Equity Compensation IPO Summit
San Francisco | March 27, 2025
Thanks to all who attended!
Rates | Location | Agenda | Continuing Ed
Get IPO-Ready: Build a Winning Equity Strategy
Planning to take your company public? Join us for a one-of-a-kind event designed to equip private companies and professionals with the insights and strategies needed to navigate the complexities of equity compensation in the lead-up to an IPO.
This summit brings together top industry experts to help you make sure your equity award strategy is IPO-ready, including the state of the equity markets, cap table preparation, legal and tax considerations, and effective employee communication strategies.
Whether you're a founder, CFO, corporate counsel, equity compensation professional, or other key player in your company's compensation design, this event will provide the knowledge you need to shape your IPO for success.

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Evening Networking Reception
Smithfield, RI 02917
Wed, June 5, 2024
Evening Networking Reception
5:00 - 9:00 PM
Food & Drinks!
Tavola da Siena Restaurant | 400 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917
Thurs, June 6, 2024
NASPP New England Summit
8:00 - 9:00 AM
Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
9:00 - 9:30 AM
Welcome & Introductions
9:30 - 10:30 AM
General Session 1
Unleashing the Transformative Power of GenAI in the World of Equity: Fostering a Culture of Experimentation and Creativity
This presentation will explore the potential of using Generative AI (GenAI) to design, manage and streamline your equity program. Sharmon and Haley will share use cases they see in the market and will leverage the knowledge and experience of the audience to share their own examples. Sharmon and Haley will discuss how to move from theory to action by discussing the role of culture in driving successful GenAI adoption, the challenges faced by organizations resistant to change, and the disconnect between leaders’ and employees' perceptions of GenAI. Participants will leave this session armed with practical ways to adopt and apply the power of GenAI to their equity programs.
Learning Objectives:
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Understand the Generative AI and its potential for impact on equity plan operations and customer (employee, other internal stakeholder) experience.
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Recognize the importance of fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, including applying GenAI.
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Identify the challenges in GenAI adoption, especially in organizations resistant to change.
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Learn about the Will, Skill, and Opportunity framework for encouraging new behaviors supportive of GenAI application.
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Understand the role of transformative leadership in shaping a positive culture for GenAI adoption.
1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs
10:30 - 11:00 AM
Break
11:00 - 11:50 AM
Break-Out Session 2A
How do you 'roll? A Deep Dive into Refining Payroll Integration Can Streamline Processes
CONCURRENT SESSION
The integration of your payroll data can provide more than updated demographic information and YTD tax values. Learn how to utilize this partnership to create efficiencies within your transaction process with identifiers for mobile participants, global taxation, and local jurisdictions. In anticipation of T+1 settlement, understand how you can save yourself and your tax team hours of review work.
Learning Objectives:
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Importance of integration and accuracy of payroll data
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Collaboration with payroll provider and leveraging custom fields
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Utilizing your equity plan provider platform and all it can offer
1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs
11:00 - 11:50 AM
Break-Out Session 2B
CTRA Presents – Best Practices in Compensation Benchmarking
CONCURRENT SESSION
In partnership with the Colonial Total Rewards Association (CTRA) and World at Work, this session will have consultants from Mercer providing insights on how compensation benchmarking practices, tools, and techniques have become more sophisticated, and how the job of the compensation practitioner has become easier and better – or has it? They will address market pricing strategy, selecting data sources and scopes, choosing benchmark jobs, refining matches, and assessing data validity.
Learning Objectives:
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Discuss what is compensation benchmarking
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Understanding data sources for proper benchmarking
1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs
11:50 AM - 12:40 PM
Lunch
12:40 - 1:30 PM
Break-Out Session 3A
Phone A Friend! Best Practices in Working with Outside Consultants.
CONCURRENT SESSION
When and how to hire a guide to help you stay on the right path on your equity compensation journey. This session will cover the when, how, and why for hiring outside equity compensation consultants to assist with short- or long-term administration or special projects.
Learning Objectives:
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Understand different challenges a company can face where external resources can help
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How to engage with third parties to become an extension of your own team
1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs
12:40 - 1:30 PM
Break-Out Session 3B
Win-Win: Stock Plan Strategies that Your Design and Admin Teams Love
CONCURRENT SESSION
Tension can sometimes arise when creative plan design creates administrative challenges, but it doesn’t have to be like this. You can have your cake and eat it too! Join this session for a review of hacks, tweaks, and best practices that keep everyone, including your employees, happy. We’ll address requiring acceptance for RSUs, handling LOAs, reducing the headaches about expiring options, maximizing tax deductions, and minimizing headaches for ESPP, setting reasonable deadlines, helping employees align their equity awards to their risk tolerance, and more.
1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs
1:30 - 1:40 PM
Quick Session Change
1:40 - 2:40 PM
Break-Out Session 4A
Finding the Right Global Employee Equity Plan Mix
CONCURRENT SESSION
This session will cover the crucial role global employee share plans can play in improving employee engagement, boosting revenues, and enhancing profitability. Attendees will gain insights into effective strategies for employee equity compensation programs, cross-border communications, and future modifications, as companies seek to efficiently navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by global expansion.
1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs
1:40 - 2:40 PM
Break-Out Session 4B
Valuations for Non-Valuation Specialists
CONCURRENT SESSION
Join us for an enlightening session where we demystify valuation techniques for equity awards, simplifying them to even to non-valuation specialists. In this session, we'll embark on a journey through the valuation landscape, breaking down complex concepts into easily digestible pieces. Whether you're new to the industry or seeking a refresher, this session is designed for everyone eager to grasp the essentials of valuation. From understanding the basics to navigating the intricacies of ASC Topic 718, we'll equip you with the knowledge needed to confidently navigate the valuation process. Join us and uncover the fundamental pieces to understanding equity awards, ensuring you're well-prepared to tackle valuation challenges with clarity and confidence.
1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs
2:40 - 3:15 PM
Ice Cream Social
3:15 - 3:30 PM
End of Day Group Exercise
3:30 - 4:30 PM
General Session 5
Technology vs. the World: ESPP Edition
How does your ESPP measure up to your peers’ plans? Get valuable benchmarks as we examine results and trends from the 2023 ESPP Survey from the NASPP and Deloitte Tax, with a focus on comparing the ESPPs offered by technology and life sciences companies to those offered by companies outside these sectors. We’ll highlight industry comparisons on discounts, lookbacks and other economic benefits, tax qualification status, eligibility and participation, plan contributions, purchase limitations, participant education, and plan administration. BONUS: We’ll include a cut of data on ESPPs offered by east coast companies.
1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs
4:30 - 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Drawings
Thursday, March 27
9:00 - 9:40 AM
Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
9:40 - 10:20 AM
State of the Equity Markets
Will 2025 see a resurgence in IPOs? This session will examine current macroeconomic conditions to forecast what we might see in the equity markets in 2025, particularly when it comes to IPOs.
Speakers:
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Erik Peña, NYSE
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Alan Jones, PwC
10:20 - 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 - 11:30 AM
Preparing Your Cap Table for IPO
Make sure your cap table is ready for prime time! This session will review key transactions, events, and other information that should be reflected in your cap table and offer tips on how to audit it in preparation for your IPO.
Speakers:
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Sam Adams, Candor
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Kaui Leiataua, Reddit
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch
12:30 - 1:20 PM
Securities Law Considerations for Equity Awards with a Listing
Learn about the securities laws that apply to equity awards before, during, and after an IPO or other liquidity event. This plan will discuss registration and exemption requirements, including Rule 701, as well as lock-ups, resale restrictions, and more.
Speakers:
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Dave Thomas, Wilson Sonsini
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Kiki Haar, Wilson Sonsini
1:20 - 1:30 PM
Break
1:30 - 2:20 PM
Tax Considerations for Equity Awards in an IPO
IPOs can lead to large tax bills for equity awards; don’t be caught unprepared. This session will review the tax treatment of equity awards commonly granted by private companies, including ISOs, NQSOs, and RSUs, and discuss special tax concerns resulting from IPO.
Speakers:
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Mark Miller, Deloitte Tax
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Stephen Baillie, Databricks
2:20 PM - 2:30 PM
Break
2:30 - 3:00 PM
Employee Communications in an IPO
The session will reveal a checklist of critical information to communicate to employees in an IPO and discuss the best methods for educating employees.
Speakers:
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Wendy Jennings
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Kristina Bolling, Rubrik
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Networking Reception
Speakers
General Session 1
Unleashing the Transformative Power of GenAI in the World of Equity: Fostering a Culture of Experimentation and Creativity
Haley Houston, PwC
Haley partners extensively with PwC’s Cloud & Digital, Transformation Operations and Customer Transformation practices to help Fortune 500 clients navigate complex process- and technology-driven business transformations. Leveraging design thinking and agile principles Haley leads change management programs that help clients through their 'stickiest' change challenges. These programs include facilitating leadership alignment, vison setting, employee engagement and upskilling and measurement/benefits tracking around change management.
Before joining PwC, Haley served in Business Develop and Marketing roles with firms in the professional services sector including legal, consulting, and engineering.
Haley has a B.A. from Roger Williams University (cum laude) where she was a member of the International Honors Society - Phi Alpha Theta and an M.B.A. from Northeastern University, with a focus in Entrepreneurship and International Business.
Sharmon Priaulx, PwC
Prior to joining PwC, Sharmon practiced at a national law firm, advising clients on retirement, equity and employee benefit plans. Sharmon has been a law school guest lecturer and speaks at seminars on topics ranging from deferred compensation compliance to payroll issues.
Sharmon has a B.A. from Columbia University, Barnard College and a J.D. (cum laude) from Villanova School of Law, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and the Order of the Coif. She is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.
Break-Out Session 2A
How do you 'roll? A Deep Dive into
How Refining Payroll Integration Can Streamline Processes
Brooke Anderson, CEP, Charles Schwab
For 25 years, Brooke’s primary focus has been client-facing equity compensation administration and education. Prior to joining Schwab, she worked with both public and private companies at Certent/Insightsoftware, and held various roles at Transcentive/Computershare before that. Her background also includes project management and relationship management.
Brooke is a Certified Equity Professional.
Christine Consolato, CPA, Market Axess
Jennifer Francis, CEP, Aon
Jen has been a speaker at the NASPP Annual Conference, the CEP Symposium, GEO conference, service provider user conferences, and local NASPP chapter meetings.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central Connecticut State University, and graduate degrees in Management and Business Administration from Albertus Magnus College. Jen earned her CEP designation in November 2005 and is a volunteer for the Certified Equity Professional Institute (CEPI), serving on the certification council for CEP Institute, and serves as the Treasurer for the CT NASPP Chapter.
Break-Out Session 2B
CTRA Presents – Best Practices in
Compensation Benchmarking
Vlad Gogish, Mercer
Sophie Harpt, Mercer
Thanks to Our Chapter Officers
We would like to thank our San Francisco chapter officers for their efforts making this event possible.
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