About the Panel Discussion

Most organizations are still trying to scale AI on top of fragmented workforce data, inconsistent definitions, and competing versions of the truth across HR, Finance, and the business. That makes it difficult to move quickly on workforce decisions, difficult to align on cost, capacity, skills, and productivity, and even harder to use AI with confidence. Trust in work and workforce data is weakening at the exact moment when faster, cross-functional decisions matter more, while many organizations still lack the strategic workforce planning maturity, governance discipline, and integrated operating model needed to make workforce data truly decision-ready.

This session will explore what it takes to create a shared workforce data foundation that leaders trust enough to act on: common definitions, joined-up governance, stronger data lineage, clearer ownership, and tighter links between people, skills, labour cost, work, and business priorities. It will also examine why that foundation changes what AI can actually do, shifting it from a layer that summarizes fragmented information into one that can support better planning, sharper forecasting, faster trade-offs, and more confident decisions across the enterprise.

Discussion points

How to Build One Workforce Truth: Align definitions for headcount, skills, labor cost, capacity, and productivity so HR, Finance, and business leaders stop debating the numbers and start acting on them.
How to Make Workforce Data Trusted Enough to Use: Strengthen ownership, lineage, and quality controls so workforce data becomes fit for planning, investment decisions, and AI use.
How to Turn the Model Into a Decision Engine: Connect workforce data to planning, budgeting, skills, and business priorities so it improves action, not just reporting.
How a Stronger Foundation Expands AI’s Value: Use trusted workforce data to improve forecasting, scenario modeling, workforce risk sensing, and faster cross-functional decision-making.

Speakers

Shannon Rutledge, Director, People Analytics & Data Solutions at T. Rowe Price
Imran Hashmi, Senior Director Data and Digital Strategy at AbbVie
Li Tao, HR Director, People Analytics at Corning Incorporated
Christine Wittleder, Program Director, Workforce Analytics at UW Health
Christy Cole, SVP HR Shared Services at ABM Industries
[Moderator] Samantha Goodrich, Director, People Analytics at UKG
[Event Chair] Chris Rainey, CEO & Co-Founder at HR Leaders

This panel is part of the 2026 Global Workforce Transformation Summit built to help HR Leaders lead with clarity, confidence, and control so you can turn AI opportunity and complexity into a competitive advantage.

Panel #1 Watch Here: The CHRO AI Playbook: Strategy, Structure, and Smarter Work
Panel #2 Watch Here: Before AI Can Scale: Fixing the Workforce Data Model Everyone Depends On
Panel #3 Watch Here: The CHRO-CIO Alliance: What the New Partnership Looks Like
Panel #4 Watch Here: From Platform Owner to Transformation Architect: The New Mandate for HR Tech Lead
Panel #5 Watch Here: Redesigning Work for the Human-AI Era: Who Does What, and How Do You Manage Both
Panel #6 Watch Here: Responsible AI in HR: Trust, Governance, and Context
Panel #7 Watch Here: Strategic Workforce Planning in the Age of AI: From Headcount to Capability