2025 HDI Philly Leadership and Awards Conference: 

Ringing in a quarter century of recognizing service excellence!

Join us for the 25th Annual HDI Philly Leadership & Awards Conference!
Explore cutting-edge trends, proven strategies, and innovative solutions shaping the future of IT support. Hear from dynamic keynote speakers, connect with industry leaders, and gain actionable insights to elevate your organization. Don’t miss this chance to network, learn, and lead the way forward in IT!    

The event will begin with Breakfast and Registration from 8 AM - 9 AM. Our program will begin promptly at 9:00 AM running until about 3:00 PM. All are invited to a happy hour at the venue at the conclusion of the event. 

Address: Dave and Busters Philadelphia 

325 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Parking is located in the garage at Dave and Buster's.

Lunch & speakers - Free for all Tech Support Practitioners - Awards & Raffles in the afternoon! Happy Hour to follow! 

Keynote Speakers

Leslie O’Flahavan, Owner, E-WRITE

Leslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. E-WRITE owner since 1996, Leslie leads customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.   Leslie helps the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees in your support organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better. As a result of her work, Leslie’s clients improve their customer satisfaction ratings, reduce training cycles, improve productivity, and limit legal risk. Leslie is a LinkedIn Learning author of six writing courses including Writing in Plain Language, Technical Writing, and Writing for Social Media. She’s the co-host of the monthly LinkedIn Live broadcast “Fix This Writing!”

Presentation Topic: “Doing What Doesn’t Come Naturally: Why IT Support Pros Must Know How to Express Empathy to Customers.”

Most people don’t think “how empathetic!” when they think of technical support. But a lack of empathy with customers or colleagues dearly costs a Support organization. Being seen as unconcerned or oblivious damages Support’s reputation, harms cooperation with other teams, and encourages customers to distrust Support’s communication. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn why Support professionals—from senior leaders to team members—must learn to express empathy with their customers and with each other. You’ll discover that expressing empathy is a learned skill, not something a person is “born with.” Empathy isn’t “fluff.” It’s a practical method of building rapport and cooperation. We’ll also cover how Support leaders can convey to team members what to write or say, so customers will believe they care. And you’ll leave with a copy-and-paste list of 20 empathy statements your team can use right away.

Doug Rabold, XLA Evangelist, XLA Institute

Bio: Doug Rabold is a committed leader who has led high-performing global teams of up to 350 resources and managed a portfolio of contracts exceeding $60M annual revenue. He is an acknowledged Customer Experience and ITSM expert who focuses on developing talent to deliver exceptional support. Doug attended University of Illinois, holds numerous certifications and is a Certified Instructor. He has extensive public speaking experience, is a frequent podcast guest, and a contributing author to several publications. Doug is the XLA Institute North America Evangelist, Past-Chairman of the HDI Board of Directors, and sits on the AOTMP Advisory Council. Doug was named 2021 AOTMP IT Management Professional of the Year, was a finalist for 2021 HDI Best Service and Support Manager and was selected as People’s Choice Winner for 2018 HDI Manager of the Year. He was selected as an HDI Top 25 ITSM Thought Leader 2022-25 and 2024-25 ICMI Top 25 CX Thought Leader. Doug was named by Customer Experience Magazine as a Top 25 CXMStar Influencer in 2023-25. He was chosen as a 2023 Top 50 CX Influencer by CX Network, AOTMP University Influencer, and was most recently recognized by SDI as a 2025 Distinguished Industry Contributor. 

Presentation Topic: "It's Not Easy Being Green: When Service Metrics Are Green But Users See Red"

Your dashboards are green, your SLAs are met, and your KPIs are solid - but your users are still frustrated. Join Doug Rabold of the XLA Institute for this session which uncovers the disconnect between traditional metrics and how users actually feel about the service we provide. In this session we’ll explore how Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) shift the focus from mere output-driven checkboxes to turbo-charge outcomes which positively impact customer sentiment. Walk away with an awareness of XLAs and the practical steps in evolving your measurement strategy to demonstrate the business value of technical support.

Steve Grandizio, Managing Partner of the Prelude Cares Network & Co-Founder and Executive Director of Little Smiles, PA. 

Bio: Steve Grandizio is a dynamic keynote speaker, award-winning sales leader and master connector with decades of experience in sales leadership, public speaking, and non-profit initiatives. Known for his ability to inspire audiences with energy, humor, and real-life stories, Steve draws on his personal journey through adoption, family reconnection, and personal tragedy to deliver messages of perspective, resilience, and action.  He is a managing director of Prelude Solutions, a firm that specializes in helping organizations cut technology costs without compromising performance, and the co-founder of Little Smiles, a nonprofit bringing joy to children facing the adversity of illness, homelessness, abuse, chronic condition, etc. Since 2016, Prelude has helped clients save over $115 million by identifying inefficiencies, streamlining technology spend, and implementing smarter solutions.

Presentation Topic: “Adopting a Winning Mindset: How a Simple Dose of Perspective Can Transform Your Life”

In this presentation, Steve Grandizio shares practical lessons from his life story, including the challenges of adoption, personal health crises, and reconnecting with family after decades apart. Through a blend of humor, storytelling, and actionable insights, he demonstrates how perspective—not circumstance—defines success. Audiences leave with renewed energy, a framework for making better choices, and the confidence to turn obstacles into opportunities both personally and professionally.

We look forward to seeing you there!