National Convention & Exhibition 2026

Whitney Johnson is a leading authority on organisational change, ranked among the top 10 management thinkers worldwide by Thinkers50. As CEO and co-founder of Disruption Advisors, she and her team partner with Fortune 500 companies, fast-growing startups, and private equity firms to build high-performing teams through one-on-one executive coaching and large-scale organisational development programs: their client roster includes Kraft Heinz, Intermountain Health, Morgan Stanley and Amazon.

A former Wall Street equity analyst turned C-suite advisor and board member, Whitney brings rare insight into how organisations and their leaders navigate transformation. She co-founded the Disruptive Innovation Fund with Harvard Business School’s Clayton Christensen and has shaped how companies approach growth through her Wall Street Journal bestselling books Smart Growth, Build an A Team, and Disrupt Yourself.

Her frameworks have reached millions through Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, while her “Disrupt Yourself” podcast engages business and thought leaders in reshaping how we think about change and growth. A trusted voice for leaders navigating disruption, she has nearly 1.7 million followers on LinkedIn.

Through Disruption Advisors, Whitney and her team guide organisations through critical transitions— from succession planning to merger integration—combining analytical rigour with deep emotional intelligence. Recent work includes an exclusive retreat for senior HR executives, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to developing exceptional human capital leaders.

And when Whitney’s not helping organisations disrupt their way to growth? She is at home in Lexington, Virginia with her family, growing raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, and making homemade jam. Though she will tell you there’s a surprising overlap between growing blackberries and change management—both require patience, the right conditions, and a willingness to get your hands dirty.