Keynote: The Power of Advocacy

Event Overview

No one will hand you your dream job, but you can cultivate advocates who will champion you when you’re not in the room. In this Keynote, experts in talent strategy and career development will demystify advocacy: what it is; how it differs from mentorship, coaching, and networking; and why it’s essential for driving your career forward. You will discover how to treat self‑advocacy as a skillset — from crafting a concise elevator pitch to confidently sharing your achievements — and learn how to win the support of internal and external stakeholders who will go to bat for you.

Join Cornell faculty expert Dr. JR Keller and Melody Kelleher, Vice President of Talent Empowerment at Baker Hughes, as they explore how organizations can create cultures of advocacy and highlight the benefits these cultures offer through stronger connections, greater trust, and higher engagement. Whether you’re advancing in your current role or navigating a career transition, you’ll gain practical tools to increase your visibility, deepen relationships, and open doors to new opportunities.

Cornell partners with Baker Hughes to provide Executive Education as well as other research-based learning solutions to drive impact within their organization.

What You'll Learn

The distinct roles of mentors, coaches, connectors, and sponsors, and how each can help move your career forward
Simple ways to boost your visibility, build intentional connections, and put yourself in the path of new opportunities
Techniques for fostering trust, creating a sense of belonging, and strengthening relationships that support your success

Speakers

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JR Keller

Associate Professor

Cornell ILR School

Associate Professor of Human Resource Studies, Cornell ILR School

JR Keller is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Studies in the ILR School at Cornell University. Professor Keller’s research focuses on understanding how firms make hiring decisions and individuals make career choices, with a particular interest in the ways in which the dynamics shape how employees change jobs within firms.

Professor Keller’s work has appeared in several leading academic and practitioner outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Harvard Business Review, Industrial & Labor Relations Review, People & Strategy, and Organization Science.

Prior to pursuing a Ph.D., Professor Keller had two careers: the first as a financial analyst and the second as a career consultant. He earned his Ph.D. in Management from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania and holds a Master’s in Adult Education from Indiana University as well as undergraduate degrees in Finance and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.

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Melody Kelleher

Vice President, Talent Empowerment

Baker Hughes

Melody Kelleher is a certified Human Resources executive with more than 18 years of global experience in the UK, South Africa, Canada, and the USA. She is a chartered HR professional in multiple countries and has a Master’s Designation in Strategic Workforce Planning and a certificate from Harvard for “Building Organizational Cultures..

Melody is a “roll up your sleeves and make it happen” leader with a people-first mindset and track record of building high-performing, diverse, and purpose-led
teams. She has been with Baker Hughes for 15 years and is Vice President at Talent Empowerment for Baker Hughes, which is talent management, learning and development, and diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Melody is passionate about people and culture and specializes in developing and implementing effective talent management and L&D strategies at scale.

Melody has lived in four countries; she relocated from Canada to Houston in 2022. She is married with two children, ages 6 and 9.

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