As AI, technology, and globalization continue to transform our communities and workplaces, the need for thoughtful, well-grounded research and analysis is greater than ever. Fields like Anthropology and Sociology offer essential tools for understanding human cultural dynamics and tackling complex social issues. Dr. Sam Ladner will explore the skills and competencies that individuals trained in these disciplines bring to the workplace, and how they can effectively communicate their value to potential employers.

Dr. Sam Ladner (she/her) is a sociologist with expertise in helping teams innovate, design, and learn. She is the author of Practical Ethnography: A Guide to Doing Ethnography in The Private Sector and Mixed Methods: A Short Guide to Applied Mixed Methods Research. Dr. Ladner has contributed to numerous advanced software projects at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and others. She recently retired from Workday, an enterprise software company, where she served as Senior Principal Researcher focusing on the future of work. Currently, she is writing her third book on strategic foresight. Dr. Ladner earned her PhD in sociology from York University and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.