KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

2026 Conference Keynotes

Check out our 2026 Michigan Works! Annual Conference Keynote Speaker! Participants will be able to hear from some of the brightest minds in talent development as they connect with peers and other professionals, including:

Jack Stahlmann

Jack Stahlmann’s informative and educational presentations are built around his experiences in Los Angeles as an actor, producer, director — and of course, a waiter. In Hollywood, he launched his own production company which created several films that enjoyed international success and was an Assistant Director for the Margaret Cho stand-up show, Cho Revolution.

As an actor, his shining moment came in a co-star role on the CBS drama Cold Case, where he played a wimpy park ranger. He also appeared on Days of Our Lives and several commercials. Jack graduated with honors at DePauw University (yes, DePauw with a W) and has been a regular contributor to HuffPost. For the last decade he has been entertaining companies, schools and associations worldwide, while delivering actionable takeaways to make a real difference in the workplace.

Ken Gronbach

Kenneth W. Gronbach is predicting that the United States and the Americas, because of their superior demographics over any other continent, will excel culturally and economically in these uncertain times.

Ken is an internationally respected demographer and author who has been able to forecast societal, commercial, economic, cultural, and political phenomena with uncanny accuracy. Ken’s unusual blend of marketing savvy and common-sense demography, based on over twenty-five years of proprietary demographic study, sets him apart. Ken keynotes all over the United States and the world. His company does high value customized demographic research.

You will find that Ken’s steadfast position, that the United States is the best nation on earth and his firm belief that the country’s best days are ahead, season his spirited presentations with an unmistakable pro-American enthusiasm. Come explore the common-sense, but very counterintuitive and fascinating realm of demography. Let Ken bring you into his world of counting people. What nations are demographically doomed and which ones will dramatically prosper? How will the workforces change? Why is a nation’s demographic dependency ratio so important? Exactly what is a demographic dividend? Why is fertility becoming a major international issue and concern?


Past Featured Speakers

2025

Sharon Gai
How to Do More With Less Using AI

Dr. Sherene McHenry
Lead Smarter: Unleash Engagement with the 5 People Types

Dr. Christopher Laney
Michigan’s Labor Market: The Good, the Bad and the Possibilities

2024

Jake Brown
Embrace Fear & Fail Forward

Ben Whiting
Build A Limitless Culture

2023

CJ McClanahan
Worried Much? A (Recovering) Overachiever's Guide to Reducing Stress and Finding More

Paul Artale
HIT HARD: The 3 Must Have Mindsets to Building Resilience

Curtis Campogni
Stronger Together: Why Wearing a C.A.P.E Makes You a Hero