Uncaged Show

Edward Herrera is the Chief Operating Officer at REFORM Alliance, where he helps lead efforts to transform probation and parole into systems that create real pathways to work and wellbeing. In his role, he focuses on strengthening operations, building high-performing teams, and embedding a culture of transparency, accountability, and care. As a proud Latino and LGBTQ+ executive, Ed believes inclusive leadership and operational excellence are essential to driving long-term systems change.
Born in Tijuana, Mexico, and raised in the U.S. from age 12, Ed’s lived experience fuels his leadership approach. He leads with empathy and conviction, creating environments where people are empowered to take ownership and grow. His career spans both nonprofit and startup sectors, with a consistent track record of navigating complexity, scaling infrastructure, and driving mission-aligned impact.
Prior to joining REFORM, Ed served as CFOO at Braven, where he led finance and operations during a period of national expansion, centralizing systems, improving vendor compliance, and unlocking multimillion-dollar savings. At The Center, he guided a $17M+ LGBTQ+ nonprofit through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping leadership make critical financial decisions with clarity. Earlier in his career, Ed co-directed an innovative trade assist program at BMW of Manhattan,
generating $750K in cost savings in its first year, and elevated Ktchn Apothecary’s brand visibility in national outlets including Southern Living and Refinery29.

Shirley Braun is the Founder and Managing Partner of Swift Insights, an executive coaching and organizational development firm that partners with leaders and teams navigating high-stakes transitions, scaling, restructuring, or the ambiguity in between.

A former Global Chief People Officer and seasoned Organizational Psychologist, Shirley helps leaders not just manage change, but lead the transitions that follow, aligning clarity, culture, and performance in the process. Her approach is direct, results-focused, and deeply human, rooted in the belief that growth and trust can, and must, coexist.

Over the past two decades, Shirley has held senior leadership roles across global technology and biotech organizations, guiding business transformations from $30M to $5.5B. As a corporate HR executive, she built leadership teams from the ground up, designed scalable systems, and reshaped organizational structures to sustain rapid growth.

Her expertise spans executive and team coaching, leadership capability building, conflict resolution, and culture transformation. She is known for translating complex organizational challenges into clear, actionable strategies that unlock potential and accelerate results.

In 2016, Shirley founded Swift Insights to bring her global experience and psychological insight into focused, transformative partnerships with executives and organizations. Through her work, she helps senior leaders strengthen alignment, elevate team dynamics, and design organizations that can scale without losing their soul. Clients often turn to Shirley when the pressure is high, the system feels stretched, and the path forward demands both courage and clarity.

Beyond her consulting and coaching practice, Shirley serves as a trusted advisor to leaders and teams seeking to reimagine how they work and grow together. She is an ICF-certified coach and holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology, an M.A. in Industrial and Social Psychology, and a B.A. in Psychology.

Dr. Tony Anderson currently serves as an Assistant Principal at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, an arts magnet high school in Columbus, Ohio. In this role, he leverages his expertise in
educational leadership and curriculum design to foster an environment where young creatives can thrive. His passion for blending music with social justice and youth empowerment is also at the
forefront of his work as the founder of The Paragon Project, a youth-led music group focused on social-emotional wellness, and as the manager for emerging Afrobeat artist, DrippDaDon.
Throughout his career, Dr. Anderson has developed a unique talent for driving business transformation through creative and strategic thinking. His work as the creator of Bassline Entertainment, a program that achieved a 100% college acceptance rate, demonstrated his ability
to engage and inspire previously disengaged youth through hip-hop.
He also honed his skills as an Assistant Artist Manager & A&R for The Roots, a Grammy Award-winning group and Tonight Show house band.
Dr. Anderson is the founder of the Keepers of the Culture Youth Pilgrimage and has been named the executive director of Urban Strings Columbus, a youth orchestra. As an Adjunct Professor at The University of Delaware for seven years, he was recognized with both the Educator of the Year and Dissertation of the Year awards, a testament to his commitment to intellectual rigor and
applied strategy.
Dr. Anderson's academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Socio-Cultural Approaches to Research in Education from The University of Delaware, a Master's in Elementary Education from Florida State University, and a B.A. in Vocal Music Performance from Xavier University. This diverse background has equipped him with a deep understanding of organizational effectiveness, change
management, and talent development. His specialties include Educational Professional Development, Education Management, Curriculum Design, Artist Management, and Talent Management, which he now leverages to drive visionary and strategic leadership in both the
education and business sectors.

Kari Zeller is the CEO of TGN Consulting.

She upgrades Leadership Operating Systems by creating coherence across the four core elements so intelligence flows naturally from where it exists to where it's needed most. Not by adding programs. By redesigning conditions, high performance becomes the path of least resistance.

Neil Bhandar is the Chief Data Analytics Officer and VP of IT for Enterprise Data, Analytics, and Innovation at Generac.

He has two decades of experience in leading data-driven transformations across various industries and functions. As an Advisor with the Burtch Works Expert Network, Venture Advisor at SemperVirens, Neil leverages his expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and behavioral insights to support Executive leaders in strategically identifying, implementing and adopting solutions, for small, medium and early-stage ventures that share a vision of creating a better future for their customers, employees, communities and other stakeholders.
Neil also serves as an Adjunct Faculty at Temple University for a graduate-level Statistics course, where he works with students as they prepare to adapt for what is next in their professional careers. He has led digital transformations, developing digital strategies, models, governance, and infrastructure that enable decision-making and insights for the global organization.

Dr. Fredrick McCurdy has built his career on the cornerstone of public service. As the leading pediatric nephrologist in Southern Texas and Board-Certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephrology, he has used his expertise to serve patients needing renal intervention. As Medical Director for Star Kids, a managed Medicaid program of the Driscoll Health Plan, he is a well-known advocate for children with disabilities and from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
In addition, Dr. McCurdy has focused on developing the next generation of doctors throughout his career as an active faculty member of Driscoll Children’s Hospital and a clinical faculty member at area hospitals. Given his career rooted in service (retired Colonel USAF), this initiative-taking approach to medicine, public health policy, and medical education has fueled his approach to facilitating healthy lives for children and preparing the generations of doctors who serve them.
He is a well-regarded speaker and researcher in pediatric nephrology and medical education. His understanding of how public resources can impact medical efficacy is unmatched. He is active in the Texas Pediatric Society and a reviewer of numerous peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. McCurdy leverages his military background and medical education to create programs that develop thorough doctors who efficiently practice medicine and assist patients in living whole lives. His professional and civic experiences demonstrate his commitment to giving young people the resources to lead fulfilling lives.
Dr. McCurdy earned his MD and PhD with Distinction at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He completed his internship and residency within the military and finished his training as a fellow at the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He later earned his MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
His principal expertise is reflux nephropathy, an end-stage renal disease that begins with infection or obstruction in young patients.Dr. Fredrick McCurdy has built his career on the cornerstone of public service. As the leading pediatric nephrologist in Southern Texas and Board-Certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephrology, he has used his expertise to serve patients needing renal intervention.

As Medical Director for Star Kids, a managed Medicaid program of the Driscoll Health Plan, he is a well-known advocate for children with disabilities and from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

In addition, Dr. McCurdy has focused on developing the next generation of doctors throughout his career as an active faculty member of Driscoll Children’s Hospital and a clinical faculty member at area hospitals. Given his career rooted in service (retired Colonel USAF), this initiative-taking approach to medicine, public health policy, and medical education has fueled his approach to facilitating healthy lives for children and preparing the generations of doctors who serve them. He is a well-regarded speaker and researcher in pediatric nephrology and medical education.

His understanding of how public resources can impact medical efficacy is unmatched. He is active in the Texas Pediatric Society and a reviewer of numerous peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. McCurdy leverages his military background and medical education to create programs that develop thorough doctors who efficiently practice medicine and assist patients in living whole lives. His professional and civic experiences demonstrate his commitment to giving young people the resources to lead fulfilling lives. Dr. McCurdy earned his MD and PhD with Distinction at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

He completed his internship and residency within the military and finished his training as a fellow at the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He later earned his MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Head of Partner Operations at Odido Nederland, Hector Zounon is an experienced leader with a proven track record in building high-performing, effective teams and fostering a strong, inclusive culture. He is deeply committed to empowering others, driving sustainable growth, and consistently exceeding targets.

Throughout Hector's career, he's delivered measurable results through strategic initiatives that enhance team dynamics, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
His leadership approach emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and a relentless focus on achieving and surpassing business objectives.

Anubha is a technology executive and transformation leader with 25+ years of experience driving digital innovation, DevSecOps, SRE, API strategy, and cloud-native solutions at scale. Passionate about engineering excellence, automation, and security, she specializes in leading global teams to build resilient, high-performing platforms that accelerate business growth.
As Executive Director of API Management, DevSecOps, SRE, and Quality Engineering at Quest Diagnostics, Anubha leads enterprise-wide initiatives to optimize cloud operations, enhance system reliability, and enable secure, scalable solutions. I have spearheaded multi-cloud initiatives, AI-driven test automation (reducing test efforts by 40%), and API platform modernization, driving measurable business impact.
Anubha thrives on solving complex engineering challenges, mapping problem domains to strategic solutions, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Her data-driven leadership ensures that decisions are backed by insights, improving operational effectiveness and scalability.
As a global speaker at API and DevOps conferences, she shares insights on API strategy, DevSecOps, automation, and digital transformation. Her goal is to inspire organizations to embrace modern engineering practices and drive business impact through technology.
Previously, Anubha held leadership roles at CVS Health, NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development, 3D Systems, and Hewlett-Packard, where she led major transformations in cloud migration, DevSecOps adoption, API strategy, and software delivery acceleration. At CVS, she built an API Center of Enablement that streamlined governance, increased API reusability, and modernized the platform on Google Cloud Platform.

Lauren McCaghren is an executive search expert in higher education, serving as the Assistant Vice President of Business Development & Client Relations at Greenwood Asher & Associates. She is dedicated to helping colleges and universities find exceptional leaders who will drive institutional success. Her work is built on forming genuine relationships and understanding the unique mission and needs of each institution. She specializes in presidential, chancellor, advancement, and faith-based institution searches and has a strong belief in the transformative impact of higher education.
With over 15 years at higher education universities, she brings a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing university leadership. In her previous roles at institutional advancement offices, she led teams to significantly increase alumni engagement and fundraising results. This experience gives her a unique perspective on institutional needs and the qualities required for effective leadership.

Jill Primm is a Partner at Conexus Advisors and a seasoned finance and accounting advisor with nearly two decades of experience supporting organizations through high-stakes and high-growth moments. She is known for her calm, steady presence and her ability to bring clarity and structure to complex financial challenges. Her background spans public, private, nonprofit, and consulting sectors, with expertise in SEC reporting, technical accounting, IPO readiness, and operational improvement. Jill has worked with companies at every stage—from startups to publicly traded organizations—helping them build strong accounting foundations and navigate pivotal transitions.
She began her career at Deloitte in Orange County as part of the audit team, serving clients in the consumer business and technology industries. From there, she went on to hold progressive leadership roles at Electric Visual Evolution, Wet Seal, Skilled Healthcare, and CareTrust REIT. She also ran her own consulting practice, providing fractional finance leadership and interim support for public, private, and nonprofit clients.

Jill holds an M.A. in Leadership from Wheaton College and a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Chapman University, where she was a First Team All-American and helped lead her softball team to the College World Series. In addition to her work at Conexus, Jill is an active community member, serving on the Board of Directors for The Well Community for Women in San Diego and volunteering with her local youth softball league. She brings a relational, people-first approach to every engagement, partnering with CFOs, controllers, and finance leaders to help them thrive under pressure and lead with confidence.