When the challenges are steep and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides the tools individuals and organizations need to cross their most challenging finish lines. 

As a two-time World Champion Adventure racer, San Diego Firefighter, and CNN Hero, Robyn knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy, or as she puts it, “That magic that allows ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together.” 

Through harrowing experiences in places like the jungles of Borneo and the Himalayan peaks, Robyn has studied the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty of Extreme Teamwork. Her refreshing and unique techniques build and foster impactful, inspired teams that succeed against all odds and turn setbacks into comebacks. 

Robyn was named one of the "World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers" in 2020 (Real Leaders Magazine), the "#1 Female Speaker" for Meetings.net, and is one of the "Top 10 Speakers" featured by Harvard Business Review. She has motivated countless leaders and teams for Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Starbucks, Walmart, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, HubSpot, Intel, and more. Her game-changing keynotes inspire us to grab life with one hand, our teammates with the other and create that special magic that makes each of us stronger together than we could ever be alone.

Eric Boles is the CEO and Founder of The Game Changers, Inc., a leadership training, and development company, headquartered in Lakewood, Washington. Eric is a noted global expert in talent development, change management, and cultural transformation. He is a thought leader in business strategies and provides in-depth coaching and consulting to help organizational leaders maximize their human asset and increase productivity and peak performance.

Eric is a graduate of Central Washington University. His community involvement includes serving on the Governance Board for the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap counties. Teaching Pastor at Life Center of Tacoma.

Recent client’s include State Farm Insurance, Bank of America, Astra Zeneca, Arch Capital, Mayo Clinic, Bridgestone, Planet Fitness, Eli Lilly, Subway, Sotheby’s Real Estate, BASF, Honeywell, Nationwide Insurance, AgReliant, NAPA Auto Parts, Staples, Simplot, Walser Automotive, Bristol Myers’s Squibb, GSK, The Leadership Institute, Express, and many others.

With his vast experience in corporate boardrooms as an executive coach and business consultant, Eric brings razor sharp insights and leadership strategies that have impacted the marketplace. His perspectives on managing and leading change, transforming culture and overcoming complacency are laced with practical tools and principles that can be applied both professionally and personally.

Prior to becoming a sought-after Speaker and Consultant, Eric learned many of his principles of peak performance, team dynamics and leadership from his experience as a Wide Receiver with the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.

Eric is also an author of a book entitled Moving to Great…Unleashing Your Best in Life and Work.

Eric is a committed husband of over 25 years to his wife, Cindy Boles. He is a father to two adult daughters, Taylor Boles – 2020 Graduate of The University of Washington, and Madison Boles – Student Athlete at Colorado State University.

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.”

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.

The greatest female distance swimmer ever, Janet Evans’ journey from just a winner to world champion has enthralled audiences in every sector for years.

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.

A philosopher of life, Yossi Ghinsberg is a man of passion, fixed resolve and a connector of people. He believes that nothing promotes growth more than an unexpected experience and unconventional thinking. In these times of great challenge and change, his “Power to Survive” message is timely.

Not many living people know that survival is a choice as deeply and intimately as Yossi Ghinsberg. Having been lost for three weeks in the depths of the uncharted Amazon, in the midst of a raging rainy season, without companionship, food, weapon or fire, he survived against all odds. The most important thing he learned from this experience was that we all have the power to survive.

Adrian Gostick is author of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers The Carrot Principle, All In, and What Motivates Me. His latest book, The Best Team Wins, dives into the new science of high-performance and how a set of leadership disciplines makes the biggest difference. 

As a global workplace workplace expert, Adrian was called a “must read for modern-day managers” by Larry King, “creative and refreshing” by the New York Times and “fascinating,” by Fortune magazine. If you Google the 30 Top Leadership Gurus, he is on the list along side Jack Welch and Jim Collins. His consulting clients include Danaher, Bank of America, Rolls Royce, JELD-WEN and California Pizza Kitchen.

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.

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.

Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and a globally-recognized innovation expert.

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.

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.

When it comes to kicking off a meeting or setting a tone of “this is no ordinary event," Jon Wee and Owen Morse are the best in the business. Their high-octane presentation is full of big laughs, wild stunts, and hilarious audience participation.

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.

Tina Tchen shares hope, ideas and strategies that inspire others to recognize the power of diverse teams and keep equality on the forefront of the global agenda.

A high-powered lawyer, Tina’s career accomplishments have established her as a powerful advocate for gender equality. As the former President and CEO of TIME’S UP Now and the TIME’S UP Foundation, Tina oversaw the organizations’ efforts to change culture, companies, and laws in order to make work safe, fair, and dignified for women of all kinds. In 2017, Tina co-founded the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, which has connected more than 3,600 people to legal or PR support for sexual harassment across dozens of different industries. Tina currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Policy Officer for the Obama Foundation.

During her eight years at the White House, Tina served as chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, special assistant to President Barack Obama, and the executive director of the Council on Women and Girls, leading the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families and the first-ever United State of Women Summit. 

A passionate champion for women’s and children’s issues, including women in positions of leadership, Tina shares her unique perspective and insights on workforce diversity and inclusion, breaking through male-dominated industries, and ending campus assault. Energetic, authentic and engaging on stage, she empowers the next generation to raise their voices and take action now to secure a better tomorrow for women and minorities across the country and world.

Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with an office in Indonesia.  The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others. 

In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed Anirban to Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission.  He also serves as chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee.  He is also the Chief Economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and Chief Economic Advisor to the Construction Financial Management Association.  He serves or has served similar functions for Visit Baltimore, Maryland Realtors, and Marcum, LLC.  

He lectures at Johns Hopkins University in Global Strategy and has also taught international economics, urban economics, micro- and macroeconomics at Hopkins. His radio show can be heard weekdays on 88.1FM, WYPR, Baltimore.   

In both 2007 and 2016, the Daily Record newspaper selected Mr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.

Mr. Basu has been on many boards over time, including First Mariner Bank, the Baltimore City Public School System, Port Discovery, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Union Memorial Hospital.  He is currently on the boards of the University of Maryland School of Law,  St. Mary’s College, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Center for Emerging Media, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System.

Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990.  He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.  His Juris Doctor was earned at the University Of Maryland School of Law.  His doctoral work is in health economics and has taken place at UMBC.

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.”

Leroy Chiao is a former NASA astronaut and International Space Station commander. He is uniquely qualified to speak about the United States, Russian, Japanese, European and Chinese space programs, in addition to addressing motivation, leadership, and teamwork. He served as a member of the White House appointed Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, and currently serves on the NASA Advisory Council and as special advisor for human spaceflight to the Space Foundation. He has worked extensively in both government and commercial space programs, and has held leadership positions in commercial ventures and NASA. 

Named as a #1 future of work influencer, Cheryl Cran engages audiences on the trends and technologies shaping the future workplace today, the strategies to proactively map the future as a leader, and how to create agile, flexible and innovative teams to meet the real-time disruptions and demands of fast changing world. 

CEO of parent company Synthesis at Work Inc. and founder of NextMapping™/NextMapping.com -  a business solution brand that encompasses all of Cheryl’s work and research on the future of work and the leadership needed to navigate change in the workplace - Cheryl has built a reputation over two decades for delivering extraordinary value to clients that include AT&T, Bell Mobility, Omnitel, Gartner, British Telcomm, Manulife, as well as mid-sized companies and entrepreneurs in industries that include technology, health, agriculture, finance, insurance and more. 

The common theme of all of Cheryl’s life’s work is a ‘people first’ and digital second approach to create a more human future, helping companies to build the leadership capacity needed to 'change the world' through business. Her future of work thought leadership has been featured in publications such as Huff Post, Forbes, IABC Magazine, Law Magazine, Metro New York, Entrepreneur Magazine, Readers Digest, CBS Online, NBC Online, Fox Online and more. Cran is the author of 7 books on the ultimate leadership skills needed to be future of work ready, including NextMapping - Anticipate, Navigate & Create The Future of Work and her new book Super, Crucial, Human. She is the creator and host of the podcast NextNow - Future of All Things.

As one of the most dynamic female innovation keynote speakers, Cran delivers true value to leaders and teams by helping them transform their thinking from linear to creative and drive innovation for themselves and for their company. Her clients describe her as ‘the best’ at providing context and solutions for a fast changing future in a vibrant and interactive keynote speech delivery style.

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.

John GUCCI Foley has spent nearly a decade sharing practical and inspirational messages on High Performance with audiences around the world. The former lead solo pilot for the famed Blue Angels flight-demonstration squadron is among the top 10 most sought after conference speakers, presenting keynote messages at more than 100 events a year. John is a Sloan Fellow at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he reverse-engineered the culture of excellence and teamwork found in the Blue Angels, and the founder and CEO of John Foley Inc. and CenterPoint Companies, which provide in-depth training on the How of High Performance. To give back, John founded the Glad To Be Here® Foundation, which administers a giving-forward program that partners with clients to make donations to worthy charities. To share the message of excellence worldwide, John hosts The High Performance Zone, a podcast dedicated to achieving high performance and fearless success.

His exciting, rare journey inspires awe, triggering keynote audiences to take action and rethink what they believe is possible.

Col. Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.) defies stereotypes. Yes, she was a jet fighter pilot, but if you think you know her based on that, you’d be wrong. A leader, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame, Nicole’s distinguished 21-year Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams. But the dream came to an end when a devastating tick-borne illness left her struggling greatly to speak or walk for almost nine months. An indomitable spirit, Nicole fought back against overwhelming odds and prevailed.

Drawing on stories from her career and personal life, Nicole inspires audiences to rethink the challenges they face every day. She urges them to go beyond resilience and become resurgent. Nicole empowers people with three key beliefs: failure and risk is the price of entry for achieving something great; sometimes you need to yield to overcome; and her personal mantra – “nobody wants to lead a scripted life.”

Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people, foster cooperation, build trust, and effect change. 

The author of the global bestsellers The Infinite Game, Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, Sinek is an ethnographer by training. Fascinated by the leaders who make an impact on the world and the companies and politicians with the capacity to inspire, Sinek's work focuses on the remarkable patterns in how such people and organizations think, act and communicate. 

With a bold goal to help build a world in which the vast majority of us wake up inspired, feel safe at work and return home fulfilled at the end of the day, he is leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that ignite their passion, creativity, and joy.

Sinek is posting videos and encouragement on LinkedIn for these challenging times. Here’s one of his gems: "It is rare for all humanity to have an opportunity to come together to help each other. This is one of those times."

Carey Lohrenz knows what it takes to win in one of the highest pressure, extreme environments imaginable: in the cockpit at Mach 2.  

As the first female F-14 Tomcat Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Navy, having flown missions worldwide as a combat-mission-ready United States Navy pilot, Lohrenz is used to working in fast moving, dynamic environments, where inconsistent execution can generate catastrophic results. The same challenges are found in business: markets change, customer needs evolve and if you do not adapt quickly your company is at risk.

In her motivating and engaging keynote presentations, Carey shares her fascinating experiences operating in one of the world's most challenging environments—an aircraft carrier. She has been requested by name from some of the top Fortune 100 businesses and is uniquely qualified in the fundamentals of winning under pressure, reducing errors and overcoming obstacles. Her mastery of these fundamentals can help your team triumph in this high-risk, time crunched world.

Her ability to connect with both an audience and on a one-on-one level, coupled with her knowledge and experience in leading high-performing, diverse teams, has made her highly sought after as a business consultant and speaker.

A courageous soldier who was once told he would never walk again after suffering severe wounds in Vietnam; against all odds, Rocky Bleier recovered and went on to become a legendary running back for the four-time Super Bowl Champion NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rocky Bleier’s story - a gripping tale of courage on both the football fields of America and the battle fields of Vietnam - has held audiences in rapt attention for years. Yet, the motivational message behind it, detailing how ordinary people can become extraordinary achievers, defines success in the new American century.

With the same optimism, sense of humor and steadfast determination that were his trademarks as a Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Rocky Bleier takes audiences from his early years through his professional career and talks about the lessons he learned along the way….lessons that we all can benefit from.

Michelle Gielan has spent the past decade researching the link between happiness and success. She is the bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness: The Science of Igniting and Sustaining Positive Change and was named one of the Top 10 authors on resilience by the Harvard Business Review.

Michelle is an Executive Producer of “The Happiness Advantage” on PBS and a featured professor in Oprah’s Happiness course. She formerly served as anchor of The CBS Morning News, and her research has received attention from dozens of media outlets including The Washington Post, FORBES, and The New York Times.

Phil Jackson is the NBA's career leader in playoff victories and playoff winning percentage, winning 11 NBA titles and surpassing Red Auerbach for the most all-time wins. Mr. Jackson did something that many coaches have struggled to do -- build a consistently winning team around a megastar.

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.

A Harvard MBA, New York Times best-selling author, award-winning blogger and one of the most popular TED speakers in the world, Neil Pasricha is a “pied piper of happiness” (The Toronto Star) who dazzles audiences with ideas and frameworks that skyrocket organizational happiness and engagement.

Pasricha spent a decade inside Walmart, the world’s largest company, working for two CEOs directly and then as director of Leadership Development. He complements this “what’s worked” authority with infectious enthusiasm and heartfelt authenticity. He builds trust with audiences quickly and then challenges them to elevate expectations of themselves and commit to the habit of happiness every day.

Pasricha has spoken to royal families in the Middle East, Ivy League deans, and CEOs at organizations such as Audi, Microsoft and GE—all using research and models that enhance individual performance and create a more positive and productive workplace.

In his latest best seller The Happiness Equation (2016), Pasricha provides step-by-step guidelines to illustrates exactly how to apply a unique set of principles to improving and managing everything—your time, your career, your bottom line, your relationships and ultimately, of course, your happiness.

Neil’s writing and work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, The New Yorker, The Sunday Times, China Daily, The Jakarta Post, The Sydney Herald and Wired.

Lindsay Gottlieb is a groundbreaking figure in the world of basketball, whose leadership and expertise have left an indelible mark on both college and professional sports. Currently the head coach of the USC Lady Trojans, Gottlieb is dedicated to honoring the storied legacy of the program with her deep knowledge of the game, unwavering passion, and authentic approach to leadership.

Her journey has been defined by excellence, including seven NCAA tournament appearances and a Final Four run with the Cal Bears women's team. As the first NCAA women’s head coach to join an NBA staff, when she was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019, Gottlieb continues to break barriers and redefine what is possible for women in sports. In 2025, Gottlieb was both the Big 10 Conference Champion and Big 10 Coach of the Year. Her remarkable career speaks not only to her success but also to her role as a trailblazer, making her a compelling and inspiring speaker who can share powerful insights on leadership, resilience, and the power of authenticity in achieving success.

Alex Rodriguez is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that backs world-class startups and partners with leading global companies across real estate, sports, and entertainment. While best known as one of the world’s greatest athletes (a 14x MLB All-Star and a 2009 World Series Champion with the New York Yankees), for more than 25 years, Alex leads a team of experts building high-growth businesses and enhancing the value of more than 30 companies in the A-Rod Corp portfolio.

Alex founded A-Rod Corp in 1995, purchasing a duplex apartment on the theory that investing his MLB earnings wisely would protect him from the kinds of financial struggles that afflict too many professional athletes. While he racked up extraordinary stats on the field (696 home runs and more grand slams than any other MLB player in history), Alex simultaneously assembled an impressive team at A-Rod Corp, bought apartment units across the southeastern U.S., and built a fully integrated real estate and development company. In 2020, Alex joined CGI Merchant Group's hotel investment fund to acquire and develop properties across North America and the Caribbean.

Following his success in real estate, Alex has invested in a variety of sectors where he has expertise. He looks for long-term opportunities to provide financial capital, work alongside founders and leadership, and amplify the growth of each company.

In addition to leading A-Rod Corp, Alex is CEO of Slam Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with Antara Capital Chairman Himanshu Gulati as equal partner.

In 2021, Alex joined the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx ownership group, eventually becoming full owner alongside is partner, Marc Lore. In addition to his ownership role, Rodriguez serves as a strategic advisor to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and is an investor in Blue Crow Sports. In the same year, Alex formed A-Rod Media, a strategic pillar within the organization to house all media activity. A-Rod Media offers scalable, multimedia capabilities, including original content creation, compelling narrative storytelling, and audience engagement across all marketing platforms.

Alex is an Emmy Award-winning MLB analyst for Fox Sports. He has been a judge and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, mentored financially distressed ex-athletes on CNBC’s Back in the Game, and co-hosts the video series The Deal with Bloomberg Originals’ chief correspondent Jason Kelly, interviewing CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sports legends. Committed to creating opportunities for young people to succeed, Alex serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America and is in the National Alumni Hall of Fame, and the Boards of Trustees of the University of Miami. His gifts to the University of Miami and Florida International University have provided scholarships to dozens of students. 

Veteran journalist, Peabody Award finalist, and bestselling author Brooke Baldwin has covered some of the biggest breaking stories in the U.S. and around the world, and is a champion for women’s empowerment. Brooke hosted her own live daily news show CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin for more than a decade, and was renowned for her versatility, authenticity, and humanity at the news desk. During her time at CNN, the widely respected journalist had the privilege of meeting Presidents and interviewing former first ladies, members of Congress, scientists, teachers, nurses, astronauts, actors, activists, rock stars, and ordinary Americans in extraordinary circumstances from surviving mass shootings to hurricanes to COVID-19. Brooke is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power, redefining the ‘huddle’ to explore how women lean on one another to provide support, empowerment, inspiration, and the strength to enact meaningful change. In addition to the book being a WSJ bestseller, Huddle is also included in Amazon’s Top Ten Books in Biz & Leadership.

Brooke is a highly sought-after speaker and a gifted moderator for events with groups Women in the World, 92^nd Street Y, Buick x TOGETHXR, Commonwealth Club of California, Acronis #CyberFit Summit, among many others. She and her writing have been featured in The Atlantic, Fast Company, Self, Fortune, and she is currently traveling the country hosting “huddles” in partnership with media and commerce company Togethxr, along with corporate sponsor Buick, to elevate women’s voices, particularly around sports. From her experience reporting on the most important issues of today with a front row seat to history, to her work amplifying and advocating for women around the world, Brooke makes a lasting impact on audiences of all kinds with her unique insights on current events, transformational workplace strategies, and authentic motivation.

Adventurer, dogsledder, and author Blair Braverman is a riveting storyteller and expert in perseverance. She and her team of dogs have traveled through thousands of miles of wilderness in Alaska, the Yukon, and Scandinavia, and completed the famed Iditarod race. Braverman is the author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, which was called “stunning and sharp” by The New York Times Book Review, and indie bestsellers Dogs on the Trail and Small Game. She shares epic stories and practical takeaways about developing a practice of grit and courage, working as a team to thrive in high-pressure situations, and breaks down common misconceptions about what makes a powerful leader.

Braverman is a contributing editor for Outside magazine, and her writing has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and on the This American Life podcast. She and her dog team have been featured on The Today Show and in O: The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, TIME, Teen Vogue, and on NPR. In 2023, she hosted a series on animal-human relationships for BBC Radio 4. An in-demand speaker on cultivating bravery and embracing the unknown, Braverman regularly receives rave reviews such as: “My team at Microsoft was incredibly impressed with Blair’s passion, her depth of knowledge, and her storytelling. Over a year later, we still quote Blair about how there is always a way to get something done. She inspired the team in ways I had not predicted.” (Microsoft)

Legendary baseball player and retired manager Dusty Baker shares his love and skill with sport for all. The future Hall of Famer dedicated 50 seasons to Major League baseball, 19 as a player, 5 as a coach and 26 as a manager. Over 26 seasons with the Houston Astros, he became the oldest manager in MLB history to take a team to and win the World Series as well as the first African-American manager to have 50 post-season wins. Dusty has been named to the All-Time Los Angeles Dodgers team as a player and the All-Time San Francisco Giants team as a manager. He was honored with Baseball Digest's Lifetime Achievement Award. The first MLB manager to reach the playoffs with five different teams, Dusty shares his expertise in motivational leadership, coaching a high-performing team, and winning under pressure.

Dusty is also a entrepreneur, media personality, and philanthropist. Credited with popularizing the high-five, Baker is highly influential both on and off the field. He is the founder of both Baker Solar Team and Baker Family Wines. He was a TV commentator and broadcast analyst for TBS. A survivor of an aggressive cancer diagnosis, Dusty has helped raise over $1.5M for cancer research and is a passionate advocate for cancer survivors everywhere. He has spoken for countless groups including Houston Methodist Hospital, California State Automobile Association, General Motors, SBC Global Services, and more.

Visionary leader in digital security Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Asaf Kochan spearheads strategic initiatives leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of cybersecurity. Kochan is a distinguished former IDF Commander of Unit 8200 and held a senior position in the Israeli Prime Minister’s office. Beyond his prominent military career, Kochan’s visionary leadership extends into the private sector. In 2021, Asaf co-founded Sentra, a groundbreaking cybersecurity company headquartered in Israel. As the President of Sentra, he leverages his extensive experience to spearhead a transformative mission at the intersection of data-centric security and cloud-first innovation. As a seasoned practitioner of state-level cybersecurity, Kochan possesses an unparalleled grasp of the complex dynamics of contemporary digital environments and excels in providing innovative solutions.

Kochan’s contributions to both policy and technology have not only shaped the trajectory of cybersecurity but have also paved the way for cloud-first enterprises to thrive securely in an era in which big data reigns supreme. He has been invited by Calcalist, Cyber Week, CyberTechNYC, Maschmeyer Group, Hapag Lloyd AG, and more to share his perspective on cybersecurity and industry. Kochan breaks down complex security topics into digestible action items aimed at educating individuals or organizations on the nuances of cyber security today.

Victor Cruz is a Super Bowl champion. As an undrafted free agent, Cruz impressively played his way onto the Giants’ 53-man regular season roster. He finished his first season with a single-season franchise record for receiving yards and was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

Cruz co-hosts E!’s morning news show, Pop of the Morning, a mix of celebrity news, interviews and discussions around pop culture moments.

An active philanthropist, Cruz established the Victor Cruz Foundation to promote positive change in the lives of youth by providing innovative educational programs that equip students with skill sets to prepare them for a successful future. The foundation is especially committed to continued research and partnerships with STEM programs. In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America, his foundation launched and implemented the “Science in Sports” program. This curriculum provides students with a hands approach to STEM curriculum while simultaneously teaching them the science behind football as it relates to the NFL.

In engaging conversations, Cruz discusses how motivation and perseverance drove his career; the impact and goals of his foundation; the importance of exposing youth to STEM programs; and more.

Legend, Leader, & Changemaker

Named one of TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World," Abby Wambach has built her legacy as a transformational leader. With two Olympic gold medals, a World Cup victory, and a record-breaking career as one of soccer’s greatest goal scorers, Abby’s impact on the field and the stage are undeniable. Momentive Inc. said "She was OUTSTANDING! The team felt so inspired and energized after her conversation. I think we could have listened to her for 5 hours."

Her legacy reaches far beyond the pitch; Abby is one of the 40 most powerful people in podcasting, putting the “can do” in We Can Do Hard Things. This guide to life empowers audiences to turn challenges into opportunities for growth, rooted in Abby’s personal experience as an elite global athlete. In her bestselling books, Forward and Wolfpack, Abby shares powerful lessons on leadership, authenticity, and creating lasting change. A masterclass in resilience and reinvention, Abby redefines leadership as empowering others, building trust, and amplifying every voice.

Abby Wambach proves that doing hard things isn’t just about overcoming challenges—it’s about breaking barriers, rewriting the script, and inspiring others to believe in their strength. Whether uniting teams or challenging injustice, Abby brings the same passion and grit that made her a legend into every arena she enters. Her journey sparks change and empowers everyone she touches. Beloved by hosts across industries, Dell Technologies said, "Abby was fantastic" and LeadingAge raved, “Best keynote ever.”

Abby also speaks in conversation with Glennon Doyle.

A Phenomenon of Courage, Connection, & Change

Glennon Doyle isn’t just a speaker; she’s a phenomenon. With electrifying authenticity and unshakable honesty, she transcends traditional labels to become a voice of hope, empowerment, and transformation for millions. Doyle doesn’t merely tell people they can “do hard things”—she shows them how, using raw vulnerability, sharp wit, and deeply resonant stories that touch audiences across all walks of life. Her meteoric rise to global influence is no accident—it’s a testament to the power of her message and her extraordinary ability to connect on a profoundly personal level.

Doyle’s influence stems from her unique courage, relatability, and multi-platform presence. Her personal journey is a testament to resilience and authenticity, inspiring millions to live unapologetically. Her bestselling book UNTAMED, which sold over 2M copies, sparked a global movement, encouraging readers to break free from societal expectations and embrace their truest selves. Glennon doesn’t just speak about bravery—she lives it, becoming a living example of what it means to lead with heart and truth. Her most recent book, WE CAN DO HARD THINGS: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions, created with Abby Wambach, Amanda Doyle and Treat Media, is being hailed as “the guidebook for being alive.”

Her themes of authenticity, vulnerability, mental health, relationships, and social justice are not only timely but vital in today’s complex world. Glennon captures the spirit of the moment with unmatched clarity, offering solace, guidance, and inspiration in times of uncertainty. Her words are universal yet deeply personal, making her a beacon of hope for those navigating personal challenges, seeking social change, or striving for clarity amidst life’s noise.

Beyond the stage, Glennon’s impact extends through her bestselling books (UNTAMED, LOVE WARRIOR, and CARRY ON, WARRIOR) and her acclaimed podcast, WE CAN DO HARD THINGS. She is one of the 40 Most Powerful People in Podcasting. Her massive social media following and ability to trend with every new release have solidified her status as one of the most influential voices of our time. Whether making audiences laugh, cry, or feel seen, Glennon Doyle’s transformative impact is undeniable.

Glennon is more than a speaker—she’s a global movement. She’s the trusted friend, fearless leader, and relentless advocate for truth the world needs. Whether inspiring a room of 50, reaching thousands at a conference, or connecting with millions through her books and podcasts, Glennon leaves her audiences braver, stronger, and ready to embrace their own “hard things.” It’s no wonder she’s one of the most sought-after voices in the world today.

Glennon also speaks in conversation with Abby Wambach. 

Legendary Head Coach Geno Auriemma has redefined the meaning of success in his 40 years at the University of Connecticut. During his illustrious tenure, Auriemma transformed the women’s basketball program into the gold standard – both on and off the court. Under his guidance, the Huskies went from one winning season to 12 national titles, 22 Final Fours, have had six perfect seasons, and won 55 Conference titles. He also served as the head coach of the U.S. National Team, which won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio. In his empowering remarks he shares lessons from on and off the court on teamwork, perseverance, finding motivation, and overcoming obstacles that resonate with any organization.

An inductee to both the Basketball Hall of Fame and Women Basketball Hall of Fame, and a recipient of numerous awards including more than 30 National Coach of the Year honors, Auriemma has set the bar not only in coaching – but also in team building, motivation, and a tested brand of everyday leadership that creates winning organizations. He shares his insights in a highly-rated MasterClass on 'Leading Winning Teams' as well as in sought-after speaking engagements, delivering motivational insights on building sustainable success.

Management thought leader and award-winning organizational psychologist Wendy K. Smith is on a mission to help individuals and organizations turn our problems into possibilities. Smith currently holds the prestigious title of Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and serves as the faculty director of the Women's Leadership Initiative at the Lerner College of Business and Economics, University of Delaware. Wendy is also one of the youngest people named as an Academy of Management Fellow. As an organizational psychologist, she is a leading expert on the power of paradox - applying both/and thinking to help us innovate, change and generate more creative, sustainable solutions to our toughest challenges. In her talks, Wendy brings science-based research to life with real world stories to both captivate and motivate her audiences.

Smith is the author of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems, named a Top 10 Management Book by Thinkers50, a finalist for the Next Big Idea Award, and a #1 Amazon New Release. Smith and co-author Marianne Lewis were awarded the Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award for these groundbreaking ideas. Wendy is also an award-winning scholar. She has been named the Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers for being among the top 1% most-cited researchers for 5 years in a row. She has published her research in influential journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Organization Science, and Management Science, while also reaching beyond academia to publish in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, and others. As a compelling and engaging teacher, she won the MBA Excellence in Teaching Award 5 times.

Beyond accolades and awards, Wendy's passion lies in helping leaders worldwide tackle the complex challenges of interpersonal dynamics, team performance, organizational change, and innovation to transform their organizations and the world. Approachable, insightful, and globally revered, she continues to shape the future of management thinking.

Rising WNBA star Aliyah Boston is a trailblazer in the new generation of athletes. From an early age, Aliyah has courageously pursued her dream of a future in basketball. At the age of 12, Aliyah and her sister Alexis moved to Massachusetts from their hometown St. Thomas, USVI to live with their aunt and pursue more basketball opportunities. Aliyah joined USA’s national basketball team, was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, and led the University of South Carolina’s program to their 2^nd national championship – winning both the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year as the most decorated player in program history.

Aliyah was the #1 overall draft pick in the 2023 WNBA season, joining the Indiana Fever as the team’s centerpiece. A celebratory New York Times profile declared that Boston “has already become the face of the WNBA just months into her professional career.” She is the only player ranked in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive win shares, demonstrating her dominance on both ends of the court. And Boston is the youngest player and only the eighth rookie ever to start a WNBA All-Star game. Aliyah’s outgoing personality is showcased in everything she does, including her role as NBC Sports’ lead women’s college basketball studio analyst for the network’s Big Ten women’s basketball coverage. Sought-after for her motivational story, Aliyah speaks about staying true to yourself, focusing on faith and family, and how to apply teamwork on and off the court.

Renowned conductor James Conlon has cultivated a vast symphonic, operatic, and choral repertoire and is one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors and educators. Mr. Conlon has spoken internationally about the power of creativity, the enduring importance of classical music, and leadership insights that resonate across industries.

Since his 1974 debut with the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Conlon has conducted virtually every major American and European symphony orchestra. He is Music Director of LA Opera, with whom he has won four Grammy Awards and led more performances than any other conductor in the company’s history, and also serves as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Through worldwide touring, an extensive discography and videography, numerous writings, television appearances and guest speaking engagements, he is one of classical music’s most recognized and prolific figures.

Mr. Conlon is an enthusiastic advocate of the role music plays in our shared humanity and civic life. He has worked to call attention to the works of composers silenced by the Nazi regime – which led to the creation of The OREL Foundation, the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices, and his popular TEDx Talk “Resurrecting Forbidden Music.” Mr. Conlon has received numerous honorary doctorates and accolades including the Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest honor – and was personally inducted by then-President Jacques Chirac.

Marcus Buckingham is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world. He brings to high-achieving and leadership audiences the rare combination of valid data, psychological insight, practical tactics, and passion. His presentations are grounded in reality, and powerfully uplifting. He is the author of two of the best-selling business books of all time, First, Break All the Rules, and Now, Discover Your Strengths, and his tenth book, Love + Work (Harvard Business Review Press) is a WSJ bestseller and has been heralded by Forbes as one of the ten must-reads for career and leadership. Marcus’ 2019 Harvard Business Review cover article, "The Feedback Fallacy," was selected by HBR as one of the most influential articles of the last 100 years, and Marcus’ strengths assessments have been taken by over 10 million people worldwide.

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.

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.

MLB All-Star, entrepreneur, and podcaster Ian Happ is one of the most versatile players in Major League Baseball, both on and off the field. In 2022, Happ became an MLB All-Star and was also named a 2022 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner. He is also the MLBPA Player Representative for the Cubs – taking a leadership role in negotiations between the union and the league owners to find common ground. As a professional athlete, Ian is uniquely positioned to discuss the discipline it takes to be great at your craft, the importance of teamwork, and a having winning mindset – the same principles for success that can be applied in the workplace.

Prior to being draft by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Happ was a finance major. Ian is involved with a diverse and growing portfolio of companies and takes an active role in building true partnerships by focusing on investment opportunities that make an impact. He shares his love of business with his brother, Chris, who is a CPA. Ian also leverages his platform to connect with charities that speak to his values. Ian is also the Host and Executive Producer of The Compound, a weekly podcast hosted on Jomboy Media – for which Happ is an investor. The podcast brings entertainment and levity to conversations about sports and beyond. Ian delivers sports inspiration, business strategy, and uplifting mental health insights that make an lasting impact with audiences.

Leadership and security expert Keechant Sewell is currently the Senior Vice President of Security and Guest Experience for the Mets at Citi Field. Previously, Sewell was a U.S. police officer and administrator who served as the 45th New York City Police Commissioner, where she oversaw a comprehensive strategy focused on the safety of New Yorkers and improving core features of the NYPD. During her tenure, Sewell launched the Innovation Steering Committee, which made nearly 250 recommendations for improved data analytics, community engagement, technology, officer safety, and more. She has also leveraged technology to better connect to the public and keep officers and the city safe, in addition to a myriad of crime-reduction strategies. Sewell has forged meaningful and lasting relationships between the Department and communities, businesses, elected leaders, and government agencies. Sewell’s innovative leadership has resulted in a more diverse workforce, measurable results, and community initiatives. Sewell brings a unique perspective to topics including innovative leadership, manager effectiveness, teambuilding, and public safety.

Sewell has the distinction of becoming the first sitting NYPD Commissioner to be named “PBA Person of the Year” and recognized with the first annual Torch Award from MovementForward Inc., among numerous other awards and accolades. She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, where she was selected to give the commencement address. To learn more on transforming institutions through innovation both human and digital, turn to Sewell’s expertise spanning both the private and public sectors.

Legendary basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne has been sharing her expertise on leadership and inspiring people to be all they can be for the last 25 years. As the winningest coach in ASU women’s basketball history, Turner Thorne holds the second-most career wins in the Pac-12, has received the Pac-12 “Coach of the Year” award twice, and has been inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame. In addition to tremendous success on the court, she has been heralded for her impact beyond basketball – embracing the community and building a program that motivates her team in every aspect of life. In entertaining and informative presentations, Turner Thorne tailors her remarks to businesses and organizations of all kinds, speaking to the unique goals of her audience.

In her coaching and consultations, Turner Thorne is sought-after for her insights on building a Championship Culture. She has used her ability to manage her large and diverse staff – and consistently field winning teams at the highest level – to help numerous corporate clients, leaders in education, and other eclectic populations create winning strategies to have a healthy culture and maximize success. Turner Thorne shares practical takeaways and actionable strategies for values-discovery, setting high standards, improving communication skills, and maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing that resonate with audiences of all kinds.

Head Coach of UConn Men’s Basketball Danny Hurley led the Huskies to back-to-back national titles National Title in one of the most impressive March Madness runs in history. When he became the 19^th head coach in the history of UConn basketball, it didn’t take long for him to put his stamp on the program. Hurley was the architect of two previous college basketball rebuilding projects and returned the Huskies to national prominence. From unranked to National Champions, Hurley shares insights from this story of perseverance, hard work, and incredible leadership.

Hurley has taken charge of four struggling hoop programs – St. Benedict’s Prep, Wagner College, the University of Rhode Island, and UConn – and built them into competitors on the national stage. He has been honored with the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Award, multiple USBWA District I Coach of the Year Awards, and has sent multiple players to NBA teams. Drawing on his unmatched experience rebuilding multiple programs, Hurley offers actionable takeaways in maximizing personnel, the art of perseverance, and leadership 101.

Award-winning journalist, editor, and author Phillip Picardi is known for his role in revolutionizing Teen Vogue, Allure, and Out Magazines. Under Picardi’s leadership, the digital audience of Teen Vogue grew from just 2M unique visitors per month to over 12M, making the Condé Nast title the fastest-growing women's magazine in America for two years running. He was then appointed by Anna Wintour to oversee the digital operations of Allure, where he concepted “The End of Anti-Aging,” an industry call to action for brands to eradicate the shame and stigma around getting older. Dubbed “the prince of Condé Nast” by The New York Times, Picardi went on to launch a community-driven platform for LGBTQ+ youth called them. From building empowered and diverse teams to generating disruptive and out-of-the-box ideas, Picardi’s speaking engagements offer an abundance of insights.

Picardi went on to rebrand and relaunch Out Magazine, the largest and most influential publication for the queer and trans community. An expert in building empowered teams, he assembled and led the most diverse staff in the brand’s history. During Picardi’s career, he has been a sought-after consultant for clients like Levi's, Ralph Lauren, Lego, Burberry, and Nike. He is also the recipient of multiple awards, including Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People, the Forbes 30 Under 30, the AdWeek Hot List, a GLAAD Award, and more. Picardi recently graduated from Harvard Divinity School, where he was one of eleven students selected for the inaugural Masters of Religion and Public Life program. His studies inspired a podcast about religion and spirituality from Crooked Media called Unholier Than Thou, and his Substack newsletter Religiously Blonde. He is currently working on his forthcoming memoir based on his thesis, “Is Jesus Kinda Hot?” In motivational events, Picardi shares his expertise that resonates with corporate leaders as well as college audiences, and moderates powerful conversations with cultural luminaries.

Legendary NFL wide receiver, entrepreneur, Emmy-nominated TV personality, and philanthropist Brandon Marshall is a dedicated mental health advocate who continues to lead conversations promoting awareness, ending stigma, and sharing inspiration. After 12 years shattering records and collecting countless awards and accolades, Marshall is now a two-time Emmy-nominated sportscaster with Showtime’s Inside the NFL and FS1’s First Things First. Amassing over 30M views and 500K YouTube subscribers, he is also the creator and host of I AM ATHLETE podcast, moderating authentic conversations that make an undeniable impact. After winning his own battle with mental illness, Marshall has become the face of mental health awareness, sharing his personal experiences and struggles, and offering a message of resilience and hope that enables audiences of all kinds to unleash their full potential.

As the Founder and CEO of House of Athlete, a lifestyle wellness brand, Marshall leverages his years as a peak athlete and champion for mental fitness to support athletes at every level. As Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of PROJECT 375, a non-profit dedicated to unlocking human potential through conversation, education, and inspiration, Marshall embodies his commitment to the mental health community. He has appeared on The View, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and more, and has been featured in The New York Times, People, Forbes, and many others. Marshall has participated in hundreds of speaking engagements, speaking to Fortune500 organizations, the Forbes Healthcare Summit, The Kennedy Forum, before the U.S. Senate, the Vatican, to NFL Owners & Coaches, and school kids, among others. In addition to championing conversations in the mental health space, Marshall is an in-demand speaker for his insights on teamwork, cultivating resilience, and developing values-based leadership within organizations and as individuals.

WWE Hall of Fame Inductees, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and New York Times bestselling authors Nikki and Brie Garcia – The Garcia Twins – are legendary for fearlessly breaking barriers and building a global brand based on hard work, authenticity, and kindness. Nikki and Brie joined the WWE main roster in 2008 and became one of the best tag teams in the history of WWE and the first female twins to rise to international acclaim, earning a Divas Title reign apiece in 2011 and 2012. As sought-after motivational speakers as individuals and a tag team, The Garcia Twins bring a dash of ‘Twin Magic’ to every event, making a major impact with audiences of all kinds.

Brie became Divas Champion in 2011, and was named Diva of the Year in 2013, entertaining millions around the world with her athleticism, confidence, and genuine personality as a star on FOX’s The Real Dirty Dancing. Nikki, who earned the accolade Longest Reigning Divas Champion and the fan title ‘Fearless Nikki’, was seen as a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent Extreme, and is set to host the upcoming celebrity competition show Barmageddon for NBC. The Garcia Twins starred on E!’s hit reality TV show Total Divas, and executive produced and starred on six seasons of their spinoff series Total Bellas.

Their dual debut memoir, Incomparable, became an instant New York Times bestseller and revealed their journey to the pro-wrestling ring, the obstacles they overcame, and how they broke the glass ceiling in their sport to push female performers from divas to superstars. The Garcia Twins share their humor and uncensored insights with their massive audience as hosts of The Bellas podcast. Nikki and Brie are the founders of Birdiebee, Nicole + Brizee Beauty, Bonita Bonita Wine, and serve as investors and collaborators for Colugo. With their expertise in entrepreneurship, excelling in a male-dominated industry, and commitment to testing the limits, Nikki and Brie inspire audiences to dominate in their own lives and never give up.

Podcaster and lifelong competitive athlete Jody Avirgan offers memorable lessons in creating team culture - drawing on what he's learned from playing with and covering top athletes - to help you achieve success as an individual, and by working together. Jody is the host of the show Good Sport from the TED Audio Collective, the Radiotopia show This Day In Esoteric Political History, and serves as story editor and executive producer for a number of projects. Previously, he ran and hosted 30 for 30 Podcasts, part of ESPN Films and was a producer at WNYC radio, working with shows including On the Media, Freakonomics, and more. Jody is the founder of Roulette Productions and developed FiveThirtyEight Podcasts, which covered politics, pop culture, and how data affects our lives.

Jody’s shows and series consistently reach large audiences, finding their way to the top of the iTunes charts and receiving critical acclaim. He is also organizer of the Pro-Democracy Podcast Coalition, a network of podcasts who have committed to sharing messages about protecting our democracy and reducing political corruption. Jody has spoken for groups including IAB Upfronts, Tedx, Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, and more.

Former Rugby Union player, entrepreneur, and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. After making his name as one of the shining lights of Rugby Union, Jonny was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014. His services to the sport were recognized by Her Majesty the Queen, initially appointing him as an MBE, latterly upgraded to OBE and subsequently, CBE. In addition to his incredible achievements in sport, Jonny has become an advocate for mental wellbeing, healthy ways to deal with stress and the unknown, and shares his profound insights in impactful conversations.

Jonny was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2003 and World Rugby Player of the Year in Monaco in 2004. Off the pitch, he established the Jonny Wilkinson NSPiRED Foundation – a program designed to support those in teaching and coaching roles towards inspiring the younger generation to live their fullest lives. The six-week program is devoted entirely to the individual, their world, and their potential to perform, lead, and connect with others. Jonny is also the Creator and Host of the I Am… with Jonny Wilkinson podcast – which explores the remarkable transformations of pioneers and thought leaders around the globe. In powerful talks, Jonny shares his authentic journey learning to deal with pressure, overcome and release trauma, and developing a growth mindset.

Heralded for one of the most distinguished coaching careers in NFL history, Dick Vermeil is also a philanthropist, and entrepreneur, and has had a prestigious career as a sports broadcaster. Vermeil had an illustrious fifteen-year tenure as an NFL coach, beginning with the Philadelphia Eagles – who had not been to the playoffs in almost two decades. In just seven seasons, Vermeil led the franchise to Super Bowl XV. Upon retirement, he began a broadcasting career that spanned fourteen years, serving as an NFL and college football analyst for CBS and ABC. He still participates in the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp, an initiative designed to assist athletes in their post-playing careers. Vermeil returned to the NFL as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, leading the team to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, and returned once again as the ninth head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, who advanced to the NFL playoffs in his third season as their leader. Vermeil is one of four coaches in NFL history to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl, and one of five coaches to lead three different teams to the playoffs. His legendary career has earned a place in Hollywood – he was portrayed by Greg Kinnear in Invincible and Dennis Quaid in The American Underdog.

Coach Vermeil has received many accolades – he is the only coach to be awarded Conference Coach of the Year honors on four levels (high school, community college, Division 1 college football), including being named NFL Coach of the Year twice. He is an NFL Hall of Fame Coach in the class of 2022. Vermeil is active in numerous charitable endeavors, including the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia, The Ronald McDonald House, and the Boy Scouts of Chester County - whose golf tournament bearing Vermeil’s name annually raised $165K for the organization over the 27 years in existence. As an entrepreneur, Vermeil launched Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet, which annually produces 2250 cases of quality Calistoga Napa Valley wines, using grapes harvested from the century old Frediani vineyards in Calistoga. Eighteen acres of this fine vineyard was once owned by Vermeil’s great-grandfather, Garibaldo Iaccheri. Vermeil is sought for his insights about leadership – in compelling talks, he offers motivational takeaways about teamwork, overcoming setbacks, and unpacks what it takes to lead a team or organization through obstacles to unparalleled success.

Author Daniel James Brown is one of America’s most beloved narrative nonfiction authors. His #1 New York Times bestseller The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics captured the world's attention and quickly skyrocketed to the top of bestseller lists. The Boys in the Boat served as the inspiration for the PBS documentary The Boys of ‘36. Brown's other books include Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894, The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride, and his second New York Times bestseller, Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War ll. In his captivating presentations, Brown shares the remarkable stories covered in his work, bringing history to life and leaving audiences inspired.

Brown’s primary interest as a writer is in bringing compelling historical events to life as vividly and accurately as he can. Brown has shared history with hosts including Bailard, Arts & Letters, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and more.

Chris Draft is the Founder, President, and CEO of the Chris Draft Family Foundation (CDFF) whose mission has been to empower families to lead healthy lifestyles. He is also the Co-Founder of Team Draft, leading the creation of a national campaign that is changing the face of lung cancer.

Chris is an internationally recognized speaker, community leader, and family and character advocate who serves as an NFL Ambassador and a national spokesperson on many health-related issues, including the care and treatment of asthma, from which he suffers, and lung cancer, the disease that claimed the life of his wife, Keasha, in 2011.

A graduate of Stanford University with a BS in Economics, Chris played football and baseball with the Cardinals. As a three-year starter at linebacker, and senior captain, Draft was an All-Pac 10 performer. In 1998, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears, ultimately spending 12 years in the NFL. In addition to the Bears, Chris played for the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins, finishing his NFL playing career in 2010.

Award-winning producer, director, and screenwriter Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller and one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. Coogler is known for the history- and headline-making films Fruitvale Station, Creed, and The Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Black Panther shattered box office records to become the highest-grossing film of all time by a Black director. Coogler’s work is not just critically and commercially successful but has been hailed for celebrating often overlooked cultures and characters and bringing unprecedented diversity to the silver screen. As a speaker, Coogler offers eye-opening insights on the power of storytelling, creating racial equality, and innovative approaches to changing the world.

Coogler has been named to TIME’s “30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing the World,” and has won numerous awards, including four NAACP Image Awards and three Academy Awards. His short film Locks won the Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence at the Tribeca Film Festival, and his breakout film Fruitvale Station received the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance. Coogler’s upcoming projects include a series with Disney+ set in the world of Wakanda as well as a scripted drama for Onyx Collective for Hulu, Sheba – the story of the first African queen’s rise to power, based on true events. Coogler has been in demand for events with groups like Google and Salesforce, who shared this rave review after his keynote presentation: “Ryan was a firm favorite both with the team and the audience.”

Emmy-winning TV host, comedian, physician, and cancer survivor Matt Iseman is beloved for his energetic, charismatic style and empowering message of overcoming obstacles. When Matt quit medicine to pursue stand-up comedy, his dad – a world-renowned physician – gave him the advice that still guides him today: “Life is short, do what makes you happy.” Renowned as the host of the four-time Emmy-nominated American Ninja Warrior, Matt combines his winning sense of humor, unique experience, and perspective as a doctor-turned-comic to deliver high-impact events. He shared his medical expertise and health and wellness insights on Hallmark’s Home & Family, won an Emmy for his hosting on Style’s Clean House, has hosted numerous live specials including The Macy’s 4^th of July Special for NBC and Evel Live for History Channel and can be seen frequently as the in-house game show host for The Kelly Clarkson Show. Matt talks ninjas, tells jokes around the world and, in general, proves laughter is the best medicine.

Matt shares his inspiring story of battling Renal Cell Carcinoma and has become a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. His ongoing battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis transformed him into a strong supporter of the Arthritis Foundation – for his work over the past decade and a half, Matt was named the 2018 “Arthritis Warrior of the Year.” Matt also supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and serves as an Ambassador for the Armed Services Arts Partnership. Sought after for events of all kinds, he is an in-demand speaker for both medical and business events including Texas Children’s Cancer Center, Feather River Hospital, Edwards Lifesciences, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, who raved: “Matt was fantastic! The audience really enjoyed his talk and he created the type of buzz we were looking for! He was also a pleasure to work with very energetic, kind, personable, and relatable. He hit all of the emotions, which was great!” His dynamic remarks cover everything from battling cancer, to overcoming obstacles, to the paramount importance of following your dreams.

Daniel is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. A former two-division world champion, DC held the heavyweight and light heavyweight world championships simultaneously. He is also an accomplished Olympian and former All-American at Oklahoma State.

Cormier is the head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School, having been appointed in the summer of 2018. Cormier made his film debut in 2014, playing himself in the 2014 comedy Mantervention. In February 2015, Cormier starred in the videoclip All About That Cake, a parody of All About That Bass, to promote the 2015 World MMA Awards. In January 2018, he was featured on an episode of Sneaker Shopping on the YouTube channel Complex.

In February 2019 he featured in "Sub-Zero's Head Shatter", the first episode of the YouTube series "The Science of Mortal Kombat" by Because Science. Cormier is known for being a dedicated fan of the New Orleans Saints and professional wrestling.

Two-time WNBA Champion, sports analyst, and ground-breaking entrepreneur Renee Montgomery made her mark as a player and is continuing to make history. During her eleven-year career as a professional basketball player, Montgomery led her team to two WNBA Championship wins, was named an All-Star, and the 6^th Woman of the Year. As Montgomery turned her focus to social justice reform, she retired from the league and pivoted to team ownership, becoming the first WNBA player to become an owner and executive of a WNBA team. She is known for her TED Talk How to Turn Moments into Momentum, sharing her journey taking a leap of faith to stand up for what is right. Montgomery is sought-after for her insights about leadership, entrepreneurship, and diversity and social justice, making an impact on audiences of all kinds.

Montgomery is also an acclaimed sports analyst, working as a studio analyst for the NBA/WNBA with Turner/NBA TV and most recently covering the 2022 NCAA Final Four with CBS. Montgomery is host of her own podcast on the LeBatard & Friends network titled Montgomery & Co. In addition to her role as Co-Owner and Vice President of the Atlanta Dream, she is also a part-owner of the FCF Beasts indoor football team, and General Partner of Valor VC. A committed philanthropist, her Renee Montgomery Foundation strives to promote positivity, teamwork, and make dreams come true along the way.

University of Kansas Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bill Self has cemented the Jayhawks as one of the best basketball programs in the country. In his eminent 19-season tenure at Kansas, Self has led Kansas to 556 victories (and counting), eighteen straight NCAA Tournaments, eleven Sweet 16 appearances, nine Elite Eight berths, four Final Four runs, and two National Championships in 2008 and 2022. Self’s acumen, authenticity, and endless pursuit of excellence has instilled a culture and work ethic that is unparalleled in college basketball, and resonates across industries.

Self has also won an array of individual accolades, including two AP National Coach of the Year awards (2009, 2016), the 2012 Naismith and Adolf Rupp National Coach of the Year award, and eight conference Coach of the Year awards, among numerous others. He was enshrined as a first-ballot honoree in the Class of 2017 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and is the only active coach to have won multiple NCAA titles. Self’s unprecedented program at Kansas is a testament to his leadership, passion, and undeniable determination to succeed, and he shares his inspiring takeaways with audiences of all kinds.

Professional basketball player Sabrina Ionescu plays for the New York Liberty of the WNBA and has been called the future of New York basketball. Before making the move to New York Liberty, Sabrina played for the University of Oregon where she accumulated numerous accomplishments including being unanimously voted the 2020 AP Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. She is also the first player, female, or male, in NCAA history with 2,000 career points (2,562), 1,000 career rebounds (1,040), and 1,000 career assists (1,091). Sabrina was selected first overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, which was also the first number one overall draft pick in New York Liberty’s history. 

On May 18th, 2021, Sabrina became the youngest player in the WNBA history to record a triple double. Most recently in July 2022, Sabrina set multiple WNBA records by notching the league’s first-ever triple-double while scoring more than 30 points all while matching the current record for most all-time career triple-doubles at three. Additionally, she was voted by fans to the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game as a starter. Sabrina earned her first Gold Medal as a member of the U.S. Women’s Team during the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia. In 2024, she became an Olympic Gold Medalist & WNBA Champion. An engaging and inspirational speaker, Sabrina shares a message of empowerment and excellence in her motivational talks.

Sabrina is much more than just a basketball player; the 24-year-old star guard has quickly become one of the most marketable and successful names and brands in all of sports. In March of 2021, Sabrina was featured on the cover of SLAM Magazine for “The Future Issue” where she was penned as the future of New York basketball. Additionally, Sabrina is continuing her mission of inspiring the next generation to pursue athletic excellence, which led to her creating “SI20” youth basketball camps. A few of her brand partners include Nike, BodyArmor, Autograph, Division Street and The Boardroom. Offering major inspiration about teamwork, overcoming obstacles, and making a difference, Sabrina’s programs resonate with corporate audiences, organizations, and young people.

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.

Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray OBE is one of the most influential and inspiring voices in the sport. A former captain of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team, Judy was the tartan Chris Evert of her time, winning 64 Scottish titles. She is also the mother of two World No. 1 tennis players – capturing Grand Slam and Olympic titles along the way. For a decade, Judy was the National Coach of Scotland, and was the first woman to pass the Lawn Tennis Association’s Performance Coach Award. Judy offers expert insights and inspiration on building teams, developing resilience, nurturing talent, creating a champion mindset, and the parallels between sport and business.

Judy has created several initiatives to grow grass roots tennis globally and has played a pivotal role with many governing bodies in encouraging more girls to play, as well as increasing the number of female coaches and developing female leaders. In 2017, Judy was awarded an OBE for her services to tennis, women in sport, and charity. In addition, she is known for her appearance on the reality TV show, Strictly Come Dancing and is the presenter of the Driving Force docuseries - which explores the back stories of 20 of Britain's most successful female athletes. Highly respected for her creativity and insight, Judy shares her inspirational story with groups including Brodies LLP Solicitors, HSBC, JP Morgan, WTA, IBM, Salesforce, Deloitte, Peugeot, PayPal UK, among others.

Motorsport executive, VC investor, and former racing driver Toto Wolff delivers star power balanced with expertise in high-performance leadership and organizational culture. Toto is the Co-Owner, CEO, and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. A former racing driver turned investor, Toto started his career by founding a tech-focused venture capital firm in Austria. He entered F1 with an ownership stake in the Williams F1 Team in 2009, before acquiring a 30% stake (now 33%) in the Mercedes-Benz works team in 2013. Toto has since led the team, featuring the most successful F1 driver of all-time, Lewis Hamilton, to unprecedented heights, winning eight Constructor World Championships and seven Driver World Championships.

Toto’s high-performance leadership philosophy was the subject of a Harvard Business School Case Study in 2022, “Number One in Formula 1.” He regularly visits Harvard to work with MBA students and teach the case study, leading discussions on high-performance leadership and organizational culture. In 2024, Toto will help teach a Harvard Business School course alongside professor Anita Elberse, focusing on how he has led the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team to historic success. Toto is also an Associate Fellow at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School where he imparts lessons on entrepreneurship and innovation, as well holding an Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University. In sought after talks, Toto leverages his understanding of winning culture, team leadership, and personal effectiveness.

Legendary hockey player, sports analyst, and TV personality Henrik Lundqvist is heralded as one of the top goaltenders in NHL history. Henrik played his entire fifteen season career with the New York Rangers, who retired his jersey upon his retirement from the sport.  A dominating rookie season in 2015 earned him the nickname “King Henrik,” and he is the team’s all-time leader in wins (459) and shutouts (64). He was awarded the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 2012, after having been nominated in each of his first three seasons. Henrik joined MSG Network for in-studio coverage of Rangers games beginning in the 2021-22 NHL season, offering invaluable insights about the game drawn from his stellar on-ice career.

Henrik also starred in the Emmy Award-winning MSG Network series The Mask, which featured interviews with luminaries from sports and entertainment. Each episode culminated in the creation of a custom goalie mask, which were worn by Henrik during the Rangers’ season. The masks were auctioned with proceeds benefitting the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, which strives to create positive change in the lives of children and adults throughout the world through education and health services. He also served as the Rangers’ spokesperson for the Garden of Dreams Foundation. When an open-heart surgery pushed him to retire earlier than expected, Henrik became a passionate advocate for health and heart issues, and is a gifted moderator and speaker for fundraisers and groups of all kinds.

Two-time NCAA National Volleyball Champions and identical twins Audrey and Nicole Nourse are a powerhouse duo of motivational speakers with a unique perspective on teamwork. The pair of star student-athletes, who are poised to be the next big names in their sport, are both students at the University of Southern California. They are the two-time NCAA National Volleyball Champions and their playing ranks and experience include: NFHS, NCAA, FIVB, and AVP. In addition to dominating the competition in the sand, the Nourse twins are also on a journey to become successful entrepreneurs, focusing their studies on business and sports media industries. From their inseparable life as student-athletes to their unbelievable journey to the top of their sport, the Nourse twins share the lessons they’ve learned in collaboration, building a winning team, and setting and achieving major goals.

The Nourse Twins are also the co-Founders of UNCUT Los Angeles, a non-profit media organization dedicated to giving student-athletes a platform to share their stories and build their brands – through their own words. As Head of Athlete Engagement (Audrey) and Head of Brand Management (Nicole), they have established themselves as young leaders in the industry and sports media moguls in the making. At engaging events with groups like UnCut Los Angeles and USC Trojans LIVE, the star athletes make a memorable impact with their drive and dedication, sharing insights on topics like motivation and teamwork, nutrition and fitness, and marketing from their unique Gen Z perspective.

Gold Medal Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen is setting records and redefining men’s figure skating, one extraordinary win at a time. With his inspiring performances at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Chen cemented his position as ‘Quad King’ – landing multiple quadruple jumps in both his programs and setting Olympic records. Starting on the ice at age 3, he built an impressive competitive resume, and in 2017 he became the youngest man to win the U.S. Championship in more than five decades. Chen has earned numerous titles, winning three World Championships, six Grand Prix events, two Grand Prix Finals, and six U.S. titles, with flawless technique, fearless programs, and exuberant performances. With his second trip to the Olympics, Chen is the first Asian American man to win an Olympic title, and the first Asian American male skater to win U.S., World, and Olympic titles. An expert on developing a winning mindset, Chen offers insights about cultivating focus, harnessing the power of positive self-talk, and enjoying the moment, that have a major impact on audiences of all kinds.

Chen has been featured in GQ, Vox, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and many more. Following his historic win, Chen thanked figure skating legend Michelle Kwan for being a role model and dedicated his gold medal to his mother for “her never-ending support.” In addition to accolades on the podium, he was named the 2019 Team USA Male Olympic Athlete of the Year, and was included on Forbes’ 2019 “30 Under 30: Sports” list. In captivating conversations, Chen shares his strategies for overcoming obstacles and his triumphant journey to winning Olympic gold.

Winner of three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, James Lapine is a writer, director, and Broadway legend. Known for genre-defining powerhouse collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, he was the writer and director for Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Passion, the multi-media review Sondheim on Sondheim, and co-produced and directed the revelatory HBO documentary Six by Sondheim for which he garnered an Emmy nomination and a Peabody Award. A prolific creator, he wrote and directed the Tony Award-winning Falsettos, the film Custody, and wrote the film adaptation for Into the Woods, as well as numerous Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Lapine is a beloved and eloquent titan of the theater, sharing star-studded stories and creative insights with enraptured audiences.

An instantaneous New York Times bestseller, Lapine’s book Putting it Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created Sunday in the Park with George chronicles the nuances of a powerful collaboration and the creative process that produced the Pulitzer Prize-winning Drama. A consummate artist, Lapine was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2011, and in 2015 received the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers awards for a lifetime of exceptional achievement in the theatre. Lapine is a devoted student of humanity, enriching conversations with insatiable curiosity, humor, and poignant observations on art and life.

Peter Schrager serves as an NFL insider and host of NFL Network's popular weekday morning show, Good Morning Football. Schrager is also an analyst on FOX NFL Kickoff, a senior NFL writer for FOXSports.com and a sideline reporter for Fox Sports. In addition to his game day coverage, he is a regular contributor to FS1 studio shows. Peter is also an accomplished author who has written two books: Strength of a Champion with OJ Brigance, and the New York Times Bestseller Out of the Blue with Victor Cruz (2012).

In addition to the NFL, Peter has covered the Olympics and the NBA for FOX, and has been a frequent contributor to GQ. Schrager won an Emmy in 2013 for his work on Inside the NFL. 

Duke University’s Division 1 Men’s Basketball Coach Nolan Smith is known as “The People’s Champ.” After leading the Duke University Blue Devils to a national championship, he played in the NBA before returning home to Duke University to serve as an Assistant Coach for Duke University Men’s Basketball. Smith was one of 11 from Division I basketball named to the Teamworks Basketball Leadership Committee. The committee, comprised of the most forward-thinking Teamworks’ partners from around the country, will converge to help shape the future of athlete engagement and drive the development of best practices throughout the athletics industry. Smith’s compelling storytelling, combined with his passion for mentorship and community engagement, makes him an engaging and motivating speaker, capable of inspiring audiences across various fields.

Smith is the North Carolina state ambassador for Teen Cancer America, an organization designed to help bridge the gap between pediatric and adult oncology care, serving alongside celebrities such as The Band Perry, Eddie Vedder, and Joan Jett. He has also been named a George H.W. Bush Points of Light Inspiration honoree. Smith’s extensive community contributions, including his work with youth programs and charitable initiatives, enrich his speeches with firsthand experiences of leadership, empathy, and social impact, making him a compelling and relatable speaker.

David Gelb is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated producer, director, and founding partner of Supper Club, a production company. Best known for his critically acclaimed documentary feature Jiro Dreams of Sushi, he is also the creator of the Netflix award-winning series Chef’s Table, now in its eighth season, which has won numerous James Beard Awards. He is also the co-creator of the Netflix series Street Food and an executive producer of Trial By Media.

Most recently, Gelb executive produced the Disney+ series Marvel’s 616 while also directing the first episode, which chronicled the creation of the “Japanese Spider-Man”. David is currently producing and directing the upcoming Disney+ feature documentary Wolfgang chronicling the life of world renowned celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck, which will be released in 2021. He is also in development on the scripted feature film Consume with Searchlight Pictures. David has worked extensively in advertising, directing both short and long-form work for clients including Apple, Google, Chase, Bank of America, Chipotle, Mazda, and the Ford Motor Company.

David was born and raised in New York City, where he was immersed in the arts and journalism throughout his upbringing. His mother, Donna Gelb, is a food writer and recipe chef, and his father, Peter Gelb, is the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera. His grandfather, Arthur Gelb, was the Managing Editor of the New York Times, and his grandmother, Barbara Gelb, was an accomplished writer and playwright. 

David graduated from film school at the University of Southern California in 2006, and remained in California.  David currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Christine D’Souza Gelb and his young son, Elliot Arthur Gelb.

Accomplished educator, leadership guru, and author Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin (Dr. Jackie) is an expert in developing meaningful community partnerships and is the Founder and CEO of the Why Not? Incubator, a non-profit organization designed to provide community partnership coaching about unity, wellness, community, equity, and racial healing. Her book The Why Not Challenge: Say Yes to Success with School-Community Partnerships shares her passion and practical takeaways for forming lasting community relationships between schools, organizations, and companies. In a time of vitriol and division, Dr. Jackie has been outspoken about her “Why not?” message, which is to build community, unity, equity, and partnerships.

Dr. Jackie has forged sustainable partnerships between over 350+ corporations, local businesses, and under-served schools, while offering powerful insights and accessible best practices in workshops, trainings, and talks. Her work was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which led to a role as the consulting producer for NBC’s School Pride. She serves on the steering committee for SEL4CA, Social Emotional Learning for California, and as an Executive Board Member for the Goldie Hawn Foundation, Mind Up. Dr. Jackie is a highly sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and summits, and her message of empowerment, community connection, equity, and resilience creates a lasting impact with educational and corporate audiences as well as individuals.

Hockey legend, beloved sportscaster, and entrepreneur Wayne Gretzky is widely considered to be the greatest hockey player of all time. Known as “The Great One,” Gretzky dominated on the ice for two decades unlike any player in history. After winning four Stanley Cup Championships, three Canada Cup tournament titles, and countless personal accolades, the NHL bestowed on the Hockey Hall of Famer the unique distinction of the retirement of his jersey number by all member clubs – “No. 99” will never be worn by another player. Gretzky was Head Coach and Executive Vice President of the Phoenix Coyotes, and was named Vice Chairman of the Edmonton Oilers from 2016-2021, in addition to serving in various leadership roles for Team Canada, guiding the Olympic Hockey Team to a gold medal win. He holds virtually every offensive record in the NHL and his tireless support of the game has contributed significantly to the popularity it enjoys today. His invaluable lessons in cultivating an athlete’s mindset and playing to your strengths resonate with audiences of all kinds.

Gretzky is the lead studio analyst for TNT’s hockey broadcasts, and the author of 99: Stories of the Game, an Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Biographies & Memoirs. He is a serial entrepreneur, with a restaurant, winery, a new apparel line Greatness Wins, and a major partnership with EBay as the featured athlete in their first collection of NFTs.  In addition, The Great One teaches a MasterClass on the athlete’s mindset, inspiring audiences to aim for greatness in their own lives. A dedicated philanthropist, the hockey star created The Wayne Gretzky Foundation, serves as the Honorary Chairman of Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities in Canada, and is an Athlete Ambassador and Honorary Member of the Board of Trustees of Right to Play – an athlete-driven humanitarian organization. He is also a participant in “Hands That Shape Humanity,” a project for the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre.

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.

Global Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Harvard Medical School Professor, Past President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America

Dr. Luana Marques is a Harvard professor, best-selling author, and global keynote speaker specializing in high-performance leadership in uncertain times. As the creator of the Bold Move™ framework, she equips individuals and organizations with the tools to override hesitation, embrace discomfort, and take decisive action—especially when the path ahead is unclear.

With two decades of research on the neuroscience of avoidance and decision-making under pressure, Dr. Luana has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and top-performing teams to transform the way leaders approach risk, uncertainty, and rapid change. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The New York Times, Good Morning America, and more.

Dr. Luana’s keynotes combine scientific insights, high-energy storytelling, and real-world case studies to help organizations move from hesitation to bold, strategic action—turning discomfort into a competitive edge.

In a world of constant burnout, uncertainty, and rapid change, hesitation isn’t an option for decisive leadership. Dr. Luana’s Bold Move ® methodology provides the tools and playbook to navigate challenges and thrive in today’s business landscape.

Beyond the Keynote: Bold Moves in Action

For Dr. Luana, the keynote is just the beginning. She is committed to creating moments that go beyond inspiration, ensuring attendees leave not just motivated but equipped with tools for real action.

Through book signings, meet-and-greet opportunities, and interactive discussions, she fosters deeper engagement, leaving a lasting impression on audiences. Her best-selling book, Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power, extends the impact of her keynote—giving attendees a science-backed framework to apply long after the event.

Dr. Luana collaborates with organizations to deliver a seamless and high-value experience, whether through bulk book purchases, customized signing sessions, or exclusive VIP engagements. More than just a speaker, she’s a strategic partner in ensuring your event drives lasting transformation.

Marc Polymeropoulos worked for 26 years at the CIA before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers who served in multiple field assignments for the U.S. government. He specialized in counterterrorism, the Middle East and South Asia, including extensive time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to his retirement, Marc served at CIA headquarters and was in charge of CIA’s clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. He frequently comments on international events in the US media, to include the Washington Post, The New York Times, GQ, Yahoo, CNN, and MSNBC. He also writes a weekly column on intelligence as a Washington Examiner contributor.  

Marc has honed a unique leadership style based on nine core principles which he terms “Finding Clarity in the Shadows.” Each principle builds on the next and is designed for real world applicability, where one often operates under time constraints and with a lack of complete situational awareness. Marc describes how one must not fear but instead wildly embrace this ambiguity. His unique leadership style is based on years of hard time on the streets of the third world vice learning leadership from university lectures or books. The “Glue Guy,” “Winning an Oscar,” and “Adversity is the PED to Success” are just some of the principles that his clients will immediately relate to. Marc will provide real work vignettes from the world of intelligence and paramilitary operations, yet also stress that his principles can be used across the private sector in any profession. He also will provide a checklist for clients to immediately utilize and put his principles into practice. Marc also expounds on these principles in his book, Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA, published by Harper Collins in June 2021.

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.

Dr. Sian Leo Proctor is a futurist poet and visionary artist. In 2021, astronaut-explorer Dr. Proctor made history as the first artist selected to go to space on the Inspiration4 mission. She is the first woman commercial spaceship pilot and the only African-American woman to be a mission pilot. She was selected to go to space by writing an original poem called Space2inspire. She is frequently hired to write and read original works of inspirational poetry for conferences and special occasions.

Dr. Proctor shares her historic journey and leadership message through the concept of Packing for Space - an inspirational message about how the most important thing you pack on any journey is yourself. She shares her perspective on space diplomacy and STEM workforce opportunities on the global stage as the U.S. Department of State Science Envoy for Space. She believes that when you solve for space you are actually solving for grand challenges here on Earth. She is the founder and CEO of Space2inspire, an art and media entertainment company. She is an international speaker and science communicator and has authored multiple books including the science book Earthlight - all about Earth's unique luminous signature that makes life possible. 

The most successful quarterback in the history of the Washington Redskins, Joe Theismann is also a world-class entrepreneur whose positive, high-energy presentations provide audiences with expert strategies for handling trying circumstances and dealing with unforeseen change. Voted the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and twice named both the Pro Bowl’s Most Valuable Player and the NFL’s Man of the Year, Theismann led his team to the Super Bowl XVII championship. After a serious injury abruptly ended his football career, Theismann learned firsthand how to think, analyze and reinvent in the face of adversity and change. An Emmy award-winning analyst for two decades on ESPN’s critically acclaimed, Sunday Night and Monday Night NFL broadcasts, Theismann challenges audiences to recognize the potential that lies within—as individuals and as members of a team. He always goes the extra mile to inspire your team to excellence, showing how passion, leadership and teamwork all combine to create a comprehensive game plan for success.

Adam Markel, bestselling author, keynote speaker and resilience researcher, guides individuals and organizations to tap the power of resilience to master the challenges of constant change.

With 18 years as a trial attorney building a multi-million dollar enterprise and 10 years as the CEO of a leading personal development and business training company, Adam has much to share about resilience, culture and change. Yet, some of his most enduring lessons came from his years as an ocean first responder - a life and death environment where Adam learned the importance of cultivating high performance capacity and impeccable teamwork.

In his latest bestselling book, Change Proof, Adam shows how those principles of resilience are equally relevant today for any business that wants to move beyond managing change to actively embracing it and using times of uncertainty, crisis, and chaos to create opportunities and stimulate individual and team growth.

As one of Huffington Post’s top speakers to see and the #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Pivot, Adam’s messages have inspired tens of thousands worldwide. His keynotes, corporate workshops, and business coaching integrate practical business strategies, personal development insights and a unique delivery style to create a high-energy and impactful learning environment.

Adam is currently the CEO of the More Love Media Group, a TEDx speaker and influencer, and host of the Change Proof Podcast, facilitating insightful discussions with business leaders and social innovators and sharing strategies to fully embrace an uncertain world and build Change Proof organizations.

Adam is continuously inspired by his wife of more than 30 years and their 4 amazing children.

Credible. Entertaining. Timeless. Compelling. Authentic. These are words which audience members and clients commonly use to describe Patrick Lencioni's presentations. The combination of his humorous and engaging style, along with the soundness of his theories, has made Pat a sought-after speaker. He has presented to hundreds of groups, tailoring each of his presentations to his particular audience.

Lencioni offers three simple recommendations for leading a virtual team on Chief Executive Magazine's website >>

Hill Harper is a humanitarian, an award-winning actor, bestselling author, entrepreneur, health and wellness ambassador/educator and philanthropist. He is frequently invited to emcee events, or to discuss tech, entrepreneurship, finance, activism, leadership and teambuilding. 

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.

Owner of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, Dominique opened the gyms to continue her commitment to developing a healthy and compassionate culture in the sport of gymnastics. Her first academy opened in the midst of a global pandemic, July 2020 and her second location opened in 2023. Dawes also holds minority ownership of the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League, and served as the co-chair of the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition under the Obama administration alongside Drew Brees. Alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter, she recently served as Executive Producer of the Peacock docu-series “Golden”, the journey of USA’s elite gymnasts on the road to the Tokyo Olympics, which has been nominated for a Sports Emmy.  
 
Dawes holds her degree from the University of Maryland and was inducted into UMD's prestigious Hall of Fame in 2022.  In 2024, her hometown of Montgomery County, Maryland will honor her career and legacy with a life size statue to continue inspiring the next generation to follow in her footsteps.
 

As a wife, mother of four, Olympian and business owner, Dominique Dawes has transcended the world of sports, politics, entertainment and culture.

Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Great-West Life have all hosted New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Adam Braun and praised him as “The best speaker I’ve ever seen in the history of our company’s offsite events.” (Coca-Cola HBC); “The feeling was unanimous, the best speaker we’ve ever had at an offsite.” (Kraft Brands); “We all agreed that he is someone to watch over the next few years.” (Great-West Life)

Adam Braun knows how to motivate people to powerful action and organizations who bring Adam to their event are seeing the difference. His TEDTalk "The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life," has been viewed 1.3 million times. 

The Founder of Pencils Of Promise, Adam Braun’s story is how one young man turned $25 into more than 525 schools, serving 100,000 students around the world, and built a global community which is well on its way to achieving its goal of making a quality education a possibility for everyone. His story proves that anyone can take small steps to lead a successful and significant life. 

Adam's book, The Promise of a Pencil, did not become a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller just because it was a great story; it became a sought-after guide for achieving goals and dreams and in the book Adam outlines chapters that provide actionable steps toward success. Adam empowers audiences to discover their next big idea, and he gives them guideposts for a path forward. Watch him in action in this inspiring presentation:  Creating Extraordinary Change in Life & Business

Adam went on to become Founder & CEO of MissionU, a 21st-century higher education company teaching hard and soft skills for the new economy. MissionU was an early pioneer in remote learning for workforce development that led to it being named to Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies" in 2018, and it was acquired by WeWork later that year.

By the age of 31 Adam was already named to Business Insider’s 40 Under 40, Wired magazine‘s 50 People Who Are Changing the World, and was selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s first ten Global Shapers. Braun was previously nominated for the TED Prize and has received the nation's oldest and most prestigious award for public service, the Jefferson Award. 

Felipe Gomez is not just an accomplished executive, he is a visionary leader who has spent over 25 years inspiring and transforming organizations around the world. Combining his management acumen and a lifelong passion for music, Felipe inspires audiences with an entertaining and memorable learning experience. Discussing the tools and ideas for becoming a virtuoso, and illustrating it all with help from an on-stage grand piano, Felipe inspires audiences to consistently aim for excellence, create meaningful and long lasting connections, and build effective cultures of innovation.

For the past fourteen years, Felipe has honed his skills and created a portfolio of products and services that are reliable, proven, and transformative. With his tools, individuals, teams, and organizations can shift their mindsets, refine their behaviors, and create emotional connections that expand their thinking patterns, take risks, learn from failures, and achieve mastery.

Today’s world demands innovative and audacious approaches to transformational challenges. Felipe’s work has been delivered in over 25 countries, and the high praises he has received from his clients and participants validate its global relevance.

Matt Doherty is a nationally recognized motivational speaker, bestselling author, media personality, and executive coach. In 2022 he was named the Vistage Rookie of the Year and won the Chair Excellence Award.

He guides corporations, C-suite managers, sales executives, and business and sports coaches to develop their leadership skills and team dynamics.

Since being a part of the 1982 National Championship team with Michael Jordan at UNC. His journey has included Head Coach at Notre Dame and the UNC Tar Heels, 2001 ACC Regular Season Championship. AP National Coach of the Year in 2001, Head Coach at FAU and SMU, in addition to working with ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, and the Atlantic 10 Conference.

In 2003, he embarked on a mission to "Learn & Grow" by beginning a leadership journey that took him to the UVA Darden School of Business and The Wharton School.

Coach Doherty is committed to sharing universal teachings and actionable ideas that will work for anyone.

Chris has been a commercial diver for over 18 years, and currently specializes in deep sea saturation diving, operating almost exclusively in the oil and gas industry. This highly specialized form of diving involves living in the claustrophobic confines of a decompression chamber for up to 28 days at a time, commuting daily to the seabed in a diving bell, and working at depths of up to 900 feet for 6 hours at a time.

In September of 2012, a freak failure of the dynamic positioning system of the vessel he was working under, resulted in the umbilical which provides him with breathing gas, light and heat being severed completely. He was left on the seabed, in complete darkness 300 feet below the surface, with only the 5 minutes of breathing gas he carried in the emergency tanks on his back, and no way to protect himself from the freezing temperatures. It took his heroic rescuers over 40 minutes to come back and fetch him, and his miraculous survival story has baffled experts ever since.

His extraordinary story was subsequently immortalized in the hit Netflix/BBC documentary Last Breath, a Hollywood movie starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole.

Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, is a college professor, internationally known keynote speaker and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change, which Forbes’ listed in the “Top Twenty Books You Need to Read to Crush 2020.”

His autobiography, The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World, vividly tells how he transformed the pot of boiling water that is a Texas maximum-security prison into a pot of coffee.

At 20 years old, he was a Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of North Texas, when he suffered a career ending injury. He turned to hardcore drugs to cope with disappointments of life. After graduation, he worked in the United States Congress, was a national fundraiser on a U.S. Presidential campaign and eventually trained to be a stockbroker for United Bank of Switzerland (UBS). One day at UBS, he was introduced to methamphetamines; he became instantly hooked—and the lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit.

After a fateful discussion during his incarceration with a seasoned convict, Damon had a spiritual awakening. He learned that, like a coffee bean changing with the application of heat and pressure, he was capable of changing the environment around him. Armed with a program of recovery, a renewed faith, and a miraculous second chance at life, Damon emerged from over seven years of prison a changed man. His story of redemption, grit and determination continues to inspire audiences today.

The Coffee Bean message has inspired thousands. Damon’s clients include such companies as Walmart, AIG, Chick-fil-A, Southwest Airlines, and sports teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Timberwolves, Clemson, Alabama and Georgia. The U.S. Army has even incorporated the #BeACoffeeBean mindset into their resilience training. Damon’s story has been featured both nationally and globally.

He is passionate about the Coffee Bean message and loves sharing how it changed his life and how it can change yours, too.

Internationally-recognized media executive TJ Adeshola is a leader at the intersection of tech, media, and culture. Adeshola is the Former Vice President of Global Content Partnerships at Twitter – providing strategic consult for media properties across sports, gaming, entertainment, and news. He helps the biggest media brands in the world leverage Twitter and new media spaces to generate revenue and connect with culture, and TJ shares his actionable takeaways in transformative speaking engagements.

TJ has appeared on CNBC, Good Morning America, ESPN, NBA TV, NFL Network, and more. He has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation as an inductee in the Hall of Achievement, Sports Business Journal, Ad Age, and Black Enterprise "40 Under 40" awards, and was named one of 29 "Young Influentials" by Adweek. Through all his ventures, TJ prioritizes amplifying diverse voices across the entertainment, music, and sports industries. Adeshola has been sought after for thought leadership on high profile stages and conferences including including Advertising Week, SXSW, Cannes Lions, CES, MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School, the World Congress of Sports and more.

U.S. Navy Commander Frank Weisser is a two-time Blue Angels Pilot who was deployed in combat three separate times, including to Afghanistan and Iraq. He flew in the front seat as pilot for some of Top Gun: Maverick’s most memorable scenes, including the one in which Tom Cruise blisters through a twisting canyon uncomfortably close to rocky cliffs and the ground at lightning speeds. By completing that canyon course in 2:15 in the movie, Cruise was able to show his Navy bosses that, in fact, the combat mission his pilots were tasked with could be completed. Cruise looks like he is flying the jet; in reality, it was Weisser. Read more in Forbes' "U.S. Navy CDR Frank Weisser, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s’ Secret Weapon" >>

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Weisser joined the Blue Angels in September 2007. He has accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours and nearly 500 carrier arrested landings. He earned a masters degree in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in September 2009. His decorations include multiple Meritorious Service Medals, Strike Flight Air Medals and various personal and unit awards. He is type rated in the Gulfstream 450/550 and resides in a private airpark in the North Georgia Mountains.

Captain Sandy Yawn continually uses her experience and life’s trials and tribulations to educate and help others. She survived a life-threatening motorcycle accident, a fire onboard a super yacht in the Red Sea, pirate invasion, and cancer. You may know her from her numerous television appearances including The Steve Harvey Show, and the Emmy Award-winning talk show The Doctors. She has come to share her personal experiences and to inspire you on and demonstrate how to navigate the many challenges that life presents.

Yawn’s current role is as Captain on the hit reality show Below Deck Mediterranean, on the wildly successful Bravo Network. Yawn’s unique life experience and spirited style of overcoming adversity embracing “teachable moments” help her to continuously improve her circumstances in life, train and educate her crew and earned her distinction and acclaim in a male dominated industry. Yawn is a hands-on Captain who leads by example and is not above doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

Captain Sandy’s resilience and drive has not only propelled her to the top of the super yacht industry allowing her to focus on philanthropic causes including ocean advocacy and projects near to her heart like children’s education, and programs for children with learning disabilities. Fifty percent of all sales from the Captain Sandy merchandise line is donated to The Jacksonville School for Autism, a non-profit organization that Yawn’s sister founded for the captain’s nephew, Nicholas. 

Renowned head basketball coach, philanthropist, and activist LeVelle Moton is a community-focused leader and expert in developing values-based missions, strategies for meaningful teamwork, and finding your purpose. Moton graduated from North Carolina Central University as the school’s third all-time leading scorer, having earned the nickname ‘Poetry ‘n Moton’. He returned as Assistant Coach, eventually becoming the school’s Head Coach, and lead his team to 8 championship titles. He has received 11 different “Coach of the Year” awards and numerous nominations, and is highly sought-after for his insights about leadership, inspiring your team, and making a difference in your community.

Moton is the CEO and Founder of the Velle Cares Foundation, whose mission is to serve and assist community-based organizations that promote health, education, and life skills for children and family in at-risk situations. He hosts notable annual events such as the ‘Back to School Community Day Event’ and the ‘Single Mother Salute’, among others, to enrich and give back to his community. Moton presents awards of Courage, Strength, Perseverance, and a “Single Mother of the Year” award named after his mother Hattie McDougald. Moton is an in-demand speaker who shares personal stories, humor, and takeaways that make an impact on audiences of all kinds.

Radha Agrawal is the co-Founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, bestselling author of Belong, and entrepreneurial force, co-founding and investing in multiple 9-figure businesses in the wellness space including THINX. Her global morning dance, music, and wellness movement Daybreaker has reached half a million people in 30 cities worldwide, and Radha’s team joined Oprah and WW on tour in 2020. Named one of MTV’s “8 women who will change the world,” Radha has won numerous entrepreneurship awards and accolades for disruptive and culture-shifting innovation.

An expert in science-backed strategies for building community, Radha’s keynote speeches have exhilarated audiences for events with Nike, Wisdom 2.0, Princeton University, Burning Man, and Facebook’s Global Marketing Summit. Radha is a sought-after commentator on increasing connection at work and in life, identifying opportunities for social entrepreneurship, and amplifying a 'profit with a purpose' mission.

Tara Schuster is a bestselling author, playwright, and accomplished television executive. Schuster served as Vice President of Talent and Development at Comedy Central where she was the Executive in Charge of the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning Key & Peele, the Emmy® Award winning @Midnight, and Lights Out with David Spade. For her work on Key & Peele, Jordan Peele remarked that Schuster is “ahead of her time...she sees the future a little bit.” Her book, Buy Yourself The F*cking Lilies, debuted as the #1 New Release in Humor Essays and Self-Help on both Audible and Kindle. It was a finalist for Goodreads Best Nonfiction Book of 2020 and has been chosen by InStyle, Real Simple, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed, Goop, and many others as a must read. It has sold over 130,000 copies and is translated into five languages.

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.

How do you create a deeper connection between people, teams, and leaders? It’s about opening a pathway to shared experiences, deeper meaning and more understanding. As our lives continue to morph through uncertainty, organizations are looking for experiences that open the hearts and minds of their people, so that together they can achieve more, even when they aren’t in the same physical space. 

JUNO-Nominated Musician and Acclaimed Keynote Concert Storyteller Peter Katz is transforming lives by creating surprising human connections. Peter has been called a “thunderbolt for the soul” because his transformative keynote concerts create a space for his audience to see their own story. Peter is far from an ego-centric showman, he is a human connector who creates a tapestry of meaning, purpose, trust and understanding within his audiences that invigorates their resilience and creates potential for amazing outcomes.

Peter is a 4-time TEDx fellow being called on to give his highly customized Keynote Concerts to countless companies and organizations across various industries including Bell, Xerox, Royal Lepage, SITE Global, Trillium Health, The Canadian Society of Association Executives, and the Government of Canada.

Ryan Leak is an author, executive coach, and motivational speaker that gets to inspire over 50,000 people every single month. He trains over 15,000 leaders every year from Fortune 500 companies to professional sports teams. His viral Surprise Wedding story has been featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, and other various media outlets.

He’s the author of the USA Today best selling book, Chasing Failure: How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success. And his most recent book, Leveling Up: 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal And Professional Development is a Wall Street Journal Best Seller. He’s married to Amanda and is also the assistant coach for his son’s basketball team.

Today’s challenge for many organizations is about transformational leadership. Do your leaders have the capacity to help people see beyond what limits them, to help them see beyond their current constraints in a way where they are paving a path for their best level of performance? This is an entirely new area of prowess that Fortune 50 Trusted Advisor and former SVP, Chief of Global Diversity & Engagement officer at PepsiCo Deborah Rosado Shaw calls the New Realm of Mastery. This level of leadership is about addressing people’s commitments, their goals and what they value most in their own lives in a way that helps transform them into self-starters, risk takers and people who know how to find their voice and path even in the most challenging times. As Deb shares with global leadership audiences, the best leaders help people learn how to motivate themselves in times of uncertainty and challenge. Deb helps leaders and organizations elevate to new heights by sharing the strategies of the New Realm of Mastery, which former Chairman of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi praised as follows, “Deborah is a leading and powerful voice who founded PepsiCo’s transformational leadership program and took our company-wide conversation about diversity from one focused on inclusion to a broader dialogue about the engagement of all employees with each other and with the diverse world around us.”

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.

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.

As an adventurer and explorer, and the first Spanish woman to summit Mt. Everest, Araceli Segarra's great skills as a communicator and her wide thematic spectrum make her an excellent transmitter of concepts that fit both the business world and the personal world. Her talent to personalize these themes gives her an adaptability that pleases business, university or women's empowerment audiences.

Araceli Segarra's talks are authentic, humble, engaging and passionate.

In her motivational talks, she uses climbing as a metaphor to value the different aspects of human nature, in which these conditions are pushed to the limits. Araceli shares the analogies that exist between the complicated ascent of a mountain and the challenges facing businesses.

She personalizes and adjusts every talk for each company to relate her experience during the shooting of the famous IMAX documentary movie Everest, and the rescue, climbing in Patagonia or giving up the summit of K2. 

Brian Eisch grew up in the state of Wisconsin and joined the Army in 1992 at the age of 17 as an infantryman. He served in various duty positions over his 20 year career including Scout, Senior Scout, Radio Telephone Operator, Team Leader, Squad Leader, Instructor, Drill Sergeant, and Platoon Sergeant.

In 2010, The New York Times and Netflix began a 10 year journey following Brian throughout his deployment during the war in Afghanistan and filming the effects it had on him and his young sons back home in Wisconsin. While in the field in Kunduz Province Afghanistan, Brian was shot 3 times in his legs while attempting to save a wounded Afghan policeman.

Brian will be the first to say “this is not the worst thing that has ever happened to me.” After enduring debilitating pain and eventual amputation of his leg, Brian suffered an even greater loss when, in 2015, Brian’s son Joey, aged 12, was killed by a truck while riding his bike. Throughout this decade on film, we see Brian navigate pain, love and loss, and the rebuilding of a new normal.

In his speeches, Brian epitomizes the strength, perseverance, and humor it takes to not only pull a team through combat, but also a family through tragedy. His outstanding military record reflects his innate ability to lead, communicate through crisis, and inspire teams. Brian’s story not only inspires other veterans, but anyone else who has found themselves needing to find new purpose, inspiration out of tragedy, and the strength to overcome.

Legendary, two-time Emmy Award-winning sports analyst and commentator Bill Raftery has covered basketball on television and radio for CBS and ESPN for over three decades. Raftery’s colorful commentary has brought new life to The NCAA Tournament and Final Four, the Big East Championship, the Big Ten Championship, and the New Jersey Nets telecasts, among many other premier events, and he's beloved for his signature catchphrases such as, “with a kiss,” “onions!” and “a little nickel-dimer.” An inductee into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, he is known to combine keen analysis and opinion with unsurpassed enthusiasm for the game.

Raftery also served as head basketball coach at Seton Hall University, where he is credited with revitalizing the program and leading the Pirates to seven straight winning series.

In commentary that is equal parts empowering, informative, and humorous, Raftery shares lessons on teamwork, resilience, success, leadership. and building character from the world of sports for audiences of every industry.

One of the most prolific coaches in football history, Urban Meyer’s accomplishments have cemented his legacy in college football history. With one of the highest winning percentages of all time, Meyer boasts an incredible 187-32 overall record and three national championship wins. He has brought his expertise to his role as an analyst for both ESPN and most recently FOX Sports, appearing weekly on their Big Noon Kickoff pre-game show, and went on to coach in the NFL as Head Coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. A New York Times bestselling author of Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Program, Meyer engages audiences across industries with profound insights on leadership skills, team building, the keys to empowering people to achieve things they never thought possible, and turning setbacks into victories. 

Meyer has become one of the most decorated college football coaches in history, receiving such honors as “Coach of the Decade,” and several “Coach of the Year” awards, among others. Faith and philanthropy are key tenets in Meyer’s life and have contributed to his successes on and off the field. Joining the fight against cancer, Meyer and his wife, Shelley, founded the Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research in 2012, a support fund dedicated to advancing research for all cancers. Their fund helps recruit experts in the field to Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. Meyer is an expert at empowering people to achieve things they might never have thought possible, and inspires audiences to create clear goals and a winning strategy to execute them. Audiences consistently share positive feedback about his motivational keynotes, like his address at Grambling State University: “Anytime you get someone of his caliber to spend an evening, an entire day with you, it’s an honor and truly amazing” and ”Anybody that can make you better in a matter of minutes is someone that you want to be around.”

Writer, cultural critic, and entrepreneur Aminatou Sow is renowned as co-host of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend, which tackles the intricacies of feminism, pop culture and the latest in politics.

A member of the Sundance Institute Director's Advisory Group, and previous head of Social Impact Marketing at Google, Aminatou has been named one of Forbes "30 Under 30 in Tech." She is also the co-founder of Tech LadyMafia, an organization created to increase the visibility of women working in and around Technology. Her book, a TIME's 100 Must-Read Book of 2020, Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close (June 2020), makes the bold and compelling argument that a close friendship is the most influential and important relationship a human life can contain—helping you improve as a person and in your relationships with others.

A passionate public speaker, Aminatou has been sought-out for events like SXSW, Chicago Ideas Week, and the Sydney Writers Festival. She convenes and facilitates conversations about the most important cultural issues of our time, and has interviewed everyone from Hillary Clinton to Roxane Gay, Kirsten Gillibrand, Ali Raisman, and so many more impressive women. At engagements, Aminatou shares candid insights into female ambition, money and power.

Troy Aikman is one of the most recognizable and accomplished personalities in sports and beyond, as a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, Emmy nominated broadcaster, philanthropist, and serial entrepreneur. Aikman is the new voice of ESPN's Monday Night Football alongside Joe Buck. Together with Buck, Aikman is part of the second-longest broadcast tandem in NFL history — his voice has become synonymous with the game. Aikman harnesses his tenacity, drive, and likeability from the field and brings it to every project and partnership off the field.

An empowering and insightful speaker, Aikman engages audiences with conversations about how to identify (and maximize) the individual assets of members on any team, how to use unexpected change and setbacks to grow, what he learned from the struggles and triumphs of his football career, and more.

Dan Mulhern is a speaker, executive coach, and lecturer at University of California Berkeley.

He is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of leadership and organizational culture. Mulhern has worked with a wide range of organizations, from start-ups to Fortune 500, from government to non-profits. He has coached and presented at well-known companies like Ford, Google, and Facebook, but also delights in a strong practice with large non-profits like Goodwill of Greater Detroit, Americorps, and the Chicago Legal Aid Foundation. He has been a proud and committed public servant providing, for example, leadership training since 2011 to prominent women ascending to positions of governor, attorney general and senator.

In 2012 Mulhern began to shift his practice from individual coaching and team development to LeadingX2. He realized that the notion of “the” leader makes sense, and teams are surely critical, but experts and practitioners alike have leapt over the atomic unit – the dyad.  His research demonstrates that LeadingX2 is pervasive, powerful and practicable, yet no one teaches us how – how to build extraordinary partnerships! He researches and works closely with powerful dyads:  both true co-founders or co-ceos, as well as dyads in which one reports to the other like a CEO and COO or President and Provost, but whose leadership can be powerfully synergistic.  His current work is primarily dedicated to helping clients capitalize on the incredible power of LeadingX2. 

Through his work as a public speaker, radio personality, writer, professor, leadership coach, and consultant, Mulhern has inspired thousands to lead with their best self. He received the Golden Apple Award, as the student-voted most exceptional teacher at UC Berkeley, and the Earl Cheit Award as outstanding undergraduate instructor at the Berkeley Haas School of Business.

He is the author of Everyday Leadership: Getting Results in Business, Politics and Life; Be Real: Inspiring Stories for Leading at Home and Work; and co-author of A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Future.

Mulhern has 20 years in executive coaching and executive team consultation, following 15 years experience in leadership positions in government, non-profits, and business.

Coach Paul Assaiante knows how to motivate teams for success. As the current coach of the Men’s Squash team at Trinity College and the former Men’s Tennis team coach, Paul has motivated top athletes from around the world. He is known for his unique achievement as the “winningest coach in college sports history”, winner of 17 NCAA Championships titles, and 22-year dedication as squash coach. Paul’s core belief is the need to embrace fear in order to remove obstacles blocking success. He shares his experience and lessons on building teams of champions in his book, Run to the Roar: Coaching to Overcome Fear. Paul brings together the best players from around the world and demonstrates how teammates from diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicities can unite as a winning team year after year. He uses his experiences to help leaders in any field embrace collaboration, cultural diversity, and leadership models that encourage employees to give everything they have- every day and build winning teams.

Mike Eruzione led the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team to its Gold Medal victory in Lake Placid, NY. In the highlight of the game Mike scored the game-winning goal against the Soviet Union, a moment Sports Illustrated later voted their #1 Sports Moment of the Century. That victory against the Soviets advanced the U.S. Hockey Team to face and beat Finland for the Gold Medal.

After the historic victory in Lake Placid, Mike became a sports commentator for Madison Square Garden, ABC, and CBS commenting and analyzing events at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and the 1994 Olympic Games.

For the past several years Mike has traveled throughout the country representing major corporations as their spokesperson and motivational speaker. Mike is currently employed by Boston University as Director of Special Outreach. He continues to be actively involved with fund raising events for the U.S. Olympic Committee as well as several charitable organizations including Winthrop Charities.

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.

Matt Mayberry, a former NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears, is currently one of the most-read columnists for Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as an acclaimed keynote speaker, author, and peak-performance strategist. Using a real-world approach, He specializes in maximizing the performance of organizations, teams, and individuals all over the world.

Matt provides attendees with a real-world strategy for peak performance, incorporating motivation, process & mindset, and credibility into his keynotes. While Matt’s programs have been revolutionary for sales and leadership groups, he has presented for tech, finance, industrial and pharmaceutical groups as well.

A partial client list includes: the FBI, National Kitchen & Bath Association, Fifth Third Bank, NAPA Auto Parts, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Cosentino, USA Hockey, DuPont, Union Pacific Railroad, and Lowe’s.

From the football field to being the head of business development for a multi-million dollar healthcare company and becoming a successful entrepreneur, Matt has the credibility to deliver a keynote speech with a strong focus on actionable ideas and strategies designed to maximize business and personal performance.

Nick Jankel is a highly sought-after and accomplished international keynote speaker who inspires, motivates, and empowers audiences across the globe to forge the future -rather than fail it.

As a futurist, leadership theorist and transformation catalyst at the pinnacle of thought leadership, Nick has advised and accelerated many ambitious organizations such as Novartis, HSBC, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Nike, No.10 Downing Street, Zalando, Genentech, Google, Roche, Diageo, Intel, Lendlease, P&G and the BBC.

Nick is a master at the skills, qualities and capabilities of Transformational Leadership: how to metabolize constant change into concrete value and impact, from leading digital transformation to landing disruptive innovation. A Cambridge-educated medic, he develops highly-original thinking and powerful tools— using a blend of the latest brain science fused with profound wisdom—that inspire leaders to switch on and step up rather than freezing in uncertainty, fighting the need for tangible change, and repeating what worked in the past.

With talents that established him as a Fortune 500 leader and professional stand-up comedian, Garrison Wynn, CSP, fuses comic timing and research to deliver motivational business expertise. For 20 years, he has given keynote presentations to clients (such as American Express, Wells Fargo, Oracle and NASA) at corporate and association events. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller The Real Truth about Success, the Amazon #1 bestseller The Cowbell Principle, has been a weekly contributor to the Washington Post and featured Forbes and Inc. Magazines. In his teens he debuted the world’s first video gaming system (Odyssey) with baseball legend Hank Aaron and as a young man spent 6 years touring comedy clubs with the top names in the business. He went on to become the youngest department head in a Fortune 500 company’s history where he researched and designed processes for 38 company locations nationwide and developed & marketed products still being sold in 30 countries.

Known for his ability to connect with any audience, Garrison delivers powerful, original content built on breakthrough research that he customizes with specifics from your industry. His gruntwork-to-great background from ditch digging (we’re not kidding!) to executive leadership, with sales, marketing, safety, manufacturing, and show biz in between means that no industry or work experience is beyond Garrison’s ability to identify with or apply insight to. He can reach the CEO and the janitor in the same audience with a consistent, relevant message. He personalizes programs to give audiences the relational and behavioral insights they’ll need if they want to influence and succeed.

Undersized and overmatched, at 5'8" Justin Forsett had plenty of reasons to give up on becoming a full-time NFL starter. It wasn't until 2014 at age 29 that Forsett "came out of nowhere" and proved them all wrong. 

Forsett spent parts of four seasons (2008-11) with Seattle and the 2012 season with the Texans. He played in nine games for the Jaguars in 2013 before injuring his foot, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. Forsett spent more than two seasons with the Ravens, including one Pro Bowl year in which he took the league by storm in 2014.  He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2015 following his most successful season in the NFL, and ranked #65 on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2015. 

After breaking his arm midway through the 2105 season, recovering, and playing just nine more games with the Ravens, the Detroit Lions, and the Denver Broncos, Forsett announced his retirement from the NFL on May 3, 2017.
 
Justin, however, will be defined by much more than his stats.  Justin was a cherished fan favorite and big part of the community. He spent much of his time spreading advice and encouragement to his teammates and anyone he worked with. A Christian man of integrity, he was extremely active in volunteering to help those in need, the Baltimore community in particular, who embraced him back.

When speaking to audiences, Justin has a genuine desire to positively impact others with his message of perseverance through life’s disappointments. His witty and down-to-earth personality engages audiences from corporate environments to youth groups as he shares his inspirational journey of hope, focus, determination, and the importance of legacy.

Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, MLB coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of numerous books including The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus, Soup, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, and The Carpenter. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients include The Atlanta Falcons, LA Clippers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Campbell Soup, Wells Fargo, Northwestern Mutual, Publix, Southwest Airlines, Bayer, West Point Academy and more.

Jon Gordon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams.

When he's not running through airports or speaking, you can find him playing tennis or lacrosse with his wife and two teenage children.

Michael Veltri is a leadership expert, battle-hardened business executive, and Nationwide Bestselling author. Recognizing that success in business and life is created by the daily decisions we make, Michael elevates teams, fuel-injects leadership, and improves business performance through better decision-making practices.

From ancient Japanese warriors to brain science, from business titans to academic research, Michael tapped wide-ranging resources to develop a groundbreaking model for better decision making that leads to exponential leadership growth and peak performance with balance, not burnout. Simple, elegant, and effective, Michael's approach has positively impacted some of the world’s most successful organizations, brands, and leaders.

Michael is also a cancer survivor, decorated U.S. Marine veteran, and master-instructor in classical Japanese martial arts. He brings his business savvy, martial arts discipline, and Marine Corps leadership to every keynote speech inspiring, motivating, and educating audiences worldwide.

As an art student, Phil Hansen’s intense style of pointillism led to a tremor in his hand and a diagnosis of nerve damage. Devastated, he dropped out and lost his way, until a neurologist suggested he “embrace the shake”. This piece of advice put Phil on a quest to invent different approaches to making art by embracing personal and universal limitations.

Phil’s ability to draw art parallels to the corporate world has lead to him speaking at events such as the Adobe MAX Creativity Conference, World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, and the Million Dollar Round Table

Phil has designed a unique art experience beyond the talk. Companies who are seeking an unforgettable interactive experience for their audience are absolutely stunned by its originality, value and effect.

Mike Massimino is a former NASA Astronaut, a New York Times Bestselling Author, a Columbia University Professor, a media personality, and the first person to tweet from space. He is a four-time spacewalker on two missions to the Hubble Space Telescope, including the final Hubble servicing mission which has been called the most dangerous and complex mission in space shuttle history. Mike has made numerous television appearances, including a recurring role as himself on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, has hosted educational television programs, and provides expert commentary on morning shows and network and cable news programs.

He has been called the real-life astronaut who inspired George Clooney’s role in the movie Gravity. He uses humor and his unique storytelling ability to inspire audiences to identify the passion in their work, to use teamwork and innovation to solve problems, to provide leadership in the face of adversity and crisis, and to never give up when pursuing a goal. 

“Isaac Lidsky may possess the most eclectic resume in business,” according to Inc. Magazine. He is the CEO and co-founder of ODC Construction (Florida’s largest residential shell contractor) and author of the New York Times best-selling book Eyes Wide Open: Overcoming Obstacles and Recognizing Opportunities in a World That Can’t See Clearly (March 14, 2017, Penguin Random House). A dynamic speaker whose viral TED Talk reached more than 1 million views in 20 days, and a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude), Isaac is the only blind person to serve as a Law Clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court. As a child actor, he played “Weasel” on NBC’s “Saved By The Bell: The New Class.” 

Dispelling any notion of disability, or the acceptance of self-imposed limitations among any of us, Isaac has forged a true vision for leading and living Eyes Wide Open and mastering your own reality. In his talks to corporate audiences, entrepreneurs and associations around the world, Isaac provides his philosophy and actionable principles for individuals and leaders to build more accountability and courage into how they interact and engage with themselves, others, the world and their highest aspirations.

Tom Kolditz is the founding Executive Director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University. He designed and directed the core Leader Development Program at the Yale School of Management, served as the chairman of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point, and was the founding director of the West Point Leadership Center. A highly experienced leader, Brigadier General (retired) Kolditz has more than 26 years in P&L level supervisory positions, serving on four continents in his 34 years of military service.

Brigadier Gen. Tom Kolditz shows how extreme life-and-death situations can offer profound lessons for leaders in any setting. Gen. Kolditz’s research reveals that the leadership skills and principles evident in dangerous settings also apply to leading in business and everyday life, making this program applicable to both personal and professional success.

Combat tests you. Being a beat cop tests you. Life tests you. Three brothers and being the only girl...tests you. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour has been tested her whole life. A gutsy trailblazer, her resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black female combat pilot. She served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter.

As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.

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.

Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi are co-authors of the New York Times bestselling book, Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation and co-founders of startup, Vega Factor. Lindsay takes the reins as CEO of Vega Factor.

After decades of practical experience and study, Neel and Lindsay have developed the science of high performing cultures. What is unique about their work is they have developed a quantifiable approach that explicitly links culture with performance. Their work isn't theoretical only. Leading organizations are putting into practice the methodology described in their New York Times bestselling book, Primed to Perform.

In Lindsay and Neel's work, they have concluded that why someone works, drives how well they work. In other words, a person's motive for their work is the driver of their adaptive performance.  Three motives increase performance while three motives decrease performance. Neel and Lindsay can unequivocally prove this perspective with live audience engagement, company data, current events (like Wells Fargo) and experiments. In their talk, they share alternatives that are proven to build high performing cultures.

Eric began his career in the FBI as a “Ghost” – an undercover field operative tasked to surveil and monitor foreign, national, and domestic terrorists and spies. During the Hanssen investigation, Eric worked directly undercover with the spy within the FBI’s Information Assurance Division – created to protect all classified FBI intelligence.

Currently, Eric runs The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security consultancy out of Washington, DC.  Eric is also the National Security Strategist for Carbon Black, the leader in next generation endpoint protection.   

A talented motivational speaker who weaves real life experiences into a presentation that is both entertaining and rewarding, Eric O’Neill provides practical insights into real work situations relevant to many industries.  

Mark Schulman is a monster drummer who's toured the world with some of the greatest rock and pop performers – before crowds as big as 225,000. He's played with P!NK, Billy Idol, Cher, Stevie Nicks, Foreigner, Simple Minds, and others over his 32-year touring career.

Mark is also amazing on another stage – as a speaker, where he delivers a rock show disguised as a keynote.

“I’ve learned about the importance of attitude as part of the touring family with these great performers,” Mark says as he unpacks the secrets of rockstar performance. His presentations translate lessons learned during his remarkable career into valuable tips for organizations, teams, leaders, and those who want to be their absolute best.

Mark Schulman is a brilliant storyteller and performer who inspires audiences to engage and unleash their inner rockstar. Mark's first book, Conquering Life’s Stage Fright, shows people how to harness doubt, fear, and anxiety to perform at their best when it matters most. His next book, The Attitude Equation, is slated for late 2023 release. Mark is also a judge and coach on an all-new original music competition television show called BANDED on AXS TV.

After asking the question, “What would I do if money didn’t matter?” Joshua Medcalf dropped out of his Masters program at Duke University, skipped scholarships to law school, and moved across the country into a homeless shelter to serve people. Today he is the president and founder of Train to be CLUTCH, whose focus is a heart's first approach to leadership, life skills and mental training. He has written three highly acclaimed books: Burn Your Goals: The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential, Train to be CLUTCH 101; and An Impractical Guide to Transformational Leadership. Joshua has the unique position of mentoring highly talented millennials as well as baby boomers with decades of invaluable experience, and he is able to share case studies and the latest scientific research on maximizing human performance in a multi-generational workplace through engaging and unbelievable stories.

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.

Keynote speaker Ron Garan is a highly decorated NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, and active social entrepreneur who believes that appropriately designed and targeted social enterprise can solve many of the problems facing our world.

He is the author of the critically acclaimed book The Orbital Perspective, hosts a popular podcast with the same name, and is currently launching two new books: Railroad to the Moon and Floating in Darkness.

Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, Chief Executive, and best-selling author. She writes books and blogs, teaches and mentors senior and chief executives. She produced programs for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company, and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter.

Wendy Booker is on an amazing journey. Not only has she tackled marathons, mountains and ice… she’s doing it with multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 1998, Wendy did not consider herself an athlete. She did however know that she was not going to take her diagnosis sitting down—she wanted to fight back!

Her real adventure began by a girlfriend’s invitation and challenge to run with her in the Boston Marathon. Wendy ran the marathon and never looked back. Since then she has run twelve marathons, climbed the Seven Summits of the world—attempting Everest twice in the process, mushed to the North Pole and skied to the South Pole—setting records and breaking through barriers all the way.

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.

Shawn Achor is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential. Shawn graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and earned a Masters from Harvard Divinity School in Christian and Buddhist ethics. After spending 12 years at Harvard, Shawn traveled to 50 countries studying how to create an interconnected approach to potential and happiness. He has now worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, and at places like NASA, the NFL, and the Pentagon. Shawn has battle-tested his research in high-challenge environments from working with all the public schools in Flint Michigan, to six battalions of Marines at Camp Pendleton, to government leaders at Camp David, to students in a shantytown in Soweto South Africa, to hospitals in the wake of a mass shooting in Orlando and the Boston bombing. In every place, Shawn has found the optimism can be increased through mindset and behavioral change, and that by creating an interconnected approach to happiness and success, we shine brighter together. Shawn’s research made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED talk is one of the most popular of all time with over 20 million views, and his lecture airing on PBS has been seen by millions.

How can understanding strategies and myths from the multi-billion dollar sports world help your business? This question is answered by Tobias Moskowitz , an award-winning economist with a passion for sports, and L. Jon Wertheim, a leading sports journalist with a passion for finance, who teamed up to write Scorecasting. Regarded as a combination between "Freakonomics, Moneyball and Mythbusters", Scorecasting is a New York Times bestseller that is quickly becoming a bestselling topic on the lecture circuit! The Scorecasting presentations offer innovative ideas that focus on a fusion of sports anecdotes and business trends to provide pioneering lessons for the business world, and life. Moskowitz and Wertheim have often been called upon by the national media to bring ingenuity and innovation to the discussion of contemporary business ideas. Let them bring these engaging ideas to your next event!

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, 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.

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.

Irish driving legend Derek Daly is the epitome of the complete champion. From the victory circle to the announcer’s desk, Hall of Fame race car driver and network television color analyst Daly has spent nearly three decades as the face of the motorsport world. Derek’s professional racing career spanned 17 years and his experiences are nothing short of breathtaking. Derek literally wrote the book on how to become a "Complete Champion." Race To Win: How to Become a Complete Champion was heralded a “future classic” by the Irish Times. Derek has taught the timeless principles of his most valuable asset—speed to audiences around the world. Companies like Xerox, Bayer, Deloitte, Growmark, USDA, Department of Defense, Federal Reserve Bank, Pepsico, State Farm, Zurich Insurance and Gallo wines have depended on Derek’s Complete Champion Model to motivate, inspire and enlighten their teams.

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.

For more than 25 years, Amanda Gore has been one of America’s and Australia’s most admired experiential speakers. She uses the principles of emotional intelligence to transform the spirit of people and cultures by changing perceptions, improving relationships, connecting people, managing change, leadership, innovation, and team dynamics.

Amanda believes success in business is always about feelings – the way we feel about a product, organization or person influences how we behave and informs our decisions about how we spend or who we conduct business with. Until we change our perceptions, we won’t change our behaviour. Amanda’s presentations changes perceptions… And feelings.

Author of five books and several video and audio training programs, Amanda is also the CEO of the JOY Project and has a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy, a major in psychology, and expertise in ergonomics, stress management, group dynamics, neurolinguistics, neuroscience, and occupational health.

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.

One of the most successful coaches in NBA history, Pat Riley understands the keys to gaining a competitive advantage – and winning. Riley understands the psychology of teamwork and personal excellence and is a master at creating organizations whose achievements are greater than the sum of their parts. He shows how to recognize the cycles of team change and make the most of every opportunity. Riley also cites ways for to draw on an individual’s natural leadership abilities and further shows how one person can make a difference for an entire team.

A legendary NFL player and coach, Mike Ditka understands the mental attitude necessary for success. In his speeches, Mike Ditka shares his and team-building skills and drive to be the best with audiences across the country. His presentation, ACE – Attitude, Character and Enthusiasm, demonstrates how lessons he learned in a life of commitment and attention to the fundamentals resulted in victory and success – both on the field and off.

Watery images of the once-glorious Titanic were some of the most enchanting and enthralling images of recent years, something most people only dream of seeing in real life. For Robert Ballard they represented a concrete accomplishment, and just one in a series of triumphs.

World-famous for his discovery of the Titanic and the Bismark, Ballard leads audiences on a journey to plumb some of history’s greatest mysteries. Ballard’s adventurous spirit is matched by a practical and hugely successful approach to goal setting, team building and execution. The skills that led to his headline-grabbing accomplishments are the same skills that now lead people from all walks of life toward a realization of their dreams.

A renowned scientist and explorer, he is the author of 16 books, including Discovery of the Titanic, and Collision with History: The Search for John F. Kennedy’s PT 109. After many years of exploring ancient history in the Mediterranean and Black Seas with the discovery of the largest concentration of ancient Roman ships ever found under the sea, most recently Ballard has turned his sights on the Pacific ocean and his team and ship of exploration, E/V Nautilus are working off the west coast of the US. 

Formerly the CEO of oDesk, the world's largest online workplace with more than 1B in work through the platform from over 3 million clients and 10 million freelancers, Gary Swart guided the company to industry-leadership and through a merger with Elance while serving as a leading voice for the future of work and the emerging online work industry. He is currently a General Partner at Polaris Partners, investing in technology and healthcare companies. 

Gary serves as a thought leader on marketplaces, sales leadership, the future of work, how best to hire and manage teams, and on the rise of the “freelance economy.” He has spoken at the Inc. Leadership Conference, The Economist’s Ideas Economy Panel, SXSW, TechCrunch 50, and at HBS—which teaches a case study on oDesk.  His commentary has appeared in a variety of publications including LinkedIn, Forbes, TechCrunch, The Washington Post and The Next Web.  And he’s appeared on TV and radio outlets, including CNBC, BBC, Bloomberg TV, National Public Radio (NPR), Startups Uncensored, and the Fox Business Network. In addition, Gary is a faculty member at the Alchemist Academy and a StartX Mentor.

Doug Ulman is a three-time cancer survivor and nationally recognized cancer advocate. He is president and chief executive officer of Pelotonia, a Columbus, Ohio, charity bike ride that has raised more than $61 million for cancer research in its first five years. Previously, Doug oversaw the strategic vision and direction of the LIVESTRONG Foundation in his role as president and chief executive officer. Doug speaks frequently to corporations, civic organizations, schools and Universities.

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.

Phil Keoghan is arguably the most traveled host on the planet. After he started traveling around the world at the age of 2, he has been globetrotting ever since. Surviving a near-death experience at the age of 19, Keoghan wrote a list of things to do before he died and created a “BUCKiT: Tick-it Before You Kick-it!” philosophy which he turned into a best-selling book called No Opportunity Wasted. Visiting more than 100 countries, Phil has been sharing his stories in front of a TV camera for over 30 years. He is the host and an executive producer of CBS’ multi-Emmy Award-winning reality series The Amazing Race, host of National Geographic Explorer, and creator, show runner, and host of Tough as Nails.

As a proprietor of adventures, Keoghan loves to share his travel expertise with audiences. He has produced a line of NOW luggage and the NOW energy bar, travel-first products building on his “No Opportunity Wasted” philosophy. He has shared his stories and advice at Unicomm’s Travel & Adventure Show, Omni Technologies, the Anti-Defamation League, and more.

Professional basketball player Grant Williams is a leader on and off the court, as two-time back-to-back SEC Player of the Year and First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association. He is recognized by fans of his college team as one of the best players in their history and has been called “a true student of life and basketball” by the Boston Globe. Known for his passion for strategic thinking, Williams is a dedicated academic mentor. He graduated in just three years from the University of Tennessee with a degree in supply chain management from the University of Tennessee, one of the top public programs in the country for supply chain management. The league’s Senior VP of Player Development, Jamila Wideman, called him "an incredible storyteller" with a good sense of humor and a willingness to be vulnerable. Williams brings humor and insight to high-powered events, touching on leadership, teamwork, gender equality, mental health awareness, and more.

Dubbed a “high-energy Renaissance man” in a glowing Forbes profile, he’s received accolades for his commitment to giving back to the community, a passion which is central to his purpose. Williams has leveraged his platform as an NBA rookie to make a major impact in the lives of young people, creating a group mentoring program. For his work empowering young people, he received the Bill Russell Mentoring Award. Williams is a former Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics player and current Power Forward for the Charlotte Hornets. Williams invigorates audiences with his sharp wit, compelling personal story, and his belief that your dreams should be central to your everyday life for maximum success.

Artist Development & Performance Director Keanna "KJ Rose" Henson, author of The Rose Effect: Eight Steps to Delivering The Performance of Your Life, is a powerful change agent with real world experience. KJ delivers real world results. KJ worked with Clive Davis at J Records and coached Lil Nas X, the Lumineers, 24k Goldn, The Kid Laroi, Rubi Rose, Justine Skye, Polo G., and others. She also performed with Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Janet Jackson. KJ directed talent on national campaigns such as Doritos (Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sam Elliot) Uber Eats (Lil Nas X & Elton John), Taco Bell (Lil Nas X) & Roblox (Lil Nas X)

KJ Rose has shared her expertise on WGN America, NBC's News Now, Bloomberg News, and NBC's California Live. Additionally, KJ contributed by coaching talent on shows that include Saturday Night Live, The Voice, The Grammy Awards, MTV Music Video Awards, BET Awards, Amazon Music Holiday Plays, American Music Awards, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. KJ currently works as an actress on TriDestined Studios & BET+ The Family Business. KJ's dedication to excellence catapulted her to influencer status and creative innovator for initiatives led by TikTok, Janie and Jack, Harlem Fashion Row, REVOLT, and BET.com.

KJ's compelling creative destiny and infectious energy lead brands such as Adidas, L'Oreal, Google, Pandora Media, Omnicom, Nickelodeon, Sony Music, Columbia Records, TriDestined Studios and Disney to deem her to be the "ultimate solution" to motivate and encourage their pool of talented employees.

Celebrated journalist, bestselling author, and revered political analyst Tiffany D. Cross delivers every time in motivational, insightful, and thought-provoking events. She is the current co-host of iHeart Media’s Native Land Pod, which debuted in 2024 on Apple as the number one downloaded podcast in America across all categories. Cross also hosts ACross Generations, a broadcast show and podcast with Will Packer Productions and iHeart Media, where she focuses on a variety of topics from a multigenerational perspective. Cross previously hosted The Cross Connection on MSNBC, averaging 4.6M viewers a month. She is a longtime cultural commentator, having previously served as the D.C. Bureau Chief for BET Networks, an Associate Producer for CNN, and freelancer. She is also the founder of The Beat DC, a platform that provides critical analysis of national politics, policy, business, and media, highlighting their impact on and relationship with communities of color. An influential voice in the discourse of the moment, Cross is in-demand with groups including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., the Society of Social Work Research, TriNet, Howard University, and more.

A 2020 fellow of Harvard University Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, Cross has spent more than 20 years navigating politics, media, labor, communities of color, and the private sector. She is the bestselling author of Say It Louder: Black Voters, White Narratives, and Saving Our Democracy, which Kirkus Reviews hailed as “a compelling exploration of how Black voters have the power to shape the country's future.” Cross regularly receives stellar feedback for her events, such as: ”Tiffany was superb. A joy to work with, engaging and fully invested in making the event a stand-out” (Robert Toigo Foundation Annual Gala) and ”The event was absolutely wonderful and well received! Tiffany Cross was outstanding and prolific.” (Society for Social Work Research)

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire was the scientific lead of the Vaccine Research Center’s coronavirus team at the U.S. National Institutes of Health where she studied coronavirus biology and vaccine development. Those 6 years of research led to the groundbreaking discovery that a stabilized version of a spike protein, which is found on the surface of all coronaviruses, would be a key target for vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her colleagues were central to the development of the Moderna mRNA vaccine and the Eli Lilly therapeutic monoclonal antibody, both of which were first to enter clinical trials in the world. As a result, her work is having a substantial impact on ending the worst respiratory-disease pandemic in more than 100 years. Dr. Corbett-Helaire is now an assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her work now extends beyond the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines to the outlook of this pandemic and future viral pandemics.

Perhaps just as important as her scientific accomplishments, Dr. Corbett-Helaire has burst onto the public stage as the face of a diverse and rising generation of talented scientists who will transform the world. She is a stellar science communicator, explaining the vaccine and the virus in highly accessible ways to media outlets, two U.S. presidents, and audiences around the globe. 

Trailblazing leader, entrepreneur, and executive Christine Simmons brings vast experience in some of the most prominent organizations in the world to her spellbinding keynote presentations. Simmons is the Founder of consulting firm Alis Volat Propriis, LLC – which means “she who flies with her own wings” in Latin – advising businesses at every scale on operational excellence, strategic planning, business development, and representation initiatives, and more. Her clothing and merchandise line, Unapologetically™ Christine, encourages everyone to live UNAPOLOGETICALLY™ - which she defines as “Being Bold, Attacking Life’s Challenges in Extraordinary Fashion, & Loving Oneself – Flaws and All!” In 2019, Christine was named Chief Operating Officer at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science – the first Woman and Black person to hold the position. Prior to this role, Simmons was President & Chief Operating Officer of the three-time WNBA Champion Los Angeles Sparks, and was an Executive Vice President with Magic Johnson Enterprises, where she evaluated investment opportunities and was responsible for business development. Speaking globally on topics including business, strategy, leadership, inclusion, and empowerment, Simmons has been sought after by groups including the Bank of America Women’s Conference, UCLA Velocity Conference, and The Black Employee Network from Blue Shield of California, among others.

With over two decades of leadership experience in creating strategic alliances, leading business development, and driving corporate initiatives, Christine has worked with many Fortune 500 corporations and multi-million-dollar companies including Disney and NBCUniversal. A proud UCLA graduate, Simmons currently holds seats on UCLA Foundation Board of Directors and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Advisory Board. Previously, she served on the UC Board of Regents, where she served on the Finance and Capital Strategies, Public Engagement and Development, Investments & Basic Needs committees. She is a Past President and Director on the Board of the UCLA Alumni Association representing all 500,000 global Bruins. Simmons is on the Advisory Council for Playbook Makers, Spry, Next Play Capital, Shared Harvest Fund, and MyCOVID MD. She also volunteers for Better Futures for Thomazeau – a small, grassroots nonprofit that provides aide and is currently building a vocational school in Haiti. A huge advocate of mentoring, Christine formally mentors the next generation of Black and Brown women through Cari Champion’s foundation, Brown Girls Dream, and has informally mentored countless others.

As one of only four Olympic athletes to have won nine gold medals, Carl Lewis is widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Mr. Lewis was part of five American Olympic Teams, winning 10 medals overall. His five Olympic appearances are a record for a male athlete, and many of his Olympic performances were in world or Olympic record time. His impressive track and field performances earned him the title of “Athlete of the Century.” Mr. Lewis was also voted "World Athlete of the Century" by the International Association of Athletics Federations and "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee, "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Athlete of the Year" by Track & Field News in 1982, 1983, and 1984. As a man who has achieved the highest athletic awards in the world and operated a successful business environment, Mr. Lewis is prepared to speak on success, business development, and leadership.

Since retiring from active competition, Mr. Lewis has devoted a great deal of his time and energy to charity, founding The Carl Lewis Foundation, which serves as an umbrella for the many charities that Lewis supports including the Best Buddies organization, The Wendy Marx Foundation (for organ donor awareness), Ronald McDonald House Charities and many youth fitness groups. Mr. Lewis is also a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agricultural Organization and a coach at the University of Houston.

Contemporary family influencers Jett and Campbell (aka Pookie) Puckett have taken the social media world by storm with their authentic love story, infectious positivity, and "absolutely fire" style, engaging and inspiring a vast audience. Their viral TikTok catchphrase, "Pookie is looking absolutely fire," has resonated with millions, making their content a favorite on the internet. Love is the at the forefront of all the Puckett family’s content, organically weaving their shared love of fashion, beauty, food, travel, sports, and lifestyle into their modern-day love story.

The Puckett family’s in-person live Q&A with Rent The Runway sold out and had a line around the venue well after the session had ended. They have also worked with brands including Armani Beauty, Aritzia, Formula 1, Target, and Summer Fridays. Their instant popularity has been chronicled in People Magazine, Paper Magazine, The Cut, and more.

Bestselling author and workplace strategist Erica Keswin has spent the past twenty years working with some of the most iconic brands in the world as a consultant, speaker, writer, and professional dot-connector. Her book Bring Your Human to Work: Ten Sure-Fire Ways to Design a Workplace That is Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World became a Wall Street Journal bestseller in its first week, serving as a powerful guide to a workplace revolution that honors relationships and puts people first. Her book Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines into Workplace Magic is a #2 Wall Street Journal bestseller and an indispensable guide to taking your employee engagement to the next level. The Retention Revolution: 7 Surprising (and Very Human!) Ways to Keep Employees Connected to Your Company is a game-changing playbook filled with accessible and actionable case studies and research that will prove how transforming old ideas into new beginnings is good for people, great for business, and just might change the world. In Erica's game-changing keynotes, she highlights how relationships are the most powerful driver of success for individuals and companies striving to attract and retain talent and loyal customers.

Keswin and her work have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Huffington Post, O Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Mogul, and Conscious Company, among others. She is also the Founder of the Spaghetti Project, a platform devoted to sharing the science and stories of relationships at work. Leaving audiences deeply informed and engaged, Keswin reveals her tried-and-true, human roadmap for people seeking a more meaningful and connected work life, and provides actionable insights on everything from how to cultivate a work culture of diversity and inclusion, to how to connect with customers in an authentic way.

People expert, podcaster, and six-time New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin is the perfect speaker for audiences looking to leadership, communication, team dynamics, and productivity.  The author of several books including the blockbuster NYT bestsellers The Happiness Project, Outer Order, Inner Calm, Better Than Before, Happier at Home, and The Four Tendencies, which have sold more than 3.5M copies worldwide in more than thirty languages.

Rubin relentlessly explores human nature to understand how we can create happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative lives. Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework has been adopted by business across industries, offering a practical and immediately applicable tool for improving leadership, communication, team dynamics, and productivity. Her latest book, Secrets of Adulthood, was chosen by Oprah Daily as one of the most useful guides coming out in 2025. One of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature, Rubin is known for her ability to distill and convey complex ideas with humor and clarity, in a way that’s accessible to a wide audience.

Rubin has addressed corporate audiences at places such as GE, Google, LinkedIn, Accenture, Procter & Gamble, as well as university audiences such as Yale Law School, Harvard Business School, and Wharton. She has appeared at numerous conferences as a featured speaker or keynoter, including SXSW, World Domination Summit, the 92nd Street Y, 5×15, TEDx, BlogHer, The Atlantic, Alt Design, Q Cities, Behance’s 99u, Mom 2.0, West Point, Lucid, and the Texas, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania Conferences for Women. A former regular contributor to CBS News, she hosts the top-ranking, award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin. Her weekly emails reach more than one million readers. Rubin provides surprising insights and practical strategies that resonate with individuals and organizations in the pursuit of happiness.

CNBC correspondent and author Julia Boorstin delivers insightful analysis with a focus on the intersection of media and technology. Boorstin serves as CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent, playing a central role on the network’s bicoastal tech-focused program TechCheck. Before joining CNBC as an on-air reporter in 2006, she served as a reporter for Fortune magazine, and was an intern for Vice President Gore’s domestic policy office. Boorstin released her debut book When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn from Them in October 2022, which features lessons from the leadership approaches of women running the world’s most innovative and successful companies.

Boorstin has contributed to CNN and CNN Headline News, among others. She is the creator of the CNBC “Disruptor 50,” an annual list she curates highlighting private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries. She also helped launch the network’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative, which covers people and companies closing gender and diversity gaps. In her writing, reporting, and speaking, Boorstin is a sought-after expert exploring groundbreaking leadership and business innovations that resonate across industries.

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.

Legendary tennis champion, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneur Venus Williams has made a lasting impact on and off the court with her entrepreneurship, advocacy, and fight for equality. Venus has won 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships, and 4 Olympic gold medals, and was formerly ranked No. 1 in the world. One of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports, she has been a steadfast advocate for equal pay, women’s empowerment, and social justice. Venus is also the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Win. Venus shares her insights in motivational speaking events for groups including Capital One, Ernst & Young, Infor, Gannett, and many more.

Heralded for her innovative business acumen, Venus is the Founder of V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm. She has expanded her portfolio with the launch of her plant-based protein company Happy Viking. Venus recently served as the Executive Producer on the Academy Award-winning Warner Bros. biopic King Richard – which told the story of her father’s impact on her childhood and career as she became a tennis icon and changed the sport for generations to come. Venus has been honored with Variety’s “Power of Women” Award, as Glamour Magazine’s “Woman of the Year,” CARE Impact Award for Gender Equality, ESPN’s “WTA Player of the Year,” and one of Forbes’ “Celebrity 100.”

Venus consistently receives glowing reviews for her events, such as: “Venus was absolutely incredible. Everyone is still talking about her fireside chat. She was so gracious with her time and brought such amazing energy to the event.” (eXp World Holdings)

Science journalist, podcaster, and internationally bestselling author David McRaney is an expert in the psychology of reasoning, decision making, and self-delusion. His wildly popular blog became the international bestselling book You Are Not So Smart, revealing and celebrating our irrational and thoroughly human behavior. His second bestseller, You Are Now Less Dumb, gives readers a fighting chance at outsmarting their brains. His most recent book, How Minds Change, is a brain-bending and big-hearted investigation into the science of belief, opinion, and persuasion. An in-demand speaker, McRaney shares his insights about popular science, psychology, and how we think, offering analysis that resonates in today’s most important conversations.

McRaney’s work has been featured in Politico, Salon, Boing Boing, The Atlantic, and many others. He hosts the podcast You Are Not So Smart, interviewing scientists who study the psychology of reasoning. He also created and hosted Exploring Genius: In-Depth Study of Brilliant Minds, an audio documentary for Himalaya, and is working on a TV series about how to better predict the psychological impact of technological disruption. McRaney's diverse body of work was honored with The Society for Personality and Social Psychology's Excellence in Science Journalism Award. McRaney is an inspiring thought leader, and his science-backed and practical takeaways make a major impact on audiences of all kinds.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Cup champion, and New York Times bestselling author Carli Lloyd is an iconic American soccer star heralded for her contribution to U.S. and world soccer history. Lloyd is the two-time recipient of the highest, most prestigious award in soccer: FIFA World Player of the Year. She played for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team for 17 years (2005-2021). Lloyd is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a bronze medalist. She is the only American player to score in four different Olympics and holds the record for All-time leading scorer in USWNT Olympic history with 10 goals. She also competed in four Women’s World Cup tournaments and is a two-time World Cup Champion. She became the first player in FIFA Women’s World Cup to score a hat trick in a World Cup final. She was awarded the Golden Ball (MVP) and Silver Boot at the 2015 World Cup. Carli has played in more World Cup (25) and Olympic matches (22) than any other USWNT player. She has scored 134 goals across in 316 games, ranking 3^rd of all-time for men and women internationally. Carli currently runs her own CL10 Soccer Clinics. She is also a minority owner in her prior NWSL club, Gotham FC, making a splash in investing, entrepreneurship, and team ownership. Her own grit was proved yet again while winning FOX’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, proving toughness is a mindset. Lloyd’s career has been marked by consistent production over the course of her career, her extreme dedication to the game, and her relentless pursuit of self-improvement.

Carli is a role model who empowers and inspires others to be “Better Every Day” and to never give up on achieving their goals. The New York Times bestselling author of When Nobody Was Watching, Carli empowers audiences to find their own success with lessons from both in and beyond the world of sports. She has spoken to audiences at Golden Sachs, Bank of America, Cornell University, Microsoft, Intuit, and more.

Nigerian-American writer, lecturer, curator, and speaker Enuma Okoro hosts public conversations with the grounding premise that stories, through their varying mediums, are how we challenge old or false narratives, free our imaginations, and tell new, expanded truths that shift perceptions and instigate change. She is a weekly columnist for the Financial Times. Her column, “The Art of Life,” reflects her broader research and writing interests: how the intersection of art, philosophy, spirituality, ecology, and culture can speak to the human condition and interrogate how we live with ourselves and one another, and how we relate to the more-than-human. She curated the multidisciplinary group exhibition, “The Flesh of the Earth” for Hauser & Wirth gallery. Okoro has published four books of nonfiction, and her articles and essays have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, Artsy, Harper’s Bazaar, Cultured Magazine, CNN African Voices, Vogue, AEON Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, and other media outlets.

As an international speaker, Okoro has spoken at over 100 engagements including universities, corporate institutions, organizations, and conferences. Her multiple speaking invitations have included the Harvard Business School, Oxford University, Princeton University, the Business for Africa and the World Forum in Egypt, the Atlantic Dialogues Conference (Policy Center for the New South) in Marrakech, The Abu Dhabi Culture Summit, The Bloomberg Media Conference, Frieze, and more. She has delivered a TEDx talk on the global perceptions of multicultural women, identity, and the power of cultural collisions.

New York Times bestselling author, producer, and commentator Jeff Benedict is a sports journalist and expert on leadership and the mindset of a champion, whose storytelling power has captivated audiences across mediums. Jeff has written seventeen non-fiction books and many feature stories about some of the most iconic figures in sports history. He has been tapped as executive producer and writer for documentary adaptations of his books, including a 10-part series based on his bestseller The Dynasty, the definitive inside story of the New England Patriots, with Imagine Entertainment for Apple TV. In 2021, he co-produced a documentary for HBO based on his #1 bestselling biography Tiger Woods. He is an executive producer on a Netflix documentary for his book Poisoned, co-produced the feature film adaptation of his book Little Pink House, and was a writer for the NFL Films documentary based on Steve Young’s biography QB. Jeff is a sought-after commentator for his unmatched ability to get to the heart of a historic moment or figure, sculpt a narrative, and look for the untold story.

Jeff has been a special-features writer for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, and The Hartford Courant, and his essays have appeared in The New York Times. His stories have been the basis of segments on 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, HBO Real Sports, Discovery Channel, The Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, 48 Hours, NFL Network, and NPR. His latest book is the instant New York Times bestseller LeBron, the definitive biography of basketball superstar LeBron James.

Two-time Olympian and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Becky Hammon made history when she became the first woman to coach full-time in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs. Hammon had a successful career as a player, including two Olympic appearances, an Olympic medal, a six-time WNBA All-Star, and being named one of the leagues “Top 15 Players of All-Time.” No stranger to breaking barriers in the sports world, Hammon joined the Spurs in 2014 in a leadership role as assistant coach. When Head Coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the second quarter of a Spurs game, she made history again as the first woman head coach to lead an NBA team in a regular season game. Hammon is now the Head Coach of the WNBA Las Vegas Aces, back to back WMBA Champions. She is the first rookie WNBA coach to be named "WNBA Coach of the Year." She is joining ESPN as an Analyst, and will contribute to the network’s signature NBA shows, including Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter and NBA Today. Hammon offers her unique perspective as the first female coach in a men’s league, offering takeaways for those looking to become game-changers at work and in life.

Hammon has been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and named to the Sports Illustrated “Unrelenting List,” the most powerful, influential, and outstanding women in sports right now. She is included on The W25, a list of the 25 most influential players in WNBA history. In impactful keynote speeches and moderated conversations, Hammon shares her journey to the NBA, revealing vital leadership lessons and inspiring audiences to pursue their dreams relentlessly and stand up for what they believe in.

Olympic gold and silver medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield is “the fastest woman in hockey,” serving as captain of the U.S. women’s national hockey team. Capturing an astounding twenty-three medals in international competition, Schofield has had a ground-breaking career of ‘firsts’ – as the first female NHL All-Star Skills competitor, the first female player development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks, the first woman to serve as an analyst for a Chicago Blackhawks regular season game, and as a member of the first all-women NBC Sports and NHL Tonight broadcast teams. Her bestselling autobiography As Fast As Her reached #1 on Amazon in several categories, scoring a hat track as #1, #2, and #3 on Amazon in teen and young adult hockey in hardcover, audio, and Kindle.

Schofield earned her title as “the fastest woman in hockey” in 2019 when she became the first woman to compete in the fastest skater challenge at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition. Her time of 14.346 seconds was less than one second behind the winning NHL skater sending shockwaves throughout the sports world in a breakthrough moment for women’s hockey. Schofield has been named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30,” and is a leader on and off the ice. She is the Co-Founder of the Schofield Family Foundation, serves on the board of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, and founded the “Golden Coynes” – an all-girls hockey development program in partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Kendall Coyne Hockey Camp. Schofield is a champion of resilience, and in her motivating keynotes inspires audiences to get outside their comfort zone to accomplish their goals.

Two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year Scott Drew has transformed the Baylor basketball team as their Head Coach, leading them to nine NCAA Tournaments and winning the 2021 National Championship. The unprecedented renewal of the Baylor team is a testament to Drew’s passion, positivity, and relentless pursuit of excellence, and he shares his strategies for team-building success with audiences who are invigorated by his authenticity and humility.

In rebuilding the team from the ground up, he has earned an array of individual accolades, including back-to-back Big 12 Coach of the Year awards and being named the 2020 NBC Sports National Coach of the Year. Drew has intentionally cultivated an unrivalled organizational culture and championship mindset, and is a celebrated expert in perseverance and servant leadership through faith, offering takeaways that will benefit every industry.

Hit songwriter, Better Than Ezra front man, bestselling author, and philanthropist Kevin Griffin has produced, written, and co-written albums and songs that have sold over 30M copies and songs that have been streamed over a billion times. Griffin has produced and written songs performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Dierks Bentley, Barenaked Ladies, and James Blunt among others. He is the founder of the Better Than Ezra Foundation, which has raised more than $4M for charities, many of which are devoted to children and the arts around New Orleans and the gulf coast. Griffin is the author of The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life, a bestselling, creative nonfiction book with lessons for every profession and industry. Griffin has also served as adjunct professor and writer-in-residence at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music.

In addition to songwriting and performing, Griffin is involved in artist management, publishing, and lectures on the subject of keeping a creative and competitive edge to groups and companies such as Live Nation, Disney, Nike, WPO, and Salesforce. He is a founder and partner along with Justin Timberlake in Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, which is a two-day event located in Franklin, TN. After its inaugural year, Rolling Stone commented that Pilgrimage had “an A-list lineup (arguably the best curated of the year)” and “established itself as a festival to watch.” An in-demand and entertaining keynote speaker, Griffin has spoken for groups including Novation, WhichWich, Google, and Young Presidents’ Organization on topics of investing in your potential, sparking creativity, and leadership.

World-class chef and television host and author Robert Irvine is a dedicated advocate for veteran’s issues. A veteran of the British Royal Navy, Robert learned to cook for a huge numer of people under intense pressure. The experience served him well when he took the Food Network by storm with his first show, Dinner: Impossible. His hit show Restaurant: Impossible has filmed twenty one seasons and Robert is the author of four cookbooks. His most recent book, Overcoming Impossible: Learn to Lead, Build a Team, and Catapult Your Business to Success is a one-of-a-kind guide to achieving goals and finding success in business and in life.

In addition to being a world-class chef, business leader, and fitness authority, Robert seeks to inspire people to live better through all his endeavors. A tireless supporter of our veterans, he gives back to those who defend our freedoms. He created the Robert Irvine Foundation to support wounded servicemen and their families and he frequently tours with the USO, visiting our troops around the globe. For his efforts, he has been named an Honorary Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy and received the Medal of Honor Society’s Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment and the U.S. Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award.

Former Green Beret, NFL player, and filmmaker Nate Boyer is what many would deem a renaissance man – he shares his motivational message with groups including Microsoft, Budweiser, USAA, General Mills, and more.

The Army Green Beret – who was deployed to both Iraq & Afghanistan over his ten-year military career – is also a philanthropist and humanitarian. Despite never playing a down of organized football prior to his time in the Special Forces, Nate played for the University of Texas Longhorns and became the oldest rookie in NFL history at 34 while playing for the Seattle Seahawks. As a member of the military veteran and athlete communities, he saw an opportunity to tackle their transition struggles together through Merging Vets & Players (MVP) – a charity he co-founded with Jay Glazer. Nate is sought-after by Veteran groups, athletic organizations, as well as business looking for a message of inspiration and motivation.

Nate is also an actor, writer, director, producer, and TV host. He co-created, executive produced, and hosted the NFL Network series Indivisible with Nate Boyer, discussing issues relevant to local communities and how football unites us all to solve these problems. Nate’s new film MVP is his directorial debut and tells a real-life story about the struggles of veterans and athletes who found purpose and renewed life together. Boyer’s belief that “Anything is Possible” has served him well throughout his life and students, veterans, businesspersons, athletes, and people from all walks of like can take something away from his unique story.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneurial mogul Tom Brady has garnered accolades on and off the field as a leader and expert in peak performance. Brady has won 19 division titles, seven Super Bowls, three NFL MVP’s and three first-team all-pro awards, all while pioneering a holistic approach to preparation, performance, and recovery. Building on this honed expertise, in 2013 Brady and longtime body coach, Alex Guerrero, co-founded TB12, a health and wellness brand, to share his proven TB12 Method and holistic systematic approach to wellness. Brady’s motivational book, The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance, has gone on to become a New York Times #1 bestseller.

Brady’s serial ventures include his namesake next generation apparel brand BRADY and his global, multi-platform content company 199 Productions, which already boasts numerous high-profile projects including a partnership with ESPN, Disney, and Religion of Sports to produce the tentpole docuseries Man in the Arena, which won the 2022 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Documentary Series. Most recently, the company partnered with Paramount Picutres on the film 80 for Brady. He has long prioritized philanthropy, sustaining relationships with a number of non-profits including the TB12 Foundation, Best Buddies, Make-A-Wish and more. Among other notable achievements, Brady has been honored as ESPY’s “NFL Best Player,” Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsperson of the Year,” TIME’s “100 Most Influential People,” and being named to the NFL 100^th Anniversary “All Time Team.” Brady shares personal stories of perseverance, leadership, and disruption as well as savvy business insights about the latest trends in impactful conversations for audiences of all kinds.

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.

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.

Katty Kay is an award-winning journalist whose instinctively global perspective on American politics and global affairs comes from having lived and worked in the Middle East, South Africa, Japan, Europe, and the U.S. throughout her career.

Now Washington-based, Katty has been with the BBC for nearly 30 years as a reporter and lead anchor, reporting on six U.S. presidential elections, Washington politics, financial crashes, world trouble spots, sex scandals, global affairs, and much more. She is currently U.S. special correspondent for BBC Studios – where she hosts TV documentaries from both the U.S. and Europe, presents her own podcast series, and writes a weekly column. Katty is a regular contributor and substitute host of Morning Joe on MSNBC and also writes on the art and science of self-assurance in women and girls. She is co-author, with Claire Shipman, of four New York Times’ bestselling books: Womenomics, The Confidence Code, The Confidence Code for Girls, and Living the Confidence Code. Their new book The Power Code explores the nature of women's power — in the workplace, in politics, and at home — explaining how a new model, one designed by and for women, will not only make it possible for women to become their most powerful selves but will benefit everyone.

Katty is an engaging keynote speaker on a wide range of topics as well as a brilliant moderator, interviewer, and event host.