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Anita Dunn
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A Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden, Anita Dunn has played a significant role in shaping modern political strategy and public policy. Previously, Dunn served as White House Communications Director under President Obama, where she managed messaging during critical moments of his presidency. President Joe Biden called her “an invaluable part of our White House.”
Named one of Washingtonian’s “Most Powerful Women,” Dunn has broken barriers and holds a unique role in Washington, having been the only person who has served as a senior advisor of the winning campaigns for two different presidents. Dunn currently serves as an advisor to Future Forward. Dunn’s expertise in managing communications during high-stakes situations, especially from her time in the White House, provides a rich source of lessons for organizations in any field.
Phil Elwood
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Public relations operative Phil Elwood has worked for some of the top – and bottom – PR firms in Washington. Elwood has worked across various industry sectors including tech, energy, health, and financial services. He has provided communications and media support for executive visibility initiatives, corporate reputation and recovery campaigns, corporate milestone announcements, and enterprise-level issues. Elwood is also an experienced media trainer who can work with clients on message development and help prepare for high-profile interviews, speaking events, and congressional testimonies. But as he moved up the ranks, he felt worse and worse about the sleaziness of it all—until he received a shocking wake-up call from the FBI. His experiences are detailed in his instant Amazon #1 New Release, All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons, and Politicians. Elwood’s disarmingly funny and entertaining voice reveals all the industry-secret tactics that led to his rise as a political PR pro.
Elwood is also an experienced media trainer who can work with clients on message development and help prepare for high-profile interviews, speaking events, and congressional testimonies. An experienced communications professional, Elwood leads corporate communications engagements, providing strategic counsel and media relations expertise for a range of clients spanning corporations, brands, governments, and organizations. Whether addressing corporate executives or emerging leaders, Elwood’s expertise and mastery of strategic communication make him an invaluable addition to any event.
Indra Nooyi
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Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi is a business powerhouse, globally renowned for leading the company through a decade of tremendous growth and change. Praised for her prescient and strategic thinking, she was responsible for growing PepsiCo's revenues from $35 billion when she became CEO, to $63.5 billion in 2017. She oversaw a portfolio of global brands and diversified products enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 180 countries and territories around the world. As PepsiCo’s director of global strategy for over a decade, Nooyi led the company's restructuring, including the divestiture of its restaurants into the successful YUM! Brands, Inc; the acquisition of Tropicana and merger with Quaker Oats; the merger with PepsiCo’s anchor bottlers; and the acquisition of Wimm-Bill-Dann, the largest international acquisition in PepsiCo’s history. An advisor to several early-stage companies, Ms. Nooyi currently serves on the boards of Amazon, Philips, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Partnership for Public Service, and is an independent director of the International Cricket Council. She is a trustee at the National Gallery of Art, and is on the Dean’s Advisory Council at MIT’s School of Engineering.
Celebrated for her hallmark motto of "do well by doing good," Nooyi was chief architect of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s pledge to do what’s right for the business by being responsive to the needs of the world through sustainable growth initiatives such as making healthier and more nutritious products, limiting the company's environmental footprint, and empowering associates and people in the communities PepsiCo serves. With multiple appearances in Forbes' "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women," Fortune's "Most Powerful Women," and TIME's "100 Most Influential People in The World," Nooyi has been sought-out for her unparalleled business insights and empowering messages on leadership, inclusivity and change everywhere from The World Economic Forum to The Aspen Institute. In 2019, her portrait was inducted into the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and in 2022 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future, published by Penguin Portfolio in September 2021, and teaches the MasterClass "Leading with Purpose."
Lori Greiner
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Heralded as a legendary entrepreneur and inventor, Lori Greiner started with one idea and turned it into a multi-million-dollar international brand. Recognized as one of the most prolific inventors of retail products of our time, Lori has created and marketed over 1,000 products, holds 120 U.S. and international patents, and has a 90% success rate for new items launched. Lori is known for her impeccable negotiating skills and uncanny ability to know, identify, and launch emerging brands.
Lori is a leading Shark on ABC’s four-time Emmy-winning entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, where she invests in companies and helps turn peoples’ dreams into a reality. Lori has brought her engaging expertise on innovation, growth, and the world of business to groups including Verizon, Coldwell Banker, PayPal, IBM, Adobe, Chase, and many more.
At the heart of Lori’s success is the winning combination of her talent, hard work, and perseverance. A strong role model and true inspiration to many, she was honored with the Sherry Lansing "Woman of the Year" Award and by the Paley Center as an Important Woman in Television, listed as one of Success Magazine’s "Top 25 Personal and Professional Development Influencers to Follow," ranked by Business Insider Magazine as one of the "Top 30 Best Women Early-Stage Investors of 2023," and voted as a fan favorite on Shark Tank. Lori is a committed philanthropist and author of the international bestseller Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!. A force to be reckoned with in the business world and beyond, Lori delivers empowering insights and buzz-worthy takeaways, emboldening her audience to thrive in work and in life.
Cody Keenan
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Cody Keenan wrote alongside President Barack Obama for 14 years, rising from a campaign intern in Chicago and deputy pirate to become Obama’s chief speechwriter at the White House and his post-presidential collaborator. He’s been named the “Springsteen” of the Obama White House, even though he can’t play an instrument, and Obama calls him “Hemingway” for reasons that have little to do with his talent or seasonal beard (ask him sometime). Even British GQ once named Cody one of the “35 Coolest Men under 38 (and a Half),” ahead of Ryan Gosling, but behind Tom Hardy.
Together, Keenan and Obama crafted some of the most unforgettable speeches of our time. From Tucson to Newtown to Charleston, Cody helped Obama fill his role as Consoler-in-Chief. From a sermon in Selma to Obama’s Farewell Address, the two redefined the essence of the American creed and charted an inspiring, optimistic course for a new generation’s active citizenship. Their collaborations have been compared to the work of Abraham Lincoln, described as “the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech for the 21st century,” and categorized even by prominent Republicans as “speeches every child should read in school.”
A sought-after expert on politics, messaging, and current affairs, Cody is now a partner at leading speechwriting firm Fenway Strategies and teaches a popular course on political speechwriting to undergraduates at his alma mater Northwestern University. His first book, GRACE: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America, became an instant New York Times Bestseller.
Cody’s commencement addresses at NYU in 2015 and Northwestern in 2018 were highlighted as some of the year’s best, and in 2020, Northwestern’s graduating class of seniors chose him over all other professors to deliver their “Last Lecture.” He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Morning Joe, The Today Show, Showtime’s The Circus, and often live in studio after State of the Union Addresses, and he continues to be a sought-after speaker for events with audiences of all kinds.
With his humor, unparalleled insight, and aversion to cynicism, Cody regularly receives rave reviews from his hosts, like this one from Hilton Hotels: “Cody stole the show at our global corporate affairs gathering. He brought his warmth, richness of experience, and incredible sense of humor together to give us the guidance we needed to cultivate authentic storytelling at Hilton. I was not surprised to see that he rated the top speaker in our program.”
Joe Lockhart
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Joe Lockhart is widely recognized as one of the top communications and public affairs professionals in the world, and offers strategic communications counsel to CEOs, C-suite executives, and Washington's most powerful leaders. He knows how to handle a crisis and regain control of a narrative, honed through decades of experience in public affairs, corporate communications, administration, and political campaigns. Lockhart is perhaps best known for his service as White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2000. He has also worked for the National Football League (NFL) as executive vice president, overseeing communications, government affairs, social responsibility and philanthropy, and for Facebook as vice president of global communications. Lockhart's current role is to advise corporations and organizations on their communications strategies and vulnerabilities. He was vice chairman for public affairs at Edelman; he was also previously the founding partner and managing director of the Glover Park Group, and was executive vice president at Bozell Sawyer Miller.
An award-winning journalist, he is also a frequent contributor to CNN and reflects on the week's news with Katie Barlow as they co-host the Words Matter podcast.
Desiree Rogers
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Former White House Social Secretary and business executive Desiree Rogers has helped major organizations reinvent business models and reach new and more diverse audiences with tangible results. The first black CEO and Co-Owner of Black Opal Beauty and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the first black female CEO of a Fortune 500 Company, and a former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, Rogers is heralded for her uncanny business acumen and innovative approach to marketing and brand development. Beyond her experience in the private sector, Rogers was appointed by President Obama as White House Social Secretary, re-positioning the White House as the “People’s House” and implementing innovative events.
Named to the "50 Most Influential People in the Multicultural Market" by WWD, "Top 25 Women to Watch" by Crain's Chicago Business, and "Top 50 Most Powerful African American Business Women" by Black Enterprise, Rogers offers insights on everything from how to make marketing work in a digital and global age, to how to talk about race and foster a positive, inclusive work environment. Sought-out to speak at Chicago Ideas, TED, the Society for Human Resource Management, and more, Rogers has the unique ability to connect with her audience, energize and inspire teams, and illuminate new strategic pathways and operational approaches.
Capricia Marshall
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As a former U.S. Chief of Protocol (2009-13), White House Social Secretary (1997-2001), and Special Assistant to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton (1993-97), Capricia Marshall has set the stage for diplomacy at the highest levels. Ambassador Marshall has devoted her life to public service, working to transform and create new methods of global engagement to build international goodwill.
Ambassador Marshall provides audiences with illuminating insight into the art of diplomacy, the power of protocol, and actionable strategies for effective communication and relationship-building. Consistently recognized as one of the leading female power players in Washington, Marshall is an inductee of the BizBash Hall of Fame as an "event industry game-changer," has been featured in Elle's "Setting the Agenda: How 43 Women are Changing the World for Women," as well as Elle's "10 Most Powerful Women in DC," and Washington Life's "Power 100."
Karen Hughes
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One of the world's foremost communication strategists, Karen Hughes specializes in strategic messaging, crisis communications, and executive positioning with clients ranging from global corporations to Fortune 500 CEOs. She was inducted into the PR Hall of Fame for her work as worldwide vice chair of BCW Global. Hughes has also served as counselor to President George W. Bush and Under Secretary of the State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. As counselor to the President, she managed the White House Offices of Communications, Media Affairs, Speechwriting, and Press Secretary. As Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, she oversaw three bureaus at the Department of State: Educational and Cultural Affairs, Public Affairs, and International Information Programs, and participated in foreign policy development at the State Department. In the private sector, Hughes has served on the Microsoft Advisory Council for Policy and Politics (MAC) since 2011, as Principal of Message Matters, and as former Worldwide Vice Chair of global communications firm BCW (2008-2022). Hughes’ diverse expertise at the highest levels of communication across the public and private sectors imbues her with a compelling ability to tailor presentations to provide a directed expert perspective.
Hughes has spoken at Boston College, Merril Lynch, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, and many more. The Union League Club of Chicago, yet another happy host, said, “It was obvious from her remarks that she had given a great deal of thought to her address, and she touched upon all the right notes... A big home run!”
Peter Sheahan
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After decades of standing in the fire with leaders of high-performing organizations, Peter Sheahan has come to believe that an organization will only go commercially where its leaders first go personally.
Having grown his own companies by accelerating the growth and transformation for clients that include: Apple; Chick-fil-A; DeBeers; and AT&T -- Peter will provoke you to get bigger, by getting better! When leaders are true to their purpose, they gravitate towards doing work that matters and solving higher-order problems. The journey to get there requires that they have the courage to tell themselves the truth, take intelligent risks, and assume ownership for driving the alignment necessary to build an organization which behaves in ways worthy of its leadership position.
In being true to his own ambitions and relentless pursuit of growth, Peter has published seven books, built three global companies and delivered more than 2,500 presentations in 40+ countries. Today he is focused exclusively on inspiring leaders to do the hard work required to accelerate growth and transformation.
Seth Mattison
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With his finger on the pulse of the changing nature of work and leadership, Seth Mattison blends storytelling from his own personal experience working with category-leading brands with cutting-edge research to develop fresh perspectives on the issues most relevant for organizations to thrive today.
Seth is an internationally recognized thought leader, author, advisor, and top- rated keynote speaker on talent management, high-performance cultures, leadership, and the Future of Work.
His research, case studies, and thought leadership focus on inspiring audiences, while sharing actionable strategies to support individuals and organizations in their pursuit to be future-ready.
For almost two decades, Seth has shared his insights with tens of thousands of business leaders around the globe for many of the world’s most recognizable brands including Mastercard, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, The Dallas Cowboys, AT&T, PepsiCo, GE Energy, E&Y, Caterpillar, and The Walt Disney Company, to name a few.
In addition to speaking, Seth is the founder and CEO of FutureSight Labs, an org design and transformation firm that supports many of the world’s most inspiring leaders by helping prepare themselves and their organizations for the Future of Work through research, training, advising, coaching, digital tools, and thought leadership.
Nataly Kogan
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A leading expert on leadership and thriving, Nataly Kogan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur whose superpower is helping people to reinvent their stories and unlock their best, thriving selves.
Nataly immigrated to the US as a refugee from the former Soviet Union when she was 13 years old. Starting her American life in the projects and on welfare, she learned English by watching “Who’s the Boss?” on repeat.
She went on to reach the highest levels of career success at McKinsey and Microsoft, as a Managing Director at a venture capital fund, and as founder or executive at 5 startups and tech companies.
But after years of chasing a non-existent state of nirvana, Nataly suffered a debilitating burnout that led her to find a new way to live and work. Nataly founded Happier Inc., whose gratitude-sharing mobile app, courses, Happier @ Work, and leadership programs have helped more than a million people lead more fulfilling lives.
She is a sought-after international keynote speaker and has appeared in hundreds of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and TIME.
Nataly is the author of Happier Now, The Awesome Human Project, and The Awesome Human Journal, and hosts The Awesome Human Podcast, which people call their “best-self hour.”
Nataly began painting when she turned 40 and is a self-taught abstract artist. She is passionate about the power of art to fuel our wellbeing and often integrates it in her speaking and mentorship work.
She loves yellow, overuses the word “awesome”, and is the funniest person in her family. (Just ask her husband and daughter, her favorite awesome humans.)
For more, visit natalykogan.com.
Shane Feldman
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An accomplished entrepreneur and respected thought leader on human connection, Shane Feldman has traveled the world, embedding himself in local cultures across 100 cities and 40 countries, uncovering practical strategies that help leaders create engaged communities.
In this digital age of distraction and disconnection, our leaders are facing a community crisis spanning all generations. Shane's "Leadership Passport" framework helps companies cultivate a work environment centered around community, enabling individuals and teams to perform at their highest levels. As a leading international speaker for more than a decade, Shane has customized high-energy keynotes for dynamic brands across every sector, including Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, PwC, YPO, TD Bank, Shopify, ADP, and Kaiser Permanente.
Shane has been recognized by Presidents, Prime Ministers, the White House and United Nations, and named one of North America’s Top 40 Under 40 LGBTQ+ Leaders. He has been featured by Oprah, Larry King, Forbes, People Magazine, and is the subject of a TV series from A&E.
In this new era, brands are struggling to optimize team culture, leadership, recruitment and loyalty. Through his firsthand experiences travelling the globe and spearheading the entrepreneurship incubator, Count Me In, Shane has decoded frameworks that help leaders build better relationships, and better workplaces.
During his tenure as CEO, Shane helped initiate more than 30,000 Count Me In projects worldwide, contributing a value of over $2.6 billion to the global economy. Shane started Count Me In in 2008 as a school project. With an alumni network spanning 6 continents, Count Me In became a social entrepreneurship incubator, engaging 10-million members in 104 countries.
Shane is a Venture Partner and co-founder of several multinational companies including a fintech startup, advisory firm and boutique hospitality group.
Julie Williamson
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Dr. Williamson is a Vice President of Strategy and Research for Karrikins Group, where she has worked with some of the world's largest companies, helping them set and execute on strategy and transformation. She is a leading voice in how organizations link together communication, design, strategy, sales, marketing and service to deliver sustainable growth. She uses both traditional and forward looking resources in her strategy and transformation work, leveraging design thinking to help client arrive at solutions that are informed by data and inspired by creativity.
Her work with Peter Sheahan on the recently released book MATTER: Create more value, move beyond the competition, and become the obvious choice highlights Julie’s commitment to working with clients to find and deliver on opportunities for growth and development.
Julie is an educator and a professional, teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses on organizational strategy, behavior, and change, and helping students connect the theoretical concepts to real-world applications. Her work with knowledge management and leadership development has been put to the test with Fortune 100 companies and stands well outside of the classroom.
Susan Cain
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Co-founder of Quiet Revolution, LLC; one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business; an accomplished corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant for clients such as JP Morgan, GE, and Merrill Lynch; and author of the award winning bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking–Susan Cain is a (quiet) force to be reckoned with.
A self-proclaimed introvert, she is soft-spoken yet powerful, witty, and incredibly engaging. Cain has received high praise for her presentations at Google, Microsoft, Harvard, West Point, the SEC and the U.S. Treasury and is the recipient of several awards, including the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership. Through her countless appearances in popular media, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, CBS This Morning and NPR, Cain shows audiences how to tap into their “quiet side” and leverage talents typically associated with introverts.
Robert Cialdini
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Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
His books including, Influence: Science & Practice, are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. Influence has sold over 2 million copies, is a New York Times Bestseller and has been published in twenty-seven languages. His latest publication is Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade.
Because of the world-wide recognition of Dr. Cialdini’s cutting edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the “Godfather of influence.”
Andrew M. Davis
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Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, Andrew produced for NBC and worked for The Muppets. He's appeared in the New York Times and on the Today Show. He's crafted documentary films and award-winning content for tiny start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. Today, Andrew Davis teaches business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy.
Gail Evans
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"Love the Game" -With those words Gail Evans concludes one of the most successful and influential books about women in the workplace. Ironically, many women did not even know the game existed before Evans taught them how to win in the workplace. When it comes to the success of women in the workplace, Evans is a leading source. She has appeared on The Today Show and Larry King Live, and has been featured in The New York Times and USA Today. She has spoken and given lectures to many of the world's leading companies including GE, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, KPMG, BellSouth, The Southern Company, and SCANA Energy. Evans is currently an associate professor at Georgia Tech's School of Management.
Mark DeVolder
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Dr. Mark DeVolder is a global change management expert and thought leader on transitions and transformation. As a pioneer in the field, Mark launched a new way to navigate change … empowering leaders to move confidently through change.
Mark’s transformational message has inspired leaders and teams at top organizations like McDonald’s, US Air Force, Royal Bank of Canada, PwC, and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. In over 25 countries and on 5 continents, Mark has guided high profile clients through some the most daunting challenges: from coaching NASA rocket scientists in reinventing themselves to steering healthcare professionals through multi-billion dollar mergers, to fostering a safety-first culture in leading oil industry firms.
In his ground-breaking book, Perpetual Pivot: How the Best Leaders Thrive during Exponential Change, Dr. DeVolder shares insights and strategies gleaned from years of experience at the forefront of change management. Mark teaches the unique strategy of Empowered Change™, equipping leaders and teams to adapt to change and embrace challenges in order to accelerate growth and transformation.
Mark's keynotes deliver more than just engagement and insight; they are also fun, packed with practical tips and actionable takeaways that attendees can start using right away. People frequently praise Mark's high energy, audience engagement, and inspiring message, which not only ignites excitement about the future but also equips them with the practical tools and knowledge to capitalize on opportunities for growth in the midst of change.
Ryan Estis
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Ryan Estis has more than 20 years of experience as a top-performing sales professional and leader. As the former chief strategy officer for the McCann Worldgroup advertising agency NAS, he brings a fresh perspective to business events. As a keynote speaker, Ryan is known for his innovative ideas on leading change, improving sales effectiveness and preparing for the future of work. He was recently recognized as one of “the best keynote speakers ever heard” by Meetings & Conventions magazine alongside Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, Colin Powell and Mike Ditka.
Keith Ferrazzi
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Keith Ferrazzi radically transforms teams by offering leaders the inspiration and the road map to catapult their organizations forward, make up for lost time, embrace new realities, and win new frontiers.
His newest best-seller, Competing in the New World of Work, offers a bold new vision for what the organization of the future looks like — digital, distributed, inclusive, resilient, empathic — and the emerging best leadership practices that will redefine success in the ever-evolving world of work.
Based on an ambitious global research initiative involving thousands of executives, innovators, and change-makers who have redefined their strategies, business models, organizational systems, and even their cultures, Ferrazzi documents the workplace innovations that emerged during the pandemic and shows leaders how to shape their organizations and practices to remain competitive in a new, post-pandemic context.
Also the author of Who’s Got Your Back, Never Eat Alone, and Leading Without Authority, and he’s an entrepreneur, Founder & Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight, and an executive team coach to some of the most prominent organizations in the world. He’s a thought leader and frequent contributor to publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company. Keith has been at the forefront of remote team transitions since his published research appeared in Harvard Business Review.
In his speeches, he examines how the pandemic forced us to shed antiquated ways of doing business and make bold leaps into the future of work and reveals the emerging best practices of thousands of C-suite executives on how to remain competitive and impactful in a post-pandemic world. You’ll leave inspired and ready to catapult your organization forward, embrace new realities, and discover new frontiers.
Kindra Hall
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Kindra Hall told her first story in the spring of 1992.
Long before storytelling became a business buzzword, Kindra was fulfilling a 5th grade language arts assignment by reading a story to a room full of out-of-control 3rd graders. Instead of reading from the pages, Kindra set the storybook aside and told the story herself. Within the first few sentences, she held those unruly 3rd graders in the palm of her hand and knew, in that moment, she had stumbled upon something powerful.
Since that time, Hall has become the go-to expert for storytelling in business and beyond. She is the best-selling author of Stories that Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business. Stories that Stick debuted at #2 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller List, and companies like Forbes and Gartner say it “may be the most valuable business book you read.” Her second book, Choose Your Story, Change Your Life is one of the Next Big Idea Club’s top 10 happiness books. Her newest book, The Story Edge, inspires leaders to harness the power of stories to win in business.
Kindra Hall is a sought-after storytelling keynote speaker trusted by global brands to deliver messages that inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products and their individuality through strategic storytelling. Hall is also the former Chief Storytelling Officer at Success Magazine where she shared the inspiring, often untold, stories of achievers like Daymond John, Deepak Chopra, James Altucher and Misty Copeland in print and on the podcast Success Stories with Kindra Hall.
Kindra lives in Manhattan with her husband, young son and daughter. When she is not traveling the world speaking, Kindra can usually be found at spin class, spending time with friends or exploring the city with her family.
Sheila Heen
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Sheila Heen is a founder of Triad Consulting Group and a lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School.
Heen’s corporate clients include MITRE, BAE Systems, HSBC, Tatweer of Dubai, Unilever, the Federal Reserve Bank, Standard Bank of South Africa, Merck, and numerous family businesses. She often works with executive teams, helping them to work through conflict, repair working relationships, and make sound decisions together. In the public sector, she has also provided training for the New England Organ Bank, the Singapore Supreme Court, the Obama White House, and theologians struggling with disagreement over the nature of truth and God.
Heen has spent the last 20 years with the Harvard Negotiation Project, developing negotiation theory and practice. She specializes in particularly difficult negotiations—where emotions run high and relationships become strained. Heen is co-author of the New York Times business best sellers Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Penguin 2000), and Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It’s Off-Base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered and Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood) (Viking/Penguin 2014).
One of the side benefits of writing Difficult Conversations has been the chance to appear on shows as diverse as Oprah and The G. Gordon Liddy Show, NPR’s Diane Rehms Show, FOX News, and CNBC’s Power Lunch.
Heen is a graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles, and Harvard Law School. She is schooled in negotiation daily by her three children.
Robert Herjavec
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From delivering newspapers to waiting on tables to launching a computer company from his basement, Robert Herjavec applied his immense energy and ambition with outstanding success. The firms he created proved so outstanding in their operation that they attracted companies such as AT&T and Nokia, who purchased them from Herjavec to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Herjavec’s motivational business advice has received millions of impressions through TV, print, radio and digital media. He shares his expertise with other entrepreneurs each week as a leading Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show, Shark Tank.
Sally Hogshead
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Her recent book, FASCINATE: How to Make Your Brand Impossible to Resist was a New York Times bestseller. Her previous book, HOW THE WORLD SEES YOU, was a #1 Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestseller. Drawing upon her branding principles, Sally created a method to identify how each person is able to captivate their listeners. The Fascination Advantage®, is the first communication assessment that measures how others perceive you. After researching over one million people, her algorithm can pinpoint your most valuable differentiating traits--not how you see the world – but how the world sees you. At IBMs Smarter Global Business Summit, she shared with the audiences the importance of understanding how their customers see their business.
In her early career in advertising, Sally quickly skyrocketed to the top, becoming the most awarded advertising copywriter in the U.S. by age 24. Her campaigns for brands such as MINI Cooper, Nike, Godiva and Coca-Cola have fascinated millions of consumers. At the age of 27, she opened her first ad agency and her work still hangs in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. She frequently appears in national media, including on NBC’s Today show and the New York Times.
Named as the No.1 Brand Guru in the World, her practical marketing system now lives inside organizations such as IBM, Twitter, and the YMCA, as well as thousands of small businesses. Sally is one of only 172 members of the Speaker Hall of Fame®, the industry’s highest award for professional excellence.
Shep Hyken
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Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. Shep works with companies and organizations who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. His articles have been read in hundreds of publications, and he is the author of Moments of Magic®, The Loyal Customer, The Cult of the Customer, The Amazement Revolution, Amaze Every Customer Every Time, Be Amazing or Go Home, and The Convenience Revolution. He is also the creator of The Customer Focus™, a customer service training program which helps clients develop a customer service culture and loyalty mindset.
Mark Jeffries
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Former stockbroker Mark Jeffries has become a much sought-after Keynote Speaker and leading event Moderator/MC across USA, Canada and Europe. Mark has spoken in front of more than 100,000 event delegates, published two books, appeared on Network TV numerous times and now launches his innovative e-learning course - "The Art of Business Influence - Selling without Selling".
In addition to Mark's fantastic keynotes, he has also mastered the art of moderating corporate events. Mark Jeffries has rapidly become the go-to-person for facilitating, moderating, and ‘MC-ing’ multinational events for organizations around the globe.
As Mark will create an independent and unique presentation from his core keynote for every different client, you can guarantee a session that will feel absolutely dedicated to your people, targets and objectives.
Daymond John
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An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand, and a pioneer in the fashion industry with over $6 billion in product sales. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author of five books including his most recent, Powershift: Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal, and Achieve Any Outcome, and star of ABC's Shark Tank, where millions of weekly viewers tune into the show as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights. His marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands has made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today.
Each of Daymond John’s keynotes are customized to fit your specific objectives. They are informative yet entertaining and involve: lots of humor, high-energy, and audience-speaker interaction. Daymond uses compelling stories from his rags-to-riches journey to illustrate his points and always leaves audience members with practical, tangible, and invaluable tools to incorporate into their professional as well as personal endeavors. With over twenty years of phenomenally successful business experience, Daymond has the ability speak on a wide-range of business-related matters.
Earvin 'Magic' Johnson
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NBA Hall of Famer and member of the original Dream Team, Earvin “Magic” Johnson has become one of the most powerful and respected African-American businessmen and philanthropists in the world. In 1991, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation, which serves as a single-disease organization that works to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. Celebrating over 20 years of success, the Magic Johnson Foundation has become one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations around the world.
Beyond his philanthropic work, Johnson has successfully parlayed his skills and tenacity on the court into the business world. Johnson is the founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE), a global empire that is a catalyst for fostering community growth and economic empowerment through high-quality entertainment and products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse communities. MJE has a wide range of business endeavors ranging from sports ownership to food service and facility management, produces quality works in film, television and publishing, and represents the biggest names in media and entertainment. With his unique positioning as a businessman spanning multiple industries and generations, he aims to help companies expand and foster a positive impact domestically and globally.
During his athletic career, Johnson earned five NBA championship rings and led the Los Angeles Lakers to nine NBA finals. He has won three MVP awards and played in 12 NBA All-Star games. A member of the original Dream Team, he earned a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. As a speaker, Johnson inspired audiences with the real-life story of his remarkable rise, his philosophy for success, and empowering message on how to create the best possible future.
Josh Linkner
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Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and a globally-recognized innovation expert.
Doug Lipp
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Candid. Passionate. Relevant. Doug Lipp is on a mission to help organizations strengthen their corporate culture, boost performance, amplify employee morale, and unapologetically, have fun while doing it. Doug is one of the most trusted and respected business speakers and coaches in the world and is sought after for his expertise in helping organizations build adaptive, world-class service cultures that fuel growth and long-term success. He is a distinguished, bestselling author and former head of training team at the legendary Disney University corporate headquarters. Doug has established a career and shaped an industry around the idea that culture is the preeminent factor driving business success.
Kelly McDonald
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Kelly McDonald is considered one of the nation’s top experts in leadership, marketing, the customer experience and consumer trends. Her client experience includes brands such as Toyota, IIABA, NASA, Kimberly-Clark, Nike, Harley-Davidson, Great Clips, Miller Beer, and Sherwin-Williams. Kelly was named one of the “10 Most Booked Speakers in the U.S.” and ranked #1 on the list of “25 Hot Speakers” by Successful Meetings Magazine. She has been featured on CNBC, in Forbes, INC. Magazine, BusinessWeek, CEO World, Fast Company, and more. She is the author of four bestselling books. Her newest, It’s Time to Talk about Race at Work: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is one of the top Bestselling Business Books in the U.S.
Jerry Michalski
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Jerry Michalski helps people see the future differently. As a top tech analyst during the Dot-Com era, Jerry helped shape the worlds of software and online services, paving the way for online community, blogging, wikis, social media and more. He advises organizations large and small on how to navigate the waves of technological and social change that are transforming their industries and our world. Briefly put, producers could once mostly ignore consumers, telling them what was on offer and what they should want. Now the playing field is much more level. People are not mere consumers. Companies are realizing this, which is leading to a humanization of capitalism. The problem is, most companies don’t know how to be human, strange as that may seem. Jerry helps organizations become more human by offering unique perspectives on innovation, automation, big data, reputation, trust, authenticity, intent, purpose and other words that frighten the lawyers. He does this by guiding conversations into deep waters, framing issues crisply and clearly, and opening new possibilities.
Jerry is unique in being able to bring 26 years of contextualized, curated information to bear on your questions, live and virtually. Your participants will jump in their seats when they take part in this process.
Mel Robbins
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Mel Robbins is the creator and host of the award-winning The Mel Robbins Podcast, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She has amassed 25M followers online and is considered the most sought-after expert in life improvement, mindset, and behavior change. The Wall Street Journal calls her a “billion-view podcaster” and TIME Magazine says she gives millions of listeners around the globe “a reason to believe in themselves.”
Her books have been translated into 50 languages and include the #1 New York Times, #1 Amazon, #1 Audible, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling The Let Them Theory, which is the most successful non-fiction book launch in history, with over 1.2M copies sold within a month of its release date. She is also the author of the multimillion-copy-selling The 5 Second Rule, The High Five Habit, and seven #1 audiobook releases on Audible.
USA Today calls Mel “a force to be reckoned with.” She is a global phenomenon in the publishing industry and podcasting. Her Boston-based media production company, 143 Studios, produces award-winning content, podcasts, events, audio series, online courses, journals, and books, along with professional development education for partners like Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, JP Morgan Chase, LinkedIn, Headspace, and Audible.
The Mel Robbins Podcast has won some of the most prestigious awards given to podcasts, including Webby, Signal Awards, and more. It was also recognized as one of Apple Podcasts' Top Shared and Followed Shows of 2024 and 2023 and Spotify Top Global Shows of 2024. Notable accolades for Robbins include being a Forbes 50 Over 50 Honoree, USA Today Top 5 Mindset & Performance Coaches in the World, and one of the fifty most influential influencers on The Hollywood Reporter’s Creator A-List in 2024.
Mike Walsh
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Mike Walsh is the CEO of Tomorrow, a global consultancy on designing business for the 21st century. He advises leaders on how to thrive in this era of disruptive technological change.
Rather than focusing on the distant future, Mike takes an anthropological approach – scanning the near horizon for emerging technologies and disruptive shifts in human behavior, and then translating these into pragmatic plans for business transformation. A prolific writer and commentator, Mike’s views have appeared in a wide range of international publications including BusinessWeek, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal.
Mike’s clients include many of the global Fortune 500, and as a sought-after keynote speaker he regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons alike.
Ty Bennett
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When Ty was 21 years old, he and his brother Scott started a business in direct sales, which they built to over $20 million in annual revenue while still in their twenties. Since that time, he has developed over 500 sales managers globally with sales and leadership in 37 countries. As a young entrepreneur, Ty continues to engage his team’s focus to grow sales. He uses the power of influence and storytelling to get buy-in to the vision of growing their multimillion-dollar sales organization.
With a natural ability to engage and empower others, Ty draws on his experience in the trenches to share real and tangible techniques about the principles of leadership that continue to create his success. The founder of Leadership Inc., who has been featured as one of the Top 40 Under 40, Ty is a young fresh voice providing interactive presentations that are engaging, dynamic and inspiring.
His clients include some of the most recognizable brands in the world such as: Coca-Cola, Subway, Wounded Warrior Project, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Remax. Ty has shared the stage with celebrities, Olympians and world-renowned thought leaders such as President Bush and President Clinton.
Ty’s best-selling books – The Power of Influence and The Power of Storytelling: The Art of Influential Communication – are used in graduate courses at multiple universities including MIT, as today’s version of “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
Jeff Evans
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GUIDE / GĪD /NOUN : ONE WHO SHOWS THE WAY BY LEADING, DIRECTING OR ADVISING
Jeff reminds us that, in fact, we are all guides in some capacity… professionally and personally. By utilizing real life stories, vivid images and thrilling video from his adventures as an expedition leader and guide around the globe, Jeff is able to extract the impactful themes that are applicable for every audience member and weave them into memorable, humorous, thought-provoking and paradigm shifting keynotes.
For over 25 years, Jeff’s experiences have helped him master the skills of selfless leadership, teamwork, communication and trust. Many of these skills have been acquired through guiding blind climber Erik Weihenmayer on extraordinarily challenging objectives including the summit of Mt Everest and a 2nd place finish on ABC’s adventure series, Expedition Impossible. Countless other impactful stories were garnered from his experience as the co-founder and Expedition Leader for the injured US veteran program, No Barriers Warriors.
The culmination of Jeff's adventures, skills and messaging have been showcased in recent years as he has taken on the role as team lead and chief medic for multiple high intensity medical aid missions. From leading a search and rescue team of Sherpas and helicopter pilots on the flanks of Mt Everest rescuing climbers, to serving as the lead medic for a trauma team on the front lines of the war in Mosul, Iraq... Jeff has committed himself to taking his leadership, teamwork, trust and adversity messaging out into the world in a powerful and dynamic way.
Over the 20+ years of sharing his keynotes for hundreds of clients, Jeff has delivered his message to tens of thousands of audience members, impacted countless lives and changed the way we all approach our roles as guides within our work and family environments.
Sallie Krawcheck
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Sallie Krawcheck’s mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals (or, put more bluntly, to get more money into the hands of women), thus enabling them to live better lives and unleashing a positive ripple effect for our families, our communities and our economy. She is the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital-first, mission-driven investment platform for women. Ellevest is one of the fastest growing digital investment platforms and has been named a #24 on CNBC’s top 50 "Disruptor" list, #14 on LinkedIn’s 50 “Most Sought-After Startups” ( #2 in New York), and one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Brilliant Ideas. Krawcheck is also Chair of Ellevate Network, a 135K-strong global professional women’s network; and she is the best-selling author of Own It: The Power of Women at Work.
With a reputation for integrity, creativity, independence of thought, a sense of humor and an unrelenting focus on results, Sallie Krawcheck has built a career that has reached the top levels of success across a range of functions: as a senior corporate executive, as a research analyst and now as an entrepreneur. She has been recognized by Inc. as a “Top Female Founder”, called "The Last Honest Analyst" by Fortune magazine, was named the seventh most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, was # 9 on Fast Company's list of the "100 Most Creative People in Business and is considered one of the "Most Influential People in ESG Investing" by Barron's." She has been called one of the top 10 up and coming entrepreneurs to watch by Entrepreneur Magazine and has landed on Vanity Fair’s “The 2018 New Establishment List.”
Before launching Ellevest, Krawcheck built a successful career on Wall Street: She was the CEO of Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, US Trust, the Citi Private Bank, and Sanford C. Bernstein. She was also Chief Financial Officer for Citigroup. Prior to that, Krawcheck was a top-ranked research analyst covering the securities industry.
Melissa Agnes
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Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today's leading organizations faced with the greatest risks.
As a strategic advisor and keynote speaker, Melissa Agnes has worked with NATO, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, global non-profits, and many others, helping them understand risk and build invincible brands that can withstand even the most devastating of events. She has a TEDx talk on the secret to successful crisis management in the 21st century.
Lisa Bodell
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When the most important work isn’t getting done, it’s not the people that need to be fixed – it’s the work. Lisa Bodell, a global leader on simplification, collaboration, and innovation, helps organizations transform performance by reimagining the work. By trading complexity for simplicity, organizations find new ways to unleash creativity and spark the energy so essential to innovate and compete. It also lifts morale, increases engagement, and improves employee well-being and retention. Lisa is the author of two groundbreaking books, Why Simple Wins and Kill the Company. She ranks on the “Top 50 Speakers Worldwide” list and captivates audiences with her insights, energy, and humor. Lisa inspires them to question the status quo and make small changes that have profound impact – giving them time and energy to focus on the work that matters most.
After earning her business degree from University of Michigan, Lisa launched her career at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where she discovered a gift for uniting strategically-driven ideas with forward-thinking themes. She went on to build two successful businesses before moving to New York and focusing on the simplification and innovation space with FutureThink. Founded in 2003, FutureThink works with leading brands worldwide and has become one of the largest sources for simplification and innovation research, tools, and training in the world.
Lisa brings a compelling perspective to the sought-after topics of simplification and innovation to thousands of people each year. A thought leader and serial entrepreneur, her transformational message has inspired executives at top-ranked organizations such as Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the Department of National Intelligence to lead change in their organizations.
Lisa has contributed her expertise to a wide variety of media. She is a monthly contributor to Forbes and has frequently appeared in other media including: Fast Company, WIRED, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and CNN. She has also been featured in many major books such as Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question, Adam Grant’s Originals, and AfterShock, the 50-year celebration based on futurist Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock.
Lisa has taught innovation at both American University and Fordham University and has a TED popular talk on the topic. She serves on the board of advisors of several organizations, including the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, the United States National Security Agency, the Association of Professional Futurists, and Novartis.
Scott McKain
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Scott McKain is the iconic authority known for helping organizations create distinction in every phase of business and teaches the “Ultimate Customer Experience.®”
Scott McKain creates captivating presentations and bestselling books which clearly reveal how to create more compelling connections between you and your customers and how to stand out and move up, regardless of the economic climate in your industry.
Scott is the founder of a consulting and training company that explores the role of ultimate customer experiences in creating enhanced client retention and revenue, and is the author of three Amazon.com #1 business bestsellers; all teaching how to expand profits, increase sales, and engage customers.
McKain’s latest book, released by Forefront Books/Simon & Schuster and titled, “ICONIC: How Organizations and Leaders Attain, Sustain, and Regain the Ultimate Level of Distinction,” provides the specific steps for every leader and employee to create and deliver unique customer experiences and attain the highest level of business success.
Mark Thompson
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New York Times bestselling author Mark C. Thompson is a leadership coach for the world’s fastest growing, most innovative companies—from LYFT CEO & Cofounder Logan Green, Pinterest Cofounder Evan Sharp and World Bank CEO Dr. Jim Kim, to founders Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Tony Robbins and Charles Schwab, for whom he served as the world’s first CXO—Chief Customer Experience Officer.
Forbes Magazine says Mark has the ‘Midas’ touch as a sought after coach, speaker and venture investor. His New York Times bestselling books include: ADMIRED: 21 Ways to Double Your Value; Now Build a Great Business; and Success Built to Last - Creating a Life that Matters, Mark is also an Innovation Leadership columnist for Forbes.com, Inc.com and FastCompany.com. His most recent bestseller ADMIRED is a primer on how the world’s “Most Admired Companies” achieve long-term success and growth as well as the qualities that are common to “Most Admired Leaders”.
Mark was Charles Schwab’s former Chief of Staff and Chief Customer Experience Officer, and the Executive Producer of Schwab.com which today has assets over $3 Trillion. He is a co-founding advisor of Sir Richard Branson’s Entrepreneurship Centres.
Dr. Thompson is an expert on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation who has spent over 25 years leading teams and building companies from the ground up. He delivers actionable, valuable and practical advice for leaders at all levels of an organization.
Margie Warrell
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Dr. Margie Warrell brings sharp insights from her diverse global experience in Fortune 500 business, coaching, and leadership development. Yet it’s her ability to connect at the most human level getting to the heart of what holds people and organizations back that sets her apart as a speaker on the world stage.
Margie’s down to earth style and humor coupled with her hard won wisdom of the human condition enable her to distill theory into practical advice that emboldens braver decision making to build value, accelerate growth and strengthen outcomes.
The titles of Margie's bestselling books - Find Your Courage, Make Your Mark, Stop Playing Safe, Train the Brave and You've Got This! as well as her podcast, Live Brave - reflect her passion for emboldening people to lead braver lives with bigger impact. Margie’s walked her talk countless times since growing up in rural Australia. Her intrepid adventures - from hiking Kilimanjaro with four kids to living in Papua New Guinea - combined with her research equip her with deep insights for unlocking human potential.
Margie’s expertise in human behavior and rising to today's complex challenges is widely sought by media outlets such as CNN, Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. A Senior Partner in the Board, CEO & Leadership Advisory practice at Korn Ferry, Margie also sits on the advisory boards of the Women's Democracy Network and Forbes School of Business & Technology and is a Women’s Economic Forum honoree.
John R. Miles
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Former U.S. Navy officer, Fortune 50 senior executive, entrepreneur, author, and award-winning podcast host John R. Miles is a recognized expert on intentional behavior change, leadership, personal mastery, and the transformative power of "mattering." Founder & CEO of Passion Struck®, his globally renowned podcast, Passion Struck with John R. Miles, has garnered tens of millions of downloads and consistently holds the title of the #1 alternative health podcast worldwide, securing its place among the top 100 on Apple Podcasts. His syndicated national radio show, "Passion Struck with John R. Miles," is heard by millions weekly. John has interviewed David Rubenstein, Seth Godin, Susan Cain, Gretchen Rubin, Robin Sharma, Daniel Pink, Rachel Hollis, Jim Kwik, Arthur Brooks, & countless others. In a world where success is often measured by influence and impact, Miles has earned his place among the world's foremost thought leaders, leaving an indelible mark as a beacon of inspiration and change.
With over 25 years of leadership experience, Miles is frequently sought after as an advisor by many of the world's top companies and their executives. His leadership has been credited with generating billions of dollars in sales and advising two unicorn startups. However, his true passion lies in coaching and mentoring individuals to live a passion-struck life in every area. The story of his journey as a U.S. Naval Academy graduate exemplifying the principles of leadership and personal growth are a part of his debut book, Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life (due out in early 2024). Passion Struck was chosen as one of February 2024's "Must-Read Books" by the Next Big Idea Club.
For more information, visit www.passionstruck.com or www.johnrmiles.com.
Bozoma Saint John
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A trailblazing and genuine change-agent, Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is a Hall of Fame Inducted Marketing Executive, author, and entrepreneur who is worthy of the Harvard Business School case study written about her career, titled “Leading with Authenticity and Urgency.” Few people have the depth and breadth of experience that Boz has. Her remarkable success at Netflix, Pepsi, Apple, Uber; the Endeavor brands (WME | IMG, Miss Universe, Ultimate Fighting Champion, Professional Bull Riders, and more); and her own haircare and wig brand, Eve by Boz, proves her to be one of the most effective marketers of any generation. On February 21, 2023, Viking Books published her memoir, The Urgent Life.
With almost 20 years of experience that spans multiple industries including digital music and entertainment, consumer packaged goods, fashion, sports and automotive, Bozoma is a leader heralded for her bold thinking and cutting-edge ideas. Prior to Netflix and Endeavor, she served as the Chief Brand Officer at Uber, where she was tasked with telling the stories of millions of riders and driver-partners across over 600 cities, and as the Head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes, where she built and launched Apple Music, as well as spearheaded campaigns geared towards growing consumer brand recognition, loyalty, and equity around the world.
Recognized for her breakthrough work by both the industry and her peers, Boz is a member of the Billboard Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement and American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, named Forbes #1 Most Influential CMO in 2021, Executive of the Year by Billboard Magazine, and featured in lists such as Fortune’s "Most Influential CMOs," Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s "100 Most Creative People," and more.
Hailed as the "coolest person to ever go on stage at an Apple event,” by Buzzfeed, Bozoma brings unparalleled energy, transformative thinking, and innovative ideas to each engagement.
Michael LaRosa
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Michael LaRosa was Special Assistant to the President and Chief Spokesperson for the First Lady of the United States from January 2021 through August of 2022. He joined the White House on day one of the Biden-Harris Administration, where he served as a trusted aide and adviser, counseling the First Lady on media relations and strategic communications. LaRosa oversaw the media strategy and press planning for the First Lady’s surprise and unannounced visit to war-torn Ukraine for a historic meeting with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, in May of 2022. Since 2019, LaRosa has traveled to over 75 cities, 40 states, and 10 countries with the President and the First Lady. He has spent more than 15 years at the intersection of government, politics, policy, and media.
Having recently departed the White House, he brings fresh perspective and insight from his relationship with the First Family and the key players inside the Biden White House. He offers analysis of the conversations taking place in the news of the day based on his time in the White House, on the Biden campaign, and on Capitol Hill.
Dr. Lisa Damour
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Three-time New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and thought leader Dr. Lisa Damour is known for her critically acclaimed books Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have been translated into twenty-three languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Damour is a regular contributor to The New York Times and CBS News and the creator of Untangling 10to20, a digital library of premium content to support teens and those who care for them. Dr. Damour’s compassionate and actionable talks on adult mental health, managing anxiety and chronic stress, cultivating well-being, family life, and more have positively impacted audiences worldwide.
Dr. Damour serves as a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University and has written numerous academic papers, chapters, and books related to education and child development. She maintains a clinical practice and also speaks to schools, professional organizations, and corporate groups around the world on the topics of child and adolescent development, family mental health, and adult well-being.
Symone Sanders Townsend
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Seasoned political strategist, former CNN political commentator, and author Symone Sanders Townsend is a gifted communicator with a passion for problem solving, social justice, and in-depth analysis of today’s most important issues. Sanders Townsend previously served as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, the youngest person to ever hold that title. She served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration, and will now bring her nuanced and critical insight to MSNBC as the host of SYMONE, as well as serving as an anchor and hosting a show on The Choice, MSNBC’s digital streaming arm. In her book No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, Sanders Townsend shares her take-no-prisoners approach to life, politics, and career success, advocating for a new generation to be powerful in their own right. A rousing call to leadership, Congresswoman Maxine Waters raved, “Symone’s honest and profound reflection on standing up and speaking out is sure to inspire young people across the country to become the change agents the world needs.”
Sanders Townsend is a highly sought-after commentator and speaker, from her TED Talk Stop asking permission!, to an invigorating conversation at SXSW, Politico’s 2019 Women Rule Summit, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, and many more. She served as the National Chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee, a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, and in her role as principal of the 360 Group, Sanders Townsend worked on leading-edge solutions to tough political and social problems. Sanders Townsend shares her expertise in communication and political strategy, in-depth analysis of key political issues, and the challenges and possibilities for radical change with authenticity, humor, and insight.
Matt Abrahams
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As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, Matt Abrahams teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting. Abrahams hosts the popular, Webby award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast, which is the #1 Careers podcast in 95 countries including the US, UK, India, China, Mexico, and Brazil.
His new book Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot provides tangible, actionable skills to help even the most anxious of speakers succeed when speaking spontaneously, such as navigating Q&A sessions, shining in job interviews, providing effective feedback, making small talk, fixing faux pas, persuading others. His previous book Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting has helped thousands of people manage speaking anxiety and present more confidently and authentically.
Abrahams is a compelling speaker for any organization due to his expertise in communication, engaging delivery style, and ability to provide practical strategies for improving interpersonal and professional interactions. His talks garner millions of views online with one talk at over 37M views to date.
Outside of the classroom, Abrahams is a sought-after keynote speaker and communication consultant. He has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered IPO road shows as well as Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. He also consults for the United Nations’ Secretary General’s Strategic Planning and Communication Office and many fortune 100 companies. He has spoken to many companies big and small, including Google, Accenture, Apple, McKinsey, Toastmasters, several NGOs (e.g., the United Nations), the FBI, and more.
Chris Voss
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Former international FBI hostage negotiator and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Chris Voss share a methodology that can used anywhere in the world, a strategy to build stronger relationships in a shorter period of time and enable audiences to negotiate deals they never thought would be possible. Chris was the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI, as well as the hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. During his government career, he also represented the U.S. Government at two international conferences sponsored by the G-8 as an expert in kidnapping. Prior to becoming the FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator, Christopher served as the lead Crisis Negotiator for the New York City Division of the FBI. Christopher was a member of the New York City Joint Terrorist Task Force for 14 years. He was the case agent on such cases as TERRSTOP (the Blind Sheikh Case – Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman), and the TWA Flight 800 catastrophe and negotiated the surrender of the first hostage taker to give up in the Chase Manhattan bank robbery hostage taking.
Voss is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It (which has sold over 5M copies worldwide!) and The Full Fee Agent: How to Stack the Odds in Your Favor as a Real Estate Professional. Drawing on his 24-year tenure in the Bureau and training by not only the FBI but also Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School, Voss teaches a popular MasterClass and is the Founder & CEO of The Black Swan Group. He is a recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service. Voss leverages his many years of experience in international crisis and high-stakes negotiations to develop a unique program and team that applies these globally proven techniques to the business world.
Kim Scott
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Leadership & culture expert Kim Scott is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss without Losing your Humanity, which launched a global management revolution. Kim is the co-Founder of Radical Candor®, LLC – a company dedicated to helping organizations and teams move from a culture of command and control to one of collaboration. Previously, Kim led AdSense, YouTube, and Doubleclick Online Sales and Operations at Google, and then joined Apple to develop and teach a leadership seminar. She has been a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and several other tech companies.
Kim was the co-Founder & CEO of Juice Software – a collaboration startup, and led business development at Delta Three and Capital Thinking. Earlier in her career, she worked as a senior policy advisor at the FCC, managed a pediatric clinic in Kosovo, started a diamond cutting factory in Moscow, and was an analyst on the Soviet Companies Fund. Kim is the author of three novels, and her book Just Work: How To Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to Create a Kick-Ass Culture of Inclusivity (which is being re-released as Radical Respect in May 2024) is an essential guide leaders and their employees need to create more just workplaces and establish new norms of collaboration and respect.
Mike Murphy
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Famed conservative political media consultant Mike Murphy is a widely quoted pundit, longtime analyst and frequent guest on NBC News, CNN and MSNBC, and co-host of the popular Hacks on Tap podcast. One of the Republican party’s most successful consultants, he has served as a top campaign advisor to John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with dozens of other GOP Senators, Governors, and Members of Congress. Murphy has spoken for groups including the Council of State Restaurant Associations, Simpson College, Friess Associates of Delaware, the California Chamber of Commerce, America’s Health Insurance Plans Association, Goldman Sachs, NY Life, and John Hancock, among many others.
Murphy advises several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as Hedge Funds and Trade Associations. He has written columns and op-ed pieces for TIME, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the Bulwark, and the LA Times. He is currently co-director the University of Southern California’s Center for the Political Future and served as a longtime senior fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, focusing on the intersection of domestic politics and national security decision making.
David Plouffe
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A pioneering force of innovation in politics, technology, and grassroots leadership, David Plouffe has distinguished himself as a proven field general and idea generator. He served as Campaign Manager of Barack Obama's historic victory in 2008 and then as Senior Advisor to President Obama in the White House, where he stood at the center of the debate on key issues now facing our country, particularly in the technology and healthcare sectors. Combining his pathbreaking work at Uber, strategic advisory board roles at Binance Global and Alchemy Pay, and policy and advocacy efforts at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Plouffe is a transcending force at the intersection the private and public sectors. He now consults for leading companies in the consumer, social media, crypto, and technology sectors. Plouffe delivers unprecedented insights on disruptive innovation, from the front lines of momentous shifts in both politics and business.
Plouffe is known for thinking beyond the conventional. With his tenacious, methodical, and proven methods, he knows the essential ingredients to crafting a team built for success. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers including The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory and is a political analyst for NBC News. Plouffe’s array of accomplishments demonstrate his profound ability to bridge the gap between dreaming and achieving.
Jennifer Palmieri
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Renowned communications expert, political strategist, and writer Jennifer Palmieri has been on the frontlines of national politics for more than two decades. Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Madam President, Palmieri served as White House Communications Director for President Obama and head of Communications for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. With her unparalleled level of knowledge and experience in the West Wing, she is sought-after for her shrewd insights about crisis management, voter mindset, and the media environment impacting current events.
One of the most accomplished communications advisors in politics today, Palmieri was the co-host of Showtime’s Emmy-nominated political docu-series The Circus, pulling back the curtain with insightful analysis and a unique perspective on the role gender plays in electoral politics and the media. She is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and hosted the podcast Just Something About Her. After losing her sister to early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2017, she has written and spoken about her family’s experience in an effort to aid other families facing the same disease. In moderated conversations and engaging point-counterpoint debates, Palmieri has been in demand for events with groups like Starbucks, Google Zeitgeist in London, the Center for American Progress, the Bloomberg MAKERS Women’s History Month event, and more.
Geoffrey Zakarian
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World renowned chef and restaurateur, notable TV personality, podcaster, and bestselling author Geoffrey Zakarian has been sharing his sophisticated taste and signature style for three decades. An accomplished chef, host, and culinary consultant, Zakarian has presided over some of the country’s top kitchens, traveling the world for new inspiration to marry with his classical training and techniques in a lifelong effort to deliver paramount hospitality experiences. Outside of the kitchen, he is known as a fan-favorite judge on Food Network’s Chopped, a winner of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, and host of the Emmy-nominated talk show The Kitchen, Top 5 Restaurants, Cooks vs. Cons, and his new show Big Restaurant Bet. Whether it’s an inspiring moderated conversation, a world-class cooking demo, or skilled moderating, Zakarian makes a memorable impact with audiences of all kinds.
Zakarian has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, and many more, and has appeared on ABC’s The Chew and The Rachael Ray Show, CBS’s The Dish, and NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, TODAY, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. He is the author of My Perfect Pantry, Geoffrey Zakarian's Town/Country, among others, and he hosts the acclaimed Four Courses with Geoffrey Zakarian podcast. Zakarian is a dedicated philanthropist, and serves as the Chairman of the City Harvest Food Council, a food rescue organization dedicated to fighting hunger in New York City.
David Nihill
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Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, David Nihill is the author of the bestselling book Do You Talk Funny? and the Founder of FunnyBizz Conference. His work has been featured in Inc., Lifehacker, The Huffington Post, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Forbes, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The Irish Times, Amazon Prime Video, Dry Bar Comedy, TED, and the Irish Independent. A sought-after international business speaker, David also performs standup comedy where his videos have received over 300M views and amassed a social following of over 1.5M people.
“One of the best speaking coaches out there” according to Forbes, David’s program with over 34,000 students has also been featured by Prezi as one of the best training courses for presenters. His book remains one of the highest rated in the world on the (usually not so wildly exciting) topic of public speaking, and his content has been read by over one million people. David was the winner of the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition and runner up in NPR’s the Moth’s largest US story telling competition. As a lecturer, he has taught at Stanford Graduate Business School, University of Oxford, UC Berkeley, and University College Dublin.
Generali Worldwide raved, “For impact, content and valuable takeaways David’s presentation to our Sales team was exceptional – a highly energized, engaging and yes funny (very, very funny) session. In fact, feedback from the team was that his presentation was the best they have had in thirteen years of the conference.”
Robert Gibbs
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Top political advisor, communications expert, and trusted commentator Robert Gibbs offers audiences a unique perspective on today’s political, business, and media environment. A long-time senior advisor to President Barack Obama, Gibbs served as the White House Press Secretary from 2009-2011. After nearly a decade in Washington, he became Executive Vice President and Global Chief Communications Office of McDonald’s (2015-19). Following his departure, he became Senior Counsel at Bully Pulpit Interactive, where he focuses on executive communications, building social impact plans, and corporations’ responses to crises. Drawing on his experience as both a Washington insider and executive at one of the most recognizable companies in the world, Gibbs provides robust insights into everything from the economy and regulatory environment to healthcare reform.
With decades of communications experience at the highest levels, Gibbs brings a unique perspective to sought-after commentary and speaking engagements. He is a regular contributor for MSNBC and NBC News, as well as a co-host for the U.S. political podcast Hacks on Tap, alongside David Axelrod and Mike Murphy. Gibbs is uniquely positioned to lead brands, campaigns, and causes through times of immense change and strengthen reputations in a world which is constantly demanding more.
Laura Lynne Jackson
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International speaker, teacher, and practicing psychic medium Laura Lynne Jackson is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe and The Light Between Us, which have been translated into more than 20 languages and are available in over 35 countries. Jackson is a Certified Research Medium with the Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential in Arizona and member of the advisory board for the Forever Family Foundation – a group that promotes a better understanding of Afterlife Science and provides comfort and services to grieving people who have lost loved ones. She is dedicated to teaching people how to open to their own psychic and intuitive abilities to fully step into and embrace their divine energy and live their best lives.
Laura discovered her gift as a young woman, but kept her unique abilities hidden from her very normal, suburban life. By day she taught high school English and cared for her three children; at night, she would speak privately on the phone with celebrities, athletes, scientists, and CEOs, connecting them with loved ones who had passed away and conveying information with shocking accuracy and insight, building a bridge beyond the accepted bounds of human experience. Since embracing her gift, Jackson has been featured on The Today Show, Dr. Oz, Fox and Friends, Good Day New York, Telemundo, the Tokyo-based Fuji Television Network, The Huffington Post, Goop.com, Oprah.com, and various news and media throughout the United States and abroad. She has been sought after to speak for groups including the Rhine Research Center, Penguin Random House, Pinterest Annual Conference, the Rubin Museum Speakers Series, the Goop Summit, and more.
Allison Massari
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While most speakers have a story to tell, there are a select few with one so impactful and poignant that the audience is forever changed. That is what happens when Allison Massari speaks.
Hailed as “life-changing” “riveting” “extraordinary” “bold” and “deeply moving” Allison Massari’s work is a celebration of the power of the human spirit, and her journey is the quintessential story of courage and heart. Allison’s potent message has reached audiences in more than 75 countries and is a testament to hope, radical compassion, and indestructible perseverance. A top keynote speaker, Allison has been recognized with esteemed speaking engagements internationally. She has been featured on PBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX networks and also stars in the award-winning international documentary, Resolve (2015). Her diverse client list includes: Microsoft, GE Healthcare IT, Intel, MDRT, Capital One, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, 3M, Lilly, HIMSS/CHIME, Allscripts, Siemens Healthcare, and McKesson.
Allison’s unique history gives her compelling authority to address difficult issues with genuine sensitivity and profound insight. An interdisciplinary artist as well as an entrepreneur, Allison was preparing paintings for an important museum exhibition early in her art career when her world was shattered. Hit head-on at 60mph and trapped inside her car, she nearly lost her life in a fiery and explosive collision. Burned alive, conscious the entire time, Allison suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on over 50% of her body. Astonishingly, navigating the experience compelled her to discover an unshakeable strength and fortitude—and carefully learn the intricacies of what it takes to overcome adversity and live with heart. Through captivating, hope-filled stories, Allison shares her personal journey and elevates audiences, generating renewed excitement for their life and work. Her unforgettable keynote instills essential tools of self-leadership—teaching how to boldly access grace and resilience and be a dynamic force of goodness in the face of challenges. As Allison states, “We can each make a vigorous, life-changing choice to navigate our way through and beyond adversity and be a force of light for ourselves and others.”
Allison is passionate about tailoring her speech to address the specific issues affecting each market. She takes great care in getting to know her clients—their industry distinction, their mission, and their audience, including the pain points and what they are doing exceptionally well. Her incredible empathy and her capacity to precisely acknowledge and appreciate the work that is done in any organization provides extraordinary support, encouragement, and inspiration to audiences worldwide. Whether she is speaking to leadership teams or to your entire workforce, Allison compassionately highlights each person’s value and demonstrates how their work connects to the overall mission. In Healthcare, for instance, Allison’s groundbreaking program addresses the current challenges faced by the medical industry, including burnout, understaffing, time restraints, employee retention, compassion fatigue and everyday stresses. Audiences experience the far-reaching and vital impact of their work and walk away feeling more connected to their purpose and to each other.
Allison is also an award-winning visual artist. Her work has been sought out by museums and private art collectors internationally and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her colorful and sublime visual art serves as a breathtaking backdrop to all of her keynotes.
Allison Massari’s keynotes are jaw-dropping, heartfelt, and deeply inspirational. She purposefully shares her message of resilience, courage and hope with sincere vulnerability—committed to her desire for no person to feel alone. Prepare to be taken on a journey.
Maha Abouelenein
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Maha Abouelenein is a strategic communication expert, best-selling author, and entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience. As the CEO and Founder of Digital and Savvy, a global communications consulting firm with offices in the United States and United Arab Emirates, Maha has been instrumental in orchestrating transformations in communication strategies for clients that include global corporate giants, high-growth startups, sports organizations, top governments, CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals.
With a reputation for delivering results, Maha possesses a unique blend of creative, strategic, and analytical prowess, enabling her to guide projects from inception to execution. Maha is all about relationships—building, nurturing, and serving them. She is an advocate of value creation and the pursuit of cultural relevance as the cornerstones of effective storytelling and communications.
This year, Maha released her debut book, 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, and Own Your Future which became a USA TODAY bestseller and provides a transformative guide on mastering self-reliance. It offers practical personal and professional growth strategies, focusing on creating value, opportunities, and relationships. The book dives into the importance of personal branding, reputation management, and lifelong learning—essential tools for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Maha’s personal journey, from being a caregiver to becoming a global entrepreneur, forms the foundation of her insights, making the book both relatable and inspiring for individuals at every stage of their career.
Raised and educated in the United States to Egyptian parents, Maha is at home in both Western and Arab worlds, offering a global perspective that translates into her work. She serves as a bridge between cultures, providing invaluable support to companies and high-profile executives seeking to navigate business opportunities in the Middle East market, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. She is active in the tech, sports, entertainment, and gaming industries. Maha is an Advisor to LockChain.io and Global Gaming League, sits on the Global Board of Directors of the Associated Press, and is on the Board of the Animal Humane Society.
Maha handled communications for some of the world’s largest tech companies in the Middle East—from Google and Netflix to Udacity and Careem (Uber Middle East)—and more. She helped PR giant Weber Shandwick cement their presence in the Middle East, opening 18 offices in the region and leading the Cairo operation. She supported the largest IPO and the largest acquisition in Egypt’s history at Orascom Telecom. She also supported promotions and sports marketing programs & strategic partnerships for the Olympics, NASCAR, ATP Tennis, Women’s Hockey, and the NFL at consumer product giant General Mills before becoming an entrepreneur.
Maha is a sought-after strategist and speaker who shares her expertise on personal branding,
reputation management, modern communications, and the transformational power of storytelling. She was honored as one of the most influential women in Dubai, named one of the most impactful Egyptians, and nominated as one of the Forbes Power Women of the Middle East. In the U.S., she was named by PR News as one of the Game Changers in the PR Industry and one of Minnesota’s Leading Women in Business by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Journal. Maha is a contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazine.
Maha publishes a weekly newsletter, Savvy Talk, and hosts the Savvy Talk Podcast, where she engages in thought-provoking conversations with industry leaders. She passionately advocates for the power of storytelling and self-reliance in the modern age, emphasizing personal branding as a transformative pathway to leadership. Maha is a dual citizen, an avid tennis player, and resides in Wayzata, Minnesota, with her dog, Coco.
For more information, follow Maha on all social platforms under @MahaGaber and on her website: www.mahaabouelenein.com.
Niren Chaudhary
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Global CEO, innovator, and philanthropist Niren Chaudhary is a visionary leader. He is formerly the Chairman of the Board of Panera Brands. Prior to becoming Chairman in 2023, Chaudhary served as CEO of Panera Brands and Panera Bread. Previously, Chaudhary served as Chief Operating Officer and President of Krispy Kreme, where he created a path for enterprise value growth of 3x over 5 years. Prior to that, he spent over two decades at Yum! Brands serving in global leadership positions including Global President of KFC and President of Yum! India. Chaudhary is hailed for his commitment to innovation and often provides insight into how large organizations can stay agile.
Chaudhary is guided by his deep passion for serving others and building future leaders. He lectures at Columbia Business School and University of Delhi. His insights and voice have been sought by PWC, Harvard University, and London Business School, to name a few. He dedicates his personal time to serving on the Tufts Medical Centre Board and as an advocate for DKMS, a leading non-profit with the world’s largest stem cell donor registry. Chaudhary’s warm energy extends to his keynotes and moderated conversations alike, connecting with audiences on both an intellectual and personal level.
David C. Edelman
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David Edelman’s leadership in driving strategic digital and marketing change over the past 30 years – as a top CMO and as a Strategic Consultant -- has made him a sought-after advisor and speaker on AI, digitization, go-to-market strategy, marketing organization, and agile operations. Known for developing foundational concepts such as “The Customer Decision Journey,” and “Segment-of-One Marketing,” David has been repeatedly recognized by Forbes as one of the “Most Influential CMOs in the World,” and by AdWeek as one of the “Top 20 Marketing and Technology Executives.” His writing and work attracts over 1.1 million followers to his LinkedIn blog, and he has delivered dozens of keynote presentations at conferences around the world. In October 2024, Harvard Business Review Press published his co-authored book: Personalized! Customer Strategy in the Age of AI.
From 2016 through 2020, he guided Aetna (now part of CVS Health) through becoming a digitally-oriented, customer-centric enterprise. Currently, David teaches Marketing at HBS. Via his Edelman Advisory Services LLC, he also works with a wide range of CEO’s and CXO’s on Marketing and Strategy, focusing on where AI and personalization unlock transformational opportunities. A proven change agent, David built new practice areas as a partner with The Boston Consulting Group, Digitas (now part of Publicis Groupe), and then for McKinsey & Company, all based on guiding clients through global digital transformation initiatives.
In 2022 and 2023, he published three articles for the Harvard Business Review, Customer Experience in the Age of AI, Generative AI Will Change Your Business -- Here's How to Adapt, and What Smart Companies Know About Integrating AI, following his earlier cover story on Branding In the Digital Age (2010), and a follow-up article Competing On Customer Journeys (2015). These have become core reading at business schools and in many corporate marketing departments. Through his affiliation with the “Growth Master” council of the Association of National Advertisers, he co-leads an ongoing taskforce on “Responsible Personalization,” helping CMO’s navigate the many challenges of using AI and customer data to deliver breakthrough experiences.
Aaron Keyak
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Aaron Keyak served as the Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the U.S. Department of State from 2021-2025. In helping to have led this office, he worked to advance U.S. foreign policy to counter antisemitism throughout the world.
Currently, he leads the firm he founded, Capitol K Consulting, in which Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt (ret.) serves and an adviser.
Former Deputy Special Envoy Keyak is an experienced leader and interfaith coalition builder who has previously held senior roles advising members of Congress, the Obama Administration, the Biden-Harris Administration transition team, and the Biden-Harris Presidential campaign for president as the Jewish Engagement Director and a member of the National Finance Committee.
Prior to that, he founded Bluelight Strategies, a full-service messaging, marketing, and media outreach and relations committed to issues of significant social importance. In 2020, he was named as one of the top 50 “influencers” by The Jerusalem Post.
As an accomplished foreign policy hand and publicist, he has counseled various members of Congress and served as the top Middle East adviser and Communications Director for Representatives Jerry Nadler and Steve Rothman.
Keyak serves as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and was selected to participate in the President’s Leadership Workshop by the White House in 2024. He graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis.
Jon Picoult
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Jon Picoult is masterful at helping companies impress their customers and inspire their employees, creating raving fans that drive business growth. He is a noted authority on customer and employee experience, and the leadership traits needed to excel at both.
From Fortune 500 CEOs to budding entrepreneurs, Jon has advised business leaders worldwide on how to cultivate loyalty in both the marketplace and the workplace – not just by shaping people’s experiences, but also by shaping their memories.
Using captivating stories and eye-opening studies, he explains the breakthrough, psychology-based strategies that great, admired companies use to turn everyday people into lifelong fans. Jon leaves audiences enlightened and energized to apply those same techniques in their roles and organizations.
Jon’s insights have been featured by dozens of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Inc., Fortune and Forbes. His landmark study on the ROI of customer experience is one of the most widely cited pieces of research in the industry, referenced by firms such as McKinsey, Deloitte, Accenture, Forrester, SAP, and Oracle.
Jon is also the author of the bestselling book, From Impressed to Obsessed: 12 Principles for Turning Customers and Employees into Lifelong Fans, which debuted as an Amazon #1 New Release in its category and was featured in The Wall Street Journal as a top reading pick. The book has earned praise from business luminaries such as Horst Schulze (co-founder of Ritz-Carlton Hotels), Hubert Joly (former CEO of Best Buy), and Marshall Goldsmith (world-renowned executive coach).
Currently the Founder & Principal of Watermark Consulting, Jon previously held senior executive roles at Fortune 100 firms – heading up service, operations, distribution, technology, sales and marketing. Early in his career, at the age of 29, Jon earned the distinction of becoming the youngest executive officer in the over 150-year history of a leading global financial services company.
Jon received his bachelor’s degree in cognitive science from Princeton University and his M.B.A. in general management from Duke University.
Aliza Licht
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Award-winning marketer, bestselling author, and leading authority on personal branding, Aliza Licht transforms how professionals and organizations position themselves for success. Named one of Forbes's "19 Top Global Personal Branding Experts" and "America's Next Top Mentors" by The New York Times, Licht delivers compelling keynotes that combine actionable advice with memorable storytelling drawn from her 25+ years in fashion and media and her award-winning second book, ON BRAND: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception. Named 'Best Business Book by American Book Fest in Marketing & Advertising,' ON BRAND provides a comprehensive roadmap for professionals at all levels to build equity in the name while navigating both corporate and entrepreneurial environments in today's digital landscape.
With over two decades of marketing, communications, and digital strategy expertise, Licht is the Founder of Leave Your Mark, a multimedia brand and consultancy focused on brand strategy and career development. She advises millions through her top 1% career advice podcast and features in Harvard Business Review, WSJ, Fast Company, Inc., Financial Times, and more.
Licht's journey from corporate executive and anonymous social media personality DKNY PR Girl to a founder and recognized brand authority showcases her expertise in personal branding transformation. Her globally recognized reveal as the creator behind DKNY PR Girl generated a full-page feature in The New York Times and hundreds of other publications, garnering over 230M global media impressions and positioning her as a social media pioneer in the fashion industry. This work led to her first book, Leave Your Mark. Referred to as "The Devil Wears Prada meets career advice', Leave Your Mark is required reading in many university communications programs and ranks among Book Authority's "100 Best Career Development Books of All Time."
A dynamic storyteller who has captivated audiences at American Express, LVMH, Richemont, Google, Amazon, Liberty Mutual, LinkedIn, SXSW, Salesforce, and more, Licht brings award-winning branding expertise to every speaking engagement. She's also regularly featured as an on-air expert, appearing on Good Morning America, Bloomberg, and more.
Licht empowers audiences with actionable strategies for leveraging personal branding to accelerate career and business growth and offers motivational keynotes about the importance of shaping your narrative in a world where personal and professional lines are blurred. Her practical frameworks, compelling career story, and bold, authentic presence make her a sought-after speaker for organizations seeking to transform how their teams show up at work and shape their narratives in the digital age.
Willie Jolley
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Dr. Willie Jolley is a world renowned speaker, singer, author and media personality. In 1999 he was named “One of the Outstanding Five Speakers in the World” & “Motivational / Inspirational Speaker of The Year” by the 175,000 members of Toastmasters International.
In 2005 he was inducted into the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame. In 2015 he replaced the legendary Zig Ziglar on the national Get Motivated Tour! And in 2017 he was named “A Legend Of The Speaking Industry!”
Dr. Jolley is the host of the #1 Motivational Show in America on Sirius XM and is heard daily with his Motivational Minute on WHUR FM preceding Steve Harvey. He also has a popular podcast on IHeart Radio. He is the author of several international best-selling books including It Only Takes A Minute To Change Your Life, A Setback Is A Setup For A Comeback, Turn Setbacks Into Greenbacks , An Attitude of Excellence and his new marriage book with his wife, Dee, entitled Make Love, Make Money, Make It Last!
No matter the venue, from his exciting One Man Show that was recently recorded for a national television special, to his Get Motivated tour appearances, to his #1 Rated Sirius/XM radio show, Dr. Willie Jolley keeps it moving with high energy and enthusiasm, as he delivers nuggets on how every person can live a better life, one day at a time!
Angela Chee
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Angela Chee is a media/communication coach, keynote speaker/emcee, creator of YOU, Amplified!®, and host of The Power Of The Only podcast.
A former TV news anchor and reporter with more than 20 years of media experience, she’s now works with visionary leaders, executives and entrepreneurs who are ready to own their power and their voice and amplify their message and mission through speaking, video and media. Through one-on-one coaching, group workshops and online programs she helps her clients be clear, confident and connected and ready for any opportunity on-camera and off. Her mission is to help people break through their barriers, step into their leadership and live their legacy.
Angela has hosted shows for E! Entertainment, HGTV (Home and Garden Television) and helped launch Entertainment Tonight China. She was the featured media mentor/expert on Lifetime’s The Pop Game and has appeared as an expert on a variety of local and national shows including The Today Show, The List, Right This Minute and more.
Angela presents inspirational and transformative keynotes and corporate trainings for Fortune 500 companies, universities, and professional associations on topics related to leadership, communication, women’s empowerment, diversity and media. She also serves on the Media Advisory Board of the Asian Culture and Media Alliance and was the founder of The Zen Mom®, an inspirational and informative website for moms.
Molly Fletcher
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Hailed as the “female Jerry Maguire” by CNN, Molly Fletcher made a name for herself as one of the first female sports agents. During her almost two-decade career as President of CSE, Molly negotiated over $500 million in contracts and represented over 300 of sports' biggest names, including Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz, PGA TOUR golfer Matt Kuchar, broadcaster Erin Andrews, and basketball championship coaches Tom Izzo and Doc Rivers.
As a World's Top 50 Keynote Speaker, she delivers her inspiring message to audiences around the world. She is the author of five books, including The Energy Clock and Fearless at Work, and her latest TED Talk, “Secrets of a Champion Mindset,” has more than one million views.
Molly is the founder and host of the Game Changers with Molly Fletcher podcast, where she interviews experts and celebrities in every field including Arthur Blank, Dabo Swinney, John Mackey, Matthew McConaughey, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Simon Sinek.
Her insights have been featured in prestigious media outlets, including CNN, ESPN, Forbes, Fast Company, InStyle, and Sports Illustrated.
Molly recently launched her first on-demand course, Up Your Game, to help people unlock their drive and up their game. Her company, Game Changer Performance Group, helps clients unlock peak performance through training experiences on Energy, Negotiation, and High Impact.
Erica Dhawan
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Mariana Atencio
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Navigating change and uncertainty in life is hard. It’s even harder when you’re not confident about who you are. Coming to America from Venezuela as a young girl, Mariana Atencio felt self-conscious about being different. She recounted her struggles to fit in and adapt to her new life in a TED talk that captured the hearts of tens of millions. Mariana’s message: What makes you different is what makes you special – unleash your potential by embracing your authenticity.
Mariana took that lesson into her journalism career as a national news anchor and network reporter. A born storyteller, Mariana worked to build bridges and understanding – reporting with her unique perspective from all over the globe, earning accolades and a prestigious Peabody Award along the way. Mariana’s bestselling book, Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, inspires people to leverage their personal and professional authenticity to supercharge their relationships, careers, workplace cultures, and happiness. Mariana continues to pursue stories that capture her curiosity as head of her own media production company. She also elevates the impact of events through her powerful keynotes and skillful moderating, and hosting.
Johnny Cupcakes
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Does your brand have 'groupies?' Do your customers obsess over your product or service? Do you have raving fans spreading the word worldwide? This level of hysteria is what drives the planet's fastest-growing brands. Named America’s #1 young entrepreneur by Business Week, profiled in the New York Times, NPR, MTV, Forbes, Newsweek and The Boston Globe, and featured in Inc. magazine as one of the world’s fastest-growing independent businesses—there is only one man that knows the answer to that question—JOHNNY EARLE, the founder of Johnny Cupcakes.
After 5 global store openings, he inspires fans to camp out for weeks ahead of time and high-profile collaborations such as The Simpson's, Looney Tunes and Nickelodeon. Johnny is now sharing his secret recipe for viral business and marketing success through his high impact keynote speeches.
If you dream of inspiring cult-like brand loyalty—the kind that involves mile-long queues and even permanent tattoos—Johnny Cupcakes is for you.
Alexis Abramson
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Alexis Abramson, Ph.D., is a trailblazing gerontologist, sought-after thought leader, and mesmerizing keynote speaker who has revolutionized the nexus of ‘aging and business’ for over two decades. With an unparalleled ability to captivate audiences and empower them to reframe their perspectives on aging, Dr. Abramson's expertise is indispensable in navigating today's rapidly shifting demographic terrain. TIME magazine said: “Few entrepreneurs have focused more sharply on the needs of multi-generations than Dr. Alexis Abramson.”
Dr. Abramson's impressive roster of consulting and speaking clients includes distinguished brands and institutions such as L’Oréal Paris, Walmart, Philips, COMCAST, Marriott, ADP, Duracell, Ameriprise, AARP, Humana, AIG, National Golf Foundation, Kroger, Harvard, BMO Private Bank, Kimberly-Clark, Siemens, AAA, Comfort Keepers, Northwestern Mutual, P&G, Beltone, Subway, Genworth, Arthritis Foundation, and countless others.
As a charismatic speaker and fervent advocate for multi-generations, Dr. Alexis will impart her vast knowledge and experience at your upcoming event. Her keynote presentations offer an exceptional blend of innovative and practical strategies, scientific depth, and real-world insights that inspire transformative change in how we perceive and address aging. Seize this unparalleled opportunity to learn from one of the most dynamic thought leaders in gerontology as she guides you on a journey to redefine aging.
Carlos Hidalgo
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Carlos Hidalgo is the co-founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust, a growth partner that helps clients make growth simple. Carlos serves his clients as an advisor, consultant, and teacher to ensure they have meaningful engagement with their customers at every stage of the journey and are able to mature and create sustainable growth.
Carlos has 30 years of experience working with organizations of all sizes as an advisor, consultant, innovator, and growth expert. He is widely recognized for his expertise in marketing, sales, and customer success and for coaching executives in the areas of leadership and managing change. In addition to his work with his clients, Carlos has won numerous marketing awards and been named to several prestigious industry lists as a marketing leader.
Carlos is also the author of Driving Demand, which is ranked as a top 5 marketing book of all time by Book Authority, and The UnAmerican Dream, which was released in 2019. In addition to books, Carlos is a well-known international keynote and TEDx speaker.
You can follow Carlos on LinkedIn or on Twitter @cahidalgo.
Sekou Andrews
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Sekou Andrews is the CEO of SekouWorld, Inc. and one of the most successful spoken word poets in the world. On any given day, this school-teacher turned artist and entrepreneur, who built a 7-figure company on poetry, can be found keynoting at a Fortune 500 company, inspiring thousands at a concert, or performing for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard.
Sekou is the creator of “poetic voice” – a cutting-edge speaking category that seamlessly fuses inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry, like “Hamilton” meets “TED”. His unique presentations are in high demand from leading associations and global brands like Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, and Paypal. He has been featured on ABC World News, CBS, MSNBC, HBO, Showtime, MTV and BET, and Forbes has called him “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” Sekou’s accomplishments include two National Poetry Slam championships, two national poetry tours, two Independent Music Awards, three Helen Hayes Awards, the most “Just Plain Folks” music awards in history, the 2020 ABA “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, and the first GRAMMY nomination for “Best Spoken Word Album” awarded to a spoken word poet in over 30 years.
A fearless disruptor of the speaking industry, Sekou also teaches rockstar secrets to public speakers through his Stage Might speaker training system that helps leaders become more dynamic communicators. Combining innovation and inspiration, Sekou Andrews is redefining the notion of what a speaker is, and what a poet can be.
Julie Solomon
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Marketing expert and entrepreneur Julie Solomon has been empowering lives through her chart-topping podcast and in-demand online programs for over fifteen years. Following a career as a publicist for some of the top music acts and thought leaders, Solomon launched her courses Pitch It Perfect, The Influencer Academy, and the SHINE Mastermind, teaching tens of thousands of students worldwide. Solomon is passionate about helping women turn messages into movements and empowers entrepreneurs to grow their influence and impact. She is the author of the empowerment guide Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable.
Recently named one of the Top 100 Leaders in influencer marketing, Solomon and her work have been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Weekly, Business Insider, SUCCESS, and People, among others. As the host of the chart-topping The Influencer Podcast, she offers authentic strategies for business growth and personal development to millions of listeners. In sought-after keynotes, Solomon shares her philosophy of highlighting inner brilliance to maximize potential in work and in life, leaving audiences of all kinds feeling motivated and confident.
Judy Smith
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Judy A. Smith is a crisis strategist and communications advisor who The Washington Post describes as “America’s best-known corporate fixer.” As a result of her wide ranging and ground-breaking career, Ms. Smith inspired the hit TV series entitled, Scandal, which revolved around the life and work of a professional fixer.
For more than 25 years, Ms. Smith has counseled presidents and world leaders through global crises, advised Fortune 50 CEOs through complex challenges, and helped manage the reputations of some of the world’s highest-profile individuals. In 1993, she founded Smith & Company, a strategic advisory firm considered to be one of the top crisis firms in the world.
Ms. Smith has brought her unique combination of communication skills, media savvy, legal and political acumen to clients facing a wide array of issues and challenges throughout the United States and abroad, and is currently serving as a trusted advisor at the forefront of the COVID-19 outbreak.
A long-time counselor to some of the world’s largest and most influential companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Panera, Lowes, Sony, Kaiser, United Healthcare, and Walmart, Ms. Smith provides her clients with strategic advice on a variety of corporate communications issues such as mergers and acquisitions, product recalls, intellectual property litigation, corporate positioning, diversity and other corporate, investor and public relations matters.
An experienced and sought-after commentator as a crisis management expert, Ms. Smith frequently appears on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, NBC, ABC, and CBS. She has been featured in numerous national publications including: the Washington Post, National Journal, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company. Ms. Smith also speaks at events throughout the year before conference audiences, corporate boards, academic institutions, and other professional groups.
Susan Del Percio
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Susan Del Percio is a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant. She is a political analyst for NBC & MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News THINK and Know Your Value.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the political, government, nonprofit and private sector arenas, she is a trusted advisor, helping leaders develop and execute focused strategic communications and winning crisis management campaigns.
Her unique insights on government procedure, regulatory environments and public policy is highly sought after, especially now, with public affairs, policy and media so thoroughly intertwined.
Appointed as a Special Advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014, she initiated and implemented communication strategies, and advised and developed policy initiatives. Susan also served as Deputy Commissioner in the Giuliani Administration (1995-2001) prior to founding her firm in 2001.
Fotini Iconomopoulos
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When was the last time you felt in control of a conversation, and what does control mean to you? The best communicators and negotiators recognize that control is gained from understanding. First, you need to understand what you want. Then you need to be open to what the person on the other side of you wants. Expert Communicator and Negotiator Fotini Iconomopoulos, Author of Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want, helps audiences understand that being in control of situations that can increase your personal well being, fuel your professional growth and ultimately increase your wealth is attainable for everyone.
For more than a decade Fotini Iconomopoulos has been empowering Fortune 500 executives and their teams to achieve their objectives. Now, Fotini shares her actionable and innovative strategies that show audiences that negotiation simply boils down to effective communication skills. Once you are armed with Fotini’s sensible strategies and proven advice, you’ll be able to confidently get what you want in business and in life.
Shola Richards
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Most organizations have a version of "joyful peak performance" somewhere in their mission statement. But how many are actually achieving it? Across the US, 65M people are experiencing some form of toxicity at work every day. Many of these employees resign themselves to the pitiful fate of spending each day dodging the bullies, accepting deep-seated job dissatisfaction, fighting back clinical depression, or worse, succumbing to it.
Workplace Culture Expert and Bestselling Author Shola Richards has created a transformational roadmap of mindset, behaviors, and tools that transform workplace cultures. Shola’s mission is to help every workplace in America become one where joyful peak performance is lived every day and where engagement and satisfaction become the new norm.
Beau Lotto
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Your challenge at the very first moments of your next event is to get your audience instantly connected, warmed up and plugged in. Your event’s success is decided from the start. By getting your audience members open and wanting to change, collaborate, and create, you will avoid any skepticism. Leverage your investment with Beau Lotto as your opening keynote speaker.
World-famous neuroscientist, Dr. Beau Lotto, will prepare and super-motivate your audience by using the principles of neuroscience (yes, you read that right). When you step back and consider the Big Picture, the strategy makes sense. We all know the world is changing fast — that’s a given. The challenge is to adapt…or die. What you need is a speaker who will show your audience how to thrive in the face of change. Beau gives your attendees, in practical plain talk, the neuroscience behind personal evolution. He provides the detailed steps to achieve a successful culture where your audience can empower evolvability and thrive as a result.
Beau’s megamix is more than just science, however; he weaves in ideas from technology, art, fashion, music, and performance. It’s the kind of subject matter, delivered in a friendly, entertaining style, that turns heads.
The result for you: usable ideas that create a more invigorating, inventive, and evocable company culture. As well, this could be your first step in creating more meaningful, post-transactional customer relationships. Think of his gift to your audience as insight backed by science.
Beau’s keynote visit is more than just another indistinguishable inspirational speaker yelling, “You can do it!” Much more. Here, you get a fact-based return on investment. Don’t let Beau’s science background give you pause – his talks are always common-sense, and peppered with humor, audience participation and actionable principles that audiences can apply in their professional lives.
Beau, a renowned audience arouser, is a leading expert in perception, neuroscience, and complex adaptive systems. He’s helped navigate brands like Cirque du Soleil, Microsoft and L’oreal to even greater successes. In corporate circles as well as in the scientific community, Beau is well known and well respected; he’s earned a world-class reputation as a speaker, masterclass leader and big-league corporate consultant.
He’s been electrifying crowds for over 30 years, including a three-time gig as a mainstage TED-talk speaker. How? By challenging his audiences’ perceptions about change, getting them to look past their biases, and sparking ideas about how to create a more evolved, can-do organization.
The ultimate strategy: to apply scientific truths about perception to get your staff achieving solid bottom-line results.
Audiences love him because his unique style enables him to:
• Connect with every audience member
• Get his point across using humor, interaction and evidence rather than high-tech speak
• Engage the audience in a way that will cause immediate improvements and evolution in your organization
• Give your audience the tools they need to more be successful, courageous and collaborative in wildly uncertain, changing times
• Stay positive, inspirational, and aspirational (which is contagious and nourishing)
• Step up the possibilities as to what your people will consider do-able and achievable
• Share with the group how to create a culture (both at the conference, in oneself and across the organisation) grounded in 10Cs: Evolutionary, Neuroscientific principles that empower individuals and systems to thrive in a constantly changing world.
If you want to build your team more effectively and have them face and conquer their problems, fears and challenges, let Beau show the way. Neuroscience – as entertainingly explained by Beau – holds the key to adaption, creativity, innovation, and perception.
Belinda Parmar, OBE
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Belinda Parmar OBE is a corporate campaigner who has worked for the past twenty years transforming company cultures. Belinda works alongside CEOs and leaders using the power of empathy in language and leadership.
Belinda founded her first company ‘Lady Geek’ in 2010 which inspired women to become tech pioneers and wrote a book called Little Miss Geek. Belinda’s experience of running a gender focused company led her to the conclusion that gender can shut down a conversation, but empathy can open it up to everyone. In 2015, Belinda received an OBE by the Queen for her services to women in technology. Belinda then went on to launch The Empathy Business which is a consultancy helping some of the worlds biggest brands. She currently works with some of the world’s most complex companies in the world including Barclays, Facebook, Aston Martin and British Gas.
Belinda pioneered the first ever way to measure empathy in companies and is the creator of the Global Empathy Index, featured in the Harvard Business Review. Belinda speaks at Davos for the World Economic Forum and was voted one of the top global public diversity figures in Nov 2020 alongside Kamala Harris.
In 2019 and 2020 Belinda was invited to Davos to speak on the power of empathy in responsible leadership. Belinda has written for The Guardian, been voted one of the most influential women on Twitter by Forbes and regularly appears on the BBC and Sky News talking about empathy, tech, inclusion and responsible leadership.
Kelly Rippon
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Kelly Rippon is an teacher, author and single parent of six children, including her oldest son, Olympic medalist, Adam. She transformed her skills as an experienced college philosophy educator into a career as a motivational and professional development speaker. She started her own consulting company, Authentic Change Inc, with the mission of “Changing the world one conversation at a time.”
As a humorous and empathetic storyteller, her presentations, tailored to meet each organization's specific needs, leave participants with heightened awareness and tools that widen perspectives on the subjects of Parenting, Optimism, Wellness, Women's Empowerment, Education, Leadership, Motivation, Communication, Diversity, Student Retention, Conflict Resolution, and Customer Service.
A dynamic keynote speaker and breakout presenter for parenting and education conferences, healthcare groups, customer service teams, leadership training, and women’s conferences, among others, Rippon inspires audiences to ignite their influential power, think bigger, and heighten their own purpose and worth.
Aaron Wolf
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Award-winning actor, director, speaker, and activist, Aaron Wolf uses his creative voice to tell stories from the heart, that entertain and matter. He is co-founder of Howling Wolf Productions. Some of his work includes the Academy Award® shortlisted film Restoring Tomorrow, award-winning films Guest House, starring Michael Gross and Heather Lind, and The Walk, starring Wolf and Emmy nominee Peter Riegert.
Having toured around the country with his feature, Restoring Tomorrow, Wolf’s personal journey of rediscovery comes alive in this extraordinary story of a treasured Hollywood landmark and local temple built by the original Hollywood moguls, near demise, and a community’s determination to achieve the impossible. "Sharing his story to build his dream was so inspirational and informative, with some big laughs to go with it. He got us all on our feet...His unique innovative and new vision of how he develops engaging stories stimulated us to further ours’." (Adobe Systems)
The film received extensive coverage in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Tablet Magazine, Guideposts and The Times of Israel. Wolf was featured on everything from CNN to Fox News. The film became a movement, inspiring other communities, to set out to recognize and rebuild their places that matter. "Aaron’s voice and work are changing this country for the better. His strong beliefs about bringing communities together are the same as the core values of our company. We’ve never had a standing ovation in this setting for anything, but Aaron got it and deserved it. Powerful can’t even describe the evening we spent with him." (Home Depot)
Based on the hit film, Wolf will launch the original television series Restoring Your Tomorrow, continuing his personal journey overcoming tragedy while chronicling the revitalization of other important communities across the world.
Currently, Wolf is in production on the comedy LD University and its companion documentary entitled We Are All (dis)ABLED, drawing from his personal experiences, allowing audiences insight into his struggle to tackle the urgent topic of learning disabilities and de-stigmatize people deemed disabled. For Wolf, this is one the most critical civil rights issues currently being overlooked and misunderstood by society and he is on a quest to use his voice and work for positive change.
Steve Jones
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Steve Jones is a music biz insider who will change the way you think about business, marketing, creativity, and customer service. As the author of two highly-acclaimed business books, Steve draws upon his 30 years in the music industry to demonstrate how the essential lessons of business can be learned from the bands, songs, and albums we love. He will show you how to build a brand as consistent as AC/DC, as immediately recognizable as Kiss, and as resilient as Fleetwood Mac. His concert-like presentations are filled with music, humor, and engaging backstage stories from the music business. Steve is the author of Brand Like a Rock Star and Start You Up. He has spent over three decades in music and media, witnessing the rise (and sometimes fall) of countless rock legends. In addition to being a popular speaker at conferences worldwide, Steve also works with media brands and companies in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean to turn their customers into raving fans.
Scott Rouse
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As a behavior analyst and body language expert, Scott Rouse holds multiple certificates in advanced interrogation training and has been trained alongside the FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Military Intelligence, and the Department of Defense. His extensive training, education, and practice of nonverbal communication have made him an expert and consultant to law enforcement as well as successful CEO's, attorneys, executives, and entertainers. He is also a Grammy-nominated producer.
Scott's "Body Language Frankenstein" presentations and talks have been educating and entertaining audiences at U.S. and international companies as well as colleges and universities like Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Business Management, Lipscomb University, and The University of Tennessee.
Rouse found a home for his skill set at The Nashville Entrepreneur Center where he heads the EC's Pitch Department and helps startups and new entrepreneurs with their pitches for funding. Rouse says "When pitching, there are many things that click the investor's 'Gut Feeling Controls' to the 'Something's Not Right Here' setting. Even though you're being honest, you may inadvertently be doing something that tells the investor's Limbic Brain 'Look out, this guy's up to something. '" There may be many reasons for this, but as an expert in involuntary physiological communication, I see what causes that problem and I fix it." Through his success in helping startups raise millions of dollars in funding, he has become known as "The PitchFixer".
Blake Morgan
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Blake Morgan is a leader in customer experience. She is a keynote speaker and customer experience futurist and author of two books on customer experience. Her second book is called The Customer Of The Future: 10 Guiding Principles For Winning Tomorrow’s Business (HarperCollins). Her first book was More is More: How The Best Companies Work Harder And Go Farther To Create Knock Your Socks Off Customer Experiences. She has worked with Comcast, Allstate, Genentech, Accor Hotels, Accenture, Adobe, Parker Hannifin, Ericsson, Verizon, Omron and more. Blake is a guest lecturer at Columbia University as well as adjunct faculty at the Rutgers executive education MBA program. Blake contributes to Forbes, the Harvard Business Review, and Hemispheres Magazine. She is the host of The Modern Customer Podcast and a weekly customer experience video series on YouTube.
Blake has given speeches all over the world for a variety of audiences, and loves bringing her message of the power of customer experience to audiences ranging from all industries. Blake has focused on customer experience for over ten years, written two books on the topic, and interviewed hundreds of senior executives. She not only educates on customer experience, but she makes it fun for the audience in the process.
Duncan Wardle
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Leaning on 25+ years of experience with Disney, most recently as Head of Innovation & Creativity, Duncan Wardle creates an engaging, immersive keynote that leaves the audience with a unique set of tangible tools they can actually use to embed a culture of innovation and creativity across their own organizations.
As Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Duncan and his team helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar and Disney Parks to innovate, creating magical new storylines and experiences for consumers around the globe.
As founder of iD8 & innov8 he now brings his extensive Disney experience to audiences around the world using a very unique approach to Design Thinking, that not only places the end user at the core of the creative thinking process, but also looks in new and usual places to uncover insights for innovation, helping people capture unlikely connections, leading to fresh thinking and disruptive ideas.
Delivering a series of keynotes, workshops and ideation forums, his unique Design Thinking process helps companies embed a culture of innovation into everyone’s DNA.
Duncan is a multiple Ted X speaker and contributor to Fast Company Magazine. He teaches Master Classes at Yale, the University of North Carolina, Duke University and the University of Florida. In 2008 he received the American Citizen of Choice Award at the White House. In 2014 he was awarded a Hons. Doctorate from Edinburgh University in Scotland. He also holds the Duke of Edinburgh Award presented by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
Jason Hewlett
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Jason Hewlett’s speaking career began following one fateful performance of his popular One-Man Show. The client was so impressed with Jason's powerful messaging that he was asked to keynote their Management & Leadership Conference the following year. Jason’s customized presentation and content, combined with music and comedy, was so well received it has turned into multiple speeches for clients throughout the country. His reputation is now that of someone who delivers an incredible, standing-ovation show worthy of Las Vegas praise, AND a keynote speaker sharing practical and insightful business principles applicable for leadership, entrepreneurship, and cultural impact.
In thousands of corporate presentations for front-line motivation and management instruction, Jason’s talks combine message, authenticity, humor, music, and impersonations. His talks feel like a show with a message, or a keynote speech with entertainment, while remaining a G-rated, family-friendly, corporate ready experience. Few performers can match the level of laughs, energy, and appropriate material for any audience. Jason Hewlett is constantly brought back again and again by his clients.
In addition, combining his ability as a seasoned speaker, entertainer, and behind-the-scenes event advisor, Jason has become one of America’s top Master of Ceremonies/Emcees for the largest corporate and charity events. Whether a 3-day convention or an awards gala, Jason keeps the energy, laughs, and excitement going throughout, while allowing executives to take a back seat and enjoy the conference rather than stress about running it.
With over 2,000 presentations for Fortune 500 companies and clients such as American Express, Delta Airlines, the Salt Lake Olympics, Experian, NuSkin, Younique, Coca~Cola and Wells Fargo, Jason Hewlett is your go-to solution for a keynote, entertainment and emcee.
Molly Birkholm
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Molly Birkholm is a speaker, consultant, published author, international show host, teacher trainer, and trauma educator. Molly’s stress management programs, resilience training, and trauma treatment programs are used by leaders and top organizations around the world, including the US Department of Defense, McKinsey & Company, and the Young Presidents' Organization.
She is the co-founder of Warriors at Ease, which has trained over 2000 teachers and brought yoga and meditation to 65 military bases and VA Centers. She helped pioneer evidence-based yoga and meditation programs for PTSD in the military and other communities affected by trauma, including human trafficking survivors and homeless communities. She is also an iRest Yoga Nidra teacher trainer. Molly teaches trainings and retreats around the world and also online on The Great Courses and as a Featured Teacher & the host of the Women’s Empowerment Initiative on Yoga International.
Krister Ungerböck
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Groundbreaking leadership lessons don’t come easily. Krister Ungerböck grew his software company 3,000% – from a small team in St. Louis to hundreds of employees in 8 countries. Chart-topping employee engagement ratings of 99.3% led to 5 consecutive annual Top Workplace Awards.
His experience is global - Krister has done business in 40 countries, built businesses in 6, and lived in 3. Now a retired tech CEO at age 42, and the world’s first Leadership Archaeologist, he travels to all corners of the Earth (so you don’t have to) to discover hidden, powerful leadership secrets.
Krister’s groundbreaking leadership approach “cracks the code” to employee engagement, increased profitability, and faster growth: Better bosses. What’s the simplest, most practical way to build better bosses – or become one? Upgrade your language of leadership. As Krister says, “The easiest way to change how we lead is to change our words.”
In his book, The Language of Leadership, Krister shares a real, raw, gripping story of success and failure, mistakes and missteps, and business breakups. In captivating keynotes that are both deeply personal and exceptionally action-oriented, audiences and readers don’t only learn actionable steps to growth and profitability, they gain surprising insights and self-discovery that shift their perspectives … forever.
Ashley Fox
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Ashley Fox is one of the NFL’s most well respected journalists and a trailblazer in the ego-infused world of sports media. During her 24-year career, including 7 years as a lead NFL reporter and analyst for ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, Ashley covered the United States’ most popular sport for the largest sports media network in the world.
By being fair, honest and accountable, with unwavering professionalism and boundless optimism, Ashley earned the trust of professional athletes, coaches, owners, team executives and league commissioners. She understands the power of relationships and the steps necessary to build and maintain them. She has mastered the lost art of listening and knows that the best questions mine the most insightful answers.
Since 1993, Ashley Fox has reported from the world’s largest sporting events- the Summer Olympics, Wimbledon, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the Final Four, the World Series, the Stanley Cup Finals, and the PGA Championship. Ashley’s written work has been featured on ESPN.com, TheUndefeated.com, ESPNW.com and in ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A world-class communicator, Ashley shares with her global audience her inspiring story of determination, perseverance, balancing personal and professional integrity, believing in the impossible and overcoming obstacles. Attendees of Ashley’s presentations learn the proven leadership, communication and teamwork strategies that took her from a small-town girl with big-time dreams to an award-winning reporter and columnist for the preeminent sports network on the planet.
Bob 'Sully' Sullivan
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Sully Sullivan delivers inspiring yet practical keynotes to growth-oriented leaders around the globe. His signature, unorthodox style captivates audiences, while his proven step-by-step formula for negotiating better outcomes is absorbed and embraced. Street smarts combine with the experience of negotiating over $1 billion of economic impact to light up your next corporate event, convention, or meeting.
Sharing stories personal triumph and tragedy, along with powerful stories of others who've leveraged the art of negotiation to achieve at the highest levels, Sully skips the cliches in favor of fresh approaches to growth, success, and achievement. He'll show your audience that it isn't the smartest people that win, but rather those who have mastered deal-making and negotiation. Sully shares specific and practical tools so audiences walk away being armed for battle, ready to seize their full potential.
Sully memorable and energizing keynotes fully reinforce his core guiding principle:
You Are What You Negotiate™.
Leonard Frank McCarthy
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Leonard McCarthy has been in the business of risk management, litigation, anti-corruption and integrity due diligence for more than twenty years.
Appointed as Integrity Vice-Presidency (INT), Leonard McCarthy led his office to anchor the World Bank’s mission of directing economic development and eradicating poverty, by ensuring that funds are used for their intended purpose.
In 2009, McCarthy paved the way for the World Bank’s first negotiated settlement, enabling the institution to deal more expediently with companies that admit wrongdoing. Under McCarthy’s management, the World Bank launched the International Corruption Hunters Alliance (ICHA), and also brokered a landmark cross-debarment agreement with other Multilateral Development Banks, resulting in the cross-debarment of 600 entities to date.
As Vice President for Integrity, McCarthy served on the World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) management panel and played a crucial role in steering the Bank’s Governance and Anti-corruption (GAC) Agenda.
He had transformed the Bank’s Integrity Vice-Presidency into a flagship global function, based on its impact on governments and the private sector, and through working arrangements and agreements with the U.S Justice Department, the U.K Serious Fraud Office, the European Anti-Fraud Office, the United Nations Agencies, other Multilateral Development Banks, and Interpol.
In his prior professional life, McCarthy was appointed by former President Nelson Mandela as a Director of Public Prosecutions in 1998, after which he succeeded as Director for the Office of Serious Economic Offences in June 2000. He then became Head of South Africa’s Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) in 2003, overseeing crime analysis, investigation, prosecution, asset forfeiture and civil litigation. During his tenure, the DSO secured convictions in major pursuits involving corporate wrongdoing, grand corruption, organized crime, and urban terrorism; and interdicted record amounts of proceeds of crime, financial assets, drugs and other contraband.
He is the founder and president of LF MCCARTHY ASSOCIATES, Inc. (LFM), an international integrity risk management company based in Washington, D.C. LFM specializes in advising corporations, public institutions and international organizations about how to prevent, mitigate and resolve integrity risks. He has extensive strategic contacts and worldwide credibility as an objective sounding board. McCarthy’s expertise lies in negotiations, a firm grasp of global dynamics, and the ability to navigate the intersection between law, business, politics and ethics.
Molly Bloom
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Molly Bloom is an inspirational keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Molly’s Game. She is best known for her memoir, Molly’s Game, which was adapted into an award-winning film of the same name by Aaron Sorkin. Bloom’s memoir chronicles her journey from college student to LA waitress to building and operating the largest and most notorious private poker game in the world. Her games featured hundreds of millions of dollars and players like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, A-Rod, and Ben Affleck.
Bloom began her career as a world-class skier. While training as a pre-teen she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and had to undergo surgery that the doctors said would end her athletic career. A year later, fully recovered, she was back on the slopes. She later joined the U.S. Ski Team and at 21 years old was ranked No. 3 in North America in moguls, but her Olympic dreams would go unrealized as she left the team to pursue other projects. This led her to what she thought would be a year sabbatical in LA.
Bloom was finishing her degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and was in the process of applying to top tier Law Schools, when her assistant job turned her into an accidental entrepreneur, running one of the most exclusive, high-stakes underground poker games in the world, pulling in as much as $4 million per year. What happened next is where her story truly begins. The film Molly’s Game, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, stars Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Jessica Chastain (as Molly), Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Brian d’Arcy James, and Chris O’Dowd. Featured on Daily Hive and the New York Times as a ‘must watch’ movie, Molly’s Game is now available to stream on YouTube TV.
Bloom has appeared on numerous shows and in media outlets such as Ellen, Vice, The Los Angeles Times, NPR, Vulture, and has been asked to speak at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, for companies like Blackrock Financial, SiriusXM Radio, and delivered the 2018 commencement speech at Colorado State University.
Currently, Molly is focusing her energy on uplifting and mentoring other women after having been the mentee of amazing, dynamic women herself. In 2020, she launched the One World Group to support women facing various challenges, especially those exacerbated by the global pandemic. In 2022, she launched TORCHED, a new podcast about Olympic controversies.
Fortune 1000 Events - Since 2021 began, Molly Bloom has given keynote presentations to Fortune 1000 companies Comcast (three times!) and US Bank.
Aaron Ross
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Aaron Ross is the best-selling author of Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business into a Sales Machine With The $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com. Called “The Sales Bible of the Silicon Valley,” the book has been #1 on amazon’s telemarketing list for over 2 years. His newest book, From Impossible To Inevitable: How Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue, details the hypergrowth playbook of companies like the record-breaking Zenefits (which skyrocketed from $1 million to $100 million in two years), Salesforce.com (the fastest growing multibillion dollar software company), and EchoSign—aka Adobe Document Services—(which catapulted from $0 to $144 million in seven years). Whether you have a $1 billion or a $100,000 business, you can use the same insights as these notable companies to learn what it really takes to break your own revenue records.
Matthew Luhn
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Matthew Luhn, Former Pixar Story Artist, is a writer, story consultant, creative writing instructor and keynote speaker with over 25 years' experience creating stories and characters at Pixar Animation Studios, The Simpsons, and beyond.
Matthew trains Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, and other professionals on how to craft and tell stories that bridge the gap between business and heart to build stronger brands and business communication.
Matthew Luhn heard thousands of great ideas while working at Pixar, The Simpsons, and ILM, but how is it that some of these ideas make great movies and TV shows, while others don’t make the cut? The answer: the best innovators and directors have developed a process that focuses their team’s creativity into not only creating great ideas but also fleshing them out – something Matthew has experienced firsthand.
Ken Hughes
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Ken Hughes is now acknowledged as being one of the world’s leading authorities on consumer and shopper behaviour, blending his understanding of consumer & cyber psychology, digital anthropology, behavioural economics and retail futurology to explore the needs of the new consumer and predict the changes to come.
Ken advises some of the biggest brands in the world on customer experience, omnichannel strategy, shopper marketing, retail trends, the millennial and Gen Z shopper and the peer-to-peer economy. As an accomplished author, TED speaker, part-time university professor and actor, his performances are not only insightful and thought-provoking, but are infamous for their sheer energy, entertainment and passion, not to mention his generous Irish wit.
Every year, Ken shares his thought-disrupting insight with tens of thousands of delegates globally as one of the most popular keynote speakers booked on the international conference circuit relating to the future of consumerism.
Jerry Michalski & April Rinne
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Everywhere we look, the economy is changing. Growth doesn't look like it used to. Work and the workplace have turned upside down. Business leaders and policy makers are wondering what to do. And it's still early, with even more change on the horizon.
Jerry Michalski and April Rinne are here to help you navigate this space, both today and moving forward.
Together and individually, they have seen these forces at work and helped birth new industries. From microfinance to tech booms (and busts), from the sharing economy to automation, and from new business models to trust-driven innovation, each of them has been at the 50 yard line in the very early stages of some of the most important transformations of the last three decades. They love what they do, and when they do it together, more than doubling the value they bring to the table.
They’re great at trailblazing and they love helping others forge profitable new paths.
Laura Schwartz
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Laura Schwartz is a dynamic professional speaker, emcee and internationally recognized television commentator. But when she arrived at the White House in January of 1993, she was just a 19-year-old student with no political connections and no way of knowing what was about to come next. She landed a volunteer position answering phones in the press office, but that was just the beginning. She climbed her way up the ranks of the Clinton Administration, as the Midwest Press Secretary, Director of Television and, ultimately, Director of Events, where she produced the President’s events on the world stage.
Laura is the author of Eat, Drink & Succeed, which focuses on powerful, positive and productive networking secrets not only to her success but that of Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and more. Laura relates these powerful techniques to every reader and audience regardless of industry or location in the world.
Throughout every presentation, Laura shares secrets to leadership and success while revealing essential tools that will increase sales, productivity, elevate you to the table or propel you to the next level in business and beyond. As she often remarks, “You never know when the next conversation will be thee conversation to change your life or that of someone else!”
Laura has been taking her empowering presentations to stages across the world since 2001 and is well known for her keynotes and as a mistress of ceremonies and on stage interviewer for multi-day conferences and events. Whether addressing an intimate gathering of 30 or a crowd of 30,000, Laura captivates attendees with her positive energy, expertise and enthusiasm.
Lady Mone
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Lady (Michelle) Mone, Baroness of Mayfair, OBE is the founder of Ultimo - the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand. Honoured by Her Majesty the Queen with an OBE in 2010 for her outstanding contribution to business, Lady Mone is now Start-up Business Csar for the British Government and the UK’s No.1 female speaker.
Lady Mone is regularly listed as one of the UK’s top female entrepreneurs and has been steadily building her empire, encompassing over 15 patented inventions, businesses & brands over the last two decades.
Michelle is an expert in business, motivation, fashion, health & well being.
Nicholas Webb
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Nick Webb is a number one best-selling author and is one of the most popular Innovation, Healthcare, Future-trends, and Customer Experience Speakers in the world. Nick is the CEO of LeaderLogic, LLC a Management Consulting Firm that provides consulting services and training to the top brands in the world. Nick works shoulder-to-shoulder with boards of directors of multibillion-dollar companies to assist them in building future-ready organizations.
As a technologist, Nick has been awarded over 40 Patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office for a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including one of the world’s smallest medical implants and one of the first wearable technologies.
Nick’s best-selling books include, What Customers Crave, The Innovation Mandate, What Customers Hate, Happy Work,Lucid Leadership and his number one bestselling book, The Healthcare Mandate. Nick has been awarded one of the Top 30 Business Experts for eight years in a row.
Nick has served as a Chief Innovation Officer and an Adjunct Professor at a top medical school. Nick was awarded his Doctorate of Humane Letters (hon.) for his contributions in healthcare.
Additionally, Nick is also the Producer and Host of the Award-winning Documentary Film, “The Healthcare Cure”. The film won the Sedona International Film Festival’s “Audience Choice Award”, Most Impactful Film.
NICK SPEAKS ON:
Let’s face it – “innovation” has become a buzzword. Everyone loves it and a lot of people talk about it, but very few know how to leverage it for success. Nick will bring to your group his decades of real-world business experience and show them, in a way that’s engaging and entertaining, how every member of your team can become an innovator and contribute to your bottom line.
Nick Webb will bring to your group his extensive real-world knowledge of healthcare innovation, including his experience as an inventor of one of the world’s smallest medical implants. In recognition of his contributions to healthcare innovation and policy, Nick was awarded the Doctorate of Humane Letters (hon.) from Western University of Health Sciences. Your team will love him – and you’ll soon see the difference in their performance!
With Nick Webb, you’ll have on your team the acclaimed author of “What Customers Crave,” his best-selling book that redefines the customer relationship. His deep, first-hand knowledge will make a difference that you’ll see in your team’s performance and your bottom line!
Nick Webb has studied the past, knows the present, and speaks with authority about the future. As he reveals in his forthcoming book, “The Innovation Mandate” (HarperCollins Leadership, 2019), Nick sees a bright future for those who take advantage of currents in the marketplace rather than fighting them. If you want your team to face the future armed with actionable information, Nick Webb will deliver!
As CEO of Leader Logic and recipient of the Top Global Business Guru award for 2017, 2018, and 2019, Nick Webb understands the challenges of leadership, knows the real-world application of innovation, and speaks to the audience from the perspective of having worked in the trenches. He’s helped thousands of leaders from around the world to rise to the top – and he’ll do the same for you!
Olivia Fox Cabane
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Olivia Fox Cabane has lectured at Stanford, Yale, Harvard, MIT, the Marine Corps War College and the United Nations. As keynote speaker and executive coach to the leadership of Fortune 500 companies, she helps people become more persuasive, influential, and inspiring. From a base of thorough behavioral science, Olivia extracts the most practical tools for business, applying the latest in global behavioral science to everyday leadership needs to improve her clients’ productivity, effectiveness and efficiency.
In addition to being a columnist for Forbes and The Huffington Post, Olivia is often featured in media such as The New York Times, Bloomberg or BusinessWeek. She has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal as well as NPR’s Marketplace show. Olivia currently serves as Director of Innovative Leadership for Stanford’s StartX program. Her course at Berkeley’s Business School was so popular that university staff had to guard the entrance to ensure that only the students admitted to that course gained entrance. Her first book, The Charisma Myth, published by Penguin/ Random House, went into second printing before it even launched.
Tim Gard
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Tim Gard is a tears-in-your-eyes-laugh-out-loud speaker who teaches people to be more resilient and resourceful, and coaches businesses on how to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm. As a business speaker, Tim shows leaders how to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm using his humor stress diffusion tactics in everyday situations. He facilitates an unforgettable experience that improves the quality of interactions. At the same time, he’s instilling an enthusiasm for non-malicious mischief that no one should live without! Tim has achieved the highest honors and recognition in his industry, including the title of CSP and a CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame member.
Anthony Bourke
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Major Anthony “AB” Bourke is a highly-experienced F-16 fighter pilot having flown tactical missions in countries all over the world. During his 20 years of service, he accumulated more than 2,700 hours of flight time in various high performance aircraft and was one of the first pilots to fly an F-16 in homeland defense efforts over New York City in the aftermath of September 11th.
Following his impressive military service, AB applied the tools and techniques that made him one of our nation’s premier fighter pilots to the competitive world of business. He ascended rapidly to become the top producing mortgage banker in the Western US for a prominent lending institution. His success in the mortgage banking industry led to an opportunity with a California based start-up where his team dramatically grew annual revenue from $500,000 to $65M in just three years.
Following these two endeavors, AB combined his love of business with his passion for tactical aviation to build a global training company based on lessons learned in the military. He brings his tactical knowledge and vast business experience to the forefront of the global management training community, and shares his impactful message of achieving peak performance with audiences around the world.
Ron Kaufman
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Ron Kaufman is the world’s leading educator and motivator for uplifting customer service and building service cultures.
Rated one of the “Top 25 Who’s Hot” speakers by Speaker Magazine, he presents powerful insights and global best practices from working with clients on every continent for more than twenty years. His energetic keynote speeches and workshops have inspired millions.
Lance Secretan
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Dr. Lance Secretan is widely acknowledged as one of the most insightful and provocative leadership teachers of our time. He is the former CEO of a Fortune 100 company, university professor, award-winning columnist and author of 15 books about inspiration and leadership. His teachings and writings on conscious leadership are courageous, radical and ingenious and have been hailed as among the most original, authentic and effective contributions to leadership thinking currently available.
Seth Godin
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Seth Godin is an Author, Entrepreneur and Most of All, A teacher
Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 19 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn). His most recent book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world.
Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!).
By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has been able to motivate and inspire countless people around the world.
In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both.
Steve Rizzo
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A personal development expert, comedian, Speakers Hall of Fame motivational speaker, and author, Steve Rizzo is the Attitude Adjuster. After being saddled with the dubious high school honor of "Least Likely to Succeed," Steve Rizzo was able to do what many people dream of—proving them all wrong. Now he helps his audiences around the world do the same thing. He is the author of the bestselling book, Get Your SHIFT Together and is often called upon as the “go-to” guy on the topic of personal development for many network, cable and radio media outlets. His immensely popular PBS special revealed why he’s an expert on attitude, humor and the power of positive thinking.
Steve left his promising career as a headline comedian where he shared the stage with Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield and Ellen DeGeneres, to become a professional speaker who teaches people how to be happy and successful no matter what their circumstances are.
Nido Qubein
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Dr. Nido Qubein came to the United States as a teenager with little knowledge of English and only $50 in his pocket. His journey has been an amazing success story. The Biography Channel and CNBC aired his life story titled A Life of Success and Significance.
As an educator, he is president of High Point University, an undergraduate and graduate institution with 4,300 students from 40 countries. He has authored two dozen books and audio programs distributed worldwide.
As a business leader, he is chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company with 220 stores in 43 states. He serves on the boards of several national organizations including BB&T (a Fortune 500 company with $185 billion in assets), the La-Z-Boy Corporation, and Dots Stores.
As a professional speaker, Dr. Qubein has received many distinctions including the Golden Gavel Medal, induction into the International Speaker Hall of Fame, and as the founder of the NSA Foundation in Arizona.
Sharing his experiences - from first coming to the United States to scrambling to reach the top of his professions – Nido Qubein has become an inspiring business speaker who shows companies that success is possible in any situation. By believing in the best and dedicating hard work and perseverance, people and companies can achieve their best work, and become beacons of success in the business world.
Waldo Waldman
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Known as “The Wingman,” Lt Col Waldo Waldman, MBA, CSP, CPAE is a highly decorated combat fighter pilot with 65 missions in Iraq and Serbia. A business consultant and executive coach, he helps organizations build collaborative cultures of trust, courage and commitment in highly competitive, rapidly changing business environments.
In addition to his time in the military, Waldo has real world corporate sales and management experience and is an expert on change management, peak performance, and resilience – having broken through a lifelong fear of heights and overcoming claustrophobia as a fighter pilot.
A key message in his inspirational “Never Fly Solo” signature keynote is that you can’t reach your highest potential alone. You need wingmen - trusted partners – to help you win when adversity strikes. His compelling stories and techniques on overcoming obstacles, performing under pressure, earning trust, and servant-based leadership are extremely relevant to diverse organizations who seek to create a “One Team, One Mission” performance-focused culture of trust and collaboration.
“We Survive Solo but Win Together.” Waldo
Waldo is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Never Fly Solo and an inductee into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame, a prestigious award that has been bestowed on less than 190 speakers worldwide. A graduate of the U.S Air Force Academy, he also holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior and is the founder of The Wingman Foundation whose mission is to build funds and awareness for veterans in need.
He’s been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Inc. Magazine, and The Harvard Business Review, and his global clients include American Express, Hewlett Packard, Verizon, GE, The Denver Broncos, New York Life, ExxonMobil, Merck, Johnson & Johnson and dozens of national associations.
Lisa Ford
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Lisa Ford, CSP, CPAE, is a speaker with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She speaks throughout the United States and internationally on topics of customer service, leadership, team issues and change. Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. She is the author of the videotape series How to Give Exceptional Customer Service, the #1 selling business video series in the U.S. for over 5 years.
Lisa designs content personalized to the audience and issues they face. She has also customized numerous videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, Citgo, American Gas Association, American Diabetes Association and American Veterinary Medical Association.
In 2002, Lisa was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association. She is one about 240 speakers who have been honored over 30 years. She also serves a Board Member of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee.
David Nour
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David Nour is a growth strategist and the thought leader on Relationship Economics®—the quantifiable value of business relationships. In a global economy that is becoming increasingly disconnected, The Nour Group, Inc. has attracted consulting engagements from over 100 marquee organizations in driving unprecedented growth through unique return on their strategic relationships. David has pioneered the phenomenon that relationships are the greatest off balance sheet asset any organization possesses, large and small, public and private.
He annually delivers 50 global keynotes on business relationships, social & mobile disruptive technologies, and adaptive innovation at leading industry association conferences, corporate meetings, and academic forums.
Annette Simmons
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Inspirational storyteller and founder of Group Process Consulting, Annette Simmons has devoted her life to public speaking, writing, and consulting for some of the foremost companies in the world. Through her stories she is able to complement the needs of people in organizations, which lead to lasting, mutual communities of influence. Her creative insight in the work place has benefited many key clients such as NASA, IRS, and NSA, IBM, Best Buy, and Dialogue Devices as well as Universities and smaller privately held clients. Annette is an experienced corporate trainer, specializing in "tough situations," allowing her to help a room full of hard-boiled executives switch from the brute force approach of a bully to the elegant tactics of a martial arts master.
Michael Bergdahl
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When Michael Bergdahl speaks, people don't just listen. They learn. Experience, insight, and a powerful, personable presence combine to make Michael Bergdahl the must-have speaker for any business that's serious about competing in today's market. With an upbeat, high-energy style that entertains as it teaches, his presentations make complex business strategies and tactics easy to understand and apply.
Cindy Solomon
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Cindy Solomon’s depth and breadth of experience in corporate America along with her consulting work with hundreds of companies across industries allows her to relate to her audiences first-hand with wit, intelligence and a solid grounding in the realities of the marketplace, customer service, customer loyalty, employee engagement and leadership.
Gary Bradt
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Change happens – faster than ever. The challenge is to adapt, ignite and win! Psychologist, author, coach and speaker, Dr. Gary Bradt has devoted his career to arming organizations and people with practical and powerful tools that increase their capacity to adapt quickly and keep moving in a positive direction – professionally and personally.
Frank Luntz
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One of the most honored communication professionals in America today, Frank Luntz has become the go-to consultant when Fortune 100 companies need communication and language guidance. More media outlets have turned to Dr. Luntz to understand the hopes and fears of Americans than to any other political pollster.
Tony Alessandra
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Tony Alessandra shows audiences how to out-sell, out-market and out-service the competition with his high-tech, high-touch sales and marketing techniques.
Charles Duhigg
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Duhigg is a Pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter at The New Yorker Magazine, and previously at The New York Times Magazine. At The New York Times, he authored or contributed to multiple series, including “The Reckoning” (2008), which studied the causes and outcomes of the financial crisis, and “The iEconomy”, which examined the global economy through the lens of Apple, and which won the 2013 Pulitzer prize in explanatory journalism. He has also won the George Polk Award (2007), the Gerald Loeb Award (2008), the National Journalism Award (2009), was a Business News Visionary Award recipient (2020-2021), and other honors. Duhigg was also the founding host of the “How To!" podcast for Slate Magazine.
In addition to his reporting, Charles Duhigg is a regular contributor to television and radio, including the PBS Newshour, Frontline, CBS Sunday Morning and various programs on CNBC and NPR. Before becoming a journalist, Duhigg worked in private equity and founded a health care company in his home state of New Mexico (and, for one terrifying day in 1999, was a bike messenger in San Francisco.) He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and Yale College.
Kurt Andersen
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Radio host and writer Kurt Andersen is a brilliant analyst and synthesizer of historical and cultural trends. He hosted the Peabody Award-winning public radio show and podcast Studio 360 and co-produced the podcast Nixon at War. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Evil Geniuses, and Fantasyland, as well as four novels. Andersen co-created the streaming series COMMAND Z, and has previously written for TV, film, and stage. He’s a regular contributor to the New York Times and The Atlantic, as well as a former New Yorker columnist, TIME critic and columnist, and New York editor-in-chief.
Andersen provides audiences with a fascinating examination of America’s culture that brilliantly displays how we’ve gotten to where we are today, and where we are going. He has spoken to Sotheby’s, Boston College, The New Museum, the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, and many more.
Joanne Lipman
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Powerhouse journalist Joanne Lipman has transformed newsrooms across the country – and now she’s turned her keen eye to transforming work and life in the post-pandemic era. In her blockbuster new book, Next!: The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work (March 2023), she offers a deeply reported, delightfully readable look at how to change your life, your workplace, or your career -– and how to inspire innovation in others. It follows her No. 1 bestseller That’s What She Said, about achieving gender equity at work and at home, inspiring men as well as women to join together to promote diversity, innovation and excellence.
One of the nation’s most prominent journalists, Lipman is the former editor-in-chief of USA Today and the USA TODAY Network, Conde Nast Portfolio, and The Wall Street Journal Weekend Journal, leading those organizations to six Pulitzer Prizes. Dubbed “innovator in chief” by The New York Times and “star editor” by CNN, Lipman began her career at The Wall Street Journal, where she rose to become the highest-ranking woman in the paper’s history. Lipman has been in-demand with groups such as Motorola, Google, Aetna, Chevron, NBC Universal, among many others.
Lipman is sought after for her insights, appearing on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and CBS, and is an on-air contributor at CNBC. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, Fortune, and Harvard Business Review. She teaches a popular Yale University course on Media & Democracy, focused on issues including polarization and combatting misinformation. A lively and entertaining speaker, Lipman offers action-oriented insights and critical analysis into issues ranging from workplace culture, to personal and business growth and transformation, to fostering diverse and equitable organizations, and more.
Ben Sherwood
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CEO of the Daily Beast and New York Times bestselling author Ben Sherwood offers game-changing insights on bold leadership in times of disruption. Most recently, he was the founder and CEO of MOJO, a venture-backed tech and media platform, which quickly won the Webby Award for best sports app on the internet, was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and recognized as one of the best employers in sports by Front Office Sports. In April 2024, IAC chairman Barry Diller announced a strategic partnership with Sherwood, naming him publisher and CEO of The Daily Beast, the digital news platform, and a significant shareholder in the company. Previously, Sherwood was co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of the Disney ABC Television Group. There, he oversaw the company’s global television business with 12,000 employees, $12.5B in revenue and 25,000 hours of original programming per year. Before that, Sherwood served as president of ABC News, leading the organization to #1 in the ratings, every major award in broadcast journalism, record profitability, and groundbreaking strategic partnerships with Univision and Yahoo! A compelling keynote speaker, Sherwood regularly receives rave reviews such as: “Ben's message is deep, highly relevant, and of great intrinsic value. He hit the ball deep into the seats.” (The Masters Forum)
Sought after for his masterful storytelling, Sherwood shares the secrets to unleashing creativity and innovation, and leading through disruption. Sherman has also exec produced Good Morning America, senior produced NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, and wrote a few bestselling books, including Charlie St. Cloud (which was made into a Universal feature film), The Man Who Ate the 747 (in development as a Warner Brothers Discovery feature film), and The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life, a New York Times nonfiction bestseller. Consistently ranked in The Hollywood Reporter’s annual list of “Most Powerful People in Entertainment,” Sherwood provides unparalleled insight into leadership, storytelling, and business.
Jonathan Neman
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Co-Founder & co-CEO of sweetgreen, Johnathan Neman, is on a quest to revolutionize how Americans eat. Over the years, sweetgreen has received numerous accolades from the press including The Washington Post, USA Today, Food & Wine, Forbes, Bloomberg, Washingtonian, CBS, and CNBC, among others. sweetgreen was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies.” Continuing to lean into innovation, sweetgreen is an industry leader in automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) while retaining a focus on sustainability, transparency, and community. Neman’s talks often highlight the importance of conscious capitalism, innovation in the food industry, and building a purpose-driven company.
Jonathan has been recognized as a key innovator in food and business, named to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc’s “30 Under 30,” Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Food & Wine’s “40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under.” Neman’s insights are invaluable for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone passionate about creating positive change through mindful business practices.
Mauricio Umansky
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Industry disruptor Mauricio Umansky is the Founder and CEO of The Agency, a billion-dollar brokerage that has been redefining the real estate business for over a decade. Umansky, who holds the distinction for selling the most homes in the country priced above $20M, launched The Agency in 2011 with a vision for disrupting the industry by fostering a unique culture rooted in the core philosophy of collaboration. Representing noteworthy clients as well as the world’s top developers and resort brands, The Agency is noted by The Financial Times as one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies and has ranked among Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing private companies in the country for five consecutive years. An in-demand speaker for events such as The Asia Society, Foreign Policy Association, TEDx, World Economic Forum, and KPMG, Umansky shares his incomparable insights on disruptive innovation, leadership, and how to create an unparalleled company culture for maximum impact in your industry.
Umansky has been featured in Forbes, International Banker, Entrepreneur, and more, and together with his team is noted as one of the highest producing agents by The Wall Street Journal’s REAL Trends annual list, and has been ranked #97 on Swanepoel’s 2022 Power200, a prestigious list of top real estate executives in the U.S. He is a proud member of The Young Presidents Organization, an influential and world-renowned business networking organization, serves on the board of Giveback Homes, and supports The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the National Breast Cancer Association. Umansky is the author of The Dealmaker: How to Succeed in Business & Life Through Dedication, Determination & Disruption, which is a #1 New Release on Amazon in Work Life Balance and Business.
Ken Langone
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Iconoclastic entrepreneur and business legend Ken Langone is renowned as the co-founder of The Home Depot, where he was lead director and a member of the executive committee of its board since the company's founding, helping it expand to a national chain with over 2,000 locations and 400,000 employees. A pillar of corporate America for decades, Langone is the Founder and CEO of investment banking firm Invemed Associates LLC, served as CEO and President of Geeknet, Inc. (2011-2013), and was a director of the New York Stock Exchange.
Langone's New York Times bestseller, I Love Capitalism!: An American Story, tells his compelling personal story rising up from a low-income family to becoming one of America's most successful businessmen. A passionate defender of the American Dream, Langone demonstrates that everyone is entitled to dream big and reach their maximum potential. Langone provides on-the-nose business insights, sharp analysis on the current political and economic climate, and real-life, empowering, inspiration on success and leadership.
A world-class philanthropist, Langone's many contributions include a major gift to NYU's Medical Center, resulting in its renaming as the NYU Langone Medical Center. He also serves on the boards of Unifi, Inc., Micell Technologies, Relationship Sciences and Juice Press.
Abigail Posner
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Today’s unprecedented speed of change is forcing companies to pivot like never before and leverage their most innovative assets - their PEOPLE. For centuries, our workforce has been focused on specific roles and siloed divisions, but now the path to growth will come by inspiring every employee (from leader to individual contributor) with a new path to bring different, untapped sides of themselves to work, and ultimately become more curious, creative and action-oriented. This process of creating a more holistic person and organization is what Abigail Posner refers to as expansiveness. Tapping into her Harvard background in social anthropology, as well as her practical application in business through her work at Google, where she pioneers a focus around Humanizing Digital, Abigail provides an inspirational narrative and a roadmap for how people and organizations can embrace a new WHOLE-istic approach to business innovation and growth.
Posner is a member of ENDI Corp’s Board of Directors and sits on the advisory boards of the 890 Fifth Ave, SwiftArc Ventures, Global Leadership Diversity Exchange, Realm, TheSocialArchitects & the Conference Board’s Marketing & Communications Team; and has been featured in a host of publications including: NYTimes, Business Insider, Forbes, Adweek, Huffington Post, La Presse, CNBC, Mumbrella, AdNews, B&T & Globes Israel.
If you are looking to guide people in your organization to embrace more than a siloed vision of their roles, as well as become more vested in using their unique perspectives and skills to be more creative and innovative, then Abigail is the perfect guide to spark novel thinking and lead your people to action. Beyond her role at Google, she is a world-renowned speaker, podcaster, writer, beauty blogger, and lifestyle influencer. From appearances before packed audiences at Lincoln Center and SXSW, to speaking in over 10 countries, Abigail has shared her insights on culture, technology and leadership to audiences of thousands and proves that her own expansive approach to life has infused her work with a creative and innovative edge.
Jason Del Rey
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Veteran business journalist, podcaster, and author Jason Del Rey chronicles the omnichannel business empires of our generation, how technology is transforming retail, and what that means for consumers. Del Rey spent nearly a decade at the technology publication Recode, and produced Code Commerce, an event series featuring unscripted interviews with the most influential executives and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of technology and commerce. Del Rey’s Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart, and the Battle for Our Wallets is a riveting investigation – Publisher’s Weekly wrote, “This thorough outing delivers.”
Del Rey was also the host of Land of the Giants: The Rise of Amazon, a hit narrative podcast series about the tech giant’s rise and the impact of its relentless ambition on hundreds of millions of people across the globe. In 2019, the National Retail Federation named Del Rey its list of “25 People Shaping Retail’s Future.” Across platforms and in insightful talks, Del Rey examines how tech giants and retail titans rise to power, what they’re doing with that power, and what it means for how we shop, work, and live.
Janet Stovall
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Janet M. Stovall has flourished in the highly competitive corporate FORTUNE 500 world. A long history of driving change and building culture in large, complex organizations has given her deep expertise around DEI practices and principles, especially in the area of communications. In fact, she broke barriers as one of the few Black C-level speechwriters in the Fortune 100.
A self-described diversity pragmatist, Stovall is best known for her TED talk challenging business to get serious about inclusion. Collectively, Stovall’s three TED presentations have nearly 3 million views.
Stovall is Global Head of DEI at the NeuroLeadership Institute, a global think tank, consultancy, and research organization that uses neuroscience to improve business performance. A firm believer in action over aspiration, intent over impact and objectivity over subjectivity, Janet works with organizations and leaders that truly value diversity as an asset. Her consultancy, Pragmatic Diversity, helps them unlock that value through accountable inclusion and equity. Through direct consultation with leaders, teams and individuals, as well as keynote speeches and workshops, she helps business get real about DEI and dismantling systemic inequity.
On stage, her approach tackles workplace inequity head-on with a straightforward formula for creating an inclusive workplace that unlocks the power of diversity. Her superpowers? Applying objective solutions to solve subjective DEI challenges, building actionable DEI frameworks and strategies, and brokering honest DEI conversations among top leaders.
Co-author of The Conscious Communicator: The Fine Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t, Stovall also speaks to challenges of communicating authentically about DEI and social justice. Her groundbreaking book introduces a framework and practical tool to help leaders shape DEI and social justice and visions and messages aligned with organizational mission, vision, and values – consistently, proactively, and in ways that are powerful rather than performative.