Joan Graci

As President and CEO of APA Solutions, a human capital consulting firm, Joan has made it her mission to bridge the communication gap between leadership and the people they employ by disrupting human capital norms. She has successfully applied the data and research from her three decades in the recruiting space to defy traditional beliefs as it relates to the mindset of the workforce. For the past five years Joan has pursued further education in neuroscience, and through recent advancements in this field, can validate that everyone has access to the development of new ways of thinking. As part of the neuro-leadership team at APA, Joan has utilized her knowledge to unpack how this innovative brain-based methodology helps leaders, teams and organizations benefit from self-awareness.

As a result, companies that are bold enough to use math and science to align their people strategy to their business goals have successfully experienced exponential revenue growth, retention and engagement rates. This science puts the "BEST" in places to work.

Joan received a brain-based certification from the NeuroLeadership Institute and completed the Women's Leadership Development Program at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. She is a graduate and former president of the University of Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Alumni Association, and remains an active member of the UB community. She also received a 2015 Woman of Influence award, issued by Buffalo Business First, which honors female entrepreneurs who have grown their business by making outstanding contributions to society.