Thursday, March 5, 2026
Registration: 11:30am PT to 12:00pm PT
The ESPP Playbook: Top Questions and Best Practices 12:00pm - 12:50pm
Grants or Buy-In? Rethinking Ownership in a Total Rewards World 1:00pm - 1:50pm
Location: Baker McKenzie, 101 California Ave, Ste 4100, San Francisco
Fee: $15 for members, $40 for non-members
Logistics & Parking: Guests can meet in the lobby on the 4th floor. The Baker McKenzie office is a short walk from the Embarcadero Bart Station.
Session Detail: The ESPP Playbook: Top Questions and Best Practices
ESPPs are the most common way to share ownership, yet these plans can be surprisingly complex—and equally fascinating. Join this session to explore the top questions every equity professional should have on their radar: Are qualifying dispositions worth the wait? Can non-qualified plans be compelling and efficient? How generous should your ESPP be? How do ESPPs impact other voluntary programs? Do ESPPs really move the needle on company performance? Attendees will leave with fresh insights and new perspectives that could reshape how they think about ESPPs.
Speaker Bio:
Emily Cervino, CEP, FGE, NDEF, Head of Industry Relationships and Thought Leadership, Fidelity Stock Plan Services
As head of Fidelity Stock Plan Services\' Industry Relationships and Thought Leadership, Emily drives connections with the stock plan industry and focuses on developing data-driven insights on equity compensation plan design, usage, and effectiveness based on quantitative and qualitative research to help plan sponsors make more informed decisions about their equity plans and processes. With over 25 years in the industry, Emily is recognized for deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for equity compensation. She is a frequent speaker and author on topics to help educate employers, advisors, and the media. Emily is a recipient of the NASPP Individual Achievement Award, a Fellow of Global Equity, and an NASPP Distinguished Equity Fellow. She is a Certified Equity Professional and holds Series 7 and 63 securities registrations.
Session Detail: Grants or Buy-In? Rethinking Ownership in a Total Rewards World
Equity is a powerful lever—but should you give it, let employees earn it, or let them choose? This session explores the evolving spectrum of employee ownership, from broad-based grants to ESPPs to creative “Choice” programs that enhance participant agency. We’ll dig into the strategic trade-offs around cost, engagement, and culture, spotlighting case study examples, and other innovative approaches.
Speaker Bios:
Elizabeth Stoudt, Partner at Infinite Equity, Inc.
Liz is a founding partner at Infinite Equity. With over 20 years of experience, Liz consults on many aspects of equity compensation, including plan design and implementation, communications over the equity life cycle, ongoing financial reporting compliance, and Pay Versus Performance for proxy disclosures. She is passionate about employee ownership, and in particular, employee stock purchase programs.
Liz is a frequent speaker at equity compensation events, serves on the Certified Equity Professional Institute’s (CEPI) Curriculum Committee, and is the Eastern Regional Representative of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP). Liz previously served on the CEPI Advisory Board and was President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the NASPP. Liz has a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science from the Pennsylvania State University, is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA), and is a Certified Equity Professional (CEP). She is based in Philadelphia.
Robyn Shutak, CEP, FGE, NDEF, Partner at Infinite Equity, Inc.
Robyn is a Partner at Infinite Equity, specializing in global equity compensation consulting for multinational employers. She has over 20 years of experience advising companies on all aspects of their equity compensation programs, including plan design and implementation, employee communications strategies, and administration efficiencies and optimization. Prior to joining Infinite Equity, Robyn held various leadership positions with Computershare, the Global Equity Organization (GEO), the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), and several San Diego based technology companies. Robyn is an active board member for the Certified Equity Professional Institute, a frequent speaker on equity compensation topics, and co-author of the book, “If I’d Only Known That.” Robyn has a Bachelor of Arts in English from San Diego State University, a Paralegal Certificate (with honors) from the ABA Paralegal Program at the University of San Diego, and is a Fellow of Global Equity (FGE) and a Certified Equity Professional (CEP). She is based in San Diego.