Keynote Speaker

Johnny Crowder

Beyond Coping: How to Foster Resilience, Connection, and Happiness in the Workplace

Crippling burnout. Chronic absenteeism. Rampant resignations. The perfect storm of workplace pressure, constant change, and employee isolation is damming up the rivers of productivity at thousands of companies. Employers are concerned—and rightfully so.

Incorporating insights from his own lifelong mental health journey, Johnny poses a thought-provoking question: Why should we merely cope with hardship when we can leverage it to become stronger, happier, and more connected versions of ourselves? In plain English, he shares the hard-won resilience and emotional intelligence strategies that led to the invention of the science-backed health and wellness program Cope Notes®, now used in nearly 100 countries around the world. This entertaining and actionable keynote delivers proven steps to:

• Reframe and respond to personal and professional challenges as they arise
• Forge deeper connections and cultures that foster mental wellness and belonging
• Process adversity in a way that builds relationships, confidence, and true happiness

Chef Ed Harris

No-cook, Plant Forward Culinary Demo

This no-cook, plant-forward session showcases how global flavor, balance, and texture can transform simple seasonal produce into a high-impact dish. Participants will learn how to apply acid and umami to create cooling, flavorful menu items that are practical, scalable, and well-suited for healthcare and institutional operations.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Apply acid and umami strategically to build bold, satisfying flavor in plant-forward dishes without relying on heat or excessive sodium.Design a no-cook, plant-based dish that is operationally realistic for healthcare, senior living, or institutional foodservice settings.Adapt a single vinaigrette or flavor system across multiple produce items to reduce SKUs while maintaining menu variety.Identify techniques for improving guest acceptance of plant-forward menu items through balance, texture, and familiar ingredients.Evaluate how seasonal, regionally available produce can be leveraged to create cooling, high-impact dishes suitable for warm-weather service.