Cornell Keynotes

This Cornell ILR keynote panel, moderated by Dean Alex Colvin, examines the critical role of labor mediation and the risks posed by cuts to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in an increasingly polarized labor relations landscape.

Cornell lecturer and serial entrepreneur Brad Treat draws on his experience building SightSpeed (acquired by Logitech) and advising 200+ startups to offer founders practical frameworks for transitioning into effective CEOs—emphasizing emotional intelligence, strategic communication, and adaptive leadership as essential skills for navigating growth, stakeholder trust, and organizational change.

As AI increasingly automates work, our panelists argue that human skills like listening, empathy, and judgment—formalized through a "Hospitality Fluency" framework—become the true competitive differentiator that leaders must deliberately protect and cultivate rather than delegate to machines.

Executive presence is a learnable set of skills rather than an innate trait. Learn proven frameworks and strategies to help you build authentic influence, secure buy-in, and motivate teams without compromising values.

Learn how to manage workplace burnout and how to set boundaries and practice self-compassion. You'll also learn how to implement organizational solutions that help create healthier work environments for you and your teams.

Cornell Nolan School faculty expert Bruce Tracey, Jake Basham from Tao Group Hospitality, and Starwood's Clio Knowles discuss solutions for addressing the hospitality industry's employment crisis.

Leadership experts Beta Mannix and Sunita Sah discuss strategies for women to navigate the challenges of healthcare leadership, covering everything from building influence and negotiating effectively to developing authentic leadership skills and professional networks.

Is congestion pricing actually working? Cornell researchers conducted the first causal evaluation of NYC's congestion pricing program launched in January 2025. They observed substantial pollution reductions within Manhattan's toll zone and spillover benefits citywide, offering crucial insights for other U.S. cities considering similar policies to improve air quality and address environmental inequities.

Cornell experts Lindsay Anderson and Tobias Hanrath are joined by Kasparas Spokas from the Clean Air Task Force to discuss how achieving a clean energy future requires moving beyond renewables and electrification alone to embrace integrated solutions including thermal systems, demand flexibility, streamlined permitting, and strategic university-industry partnerships.

Join Cornell Brooks School experts Jared Carter and Thomas O'Toole as they discuss how American democracy faces serious institutional threats from voting rights challenges to political polarization, while exploring how civic engagement can help navigate this critical moment and potentially reshape the nation's legal and political landscape.

Innovation experts Andrea Ippolito and Suzanna Fowler share battle-tested strategies for navigating the tricky balance between operational stability and bold experimentation while keeping teams motivated and stakeholders happy.

Cornell Lecturer and former U.S. Senate Chief of Staff Mark Bayer reveals the insider storytelling secrets he used at the highest levels of government to influence key stakeholders and achieve high-priority goals.

Join experts from Cornell Law's Migration and Human Rights Program as they examine the Trump administration's extensive 2025 immigration restrictions—including mass deportations, visa limitations, asylum restrictions, and enforcement operations—while outlining the program's advocacy efforts and ways for individuals to support immigrants.

Cornell University's Presidential Task Force on Institutional Voice has released a draft report examining when and how the university should speak on local, national, and world events, with recommendations on principles and guidelines for institutional statements.

AI in finance is about human-AI partnership rather than replacement, exploring practical strategies for effectively integrating AI tools while maintaining essential human judgment in financial decision-making.

Princeton Professor Frances Lee examines how American institutions failed during COVID-19, from ignoring pre-existing pandemic plans to implementing policies that protected the privileged while exposing essential workers, and explores what these failures mean for future crisis management.

Peter Karpinski and Douglas Miller share proven strategies for navigating today's hospitality industry transformed by AI, shifting consumer behaviors, and new revenue opportunities.

Three Cornell University experts separate fact from fiction about geoengineering and climate intervention strategies like stratospheric aerosol injection. They discuss the science, misconceptions, and ethical considerations surrounding these emerging approaches to address climate change.

Learn how effective employee onboarding can boost new hire productivity by over 60% and reduce turnover by nearly 50%. Get expert insights and implement four actionable strategies that include preboarding, manager involvement, buddy systems, and success measurement.

Journalist Sam Tanenhaus discusses his authorized biography of conservative intellectual William F. Buckley Jr., exploring how Buckley transformed American conservatism from 1950-1980 and examining his legacy's relevance to today.

Professor Elizabeth "Beta" Mannix from Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management says that building resilience is the key to thriving—not just surviving—amid today's unprecedented political, economic, and technological challenges. Learn to turn stress into growth opportunities at both personal and organizational levels.

This podcast features Cornell Professor Dirk Swart and AT&T Business executives discussing how companies can navigate the practical challenges of scaling AI from innovation to mainstream adoption, covering topics like building capabilities, data governance, talent development, and enterprise-wide implementation based on AT&T's real-world experience.

This conversation with former ABC News White House Correspondent MaryAlice Parks and former U.S. Senate Chief of Staff Mark Bayer will reveal insider strategies for how to effectively pitch stories to major news networks and increase your chances of gaining national media coverage.

Professors Michèle Belot and Jason Sockin discuss how digital technologies and AI can improve job matching between workers and employers. The two discuss their research on digital tools that can help navigate the changing labor market while addressing potential challenges with AI recommendation systems.

This podcast discusses how Varo Bank is using AI and machine learning to serve underserved populations by reducing costs and better assessing risk through real-time cashflow data rather than traditional credit scores. The conversation demonstrates how AI-powered fraud detection, personalized lending, and automated customer service are democratizing financial services for the 180 million Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how AI is shaping the future of financial services.

Two tech experts chat about how AI is shaking up the workplace, sharing real-world tips on how to ride this wave instead of getting wiped out by it.

Cornell's Nicola Fabrizio explores how developing emotional intelligence through its five key components (self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation) can enhance leadership effectiveness, personal relationships, and professional success through practical techniques and strategies.

Cornell's Global Labor Institute experts lead a discussion on how U.S. and EU approaches to forced labor regulations, including the EU's 2025 ban, impact global trade and labor practices.

The European Commission unveiled its AI Continent Action Plan, aiming to establish Europe as a global AI leader through initiatives in manufacturing, data infrastructure, and talent development, while maintaining a focus on democratic values and collaboration.

How does team diversity influence perceptions of creativity? Despite mixed evidence on the direct relationship between demographic diversity and creative outcomes, people generally tend to believe that diverse teams are inherently more creative.

Drawing from his experience as both a former CEO and Cornell faculty member, Robert Newman explains why honest communication is essential for team success, emphasizing that truth telling requires sharing genuine concerns and values, even when uncomfortable. He argues that creating psychological safety for honest dialogue isn't just morally right, but practically necessary for building high-performing teams with deeper trust and motivation. Rather than forcing agreement, Newman stresses that the goal of truth telling is to foster mutual understanding and empathy among team members.

eCornell has joined forces with our longstanding enterprise partners at AT&T to explore together what truly drives team performance. We’re joined by AT&T’s Katie Keser, Assistant Vice President, Technology, with Unified Front Door who, among other things, will bring insights on leadership and emotional intelligence from her perspective at AT&T. And on the Cornell side, we’ve got Professor of Management Robert Bloomfield from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, who, as a longtime friend and Keynote guest, has always offered unique perspectives on organizational systems and accountability. We’re going to examine both the human and structural elements that make teams successful, and our guests will likely challenge some common assumptions you may have about how teams actually work. Follow eCornell on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X.

Join Cornell wine expert Cheryl Stanley as she guides us through a tasting of wine from France’s famous Loire Valley. We’ll dig into some well-known appellations and discover some unsung beauties, too. As always, Cheryl encourages us to broaden our palette and appreciate wine in new, insightful ways.

True communication excellence isn't about the latest tech — it's about understanding fundamental principles and developing your unique voice. This skill-based session — led by Maria Wolfe, a senior lecturer in the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration — will show you how to harness these essentials to become a more compelling communicator who drives results.

Lisa Csencsits from Cornell's ILR School leads a discussion of how HR analytics has evolved from a novel approach to a fundamental business necessity, with 2025 bringing heightened expectations and capabilities.

Former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra joins Lutz Finger, a visiting senior lecturer at Cornell, for a conversation on the future of AI-driven innovation.

As development of the space technology sector grows, new opportunities for the private sector are becoming more accessible than ever before. Join us to explore the dynamic world of space technology with the New York Consortium for Space Technology led by Cornell University.

We all have scores of decisions to make every day, and we often want to move quickly. Cheryl Einhorn, an adjunct professor at Cornell Tech, helps us understand how to think of past decisions as a dataset you can mine for insights to make better future decisions.

When we experience feelings of ineffectiveness or invisibility, there’s evidence to suggest that we may be overlooking our own power of influence. Cornell ILR School professor Vanessa Bohns explains how we can better observe our influence, reconsider our fear of rejection and sometimes even use our influence more sparingly.

Most companies combine online and offline recruiting practices, but the efficiencies gained from technological practices can also impose limitations by unknowingly discouraging qualified candidates, particularly those with disabilities. Cornell ILR School professor Susanne Bruyère examines approaches to designing career webpages to attract job seekers with disabilities.

The transformation of an office building into a vibrant hotel isn’t anything new. Many of these spaces have been reimagined to offer modern amenities while preserving their architectural heritages. Join Brad Wellstead, a senior lecturer at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business, for a deeper dive into this phenomenon.

In this episode, we revisit one of our most insightful conversations on hiring. What’s the best way to find the right fit for an open role? JR Keller, assistant professor at the Cornell ILR School, and Angela Cheng-Cimini ’92, chief human resources officer for Harvard Business Publishing, explain the advantages and pitfalls of the internal hiring process.

To close out the year, we are pleased to revisit a favorite episode from earlier this year. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, take this opportunity to learn how to become a better interviewer in 5 steps. Are you underestimating the importance of a well-executed interview process? JR Keller, associate professor of human resource studies at the Cornell ILR School, returns to the Cornell Keynotes podcast to deliver five essential tips for crafting better interviews that lead to more effective hiring.

As 2024 comes to an end, we are pleased to revisit a favorite episode from earlier this year. Whether you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this conversation, take this opportunity to learn how to lead with tough love and radical candor. Andrew Quagliata, senior lecturer of management communication at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, and host Chris Wofford explore the importance of clear expectations and strong relationships in effective leadership—at work and at home.

Having general counsel is a relatively new phenomenon in institutions of higher learning. The pressures of regulation, litigation and legislation have given rise to a new era, and institutions must know how to respond. Lou Guard, an adjunct professor at Cornell Law School, discusses the tools university attorneys need to navigate the higher education space.

Family estrangement is a pervasive issue that affects many — if not all — families at some point. In the context of family businesses, the stakes are high. Professor Daniel Van Der Vliet, executive director of the Smith Family Business Initiative at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, shares strategies for repairing rifts and finding peace when reconciliation is not possible.

Talented people who fail to get promoted are often not failing because they are ineffective at their jobs. In many cases, they are outstanding performers. Cornell lecturer Dirk Swart shares how you can elevate your managerial and business acumen to transition into management.

Immigration will be a key issue in 2025. Cornell Law School professor Stephen Yale-Loehr and a panel of the school’s immigration law and policy research experts share what immigration laws and policies might change post-election and next year.

Corporate policies serve as a tangible manifestation of a business's core values and ethical standards. Rich John, adjunct professor at Cornell Law School, explains how a company’s rules and policies directly connect to what they value.

People with criminal records are often denied employment because of discrimination and face added disadvantages related to employment history, education and more. Christine Lovely, vice president and chief human resources officer at Cornell, Matt Saleh, Jodi Anderson Jr. and host Timothy McNutt from ILR School’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, explore inclusive hiring, employment barriers and strategies to help employers view applicants beyond the lenses of risk and liability.