2026 Conference Agenda

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Welcome Breakfast & Registration

9:30 a.m.
Welcome Address

Barbara Porco, Ph.D., Managing Director, Responsible Business Center; Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business

9:45 a.m.
Keynote Address: Innovation With Intent: Solving What Actually Matters

Tobias Puehse,
Senior Vice President, Insights & Intelligence, Americas
Mastercard

Drawing on more than two decades of global innovation leadership, Tobias challenges organizations to stop innovating for activity and start innovating with intent. He shows how the strongest teams stay ruthlessly focused on the problems that truly matter, grounding execution in empathy and evidence while using insight, AI, and technology to move faster without losing trust.

10:15 a.m.
2025 American Innovation Index Results

Gina Woodall, Vice President, Radius

The American Innovation Index™ has tracked trends in customer-perceived innovation and social innovation since 2018. Hear the latest trends, learn which U.S. companies are ranked most innovative by their customers, understand why being an innovative and socially innovative company in the eyes of your customers matters, and learn how you can further your brand’s innovation journey.

10:30 a.m.
Changing Consumer Perceptions of AI

Jay Shutter, CTO, Radius

The rapid adoption of AI across all facets of business is changing the way companies operate and interact with their customers and prospects. How do consumers feel about the use of AI and how have perceptions changed over time? Jay Shutter will present the latest data on consumer perceptions of AI and the impact of AI on customer perceptions of firm innovativeness.

10:40 a.m.
The Evolution of Innovation and the Customer

Innovation has entered a new phase. As digital systems become more embedded in everyday experiences, customers no longer judge brands by what’s new, but by what actually improves their lives and earns their trust. Expectations for speed, ease, transparency, and responsibility are rising together, reshaping how innovation is experienced across every touchpoint. In this panel, leaders share what’s being embraced, what’s being rejected, and why. They’ll explore how innovation is changing the customer journey, where trust is won or lost, and how organizations can move faster while balancing ambition with responsibility in a world where digital and human experiences increasingly intersect.

  • Tim Berendt, Director, Innovation – Discovery & Insights, Corporate Venture Capital, NRG
  • Jeremy Neil, Vehicle Product Training Specialist, Toyota Motors North America
  • Ji Woon Kim, Team Lead, Insights, North American Innovation, LG Electronics
  • Jun Jueong, LG Electronics

11:10 a.m. 
Coffee Break

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
When Doing Good Drives Loyalty Panel Discussion

What does social responsibility actually look like today and what do customers expect? From supporting underserved communities to tackling sustainability and shaping brand purpose, companies are redefining what it means to “do good.” This session explores how leading consumer brands integrate social innovation into strategy, the challenges they confront, and how authentic communication translates good intentions into real impact and customer loyalty.

12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Innovating With Purpose: Building Brands People Trust, Choose, and Believe In

In this fireside chat, Craig Dubitsky, Co-Founder of Happy Coffee, joins Rob Wengel, CEO of Radius Insights, for a candid conversation on what modern innovation truly demands. Drawing on the journey of Happy Coffee, Craig shares how brands can win by leading with humanity, embedding mental health awareness through partnerships with organizations like NAMI, prioritizing sustainability, and designing products and experiences that transform everyday rituals into moments of well-being and connection. Together, Craig and Rob will explore how leaders can stay deeply human in an AI-accelerated world, make purpose a true competitive advantage, and build brands that move fast without losing trust.

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 
Lunch

2:00 p.m.
Fireside Chat with Patsy Sciutto Doerr, Chief People and Culture Officer, LRN

2:20 p.m.
Natural Asset Companies & Natural Capital Fireside Chat

This session examines the emerging field of natural asset companies and the role of natural capital in shaping business models that protect ecosystems while creating new forms of value. As a groundbreaking approach, natural asset companies represent an innovative way of rethinking how we value nature itself, unlocking new opportunities at the intersection of sustainability, finance, and corporate strategy.

  • Tania Briceno, Ph.D, Chief Economist, Intrinsic Exchange Group 
  • Barbara Porco, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Managing Director, Responsible Business Center, Gabelli School of Business

2:55 p.m.
Responsible Reporting & Transparency Panel Discussion

Corporate leaders share cutting-edge approaches to measuring and communicating performance. The panel will highlight innovative reporting frameworks, new tools for data transparency, and creative ways organizations are building trust with stakeholders while avoiding greenwashing. Reporting out is essential because it not only holds companies accountable but also demonstrates progress, fosters credibility, and allows firms to lead by example in shaping industry standards.

3:30 p.m. 
Coffee & Networking Break

3:50 p.m. 
Fireside Chat with Sharon P. Smith, Ph.D., President, University of Pittsburgh

4:20 p.m.
Sustainability Futures: The Next Frontier in Good Business

This panel looks ahead to what sustainability means for the future, weaving together some of the world’s most urgent and dynamic topics. It explores what investors are prioritizing as markets shift, where energy and climate technologies are headed, how communities are shaping more equitable and resilient systems, and the ways cities are leading with bold, innovative solutions. By bringing these perspectives together, the conversation reveals how interconnected forces will define the next era of sustainable progress and what it will take to meet that future with purpose and impact.

  • Kevin Aman, VP Communications and Community Engagement, Rich Products Corporation and Rich Family Foundation
  • Ana Garcia, Senior Director, Community Engagement and Health Equity, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 
  • Peter Lupoff, Partner, Beatrice Advisors
  • Moderated by Leigh Anne Statuto, Executive Director, Responsible Business Center, Gabelli School of Business

4:55 p.m.
Closing Reflections

Leigh Anne Statuto, Executive Director, Responsible Business Center

5:00 p.m.
Networking Reception