2026 Wilmington Safety School Program
July 16-17 2026
Get ready for another year of learning, leadership, and connection at Wilmington Safety School 2026. This page is your central guide to what’s happening at this year’s conference, from featured speakers and keynote sessions to upcoming agenda details.
Speakers
Keynote Speaker – Bill Sims
Bill Sims, Jr., is President of The Bill Sims Company, Inc. For more than 30 years, Bill has created positive reinforcement systems that have helped large and small firms to inspire better performance from employees and increase bottom line profits. He is a world renowned keynote speaker and recently was selected as one of the top ten speakers by the National Safety Council.
Bill‘s first book, entitled Green Beans & Ice Cream—The Remarkable Power of Positive Reinforcement, has garnered rave reviews. He has built more than 1,000 positive reinforcement systems at firms including Dupont, Siemens, Orkin, Coca-Cola, and Disney, and holds issued patents in the field. In 2017, he formed TheSealAcademy.com to share best practices for safety leadership & culture change around the planet.
Keynote Speaker – Athena Schroeder, Ph.D.
Dr. Athena Schroeder is a distinguished expert in online education, learning design, and AI in safety management with over two decades of experience. Holding a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with a focus on online education and technology, she combines her academic expertise with a passion for learner-centered, interactive education.
Currently, Dr. Athena Schroeder serves as the business and learning development leader at VETTED.work and creates transformative learning experiences for adults seeking growth in health, vitality, and self-awareness. She has held pivotal roles such as Vice President for Digital Teaching and Learning at UMGC, where she empowered teams to design engaging online curricula, and Online Program Launch Director at Purdue Online, where she led the launch of over 40 online programs. Her experience includes leading instructional design initiatives at ASU Online and serving as the Academic Integrity Officer. Beyond academia, Dr. Athena Schroeder has corporate experience with Pfizer and UCB, and she is also a trained life coach, nutrition researcher, and fitness instructor. Her dynamic career reflects a commitment to inspiring professionals and advancing innovative education.
Call for Speakers
Are you passionate about advancing safety education and leadership? We’re currently seeking dynamic speakers for the 2026 conference. If you have expertise, case studies, or innovative practices to share, submit your speaker proposal with us!
Agenda
We are in the process of creating our agenda for the 2026 conference, stay tuned for updates!
2026 WSS Sponsors
