Keynote Speakers
Ray Day is Vice Chair of Stagwell and Executive Chair of Allison Worldwide. His role supports integration, innovation and growth at Stagwell and Allison Worldwide, with a particular focus on communications, public relations, corporate affairs, reputation, crisis readiness and directly serving as senior communications counsel for major clients around the world.
Ray is a recognized voice and leader in communications and public relations. He joined Stagwell in February 2020 with more than three decades of experience and insights as a chief communications officer leading global communications teams, brands and agencies. He is well-known for expertise in reputation building, content creation, data and analytics, crisis readiness and recovery, and communications team development.
Before joining Stagwell, Ray was IBM’s Chief Communications Officer, leading the company’s global Communications and Corporate Citizenship teams in more than 170 countries. His role included communications for all external and internal stakeholders.
Before IBM, Ray was Group Vice President of Communications and served 28 years with Ford. His accomplishments include transforming Ford’s communications model working with then CEO Alan Mulally. This led to the biggest improvement ever in the company’s corporate reputation and brand strength. He was cited as a key part the Ford transformation in the American Icon business book.
Ray’s global experience includes being based for four years in Europe, serving as head of Ford’s European Public Affairs, living in both Germany and the UK.
Before joining Ford, Ray was a reporter and editor in the Detroit area.
Ray has long been recognized on PRWeek’s Power List and the Holmes Influence 100. He serves on the Public Relations Society of America national board of directors and will be 2025 chair; is a past chair of The Seminar, an annual global forum for senior communications leaders and executives; and a member of the Page Society, Institute for Public Relations and PRSA Foundation. He has achieved Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) through PRSA.
He is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and currently serves on the Wayne State Board of Visitors.
Tracy Harlow, Vice President, Global Communications for Walmart has 30-plus years of corporate communications experience, with the last 14 years in leadership roles at Walmart. She currently leads the company’s Event Solutions team, which is responsible for the strategic planning, operating and production of internal and external events for Walmart Corporate, U.S., International and Sam’s Club using innovative solutions to enhance audience experience, drive engagement and reinforce the company’s narrative.
Before moving to this role in April, Tracy served for four years as Vice President, Global Communications – Walmart U.S. and a member of the Walmart U.S. CEO’s leadership team. She was responsible for overseeing external and internal communications strategies supporting the U.S. business and its 1.6 million associates, developing company narratives, and protecting the company’s reputation.
Tracy also served for three years as Vice President, Global Communications – Digital Strategy & Brand Engagement. She was responsible for developing and delivering integrated, digital engagement strategies for campaigns to enhance Walmart’s reputation and connect audiences to the business strategy. Prior to this role, Tracy served for two years as Vice President, Global Internal Communications and was responsible for enabling Walmart’s success and associate reputational advocacy by connecting 2.3 million associates worldwide to the business, the business to associates and associates to each other through effective internal communication.
Tracy served for more than two years as Senior Director, Global Ethics Communication & Education and was responsible for delivering comprehensive awareness and training programs globally. She also served as Senior Director, Global Associate Communications.
Before joining Walmart in 2011, Tracy led communications functions in the energy industry for 14 years with ConocoPhillips and Williams. She also built communications strategies in the telecom and health insurance industries.
Tracy is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a BA in journalism and is immediate past board chair for Girls on the Run, Northwest Arkansas. She has been actively involved for most of her career in IABC and PRSA. Tracy and her husband, Scot, have two adult children and live in Bentonville, Ark.