. For years, Wojciech has been encouraging all companies to define and implement their purpose (broader than profit) in their corporate documents, in particular in key company agreements and statutes, as well as contracts with business partners. He has been convincing and supporting companies to shift their business operations to a more socially responsible model.

Wojciech is a Chairman of the Foreign Commission at the Polish Bar Council (Naczelna Rada Adwokacka) and a member of the District Bar Council in Warsaw. He is also a member of the ESG Committee at the National Chamber of Commerce in Poland (Krajowa Izba Gospodarcza).