February 10th, 2026 9:00a - 10:00a PT
More than half of today’s college undergraduates are the first in their families to earn a degree. Many are already working inside law firms, corporations, and institutions, yet most organizations lack a coherent strategy for developing and retaining them.
In this webinar, Michelle Y. Hoover examines how first-generation professionals (FGPs) experience the workplace, why traditional talent systems often misread their motivations and potential, and how unspoken norms can shape performance and advancement. Participants will learn why first-generation professionals are often highly loyal yet disproportionately at risk of stagnation or exit, and how intentional development of FGPs can strengthen leadership pipelines and long-term workforce stability. We’ll also discuss how organizational systems can be updated to better develop and retain first-generation talent, resulting in an inclusive environment and a smarter, more sustainable approach to talent optimization.
This session focuses primarily on the organizational conditions that shape whether FGPs advance or stagnate. For those interested also in support at the individual level, we suggest revisiting our webinar Navigating the Unwritten Rules of the White-Collar World.
Suggested Audience: Leaders and managers, talent and HR leaders, DEI professionals, mentors and sponsors, and anyone involved in hiring, developing, or retaining talent across the organization.
Presenter: Michelle Y. Hoover - Leadership consultant, executive coach, & author of From First to Fearless
Michelle Y. Hoover is a leadership consultant, executive coach, founder of Baem Leadership, and a leading voice on the identity, mindset, and workplace experience of first-generation professionals (FGPs). From a first-person FGP perspective and two decades of work across global corporations, law firms, nonprofits, and universities, she examines how unspoken norms shape performance, advancement, and retention, and how organizations can better identify, support, and leverage this underrecognized talent pool.
Michelle has designed and delivered leadership development programs for more than 75,000 leaders across five continents. Her clients have included Meta, American Express, and AmLaw 100 firms. She holds a B.A. from Penn State University and an Ed.M. from Harvard University and is the author of the forthcoming book From First to Fearless: Unlocking the Superpowers of First-Generation Professionals.
