2021 Wharton People Analytics Conference to Feature Speakers Ray Dalio, Katie Ledecky, Oris Stuart, Kara Swisher, and Tina Tchen

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Annual student-run event hosted by Professors Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, and Cade Massey brings together leaders from business, academe and the world’s premier organizations to inform the future of work

PHILADELPHIA, April 5, 2021 —The annual Wharton People Analytics Conference will take place virtually on April 15, bringing together hundreds of leaders, innovators and expert practitioners to engage in thought-provoking dialogue around the future of people analytics, a discipline which integrates psychology, management, statistics, decision and behavioral sciences to help individuals and organizations thrive, together.

Registration is open to the public and tickets are available here: https://wpa.wharton.upenn.edu/conference/. The Conference is organized by a team of MBA students from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, who work in partnership with the Wharton People Analytics staff and faculty co-directors Adam Grant and Cade Massey.

Virtual for the first time this year, the Wharton People Analytics Conference is a one-day event that will include keynotes, one-on-one interviews, debates, and data-rich presentations. Sessions focus on cultivating high-performing individuals and teams for success in an uncertain world; analytics-driven insights on ways to improve hiring effectiveness, increase retention, and improve the employee experience; and how to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations and across our society as a whole. Facilitated networking conversations are scheduled throughout the day, enabling attendees to connect with one another while exploring personally relevant people analytics topics. This year’s conference will continue to bring the best and brightest minds in people analytics together, while providing unprecedented accessibility to new audiences via our virtual format.

Keynote speakers include:

  • Ray Dalio, Founder & Co-Chairman, Bridgewater Associates
  • Katie Ledecky, Five-Time Olympic Gold Medalist
  • Oris Stuart, EVP and Chief People & Inclusion Officer, National Basketball Association
  • Tina Tchen, President and CEO, TIME’S UP, Former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama

Featured moderators include:

  • Angela Duckworth, Penn and Wharton Professor; Author of Grit, Founder and CEO, Character Lab; cohost of the Freakonomics podcast No Stupid Questions
  • Adam Grant, Wharton Professor; Author of Think Again, Originals, and Give and Take; Host of the TED podcast WorkLife
  • Cade Massey, Practice Professor of Operations, Information, & Decisions at Wharton
  • Kara Swisher, Co-Founder, Recode; Host of the podcasts Pivot and Sway; New York Times opinion writer

The Conference will also feature speakers from Microsoft, McKinsey, NASA Astronaut Recruiting, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and more. A complete list of speakers is available on our website at https://wpa.wharton.upenn.edu/2021-conference-speakers/.

The Conference will also host two competitions to learn from new voices and celebrate practical, impactful innovations derived from the use of people analytics. The competitions include the White Paper Competition (sponsored by Google) and Case Competition (in partnership with Teach for America).

Regular Conference updates, in the run-up and during the event, will be on Twitter and Instagram at @WhartonPAC, LinkedIn, and #WhartonPAC. Additionally, videos, podcasts, and discussions can be followed year-round on the Wharton People Analytics website, YouTube channel and social media.

The Conference would not be possible without our sponsors Ares, Google, McKinsey & Company, Medallia, Microsoft, and Vanguard.

Media Inquiries: Contact Wharton Media Relations at communications@wharton.upenn.edu.

About Wharton People Analytics

Wharton People Analytics (WPA) is an initiative of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, based in Philadelphia, PA, dedicated to advancing the practice of people analytics to help individuals and organizations thrive. The interdisciplinary group of Faculty Co-Directors includes Professors Matthew Bidwell, Angela Duckworth, Adam Grant, and Cade Massey. They use their expertise in algorithmic decision-making, management, organizational behavior, and psychology to identify and answer critical questions about human and organizational behavior. The initiative’s work focuses on conducting research, translating research into practice, and educating the next generation of organizational leaders to advance evidence-based management.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 99,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

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