WHY MOVE MY CHEESE?
For executives, emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents navigating disruption at home, at work, and in the wider world. When your "cheese" moves — how will you respond?
Theme: My Home, My Work, My Universe — Hosted by Dr. Laide Alexander
Register for the Conference
Secure your Seat In-Person.
This isn't a Conference.
It's a Transformation.
Real conversations with real leaders — no fluff, no filler. Just clarity you can act on.
Expert Speakers. Real Stories.
Hear from executives, entrepreneurs, educators, and healthcare leaders who have navigated disruption — and built stronger cultures because of it.
Three Spheres. One Ecosystem.
We explore leadership through My Home, My Work, and My Universe — because how you lead in one area inevitably shapes the others.
Walk Away With Your Next Move
Bring your toughest leadership dilemma. Leave with practical tools to navigate disruption and build cultures that thrive in uncertainty.
My Home · My Work · My Universe
Rather than treating these as separate compartments, we approach them as one ecosystem of influence.
My Home
Personal life, values, family, faith, and inner world. The foundation everything else is built on.
Speaker: Jerry Driskill
My Work
Career, calling, organizational leadership, strategy, and execution. Where your leadership meets the world.
Speaker: Omair Tariq
My Universe
Community, nation, global impact, and legacy. Leadership that outlasts your title and tenure.
Speaker: Marilyn Drew-Long
Nothing is Off the Table
Submit your toughest leadership challenge during registration. Our speakers tackle them head-on.
Leaders Who've Moved the Cheese
Practitioners, not theorists. Every speaker on this stage has led through real disruption and come out stronger.
Omair Tariq
Founder & CEO, Cart.com | Speaks on: My Work
Founded Cart.com in 2020, reaching unicorn status in under 3 years. Serves 6,000+ brands with a team of nearly 2,000. Previously CFO/COO of Blinds.com — grew it from $10M to $400M before Home Depot acquisition. EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023. MBA from Rice University.
Marilyn Drew-Long
Founder, MDL Speaks | Speaks on: My Universe
Leadership speaker who helps organizations lead through change without losing culture, engagement, or performance. Known for her keynote "When the Cheese Moves" — actionable strategies that sustain results in uncertainty.
Jerry Driskill
Senior Educational Leader | Speaks on: My Home
30+ years in higher education across 7 states. Has opened new college campuses, built teams from the ground up, and developed programs that meet real employer and community needs. MBA in Marketing.
Wade Pinder
Pre-Panel Speaker | Ecosystem Wayfinder
Founder of Product Houston and Mentor-in-Residence at the Ion. 2025 Trailblazer Award winner. Helps founders and leaders navigate uncertainty, test new ideas, and move from "stuck" to "strategic." Lives at the intersection of change and opportunity.
Semilore Oyebode
Emerging Leader 2026
Field Service Engineer at Acclaro Medical. Biomedical Engineering graduate from University of North Texas. Returning speaker at the Why Move My Cheese? Conference — bringing fresh perspective on navigating early-career leadership.
Dr. Carie Powers
Panel Moderator
Global education leader and executive. SVP of Marketing and Sales at ASA in Scottsdale, AZ. Founder and CEO of Earth Years — a mission-driven travel and storytelling company. Harvard Summer Institute alumna. Forthcoming author of "Earth Years: The Science Behind Elevating Memories."
Dr. Laide Alexander
Founder & CEO, Accexx Insight LLC · Founder & Chair, The Transformation Platform
Leadership development practitioner, transformational coach, and host of the Why Move My Cheese? Conference. Author of The Unfinished Leader and Why Move My Cheese? Currently Director of College Operations at Galen College of Nursing, Houston.
Meet Dr. Laide Alexander
Leadership Transformation Expert
Founder & CEO, Accexx Insight LLC · Founder & Chair, The Transformation Platform
Dr. Laide Alexander is a leadership development practitioner, transformational coach, and host of the annual Why Move My Cheese? Conference — a gathering for leaders who understand that change is inevitable, however, wish it came with a user manual.
Her career spans academia and industry — professor, college president, and business founder. She serves as Director of College Operations at Galen College of Nursing in Houston, Texas, and is the author of The Unfinished Leader and Why Move My Cheese?
She holds degrees in Business Management, an MBA in Human Resources Management, and a Doctorate in Educational and Leadership Management. She is currently completing a post-doctoral program in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). As a wife and mother, she understands firsthand what it means to lead in the boardroom, at home, and in faith communities — often in the same day.
This Experience is Designed For You
Whether you're leading in a boardroom, a classroom, a startup, or a faith community — this is your room.
Join Us in Houston
Step into the room for a full-day immersive experience, curated networking, and direct access to our speakers.
In-Person
$120Sugar Land, Houston
- Full-day immersive experience (09:00 AM – 04:00 PM)
- Networking with speakers and peers
- Curated environment for reflection
- Book signings and photos
- Catered lunch and refreshments
- Conference materials and resources
Bring Your Toughest Challenge.
September 19, 2026 · 09:00 AM CST / Houston, TX — In-Person
$120 per ticket · Group discounts available for 10+ attendees
