Program for Day 1

• 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Networking Luncheon
Join us for a lunch with a purpose. Based on your top priorities, we'll seat you with your peers interested in exploring the same topics so that you'll go into the rest of the day with energy - and a few new friends.

• 1:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
Welcome & Framing
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute
We'll kick off the event proper with CEE Moderator John Dony, who will share what makes this gathering different, in terms of not only Artificial Intelligence but the overall context and point of view about what we're here to do together today.

• 1:15 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Opening Panel: The Problem Statement
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute 
Presenters: Joe Stough, CEO, Fly Guys; Mei-Li Lin, Senior Vice President - Deputy Head of Digital Solutions, DEKRA
We've been here before. In 2016, in 2006, and no doubt in the years before that, many of us in this room and the speakers on this panel were having these same conversations and coming to the same conclusions then as we do now. With 2030 on the horizon and so much left unresolved, how can we better articulate the problem - and outline a pragmatic plan for action?

Focused Table Discussions
Following the problem statement panel, the program is organized into three lanes, each with multiple themed tables that you help prioritize. Themes and tables will also be clustered by focus area and directed by ongoing attendee input.

• 2:00 p.m.-2:55 p.m.
Focused Table Discussions: Technology & AI Lane
Kicking off with an industry share on governance and AI interventions, attendees will take structured deep dives on data quality and integration, adoption and use cases, human-in-the-loop design, and more.

• 3:05 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Focused Table Discussions: Human-Centric Lane
Moderator: Jane Beaudry, HSE Director for Life Sciences North America, Jacobs
Kicking off with an industry share on the very real needs for human skills and resiliency, attendees will take structured deep-dives on critical thinking, trust, SIF/HOP integration, and more.

• 4:05 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Focused Table Discussions: Taking Action (Solutions) Lane
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute
No context needed for this lane – it's where the rubber meets the road. Attendees will take structured deep-dives, led by selected solutions providers, on the problems and how to solve them – not on a particular product or its capabilities.

• 5:00 p.m.-5:10 p.m.
Reflection, Next Steps, and Wrap-up
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute
Event moderator John Dony will synthesize what we've heard today and send us off into an evening of camaraderie and insight.

• 5:15 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Evening Reception
We'll end the day by coming together to unwind, reflect, and reward our hard work. The reception will feature live music, an insightful and entertaining interactive activity, and a local artist who will bring our work to life.

*Sessions and schedule are subject to change.

Program for Day 2

• 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
Sunrise Sip and CEE
Kick off the morning with a relaxed networking breakfast and an exclusive early look at the AIHA Connect Expo. This session brings together CEE participants and AIHA Connect first-timer attendees for informal connections, conversation, and a first look at the innovations and solution providers on the expo floor. Over a complimentary breakfast, attendees will have the chance to meet new connections and hear brief, practical highlights about what happens at AIHA Connect: what attendees can expect from the week, how the conference is structured, and which experiences many attendees find most valuable. This session is an easy, welcoming way to start the day and will help you build connections early and get oriented to the broader conference experience happening around you.

• 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Opening Keynote: This Is Your Brain On… How the Brain Interprets Data, Adapts to AI, and Responds to Emerging Sensory Technologies (VIP Seating)
Presenter: David Eagleman, Author/Speaker
Our world is becoming more technologically advanced. What if the key to success is already inside our heads? Through his unparalleled understanding of the human brain, David Eagleman gives AIHA Connect 2026 attendees the knowledge and tools we need to maximize our brains' potential and thrive in the world of tomorrow. As one of the world's foremost neuroscientists and host of the #1 Science Podcast, Inner Cosmos, Eagleman unlocks new senses for humans, like feeding data into a vest worn by a drone pilot. He argues that, by making sense of the magic of the mind, we can unleash our fullest potential.

• 10:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
Morning Reconvening
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute
Event moderator John Dony will frame up the rest of the morning, and we'll share any new ideas or epiphanies we've had overnight - or simply enjoy a second cup of coffee as we get settled in.

• 10:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Rapid-Fire Session
What DIDN'T we get to talk about yesterday? So many things. This is our chance to bring some of them to light, in quick and engaging conversations from the stage. Expect to hear discussion on:

     • Student and Early Career Innovations
     • OEHS and the City of New Orleans
     • The Role of Labor and the Voice of the Worker
     • Mental Health - for Us
     • ...and more!

• 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Closing Keynote: Superhuman Leadership — The Missing Link in Health, Safety, and Well-Being
Presenter: Hamza Khan
Modern organizations now have unprecedented access to AI, real-time detection, and predictive tools—yet many still struggle to translate capability into consistent outcomes across health, safety, and well-being. The missing link is not more technology, but the human system that interprets, trusts, and acts on it. In this engaging closing session, Hamza Khan explores the critical gap between insight and execution, showing how leadership, alignment, and psychological safety shape not only performance and safety, but the overall well-being of people at work. Drawing on systems thinking and the realities of modern operating environments, this session reframes health, safety, and well-being as outcomes of Superhuman (AI + human-centered) Leadership—not just AI—and challenges leaders to confront a deeper question: what are we doing collectively to make this system work?

Attendees of this session will:
•    Understand why technology alone cannot deliver health, safety, or well-being outcomes without aligned human systems
•    Identify breakdowns between data, decision-making, and execution—and how they impact health, safety, and well-being, and how to address them
•    Apply a systems-level perspective to strengthen alignment, trust, and real-world impact across health, safety, and well-being
 

• 12:15 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
What Comes Next
Moderator: John Dony, CEO, What Works Institute
The inaugural Connect Executive Exchange may be at an end - but the vision for the future is for a sustainable conversation and a living platform for insight. Event moderator John Dony will share what to expect in the weeks and months following CEE.

*Sessions and schedule are subject to change.

ADMISSION TO CONFERENCE EVENTS  

All participants at CEE26 must be officially registered and display the official conference badge credentials at all times to be admitted to event functions. Badges are non-transferable.

LIABILITY

I acknowledge that I will be participating in CEE26 events and activities of my own free will and intention, and I am fully aware that possible physical injury to me or damage to my property might occur because of my travel to, participation in, and travel from these events and activities. By registering for this conference, for myself, my estate, and my heirs, I hereby release and discharge and agree to indemnify and forever hold harmless AIHA and its members, managers, officers, directors, agents, volunteers, representatives, and employees, from any and all causes of action and damage arising from or relating to my participation in CEE, and any travel associated therewith, except to the extent caused solely by AIHA's gross negligence or intentional misconduct. I also agree not to allow any other individual to participate in my place (unless I notify AIHA of the need for a substitution for my conference registration in advance and such individual executes the registration form and any required agreements and releases, including, but not limited to, this release).  

USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO IMAGES

AIHA will build a photo, quote, and video library of CEE26 that AIHA may use for its internal and external purposes. By participating in CEE26, you grant AIHA the right to use your photograph for such purposes. If we interview you, and film and record your words, AIHA will seek your express permission. All photographs, recordings, and quotes shall become the property of AIHA and may be displayed, distributed, or used by AIHA for any such purpose, and in any media, whether print, electronic, or on the AIHA or Connect websites, and without payment of any royalty to you.

DATA COLLECTION

Data collected may be shared with attendees and/or sponsor partners in aggregate; personal information is not shared. I acknowledge that by attending a sponsored event, my personal information may be shared with the sponsoring organization.

BEHAVIOR STANDARDS

CEE26 is a professional event. AIHA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the conference without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and AIHA reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting. Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form

• Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, AIHA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest

• Verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AIHA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest

• Disruption of presentations  

AIHA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment by participants or staff at conferences. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, AIHA asks that you inform Larry Sloan, CEO, lsloan@aiha.org or Franky Spangler, COO, fspangler@aiha.org, or 703-849-8888 so that we can take the appropriate action. 

Requests for cancellation or substitutions must be submitted in writing to AIHA. Registration for CEE26 is complimentary. If you are unable to attend, please notify us as soon as possible so we can accommodate others on the waiting list. Cancellations must be emailed to Tanya Vandermoon at tanya@whatworksinstitute.com at least 5 days before the event start date.

There is no penalty for cancellation; however, timely cancellations help us ensure a smooth experience for all participants.  

Since this event is by invitation only, substitution requests will be considered at the time of the request. 

Please contact: Tanya Vandermoon, Director, Events & Engagement, What Works Institute, tanya@whatworksinstitute.com