Inspire and Disrupt

Empowering insights from speakers addressing HR and corporate culture challenges in a dynamic format.

Now Accepting 2026 Speaker Applications

Join us in innovating people practices and transforming workplace culture through innovative insights and dynamic presentations -- whether you're a seasoned expert or an emerging disruptor.

Disruptive Talks

We feature 5-10 speakers using a unique and energizing "Ignite" Presentation Style format. The Ignite Style ensures that all speakers, whether seasoned professionals or newcomers have an equal opportunity to share their insights.

"Never be afraid to speak your mind, you have one for a reason." -- Sarah Moores

5 minutes to present ideas
20 Slides
Slides rotate every 15 seconds, no matter what

Highly INTERACTIVE!
Is this a passive listening event?? NO way! Dynamic presenters AND creative event design that fosters authentic connection & dialogue with other attendees between talks and after

PURPOSEFUL INNOVATION:
The Next Frontier Beyond Efficiency

Your talk may advocate for purposeful innovation across a wide range of domains, including:

Technology and AI innovations that go beyond efficiency—showing how tools, data, and automation are being applied to solve meaningful human or business problems, improve decision-making, reduce harm, or elevate the experience of work.
Systems, processes, and operating models redesigned with intention—where innovation improves clarity, accountability, trust, scalability, or resilience, rather than simply accelerating broken ways of working.
Workplace policies and practices that reflect evolving values around flexibility, inclusion, equity, and sustainability—demonstrating how thoughtful design can unlock both performance and well-being.
Leadership and decision-making approaches that emphasize discernment over impulse—or Strategic mindsets that guide how organizations choose where to innovate, where not to, and why—revealing how disciplined decision-making and clear priorities drive impact in an era of constant change.
Culture- and impact-driven initiatives that align business success with positive outcomes for employees, customers, communities, or the planet—illustrating how innovation can create shared value, not just short-term gains.

We prioritize:
speakers who can move beyond theory and ground their ideas in real-world application—leaders who have driven innovation inside real organizations, or thoughtful practitioners who bring credible, real-world cases that illustrate not just what they believe, but how their perspective plays out in practice.

And beyond real world examples, we also welcome:
Humor, boldness, rule-breaking, creative audacity, radical possibilities,

and boundary-pushing revolutionaries :)

The AI firestorm is here. But speed without purposeful design doesn’t lead to transformation—it leads to exhaustion.

DisruptHR San Francisco 2026 is about innovating our way to a new world of work – but moving beyond fear, fascination, and frenzy—and developing the discipline of asking better questions before chasing better tools. This event takes us from hype to human impact, shifting the workplace conversation from questions like How do we adopt AI? to What are we actually trying to improve—and for whom?

AI is accelerating. Design Discernment is lagging.
Meaningful change demands both.
Purposeful innovation starts by flipping the script…begin with the human and business problems that truly matter, then apply innovation—AI included—as a means, not the mission. When technology is anchored in strategy, values, and intended impact, it doesn’t just improve efficiency—it solves real problems, strengthens culture, and creates shared value across employees, customers, & communities.

This event spotlights disruptors who are moving past novelty to focus on innovation that genuinely improves work and life – Innovation that enhances dignity, trust, and inclusion, builds customer trust, improves the employee experience, and deepens community impact, while delivering real business results. Here, success is measured not only by ROI, but by adopting innovation that is humanly sustainable.

The first wave of AI asked, Will this replace us?
The next frontier asks: Will this elevate us?
That question sits at the heart of this event. Purposeful workplace innovation integrates ethics, empathy, and long-term thinking, redefining success by balancing performance and profit with care for people, planet, and purposeful progress.

2026 Theme

World Class Speech Coaching

Anthony Lee, Professional Speaker, Executive Communications Coach and Trainer, is the “secret sauce” behind this high quality event. Speakers selected for this DisruptHR stage have the exquisite benefit of having Anthony Lee, Founder of Heroic Voice Academy, as their Speech Coach. Anthony provides much more than just individual Coaching, Anthony creates an environment for a collaborative community of Disrupt Speakers to up their game, give authentic feedback, get better together, cheer each other on, and celebrate. About Heroic Voice Academy, Anthony says:

"My vision is to create a community of global impact leaders who use their heroic voices as instruments of change.”
He’s doing just that.

For more about Anthony Lee:

Silicon Valley Insider Anthony Lee Helps Some of Tech’s Top Executives Find Their Voice

Or go to: HeroicVoice.com