JOHN LIPSKY

John Lipsky’s service at the International Monetary Fund coincided with the onset of the greatest economic and financial challenges faced yet by the rapidly globalizing world. Having served as the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director between 2006-2011, as well as Acting Managing Director from May-July 2011, Lipsky helped lead the IMF’s efforts to halt the global downturn and reestablish economic and financial stability and restart growth through unprecedented international policy cooperation in the face of historic market upheavals and systemic disruption. Lipsky offers a unique insight into how economic policy is being negotiated and implemented today, in the face of unprecedented challenges and the global realities of shifting relative power in both economic and political arenas.

DENNIS ROSS

A Middle East adviser to five presidents, Ambassador Dennis B. Ross most recently served as Special Assistant to President Obama as well as National Security Council Senior Director for the Central Region from 2009-2011. Prior to his service, Ambassador Ross was appointed Special Advisor for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, focusing on Iran. For more than twelve years, Ambassador Ross played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process and dealing directly with the parties in negotiations. A highly skilled diplomat, Ambassador Ross’s tireless approach accounted for several successful negotiations.

STEVE STOUTE

When Fortune 500 companies need to reenergize or reinvent a lagging brand, they call Steve Stoute. In addition to marrying cultural icons with blue-chip marketers (Beyoncé or Tommy Hilfiger's True Star fragrance, and Justin Timberlake for "lovin' it" at McDonald's), Stoute has helped identify and activate a new generation.Considered “A McKinsey of Pop Culture,” Stoute's reputation for revolutionizing the relationship between global brands and superstar musicians has been praised by both Forbes Magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek. He has been featured in The New York Times, Adweek, in HBO's documentary The Black List, and in Target's DREAM.DARE.DO campaign for Black History Month. He was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2008 and is a featured speaker at conferences around the country. Steve Stoute’s New York Times Bestseller, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture that Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy shows corporate America how to understand today’s newest consumer, and how to connect with the youth market without seeming inauthentic and staying true to their core brands.

JOAN LUNDEN

An award-winning television journalist, New York Times bestselling author, sought-after motivational and keynote speaker, successful entrepreneur, and one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities, Joan Lunden is one of the most visible women in the country. In her refreshingly straightforward style, Joan shares the candid advice that has motivated her throughout her career, inspiring audiences to take charge of their health, their happiness, and their success. With a keen interest in health and wellness, Joan Lunden has continued to be a reassuring and informative presence in American homes for more than 30 years, whether speaking before millions on television, thousands from a conference dais, hundreds at her women’s wellness camp, or communicating “one-on-one” through her blog. Recent events include: The American Heart Association's 5th Annual "Go Red for Women" Luncheon, Walgreens Managers Seminar, LiveWell Women’s Conference, University of Michigan's "Women's Power Breakfast,” and the Virginia Medical Group Management Association's Fall Conference.

EZEKIEL EMANUEL

Ezekiel Emanuel's is one of the world’s leading scholars of bioethics and healthcare, whose robust experience in the health sector, and recent position as Special Advisor for Health Policy, for the White House Office of Mngmt. and Budget (2009-2011), make him a leading voice on the healthcare debate. He is an author or editor of nine books, including the landmark study The Ends of Human Life, and hundreds of articles and essays, for such leading medical journals as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and JAMA, as well as in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and many other publications. In his presentations, he offers a sweeping picture of U.S. healthcare, including the current cost and quality of healthcare, alternative reform proposals, and a closer look at the Affordable Care Act.

LAWRENCE H. SUMMERS

As director of the White House National Economic Council, Larry Summers has been at the center of the most important policy decisions of Obama's presidency. He was the chief White House advisor to the President on the development and implementation of economic policy; he led the President’s daily economic briefing and was a frequent public spokesman for the Administration’s policies. He served as an architect of the Recovery Act and other job creation measures and the Financial Stability Program. As co-chair of the President Auto Task Force, he led the restructuring of the U.S. automobile industry. He has also played a leading role in managing our international economic relationships including China, developing the President’s health care plan, opening the broadband spectrum, and in international climate negotiations.

DAVID BECKHAM

David Beckham is one of the most iconic athletes and decorated soccer players of all time. Playing for such illustrious teams as Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy and England’s national team, Beckham played an integral role in helping these teams achieve multiple victories, including assisting United to win the World Club Championship in 1999. In 2010, Beckham was honored with the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year- Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognized Beckham’s huge contribution to soccer. In 2003, he was made an Officer in the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. A keen advocate of charitable work, Beckham has supported UNICEF since his days at Manchester United, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 with a special focus on UNICEF's Sports for Development program. Beckham is also on the Leadership Council for charity Malaria No More, a non-profit organization targeting the eradication of malaria in Africa.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a global icon - a mammoth of sports, entertainment, and public life. An immigrant with few resources, except those that really mattered - vision, fire in the belly, and huge charisma - his story is one of classic inspiration and the American dream. Gov. Schwarzenegger shares the four principles that have underpinned his success: have a vision and trust it; break the rules; don't be afraid to fail; and work hard - there are no shortcuts. As the 38th Governor of California, his most notable accomplishments included the nation-leading Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 - a bipartisan agreement to combat global warming by reducing California's greenhouse gas emissions - and overhauling the state's workers' compensation system - cutting costs by more than 35 percent. In addition, Gov. Schwarzenegger was the first governor in decades to make major investments in improving California's aging infrastructure through his Strategic Growth Plan, helping to reduce congestion and clean the air. He established the Hydrogen Highway and Million Solar Roofs Plan, continuing his leadership in creating a greener environment.

ROBERT GIBBS

Robert Gibbs has been an advisor and strategist to President Obama from the early days of Obama's 2004 Senate race to his sweep to the White House. Most recently, he served as President Obama's Press Secretary, presiding over daily press briefings at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Mr. Gibbs has traveled a long road with President Barack Obama, and his rapport and access to the President provides intimate and insightful commentaries. His leadership of President Obama's campaigns makes him a valuable commentator on the upcoming 2012 elections.

KEVIN WARSH

As a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Kevin Warsh was the Fed's chief liaison to Wall Street, and played a significant role in stabilizing the turbulent financial markets of 2007 and 2008. Fortune Magazine named Kevin Warsh to their "40 under 40," a list of business's hottest young rising stars, noting: "When CEOs called the Fed, they often called Warsh first." Take a glance at some of the fascinating speeches Gov. Warsh presented last year. Read more...

VICTORIA REGGIE KENNEDY

Described by The New York Times as the late Senator Edward Kennedy's “closest confidante in politics and life,” Victoria Reggie Kennedy shared her husband’s passion and dream of passing the long-elusive health care reform legislation. That dream was realized on Sunday, March 21, 2010 with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark moment that turned her husband’s dream into reality. “As Ted Kennedy said, across the decades, in the best and in the most discouraging hours, health care was the cause of his life,” said Vicki. “Tonight that cause becomes more than a dream, it becomes America’s commitment…Ted knew we would get here, and all of us who loved him and shared his hopes for America are deeply grateful.” Mrs. Kennedy worked tirelessly with White House and congressional leadership to lobby for this historic health care bill. She told members of Congress “You know no piece of legislation is perfect. But it's so important to make the progress, get the ball rolling. Teddy always talked about not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

RICHARD M. DALEY

According to TIME Magazine, Mayor Richard M. Daley “is widely viewed as the nation’s top urban executive.” As a city CEO, he earned a reputation - both in Chicago and across the U.S. – for acting proactively and implementing forward looking policies, many of which are emulated around the world. His innovative, community-based programs have tackled many of the fundamental challenges facing America today - strengthening the economy by focusing on jobs and businesses of the future, including green technology and clean energy; bringing new businesses and jobs to the community; and creating education initiatives that provide better job and skill training for a workforce that is ready to work in the new economy emerging from the nation's recession. One of the hallmarks of his leadership was pulling the people of Chicago together to "focus on what unites us," challenging the city to work together and put aside politics to focus on shared solutions to Chicago's problems.

CAROL BROWNER

Carol Browner identifies opportunities across many sectors in this economy through sustainability initiatives for businesses to succeed in enhancing corporate responsibility, gaining market access, and developing strategic partnerships and business relationships. Ms. Browner most recently served as Assistant to President Obama and director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, where she oversaw the coordination of environmental, energy, climate, transport, and related policy across the federal government. During her tenure, the White House secured the largest investment ever in clean energy and established the national car policy that included both new automobile fuel efficiency standards and first ever greenhouse gas reductions. Carol Browner is a Senior Counselor of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm.

PETER R. ORSZAG

Peter R. Orszaghas been at the center of some of the most consequential and contentious Washington debates for more than three years: He was head of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for two years while George W. Bush was President before joining the incoming Obama administration. When President Obama named Dr. Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), both Republicans and Democrats praised the choice because of his proven work as CBO head.  Dr. Orszag was one of Obama's top lieutenants on two of the president's signature legislative efforts: the stimulus bill, passed early in the administration, and the healthcare overhaul passed earlier this year. During the process, Dr. Orszag played full-court press, fighting internal battles over the shape of the plan, emerging as a key media spokesperson, and proving himself an adept congressional negotiator.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI

Nobel Prize winner, veteran diplomat, and international lawyer, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei emerged as a high-profile opposition figure in the 2011 Egyptian protests which culminated in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak. Dr. Elbaradei continues efforts to transform Egypt into a democracy that treats people with dignity and respects human rights. Previously, he headed the International Atomic Energy Agency for 12 years, and in 2005, Dr. ElBaradei and the IAEA were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. ElBaradei speaks about democratic reform, global security, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and other subjects that draw upon his experience as an international statesman.

PATRICK KENNEDY

Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy served 16 years in the United States House of Representatives, representing Rhode Island’s first congressional district. He distinguished himself as a leader in Congress on issues of health care, science, veterans, technology, civil rights, and mental health. A founding member of the 21st Century Health Care Caucus, the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus, and the Down Syndrome Caucus, Congressman Kennedy has been a tireless advocate for access to healthcare and advancements in medical research. View a video of Congressman Kennedy, nephew of John F. Kennedy and son of Edward Kennedy talks to CNN's John King about his family's legacy.

WAEL GHONIM

Wael Ghonim, the 30-year-old sparkplug of the Arab Spring, offers one of the most inspiring stories of the Age of Social Marketing: a memoir and manifesto for all of us. Wael is an extraordinary individual, an activist who is literally changing the most important country in the Arab region, redesigning its place in the world and the world’s relationship to it. He helped to mobilize the Arab Spring from his laptop, waking up and engaging a large segment of the population to go into the streets and challenge its status quo. Although Wael doesn’t claim to be political, his social engagement is phenomenal, based on an innate sense of justice and non-violence rather than a study of history or established political precedents.

NAIF AL-MUTAWA

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa is a Kuwaiti clinical psychologist and creator of THE 99, the first group of comic superheroes born of an Islamic archetype. Recently, Forbes named THE 99 one of the top 20 trends sweeping the globe. At The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, President Obama singled out Dr. Al-Mutawa for his contributions to improving the dialogue between Muslim societies and the United States. View video... He was the Opening Plenary Speaker for the NAFSA 2011 Annual Conference & Expo. Read more about this event...

JOHN KAO

John Kao has made a career out of helping organizations go from “getting” the importance of innovation to “getting innovation done.”

Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” by The Economist, John is Chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation, whose i20 group is an association of 30 national ‘Chief Innovation Officers.’  He is considered a leading authority on the subjects of innovation, organizational transformation, and new media. He is author of the best-selling Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, a BusinessWeek best-seller that has been published in a dozen languages, and Innovation Nation: How America is Losing its Innovation Edge, Why It Matters, and What We Can Do To Get It Back.  

Kao’s life and career are a study in innovation: he focused on philosophy and social science at Yale where he earned his BA; he spent a summer as a keyboard player with Frank Zappa (he’s an accomplished jazz pianist); and he graduated Yale Medical School with a specialty in psychiatry. He did his residency at Harvard, where he then earned his MBA and stayed on for 14 years to teach as a Harvard Business School professor. His elective, "Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Organizations" drew some 2,000 MBA students, and the executive program he developed and taught, "Enhancing Corporate Creativity," attracted top executives from companies such as Merck, Merrill Lynch, and Saudi Aramco. He is this year's Chair of the World Economic Forum's (Davos) Global Advisory Council on Innovation.

It is the eclectic quality of Kao’s knowledge and experience that make his insights so useful and unique.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: View a video clip of John Kao speaking at the Tides Momentum Leadership Conference. In a presentation that mixes speech, music, and audience input, Kao talks about the meaning and importance of innovation, how we innovate, and the future as a design problem.

SHEENA IYENGAR

Dr. Sheena Iyengar is the inaugural S.T. Lee Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and the Research Director of the Jerome A. Chazen Institute of International Business. Her research has earned her world renown as an expert on the topic of choice. She has taught Leadership at Columbia Business School for over a decade, earning an Innovation in the Teaching Curriculum award for her work on redesigning the course. In addition, since 1998 she has also taught courses in Globalization, Entrepreneurial Creativity, and Decision Making to MBAs, Executive MBAs, and Executives, including at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Not only is her work acclaimed in academia, but also it has attracted attention in other venues, as well. Her research has been cited in Fortune and TIME magazines, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal, and in books such as Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice. She has also given numerous radio interviews for stations including National Public Radio and the BBC, and appeared on television programs such as the Today show, CBS Sunday Morning News, and CNN International. Dr. Iyengar’s book, The Art of Choosing, which explores the mysteries of choice in everyday life, was chosen as a finalist for the 2010 Financial Times Business Book of the Year award.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: Sheena Iyengar's presentation to a packed house at the TEDxEast event (View video) was so successful that she was invited back to speak at TEDGlobal (View video). Her talk earned thunderous applause and high praise from TED: "We're so excited to share this talk! It's mindblowing."

NICHOLAS CHRISTAKIS

Dr. Nicholas Christakis is a professor at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School who has done groundbreaking research on social networks. He is the co-author of the fantastic new book,Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives. His startling findings present intriguing new evidence that our real-life social networks shape virtually every aspect of our lives. How we feel, whom we marry, whether we fall ill, how much money we make, and whether we vote -- everything hinges on what others around us are doing, thinking, and feeling. Connected shows that our world is governed by the Three Degrees Rule -- we influence and are influenced by people up to three degrees removed from us, most of whom we do not even know. Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world last year by Time Magazine, Dr. Christakis was also recently listed on Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers list and his work has appeared on the front pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and other major media, repeatedly in the past three years. View his recent TED TALK!

JAMES FOWLER

A new kind of social scientist and an expert on the power of social networks, Dr. James H. Fowler is an internationally recognized scholar whose work lies at the intersection of the natural and social sciences. Dr. Fowler melds the social with the biological, pushing the boundaries of his field. Dr. Fowler is the co-author of the bestselling book, Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives. Winner of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship (2010), his research has been covered in more than 2,000 media outlets worldwide, including CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Today, PBS Newshour, The Colbert Report, and appeared on the front pages of The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, as well as being featured in several end-of-year lists such as New York Times Magazine's Year in Ideas, TIME's Year in Medicine (twice), and Harvard Business Review's Breakthrough Business Ideas of the Year. View a video of Dr. Fowler's PopTech talk!

ROXANA SABERI

A political prisoner caught in the middle of a dramatic political struggle between Iran and the U.S., Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi captured the attention of the world when reports surfaced of her imprisonment in Iran. Abducted by four men early one morning in January 2009 and placed in solitary confinement, Ms. Saberi, who was working as a freelance journalist in Tehran, contributing to NPR and the BBC among others, was falsely accused of spying for the United States. Ms. Saberi, a former Miss North Dakota, who led an all-American life before moving to Iran was sentenced to eight years in prison. Her battle for freedom would last 100 days before an appeals court released her following an international uproar.

CATE EDWARDS

In May 2011, Cate Edwards left her job as an attorney to start the Elizabeth Edwards Foundation as a way to spread her mother’s story and reach out in her memory. As President of the Foundation, Cate works with a network of advisers who were close to Elizabeth in order to keep the core of the program focused on three things that were dear to her mother’s heart—mentorship, advocacy and service. Cate and the Foundation are focused on honoring the legacy of Elizabeth Edwards' passion for positive action and compassion for others through the Foundation and its Programs.

JANE PAULEY

As one of broadcasting's most respected journalists for more than 30 years, Jane Pauley's career spans morning, daytime, and primetime television making her one of the most recognizable personalities in America. She served as the co-host of NBC's Today show from 1976 to 1989, anchored Dateline NBC for more than a decade, and in 2004 became the host of her own daytime program, The Jane Pauley Show. That same year, Pauley published her memoir, Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue, which became a New York Times bestseller. Partnering with AARP, Ms. Pauley currently contributes to NBC’s Today show in a monthly series, "Your Life Calling with Jane Pauley," which features people over 50 who have reinvented the way they work and/or live to pursue their life's calling. In addition, she is a highly regarded advocate for mental health, children’s health, and education issues.

JUDITH JAMISON

Judith Jamison- American dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - is a legendary icon in the world of the performing arts. Ms. Jamison, who as a dancer with the troupe, from 1965 to 1980, became the most stellar of modern dance's female performers, was appointed Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in December 1989 at the request of her mentor, Alvin Ailey, who personally chose her to succeed him before his untimely death. In her two decades at the helm of one of the most respected dance companies in America, Ms. Jamison has successfully kept the Alvin Ailey brand alive. In 2009, Ms. Jamison was listed in the TIME 100: The World’s Most Influential People, and honored at "The BET Honors," an event that recognizes the lives and achievements of leading African-American luminaries.

DESIREE ROGERS

Desiree Rogers, chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., has earned a reputation as one of America’s most successful businesswomen. With a Harvard Business School degree and stellar business experience, Rogers has redefined every leadership position that she has held while playing a major philanthropic role in the communities in which she has lived. Rogers is widely credited for her ability to identify and motivate talent to challenge existing assumptions using brand discipline and superior communication skills thus creating new pathways for success.

TOMMY MOTTOLA

Tommy Mottolla is considered one of the most highly regarded and influential executives in the worldwide entertainment business, serving most recently as Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. During his tenure, he transformed Sony and its 18,000 employees into the most successful global music companies in history, expanding its businesses and all of its manufacturing facilities into over 60 countries, while creating one of the strongest management teams in the industry. Under Mottola's leadership, Sony revenues skyrocketed from $800 million to over $7 billion a year, creating the largest sales in the history of the company.

MOIRA FORBES

Moira Forbes is Vice President and Publisher of ForbesWomanand Associate Publisher of ForbesLife magazine. She is also the host of Success with Moira Forbes, a weekly video series featuring candid, one-on-one interviews with today’s top women leaders. Ms. Forbes brings her savvy business perspective to the podium on a variety of issues relating to today's socioeconomic landscape and the affect women have on it. Speech Topics Include: The New Money Manager; America’s Engine: Empowering Entrepreneurship & Small Business Owners; Power Women Leading through Power Change and Global Philanthropy—Changing the World One Woman at a Time.

PHIL ANGELIDES

Phil Angelides recently served as Chairman of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, charged with conducting the nation’s official inquiry into the causes of the financial and economic crisis. The report made the New York Times and Washington Post bestsellers lists and The New York Review of Books hailed it as “the most comprehensive indictment of the American financial failure that has yet been made” and “the definitive history of this period.” In 2010, Mr. Angelides was named by Worth magazine as 7th among the 100 most powerful people in global finance. Mr. Angelides is currently President of Riverview Capital Investments which focuses on clean energy projects and sustainable urban development. From 1999 to 2007, he served as California’s State Treasurer. The Associated Press reported that he made “the sleepy treasurer’s office a policy powerhouse,” and The Sacramento Bee praised Treasurer Angelides as “the most effective and dynamic state treasurer in a generation.”

KENDRICK MEEK

Kendrick Meek was elected to his fourth term in the U.S. House in 2008, representing the 17th Congressional District of Florida. The Miami Herald wrote that Kendrick “has grown in influence and effectiveness in Congress, working across the aisle to promote issues and funding for his district” and that he is “tireless, creative and willing to work across party lines.” Kendrick quickly rose within the congressional ranks. He was an initial member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, a precursor to the Homeland Security Committee where he also served.

DAVID PATERSON

David A. Paterson became New York's 55th Governor on March 17, 2008, the state’s first black governor and only the second legally-blind governor in the nation’s history. Throughout his career, Governor Paterson has demanded and achieved change, reaching across party lines and bringing people together. He has led the charge on several crucial issues, achieving legislation for a $600 million New York stem cell research initiative, putting forth a statewide renewable energy strategy, insisting on strong action to combat domestic violence, and serving as the primary champion for minority- and women-owned businesses in New York.

INGRID BETANCOURT

Ingrid Betancourt is a global symbol of freedom and human resistance in the face of the toughest of adversities. Her fight for democracy, freedom and peace has been a shining example of dignity and bravery for the entire world. Guerrillas belonging to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) kidnapped Ms. Betancourt as she campaigned for the Colombian presidency on February 23, 2002. She was held captive for six years in Colombia’s vast rain forest, a jungle so dense that the ground is completely invisible from the air. On July 2, 2008, she was liberated with 14 other hostages in a daring rescue staged by the Colombian army. Ms. Betancourt has received multiple international awards, including the French National Order of the Legion of Honor and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

LIZ CHENEY

Liz Cheney’s experiences in the government, private sector and American politics over the last 20 years have given her a unique insight into a wide range of critical issues facing the United States today. Since January 2009, she has been a leading voice in the debates about the future of American foreign and national security policy. During the Bush Administration, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East, where she established and managed programs to empower women and bring economic, political and educational reform to the Arab World. An attorney who has practiced in the private sector and in the World Bank Group, she is currently collaborating with her father, Dick Cheney, on his memoirs and frequently appears on FOX, CNN, MSNBC, and ABC. A lifetime in politics, an expertise in Middle East policy, a range of experiences inside and outside the private sector, and her role in the critical debates taking place today make her a fascinating and inspiring speaker.