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Kindra Hall
Kindra Hall is a bestselling author and the president and chief storytelling officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges.
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Lauren Saidel-Baker
Lauren Saidel-Baker, CFA, is a speaker and economist at ITR Economics. She provides consulting services for small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries.
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Morris Morrison
Along with his team at Windmill Park Media, Morris Morrison has become a world-class entertainer, futurist, author, and entrepreneur whose journey began in New York City before a doctor’s words changed his life forever
Josh Darr
Joining the firm in 2013, Josh leads a domestic and international team of seasoned scientists and engineers advising clients on natural catastrophe risk and climate change.
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Kindra Hall is the go-to expert for storytelling in business and beyond. Kindra Hall is a bestselling author and the president and chief storytelling officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges. As a speaker, she works with global companies to inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products, and their individuality through strategic storytelling.
Hall has published two bestsellers with HarperCollins Leadership. Her first book, Stories that Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business, debuted at #2 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller List and prompted Forbes Magazine to say, “It may be the most valuable business book you read.” Her second book, Choose Your Story, Change Your Life: Silence Your Inner Critic and Rewrite Your Life From the Inside Out, was published in 2022. Kindra’s work can also be seen at Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com, and in SUCCESS Magazine, where she is a contributing editor. She is also host of the popular podcast Success Stories with Kindra Hall.
Kindra Hall was a National Champion storyteller, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Storytelling Network, and for her master’s degree in communications she conducted original research studying the role of storytelling in defining and revealing organizational culture. A former director of marketing and vice president of sales, Kindra knows how to inspire teams to perform at the highest levels. The blend of inspiration and education in her keynotes mean that audiences leave feeling excited and equipped to finally put their stories to work in a tangible way.
Lauren Saidel-Baker, CFA, is a speaker and economist at ITR Economics. She provides consulting services for small businesses, trade associations, and Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries.
Since joining ITR Economics, Lauren has brought enthusiasm and in-depth insight to the analysis of various industry trends. Her expertise captivates audiences, and her experience in the financial industry supports her extensive knowledge of the applicability of ITR Economics’ programs.
Lauren graduated with honors from Wellesley College, double majoring in economics and religion. She has also earned her MBA at Boston University Questrom School of Business. In addition, she has been featured on Reuters’ Market Insight, Bloomberg and BNN Bloomberg, and the Financial Sense Newshour podcast, among many other media publications.
Align Resources for the Rise Ahead
2025 looks to be a year of recovery for some markets and real growth for others, while still others can expect a measure of cyclical decline. Attendees will be able to see the future before it is here so that scarce resources can be properly allocated. Tracking the leading indicators and being nimble as plans are drawn for beyond 2025 is imperative.
The winds of growth, inflation, and interest rates are likely to shift as we go beyond 2025. We will present our forecasts for inflation and interest rates as well as our outlook for the forces that drive your markets. This outlook will require a change in perspective so that you can successfully plan and change to maximize your profits in both the near and long term.
Morris Morrison is obsessed with building Stronger, Kinder, Focused human beings. Along with his team at Windmill Park Media, Morris Morrison has become a world-class entertainer, futurist, author, and entrepreneur whose journey began in New York City before a doctor’s words changed his life forever, after being orphaned a second time. Morris Morrison has been the go-to voice that has impacted countless youth, college and university, and major Fortune 50 events that range from supply chain and HR to sales, marketing, and healthcare.
After losing his parents in New York City and becoming orphaned a second time as a teen, early opportunities uncovered a unique brand of engagement that connects with all audiences and backgrounds, with an unforgettable message that sounds like a Hollywood movie script. Many of today’s world-leading organizations have partnered with Morris Morrison to build fearless, focused leaders that proactively drive uncomfortable change as they embrace a new future of work, dominated by automation and artificial intelligence.
After receiving his education from Fairmont State University and the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, Morris Morrison’s business journey included critical leadership roles in human resources, sales, and marketing, prior to exploring his dedicated path of entrepreneurship and culture building. Today, many global leaders have witnessed his message live on stage and in his latest book Disrupt Yourself. His message is powerful, and his story is unforgettable, but his focus is clear — to bring families and teams closer and make organizations more impactful, through personal ownership, service, and generosity.
Morris is best known for celebrating his biggest accomplishments off stage as a proud husband and father, with additional service to organizations, including Fellowship of Christan Athletes, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA, and many others. Morris is a proud brother of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and he currently serves on the board of directors for the West Virginia Alumni Association and the board of advisors for the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University and the Chestnut Mountain Ranch home for boys.
Disrupt Yourself: Driving Change to Create Growth and Opportunity
It’s no secret that human beings crave consistency, and we dislike change. Yet, one thing remains clear — owners, leaders, and producers must deliver results. In this program, Morris Morrison will equip you to abandon your need for certainty and comfort, to embrace change and disruption, and develop new disciplines. The powerful message, unforgettable content, and easy to apply learning outcomes in this program will challenge you to reimagine your role as owners and producers to become disruptors.
Joining the firm in 2013, Josh leads a domestic and international team of seasoned scientists and engineers advising clients on natural catastrophe risk and climate change. Josh’s client efforts surround the impact of weather and climate trends on client business processes, catastrophe model usage, and applications for underwriting, claims handling, and portfolio management. In addition to responsibilities at Guy Carpenter, Josh is an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University in the Department of Geography & Atmospheric Sciences, commencing that role in 2010. Earlier in his career, Josh was a part of the corporate hedging team for Chesapeake Energy and was a director of North America Climate Hazards at the modeling firm RMS.
Josh received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and his Master of Science degree from the University at Albany, New York, both in Atmospheric Sciences. Josh carries the Certified Catastrophe Risk Management Professional designation from the Casualty Actuarial Society, is a Certified Catastrophe Risk Analyst, and has served as Chair of the Mentorship and Board of Private Sector Meteorologists with the American Meteorological Society. He is an active member of his church serving several terms on the board as well as the search committee, Sunday School teacher, and fundraising chair.
Catastrophe Risk in 2025: Changeable Weather and Insurance Markets
Both 2023 and 2024 resulted in historic loss years of U.S. Severe Connective Storm (CSC) activity, fundamentally changing how insurers and reinsurers contemplate pricing and allocating risk to the peril. After the hard reinsurance market over the last five years, primary insurers have disproportionately paid SCS claims in recent loss years. Reinsurers have elevated the dollar amount and return period that catastrophe excess of loss programs commence a pay out to primary carriers, which significantly shifts the risk profile of how primary carriers manage SCS risk. The evolving insurance marketplace for underwriting SCS risk, the factors influencing the shift in frequency and severity of loss events and placing the SCS peril in broader context of a changing climate and marketplace will be highlighted in this discussion. Finally, a discussion of adaptation research and measures will be discussed.