Founder and COO at Elevate Construction

Jason Schroeder | Keynote

Jason Schroeder is the Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Elevate Construction, where he helps construction professionals and companies dramatically improve performance through world-class training, project support, and consulting. With more than 25 years of experience spanning roles from field engineer to project director, he has led projects across multiple sectors and regions, bringing practical, field-tested insight to every engagement. Jason is a recognized Takt and Lean expert, the inventor of the Takt Production System® and the Integrated Production Control System™, and the creator of numerous tools and resources that serve the global construction community. Through his books, podcasts, and consulting work, he is on a mission to make construction as efficient as manufacturing and as respected as health care—while elevating leaders and preserving families along the way.

CEO & Co-Founder at Menlo Innovations

Rich Sheridan | Keynote

Richard Sheridan is an entrepreneur, business leader, and author best known as the co-founder, CEO, and “Chief Storyteller” of Menlo Innovations, a software and IT consulting firm recognized for its innovative and positive workplace culture. He was inducted into the Shingo Academy in 2022 for his contributions to organizational excellence.

After becoming disillusioned with the chaos of the tech industry, Rich co-founded Menlo Innovations in 2001 with a bold mission: to end human suffering in the workplace. Today, thousands travel each year to learn from Menlo’s unique, human-centered approach to leadership and software development. Rich is the bestselling author of Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love and Chief Joy Officer, championing the belief that joyful leadership is not only possible, but powerful for business.

Cindy Darnell | Breakout Speaker

Cindy is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in customer service leadership, operations management, and operational excellence. As Director of Operational Excellence, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, she is passionate about improving business and operational processes while training and mentoring others in the use of Lean tools to enhance delivery to the end customer. Cindy is the founder of Ignite Excellence Group, where she serves as a leadership development coach, and is also a John Maxwell Certified DISC Behavioral Analysis Consultant. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University and enjoys facilitating team-building workshops, coaching, and mentoring leaders at all levels.

Sarah Tilkens | Breakout speaker

Sarah Tilkens is the founder of The KPI Lab and a Global Operations Strategist known for helping organizations unlock their problem-solving potential. With a Six Sigma Black Belt and over a decade of Lean, operations, and leadership experience at GE HealthCare, she blends people-centered leadership with practical continuous improvement methods. Sarah has trained thousands of leaders to think differently, ask better questions, and make innovation accessible to everyone. She is a dynamic speaker, executive coach, and creator of The Problem Solver’s Dojo, inspiring teams to build cultures where curiosity, experimentation, and real change thrive.

Craig Coyle | Breakout Speaker

A U.S. Military Academy graduate, aerospace engineer, and former U.S. Army Commander & Apache Pilot, Craig is no stranger to leadership and development in complex and demanding environments. After many years of active-duty service spanning across the globe, he transitioned to the corporate world where he quickly noticed many of the same workforce challenges he had to navigate previously existed. His experience as a professional aviator, engineer, and leader helped him realize an evident gap in the industry manifesting in high turnover and its problematic impacts. Now he leverages his unique background and experience to help organizations discover the keys to engaged workforces and unlocked organizational potential.

Rebecca Moyers | Breakout Speaker

Rebecca Moyers, Director of Operational Excellence for the State of Missouri, champions initiatives that make government services faster, simpler, and truly citizen focused. For the past five years, she has led efforts to transform how agencies deliver value by streamlining processes, boosting reliability, and embedding data driven decision making to improve service quality and satisfaction. Prior experience includes nearly 20 years in the healthcare sector, starting in the clinical laboratory and advancing into enterprise level performance improvement. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Darren Walsh | Breakout Speaker

Darren Walsh is the Founder and Director of Making Lean Work Ltd, a leading management consultancy tackling a problem most leaders prefer to ignore: why so many teams fail to make continuous improvement and problem-solving actually work. A Lean Leadership Coach with over 25 years’ experience across automotive, aerospace, medical devices, energy and financial services, Darren helps senior leaders build the systems, routines and mindsets that deliver real, sustainable results. A graduate of the Lean Enterprise Research Centre (MSc), his work has been featured in industry-leading publications and conferences, positioning him as a trusted voice in operational excellence and leadership transformation.

Natalie Howden | Workshop Speaker

Natalie is an Executive Lean Coach, Senior Trainer, and Consultant at Lean Solutions, where she helps organizations transform the way they operate by reducing waste, accelerating flow, and embedding continuous improvement into everyday culture. She also leads business development initiatives, connecting organizations with tailored training, coaching, and talent solutions. Natalie is dedicated to building the skills, systems, and culture needed for sustainable success.

Beth Carrington | Workshop Speaker

Beth is President and Master Coach at Carrington Consulting Inc., where she has led lean transformations across industries including Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education, Services, and Nonprofits. A certified Improvement Kata/Coaching Kata Master Coach, she has coached organizations and individuals to develop Scientific Thinking capabilities, driving improved performance, problem-solving, and innovation to achieve strategic objectives.

Beth is also an instructor and program developer at Lean Enterprise Institute and has taught globally, including at the University of Michigan. She works with organizations on Hoshin Kanri, Value Stream Mapping, and Daily Management, and is a sought-after public speaker, delivering keynotes and workshops at events such as AME Annual Conference, LEI Summits, KataCon USA & Europe, and Lean Construction Institute’s Annual Lean Construction Conference. Before consulting, Beth gained over 20 years of leadership experience in the Automotive, Personal Care, and Furniture industries.