2026 WP&BC Phoenix Spring Conference Schedule
8:15 – 9:00 AM
Registration and Breakfast
Main Ballroom
9:00 – 10:00 AM
General Session – How America Saves and Retires
Vanguard:
Jeff Clark, Author of How America Saves and How America Retires and Senior Investment Consultant for Vanguard Strategic Retirement Consulting
Aaron Goodman, Senior Consultant for Vanguard Strategic Retirement Consulting
Main Ballroom
10:00 – 10:10 AM
Break
10:10 – 11:00 AM
Breakout Session #1
Main Ballroom
The New Fiduciary Frontier: Cybersecurity and Retirement Plan Risk
Michael Barry, Senior Consultant, Retirement Learning Center by October Three
Joseph Hake, CFP, Retirement Investments Consultant, Columbia Threadneedle Investments
President's Room
The Other New Fiduciary Frontier: Identifying Hidden Fees in Self-Insured Healthcare Plans
Chris Karam, CIMA®, Chief Investment Officer, Finspire
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11:00 – 11:15 AM
Break
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Lunch General Session – Washington Update
Hon. Lisa M. Gomez, Former Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security at Department of Labor
Main Ballroom
12:45 – 1:00 PM
Break
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1:00 – 1:50 PM
Breakout Session #2
Ballroom #1
Smarter, Faster, Better? AI and the Future of Benefits
Sara Van Houten, Partner, Snell & Wilmer
Allison Bans, Counsel, Snell & Wilmer
Ballroom #2
ESOPs: Benefits, Structures, Ideal Candidates, and Common Pitfalls
John Marino, Director, CSG Partners
Andrew Nikolai, CFA, Managing Director, CSG Partners
President's Room
Plan Sponsor and Participant Behavior – What Does the Data Tell Us?
Katelyn Boone, Vice President, Intermediary Investment Client Group, Fidelity Investments
Owen Kiernan, Senior Regional Consultant – Defined Contribution, MFS Investment Management
1:50 – 2:00 PM
Break
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2:00 – 2:50 PM
Breakout Session #3
Ballroom #1
Investing for the Future: DC Trends and AI in Investing
Maria Pupillo, Defined Contribution Market Leader, BlackRock
Rachel Knox, Systematic Strategist, BlackRock
Ballroom #2
Timing is Everything: Inflation, Retirement, and Social Security
Sean Fullerton, CFA, Senior Investment Strategist, Allspring Global Investments
President's Room
Managed Accounts – Are They Delivering on Their Promise?
Blair Filuk, Director, Custom Sales Solutions Team, Empower
Julie Varga, Senior Vice President, Investment and Product Specialist, Morningstar
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2:50 – 3:00 PM
Break
3:00 – 4:00 PM
General Session – Stop Playing Mind Games: Help Improve Participant Outcomes with Behavioral Insights
Jonathan Young, PPC®, Senior Vice President, Senior National Accounts Manager, Capital Group | American Funds
Main Ballroom
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Networking & Happy Hour
President's Room