AFN NEWS

The CEO as Emotional Regulator: Leadership as Operational Infrastructure

In daily conversations with CEOs across industries, a consistent pattern keeps emerging. Strategy matters. Capital allocation matters. Talent matters. But in volatile environments, one variable carries disproportionate weight. The Emotional State of the CEO. At Advantage Foundry Network, this theme anchored a recent Hub discussion focused on a core leadership reality: organizations calibrate themselves to the emotional cues of the person at the top. Tone, cadence, reaction speed, and visible...

AFN Announces 2025 Chief of Staff Impact Award Recipient: Kristina Karalic

Each year at AFN, we pause to celebrate the leaders who elevate the Chief of Staff role not just through execution, but through influence, integrity, and impact. We are proud to announce that Kristina Karalic  has been named AFN’s 2025 Chief of Staff Impact Award Winner . Over the past year, Kristina has demonstrated what it truly means to embody the complexity and power of this role. From her early days supporting operations to stepping into a broader executive Chief of Staff position, she...

AFN Announces the 2025 CEO Patty Brandmaier Resilience Award Recipient: Brian Ferguson

Each year, AFN presents the CEO Patty Brandmaier Resilience Award to honor a leader who reflects Patty’s legacy: service above self, strength with grace, and a deep commitment to helping others thrive under pressure. We are proud to name Brian Ferguson, Founder of Arena Labs, as the 2025 recipient. This recognition is more than symbolic. It is personal. A Legacy of Service, Carried Forward Patty Brandmaier spent more than 30 years serving in the CIA before dedicating her life to helping...

Generations at Work: Rethinking Talent, Purpose & Connection in a Multigenerational Workforce

How leaders can unlock shared strengths across Boomers to Gen Z and why misunderstanding risks organizational friction. The workforce today spans   four living generations   — from Boomers in late career to Gen Z entering adulthood — each shaped by vastly different cultural, economic, and technological forces. These differences matter: not because one generation is “better,” but because misunderstanding them creates friction, erodes engagement, and limits organizational performance. At AFN’s...

Data as an Asset: Turning Insight into Advantage

In September’s AFN CEO Hub Meeting, members tackled a topic shaping every industry — “Data as an Asset.”  What began as a discussion about analytics quickly became a conversation about strategy, ownership, and the responsibility leaders hold in transforming information into value. Today, data isn’t just an enabler of business; it is  the business. It’s a strategic resource to be gathered, protected, leveraged, and monetized. But how leaders think about data varies dramatically. Some approach...

What if the breakthrough isn't what you learn?

You might be thinking this isn't the right time to invest in yet another leadership event. But what if this one isn't just another event?...

AFN Expands Leadership Platform Through Strategic Partnership

At AFN, we believe your network is the answer, and that leadership flourishes when great minds connect. Our new partnership with Sixth...

Inside the Arena: Building a Culture of Performance on the Front Lines | AFN Fireside Chat with Arena Labs

In this powerful AFN Fireside Chat, Matt Sitter (CEO of AFN) is joined by Brian Ferguson , Founder & CEO of Arena Labs, and Jackie Pen ,...

We Kicked Off The Edge of Resilience—And We're Just Getting Started

Real talk. Real tools. Real transformation. Last week, we launched The Edge of Resilience , a new quarterly series hosted by Sixth Wing...

Some events change what you know. This one changes how you lead.

Leadership doesn’t happen at ground level; it requires lift. That’s the philosophy behind Leadership that Lifts , a high-impact...

The Urgency Trap — and How CEOs Can Escape It

If you’re leading an organization right now, chances are you’re feeling the pressure: to move faster, to innovate sooner, to respond...

Navigating Scarce Resources: How Limitations Sharpen Leadership

When resources are abundant, everything seems possible. But it's when they're scarce that leadership gets real. In May's AFN CEO Hub...

Uncertainty Isn’t New. But This Moment Is.

Uncertainty isn’t new, but its flavor has been different lately. We sat with that feeling in our April CEO Hub for a moment. The...

Network Power: The Hidden Strength of the Chief of Staff Role

"You live in the cracks of the org chart." That one line, shared by AFN CEO Matt Sitter during a recent Chief of Staff Office Hours,...

The UncommonSense Character Framework

AFN Fireside Chat with Kip Morse: The Power of Trust in Business In this week’s AFN Fireside Chat, Matt Sitter  sat down with Kip Morse ,...

Healthcare Reimagined: The CareHive Approach to Patient-Centric Innovation

In this engaging fireside chat, Matt Sitter , CEO, AFN sat down with Dr. Ron Dixon , CEO of CareHive, to explore his journey from...

Brenda Darden Wilkerson: A Champion of Resilience and Inclusion in Tech

Brenda Darden Wilkerson , President and CEO of AnitaB.org , is the recipient of AFN's 2024 Patty Brandmaier Resilience Award. This...

Driving Social Impact Through Purpose: A Conversation with John Verge

View the fireside chat with John and Matt here . John Verge, CEO of Golden Lane Housing (GLH), joined Matt Sitter to discuss his...

Chief of Staff Office Hours: Tribalism and Counterintuitive Insights

The inaugural open session of Chief of Staff Office Hours brought together professionals for a candid exploration of tribalism and...

Chief of Staff Office Hours: Upcoming Conversations That Shape Your CoS Success

Unlock the full potential of your Chief of Staff journey with AFN's Chief of Staff Office Hours ! These complimentary sessions provide...

The Community Every Chief of Staff Needs

"The people in my network who challenge me and offer a different perspective are the ones I seek out." ~CoS Attendee

Reflecting on Connection, Growth, and the Year Ahead

As we close the year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what truly matters to AFN and the community we’ve built together. At the...

Unlock Your Full Potential as a Chief of Staff with AFN Membership

We're excited to announce that AFN's Chief of Staff Office Hours— the must-attend meeting of the week —are evolving! Everyone loves these...

AFN Announces 2024 Chief of Staff Impact Award Winner: Libby Pier

San Francisco, CA  — Advantage Foundry Network (AFN) is delighted to announce Libby Pier , Chief of Staff at Education Analytics, as the...

Unlocking AI's Potential: Key Insights from CEO Roundtable Discussions

It has been nearly two years since ChatGPT changed how we see and talk about AI and its potential. As our recent discussion with AFN CEO...

Smarter Systems, Healthier Futures: Spirit Health Foundation's Role in Addressing Global Health Inequities

With Subject Matter Experts Rich Bryson, Co-Founder and CEO of Spirit Health Foundation Matt Sitter, CEO, AFN The fireside chat with Matt...

AFN Fireside Chat Series: The CEO Journey with AFN Member Chris Barker, CEO (& Chief Mischievist) at Spirit Health Group

In this fireside chat hosted by Matt Sitter , CEO of AFN, Chris Barker , the CEO of Spirit Healthcare, shared his experiences and...

Announcing AFN's Chief of Staff Impact Award - Nominations Now Being Accepted

AFN is thrilled to announce the Chief of Staff Impact Award , honoring an individual who embodies the three core identities as defined by...

Nurturing Workplace Evolution: Hybrid Models, Flexibility, and Women Supporting Women

Our three-panel series Leading with Impact: Women CEOs Driving Change and Innovation continues with our second panel on July 16th. We are...

Stay Interviews: A Proactive Approach for Employee Retention

In a recent AFN Chief of Staff Office Hours session, the 'stay interviews' concept was introduced as a proactive strategy to understand...