Crystal Lay
CEOGBS Worldwide
Crystal Miller Lay is the Chief Executive of GBS Worldwide, an end-to-end Talent Attraction Firm specializing in employer branding, recruitment marketing, and organizational talent transformation. With over more than years of experience in marketing strategy, behavioral psychology, and award-winning digital marketing, she has worked with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 10 companies, earning over 13 Webby, Davey, and Communicator Awards in 2023–2024 alone.
Crystal recently led a study into the impact of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) on job seekers, job search activities and outcomes with the University of Wolverhampton. In 2023, she completed the largest study on neurodivergence with the University of Wales, focusing on the Employer Value Proposition (EVP) development gap for individuals with disabilities and the neurodiverse. This research highlights the disconnect between employer branding and inclusive employment practices. In addition to her academic contributions, she runs the Autistic Teen Program for the Freddie Ford Foundation and serves as a Board Member, where her anti-bullying initiative has earned global recognition for its social innovation and inclusion impact.
A lifelong advocate for education and neurodiversity, Crystal holds an MBA in Leadership and Organisational Innovation from the University of Wales and is a candidate for MSc in Industrial Organisational Psychology. She is also working toward a third Master’s degree in Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing at the University of Wolverhampton, and is pursuing her doctorate.
When she's not working (and often even when she is), you're likely to find Crystal either traveling or with her family. She's also fond of (badly) patio gardening, an occasional glass of red wine, and is completely hooked on writing. She recently finished her first book, and is working on the outline for her second.
2:05 p.m.–2:45 p.m. PT —
Sip, share, and connect with fellow practitioners over wine or mimosas as we explore:
What you think an inclusive People Brand Collective / People Experience Association should look and feel like
How certification could help legitimize your work—and what kind of certification would actually matter to you
What types of global learning topics or knowledge-sharing moments would really support your growth
What you need from a learning space, a network, or a professional home to feel supported and connected
This interactive discussion is held during the Afternoon Networking Break —but the conversation happens privately in the Mission Ballroom.
Come help shape a global, inclusive, and practitioner-centered community focused on elevating the impact of people brand and people experience work.
12:45 p.m.–1:25 p.m. PT —
An EVP is fundamental, but not sufficient on its own. In this conference session, Crystal will walk through how Zoom evolved their EVP into a living employer brand system.
Participants will learn how GBS and Zoom used four interconnected frameworks to drive this transformation:
With Zoom as the example, participants will walk away with the framework of how to expand their EVPs into a full execution program that resonates, scales, and delivers impact.
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PT —
Most employer brand strategies get lost in the noise. This workshop reframes execution through the GBS Frameworks Ecosystem, showing how four proprietary models connect to deliver measurable outcomes.
In this interactrive workshop, we’ll explore how the Brand × System (BxS)™ reduces decision noise through clearer signals, how EBx™ ties brand experience directly to revenue, how the Decision Engine™ powers fairer, faster talent choices, and how the Employer Brand Engine™ operationalizes EVP into scalable hiring behaviors. Using award-winning client examples, participants will see how these four frameworks work together to move from surface-level branding to a structured, psychology-backed execution program that drives results.