The Connected Company
Recognition Next 2026 brings together the Achievers community to explore how the world’s most successful organizations are building Connected Companies — where recognition fuels performance, confidence, and belonging, every day.
June 9th, 2026
The Quay
Toronto, ON
Event details
Why attend Recognition Next?
This is an event where strategy meets practice and connection comes to life.
Gain exclusive insights into the future of recognition and employee experience
Learn how leading organizations are strengthening connection at scale
Connect with peers who are solving the same challenges you are
Get a first look at what’s coming next from Achievers
Agenda
The final agenda is still taking shape. Stay tuned for more details.
8:00 AM
Breakfast & Registration
9:30 AM
CEO Message
Speaker
Scott Landers
10:00 AM
Shaping the Future of Our Platform: Achievers Product Vision & Roadmap
Speaker
Jordan Ekers
Overview
Get an exclusive look at the future of Recognition and Reward technology in this dynamic roadmap presentation, led by Achievers Jordan Ekers (VP of Product Marketing). This session will unveil upcoming innovations, enhanced features, and strategic developments designed to inspire action, align culture, and shape the behaviours that lead to organizational success. You’ll learn how our platform is evolving to meet the needs of modern workplaces with deeper integrations, smarter automation, and more personalized recognition capabilities. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight into our vision, ask questions, and see what’s next for recognition and rewards.
10:45 AM
Break
11:15 AM
Combo Convo facilitated by Projectory
Speakers
Jeffrey Rogers
Overview
A wild idea-generating, networking, and conversation mash-up game with an interactive installation. This experience is an energizer and creative juicer built around an adaptable set of prompt cards. Combo Convo will foster connection and networking, inspire forward thinking and creativity and visualize collective insights.
11:35 AM
Recognition as a Business Strategy: How Leading Companies Build Thriving Cultures
Speaker
Kristian Gaetano, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Sun Life, and Prisma Health
Overview
Recognition isn’t just about appreciation – it’s a strategic tool that strengthens culture, fuels engagement, and empowers organizations in times of changes and uncertainty. How do top companies embed recognition into their people strategies to drive measurable business impact? In this interactive panel discussion, Kristian Gaetano, Achievers’ Chief Operating Officer, sits down with Seattle Children’s Hospital, Sun Life, and Prisma Health to explore how recognition helps solve critical business challenges – from retaining top talent to strengthening leadership and shaping behaviours that drive success.
12:35 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM
Align By Line facilitated by Projectory
Speaker
Jeffrey Rogers
Overview
A collaborative reflection and synthesis session that builds alignment through a shared narrative. Align by Line takes the simple mechanism of a fill-in-the-blank game and turns it into the foundation of a highly entertaining, conversational workshop designed to build alignment and a shared story about the event journey and the road ahead.
3:00 PM
Break
3:30 PM
Talent, Teamwork, and Intelligence
Speakers
Anu Subramanian, Workday, GoDaddy
Overview
Despite having hundreds of tools designed to connect employees to their company’s mission, their managers, and their peers, employees still feel both overwhelmed and underwhelmed. Research from Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) reveals that only 15% of employees believe their company effectively facilitates these connections, while constant context-switching between apps takes a toll on both productivity and morale. In this interactive panel discussion, Anu Subramanian, Chief Technology Officer at Achievers, will be joined by partners from Workday and GoDaddy to explore the technology, talent, teamwork, and intelligence needed for your people and your company to win.
4:10 PM
A-List Award Acknowledgements
4:40 PM
Trust as Strategy: The Leadership Advantage Behind Every High-Performing Workforce
Speaker
Marcel Schwantes, David Bator
Overview
Trust in leadership is no longer a “nice-to-have,” it’s a crucial ingredient to build an engaged, high-performing workforce. Yet, there’s a crisis in trust in today’s workplace. Research from Achievers Workforce Institute found that only 23% of employees have a strong sense of trust in their company’s leaders. Addressing the challenge starts with managers embracing the principles of humane leadership. In this fireside chat, David Bator, Managing Director of Achievers Workforce Institute, sits down with Marcel Schwantes, an executive coach and global authority on modern leadership, host of the Love in Action podcast, and author of the book Humane Leadership, to explore why trust is a foundational pillar of effective leadership. They’ll share data-backed strategies for how managers can earn and sustain trust, and the powerful business benefits that follow.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Recognition Next ‘After Party’
Shape your career – earn certification credits
Attend Recognition Next and earn 5 SHRM credits. Achievers is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDC) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
Purchase tickets
Invest in one day, benefit a lifetime.
Early Bird
$299* ($300 savings)
Limited quantity
Ends April 30, 2026
Advanced Purchase
$499*
($150 savings)
Ends May 31, 2026
General admission
$599*
*All prices in CAD. Taxes and fees not included
Program highlights for Recognition Next 2026
CEO Keynote
Hear directly from Achievers’ CEO Scott Landers on the future of recognition, connection, and performance in a rapidly changing world.
Product Roadmap Session
Join Jordan Ekers for an inside look at how Achievers evolves our platform to power the Connected Company — ours, yours, today and tomorrow.
2026 State of Recognition Report
Emma Harvie shares the first look at the findings from AWI’s Annual report, revealing the latest insights on recognition , productivity, and change readiness.
Celebrating excellence
We’ll be hosting our 2nd Annual A-List Awards where we honor customers who set the standard for recognition, culture, and connection.
Highlights from Recognition Next 2025
Voices that shaped our previous event
From thought leaders to real users, we asked top experts to share how they use Achievers in their organization to shape their workforce.
Scott Landers
Chief Executive Officer, Achievers
Kristian Gaetano
Chief Operations Officer, Achievers
Anu Subramanian
Chief Technology Officer, Achievers
David Bator
Managing Director, Achievers Workforce Institute
Jordan Ekers
VP, Product Marketing and Commercial Strategy, Achievers
Faraah Hassan
Program Manager, Engagement and Retention, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Olga Bromberg
Director, Enterprise Total Rewards, Sun Life
Andre Salazar
Senior Director, Partner Solution Development, Workday
Nicole Sikora Heschong
Director, Employee Experience and Recognition, Prisma Health
Janelle Jordan
Sr. Program Manager, Employee Experience, GoDaddy
Jeffrey Rogers
Co-founder, Projectory
Marcel Schwantes
Author, Humane Leadership
Venue: Hotel X Toronto
Located on the Lake Ontario waterfront in downtown Toronto – close to retail shopping, dining, and must-see attractions.
Address
111 Princes’ Blvd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3
Connect with what’s next. Recognition Next 2026.
June 9th, 2026
Scott Landers
Chief Executive Officer, Achievers
Scott Landers
Chief Executive Officer, Achievers
Scott Landers joins Achievers with over 25 years of leadership experience in the software industry. Over the course of his career, Landers has demonstrated a strong track record of transformative leadership. Most recently, he served as Chair and CEO of Harver, a market-leading volume hiring software solution where he spearheaded the integration of key acquisitions and execution of the company’s post-pandemic strategy. Landers previously spent over a decade at Monotype, first as CFO and subsequently as EVP and COO of the then-publicly listed company, before taking over as President and CEO. He led Monotype to grow significantly at scale, starting with the launch of the company’s first SaaS offering and continuing through its complete transformation into an enterprise SaaS business. Earlier in his career, Landers held executive roles at MapInfo and Pitney Bowes.
Kristian Gaetano
Chief Operations Officer, Achievers
Kristian Gaetano
Chief Operations Officer, Achievers
As the Chief Operations Officer at Achievers, Kristian Gaetano leads all post-sales functions, ensuring customers receive exceptional experiences and long-term value. This includes Customer Success & Account Management, end-user support (contact centers, technical support, and fraud), Professional Services & Implementation, and the Global Rewards Marketplace (eCommerce experience, supply chain, and fulfillment to over 190 countries globally). His focus is on delivering for customers, building a world-class team, and driving customer retention and growth. Since joining Achievers in 2011, Kristian has held leadership roles including Director of Customer Success, Senior Director of Revenue Operations, and Chief Transformation Officer. He began his career in HR with Grant Thornton, Vale Inco, and the Rotman School of Management before joining Achievers to support its mission of Changing the Way the World Works. Kristian holds a degree in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University and a postgraduate certificate in Human Resources Management from Seneca College.
Anu Subramanian
Chief Technology Officer, Achievers
Anu Subramanian
Chief Technology Officer, Achievers
As the Chief Technology Officer at Achievers, Anu Subramanian is responsible for leading the company’s product strategy and execution. She is customer obsessed and has 25+ years of experience building scalable, high performant software systems that have been deployed at enterprises worldwide. She is most proud of her roots as an engineer and building/leading world class teams that have brought innovative solutions to market. Prior to Achievers, Anu has held leadership roles at CloudCheckr, NetApp, Consumer Edge, Veracode and Carbon Black. Anu has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from College of Engineering Guindy, a Master’s degree in Computer Science from University of New Hampshire, Durham and a Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College.
David Bator
Managing Director, Achievers Workforce Institute
David Bator
Managing Director, Achievers Workforce Institute
David Bator thinks and writes about how work should work. David leads Achievers Workforce Institute, a strategic practice whose focus on Research, Community and Advisory empowers global executives with tactical, practical approaches to changing how the world works. David is passionate about people, and has spent the last 20 years working closely and consultatively with HR, IT and Communications leaders to build programs that position individuals, teams and companies grow.
Jordan Ekers
VP, Product Marketing and Commercial Strategy
Jordan Ekers
VP, Product Marketing and Commercial Strategy
He’s a tech entrepreneur who believes that smart ideas driven by great people can change industries for the better. Jordan helped build and scale software companies through periods of early product market fit, rapid revenue growth, fundraising, and successful acquisition. His latest venture, Nudge, was acquired by private equity in 2022. At his core, Jordan driven by a passionate curiosity to understand problems and build smart solutions that drive customer value, while building high-performing teams that execute with unparalleled speed and accuracy. He takes great pride in helping to drive the business’s vision and strategic direction with our investors, board of directors, customers and employees, and Jordan thoroughly love what he does.
Faraah Hassan
Program Manager, Engagement and Retention, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Faraah Hassan
Program Manager, Engagement and Retention, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Faraah Hassan is a dedicated Program Manager at Seattle Children’s People & Culture department, specializing in employee engagement, retention, and workplace culture. With a passion for fostering inclusive environments, Faraah develops strategies to reduce workforce turnover, enhance staff recognition, and improve overall employee satisfaction. She oversees the WAVE appreciation platform and collaborates on the Family Kudos app to boost morale. She also leads organization-wide events ensuring meaningful community engagement. Through data-driven insights and strategic collaboration, she supports leadership in creating policies that promote thriving workplace culture.
Olga Bromberg
Director, Enterprise Total Rewards, Sun Life
Olga Bromberg
Director, Enterprise Total Rewards, Sun Life
Olga Bromberg is a seasoned compensation professional, with extensive experience in managing and optimizing rewards and recognition programs. Currently serving as the Director of Enterprise Total Rewards at Sun Life, Olga oversees global recognition programs, as well as various enterprise-wide compensation initiatives. Her role involves driving engagement, developing metrics, and ensuring governance and compliance. Prior to her current position, Olga has held several key roles at Sun Life and prior to that at CIBC and Korn Ferry (previous Hay Group Ltd.) all with a focus across compensation. Olga holds a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Society and a Human Resources Management Certificate from York University, and a diploma in Holistic Nutritionist.
Andre Salazar
Senior Director, Partner Solution Development, Workday
Andre Salazar
Senior Director, Partner Solution Development, Workday
Andre leads Partner Solution Development at Workday, supporting partners that are building integrations and applications that run on the Workday Platform. Prior to joining Workday, Andre spent 19 years at Adobe where he was responsible for Partner Success in the Americas and helped to build and run the global Partner eco-system. Over the course of his 30-year career, Andre has held leadership roles in product management, pre-sales, and channels and alliances.
Nicole Sikora Heschong
Director, Employee Experience and Recognition, Prisma Health
Nicole Sikora Heschong
Director, Employee Experience and Recognition, Prisma Health
Nicole Sikora Heschong serves on Prisma Health’s Human Resources team as Director – Employee Experience and Recognition. In this role, she drives culture change by directing recognition systems and employee experience projects; overseeing the AskHR service line serving 32,000 team members; and designing data-informed programs to improve information flows and strategic messaging. She is passionate about recognition’s role in performance management, organizational development, and well-being. Nicole has more than 25 years of strategic communication experience. Past roles include economic and community development; business and culture journalism; award-winning change management communication in the health care and financial services industries; and professional consulting. Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company and the largest health care organization in South Carolina. The organization’s mission calls team members to create a better state of health in our service area across South Carolina and East Tennessee. Prisma Health’s purpose calls team members to: Inspire health. Serve with compassion. Be the difference.
Janelle Jordan
Sr. Program Manager, Employee Experience, GoDaddy
Janelle Jordan
Sr. Program Manager, Employee Experience, GoDaddy
Janelle Jordan is a dedicated Sr. Program Manager in Employee Experience at GoDaddy, where she excels in driving initiatives that enhance employee engagement and recognition. With over 20 years of talent management experience, a strategic mindset and a passion for fostering a positive workplace culture, Janelle leads key people programs such as GoDaddy’s global recognition program Everday Champions (EDC) which promotes a culture of appreciation and motivation among employees. In addition to her work on recognition programs, Janelle also program manages GoDaddy’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Her collaborative approach ensures that these groups effectively support and empower employees from diverse backgrounds. Outside of her professional life, Janelle enjoys international travel and visiting national parks with her family.
Jeffrey Rogers
Co-founder, Projectory
Jeffrey Rogers
Co-founder, Projectory
Jeffrey is the co-founder of Projectory, a team of designers, facilitators, and producers who joined forces to turn information-dense events into engaging, participatory experiences. He also moonlights as an advisor on futures education projects at the Stanford d. School, a facilitator and emcee for the Singularity Group, and a principal at Radical, a boutique learning & innovation consultancy. Playful exploration is his jam, and he’s excited to get you involved.
Marcel Schwantes
Author, Humane Leadership
Marcel Schwantes
Author, Humane Leadership
Marcel Schwantes is a global authority on workplace leadership and organizational development. In addition to being a speaker, executive coach, podcaster, and columnist for publications like INC., CNBC, and Business Insider, he is also an author. His new book ‘Humane Leadership” dives into the different ways the workplace would operate more effectively if people led with kindness and care.