HCM Excellence Conference 2027

David Forry is a Senior Vice President and Principal Analyst at Brandon Hall Group, where he has spent nearly ten years shaping the future of Human Capital Management through research, advisory services, and thought leadership. With 15 years of experience in the HCM industry since 2010, David has authored numerous research papers, conducted executive briefings for Fortune 500 companies, and provided strategic counsel to C-suite leaders navigating complex workforce transformations.

As a recognized voice in the HCM industry, David specializes in translating data-driven insights into actionable strategies across learning and development, talent management, leadership development, DEI, talent acquisition, and HR transformation. His research focuses on emerging trends, best practices, and innovative approaches that enable organizations to build more agile, engaged, and high-performing workforces.

David’s unique perspective combines deep analytical expertise with practical business acumen, helping organizations bridge the gap between HCM strategy and measurable business outcomes. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and executive forums, where he shares evidence-based insights on the evolving workplace and the future of work.

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, David brings passion and dedication to advancing the HCM field while maintaining a strong commitment to work-life balance with his wife and three daughters.

Prior to joining Brandon Hall Group, Michael was the Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder at AC Growth. Michael serves in a variety of roles including overseeing research and advisory support for organizations and solution providers. Michael is one of the company’s principal analysts covering learning and development, talent management, leadership development, HR, talent acquisition and DEI. Michael brings nearly 40 years’ experience in executive leadership roles, including human resources, information technologies, sales, marketing, business development, M&A, strategic and financial planning, program management and business operations in a wide variety of organizational settings.

Prior to joining Brandon Hall Group, Mike was the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of AC Growth. Mike held leadership and executive positions for the majority of his career, responsible for steering sales and marketing teams to drive results and profitability. His background includes more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing, management, and operations in the research, consulting, software and technology industries. Mike has extensive experience in sales, marketing and management, having worked for several early high-growth emerging businesses and has implemented technology systems to support various critical sales, finance, marketing and client service functions. He is especially skilled in organizing the sales and service strategy to fully support a company’s growth strategy. The concept of growth was an absolute to Mike and a motivator in starting AC Growth, in order to help organizations achieve research-driven results.

Rachel Cooke is the Chief Operating Officer at Brandon Hall Group and Principal Analyst. Rachel is responsible for business operations, including client and member advisory services, marketing design, annual awards program, conferences, and overall accountability for the company’s project management function. Also, she leads initiatives covering Advancing Women in the Workplace and Diversity and Inclusion research and events. Rachel has worked in the HCM research industry for fifteen years and has held several key management and executive positions within Talent and Learning Research and Performance Improvement Industries. Rachel received a BA in social science and interdisciplinary studies with honors from Florida Atlantic University. Rachel continued her postgraduate education by completing a series of executive management education courses from American Management Association.