Dr. Theresa Welbourne to Keynote Virtual Summit; Strategic Roadmap Helps Redesign ERG & Council Infrastructure

The Global ERG Network hosts its Virtual Summit this week, with a leading researcher as opening keynote.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC, UNITED STATES, March 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Global ERG Network^® (GEN) announced that Dr. Theresa M. Welbourne, leading researcher on Employee Resource Groups and strategic human capital, will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 GEN Virtual Summit on March 24.

Dr. Welbourne is the Executive Director of the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute and Professor of Management at the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Business. She runs the largest research study focused on ERGs—examining how they drive innovation, firm-level growth, and their evolution into Strategic Resource Groups. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Inc. Magazine, and she is well published in academic journals.

"Dr. Welbourne's research validates what we've observed and experienced for two decades: ERGs are invaluable parts of the workforce infrastructure," said Anna Ettin, Executive Officer of Innovation and Generational Transformation at Tapestry Partner Solutions, which powers GEN. "Her insights on employee energy, leadership pipelines, and innovation acceleration align perfectly with where the market is - and is headed."

At the Summit's closing session, the GEN team will host an “Ask Me Anything” hour on the trends surfaced in their 2026 Insights Report. Drawing on live questions, the discussion deep dives into what the data reveals about the current state of ERGs and Councils, what's working well, and what must evolve. The event concludes with guided action planning, so attendees leave oriented toward execution, collaboration, and impact beyond the Summit.


GEN IMPACT AWARDS ARE OPEN

Organizations have until April 17 to submit applications for the 2026 GEN IMPACT Awards. Categories include Top 3 ERGs, Top Enterprise-Wide ERGs & Councils, and Executive Sponsors. Award recipients will be announced in August; rankings to be announced during the Awards Gala at the 2026 GEN Conference in Charlotte, NC, November 10-11.

"If your ERG is driving retention, surfacing talent, or building leadership pipelines, you deserve recognition for that work," said Monica Brunache, co-owner of Tapestry Partner Solutions and GEN. "These awards spotlight groups operating at the highest strategic level."

Full details and submission criteria are available on the GEN website; there is no cost to apply.


GEN ANNUAL CONFERENCE PREVIEW

The details of the 2026 Annual Conference will be released this week. The event is planned for November 10-11 in Charlotte, NC, and brings together executives, program managers, and ERG leaders from across industries and sectors.

Registration and sponsorship opportunities will open in April. More information is available at globalergnet.com/conferences.


STRATEGIC ROADMAP: MOVING IDEAS TO INFRASTRUCTURE

GEN is expanding the availability of the Strategic Roadmap, designed for organizations ready to move from improvised ERG and Council activity to intentional infrastructure and ecosystems.

The Roadmap includes:
- Executive-ready diagnostics that benchmark ERG maturity, risks, and misalignments
- Year-by-year implementation plans sequenced by priority and feasibility
- Co-creation with leadership teams to facilitate alignment and surface barriers
- Future-state system design for governance, metrics, and talent integration

"Most companies are under-leveraging one of their most powerful assets," said Ettin. "ERGs are often expected to run on passion instead of being powered by structure. They're disconnected from strategy, siloed under HR, and considered optional instead of operational. The Strategic Roadmap changes that."
The offering is designed for organizations struggling to scale ERGs across teams or regions, ready to connect ERGs and Councils to talent strategy and business outcomes, or seeking insights to retain and develop their next generation of leaders.

Organizations can schedule a readiness call to explore fit, timeline, and outcomes.


ABOUT THE GLOBAL ERG NETWORK

Powered by Tapestry Partner Solutions, the Global ERG Network^® is the premier strategy partner for ERG and Council leaders and their organizations. The team provides development, infrastructure, and insights needed to scale organizational impact through ERGs and Councils. GEN blends dynamic monthly conversations and an on-demand resource hub with flagship events into an ecosystem that moves ERGs from tactical to transformational.

GEN is backed by more than 20 years of field-tested expertise designing systems that drive retention, belonging, and leadership pipeline development. For more information, visit globalergnet.com or follow GEN on LinkedIn.

Anna Ettin
Tapestry Partner Solutions
+1 336-655-0606
hello@tapestrypartnersolutions.com
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