Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi is a true triple threat: a world-class astrophysicist, transformational leader, and master communicator. A Stanford-trained scientist and accomplished inventor, he has spent decades advancing our understanding of the universe and the technologies that make exploration possible. As CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and former NASA Space Science Education Lead, he pairs deep scientific expertise with visionary leadership and a passion for public engagement.

Holding a dozen U.S. and international patents, Oluseyi has made pioneering contributions to computer chip manufacturing and space technology. Seen on PBS NOVA, Discovery, and NASA programs, he is known globally for making science accessible and inspiring through humor, clarity, and heart. His bestselling memoir A Quantum Life traces his journey from hardship to discovery, showing how curiosity and determination can open doors once thought closed. His latest book, Why Do We Exist?, maps the universe across nine interconnected realms, translating complex physics into a clear, compelling framework for understanding how everything fits together and what that means for our place within it. Hakeem helps leaders apply the mindset of cosmic curiosity to everyday business disruption, empowering teams to stay inventive and future-ready.

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.

What does a healthy childhood look like in a world where screens are almost impossible to escape? Katherine Martinko is an author and leading voice on helping families and schools rethink kids’ relationships with smartphones, social media, and technology.

Author of Childhood Unplugged and Hold the Phone, and a speaker for Jonathan Haidt’s Anxious Generation campaign, Martinko moves the conversation beyond warnings about screen time to what parents, educators, and communities can actually do about it. She offers practical strategies for delaying smartphones, navigating social media, addressing technology in the classroom, and creating more space for independence and free play.

With more than 70 talks across the U.S. and Canada, Martinko brings an accessible, solutions-focused approach to one of the most pressing questions facing families and schools today. Audiences leave with concrete tools they can use immediately and a hopeful vision for raising more independent, resilient kids in the digital age.

Jennifer Granholm is an American lawyer, educator, author and politician who served most recently as the 16^th United States Secretary of Energy, and previously as the two-term governor of Michigan. As governor, she spearheaded Michigan’s economic recovery after the Great Recession by diversifying the state’s economy to focus on clean energy and revitalizing the auto industry to build electric vehicles. 

As Secretary of Energy (2021-2025), Granholm restructured the U.S. Department of Energy to focus on research and development of advanced clean energy solutions and, importantly, deployment of zero-carbon technologies. She oversaw $200 billion of U.S. DOE investments into companies and projects to accelerate the clean energy transition. During her tenure as Secretary, thanks to the policies and laws that she helped to shape, the country saw record deployment of clean energy — adding the equivalent of 30 Hoover Dams of zero-carbon energy to the nation’s electricity grid in 2024, more than twice as much solar power deployed as ever before. Due to incentives to manufacture in America, businesses announced almost 1,000 factories were coming or expanding in the U.S. to build clean energy products -- solar panels, EVs, batteries, small nuclear reactors, clean hydrogen, geothermal and more. Thanks to DOE’s work, the nation’s transmission grid is seeing an 11X expansion of new transmission miles.

During her tenure as Secretary, DOE with its 110,000 employees was ranked among the Top 10 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. Secretary Granholm was named in 2024 to the "TIME 100 Most Influential People" list, and Forbes’ list of "Top Climate Leaders."

Secretary Granholm taught law and public policy at UC Berkeley from 2011-2020, specializing in clean energy and public leadership. A former Attorney General of Michigan (1998-2002) and an honors graduate of Harvard Law School (1987), she is the author of A Governor's Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future, has penned scores of articles and opinion pieces on clean energy, and continues to play a leading role in shaping America’s energy future. Heralded for her forward-looking insight, Granholm brings a balanced and nuanced perspective sorely needed in today's divisive times. 

Most people think they know American history. Greg Jackson is not so sure.

A historian, professor, and creator of the hit podcast History That Doesn’t Suck!, Jackson has built a following by challenging familiar narratives and making the past feel urgent again. His work extends well beyond the classroom, from his live stage show The Unlikely Union, which has sold out theaters nationwide, to appearances on HISTORY Channel and National Geographic.

Jackson brings real scholarship without the distance that usually comes with it. As a tenured professor and America 250 Professor at Utah Valley University, his work is grounded in primary sources, but his delivery is built for audiences who want clarity, not lectures. His forthcoming book, Been There, Done That, continues that approach, using history to show what people have actually navigated before.

On stage, Jackson focuses on the moments where things could have gone differently. He draws a direct line between past decisions and the pressures leaders face now, giving audiences a sharper way to think about the present.

Glenn Youngkin served as the 74th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2020, Governor Youngkin took a bold step and left his role as Co-CEO of one of the largest investments firms in the world, The Carlyle Group, to win the 2021 historic race in Virginia and ignite the Great Virginia Renaissance during his term-limited four years as Governor. Business investment soared to $157 billion - more than the previous six governors combined. His pro-growth policies spurred record job growth with over 270,000 more Virginians working. With over 200,000 open and available jobs and 85,000 more jobs on the way, he drove unprecedented business investment in the Commonwealth.

As America's Education Governor, Youngkin delivered record education investment, lead in recovering learning loss after the pandemic, set a national standard for bell-to-bell cellphone-free education, expanded choice, and put parents at the head of the table. Governor Youngkin’s Back-the-Blue pro law enforcement policies led to a 30% reduction in the murder rate and a nationally leading 60% reduction in fentanyl overdoses. Governor Youngkin brought a business mindset to government - reducing wait times at the DMV from 35 minutes to 6 minutes, transforming the behavioral health system and delivering $10 billion in budget surpluses. Governor Youngkin's commonsense conservative leadership delivered on his frequent refrain that "results matter."

Today, Governor Youngkin serves as Chairman of venture firm, Red Cell Partners, in addition to providing board and advisory services to several companies and non-profits.

Composer. Producer. Visionary. One of the most influential storytellers of our time.

Few composers in history have shaped the global soundscape of musical theatre as profoundly as Andrew Lloyd Webber. Across his career his work has transcended the stage to become one of the most commercially successful and culturally influential catalogues of all time.

From Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Evita to Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, School of Rock and many more, his productions continue to captivate audiences around the globe, entertaining generations and redefining what musical theatre is. His most successful production Phantom of the Opera has become a global phenomenon, with productions playing to 160 million people in 217 cities, 52 territories and in 23 languages since it first premiered in London.

Known for constant innovation, recent successes include CATS: The Jellicle Ball - a reimagined version of CATS inspired by New York's ballroom culture – that transferred to Broadway and won three Tony Awards. While Off-Broadway, Masquerade - an immersive reimagining of Phantom of the Opera - received widespread critical acclaim and was recognised with a Drama Desk Special Award for Excellence.

Beyond musical theatre, Lloyd Webber has a deep interest and knowledge of art and architecture. He owns one of the finest private collections of pre-Raphaelite art and is a passionate advocate for music education, supporting tens of thousands of children through the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.

In rare and personal conversations, he reflects on the risks, triumphs, and setbacks that have shaped his career. Audiences gain insight into the making of iconic productions, his collaborations with leading artists, and the lessons behind sustaining creative excellence.

Candid, reflective, and often surprisingly funny, Lloyd Webber offers an unforgettable evening of stories and insights from a life spent shaping culture on a global scale. His perspective extends beyond the stage, touching on creativity, leadership, reinvention, and what it takes to build work that endures.

One of the select few artists to achieve EGOT status, his other honors include a UK peerage and his appointment as Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and highest Order of Chivalry in Britain. Typically reserved for members of the Royal Family or former heads of state, Lloyd Webber is the first person from the arts to receive this honour in its 700-year history.

With a career spanning five decades and counting, Andrew Lloyd Webber continues to be one of the most influential figures in modern entertainment.

Most people know Hank Azaria’s voice long before they know his face.

A six-time Emmy Award winner, Screen Actors Guild Award winner, and Tony Award nominee, Azaria is best known as the voice behind more than 100 characters on The Simpsons, including Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, and Comic Book Guy. Across film, television, and theater, from The Birdcage to Brockmire and Ray Donovan, his career has been defined by an unusual ability to inhabit wildly different personalities while revealing something deeply human underneath.

That perspective has not come without reflection. In recent years, Azaria has spoken openly about voicing Apu, The Simpsons’ Indian convenience store owner, and the responsibility that comes with representation, ultimately stepping away from the role. He also shares his decades-long recovery from addiction and the ongoing discipline it requires, offering an honest look at the personal work behind growth and change.

On stage, Azaria reflects on creativity and reinvention through the lens of a lifetime spent studying how people communicate. Moving between personal stories and live character moments, he shares what performance reveals about empathy, adaptability, and connection. Audiences leave laughing and suddenly recognizing just how often Hank Azaria has been in their heads for years.

Jack Lew is a distinguished attorney, diplomat, and policymaker with a remarkable career spanning both public service and the private sector. As the 76th Secretary of the Treasury (2013–2017) and United States Ambassador to Israel, Lew played a pivotal role in shaping global economic policy and U.S. foreign relations. He also served as White House Chief of Staff (2012–2013) and Director of the Office of Management and Budget under both the Clinton and Obama administrations.

Lew’s extensive experience extends beyond government service. Prior to 2010, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer for two different Citigroup business units. Lew was tapped by Citigroup for his work as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of New York​ University, where he was responsible for budget, finance, and operations, and served as a professor of public administration. From 2004 through 2008, Lew served on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service and chaired its Management, Administration, and Governance Committee. As Special Assistant to President Clinton from 1993 to 1994, Mr. Lew helped design Americorps, the national service program.

Lew began his career in Washington in 1973 as a legislative aide. From 1979 to 1987, he was a principal domestic policy advisor to House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr, when he served the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee as Assistant Director and then Executive Director. He was the Speaker's liaison to the Greenspan Commission, which negotiated a bipartisan solution to extend the solvency of Social Security in 1983, and he was responsible for domestic and economic issues, including Medicare, budget, tax, trade, appropriations, and energy issues. With deep expertise in public finance, policy, and international relations, Lew offers invaluable insights into leadership, economic strategy, and governance, making him an ideal speaker for audiences seeking perspectives on global economics and public service.