As artificial intelligence transforms the business landscape, the challenges facing startup leaders have intensified. While technology can automate many processes, the human elements of leadership — building trust, navigating ambiguity, and inspiring teams through uncertainty — have become more critical than ever. Today's founders must evolve beyond their technical expertise to become adaptive leaders who can guide organizations through rapid change.

Join Cornell faculty expert Brad Treat as he explores the essential leadership competencies required for founders transitioning to CEO roles. Drawing from his experience as a serial entrepreneur and visiting lecturer at the SC Johnson Graduate School of Management, Brad will examine how emotional intelligence, strategic communication, and adaptive leadership have become fundamental capabilities for startup success.

In this session, Brad will guide participants through the critical founder-to-CEO transition, sharing practical frameworks from his journey building and successfully exiting SightSpeed (acquired by Logitech) and his current work supporting more than 200 early-stage companies. He'll address the common pitfalls that derail promising startups and provide actionable strategies for stepping into effective company leadership.

What You’ll Learn:

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Find out more about Bruce Tracey’s General Managers Program: https://ecornell.short.gy/fKKWmj

Howard’s Gift book: https://ecornell.short.gy/1OLdog

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool; it’s starting to resemble an entirely new species. This raises a fundamental question: What remains distinctly human?

In this Keynote, Bruce Tracey, Professor of Management at Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, and Eric Sinoway ’96, CEO of Pravi, introduce Hospitality FluencyTM as a universal language of human interaction. When technology takes over more of the work, the differentiator becomes how we listen, respond, and connect.

Professor Tracey and Mr. Sinoway bring this concept to life with vivid examples of when people, processes, and technology succeed or fail. The session challenges leaders to determine what can be delegated to AI and what must remain the province of human judgment.

What You'll Learn

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Learn more about executive presence in Mark’s Media Strategy for Policy and PR Cornell Certificate Program: https://ecornell.short.gy/4SNezG

Check out the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program at the Brooks School https://publicpolicy.cornell.edu/masters/mpa/empa/

Mark’s Newsletter “One for the Week” https://onefortheweek.com/

Is executive presence something you can learn or do you have to be born with it? And how can you build your personal brand and gain attention as a leader? In this Keynote, you will explore how to surface and strengthen your leadership traits so you can secure buy‑in for your ideas, attract funding to grow your business, or motivate your team — all without sacrificing your values or straying from your authentic self.

Join us for a conversation between Tom O’Toole, Executive Director of Public Affairs Programming in the MPA Program at Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy, and Mark Bayer, Visiting Lecturer at the Brooks School and former U.S. Senate chief of staff. Together, they bring deep, real-world expertise in leadership, influence, and navigating high‑stakes environments.

You’ll discover powerful, proven, and practical ways to elevate your personal brand, expand your influence, and amplify your impact by transforming your executive presence.

What You'll Learn

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Servant Leadership Certificate program ecornell.short.gy/Eyh8A5

Communication Planning for Change course ecornell.short.gy/Eh9m8A

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If you feel emotional or physical exhaustion, catch yourself disengaging from your job or coworkers, or notice a decrease in your productivity or creativity, you are not alone. A recent survey found 48% of employees in eight countries struggle with burnout. Or you may be experiencing boreout — underchallenged and lacking purpose, saddled with repetitive tasks.

Join Amy Newman from Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business and Chris Wofford from eCornell to learn strategies for managing burnout by pinpointing what you can and can’t control. We’ll describe ways to re-engage in the work and with your coworkers, approach your situation with compassion, and communicate with courage.

For people managers, we’ll explore ways to improve working conditions, lead with humility, and communicate more in some ways and less in others to support your team, despite work demands.

What You'll Learn

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Check out eCornell’s AI in Hospitality Certificate Program 

Starwood Hotels - starwoodhotels.com

Tao Group Hospitality - taogroup.com

With approximately 17.1 million employees, the hospitality and leisure industry remains one of the largest and, unfortunately, most volatile employment sectors. Front-line turnover rates continue to hover around 50% to 80%, and there are an estimated 986,000 current job openings in restaurants and hotels alone. The combined impact of turnover and vacancies threatens both operational stability and industry growth.

This Keynote will examine current labor market conditions and explore innovative solutions reshaping hospitality workplaces. From leveraging new technologies to reimagining traditional workforce management approaches, our panel will analyze strategies to address these challenges. The discussion will highlight both immediate solutions and long-term initiatives that are creating more stable, adaptable work environments.

What You'll Learn

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Find out more about Cornell’s Women in Healthcare Leadership Program: https://ecornell.short.gy/iruMud

Dr. Sah’s new book, Defy, available everywhere. For more information: https://www.sunitasah.com/defy

Women are taking on leadership roles across healthcare at unprecedented rates — yet the path is rarely straightforward. In this Keynotes conversation, Professor Elizabeth Mannix, an expert on leadership and networks, and Professor Sunita Sah, an expert on leadership and negotiations and national bestselling author of “DEFY: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes,” will share what it takes for women to lead effectively in one of today’s most complex and high‑stakes industries.

Drawing on both research and real‑world experience, Professors Sah and Mannix will explore the capabilities that help women navigate uncertainty, build influence, and drive meaningful change within healthcare organizations.

Whether you are an emerging leader or an experienced professional looking to expand your impact, this session offers practical insights from the upcoming Women in Healthcare Leadership certificate program.

What You'll Learn

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Link to Paper

The Center for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health (CTECH) 

In January 2025, New York City launched the first congestion pricing program in the United States, offering a rare real-world test of how traffic policy affects air quality. This Keynote brings together researchers from environmental science, economics, and political science, who used high-frequency monitoring data to conduct the first zone-specific causal evaluation of the policy's PM2.5 impacts.

What You'll Learn:

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Cornell Atkinson Center:  https://www.atkinson.cornell.edu/

Clean Air Task Force: https://www.catf.us/

energy@cornell: https://ecornell.short.gy/KFArWw

The clean energy transition is reshaping how the world powers economies, builds infrastructure, and plans for a resilient future. This Keynote from the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability brings together three leading experts to break down the core technologies, systems, and societal shifts defining this transformative moment.

Designed for professionals across sectors, the conversation will offer a clear, accessible overview of renewable energy, grid modernization, carbon management, sustainable materials, and the complex policy and market forces driving global progress. It will also highlight how Cornell researchers, alongside key partners like the Clean Air Task Force, are advancing effective, science-based solutions for a sustainable future.

What You'll Learn:

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Check out the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program at the Brooks School https://publicpolicy.cornell.edu/masters/mpa/empa/

Policy Advocacy Cornell Certificate Program https://tinyurl.com/22cnm5w3

The foundations of American democracy are facing unprecedented threats, with our social, legal, and political institutions being undermined by their sworn defenders. As challenges mount to voting rights and judicial independence, and political polarization deepens, our civil society stands at a critical crossroads. And yet, through informed advocacy and civic engagement, we can chart a path forward.

Join Jared Carter and Thomas O'Toole from the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy for a timely conversation examining America's political institutions, constitutional framework, and civil society. They’ll reflect on the historical context of our current situation, assess today's most pressing issues, and explore how this moment of upheaval presents an opportunity to reshape our legal, political, and cultural landscape.

What You'll Learn

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The Cornell Certificate Program: Innovation Strategy 

Andrea's company Simplifed 

Leading successful innovation initiatives comes with a daunting set of challenges. You have to know how to navigate the tension between maintaining operational stability and fostering a culture of experimentation, all while managing stakeholder expectations, handling resource constraints, and making sure your innovation strategies are firmly aligned with organizational goals. That’s a lot.

There isn’t an app for that, but there is a playbook that includes proven strategies for driving innovation that you can learn and bring to your organization. If you can leverage your technical smarts with strong people skills, then you can keep teams excited, motivated, and emboldened to make smart decisions with sometimes incomplete information.

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