B Corp Champions Retreat 2026: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

7:00am CDT

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 7:50am CDT

B Corp is a community-focused environment, and the morning yoga classes offer a refreshing complement to networking and socializing. Sessions will help students feel grounded, balanced, and clear. Join Maryam on the mat to experience yoga that feels supportive, relatable, and genuinely transformative.

About Maryam Sharifzadeh: Maryam’s signature teaching style is grounded in accessibility, mindfulness, and real-world movement. Her morning yoga classes at the B Corp Champions Retreat are designed as performance tools, not just stretch sessions. Rather than focusing on perfection, her approach emphasizes functional movement, breath awareness, and flexibility.

Sponsors

ZaaS

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 7:50am CDT
Baird Center, Room N204C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Pre-event

7:00am CDT

Breakfast & Marketplace at the Baird Center and Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 8:45am CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

Baird Center North – Baird Ballroom 4th floor – Menu

Assorted fresh baked breakfast pastries and Wisconsin Kringle (V)
Vegan pastries (VG)
Seasonal fresh fruits and berries with mint simple syrup (VG)
Cage-free scrambled eggs served with assorted hot sauces and salt/pepper (V)
Oatmeal toppings include brown sugar, raisins, soy milk, almond milk, and seasonal berries with lemon simple syrup (VG)
Roasted potatoes with sauteed peppers and onions (VG)
Dutch baby pancake with seasonal fresh fruit and warm maple syrup (V)
Orange and cranberry juice
Freshly brewed Stone Creek Coffee and assorted teas
- Served with assorted milks, non-dairy oat milk, cream, sugars, sweeteners, honey and fresh lemon

Hyatt Regency Milwaukee – Vue North 21st Floor – Menu

Local and seasonally inspired fruit (VG)
Tofu scramble with potatoes, green peppers (VG)
Cage-free scrambled eggs, potatoes, and bell peppers
Wheat, white and vegan bread for toast (VG, V)
Vegan sausage patties (VG)
Orange, apple, and cranberry juices
Regular and decaffeinated fresh brewed Anodyne coffee and an assortment of Tazo teas
- Served with assorted milks, non-dairy oat milk, cream, sugars, sweeteners

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 8:45am CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

7:00am CDT

Registration and Info Desk Open

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 5:00pm CDT

Baird Center North

Registration open at Baird Center North Building on the 200 level, across from room N205

Wednesday April 22, 2026 7:00am - 5:00pm CDT
Baird Center North 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

common

8:00am CDT

Breathwork for Inner Clarity and Purpose

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT

Baird Center, Room N204C

In the midst of a packed conference, this session offers leaders a rare opportunity to pause, reset, and reconnect with what matters most. Through a 35-minute guided breathwork journey — supported by music and intentional prompts — you'll release stress, restore your nervous system, and connect to the clarity and purpose that drives your work in the world.

Breathwork is a simple and powerful tool to stay balanced, regulated, and clear. While every session is unique, participants often leave feeling lighter and more grounded — with a deeper connection to themselves, their purpose, and the community around them.

Speakers

Bonnie Coberly

Facilitator, Executive Coach, Strategist, Soul Fire Strategies

I am an executive coach, breathwork practitioner, facilitator and business consultant with 15+ years of experience as an entrepreneur. After my last company was acquired, I now support founders and leaders to develop practices and habits that support their physical, mental and emotional... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am CDT
Baird Center, Room N204C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Pre-event, Movement & Somatic Practice

8:00am CDT

Visit the B Lab Standards Basecamp + Join a Breakfast Conversation

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom C

Join B Lab team members and expert B Corp consultants in our Standards Basecamp! This welcoming, high-support hub is designed to help B Corps confidently navigate the updated B Lab Standards V2 and the B Corp Certification process.

Grab your breakfast and join for:

1:1 Consultations with B Lab
Meet 1:1 with B Lab Global Standards and Certification experts for a 15-minute consultation tailored to your company. Get support with interpretation of the B Lab Standards V2, Impact Topic questions, submission timelines, recertification pathways, audit and certification process questions, legal requirements, complex structures, and the B Impact platform.

Ranger Station
Stop by the Ranger Station for help navigating both the room and B Lab’s digital tools. Rangers can support with the B Impact App and B Hive access and navigation, Freshdesk ticket submission, community questions, and directing you to the right resource, expert, or conversation during your time at Standards Basecamp.

Consultant Trailhead Conversations
Join first-come, first-served small-group discussions led by B Corp consultants. Each table will focus on a clearly labeled topic, such as sustainability management systems, gap analysis, stakeholder mapping, climate action planning, and more, and offer Q&A and guided peer exchange. Ask questions, share challenges, and learn from both experts and peers.

Consultant Table Topics:

Climate Action/Transition Planning - Jet Tan
Certification Process Management & Evidence - Jeffrey Stewart
Purpose Statement & Accountability - Genevieve Lawrence

Speakers

Silvia Laserna

Community & Impact, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Susmita Kamath

Senior Manager, Standards Projects, B Lab Global

Susmita is Senior Manager in the Standards team at B Lab Global and has been leading various standards development projects for B Corp Certification. Susmita is responsible for managing the evolution of the standards for B Corp Certification where she serves as the liaison with various... Read More →

Genevieve Lawrence

Sustainability & Impact Consultant, Way to B

Trained B Consultant | Impact and Sustainability Consultant | B Corp Beauty Coalition Board Member You can book a 15 minute consult on the new standards through here - https://app.onecal.io/b/genevieve-lawrence/way-to-b-consult

Jeffrey D. Stewart

Founder and Executive Director, Enharmonic Encounters LLC

As a Trained B Consultant, my mission is to lead companies on their journey to successfully become a Certified B Corporation. I bring deep insight from my work as a former Business Sustainability Analyst at B Lab Global, where I personally certified over 100 companies. With this experience... Read More →

Jet Tan

Manager, Sustainability Reporting, Greenplaces

Book Time With Jet - B Consultant: https://calendar.app.google/hLvjJaEDySMVML1q9

Jet Tan is Sustainability Reporting Manager at Greenplaces, the all-in-one sustainability platform helping businesses turn climate goals into results. He brings 5+ years of experience across sustainability consulting, data science, and cybersecurity, giving him a practical eye for both t... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Dedicated Room

8:00am CDT

Sponsor Appreciation Breakfast

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom A

A special thank you to the sponsors of the 2026 B Corp Champions Retreat!

Join us to celebrate your impact, connect with fellow sponsors, and kick off the day in a relaxed, welcoming setting before programming begins. We’re thrilled to honor the role you play in making Champions Retreat possible for our community.

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom A 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

8:00am CDT

Ripples to Waves: The B Corp Impact Film Festival

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 5:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N205

The B Corp Impact Film Festival celebrates storytelling as one of the most powerful tools for driving positive change. This curated program of short and feature-length films, all produced by Certified B Corporations, B-Corp-aligned filmmakers, or mission-driven brands, showcases how creativity can move audiences from awareness to action. Each screening reveals how small ripples of purpose can become waves of impact, whether through climate action, fair work, justice and inclusion, or regenerative innovation.

The festival may be presented as a single 90-minute block or as a daily series of thematic showcases (“Climate Action,” “Fair Work,” “JEDI,” etc.). Each block concludes with a live filmmaker Q&A moderated by a B Corp leader to connect the films’ stories to the seven Impact Topics in B Lab’s new standards.

By translating business impact into human stories, this experience invites attendees to feel the heart of the movement, inspiring them to return home ready to tell their own.

-----
FILMS
Read the synopsis for each film on our website.

Company: B Lab U.S. & Canada x Bond Studio
Title: Restoration in Action
Social Media: Follow Bond Studio on Instagram @bondstudio

Company: Davines
Film Title: FOR A GOOD LIFE
Social: @DavinesNorthAmerica

Company: Hemmings House
Film Title: Back to Camp 41
Social: Hemmings House

Company: Green Heffa Farms
Film Title: Farmer Cee
Socials: Green Heffa Farm

Company: Set Sail
Film Title: 7,000 Miles of Good: Chasing a World Record on Electric Bikes — and Finding Community Along the Way
Social: Set Sail

Company: Welcome to the Jungle (WTTJ)
Film Title: Responsible
Social: WTTJ | LinkedIn

Company: Pivot Energy
Film Title: Pivot Energy Land Stewardship
Social: Pivot Energy

Company: Think Parallax: featuring Dr. Bronner’s, Jimbo’s, and Goodwill Industries of San Diego.
Film Title: The Threads Between US
Social: Think Parallax

Company: Lawson’s Finest
Film Title: Raising a Glass to Women’s Leadership
Social: Lawsons Finest

Company: Love Bottle
Film Title: Love Bottle and Beyond
Social: Love Bottle USA

Company: Radio Flyer
Film Title: Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids - "Taking Care of Norm the Plant"
Social: Radio Flyer

Company: B Lab U.S. & Canada x WaHoo Films
Film Title: Rooted in Resilience
Social: B Lab USCA x WaHoo Films

Company: B Lab U.S. & Canada
Film Title: Listen & Level Up: The Importance of Representation
Social: B Lab USCA

Company: Enviro-Stewards
Film Title: Ngongakinda (Resiliency)
Social: Enviro Stewards

Company: Enviro-Stewards
Film Title: Amayengo (Ripples)
Social: Enviro Stewards

Company: Enviro-Stewards
Film Title: Rudisha (Give Back)
Social: Enviro Stewards

Company: Aid Kit
Film Title: Connections that Deliver
Social: Aid Kit

Company: B Local San Diego
Film Title: Melómano
Social: B Local San Diego

Company: Hemmings House
Film Title: Biognosis
Social: Hemmings House

Company: Androscoggin Bank
Film Title: "The Roots of a Neighborhood" from Androscoggin Bank and BBC StoryWorks
Social: Androscoggin Bank

Company: Bridgetown Natural Foods
Film Title: "A Universal Language" from Bridgetown Natural Foods and BBC StoryWorks
Social: N/A

Company: Yerba Madre
Film Title: "The Farm that Supports a Forest" by Yerba Madre and BBC StoryWorks
Social: Yerba Madre

Company: Akalaka
Film Title: Alexia and Alton: Care Partners
Social: Akalaka

Company: Dalcini Stainless
Film Title: The Dalcini Story
Social: Dalcini Stainless

Company: Hemmings House
Film Title: The Berg
Social: Hemmings House

Company: Ecodeo
Film Title: B Lab’s Founding Story
Social: Ecodeo

Company: 87th Street Creative
Film Title: Womankind
Socials: 87th Street Creative

Speakers

Lauren Everett

Content Strategy & Storytelling Manager, B Lab U.S & Canada

Greg Hemmings

Impact Film Producer, Hemmings House Ltd

Greg Hemmings is the Founder & CEO of Hemmings House Pictures, a certified B-Corp film studio based in Atlantic Canada that produces high-impact documentaries, branded content and TV series for clients around the globe. With a career spanning over two decades, Greg has fused storytelling... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 8:00am - 5:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N205 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Dedicated Room, Film & Storytelling

Room Setup Y

9:15am CDT

Opening Plenary Session & Keynote Address: We Are the Founders

Wednesday April 22, 2026 9:15am - 11:00am CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

Join us for the opening plenary! We’ll start with a Wisconsin Welcome and dive into B Corps’ power, purpose, and our intentions for this event. This plenary highlights leaders and local policymakers and focuses on how companies can mobilize around policy and collective action to drive meaningful change.

This opening gathering serves as a call to drive systemic change, grounding our movement in the collective work of policy advocacy to ensure an equitable and regenerative economy becomes a permanent reality. This session will include:

Opening musical performance with Strawberry Moon Singers
Welcome & grounding with the Champions Retreat 2026 emcee, Dr. Kimberly McGlonn
Wisconsin Welcome, Lisa Geason-Bauer, Founder, Evolution Marketing
Welcome to Milwaukee from Mayor Cavalier Johnson
Keynote Address: We Are the Founders from Dr. Michael McAfee, CEO of PolicyLink
Power, Policy & Purpose: Institutionalizing a Just Economy Through Sustainable Business:
- Holly Ensign-Barstow, Co-Executive Director, B Lab U.S. & Canada (Moderator)
- Adam Koepfer, Director of Marketing & ESG Strategy, Quality Bicycle Products
- Mahlet Getachew, Managing Director, Corporate Program
- George Chmael, Founder & CEO, CouncilFire
- Representative Darrin B. Madison, Wisconsin State Legislature
Ripple Stories of catalytic moments of change from B Corp Leaders:
- Asia Dorsey, Regenerate Change
- Miren Oca, Ocaquatics

Speakers

Dr. Kimberly McGlonn

Emcee, Author, CEO, Build it Boldly

Dr. Kimberly McGlonn is a social entrepreneur, executive leader, and founder of Build It Boldly, a media and leadership development company equipping principled leaders to practice the work that shapes how they show up: for their lives, their teams, and the world they are responsible... Read More →

Lisa Geason-Bauer

President, Evolution Marketing & B Local Wisconsin

Lisa Geason-Bauer is the president of Evolution Marketing, a Wisconsin-based woman-owned Certified B Corporation® specializing in the area of sustainability consulting, impact storytelling, environmentally responsible creative design, and ethical marketing.

Lisa is a sustainabil... Read More →

Mayor Cavalier Johnson

Mayor, City of Milwaukee

Dr. Michael McAfee

President & CEO, PolicyLink

Dr. Michael McAfee has been President and CEO of PolicyLink since 2018, after previously serving for seven years as the inaugural director of the Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink. His results-driven leadership, depth of knowledge about building and sustaining an organization... Read More →

Holly Ensign-Barstow

Co-Executive Director, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Mahlet Getachew

Managing Director, Corporate Program, PolicyLink

Mahlet Getachew, Managing Director of Corporate Racial Equity, works to ignite new norms in corporate America that value people and our planet just as much as the bottom line. She leads a portfolio of strategic initiatives, including the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance and its groundbreaking new performance standards — the Business Standards fo... Read More →

Adam Koepfer

Director of Marketing & ESG Strategy, Quality Bicycle Products

George Chmael II

CEO + Founder, Council Fire

George Chmael II is the founder and CEO of Council Fire, one of the United States' earliest sustainability-focused consultancies and a certified B Corp since 2010 with multiple "Best For The World" honors from B Lab.

For over 30 years, George has guided leading environmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, government agencies, and corporations of all sizes across climate resilience, clean energy transition, sustainable transportation, ESG strategy, oceans and natural resource stewardship... Read More →

Asia Dorsey

Organizational Ecologist, Regenerate Change

Asia Dorsey embraces the earth. Ear to the soil, she heeds the instruction of mineral, microbial, and botanical beings. She uses her gift of pattern recognition to embed organizational culture with the ethics of earth care, people care and fair share. She studied Non-Profit Management... Read More →

Miren Oca

Founder and CEO, Ocaquatics Swim School

Miren Oca is the founder and CEO of Ocaquatics Swim School, the world’s first B Corp-certified swim school. Since 1994, Ocaquatics has been helping families love swimming and stay safer in the water. Now in its 31st year, the company teaches over 6,500 lessons each week during peak... Read More →

Artists

Strawberry Moon

Strawberry Moon Singers

The Strawberry Moon Singers (or Strawberry Moon Women Singers) are a Wisconsin-based Indigenous and Indigenous-descendant hand drum group known for performing at community events and water ceremonies, including Milwaukee Water Commons' "We Are Water" events. They promote cultural... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 9:15am - 11:00am CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Mainstage

11:00am CDT

Break

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am CDT

Baird Center, Outside Ballroom DEFG

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am CDT
Baird Center, Outside Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

11:30am CDT

Building Our Future: How B Lab's New Standards Can Drive Global Systems Change

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

View Slide Deck

This dynamic session explores how purpose-driven transformation happens at every scale—global, national, and organizational. Moderated by Mike Rowlands of Junxion Strategy, the conversation opens with global expert Victoria Hurth sharing insights on systems change and the critical role of international standards, highlighting ISO 37011 and the global definition of organizational purpose. Hurth demonstrates how global alignment is emerging as an enabler of impact and as a core B Corp topic. Rowlands then spotlights the Canadian Purpose Economy Project (CPEP), introducing its innovative, systemic intervention strategy that targets key leverage points—from CEOs to business schools—to accelerate change across Canada. This national movement exemplifies how collective action, another key B Corp impact pillar, can shift the trajectory of an entire economy.

Finally, two case studies—IQVF and GreenShield—bring the discussion to the organizational level, showing how purpose, stakeholder engagement and collective action show up in practice. These distinct and complementary perspectives offer practical examples and actionable inspiration for leaders seeking to drive ripples-to-waves systems change from the inside out.

Attendees will learn insights about:

Purpose-driven transformation gains power when global alignment, collective action, and organizational commitment work together, and every scale, from international standards to individual organizations, matters.
International frameworks like ISO 37011 actively create the shared language that purpose-driven leaders need to accelerate change, and understanding their connection to B Corp principles opens exciting new pathways for deeper impact.T
he Canadian Purpose Economy Project powerfully demonstrates how targeting the right leverage points, from CEOs to business schools, can build a national movement that transforms how business gets done at every level.

The ripples your organization creates today have the potential to become the waves of global systems change tomorrow—and this session shows you exactly how to start.

Speakers

Mike Rowlands

Partner & CEO, Junxion Strategy

Mike RowlandsMike Rowlands is President & CEO of Junxion Strategy, an international consultancy advancing social responsibility, sustainability, and purpose-driven impact for more than 20 years. Mike works alongside audacious leaders at visionary companies, nonprofits, and movements... Read More →

Taharka Gibb

Director, Creating Shared Value & Impact Measurement, GreenShield

Taharka Gibbs is Director of Strategic Initiatives at GreenShield, a Canadian non-profit pioneering integrated health and benefits coverage with a mission of “Better Health for All.” GreenShield actively advances health equity and innovation by reinvesting profits to expand access... Read More →

Dr. Victoria Hurth

ISO37011 Purpose-Driven Organizations Project Leader, ISO - International Organization for Standardization

I am an Independent Pracademic focused on enabling the world to find consensus about how to govern what matters - long-term wellbeing for all - before we lose it. As such, I work in service of a global transition implementing purpose governance in all organisations, including government... Read More →

Olivia Watkins

Board Director, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT

Olivia Watkins is a social entrepreneur, impact investor, and Co-Founder and President of the Black Farmer Fund. She serves on the Board of Directors at Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, a certified B Corp, championing investments in regenerative and organic agriculture for equitable... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

11:30am CDT

From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Innovating Through the New B Lab Standards

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom C

View Slide Deck

Post-Session Message from the Organizers:
Here is the B Corp innovation toolkit we created to accompany this breakout session: https://www.mightybytes.com/bcorp-innovation/
It includes our slides, links to additional resources for more information, plus examples under each impact area and questions to ask your team as you apply these methods to the V2 certification standards.
You can also learn more and sign up for our upcoming B Corp Innovation Mastermind at this link: https://www.mightybytes.com/bcorp-innovation/#mastermind
----------
Many small and mid-sized B Corps are feeling the pressure of the new standards. Instead of seeing recertification as a chance to grow, many treat it as a box to check—a necessary headache rather than a strategic opportunity. With ongoing uncertainty in the economy and the rise of AI reshaping how we operate, these businesses often struggle to balance growth goals with compliance demands. The result is costly: some miss out on using purpose-driven innovation to stand out, while others pour time and money into compliance efforts that don’t improve their bottom line or impact.

This interactive workshop flips that narrative. We’ll explore how to turn B Corp recertification into a powerful driver of innovation and growth. Participants will learn a practical framework for finding high-return opportunities hidden within the new standards, and how to test ideas quickly through rapid prototyping—without overextending their resources. You’ll also learn how to build internal support for purpose-led initiatives that spark both business success and positive social impact.

Building on the “Ripples to Waves” theme, we’ll show how even small, strategic actions by individual companies can create ripple effects—fueling innovation that leads to real market differentiation, stronger customer loyalty, and sustainable growth.

Takeaways:

Shifting from a compliance mindset to a growth mindset actively transforms recertification into a powerful engine for innovation, differentiation, and lasting impact.
This workshop equips participants with concrete, actionable tools for identifying opportunities hidden within the new standards and for testing ideas quickly through rapid prototyping, without overextending time, energy, or resources.
Doing good and performing well reinforce each other powerfully, and building internal support for purpose-driven initiatives actively fuels stronger customer loyalty, meaningful market differentiation, and sustainable long-term growth.
Even the most modest, well-targeted moves by individual B Corps can spark momentum that extends far beyond their own walls, contributing to the broader systems change that the movement is working so courageously and joyfully to achieve.

Speakers

Carolina Miranda

B Corp ROI Strategist, Cultivating Capital

Carolina Miranda is the Founder and CEO of Cultivating Capital, a Certified B Corp since 2012 that helps companies implement impact and sustainability practices by making complex requirements clear, manageable, and actionable.

As a B Corp ROI Strategist, she specializes in helping companies recertify as B Corps and leverage the certification for business value. With over 15 years in the B Corp movement, she has been teaching about the new standards since 2023 and is recognized for her deep expertise with... Read More →

Tim Frick

President, Mightybytes

Tim is President of Mightybytes, a Certified B Corp since 2011 and Board Treasurer at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. He is also the co-founder of B Local Illinois and co-chair of the World Wide Web Consortium's Sustainable Web Interest Group, which produces the Web Sustainability... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

Room Setup B Lab Standards Room (rounds)

11:30am CDT

Impact Storytelling: Connecting Members & Communities to Action

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N205

B Corps are positioned to reclaim narratives and storytelling more than ever to help unite and imagine the future of a regenerative economy. Beneficial State Foundation will debut a new digital case study, featuring partner Beneficial State Bank, that aims to do just that —remind people that a different way is possible, and call one another together for action.

Jarami Bond, talented producer will join to discuss how he approaches mission-driven partners to tell and unify stories that move to action. Terra Neilson, Chief Impact Officer for Beneficial State Bank will discuss the power of video and digital storytelling in marketing, advocacy, and impact — bringing together aligned partners for action. Facilitated by Francis Janes from Beneficial State Foundation, this session is aimed to debut an inspiring story, discuss digital strategy, and open the conversation about the power of shared and aspirational narratives.

Speakers

Jarami Bond

Founder & Executive Director, Bond Studio

Jarami serves as Founder & Executive Producer at Bond Studio, a film production company dedicated to championing stories to inspire action, shift culture, and move the world toward lasting change.

As an award-winning film producer, Jarami has crafted a dynamic portfolio of docum... Read More →

Francis Janes

Senior Industry Relations Director, Beneficial State Foundation

Francis leads the foundation’s industry relations strategy and develops partnerships to advance the field of social impact banking. Francis developed a strong understanding of the social and environmental impact of values-based banking while serving in the role of Vice President... Read More →

Terra Neilson

Chief Impact Officer, Beneficial State Bank

Terra Neilson is chief impact officer at Beneficial State Bank, where she supports the bank’s mission through the development, evaluation, monitoring, and reporting of its social impact and environmental outcomes. Her top priority is to ensure the bank delivers on its commitment... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N205 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Film & Storytelling

11:30am CDT

Making Waves: How B Corps Can Meet the Moment Through Advocacy & Action

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom A

View Slide Deck

As the B Corp movement enters a new era of heightened standards and global urgency, the call for meaningful advocacy has never been clearer. This session challenges our community to reconnect with the movement’s activist roots by treating advocacy not as an ideal pursuit, but as a core strategy for meeting the 2025 B Lab Standards.

Many of us joined the B Corp community because we were seeking something missing in the traditional business world: a place where impact matters as much as profit. The movement offered a collective of leaders committed to using business as a force for good. But as we face accelerating social and human-rights crises, the question is no longer whether or why we care—it’s how we respond and, most critically, act.

This session will explore how the 2025 B Lab Standards create a framework not just for compliance, but for courageous advocacy—both internal and public-facing. The conversation will share new case studies of local activation, including Raising the Voice of Sustainable Business sessions led by B Local Mid-Atlantic and a B Local Illinois training that mobilized companies to protect immigrant employees and communities in response to raids in Chicago and beyond.

Speakers will share practical examples of how companies and B Locals can translate the new standards into concrete advocacy actions such as developing action-driven policies, engaging and responding to stakeholders, and using collective voice to publicly stand up for and protect communities—while navigating risk and political complexity with integrity—rather than staying silent.

Through candid discussion, panelists will show how advocacy advances all of the seven Impact Topics, and how the new standards turn advocacy into measurable impact.

Speakers

Adina Appelbaum

CEO & Co-Founder, International Empowerment

Adina is an attorney, financial, and business strategist, all rolled into one. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of B Corp International Empowerment® and the platform Immigrant Finance®. As a Business Growth & Impact Strategist, Adina helps mission-led businesses build powerful chagemaker... Read More →

George Chmael II

CEO + Founder, Council Fire

Avi Mayerhoff

Director, UIC Innovation, University of Illinois Chicago

Avi serves as the Executive Chair of B Local Illinois, where he has been on the board for 3 years. Based in Chicago, he is also the Director of Partnerships in the University of Illinois Chicago's (UIC) Innovation Office and is a proud member of B Academics. With expertise in cross-sector... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom A 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

11:30am CDT

Redefining Workforce Development: Inclusive, Youth-Centered Programs for Sustainable Livelihoods

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N106AB

View Slide Deck

Three B Corp leaders will discuss how B Corps are building equitable training and employment pipelines that pay young people to learn and to lead in industries where the need is high, but so are the barriers (shown through the example of lobstering and farming, which are two fields that need more new entrants yet have significant cultural, financial, and other barriers to entry).

Each B Corp will briefly describe their youth career development program, explain why they feel it's worth it to look outside the typical recruiting pipelines, and how they ensure it's worth it for students to explore opportunities in their industries.

As we dive deeper into the discussion, we'll cover the difference between typical "workforce development" initiatives, which center employer needs and tend to push people into low-wage work, and career development programs that center the new entrant's needs and help them achieve living wage work and entrepreneurship opportunities in industries that sustain life.

Given that all our programs serve young people from populations that are typically excluded from our industries, we'll specifically discuss how the Principles for Partnership with Frontline Communities are crucial for creating programs that truly fulfill community needs (and stumbles some of us have experienced when not following those principles). Attendees will get practical, actionable tips from real-world experience on how to structure programs that make their workplaces or industries more welcoming to and help new entrants feel a sense of belonging.

Speakers

Christa Barfield

CEO, FarmerJawn Agriculture

Christa Barfield is a health-care professional turned farmer and life-long Philadelphia resident. It was 10 years into her career in health-care administration when she realized her work-life balance was unhealthy; she resigned from her job and embarked on a solo trip to Martinique... Read More →

Ben Conniff

Co-Founder, Luke's Lobster

Ben Conniff co-founded Luke's Lobster, a vertically-integrated seafood company that operates restaurants and sells branded supermarket products across the US. Ben leads Luke’s Lobster’s commitment to tackling its climate and waste footprints, to increasing equity in the seafood... Read More →

Kris Skavish

Co-CEO, Two Octobers

Kris Skavish is Co-CEO and co-founder of Two Octobers, a digital marketing agency and certified B Corp that helps marketing leaders use data to improve performance, grow teams, and build better companies. Her career has consistently bridged technology, business, and people—first... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N106AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

11:30am CDT

Social Gravity: Designing Networks That Move People

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom B

View Slide Deck

In a world where the pursuit of equity and social progress feels more fraught than ever, what does it look like to build the relationships your work actually needs to succeed?
In this session, The Brand Scientist™ N. Chloé Nwangwu explores the science behind building social gravity: the collection of forces that make it easier for the right people to adopt the ideas and behaviors your work calls for.
You’ll learn a practical, instantly applicable framework for building a circle of recognition – a strategically designed network that amplifies your ideas, fuels collaboration, and strengthens relationships with the stakeholders who shape the decisions you’re looking to influence. And you’ll be equipped to try it out at the Champion’s Retreat, right away.
We all understand the promise of conferences. They can spark partnerships and momentum that build our businesses and advance social change. But all too often the reality of networking falls short–feeling complicated, performative, time-consuming, and draining.
This session will help you replace scattered networking with intentional relationship architecture. You’ll leave with a repeatable system for building networks that move people — not just exchange business cards.
Whether you’re representing your company, leading a team, or simply seeking to contribute more meaningfully to the B Corp movement, you’ll discover how to turn every interaction – here at the Champions Retreat and beyond – into a deliberate act that secures the future you’re working to build.

Speakers

N. Chloé Nwangwu

Principal Investigator, NobiWorks

N. Chloé Nwangwu, the brand scientist, is a speaker, behavioral strategist, and brand visibility expert. A former international conflict mediator, she is now an advisor on interpersonal and social influence and the founder of NobiWorks, a brand visibility consultancy where she partners... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom B 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

11:30am CDT

Stewarding Your Legacy: Values-Driven Pathways for Growth and Ownership Transitions

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206AB

If you’ve worked hard to build a great place to work, a great work culture, and a great business, how can you ensure long-term stewardship of the business and employees? And how can you do so as you raise capital for growth—or plan an eventual exit and retirement—without compromising quality jobs, mission, or legacy? This panel will offer a candid look at values‑aligned capital for founders, owners and executive teams considering growth, acquisition, or succession.

Founders, owners, and executive teams will discover that genuine alternative financing and acquisition paths exist, allowing them to honor the mission, culture, and legacy they have worked so hard to build.
Attendees will leave with a clear, granular map of how growth equity, inorganic or acquisition capital, expansion equity, and exit and succession-stage capital can each be structured to protect workers, their families, and their communities.
This session equips attendees with a compelling understanding of how values-aligned capital — already reshaping outcomes for businesses and the communities surrounding them — is evolving, and what thoughtful next steps owners and management teams should consider.

Speakers

Margot Brandenburg

Senior Program Officer, Ford Foundation

Margot Brandenburg is a senior program officer on the foundation’s Mission Investments team, focused on building and strengthening the infrastructure of the impact investment market—with the ultimate goal of shaping the broader capital markets. She has spent two decades working... Read More →

Todd Leverette

Founding Partner, Apis & Heritage Capital Partners

Todd Leverette is Managing Partner at Apis & Heritage Capital Partners where he brings over a decade of experience working with and for small business to bear on A&H and the portfolio companies in Legacy Fund I. Todd's work at A&H is a continuation of a life and career dedicated... Read More →

Aren LeeKong

Founding Partner, Nine Dean

Aren LeeKong is a seasoned business leader, entrepreneur, and investor with over 25 years of experience.
He is a founder of Nine Dean. He previously held the positions of Vice Chairman of Global Credit and Head of Direct Lending at Carlyle, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Ca
... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

Room Setup Y

11:30am CDT

The Case for Caregiving: Building Thriving Businesses and Communities Through Childcare

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206C

View Slide Deck

Access to affordable childcare is not a perk — it’s foundational to a just economy. For employers with frontline workforces, caregiving directly shapes retention, productivity, equity, and community stability. Yet childcare remains largely absent from how “good jobs” are defined and delivered.

This panel explores how care sits at the intersection of fair work, community wellness, and long-term business performance. By examining childcare as both a community anchor and a workforce strategy, speakers will connect the dots between employment stability, health, facility design, and economic mobility—especially for frontline workers and women of color who have been historically excluded from investment. B Lab’s new Fair Work standards remind us that good jobs go beyond wages. They start with listening to workers and addressing the conditions that shape their lives. For many teams, caregiving is that condition.

This session will highlight how intentional investments in childcare ecosystems can catalyze inclusive growth while strengthening retention, productivity, and resilience across industries. We hope you leave the discussion with fresh data, real-world examples, and a commitment to experiment with care solutions that fit your organization.

Takeaways for attendees:

Employers who recognize caregiving as a foundational business investment actively build stronger, more resilient organizations and more just economies.B
Lab's new Fair Work standards remind us that truly good jobs address the full conditions of workers' lives, and for many frontline teams, caregiving is that condition.
Intentional childcare solutions create meaningful pathways to economic mobility for frontline workers and women of color who have been historically excluded from workplace investment.
When employers treat childcare as a community anchor rather than an individual benefit, they catalyze inclusive growth that strengthens employment stability, health outcomes, and economic resilience across entire industries and neighborhoods.

Host

Ashanti Bryant

Senior Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Ashanti Bryant is a senior program officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan (serving on the Grand Rapids team). In this role, he supports foundation efforts to promote thriving children, working families and equitable communities.

Ashanti is responsible for identifying and nurturing opportunities for affecting positive systemic change within communities and executing programming efforts that are aligned with the organization’s direction. He is also responsible for the day-to-day management of a team of program... Read More →

Speakers

Bridgitte Alomes

CEO & Founder, Natural Pod

Hello! I am the founder and CEO of Natural Pod, where we design beautiful, sustainably made learning furniture for every stage of learning — from early childhood through high school, in classrooms, libraries and common spaces; across Canada, the United States and the world... Read More →

Meg Derrer Wheeler

Chief Executive Officer, Refugee Education Center

Meg Derrer Wheeler is Chief Executive Officer at Refugee Education Center, a nonprofit based in Grand Rapids, Michigan that supports refugees in their journey to become fully participating members of the West Michigan community. She is a community collaborator, convener and cheerleader... Read More →

Molly Day

Chief Operating Officer, Moms First

Molly Day serves as Chief Operating Officer at Moms First, where she translates vision into strategy in support of moms and families and galvanizes private sector leaders, policymakers, and most importantly, moms around Moms First’s vision. Prior to Moms First, Molly led the campaign... Read More →

Austen McEnaney

Strategy Director, NationSwell

Austen is a Director of Strategy at NationSwell, where she helps mission-driven partners strengthen their impact through strategy, research, storytelling and impact measurement. She works on Collaboratives like the Case for Childcare, Collective Wealth, and Workforce Innovation, bringing... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

11:30am CDT

The Ripple Effect: How a Game Sparks Collective Climate Impact

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N204A

View Slide Deck

How can a game accelerate the climate journey from awareness to action? Action to Zero transforms climate planning from a technical process into a participatory, regenerative experience—blending systems thinking, collaboration, and creativity.

Developed by Planning Communities, a Certified B Corporation, the game equips B-Corps, nonprofits, organizations, municipalities, and other changemakers with an interactive pathway to explore collective actions needed to reach net-zero emissions and build resilient and regenerative organizations and communities.

In this highly interactive session, participants will play a condensed version of the game, forming teams that navigate climate solutions across key climate action areas that align with the B Lab’s New Standards. Through gameplay and reflection, attendees experience how gamification can break down silos, center frontline voices, and inspire tangible commitments toward climate action and justice.
The workshop closes with a collaborative debrief linking individual “ripple actions” to organizational “waves of change,” offering a Climate Action Playbook to bring back to their own B Corps, networks, and communities.

This session embodies the spirit of Ripples to Waves — proving that playful, participatory design can drive deep systems change when grounded in purpose, equity, and collective accountability.

Speakers

Breece Robertson

President/Advisor, Breece Robertson Consulting/Planning Communities

Breece Robertson is a nationally recognized leader in geospatial strategy, climate resilience, and conservation planning. With over 25 years of experience, she has designed and led transformative initiatives that use GIS, data, and Earth observation to advance sustainability, restoration... Read More →

Teresa Townsend, AICP

President and CEO, Planning Communities

Teresa Townsend is the founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Planning Communities, a women-owned, Certified B Corporation advancing conservation, climate action, and community resilience. With nearly 30 years of experience, she is recognized for integrating geospatial science... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N204A 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Panel

12:30pm CDT

B Lab Standards Basecamp: B Lab Consultations & Lunch Conversations

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom C

Join B Lab team members and expert B Corp consultants in our Standards Basecamp! This welcoming, high-support hub is designed to help B Corps confidently navigate the updated B Lab Standards V2 and the B Corp Certification process.

12:30– 2:00 PM
1:1 Consultations with B Lab
Meet 1:1 with B Lab Global Standards and Certification experts for a 15-minute consultation tailored to your company. Get support with interpretation of the B Lab Standards V2, Impact Topic questions, submission timelines, recertification pathways, audit and certification process questions, legal requirements, complex structures, and the B Impact platform.

Ranger Station
Stop by the Ranger Station for help navigating both the room and B Lab’s digital tools. Rangers can support with the B Impact App and B Hive access and navigation, Freshdesk ticket submission, community questions, and directing you to the right resource, expert, or conversation during your time at Standards Basecamp.

1:00– 2:00 PM Consultant Trailhead Conversations
Join first-come, first-served small-group discussions led by B Corp consultants. Each table will focus on a clearly labeled topic, including Double Materiality, Sustainability Management Systems, Gap Analysis, Year 3 & Year 5 Impact Mapping, offering Q&A and guided peer exchange. Ask questions, share challenges, and learn from both experts and peers. Feel free to bring your lunch!

Consultant Conversation Topics include:

Double Materiality - Rob Sinclair
Sustainability Management System - Sonia Tze Huse
Gap Analysis - Aurelia Talvela
Year 3 & Year 5 Impact Mapping - Benn Marine

About the B Lab Standards Basecamp
Join for structured learning (panels & workshops), personalized 1:1 consultations, technical troubleshooting, consultant-led table discussions, and more!

Outside of scheduled breakout sessions, the room will function as a dedicated active support and engagement space, including:

Standards Guidance: Deep interpretation of V2 requirements, Impact Topic clarifications, and legal requirements
Certification Process Support: Submission timelines, self-assessment submission, recertification pathway, audit process, complex structure questions
Consultant Table Discussions: B Corp consultants will host small group consultations
Technical Support Desk: Get support on tech platforms, including: the B Impact App, assurance provider platform, B Hive, and Freshdesk support tickets

Many B Corp consultants are also offering to meet with participants 1:1. Learn more about their expertise and scheduling in the profiles of the speakers listed on this session.

Lunch buffets will be available in the 4th floor and 2nd floor hallways. You are welcome to grab your lunch from one of the buffet stations and bring it into the meeting room to eat during the session.

Speakers

Sonia Tze Huse

Consultant, Impact Growth Partners (IGP)

At IGP, we have spent the last year partnering with more than 14 "early adopters" of the B Lab V2 standards to conduct in-depth Gap Analyses utilizing our own tool. These companies—diverse in size, sector, and geography—helped us rigorously test our tools and the feasibility... Read More →

Benn Marine

B Corp Certification Consultant & Impact Strategist, The Rising Kind

I help leaders and organizations turn values into action—building systems, culture, and strategies that create real impact for people, communities, and the planet. My work sits at the intersection of business, media, policy, and movement-building. I’ve supported companies through... Read More →

Susmita Kamath

Senior Manager, Standards Projects, B Lab Global

Silvia Laserna

Community & Impact, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Rob Sinclair

Fractional Impact Officer, Conscious Brands®

Conscious Brands - Established 16 years ago, Conscious Brands has been at the forefront of designing and championing Regenerative Business models within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) space. As one of the founding Canadian B Corps (certified since 2010), our Vision is to utilize... Read More →

Aurelia Talvela

Senior Consultant, Junxion Strategy

I am a Senior Consultant at Junxion, an international impact consulting firm. We help organizations take bold action to confront the climate emergency, champion social justice, and build meaningful, purpose-driven companies. We are currently helping a number of companies through the... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Dedicated Room

12:30pm CDT

Lunch & Visit the Marketplace

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

Join us for a buffet lunch at the Baird Center, 4th floor ballroom.

Menu

Sandwiches

Vegetable griller

Drilled zucchini, roasted red pepper, eggplant, garlic hummus, ciabatta bread (VG)

Mediterranean cous cous wrap

Roasted chickpeas, cucumber, roma tomato, roasted red onion and Moroccan spiced cous cous tossed in dill tzatziki (V)

Garlic chicken caesar wrap (guests who opted for the meat selection)

Garlic chicken, crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, garlic croutons, creamy garlic dressing

Salads

Greek panzanella salad: Roma tomato, charred red onion, marinated artichoke hearts, cucumber, brioche croutons and feta cheese tossed in oregano vinaigrette (V)

Potato Salad with Fresh Dill (V)

Pesto and Roasted Pepper Orzo Pasta Salad (V)

Dessert

Homemade Chocolate Brownies (V)

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

12:30pm CDT

Who Owns the Future? Employee & Purpose-Driven Ownership Networking Lunch

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206AB

Employee ownership and other purpose-driven ownership models are stepping into the spotlight — both across the country and at this year’s Champions Retreat. Join us during lunch to dive deeper and connect with others in this ecosystem.

As a historic wave of business transitions accelerates, most companies and founders still default to traditional exits — often prioritizing short-term outcomes over legacy, workforce stability, and mission lock. At the same time, employee and other forms of purpose-driven ownership are emerging as viable, scalable alternatives.

This community-driven networking lunch will create space for those exploring alternative ownership to connect with experts and innovators who are already immersed in the work. Tables will be hosted by practitioners in the space — including service providers, consultants, legal experts, nonprofit leaders, and B Corps that have already adopted employee-owned or other innovative ownership models.

Tables will be hosted by these organizations (more coming soon!):

Apis & Heritage
Care Deeply Consulting
kharmadarma
LIFT Economy
Profit Reimagined
Project Equity
Up & Over Advisors / Steward Market

If you have expertise in the alternative ownership space and would like to host a table, please email [email protected].

Lunch buffets will be available in the 4th floor and 2nd floor hallways. You are welcome to grab your lunch from one of the buffet stations and bring it into the meeting room to eat during the session.

Speakers

Sarah Carter

VP of Advancement & Partnerships, Project Equity

Sarah brings two decades of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, working at the intersection of community impact and capital. She’s spent her career helping align the vision and work of organizations on the ground with the resources needed to scale equitable, community-centered... Read More →

Peter Georgariou

Founder/CEO, karmadharma

Peter Georgariou is the founder and CEO of a B Corp certified strategy, people and creative agency up in Ottawa Canada called karmadharma.
What began as a creative agency has evolved into a strategy and human transformation partner, serving charities, B Corps, and purpose-driven... Read More →

Hannah Sandmeyer

Founder & CEO, Up & Over Advisors/ Steward Market

Hannah Sandmeyer is the Founder & CEO of Up & Over Advisors, a Certified B Corp buy-side M&A sourcing firm, and the builder behind a broader platform reshaping ownership transitions as a force for good.

She leads three interconnected brands: Up & Over Advisors, which drives propri... Read More →

Christina Sjahli, CPA, CA

Founder, Profit Reimagined Inc.

Christina Sjahli is a CFO and financial strategist with over 20 years of experience helping founders grow businesses that are both profitable and purposeful. She has guided companies from mid seven figures to nine figures, designing financial systems that replace complexity with... Read More →

Christopher Arnold

CEO & Founder, Care Deeply Consulting

As the founder of Care Deeply Consulting, I've built a team of 50+ leadership coaches across the US&CAN who transform hard-working managers into high-performance leaders for people-first companies. According to Gallup, less than 35% of employees are engaged and 70% of that score is... Read More →

Todd Leverette

Founding Partner, Apis & Heritage Capital Partners

Emmy Allison

Impact Advisor, LIFT Economy

Emmy is an Impact Advisor at LIFT Economy helping companies certify and recertify as B Corps. She is also a co-host of the Beyond the B podcast. Emmy was previously a Community Success Specialist at B Lab U.S. & Canada, where she supported roughly 1,700 Certified B Corps in the technical... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

12:45pm CDT

Join a Lunchtime Roundtable Conversation

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

Grab your lunch and join a designated table for an intimate conversation around a specific topic, or choose to meet with others in a B Local or B Network. No advance sign up required - seats at tables are first come, first served.

Lunch buffets will be available in the 4th floor and 2nd floor hallways. You are welcome to grab your lunch from one of the buffet stations and bring it into the meeting room to eat during the session.

Table numbers will be added and displayed on site so you can find the corresponding tables.

Roundtable topics & hosts:

Table 1: Finding the Route: Dilemmas in Sustainable Shipping & Freight with Paul Courtney & Robin Sauve, Courtney Agencies
Table 2: Dignified Departures: The Overlooked Phase of The Employee Lifecycle - Darrie Matthew Burrage, Prosocia
Table 3: The Power of B Corps: Visioning Belonging and Safety for Survivor Workers - Mary Beth Wilkinson & Ana Van Balen, Futures Without Violence
Table 4: Growing Stronger Together: 1% for the Planet & B Corp Movements - Mark Steinbuck, 1% for the Planet
Table 5: Finance as a Force for Good: Accelerating Capital into Underserved Communities [2 tables] - Carrie Sanders & Annabel Kuhn, Hope Community Capital
Table 6: Built to Last: Purpose that Weaves Generations into Waves of Impact — Revitalizing Japanese Crafts with a 300-Year Heritage - Aya Sengoku, Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten & Nozomi Torii, VALUE BOOKS / B Market Builder Japan

Networks with tables:

Table 7: B Beauty Coalition - Andrea Chase
Table 8: B Academics - Jessica Yinka Thomas
Table 9: B Local Philly - Michael Schweisheimer
Table 10: B Local Bay Area - Brad Handel
Table 11: CPG Network - Briana Humes
Table 12: JEDI Accountability Network - Megan Fuciarelli
Table 13: Florida for Good - Lorin Augeri
Table 14: Vermont B Corp Collective - Diana Wood
Table 15: On Purpose Oregon - Wes Griffin

Speakers

Nozomi Torii

Co-Lead, CEO, B Market Builder Japan, VALUE BOOKS Inc.

Nozomi Torii co-leads B Market Builder Japan and serves as CEO at VALUE BOOKS Inc., a certified B Corp and circular business based in Nagano, Japan. After working in finance, she joined VALUE BOOKS in 2015, where she helped integrate purpose into business and community, and began serving as CEO in 2024.Her story—told through her dual roles at B Market Builder... Read More →

Aya Sengoku

Company President, Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd.

Aya Sengoku is the 14th President of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, founded in 1716 in Nara — Japan’s ancient capital with over a thousand years of history. The company is dedicated to revitalizing Japanese craftsmanship through business, sustaining and evolving traditional crafts by connecting artisans, design, and everyday life.After beginning... Read More →

Francis Janes

Senior Industry Relations Director, Beneficial State Foundation

Darrie Burrage

Vice President, B Local Wisconsin

Ana Van Balen

Vice President of Economic Security & Opportunity, Futures Without Violence

I lead the Center for Economic FUTURES, working to reimagine economic opportunity for low-income workers, survivors, women, and youth. I want to support employers in creating safer workplaces, and also in thinking critically about how they embrace AI as part of their work and cul... Read More →

Lorin Augeri

Communications Director, For Good Movement

Lorin (she/her) is a public relations professional with a special focus on the travel, tourism and non profit sectors. The University of Central Florida Grad is an advocate of the B Corp movement and inspired by their global vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic... Read More →

Jessica Yinka Thomas

Executive Director, B Academics

Jessica Yinka Thomas is an academic, author, and activist. She is an Associate Professor of the Practice and leads the Business Sustainability Collaborative at NC State University's Poole College of Management. As co-founder and Executive Director of B Academics, she is building a... Read More →

Andrea Chase

Vice President of Corporate Environmental Responsibility & Social Impact, Arbonne

Andrea Chase is an inspiring sustainability leader and Vice President of Corporate Environmental Responsibility & Social Impact at Arbonne, a Certified B Corporation dedicated to holistic wellbeing for people and the planet. With over 15 years of experience, Andrea has led sustainability... Read More →

Paul Courtney

President, Courtney Agencies

Robin Sauve

Sustainability consultant, Courtney Agencies

Greening ways to move product around the globe.
How to best address issues with labour and environmental standards in the supply chain.
Fun stuff to do in and around Vancouver.
Introduce yourself if you're from Calgary! (I work in Vancouver but I live in Calgary.)

Annabel Kuhn

Analyst, Hope Community Capital

Carrie Sanders

CEO & Founder, Hope Community Capital

I’m Carrie Sanders, Founder and CEO of Hope Community Capital, a certified B-Corp, national community development consulting firm based in Madison, Wisconsin. My work focuses on mobilizing mission-aligned capital for affordable housing, community facilities, and faith-based development... Read More →

Mary Beth Wilkinson

Workplaces and Economic Opportunity, Futures Without Violence

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

12:45pm CDT

Lunch with the B Corp Climate Collective

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N106AB

Mix, mingle, and eat your lunch with other members of the B Corp Climate Collective.

Lunch buffets will be available in the 4th floor and 2nd floor hallways. You are welcome to grab your lunch from one of the buffet stations and bring it into the meeting room to eat during the session.

Host

Clementina Consens

Senior Associate, Climate Justice, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Speakers

Kylie Nealis

Senior Program Manager, Climate Justice, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Kylie Nealis is Senior Program Manager for Climate Justice at B Lab U.S. & Canada, where she leads efforts to embed equitable, community-centered climate strategies into the growing B Corp movement. With over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit and advocacy sectors, Kylie’s... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N106AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

12:45pm CDT

Where Complexity Meets Commitment: Lunch for Large & Complex Companies

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N207AB

View Slide Deck

Who Should Attend

This session is intended for representatives of large and complex companies—defined as organizations with multi-site, multi-entity, multi-country, multi-sector, or multi-branded operations. B Corps and prospective Bs welcome!

This session will host facilitated, small-group conversations bringing together leaders from large and complex companies for peer-to-peer discussion, networking, and shared learning. Through guided dialogue, participants will reflect on where they find the most value in the B Corp movement, how they want to engage, and the greatest challenges they face in meeting B Corp standards at scale. B Lab staff will be in attendance to help facilitate conversations and to listen and learn from company experiences, with the goal of strengthening support, connection, and collaboration as the movement grows.

B Lab Facilitators
- Stacy Gramotneva
- Devon Mosley
- Charlotte Levitt
- Susmita Kamath
- Menucha Frischling
- Grace Mausser

Feel free to join the room early to eat lunch and connect with other B Corps attending the session. Lunch buffets will be available in the 4th floor and 2nd floor hallways. You are welcome to grab your lunch from one of the buffet stations and bring it into the meeting room to eat during the session.

Host

Devin Nelson

Senior Manager, Key Accounts, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Speakers

Susmita Kamath

Senior Manager, Standards Projects, B Lab Global

Menucha Frischling

Certification Manager, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Anastasia Gramotneva

Associate Director, Community Growth, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Grace Mausser

Senior Policy Manager, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Charlotte Levitt

Global Director of Marketing & Communications, B Lab

Devon Mosley

Philanthropic Partnerships, B Lab

Wednesday April 22, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N207AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Meal

1:00pm CDT

Guided Sound Bath

Wednesday April 22, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N204C

A mid-day reset designed to restore clarity and calm. This guided sound bath uses soothing vibrations from crystal singing bowls and other instruments to gently shift the body into a relaxed, restorative state. The frequencies help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and quiet mental chatter, allowing participants to release tension and reconnect with themselves. Many people leave feeling more grounded, mentally clear, and re-energized—making it the perfect way to reset and return to the retreat with focus and ease.

Guided by Blue Muhammed.

Room 204B

Wednesday April 22, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N204C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Pre-event, Movement & Somatic Practice

2:00pm CDT

Academic + B Corp Collaboration for Collective Action

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom A

View Slide Deck

Join our workshop to learn about impactful strategies for how academia is effectively collaborating with the B Corp movement to drive measurable systemic change and collective action. The session will kick off with a series of impact vignettes featuring diverse stories of collaboration between academics and B Corps.

Summer Brown (DePaul University) will discuss her leadership of B Academics, a global network working to transform higher ed for good. Jessica Yinka Thomas (NC State University) and Nathan Stuck (University of Georgia) will demonstrate how the B Impact Teams (BIT) bridges the classroom and industry. Rachel Haynes (NC State University) will share strategies for connecting students to B Corp careers.

You will hear from Megan Dorsey (AndCo) about student engagement through the B Academics Case Competition and Hazel Horvath (Ecolytics) on the practical execution of BITs. Yi Ming Ng (Northwestern University) will share insights on mutually beneficial practitioner research, while Nima Farshchi (University of Maryland) will highlight innovative strategies for teaching B Corp values in the modern classroom.

Following these presentations, participants will join these experts in targeted breakout groups focused on strategies to drive collective action through mentorship, external research, multi-stakeholder collaboration and thought leadership. Participants will co-create a roadmap and resources to further collaboration between academics and B Corps. Attendees will leave with concrete, replicable models for academic engagement that can be implemented in their own communities to drive collective action in the B Corp movement.

Speakers

Jessica Yinka Thomas

Executive Director, B Academics

Summer Brown

President, B Academics/DePaul University

Rachel Haynes

Operations Director/Treasurer/Summer BIT Program Lead, B Academics & NC State University

Rachel Haynes is a Program Manager at the Business Sustainability Collaborative, Poole College of Management at NC State University where she is also the B Corp Clinic lead. She is a part-time Operations Director and Treasurer at the nonprofit B Academics which is a global community... Read More →

Nima Farshchi

Lecturer / Executive Director, University of Maryland

Megan Dorsey

Sustainability and Social Purpose Manager, andCo Hospitality / B Tourism

Yi Ming Ng

PhD Researcher, Northwestern University

Yi Ming is a PhD student in Management & Sociology at Northwestern University. His research examines how companies can pursue both profit and purpose, focusing on the role of standards, stakeholders, culture, and governance. For this work, he received the 2024 SSSP Best Paper Award... Read More →

Hazel Horvath

Founder & CEO, Ecolytics

Hazel Horvath is the Founder & CEO of Ecolytics, a B Corp certified sustainability platform that helps companies operationalize the new B Lab Standards (V2.1) with clarity, data, and accountability. Through Ecolytics, Hazel partners with consultants and mission-driven businesses... Read More →

Nathan Stuck

Founder, Profitable Purpose Consulting

Nathan is an award winning leader in the B Corp community and the Founder of Profitable Purpose Consulting, a culture, impact, and B Corp consultancy. He founded and chairs B Local Georgia and serves on the board of B Academics, a nonprofit committed to research and experiential B... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom A 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout

Room Setup Y

2:00pm CDT

Building a Culture of Ownership: Panel Discussion & Working Group with Employee-Owned B Corps

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206AB

View Slide Deck

You don’t need to wait for an Employee Ownership (EO) transition to start building a culture of ownership. This interactive session explores how EO companies foster ownership mindsets and shares practical strategies for engagement, accountability, and shared leadership.

Donna Sky from Project Equity will provide an overview of EO benefits, readiness factors, and its value as an exit strategy and resilience tool. Leaders from employee-owned B Corps, including King Arthur Baking Company, PixelSpoke, and Ocaquatics, will share lessons from their EO journeys during a panel discussion. Participants will also engage in a hands-on activity and group discussion to identify actionable steps for cultivating an ownership culture. Attendees will leave with real-world examples and practical takeaways.

By the end of the session, participants will:

Understand the key components of what it means to build a culture of ownership, with or without an official employee ownership structure
Learn practical strategies to increase engagement, accountability, and employee voice
Hear real-world lessons from B Corps who have put employee ownership models into practice
Identify actionable steps to start building ownership culture immediately

Speakers

Donna Sky

Business Engagement + Partnerships, Project Equity

Donna Sky is a Business Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Senior Manager at Project Equity, a national nonprofit that helps businesses transition to employee ownership. In her role, she collaborates with business owners and community partners to advance employee ownership as a... Read More →

Miren Oca

Founder and CEO, Ocaquatics Swim School

Katie Stone

CEO & Co-Owner, PixelSpoke

Katie Stone is the CEO and a co-owner at PixelSpoke, an employee-owned B Corp cooperative that creates award-winning websites for credit unions. As a results-oriented and data-driven decision maker, Katie has a wide range of experience in operations and finance, including serving... Read More →

Dave Drouin

President & Co-Owner, PixelSpoke

Dave Drouin is President and Co-Owner at PixelSpoke, an employee-owned B Corp that creates websites for credit unions. He previously served as PixelSpoke's Creative Director and Chief Creative Officer and has worked as a graphic designer across mediums and industries for three decades... Read More →

Molly Lawrence

Senior Manager, Social Impact, King Arthur Baking Company

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Composting Conflict: A Recipe for Interpersonal Regeneration

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206C

View Slide Deck

Conflict is a natural and healthy part of any collaborative team, and when handled skillfully can propel organizations to new levels of impact. Yet in all too many purpose-driven organizations, conflict has had the opposite effect, resulting in lower morale, loss in productivity, slower innovation and increased turnover. What are we getting wrong about conflict - and how can living systems point us towards a different paradigm of dealing with it?

In this interactive session, members of Regenerate Change and Gather Better will introduce the art of “conflict composting,” a set of practices that treat interpersonal differences as the critical nutrients for healthy team culture. You’ll get better at distinguishing between challenge, conflict, violation and harm. You’ll learn frameworks and activities that transform hostility and resentment into curiosity and compassion. And you’ll walk away feeling more empowered to face conflicts in your organization with confidence and care.

Speakers

Adam Brock

Organizational Ecologist, Regenerate Change

Adam Brock (he/him) is a Denver-based cultural artist practicing regenerative social design. For over a decade, he has worked to create the conditions for regenerative relationships among individuals, grassroots initiatives, and institutions throughout the country.

As co-founder of food justice nonprofit The GrowHaus, Adam led the transformation of an abandoned half-acre greenhouse into an award-winning hub for healthy food and urban agriculture. While at GrowHaus, Adam co-chaired Denver’s Sustainable Food Policy Council, spoke at TEDxMileHigh... Read More →

Tes Cohen

Chief Gathering Officer, Gather Better

Tes Cohen (she/her/ella) is an experience designer and facilitator who believes in the transformative power of intentional gathering and reflective leadership. Guided by a deep commitment to belonging and continuous learning, she designs experiences that spark reflection, build trust... Read More →

Asia Dorsey

Organizational Ecologist, Regenerate Change

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Environmental Stewardship & Circularity (ESC) Impact Topic: B Lab Standards Foundational Workshop

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N207AB

View Slide Deck

B Lab’s Environmental Stewardship & Circularity (ESC) standards set a clear expectation: companies must understand their environmental impacts, take responsibility for reducing harm, and redesign systems to operate within ecological limits. This standard challenges businesses to move beyond isolated sustainability initiatives and instead embed environmental stewardship into governance, strategy, operations, and supply chains. It calls on companies to assess both actual and potential impacts, prioritize action based on risk and scale, and integrate circularity principles that reduce waste and dependence on finite resources.

The session will explore the core ESC requirements:

ESC1: The company knows its actual and potential impacts on the environment.
ESC2: The company has a strategy to address its actual and potential negative environmental impacts, and to support staying within ecological thresholds.
ESC3: The company implements circularity principles to reduce waste and its impact on natural resources.
ESC4: The company takes action to prevent and mitigate its actual and potential negative environmental impacts.
ESC5: The company works with suppliers to achieve its environmental objectives.

Through practical examples, peer insight, and interactive workshopping, attendees will learn:

How to conduct an environmental impact assessment that identifies actual and potential risks across operations and value chains
An overview of circularity principles and how to embed them into product design, operations, and business models
Practical approaches to engaging your supply chain through B Lab's Principles for Partnership with Frontline and Impacted Communities to meet shared environmental goals
How to build a clear environmental strategy aligned with science and ecological limits
How to use a Risk Analysis and Prioritization Matrix to determine which environmental impacts to address first—and why

Whether you are early in your journey or refining an existing strategy, this session will provide clarity, tools, and peer insight to help your company translate environmental ambition into measurable action.

Speakers

Taylor Stanley

Corporate Impact Strategy Manager, Riverside Natural Foods Ltd

Clementina Consens

Senior Associate, Climate Justice, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Maria McDonald

Founder, Instructor, Footprint Sustainability, University of Colorado

Maria McDonald is the Founder and Principal of Footprint Sustainability, a boutique consulting firm that helps mission-driven brands design, measure, and grow their impact. For the past decade, she has worked within and alongside the B Corp community - first leading sustainability... Read More →

Tim Frick

President, Mightybytes

Anita Spiller

VP of Environment, Social & Governance, Tru Earth

Anita Spiller’s parallel careers are driven by purpose and passion. As a United Church minister and Vice President leading ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) for Tru Earth™ - one of Canada’s fastest-growing environmental companies, her work is rooted in social justice... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N207AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Fair Work Impact Topic: B Lab Standards Foundational Workshop

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom B

A company’s greatest asset is its people—and creating good jobs with fair pay, clear expectations, and open dialogue is essential for building a just and equitable economy. The Fair Work Impact Topic of the new B Lab standards helps companies center their people, fostering workplaces where workers feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute to a shared sense of purpose.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by these new standards, you’re not alone, and this workshop will help you chart your course forward. We'll cut through the complexity together, help you figure out where you are and where you're going, and connect you with others doing the same work.

Participants will work through three interactive phases within the session:

Standing on the Shore: We’ll start with a quick overview of how the four Fair Work requirements connect, and move to a practical self-assessment where you’ll map your current position across all four Fair Work areas. No judgement, just clarity about what's in place and what needs work.
Creating Your Ripple: Next, we'll break into small groups based on your biggest need right now – maybe it's drafting policies for your organization, maybe it's living wage pathway decisions, maybe it's building feedback loops. You'll work through your specific challenges with facilitators who are fellow B Corp practitioners and peers who get it.
Becoming the Wave: The final section is all about turning individual action into collective impact — you'll commit to your next Fair Work moves and connect with fellow B Corps to build the wave together.

You'll leave with a clear understanding of where you stand with all four Fair Work requirements, a personalized 30-60 day action plan, practical implementation tools and templates, and a network of accountability partners to create waves alongside you.

Speakers

Alexis Braly James

Founder, Construct the Present

Alexis Braly James is an educator, strategist, and culture builder with over a decade of experience helping organizations align people, purpose, and performance. As the Founder and CEO of Construct the Present, a certified B Corporation, she leads teams through data-driven and human-centered... Read More →

Kate Dixon

Principal & Founder, Dixon Consulting

Kate Dixon is Principal and Founder of Dixon Consulting, a Certified B Corp total rewards and leadership development consultancy specializing in compensation solutions, services pricing advice, and executive coaching, as well as workshops and teambuilding for organizations of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Kate’s ultimat... Read More →

Hanneke Willenborg

CEO, OLLY

Hanneke joined OLLY as its first female CEO in the summer of 2021 and takes great pride in OLLY’s mission to support good health both for consumers and within the company. She started her career at Unilever 25 years ago, holding multiple global positions at companies such as Ben... Read More →

Mary Petropoulos

Executive Assistant & Impact Strategy Manager, GadellNet Consulting Services

Michael Brown

Director of Marketing, Adelsheim Vineyard

With over 25 years in Oregon’s wine and hospitality industries, I’ve had the privilege of leading, learning from, and growing with exceptional teams that make this work so rewarding. My career has spanned winery operations, logistics, sales, and marketing — giving me a 360... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom B 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Ripples to Roadmaps: Early Adopters on Bringing B Lab’s Standards V2 to Life

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom C

View Slide Deck

How do companies move from theory to practice under B Lab’s new V2 standards? This panel brings together diverse voices from the B Lab + Impact Growth Partners Early Adopters Program to operationalize change across governance, human rights, JEDI, climate, and more.

Moderated by Impact Growth Partners, the conversation will explore what it takes to design implementation roadmaps and the real tensions and trade-offs leaders are navigating. Panelists will share candid lessons: where they’ve stumbled, what’s actually moved the needle, and how small ripples — like a supplier code of conduct, pay equity review, or climate target disclosure — are building waves of durable impact.

Attendees will leave with insights into sequencing actions across the seven Impact Topics, while also learning how peer collaboration and partnership with B Lab can amplify individual company progress.

Takeaways:

Early Adopters who have walked the V2 path first are sharing exactly what honest, courageous roadmap design looks like from the inside, including the real tensions and trade-offs that theory alone cannot prepare you for.
The candid, hard-won insights from panelists who have navigated governance, human rights, JEDI, climate, and more offer something far more useful than polished success stories: honest, practical wisdom that helps every B Corp move forward with greater confidence.
A supplier code of conduct, a pay equity review, a climate target disclosure — each action may feel modest in isolation, but sequenced thoughtfully and pursued with intention, these ripples accumulate into the lasting, systemic change the V2 standards are designed to catalyze.
Understanding how to prioritize actions across the seven Impact Topics is one of the most practical gifts this session offers, and equally powerful is the reminder that no organization has to figure this out alone.

Speakers

Rebecca Coffey

Senior Consultant, Impact Growth Partners

Rebecca Coffey is a senior consultant with Impact Growth Partners, a women-owned ESG and B Corp consultancy that has guided more than 100 companies through B Corp certification, recertification, and broader impact strategy development. With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit... Read More →

Gabe Damiani

Founder & Head Roaster, Bear Lake Coffee Co.

Gabe Damiani is an entrepreneur, visionary, and Licensed Q Grader on a singular mission: to prove that the best cup of coffee in the world can also be the most responsibly sourced.

With over two decades immersed in coffeehouses across the globe, Gabe brings rare technical depth — Licensed Q Grader, CVA Certified Cupper, SCA Roasting Professional — paired with an unshakable belief that business can and should be a force for good. His credentials aren't titles... Read More →

Devin Nelson

Senior Manager, Key Accounts, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Kelly Hilovsky

Head of Impact and Strategic Initiatives, ButcherBox

Kelly has spent her career at the crossroads of food, health, and business—and she's convinced that sustainability and social impact aren't just good values, they're good strategy.

As Head of Impact and Strategic Initiatives at ButcherBox, she works with executive leadership, supply chain partners, and industry stakeholders to build a meat ecosystem that's more transparent and better for people and planet. Before that, her path wound through pharmaceutical operations... Read More →

Emily Foster

Director of Sustainability, Burton Snowboards

Emily is the Director of Sustainability at Burton, a global snowboard and outdoor gear company and a certified B Corporation. She leads a team that manages the environmental sustainability and social responsibility of Burton's products, supply chain, and operations - covering climate... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Spiritual Grounding for Changemakers

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N204A

View Slide Deck

This session provides changemakers with embodied practices for personal renewal and collective connection. Participants will engage in a sequence of somatic and contemplative exercises designed to foster presence, emotional resilience, and a sense of interconnection with themselves, each other, the earth, and the spirit that connects us all.

Aligned with the theme “Ripples to Waves,” this session invites participants to discover anchoring practices they can carry beyond the retreat as resources for renewal, presence, and connection.

Objectives:

Practice techniques for grounding and emotional regulation applicable to activism and leadership contexts
Experience deep recognition and authentic connection with fellow changemakers
Cultivate awareness of interconnection as a resource for sustained engagement in social change work

This session provides not only an in-session experience of renewal but also practices that participants can use to remain grounded in heart-centered leadership beyond the B Champions Retreat.

Speakers

Maria Kingery

Co-Creator, 360Impact

Maria Kingery has been leading retreats for impact-driven entrepreneurs for more than a decade. Through 360Impact, she helps changemakers build the resilience needed to create lasting impact in an uncertain world using her “Lead with Love” framework. In 2001, she co-founded... Read More →

Bonny Moellenbrock

Co-Creator, Grounded Impact

Bonny Moellenbrock helps changemakers do their work with greater clarity, purpose, and joy. After two decades directing capital toward social and environmental impact — including leadership of SJF Institute and Investors Circle — she now combines strategic advisory with spiritual... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N204A 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Stakeholder Engagement Skills to Support Meeting the New B Lab Standards

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N106AB

This workshop is for B Corps navigating the role of stakeholder engagement in the new standards. While Purpose & Stakeholder Governance establishes stakeholder accountability as a foundational legal and structural requirement, effective, continuous engagement is the essential engine for achieving and maintaining compliance across the entire new framework. This session will analyze how robust stakeholder dialogue directly supports all the new mandates—from conducting necessary Human Rights due diligence and enabling Fair Work via embedded worker voice, to setting ambitious Climate Action targets and driving meaningful Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives.

The workshop will identify these critical compliance touchpoints and equip attendees with tangible resources and actionable strategies for dramatically improving their internal and external engagement skills, ensuring their companies can successfully meet the new standards and lead systemic change toward an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.

By the end of the session, participants will:

Learn how effective, continuous stakeholder dialogue actively drives every dimension of the new B Lab Standards V2.
Understand why stakeholder accountability stands as a foundational legal and structural requirement of the new standards and that clearly understanding its role is the essential first step toward confident, meaningful compliance across all Impact Topics.
Learn how the entire organization grows stronger, more resilient, and more just when workers actively shape the conditions of their own work through embedded voice in governance structures.
Be equipped with tangible resources and actionable strategies for improving both internal and external engagement practices, giving B Corps the practical confidence to meet the new standards and lead meaningful systemic change.

Speakers

Aurora Archer

Founder + CEO, The Opt-In

Aurora Archer draws on over 25 years of experience leading success in four distinct industries: retail, technology, health & wellness, content publishing & media.
She’s built a reputation as a catalyst leader and strategic thinker. It’s this tenacity — fueled by a love for technology, marketing, strategy, and cultural transformation — that led to her cofounding B Corp certified company The Opt-In
... Read More →

Diana Gonzalez

Racial Equity and Equitable Engagement Lead, Strategy Arts

Diana’s non-profit career began in direct service with the GrassRoots Community Foundation (GRCF) in Philadelphia. GRCF is a public health and social action organization that seeks to mobilize the community to offset economic disadvantage. During her time with GRCF Diana served... Read More →

Narissa Turner

Trainer and Senior Facilitator, Habitus Incorporated

Narissa is a facilitator and trainer at Habitus. Her main roles at Habitus include designing and leading trainings, workshops, and facilitations. Narissa is a trained mediator, and she brings her background in environmental advocacy and strategic planning to her work at Habitus... Read More →

Justin Wright

CEO, Habitus Incorporated

Justin Wright is the CEO of Habitus a certified B Corporation. His work at Habitus focuses on facilitating complex decision-making processes and coordinating collaboration between multiple stakeholders to empower collective action. Justin has had the honor of serving organizations... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N106AB 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

Room Setup Y

2:00pm CDT

When Values Become Data: How Ethical AI Supports People, the Planet, and Business

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

View Slide Deck

AI is no longer a future issue—it is a present-day governance responsibility with real environmental, human rights, and workforce implications. This session explores how B Corps can develop ethical AI policies that bridge environmental stewardship and human impact, mitigate bias affecting Black and Brown communities, and align with the new B Lab Standards (V2). Together, we’ll move from values to implementation with practical, replicable governance tools.

Takeaways for attendees:

A clear framework for building or strengthening an ethical AI policy aligned with B Lab Standards (V2)
Tools to assess environmental, labor, and bias risks in AI adoption
Practical strategies for governance, workforce alignment, and collective learning across B Corps

Speakers

Rai-mon Nemar Barnes

CEO, Consciously®

Rai-mon Nemar Barnes is a 2x exit founder and business strategist who builds brands and systems that scale with integrity. As the founder and CEO of Consciously®, he developed the Trust Context™ and Ecosystem Design™—two frameworks used by high-growth companies and mission-driven... Read More →

Lauren Everett

Content Strategy & Storytelling Manager, B Lab U.S & Canada

Jonathan Will

Director of Strategic Partnerships, Gadellnet

Jonathan Will joined GadellNet, a certified B Corp IT, Cybersecurity, and strategic consulting company in 2023 to lead the growth of the Colorado market and new markets. He is passionate about business, community involvement, and service. He served on the board of B Local Colorado... Read More →

J.J. Westfall

Director of Operations, Intentional Futures

J.J. is an operations leader and systems thinker with over a decade of experience driving organizational effectiveness through people, process, and culture. She is known for balancing business performance with employee wellbeing: building environments where teams have both the resources... Read More →

Alex Varricchio

CEO, Co-Founder, UpHouse | AIEO

Alex Varricchio is the CEO and Co-Founder of UpHouse and AIEO, where he helps organizations navigate how they show up, communicate and compete in an AI-driven world. His work focuses on the intersection of brand, visibility, and emerging technology, helping teams adapt as people shift... Read More →

Beth Richardson

Founder & Director, Management of the Good

Beth is the Founder and Managing Director of Management of the Good. Beth has a wealth of senior leadership experience as a Product Director for mission-driven organizations, such as BlueMark and B Lab. She is a technical leader who translates complex impact goals into scalab... Read More →

Tiffany Lentz

Executive Vice President, Pariveda Solutions

I lead our Purposeful Profit Office, enterprise Social Impact, NPO strategy, JEDI, and B Corp Certification. I’m a storyteller and love sharing stories of business operating for good!

Wednesday April 22, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Breakout, Workshop

3:30pm CDT

Break

Wednesday April 22, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Outside Ballroom DEFG

Wednesday April 22, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Outside Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

4:00pm CDT

Afternoon Plenary: Honoring the Legacy of Andrew Kassoy, B Lab Co-Founder

Wednesday April 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG

Join us for this powerful and moving plenary session, as we honor the history of the B Corp movement and pay tribute to the legacy of B Lab's late co-founder, Andrew Kassoy. This session will share heartfelt words and dialogue, grounding our collective journey in the wisdom of those who have shaped this community since its inception.

Reflections of the past and present & remembering Andrew Kassoy, with Andy Fyfe
Fireside Chat with Bart Houlahan, Co-Founder, B Lab and Margot Brandenburg, Ford Foundation
Closing music and reflection

Speakers

Dr. Kimberly McGlonn

Emcee, Author, CEO, Build it Boldly

Andy Fyfe

Community, B Lab

Margot Brandenburg

Senior Program Officer, Ford Foundation

Bart Houlahan

Co-Founder, B Lab

Wednesday April 22, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Ballroom DEFG 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Mainstage

5:00pm CDT

Friends of Bill W

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Baird Center, Room N206C

A confidential gathering to share experience, strength, and hope with one another. Closed session.

Sched does not allow us to hide attendee lists, so to maintain anonymity, there’s no need to register for this session in order to join.

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Baird Center, Room N206C 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203

Networking

5:30pm CDT

B Together Family Hour at Lakefront Brewery 👨‍👦

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm CDT

Lakefront Brewery

Family hour from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm CDT
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

Social Event

5:30pm CDT

The Beneficial Happy Hour hosted by Beneficial State Bank (RSVP Required)

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm CDT

Lakefront Brewery

This event requires separate registration, and the RSVP list is currently at capacity. If you would like to connect with Beneficial State Bank at Champions Retreat, please email [email protected] and a member of their B Team will be in touch.

Join Beneficial State Bank for an informal evening of connection, conversation, and community as we share how each of us can bank on our values. Enjoy drinks, light appetizers, and B Corp–inspired giveaways in a relaxed riverfront setting.

This gathering will take place on Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30 PM at Lakefront Brewery, one hour before the B Together event begins. Space is limited, RSVP is required, and this event is at capacity.

As a proud B Corp bank since 2012 and a long‑time supporter of the B Corp community, we believe deeply in the impact we can create when we come together. We look forward to raising a glass with you.

Host

Beneficial State Bank

Beneficial State Bank is a state-chartered and federally-insured commercial bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. We are one of 16 certified B Corp banks in the U.S., serving the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity for all. Our unique... Read More →

Speakers

Monique Johnson

SVP, Director of Client and Community Partnerships, Beneficial State Bank

Moving your banking relationship to a B Corp bank is not only the best thing to do for our movement, but we love relationships with other B Corps as well! Our closest partners are also B Corps. As your banking partner, we also have a special B Corp bundle of banking services to... Read More →

Kyle Wilkins

Marketing Program Manager, Beneficial State Bank

Jay Blury

VP, Marketing and Communications Director, Beneficial State Bank

Craig Hill

VP, Client & Treasury Manager, Beneficial State Bank

Craig Hill (he/him) has spent the past 15 years helping businesses, nonprofits, and consumers align their money with their values. Raised in Portland, Craig's connections to the B Corp movement date back to 2011 as part of Beneficial State Bank's initial B Corp certification effort... Read More →

Terra Neilson

Chief Impact Officer, Beneficial State Bank

Shamara van der Voort

Interim CEO & COO, Beneficial State Bank

Brian Walton

Vice President; Client and Treasury Manager, Beneficial State Bank

Manny Barragan

Vice President, Client & Treasury Manager, Beneficial State Bank

Tana Davis

Client Treasury Manager, Beneficial State Bank

Madhavi Denduluri

VP, Treasury and Business Banking Director, Beneficial State Bank

Wednesday April 22, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm CDT
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

Social Event

6:00pm CDT

Built for All Happy Hour hosted by PolicyLink & Groundwater Institute (RSVP Required)

Wednesday April 22, 2026 6:00pm - 7:30pm CDT

Location Shared Upon Registration (5-min walk from Lakefront Brewery)

View Slide Deck

Please note: This event requires separate registration.

PolicyLink, Groundwater Institute, and B Lab U.S. & Canada invite you to join fellow leaders to connect, align, and begin shaping the collective action this moment demands.

Built for All Happy Hour
Wednesday, April 22 | 6:00 - 7:30pm CT
Location shared upon registration

The venue is just a 5-minute walk from Lakefront Brewery, where other evening festivities are being held. Please bring your Champions Retreat badge for entry. Space is limited and registration is required.

Speakers

Jocelyn Corbett

Director, Corporate Program, PolicyLink

Jocelyn Corbett is the Director of Corporate Racial Equity at PolicyLink, where she is committed to advancing equal opportunity through the private sector. A cross-sector leader trained through Coro’s Fellowship in Public Affairs, Jocelyn has worked across nonprofit, for-profit... Read More →

Mahlet Getachew

Managing Director, Corporate Program, PolicyLink

Ben Anderson

Managing Director, Groundwater Institute

Ben is Managing Director of Groundwater Institute, an equity-focused training, coaching, and advisory firm that drives transformative impact for the benefit of all. Groundwater also stewards the Groundwater Network, made up of leaders doing systems change work. He also serves as Chair... Read More →

Holly Ensign-Barstow

Co-Executive Director, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Wednesday April 22, 2026 6:00pm - 7:30pm CDT
Location Shared Upon Registration (5-min walk from Lakefront Brewery)

Social Event

6:30pm CDT

B Together Party at Lakefront Brewery

Wednesday April 22, 2026 6:30pm - 11:30pm CDT

Lakefront Brewery

Let’s continue the fun and celebration! Join us for our B Together party at Lakefront Brewery to celebrate the spirit and diversity of the local B Corp community. Enjoy food, drinks, and a lively band while overlooking the Milwaukee River. This evening is sponsored by Beneficial State Bank, with a generous contribution of beer from Lakefront Brewery. We hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out the pre-events (Family Hour and Beneficial Happy Hour) and AnAfterparty of Pride, Power and Presence also at Lakefront Brewery. Put on your dancing shoes, come hungry and ready to party!

Shuttles will begin departing from the Hyatt Regency lobby starting at 5:15pm for the pre-events and will depart on a rolling basis.

Artists

Alberto Kanost DJ (Bear in the forest)

Acoustic Folk Singer-Songwriter

For acoustic folk singer-songwriter Alberto Kanost, his project Bear in the Forest bridges his love of environmentalism and music. With his songs, the Milwaukee-born Madison resident embraces conversation between self and the land, and how that relationship can teach us to live with... Read More →

DJ Femme Noir

DJ Femme Noir, Tempestt Ballenger

DJ Femme Noir is a black queer DJ hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Although she is an open format DJ her first love is House music and throwbacks from the 90’s and 00’s. With each set she intertwines new favorites along with classics near and dear to our hearts. Her tenacity behind... Read More →

Rob Knapp & The Soul Patrol

Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Actor, Content Creator

Rob Knapp & The Soul Patrol,is a high-energy soul and rock band based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin. The Soul Patrol brings a dynamic mix of classic soul, r&b and rock that keeps crowds engaged and on their feet.

https://acaentertainment.com/artist/soul-patrol-mke/... Read More →

Wednesday April 22, 2026 6:30pm - 11:30pm CDT
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

Social Event

10:00pm CDT

An Afterparty of Pride, Power, and Presence

Wednesday April 22, 2026 10:00pm - 11:59pm CDT

Lakefront Brewery

View Slide Deck

Please RSVP here.

Stick around after the B Together Party at Lakefront Brewery for a euphoric expression of culture and creativity showcasing Milwaukee's Ballroom community, hosted by B Proud (B Lab U.S. & Canada's 2SLGBTQIA+ Affinity Network).

We will be raising funds throughout the night for the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center. This is a great opportunity to support a local grassroots organization doing essential work to support the queer community.

Since 1997, the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center has been nurturing an inclusive, diverse, healthy, and safe LGBTQ+ community in meeting their basic needs: food, clothing, hygiene and mental health. They do this by offering tangible resources like a food pantry, a gender affirming clothing boutique, personal care items, and an array of mental health supports and activities.

What is a Ballroom Showcase? A ballroom showcase is an event where house members perform and compete in expressive categories, celebrating culture, identity, and talent in front of an audience. Come see some of Milwaukee’s House and Ballroom community members showcase their talents with night of fun.

What is House and Ballroom? House and Ballroom is a cultural community where chosen families (“houses”) compete in expressive performance events (“balls”), rooted in LGBTQ+ Black and Latinx history.

This event is designed to be welcoming, accessible, and affirming for all.

Accessibility considerations may include:

Step-free access and clear wayfinding
Microphone use, visible performers, and thoughtful pacing
Gender-inclusive restrooms

Community guidelines will center respect, consent, and care.

Wednesday April 22, 2026 10:00pm - 11:59pm CDT
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

Social Event