Roman Coppola
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Roman Coppola is a problem solver. Whether its in his multiple lives as a filmmaker, inventor, consultant, entrepreneur, advisor or tech visionary, Roman Coppola has proven time and again that there is no problem too challenging to solve using his filmmakers’ tool bag. His unique perspective informed by his unmatched wealth of diverse creative experiences enables him to translate his technical skills and creative storytelling to invent innovative solutions to unexpected challenges.
Coppola is best known as a director, screenwriter and producer, but his origins began by wearing all hats available. From sound recording to cinematography, writing, directing, producing and even acting, his hunger for experience and eager inquisitiveness led him to earn his first BAFTA nomination for his work as visual effects director on Bram Stoker’s Dracula at the age of 28.
This unwavering curiosity remains insatiable as ever, and he continues playing an integral part in many other film projects in every capacity, including second unit work, producing, and cowriting with frequent collaborators Sofia Coppola on such projects as Priscilla, Marie Antoinette, Lost in Translation, Somewhere, The Virgin
Suicides and with Wes Anderson on projects including Asteroid City, The French Dispatch, Isle of Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Moonrise Kingdom, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
In addition to all of his collaborative efforts, Coppola has written, directed and produced his own feature films CQ and A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, as well as being the president of pioneering independent production company American Zoetrope, earning him producing credits on the aforementioned Sofia Coppola projects, as well as many other films including Walter Salles’ Cannes Palme d’Or nominated On the Road.
Coppola is also the founder and owner of award-winning commercial and music video production company The Directors Bureau, where his music video direction has been recognized with a Grammy nomination, 3 MTV VMAs for the now-legendary Fatboy Slim Praise You video, as well as residency in the MoMa permanent collection for his stream-of-consciousness video for Phoenix’s Funky Squaredance. He has directed countless other iconic music videos for the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Daft Punk, Air, The Strokes and Phoenix, as well as promotional films for luxury brands including Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Zegna, and a docu-series for Suntory Whisky starring Keanu Reeves.
Coppola is also no stranger to television, winning a Golden Globe Award as co-creator of Mozart in the Jungle, and he has directed numerous television specials including The Strokes: MTV $2 Bill, the Emmy-nominated A Very Murray Christmas, Arcade Fire’s Saturday Night Live special Here Comes the Night Time, and Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special.
As an inventor, Coppola has many creations under his belt including an inflatable film enclosure Photobubble, colorful high-quality tote bags from Pacific Tote Company, and a streamlined communication app close to release. He also launched a revolutionary blockchain-based film community known as Decentralized Pictures with a community of 40,000 strong and growing daily, and most recently cofounded a quarterly culture magazine called Enthousiasmos.
Most recently, Coppola served as second-unit director on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, served as an executive producer on Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, and is now finishing up on his latest feature collaboration with Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme. What lies next for Coppola is as good your guess as it is his.
Serena Williams
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As the world knows, Serena Williams is more than a record-smashing, boundary-breaking tennis champion. Serena has overcome insurmountable odds to win a staggering 23 career Grand Slams. Her remarkable tennis achievements, combined with her off-court success in business and fashion make her one of the most recognizable icons in the world and a powerful voice for women and mothers. Serena’s lifelong passion for design led her to fashion school, which she attended in between winning Grand Slams. In 2018, she launched her clothing line, S by Serena, designed to empower people to look and feel their absolute best. Focused on investing in companies that embrace diverse leadership and opportunity, Serena is effecting change in the financial investments sector with her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, taking 14 startups to unicorn status. Serena has also flexed her star power in the media and entertainment worlds with roles in movies, series, music videos, and more. Her award-winning docuseries, Being Serena, continues to inspire people around the world. Her many philanthropic and world-changing endeavors, including the BirthFUND health initiative, prove Serena’s ability achieve anything she sets her mind to.
Serena’s strategic thinking, champion mindset, and transformative perseverance are palpable, lighting up the room. Representing a small portion of her accolades, Serena is the winner of the NAACP Image Award, the People’s Choice Game Changer Award, Associated Press’s Female Athlete of the Decade, and the Independent’s Woman of the Decade. She has been inducted into the Team USA Hall of Fame. She has also been named to TIME’s “Most Influential Women of the Past Century” list as well as Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women in the World” and “America’s Richest Self-Made Women.” Serena has inspired audiences live at LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce, and more.
Melissa King
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Trailblazing chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Melissa King is a proud Chinese American and queer chef who is also a creative entrepreneur outside of the kitchen. King (she/they) is the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars: Los Angeles (Season 17) and the winner of All-Star’s Fan Favorite. With more challenge wins than any other competitor in the history of Top Chef, King has gone on to serve as a culinary judge on the series as well as The Food Network’s The Julia Child Challenge. Known for her technical precision and ability to blend modern California cuisine with Asian flavors, King has helmed several Michelin starred kitchens in San Francisco and has cooked for notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Al Gore, and curated the menu for the 2022 Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour. Called on as a creative consultant for companies around the world, Chef King is a sought-after motivational speaker supporting women’s empowerment, sustainability, food education, and entrepreneurship.
King has been recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco,” and was named FSR Magazine’s “40 Under 40: Rising Star.” They authored Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen and founded a company focused on partnerships and culinary experiences. King also launched a brand of small-batched sauces called King Sauce, an apparel line, and virtual cooking classes. Chef King is passionate about cultural inclusivity, media representation, environmental sustainability, and social justice – working with groups such as Stop AAPI Hate, The Trevor Project, and World Central Kitchen, among others. She is the face of IBM Research’s “5 in 5” series, focused on five innovations that will change our lives within five years. King is a featured chef in the Williams-Sonoma’s Chefs’ Collective. They have performed at food & music festivals from Coachella, Outsidelands, BottleRock, and more, and spoken for groups including Google, Facebook, Chase, and Capital One.
Bozoma Saint John
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A trailblazing and genuine change agent, Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is a Hall of Fame–inducted marketing executive, author, and entrepreneur who is worthy of the Harvard Business School case study written about her career, Leading with Authenticity and Urgency. Few people have the depth and breadth of experience that Boz has. Her remarkable success at Netflix, Pepsi, Apple, Uber, and the Endeavor brands (WME | IMG, Miss Universe, Ultimate Fighting Championship, Professional Bull Riders, and more), as well as her own haircare brand Eve by Boz, proves her to be one of the most effective marketers of any generation. On February 21, 2023, Viking Books published her memoir, The Urgent Life.
With almost 20 years of experience spanning digital music and entertainment, consumer packaged goods, fashion, sports, and media, Bozoma is a leader heralded for her bold thinking and cutting-edge ideas. She has recently brought her fearless creativity to new platforms as a full-time cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and a mentor on NBC’s On Brand with Jimmy Fallon, where she guides the next generation of marketing innovators.
Recognized for her breakthrough work by both the industry and her peers, Boz is a member of the Billboard Women in Music Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement, and the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, named Forbes #1 Most Influential CMO in the World, Executive of the Year by Billboard, and featured on lists such as Fortune’s “Most Influential CMOs,” Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s “Most Creative People,” and more.
In addition to her corporate and entrepreneurial success, Bozoma has made a lasting global impact through her appointment as Ambassador to the African Diaspora and Special Envoy to the President of Ghana, where she led the historic “Year of Return” campaign that sparked a worldwide cultural and tourism movement.
Hailed by BuzzFeed as “the coolest person to ever go on stage at an Apple event,” Bozoma brings unparalleled energy, transformative thinking, and innovative ideas to every engagement.
Questlove
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A cultural architect whose storytelling, creativity, and unmatched musical insight inspire audiences to reimagine the power of art, history, and innovation.
As musical director of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and the heartbeat of The Roots, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is a singular cultural force whose dynamic career as an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, six-time Grammy-winning musician, bestselling author, and thought-leading creative visionary makes him one of the most compelling public speakers of our time.
Questlove bridges art, history, and innovation in every endeavor, from directing the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning documentary Summer of Soul to producing powerful cultural narratives like Sly Lives! and Descendant. With a deep knowledge of music, storytelling, and Black history, and an uncanny ability to connect with audiences of all kinds, Questlove inspires conversations around creativity, equity, cultural preservation, and the power of artistic expression. Whether addressing leaders, students, or creatives, Questlove offers a rare blend of insight, humor, and authenticity that leaves a lasting impact.
Rick Rubin
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Few individuals have affected as many corners of the musical universe for as long as Rick Rubin. He has collaborated with artists from Jay-Z to Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers to Johnny Cash, Adele to Slayer, Imagine Dragons to Lana Del Rey, Kevin Abstract to Black Sabbath. Rubin founded Def Jam recordings while studying fine art at New York University. Working from his dormitory, his first recordings with LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and Run DMC took hip-hop music out of the underground and into the mainstream. His success in selling tens of millions of albums worldwide was a shock to the established recording industry.
Since that time, Rubin has produced and guided the most popular and cutting-edge musicians on the planet, in addition to owning and operating his own label, American Recordings. From 2007 to 2013, he moonlighted as the Co-Chairman of Columbia Records to revamp their artist roster and help the company transition from the traditional record business to the new digital model. Rubin was named a TIME "100 Most Influential People in the World.” He has won nine Grammys and two CMAs. In 2021, he interviewed Paul McCartney for the Emmy-nominated documentary series McCartney 3,2,1, which Rubin also executive produced. He recently released his first book The Creative Act which was an immediate #1 New York Times Bestseller and launched a global conversation about creativity, causing #RickRubin to trend on TikTok and receive over 39M views. Rubin is the host of the Broken Record podcast featuring conversations about life, inspiration, and craft.
In addition to being one of the most honored and prolific producers in the world, he is a renowned host and interviewer known for his incredible insights, attention, and curiosity.
Dr. Francis S. Collins
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A Visionary Leader in Healthcare Innovation and Healthcare Policy
Dr. Francis Collins is one of the most influential scientists and healthcare policy leaders of our time, recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to genomics, precision medicine, and national healthcare initiatives. As the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2009 to 2021, he played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s biomedical research agenda under three U.S. Presidents—Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. His leadership was instrumental in advancing critical research on diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, neuroscience, genetic diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revolutionizing Medicine: The Human Genome Project and Beyond
Before his tenure as Director of NIH, Dr. Collins led one of the most significant scientific efforts in modern history—the Human Genome Project. Completed in 2003, this international collaboration successfully mapped the entire human genetic code, revolutionizing genetic medicine, diagnostics, and targeted therapies. His leadership in genomics has had a lasting impact on precision medicine, transforming the way diseases are prevented, diagnosed, and treated.
Physician and geneticist Dr. Francis Collins' life story is one of curiosity, discovery, and deep human connection. His journey from a small-town upbringing to leading the Human Genome Project and serving as Director of the National Institutes of Health is a testament to the power of vision, intellectual courage, and ethical leadership.
Guiding National Healthcare Policy and Research
As NIH Director, Collins secured bipartisan support for major healthcare initiatives, fostering public-private partnerships to accelerate biomedical innovation. Under his leadership:
A Lifelong Commitment to Science and Innovation
Following his tenure as Acting Science Advisor and Special Projects Advisor to President Biden (2022-2023), Collins returned to his NIH research laboratory to continue investigating genetic factors in diabetes and premature aging. He retired from NIH on March 1, 2025, but continues to be a leading voice advocating for the importance of support of biomedical research.
Caroline Randall Williams
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Award-winning poet, author, performance artist, and scholar Caroline Randall Williams is a change-maker and a catalyst. She rose to the international stage with her powerful New York Times piece You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument, a reckoning in the movement to dismantle systemic racism. A multi-genre writer, Caroline co-authored the NAACP Image Award-winning cookbook Soul Food Love with her mother, as well as The Diary of B.B. Bright, Possible Prince, which won the Harlem Book Fair’s Phyllis Wheatley Prize. Her debut collection of poetry, Lucy Negro, Redux, has been turned into a critically-acclaimed ballet by the Nashville Ballet and she is the host Disney+’s Hungry for Answers, a docuseries and revelatory cooking show focused on Black food history in America produced by Viola Davis. A highly sought-after speaker, Caroline speaks to the places where art, business, and scholarship intersect, moving people closer to their best lives and corporations closer to their ideal identities.
Recognized as one of The Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans and a Nashville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, Williams is celebrated for her ability to move seamlessly between page, stage, and screen. Caroline has appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, Dr. Oz, among many others, and her writing has been featured in The Iowa Review, The Massachusetts Review, Essence, The New York Times, and more. Her recipes can also be found in the feature cookbook for Cherry Bombe, as well as Southern Living Magazine. Caroline regularly receives rave reviews of her speaking engagements, such as: “After you hear Caroline your life will never be the same! And if it is the same… you weren’t listening!” (Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission)
Cristela Alonzo
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Cristela Alonzo is a trailblazing comedian, actress, writer, and producer who uses laughter as a tool for connection and truth. She made history as the first Latina to create, write, and star in her own network sitcom Cristela and later brought her voice to millions as Cruz Ramirez in Disney Pixar’s Cars 3. Her acclaimed Netflix specials Lower Classy and Middle Classy showcase her unique blend of humor and storytelling, with a new special, Upper Classy, recently released. She is a masterful storyteller, as evidenced by her bestselling memoir full of humor and heart, Music to My Years: A Mixtape-Memoir of Growing Up and Standing Up. In her podcast To Be Continued, Cristela’s stories range from the ridiculous to the sobering and have also been shared in interviews on NPR , the Chicago Tribune and It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders. Cristela is also a dedicated advocate for a variety of philanthropies focused on immigration, citizenship, economic opportunity.
On stage, Alonzo moves seamlessly from sharp comedy to powerful reflection, sharing stories shaped by her experience as a first-generation Mexican American. She invites audiences to see both the challenges and the possibilities of today’s world, sparking conversations that linger long after the applause. Known for her authenticity and warmth, Alonzo brings people together through humor, insight, and a message of resilience that resonates across generations.
Rich Kleiman
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Entrepreneur and media architect Rich Kleiman is the co-Founder and CEO of Boardroom – a sports and entertainment company that includes the flagship media network, Boardroom.TV. Founded in 2019 by Kleiman and Kevin Durant, Boardroom covers the business of sports, music, and entertainment, with a special focus on the ways that athletes, executives, musicians, and creators are moving the business world forward. Other projects under the Boardroom umbrella include the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER in partnership with Imagine Entertainment and Apple TV+, the Academy-Award-winning short film Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime). Most recently, Kleiman announced the launch of Boardroom Advisory, an offering for talent and brands to help them navigate business strategy, content creation, sports ownership opportunities, and venture & private equity investing.
Kleiman has been Kevin Durant’s manager since 2013, and brokered KD's lifetime deal with Nike. He is co-Founder of 35V, which houses over 100 early-stage investments across sports, technology, finance, media, and more. The 35V portfolio includes digital sports network Overtime, Coinbase, Acorns, Postmates, and NBA Top Shot by Dapper Labs. Kleiman serves as the Executive Director of the Durant Family Foundation (fka Kevin Durant Charity Foundation), helping underserved and low-income families and youth across the globe. He also sits on the Board of Directors at New Heights Youth, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to sports-based youth development and education in New York City. As both a speaker and a moderator, Kleiman generates high-impact conversations on building robust and lasting business portfolios, maintaining mental wellness as an elite performer, and learning from your mistakes to build an industry-transforming business.
Steve Aoki
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Grammy-nominated music producer, artist, fashion designer, entrepreneur, and NFT visionary Steve Aoki brings a sense of community to all his work – offering shared space and connection. His new album, HiROQUEST: Genesis, is an epic, multi-genre collection of songs with a world-building story that extends beyond the music itself to a new collectible trading card game Aoki co-created with MetaZoo Games in 2021. Aoki boasts 17.2M monthly listeners on Spotify, with a 77M average monthly reach across all his platforms. In sought-after talks and moderated conversations, Aoki shares his insights about entrepreneurship, music, and technology – inspiring his audiences to embrace new frontiers and invest in community.
In 2022, Aoki launched A0K1VERSE, an NFT metaverse membership community, powered by the Passport, that welcomes his fans to both virtual and real-world experiences. For Aoki, it’s essential to remain forward-thinking as he continues to grow his brand. Steve is the subject of the Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, which focuses on the driving force behind his career: his ambitious father, Benihana founder and perennial daredevil Rocky Aoki. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir BLUE: The Color of Noise and the founder of THE AOKI FOUNDATION, which supports organizations in the brain science and research areas with a focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. In every space he enters, Aoki offers a community for those who need it most.
John Rich
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John Rich is an American dream chaser. Armed with confidence, ambition and determination, John Rich is a multi-platinum hit generator, lifestyle-brand entrepreneur, and host of The Pursuit! with John Rich on Fox Business Network. John speaks with authority on entrepreneurism, the music industry, politics, current events, and the importance of family and God.
Whether through a raucous party anthem or a sober reflection on hard times in the heartland, Rich’s ability to capture the American zeitgeist in song has made him one of the most successful and prolific entertainers in the music business today. John is a 3 time consecutive ASCAP Songwriter of the Year winner and has penned over 2,000 songs in his career. In 2011, Rich impressed Donald Trump and American TV audiences with his business acumen and leadership skills, winning NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice and raising $1.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Rich is the founder of a national lifestyle brand called "Redneck Riviera" which celebrates 'Work hard, play hard' Americans. The brand boasts a successful national whiskey, Redneck Riviera Whiskey, a beef jerky line and a full-blown honky-tonk on the famed Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, with several more set to open across the US. The Redneck Riviera brand supports Folds of Honor and has now funded over 100 college scholarships for kids who have lost a parent in combat.
In addition to hosting his own show, Rich makes regular appearances on such top-rated shows such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News Channel’s The Five, Hannity, Fox and Friends and many more.
Pitbull
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Grammy Award-winning independent international superstar, education advocate, and entrepreneur Armando Christian Pérez – Pitbull – is a sought-after motivational speaker who invites disruption on a global scale. With billions of audio streams and videos views, plus hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, Pitbull has one of the most impressive careers in music history. Pitbull returned to the road in 2022 with the sold out North American Can’t Stop Us Now Tour along with his SiriusXM Globalization DJs packing amphitheaters and arenas coast-to-coast. From his danceable hit songs to his philanthropic actions, Armando shares a message of hope, hard work, and positivity that resonates worldwide.
Beyond music, Armando has leveraged his business acumen through a diverse portfolio of investments and partnerships. He is co-owner of the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse and has successfully developed other ventures including his own record label Mr. 305, Inc. and Voli 305 Vodka. Armando successfully established Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!) – tuition-free public charter schools across the country, recognized as one of the top school networks in the world. His next long-awaited Spanglish album, Trackhouse, releases Fall 2023 and Pitbull will join Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour. He has performed for millions worldwide, and even joined forces with the #1 life and business strategist, Tony Robbins, for a global motivational speaking tour. Sharing his uplifting journey to success, Pitbull emphasizes the power of learning from your mistakes – “must-takes,” as he calls them – and embracing a growth mindset to achieve your dreams.
Pitbull melds practical knowledge with personal experiences, ensuring that his talks are not just informative but also deeply resonant and inspirational. His multifaceted career and endeavors reflect a man who is not just an artist, but a leader, entrepreneur, educator, and philanthropist, making him an enriching speaker for a multitude of audiences and events.
Steve Martin
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Beloved entertainer Steve Martin is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. The multi-hyphenate creative rose to prominence on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969). He has since delighted audience on screens through his standup on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and NBC’s Saturday Night Live alongside his iconic films: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Roxanne, Parenthood, L.A. Story, Father of the Bride, Pink Panther, and many more. Also an accomplished musician, Martin has composed multiple award-winning, boundary-pushing bluegrass albums. As an author, Martin’s work includes the novel An Object of Beauty, the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a collection of comic pieces, Pure Drivel, a bestselling novella, Shopgirl, and his memoir Born Standing Up. His writing often appears in The New Yorker.
Martin’s Netflix special with Martin Short, An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life, received four Emmy nominations. Their tours, Now You See Them, Soon You Won’t, and The Funniest Show in Town at the Moment, were smashing successes showcasing Martin’s creative versatility. Martin and Short also star together in Hulu’s must-watch comedy series, Only Murders in the Building.
For his multi-medium work, Martin has won an Academy Award, five Grammy awards, an Emmy, the Mark Twain Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor. He has been welcomed to speak by hosts such as the Getty Research Institute, Center Stage Entertainment, the New Yorker Festival, and more. Audiences flock to Martin’s melodic performances, warm stage presence, and indelible humor.
Jason Flom
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Former Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records Jason Flom has been a passionate advocate for the unheard for over forty years. After working his way up from the mailroom to the top of Atlantic Records, Flom became a founding board member of the Innocence Project, pivoting towards his current work as a globally recognized leader in criminal justice reform. As the founder of Lava Media, which encompasses a record label, music publishing, and a fast-growing podcast company, Jason's typical day ranges from discovering and launching superstar artists including Grammy-winners Lorde and Greta Van Fleet to advocating with elected officials and policymakers, activist groups, celebrities, and other philanthropists to reform the inequities in the criminal legal system. On Lava for Good Podcasts' Webby Awards-honored Wrongful Conviction series, Jason has interviewed and raised international awareness for the cases of hundreds of innocent men and women imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit, many facing death sentences. Jason also hosts Righteous Convictions, a podcast that spotlights today's social justice leaders and change-makers to uncover the most powerful actions we can take together to inspire meaningful reform and equal justice. It’s impossible to come away from a conversation with Jason without feeling inspired and able to do more good in the world utilizing the resources we have at hand.
Flom has been honored as a Billboard Change Agent and awarded the City of Hope’s Ambassador Award, the Spirit of Life Award, and the Correctional Association of New York Social Justice Award. Whether championing an unknown singer to stardom, a social justice startup to prominence, or a wrongfully convicted death row inmate to freedom, Flom’s keen ear, infectious dedication, and relentless pursuit of good music and equal justice for all make him one of the most uniquely influential and intriguing figures of our time.
LL COOL J
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Recording artist, actor, author, and Founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J is a two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, NAACP Image Award winner, and Kennedy Center Honoree. LL COOL J began in the nascent, burgeoning rap and Hip-Hop scene of the 80’s when he signed to Def Jam at age 16, quickly proving himself with outstanding musical talent and business acumen. He was the first rap artist to amass 10 consecutive platinum-plus selling albums. Over the past three decades, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and enduring brands in entertainment.
In 2018, LL launched Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM (Ch.43), garnering millions of daily listeners. LL personally curates and programs the timeless Hip-Hop channel with music, interviews, and in-depth retrospectives. Whether discussing the intersection of art and commerce or the keys to personal and professional success, LL COOL J captivates with his authenticity and wisdom.
Jemele Hill
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Emmy Award-winning journalist Jemele Hill is known for bringing a unique perspective to her analysis of sports and social issues. Hill’s 20-plus year journalism career has included stops at the biggest sports media network and several reputable newspapers. She is currently a contributing writer for The Atlantic, after rising to prominence through ESPN, where she provided undeniably fresh takes on sports content as a host of SportsCenter, First Take, Around the Horn, The Sports Reporters, and Outside the Lines. Her independent commentary took off with a weekly, late-night show on Vice Network called Cari & Jemele: Won’t Stick to Sports, co-hosted with Hill’s longtime friend, former ESPN anchor Cari Champion. As fans flocked to her personal brand, Hill’s podcast career launched with the two-time Webby award-winning podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered, featuring in-depth, thought-provoking conversation with some of the biggest newsmakers across entertainment, culture, music, and politics. Previous guests include Vice President Kamala Harris, Ice Cube, Spike Lee, Chelsea Clinton, Stephen Colbert, Issa Rae, and more A-listers. Her memoir, UPHILL, one of Oprah Daily’s Best Nonfiction Books, reveals her tumultuous childhood, complicated family dynamics, and her life-saving journey into journalism. Hill explores topical and controversial issues with humorous, candid commentary.
Hill’s career emphasizes the power of dialogue and conversation in bridging divides, fostering understanding, and driving positive change within society. Hill founded a podcast network, Unbothered, and co-founded Lodge Freeway Media to empower other women of color in sports media production. She is a highly lauded journalist, honored with two NAACP Awards and the National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year Award. Hill has been invited to speak at Harvard University, Stanford University, Google, and many more.
Jeanine Tesori
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Composer Jeanine Tesori has had an undeniable impact on the culture of musical theatre, opera, and film. Her musicals include Kimberly Akimbo; Soft Power; Fun Home; Shrek The Musical; Caroline, or Change; Thoroughly Modern Millie; and Violet. She is a two-time recipient of the Tony Award for Best Score and a two-time Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and in 2015, she and Lisa Kron became the first all-woman team to win the Tony for Best Score of a Musical for Fun Home. Her operas include A Blizzard on Marblehead Neck; The Lion, The Unicorn and Me; and Blue, which received the MCANA Award for Best New Opera. For her opera, Grounded, she became one of the first two women to be commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera - and the first woman in the 139-year history of the Met to open a season. Tesori also served as Supervising Vocal Producer on Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Tesori brings a wealth of creative insight and industry expertise to any event.
Tesori is the Founding Artistic Director of New York City Center’s Encores! Off-Center series and a lecturer in music at Yale University. Jeanine has been the recipient of many honors, including the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, as well as Drama Desk and Obie awards, and was cited by ASCAP as being the first woman composer to have “two new musicals running concurrently on Broadway.” Tesori offers a wealth of inspiration and practical advice, drawing from her experiences in composing, storytelling, and collaboration.
Ciara
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Grammy-Award winning R&B artist Ciara is a multi-platinum musician, songwriter, philanthropist, entrepreneur, mom of 4 children, and force of fashion. Over her two decades in music, she has sold over 23M records and 30M singles worldwide. Ciara was recently honored an NAACP Image award for her role as Nettie in 2023 adaptation film of The Color Purple. Ciara is an entrepreneurial female founder with brands launched both independently and with her husband Russell Wilson. She is the CEO of Beauty Marks Entertainment, Ten To One Rum, and OAM (On A Mission) skincare.
Ciara is also a philanthropist who co-founded the Why Not You Foundation with husband Russell Wilson, which is dedicated to fighting poverty through education and empowering today’s youth. This cause is close to her heart as a working mom and wife. Onstage, Ciara shares her perspectives on achievement, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.
Riz Ahmed
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Riz Ahmed is an Academy Award winning multi-hyphenate, excelling in his unique blend of critically acclaimed acting, producing, writing and creating music.
Ahmed won the 2022 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film alongside director Aneil Karia for the
short film “The Long Goodbye,” a visual accompaniment to his universally acclaimed 2020 solo album of
the same name. The short film, which Ahmed co-created and wrote, was also named British/Irish Short
Film of the Year also won Best Short Film at the London Critics’ Circle and British Independent Film
Awards.
Ahmed became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors following the explosive success of HBO’s THE
NIGHT OF (written and created by the legendary Steven Zaillan), for which he won an Emmy Award, and
was Golden Globe and SAG Award nominated.
Past feature films credits include Disney’s ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, Jacques Audiard’s THE SISTERS
BROTHERS, Sony/Marvel’s VENOM and Amazon Studio's ENCOUNTER. He first garnered industry attention
in festival favorites FOUR LIONS and NIGHTCRAWLER.
As a vocal advocate for inclusion, Ahmed published an award-winning piece in the Nikesh Shukla; the
edited collection of essays “The Good Immigrant” has been described as “essential reading.” In spring
2017, he spoke at the prestigious British Parliament’s House of Commons about diversity and
representation. That same year, he graced the cover of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People.
In June 2021, Ahmed launched a multi-layered initiative for Muslim representation in media, in partnership
with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Ford Foundation and Pillars Fund. Powered by USC
Annenberg’s latest study on Muslim representation in media — which found that less than 10% of top
grossing films from 2017-2019 had a Muslim character on screen, with less than 2% of those characters
having speaking roles — the coalition created the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion, as well as the Pillars
Artist Fellowship, offering selected grantees an unrestricted award of $25,000.
Bono
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Bono uses his rock star status to raise awareness about the crises in Africa: unpayable debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and the unfair trade rules which keep Africans poor. Bono co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) to raise public awareness of the issues in its name, and influence government policy on Africa. On behalf of DATA, Bono has lobbied U.S. Presidents and Congressional leaders, along with the heads of many other G8 nations. DATA is a founding member of the One Campaign to make poverty history, which is part of a global network of millions of people campaigning against extreme poverty.
Lindsey Stirling
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Lindsey Stirling is an extraordinary talent whose meteoric rise in the music industry is matched by her massive fan base and social following. A classically trained violinist, Lindsey has seamlessly merged her classical roots with the progressive world of electronic beats, creating a sound that’s uniquely her own. With over 28M followers across all social platforms, including 13M subscribers and over 3B views on YouTube, as well as a series of chart-topping hits, Lindsey is a global force whose performance artistry has captured the hearts of millions. Her multiple sold-out world tours, two Billboard Music Awards, and a series of critically acclaimed albums – including her fifth studio album, Artemis, which debuted at #1 on the Dance/Electronic Album Chart, earning critical acclaim – reflect her groundbreaking success and influence.
Through her personal journey and a unique gift for connecting deeply with her audience, Lindsey encourages others to find confidence in what sets them apart, empowering, uplifting and inspiring her fans all over the world. A true independent artist, Lindsey’s influence extends beyond the music world – she is a New York Times Bestselling author, was a runner-up on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2017, as well as a notable guest on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, and her success in all these realms has further cemented her status as a multi-dimensional talent.
In response to the pandemic, Lindsey took her artistry to new heights, funding and directing a virtual livestream concert that garnered over 100,000 unique viewers. She also created The Upside Fund, her nonprofit dedicated to helping fund and advocate for accessibility in all areas of healthcare and mental health.
In addition to her musical, on-camera, writing and philanthropic achievements, Lindsey is a sought-after motivational speaker, continuing to use her story to inspire others. She lives and teaches the importance of embracing one’s unique qualities, reminding audiences that individuality is the true key to success. Lindsey Stirling continues to shine as a beacon of light and positivity in today’s entertainment industry, bringing her own brand of “magic” to all she touches.
Shaina Taub
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Shaina Taub is a powerhouse voice in American musical theater: a two-time Tony Award-winning and Grammy-nominated songwriter, performer, and creator whose work is reshaping Broadway and beyond. She won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score for Suffs, in which she also starred as suffragist Alice Paul, earning a Grammy nomination and sweeping accolades from the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk. An artist-in-residence at The Public Theater, Taub has written and headlined innovative musical adaptations like Twelfth Night and As You Like It, now produced worldwide after acclaimed runs in New York and London. She penned the lyrics for The Devil Wears Prada alongside Sir Elton John and has received top honors including the Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, Kleban Prize, and Fred Ebb Award. A gifted performer, she’s appeared in Hadestown, Great Comet, and concerts at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, and Carnegie Hall. Her television credits include Sesame Street, Central Park, and the Emmy-nominated 2018 Tony Awards opening number. Named to the TIME100 Next list, Taub is also a passionate activist recognized by the NYCLU, League of Women Voters, and others for using her artistry to drive change.
Book Shaina Taub for a powerful, inspiring keynote or performance that blends artistry, activism, and storytelling at the highest level. For her work, she has received an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music. With her award-winning work on Broadway and deep commitment to social change, she offers a unique voice that resonates across generations and industries.
Zozibini Tunzi
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A powerful and versatile speaker, Zozibini Tunzi first gained national attention after delivering a memorable winning answer to host Steve Harvey during the 2019 Miss Universe competition, wherein she rallied young women to “take up space.” Before becoming Miss Universe, Tunzi worked for a global advertising agency and has a huge passion for music and the arts. She spoke frequently about women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusion in the beauty industry, media, and other industries during her reign as Miss Universe. Tunzi will invariably inspire your audience with her journey from South Africa to the global stage, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and self-love.
Tunzi uses her platform to speak out against gender-based violence and push forward gender equality. She currently sits on panels across the world, and advocates for organizations including U.N. Women’s #HeForSheCampagin, Latino Commission on Aids, and Smile Train International. She has presented at the Forbes Women Summit, “This Girl Wins” Annual Empowerment Summit, and many more.
Jana Kramer
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Actress, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author Jana Kramer is beloved by her fans for her honest vulnerability. She is best known for her TV appearances in One Tree Hill, Friday Night Lights, 90210, and Entourage. Kramer regularly stars in films such as 20th Century Fox’s Heart of the Country, Hallmark Channel's Love at First Bark, and Lifetime’s Christmas in Mississippi. A multi-hyphenate creative, Kramer’s musical career took off with her eponymous debut album, Jana Kramer. Seven of her singles charted on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay. She won the Academy of Country Music’s “New Female Vocalist of the Year” award for her work.
In 2019, Kramer launched her award-winning iHeartRadio podcast, Whine Down with Jana Kramer, where she shares advice on love, life, and more. Audiences connect with the candid but uplifting transparency she carries through her work. Authenticity, vulnerability, and care are all central to her New York Times bestseller, The Good Fight: Wanting to Leave Choosing to Stay, and the Powerful Practice for Loving Faithfully and latest book, The Next Chapter: Making Peace with Hard Memories, Finding Hope All Around Me, and Clearing Space for Good Things to Come. Drawing on her personal relationships and experiences, Kramer provides spiritual guidance and practical advice to audiences worldwide.
Kramer’s wonderful stage presence, authenticity, and ability to connect with the crowd leaves audiences dazzled at every engagement.
KJ Rose
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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.
Scooter Braun
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Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun is one of the entertainment industry’s biggest entrepreneurs and innovators. Braun is the founder of SB Projects, a diversified entertainment and media company with impact, and the CEO of HYBE-America, the North American subsidiary of South Korean entertainment company Hybe Corporation. After dropping out of college, Braun quickly became a rising star in the hip-hop world as a party planner. During his time as a talent manager, Braun broke countless household names, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and more. Braun proved to be the music industry’s ‘first-responder’ when he organized the One Love Manchester benefit concert and Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief telethon, within just months of one another. Braun’s rich experiences make him an exceptional choice for hosts looking to educate and inspire culturally engaged audiences.
Also profoundly philanthropic, Braun serves as Chair of the Advisory Board of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools in developing countries. He is also on the board of Fuck Cancer, an organization focused on the prevention and early detection of cancer, which his wife Yael Braun co-founded. Braun, his clients, and his companies have – together – granted more wishes for Make-A-Wish than any other organization in the history of the foundation. Braun’s undeniable impact on entertainment and society is undeniable.
Steven Van Zandt
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Musician, producer, actor, activist, and historian Steven Van Zandt is internationally recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on rock and roll. He is a Radio Hall of Fame nominee, member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost authorities on both Contemporary and Traditional Rock and Roll. After creating the “Jersey Shore” sound with the Asbury Jukes, he became a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. He is the founder of Renegade Nation, Renegade TV, and Wicked Cool Records, and launched the internationally syndicated radio show Little Steven’s Underground Garage and its “country cousin” Outlaw Country. As an actor, Van Zandt co-starred in The Sopranos – the single most critically acclaimed TV drama in history. Van Zandt has been called “the ultimate rock and roll rebel” (Real Time with Bill Maher), “the coolest DJ in the country” (MTV), and “the planet’s most charismatic, dedicated, and visible crusader scrapping to preserve the dirty purity of Rock ‘n Roll” (BruceSpringsteen.net).
Van Zandt has organized and performed for political causes for four decades. He created the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation to support music education and help inspire kids to stay in school. Van Zandt became the first Ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House Charity, and has received countless awards and honors, including the We are Family Foundation’s Humanitarian Award for his continued fight against racism. An epic presence of insightful commentary and contagious humor, Van Zandt says: I do believe Rock and Roll can change the world. It’s about bands, and that for me suggests brotherhood, family, friendship, and community.”
Michael Strahan
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Two-time Emmy winner, Super Bowl Champion, and Peabody Award-winning journalist Michael Strahan is a business mogul with an ever-expanding portfolio. After a spectacular NFL career that earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame, Strahan joined the ranks of top sports broadcasters and co-hosted the hit talk show LIVE with Kelly and Michael and headlined FOX's Thursday Night Football Pregame Show. He currently co-hosts ABC’s Good Morning America, serves as an analyst for FOX NFL Sunday, in addition to hosting ABC’s game show favorite $100,000 Pyramid. Strahan’s New York Times bestselling book, Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life, encapsulates the uplifting and inspiring energy he brings to his sought-after keynotes and conversations, for memorable events with audiences of all kinds.
Strahan is the Co-Founder of SMAC Entertainment, and the MICHAEL STRAHAN lifestyle brand encompassing clothing, lifestyle, skincare, and an NFL licensed apparel line. Strahan is also the co-founder of SMAC Entertainment, a multi-dimensional talent management, music, branding and production company to create a major presence in the sports and entertainment arena. He made history as the first American News Anchor to go to space, participating in the Blue Origin spacecraft launch. Strahan is a committed philanthropist, donating his hands and heart to numerous charities including the USO, HELP USA, and Merging Vets and Players. Heralded for his highly sought-after perspective, Strahan talks about his storied career, how to overcome self-doubt to pursue your passion, and ‘Strahan’s Rules’ – a mix of mental discipline, positive thinking, and a sense of play – making a major impact with individuals and organizations.
Akala
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BAFTA and MOBO award-winning hip-hop artist, bestselling author, and social entrepreneur Akala is the co-founder of The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company. Akala is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire, which was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize, The Jhalak Prize, The Bread and Roses Award, and long-listed for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, which has sold over 450K copies worldwide. Immovable Limited, a creative publishing hub co-founded by Akala and his manager Chanelle Newman, produced The Ruins of Empires for BBC Two and Akala’s Odyssey for BBC Four. Akala has gained a reputation as one of the most dynamic and articulate talents in the UK and internationally.
With an extensive global touring history, Akala has appeared at numerous festivals both in the UK and internationally, and has led innovative projects in the arts, education and music across South East Asia, Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand. Akala has also appeared on NPR, PBS, MTV, BET, Channel 4, ITV, Sky Arts, and the BBC promoting his music, poetry and speaking on wide-ranging subjects from music, race, youth engagement, British/African-Caribbean culture and the arts. His writing has been featured in The Guardian, Huffington Post, GQ, and The Independent, to name a few. Akala has been awarded honorary Doctorates by Oxford Brookes University, the University of Brighton, and Brunel University and has been consistently included on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential Black British people in the UK. Akala has been sought-after for keynotes at Oxford Union, Google Zeitgest, Spotify, and a TEDx Talk, which has garnered over 1.6M views.
Sara Evans
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Multi-platinum entertainer Sara Evans is at the top of her game. As one of the top five most-played female artist on country radio in the last two decades, she has five No. 1 singles including “No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket, “A Real Fine Place To Start,” “Born to Fly,” and “A Little Bit Stronger,” which spent 2 weeks in the top spot and was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. She has garnered such honors as ACM's Female Vocalist of the Year, CMA's Video of the Year, named one of People Magazine's ""50 Most Beautiful People,"" and the first country star to compete in ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
Sara continues to forge a bold, creative path with the launch of her label Born to Fly Records, and as the bestselling author of her memoir Born to Fly, as well as a series of entertaining novels. Those who know Sara as a storyteller through music connect with her personal and humorous stories in Born to Fly, in which she tells the narrative about her life and how faith and music brought her through some of her darkest hours.
Sara has been honored for her philanthropic work and was presented the NAB Education Foundation’s Service To America Leadership Award. A Red Cross ambassador, Sara received the national Crystal Cross award for her work with the disaster-relief organization.
Sara is praised for her humorous, real and inspiring talks in which she reminds us of the important things that matter: faith, love and family.
Jessie James Decker
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Country music singer-songwriter, style entrepreneur, and TV personality Jessie James Decker is a New York Times bestselling author with over 7M social media followers. Signed to Warner Music Nashville, Jessie’s passion for music has made the multi-talented artist one of music’s true breakout firebrands. The singer’s authentic style immediately captivated listeners everywhere on her 2009 self-titled debut. She continued to keep it real with her second studio album, 2017’s Southern Girl City Lights, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Jessie is a four-time host of Dick Clark’s Rockin New Year’s Eve, Presenter at the American Music Awards 2022, and beloved contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
Decker is the Founder and Designer of Kittenish – a playful fashion line inspired by her personal style. Decker and her brand were profiled in Forbes, which raved: “country star Jessie James Decker was born to hustle.” The multi-hyphenate is also a multi-time New York Times bestselling author. Decker’s first book, Just Jessie, is her guide to love, life, family, and food. In Just Feed Me, Jessie shares her favorite recipes of her family – her husband, retired NFL player Eric Decker, their three children, and now a fourth one on the way. Jessie’s newest cookbook Just Eat is set to release Fall of 2023. An unstoppable force of talent and energy, Decker’s fans love to connect with Jessie through her brands, music, and in unforgettable events.
Ziwe
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Comedian, writer, and actress Ziwe has captured audiences with her signature candor, wit, and salient commentary on race and politics in America. Ziwe hosted the A24 produced late-night variety sketch show, Ziwe, which was heralded by audiences and critics alike. As one of TIME’s 100 Next Gen Leaders, her refreshing approach to broadcast journalism represents the renaissance of late-night. Her guests have included Fran Leibowitz, Gloria Steinem, Stacey Abrams, Chet Hanks, and Julia Fox, among others. Ziwe is the author of a much-anticipated book of essays, Black Friend.
Hailed as the multi-hyphenate comedic voice to emerge from social media, Ziwe garnered attention during the early months of the pandemic with her provocative and hilarious interviews on her Instagram Live & YouTube talk series, Baited. The show featured interviews full of hard truths with the likes of Caroline Calloway, Alison Roman, Rose McGowan, and Jeremy O. Harris. She has released an album of songs from her Showtime show, Ziwe: A Famously Iconic Soundtrack, and has been featured as an actor on Succession, The Great North, Dickinson, and more. Ziwe’s iconic comedic voice, balanced with her incisive perspective as a cultural critic, ensures a memorable event that will resonate with audiences of all kinds.
Janelle Monáe
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Multi-talented and award-winning musician, actor, activist, fashion icon, and bestselling author Janelle Monáe is a uniquely original artist whose work examines questions of identity, power, and belonging. Following her critically acclaimed album Dirty Computer, Monáe recently released her album, The Age of Pleasure. They serve as a co-chair to Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote, and has established their own initiative, Fem the Future, which aims to create opportunities for not just fellow creatives but society. Monáe is known for starring roles in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Hidden Figures, Homecoming, Antebellum, and the Best Picture Oscar-winner Moonlight, to name a few. Heralded for their artistry and activism, Monáe is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and social movements toward justice and the end of systemic prejudice and racism. Their debut book, the Afrofuturist story collection The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories from Dirty Computer, became an instant New York Times bestseller and captures Monáe’s mesmerizing gift of storytelling and boundless creative voice.
Monáe has received countless Grammy nominations, and has won an MTV Video Music Award, the Critics Choice's SeeHer Award, the ASCAP Vanguard Award, Billboard’s Women in Music Rising Star Award as well as the Trailblazer of the Year Award, and a Hugo Award nomination for the short film for her album Dirty Computer. She has been recognized as the Trevor Project’s Suicide Prevention Advocate of the Year. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Amanpour, Washington Post Live, and many more. A global icon, Monáe is sought after for captivating and profound conversations about artistry, activism philosophy, challenging the status quo, and the future.
Jermaine Stone
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Cru Luv Wine's President and CEO Jermaine Stone was raised worlds away from wine country with plans to become a rapper. By 19, he had the attention of prominent figures in music including Chris Lighty and LL Cool J, but a temporary job packing boxes at Zachys Wine Auctions persuaded him to make a career in fine wine. Jermaine began an accomplished 9-year career, rising to the position of Logistics Manager, overseeing the inbound and outbound transport of $60M worth of fine wine annually. Jermaine became one of the founding Directors of Wally’s Auctions, where he co-created and implemented a full client experience. In addition to major operational roles, he provided strategic advice to Wally’s President and VP, and served as an auctioneer and public speaker at commercial and charity auctions.
Jermaine is the Founder and CEO of Cru Luv Selections, a New York-based wine branding and marketing firm dedicated to blending the best elements of wine and hip-hop culture. He is also the Founder of The Original Wine & Hip Hop Festival, which hosts events, diverse tastings, and master classes. Jermaine is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast, Wine and Hip-Hop and the Street Somm series with Tastemade+. In signature events that are both educational and elevated, Jermaine brings his expertise to bespoke themed events pairing hip-hop music and wine.
Martina McBride
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Martina McBride is not only one of country music's most iconic voices but also a powerful advocate for positive change, making her an inspiring speaker for any event. With over 23M albums sold, 20 Top 10 singles, and six #1 hits, she has earned the respect of fans and critics alike, earning more than 15 major music awards and multiple Grammy® nominations. Her journey in music has been marked by extraordinary achievements, such as winning the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year four times and receiving the Academy of Country Music's Top Female Vocalist award three times. In 2021, Martina unveiled her first exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, titled “The Power of Her Voice.” Beyond her musical career, Martina is a passionate humanitarian, having been honored with the Covenant House Beacon of Hope Award and the 2015 Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award for her advocacy against domestic violence. Her philanthropic work continues through her charity, Team Music Is Love, where she dedicates her time to causes that are close to her heart.
Martina’s story of resilience, success, and giving back is a powerful message for any audience. She brings a wealth of experience and insight on leadership, perseverance, and the importance of using one’s platform for good. If you’re looking for a speaker who can inspire, connect, motivate, and bring your event to life with live music, Martina McBride is the perfect choice.
Andy Grammer
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Multiplatinum recording artist and Emmy-winner Andy Grammer has brought inspiration and a deep sense of empathy to people across the world for over a decade. A former street performer, Andy shot to fame with pop hits like the quadruple platinum ‘Honey, I’m Good’, and platinum singles ‘Keep Your Head Up’, ‘Fine By Me’, gold single ‘I Found You’, and many more. Recognized as the #1 streaming artist in the world in the category of Happy/Pop, Andy takes audiences on an inspirational journey of music that nourishes the soul, heartwarming personal stories, and an authentic conversation about mental health and finding your true self for an unforgettable event.
Andy has earned a Sports Emmy for “Outstanding Music Direction” and a Clio Award for his song ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’, which was featured in ESPN’s Annual V Week for Cancer Reach. His music has been featured on TV and in films like Five Feet Apart. Andy has electrified TV audiences with performances on The TODAY Show, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Good Morning America, American Idol, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Late Show with James Corden, in addition to appearing as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Through interactive musical events, keynotes, and as a consummate host, Andy makes an impact with his empowering message of grounded optimism and finding your true self.
Granger Smith
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Award-winning country music singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Granger Smith has always had the power of music in his hands. A proud Texan, American, father, husband, and Christian, Smith has produced countless hit records and is also the co-author of the bestseller If You’re City, If You’re Country, under the name Earl Dibbles Jr. – his comic alter-ego. Alongside his brothers, Smith founded Yee Yee Apparel – a Texas-based, patriotic, outdoor apparel company. Fans gain insight into his family and country life through the mega-popular YouTube channel The Smiths, as well as Granger’s channel – which features impactful sermons about his journey through grief and the role of Faith in his life. He’s the host of the Granger Smith Podcast, a weekly advice show praised for his captivating storytelling, positive outlook on life, and the profound connection he makes with his audiences.
In 2019, while Smith was at work on his 10th studio album, tragedy struck – he and his wife Amber lost their 3-year-old son River in a drowning accident. After several months of mourning, he started to find healing through his music, and realized it could have the same impact for others going through grief as well. Through his music, beloved podcast, and speaking engagements, Granger inspires hope – showing people the way out of a tough spot and offering the connection that they are not alone.
Smith’s new book, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache, will be published August 1st, 2023 and focuses on his family’s journey of grief after the loss of River, and lessons learned along the way.
Reba McEntire
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The “Queen of Country Music,” Reba McEntire, is a true multi-media mogul. From the top of the Country charts to the Broadway stage, she has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to inhabit any endeavor with the authority and passion that has made her a household name from stage to screen.
Recognized as a powerhouse vocalist whose talent transcends musical boundaries, Reba has scored 35 No. 1 singles and sold more than 56M albums worldwide to be deemed one of the most successful recording artists in history. The Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry and Hollywood Bowl member has also won 16 ACM Awards, 15 American Music Awards, 9 People’s Choice Awards and 6 CMA Awards. Reba is also an acclaimed actress with 11 movie credits to her name, who has also been a leading lady on Broadway in Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun, a judge on The Voice, and eponymous star of the six-season television sitcom Reba. She was also the first female and musician to portray KFC’s iconic founder Colonel Harland Sanders. Reba’s phenomenal career has been characterized by her sharp business sense, indelible wit, and commitment to excellence – the same values she brings to inspirational speaking engagements.
With faith and family as Reba’s foundation, her legacy extends beyond the stage. Her leadership and philanthropic endeavors have been recognized with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation Humanitarian Award, the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award, the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award, the Music Biz Chairman’s Award, the National Artistic Achievement Award from the U.S. Congress and induction into the Horatio Alger Association. Reba was also named Billboard magazine’s first-ever Woman of the Year. Reba’s impact can be felt worldwide, and audiences everywhere look to the country superstar not only as a musical genius, but also philanthropist, entrepreneur, and aspirational icon.
James Conlon
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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.
Gina Belafonte
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Social justice leader, change maker, and artivist Gina Belafonte has spent her life at the intersection of arts and activism. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sankofa, she embodies her father Harry Belafonte’s work to educate, motivate, and activate artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change. Belafonte and Sankofa enlist the support of today’s most celebrated artists and influential individuals, in collaboration with grassroots partners, to elevate the voices of the disenfranchised and promote peace, justice, and quality, as well as cultural and civic engagement. She is also the Lead Producer of the award-winning and internationally acclaimed documentary Sing Your Song, among countless other projects. Most recently, Belafonte expanded her work for equity rights by launching a virtual reality mental health program, expanding access to this vital care using cutting edge VR/AR technology. She is a visionary, drawing on a powerful legacy and building community to focus on the most pressing issues of our time.
Belafonte and her work have been profiled in Elle, AfroTech, Essence, for Newsy, and more. Her arts and activism initiatives include directing the award-winning hip-hop spoken word musical Lyrics From Lockdown, which addresses mistaken identity, mass incarceration, and police brutality, and producing the Many Rivers to Cross Social Justice Arts and Music Festival, uniting 40 artists and 50 social justice organizations to center voting rights, mass incarceration, and poverty. Her collaborations include: For Freedoms on the 50 State Initiative and the reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms, INTO ACT!ON, and many more. A gifted moderator and inspiring keynote speaker, Belafonte shares lessons from her ground-breaking work and empowers audiences of all kinds to embrace the opportunity to be a force for positive change.
Eric Nam
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Korean American singer-songwriter, TV host, and entrepreneur Eric Nam is one of the most popular and recognizable celebrities in Asia, whose music and advocacy is having a global impact. In an interview for GQ, Nam was described as having “amassed one of the most varied and entrepreneurial legacies to come out of the K-Pop scene.” After growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, and deferring a job offer from Deloitte Consulting, Nam was invited to audition for Korea’s version of American Idol, which launched his meteoric rise as a TV host and pop icon. He was named one of GQ Korea’s “Men of the Year,” one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30 Asia,” and YouTube’s Global Trending “Artist On the Rise,” eventually co-founding and serving as Creative Director for DIVE Studios (DS) – a K-pop focused media company with multiple award-winning podcasts. With the help of his brothers, Nam launched Mindset, a mental health and wellness platform with a library of authentic and intimate video and audio collections from world-renowned celebrities. For his mental health advocacy, Nam received the Time100 Impact Award. Passionate about social impact, diverse representation, and mental health advocacy, Nam has been sought-after to speak for groups like the White House, Milken Institute, JED Foundation, UNESCO, Cornell University, The Korea Society, and NYU, among others.
Nam has been featured in Forbes, Vulture, NPR’s Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, TIME, and many more, and was awarded the Embrace Unity Award by the Council of Korean Americans. He wrote a powerful op-ed for TIME, raising awareness about anti-Asian violence and inspiring change. Nam hosted the DS podcast Daebak Show, celebrating spectacular music, media, and people. Eric's first independent album There And Back Again, which debuted at #3 and #7 on the US and UK Spotify Charts and peaked at #22 Album Sold on Billboard Charts, is inspiring the next generation of change-makers. In 2022, Eric played 60 shows in 54 cities in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania with over 85,000 hard ticket sales. In 2023, his second independent album House on a Hill was released to critical acclaim, celbrated with an 80+ city World Tour. Nam debuted as an actor in the psychological thriller, Transplant (2023) further expanding his illustrious career. With authenticity and insight, Nam sparks thought-provoking conversations on important contemporary issues that make an impact with audiences of all kinds.
Alanis Morissette
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Award-winning musician, singer-songwriter, actor, and activist Alanis Morissette is an enduringly popular artist whose celebrated body of work stems from a fierce commitment to authenticity. Her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill – which earned four Grammys and sold more than 30M records – spawned a worldwide fanbase and became a hit Broadway musical, earning fifteen Tony Award nominations. As an actor, Alanis’s film and TV projects include Dogma, Sylvia, De-Lovely, Sex and the City, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Weeds, among others. On stage, she has starred in The Vagina Monologues and The Exonerated.
Beyond the entertainment world, Alanis is an avid supporter of mental health, women’s empowerment, as well as spiritual and physical wellness. She supports numerous causes that focus on empowerment, art, and environmental causes, and touches on these important issues in her insightful events. Alanis is the recipient of the Global Tolerance Award from the United Nations and Rock the Vote’s Patrick Lippert Award for her dedication to making the world safer for young people. Her uplifting keynotes have connected with audiences at events including the Wisdom 2.0 Festival, UCLA, The Embodiment Conference, and the Engendering Love Summit, where the host raved, “It was a delightful conversation, and I got tons of good feedback how much people appreciated it and Alanis’s insights. Please pass my deep heart felt gratitude to Alanis.”
Jenna Elfman
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Famed Golden Globe-winning actress, podcaster, and philanthropist Jenna Elfman is perhaps best known for her roles on Fear the Walking Dead and Dharma & Greg. Elfman also starred in ABC’s Imaginary Mary and made critically-acclaimed guest appearances on Shameless and Damages. Her film credits include Barry, Friends with Benefits, Keeping the Faith, and the cult classic Can’t Hardly Wait, among others. Elfman brings Hollywood star power to events with groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Association for Better Living and Education, the United Nations, and numerous panels focused on women breaking barriers, career longevity as a woman, inspiration, and more.
Jenna, who is a mother of two, co-hosts a hit comedy podcast with her husband Bodhi, Kicking and Screaming. Jenna and Bodhi discuss marriage, life, and annoyance (not necessarily in that order) and offer an authentic and entertaining glimpse into their lives and work. With her signature and beloved humor, insight, and compassion, Elfman shares her one-of-a-kind perspective in events that resonate with audiences of all kinds.
David Dobrik
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David Dobrik is a digital star and TV personality known for making viral content on YouTube. With over 24.5 million subscribers across two YouTube channels and 12.3 million followers on Instagram, Dobrik has mastered the art of quick-cut content. Dobrik has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Today Show, Live with Kelly & Ryan, Good Morning America, GQ, Wall Street Journal and many others. With his widely popular social media presence and podcast, "Views," Dobrik has elevated himself into international stardom.
Dobrik starred alongside co-judges Ciara and Debbie Gibson, in Nickelodeon's series, America's Most Musical Family in 2019, hosted the Teen Choice Awards and presented at the American Music Awards. David has won Shorty Awards for Vlogger of the Year, Breakout Creator, YouTube Ensemble and Podcast, he's a multi-Streamy Award winner and in 2019, he took home the Kids Choice Award for "Social Star" and the Teen Choice Award for "Choice Web Star: Male."
With his signature candor and entertaining delivery, Dobrik shares how his inimitable work ethic drove him to success, the challenges that come with being a content creator and how to overcome those in any industry, how his DACA status influences his daily life and the content he creates, and details of his journey from struggling content creator to internet star.
Margaret Cho
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Five-time Grammy and Emmy-nominated Margaret Cho has always been the Agent Provocateur of entertainment. Right as she was starting her stand-up career at age 14, Cho won a comedy contest to open for Jerry Seinfeld in the early ’90s and began her meteoric rise to stardom. Cho’s socially aware, no-holds-barred type of comedy has made her both a thought leader and a tolerant teacher for those with open minds and open hearts. An accomplished performer in all formats, Cho has conquered the worlds of film, television, books, music, and theatre. Cho’s undeniable creative spark lights up any room.
With so much success in her creative life, Margaret still finds time to support the causes that are important to her. She was the recipient of the Victory Fund’s Leadership Award, the first-ever Best Comedy Performance Award at the Asian Excellence Awards, the First Amendment Award from the ACLU of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW). In every area of her life, Margaret is honest, adoring, passionate, uproarious, and always entertaining.
Cheryl Burke
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With over 25 years dancing experience and several championship titles under her belt, Emmy nominated professional dancer Cheryl Burke, tangoed and sambaed her way into the hearts of millions through the hit ABC television show Dancing with the Stars becoming champion twice with Emmitt Smith in Season 3 and Drew Lachey in Season 2.
Cheryl has been named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful and often appears on Maxim’s Hot 100 List. In 2008, Burke was awarded an Asian Excellence Award and in 2010, she made a much talked about appearance in the music video for Ne-Yo’s Camera Phone. In addition to her onscreen roles, Burke is a noted motivational speaker. Having been publicly attacked about her weight and battling body image issues her entire life, Burke often speaks at medical conferences, women’s conventions and to school age children about self-esteem and having a healthy body image. She also speaks about being a survivor of domestic sexual abuse. Her accomplishments in entertainment were celebrated in 2020 with an induction into the Robert Chinn Foundation’s Asian Hall of Fame.
For Cheryl, dancing is a way of life. It provides a medium for her to express her inner feelings and passions all while maintaining focus and composure during extremely high-pressure situations. It is dancing that has made her such a competitor, both on and off the floor, and made her strive for perfection in anything that she sets out to do.
Mike Birbiglia
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Mike Birbiglia is a comedian, storyteller, director, and actor who has performed in front of audiences worldwide, from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall to Broadway. His five solo shows Sleepwalk With Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, Thank God For Jokes, and The New One enjoyed successful runs on and off Broadway. My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show and The New One received the Drama Desk Award as well as the Outer Critics Circle award for Outstanding Solo Performance. Birbiglia's conversations blend humor, heart, and personal anecdotes, captivating audiences and leaving a lasting impression.
Birbiglia is also a filmmaker who wrote, directed and starred in the films Sleepwalk with Me and Don’t Think Twice. As an actor, Birbiglia has appeared in the films Trainwreck, The Fault in Our Stars, Popstar, A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, Taylor Swift’s music video for Anti-Hero, as well as TV roles in Orange Is the New Black and Billions. He is the host of the podcast Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out and just finished a sold-out 85-performance Broadway run of his new show The Old Man and the Pool at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Birbiglia shares poignant stories with humor and vulnerability, inspiring any audience.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
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Award-winning composer, lyricist, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking and history-making Broadway shows have impacted and inspired audiences worldwide.
The creator and original star of Broadway’s smash-hit musicals Hamilton and In the Heights, Miranda is the recipient of countless prestigious awards including the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, three Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Kennedy Center Honor.
A passionate and dedicated philanthropist, Miranda has been instrumental in providing support for Puerto Rico and is a vocal advocate for equality nationwide.
Funny, candid and inspiring, Miranda sheds light on the creative process and innovative thinking, his life and career, and the power of supporting the missions that matter to you.
Chase Bryant
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Country singer-songwriter and mental health advocate Chase Bryant shares his powerful journey surviving mental health crisis and suicide through stories and songs. Bryant grew up dreaming of a life in music, and by age 21 was known for multiple Top 10 singles and tours with Brantley Gilbert and Tim McGraw. But when he achieved early fame, he also struggled with anxiety and depression. He hit rock bottom in a gas station parking lot, and attempted suicide – but after pulling the trigger, he found he was miraculously still alive. Bryant began the long road to recovery from his mental health crisis, eventually writing his extraordinary album Upbringing, which received wide acclaim and was featured on NPR, in People, Taste of Country, and others.
In his songs and impactful speaking engagements, Bryant shares his inspiring message with audiences of all kinds: “they’re not alone in this fight, that somebody’s out there listening and has their back.” Through facing his demons head on, learning to be comfortable in his own skin, making peace with being alone, learning to be okay with not being okay all the time, Bryant has found strength and resilience. He regularly receives rave reviews for his authentic and uplifting speaking engagements, such as: “Everything went great! They loved him and he was so nice and gracious and inspiring. The kids at the Center loved him too.” (Clarity Child Guidance Center's Annual Summit)
Allen Hughes
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Award-winning filmmaker Allen Hughes is an accomplished storyteller, whose work explores the American Dream through the lens of pop culture, its intersection with politics, and the global impact of the hip-hop artform. At twenty, Hughes and his twin brother catapulted into the entertainment industry as the creators & directors of Menace II Society. Hughes and his brother are behind the films Dead Presidents, From Hell, The Book of Eli, and the documentary American Pimp. Hughes is the creative architect behind the critically acclaimed four-part HBO documentary series The Defiant Ones, the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The series was nominated for five Emmys, a Peabody Award, and won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film, the IDA Documentary Award for Best Limited Series, and the NAACP Image Award.
Hughes is the director and executive producer of FX’s Emmy-nominated Dear Mama, the first definitive, comprehensive five-part documentary series on the late hip hop icon Tupac Shakur. The series encompasses his relationship with his mother, Afeni Shakur – a celebrated activist – and was produced with the full cooperation of Shakur’s estate, including access to all his music and poetry. Hughes is also the executive producer of Netflix’s Arnold, the three-part documentary series which chronicles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey from the countryside of Austria to the highest echelons of the American dream. The series is produced by Hughes’ production company Defiant Ones Media Group. A documentarian with his attention on the movements and cultural moments that have shaped history, Hughes shares his insights in captivating moderated conversations about the intersection of creativity, art, politics, and culture.
Mike Muse
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Former record label co-founder and change agent Mike Muse is a pop culture and political expert who uses his platform to create social change. An industrial engineer turned media entrepreneur and tech entrepreneur, he is a co-Founder of LawChamps - advocates for access to justice, social, and legal reform. Mike is host of SiriusXM’s award-winning show, The Mike Muse Show, co-host of Sway in the Morning, and was recently named ABC News Contributor for ABC News Live and the Good Morning America family. Mike has given two TED Talks, and is in demand for his dynamic, funny, and insightful talks about policy as lifestyle and leveraging AI for social good.
Mike served as a member of President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee and was appointed to serve in the United States Small Business Administration as My Brother’s Keeper Millennial Entrepreneurial Champion, as well as the U.S. SBA's Federal Commission for the Council of Underserved Communities as the Millennials in Business Representative. His passion is tech – the future of AI and algorithmic inclusion – and he is one of Google’s NextGen Tech Policy Fellows. In addition to speaking tours with Meta and Chevrolet, Mike has given numerous keynotes for Disney, Google, Verizon, Harvard Law School, and more.
Mohsin Hamid
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Award-winning and internationally bestselling author Mohsin Hamid is a radically inventive storyteller with his finger on the pulse of the world. Called “one of his generation’s most inventive and gifted writers” by The New York Times, Hamid is the author of several books including the New York Times bestsellers The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Exit West, and The Last White Man – which was named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, Vogue, and NPR. Foreign Policy described him as “a master critic of the modern global condition” and named on its list of “100 Leading Global Thinkers.” Hamid transports audiences with universal themes and timeless storytelling, touching on today’s most vital issues with his wide-reaching perspective as a journalist and visionary storyteller.
Hamid has spoken at universities around the world such as Princeton University, the University of California at Berkeley, the London School of Economics, and the National University of Singapore; at festivals such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Jaipur Literary Festival, and the Melbourne Writers Festival; at government and intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the U.S. State Department; and at corporate events for firms such as GSV Ventures and Baillie Gifford.
In addition to his practice as a novelist and essayist, he studied international affairs at Princeton and law at Harvard, worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York and at Wolff Olins in London, was involved in starting a music technology company in the UK, helped establish the Lahore Literary Festival and the Lahore Biennale, and has lectured and taught pro bono at schools and universities in Pakistan. This background shapes and informs his public appearances, and he speaks on topics ranging from literature, the arts, and culture, to migration, technology, business, and politics.
Rev Run
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Hip-hop icon, DJ, and preacher Rev Run is one of the most iconic figures in music. The front man of seminal hip-hop group RUN DMC, Rev has sold tens of millions of records worldwide and is widely credited for ushering rap music into mainstream culture. An inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, RUN DMC was named the greatest hip-hop artist of all-time by both MTV and VH1. Describing his considerable impact, Rolling Stone writes, “[Run] took hardcore hip-hop from an underground street sensation to a pop-culture phenomenon... In the process, [Run] helped change the course of popular music, paving the way for rap’s second generation.” A cultural icon, Run has been invited to countless corporate conferences and large-scale events as a motivational speaker and celebrity DJ.
Run remains a dynamic figure in entertainment today. He is the author of several books, is an ordained minister, and a beloved TV personality. His hit MTV show, Run’s House, aired for six seasons and became one of the most widely viewed shows on cable television. Run created and starred in Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers (Food Network), Rev Runs Around the World (Travel Channel), Rev Run’s Home Renovation (HGTV), and All About the Washingtons (Netflix). Most recently, Run starred in The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Disney+) and Disney’s Christmas Holiday Show (ABC Network). Run is in demand for his uplifting style, which resonates across audiences from Black History Month celebrations to mission-driven organizations to corporate clients looking to create an unforgettable experience.
Itzhak Perlman
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One of the only household names in classical music today, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for music-making and communicating with music lovers around the world. In his presentations, Mr. Perlman's joy of music is brought to life on stage as he uses his violin to demonstrate the power of music by emotionally connecting with his audience.
Deon Cole
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One of the most in-demand talents on the comedy scene, Deon Cole is currently a cast member on four hit TV shows, has also appeared in several popular feature films, released multiple standup specials, and follows a non-stop tour schedule. Armed with a “comic authority born of undeniable charisma” (AV Club), Deon’s unique style and delivery have made him a wildly popular performer with fans and critics alike.
Deon earned his first Writers Guild Award Nomination and his first Emmy Nomination for “Writing for A Variety, Music or Comedy Program" in 2010 as part of the writing staff on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (NBC). He earned his second Emmy Nomination in 2011 for his work with the writers of CONAN (TBS) and he wrote for Conan O’Brien when he hosted the 2013 White House Correspondents Dinner. For his work on Black-Ish, Deon won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series three times at the 2020, 2021 & 2022 NAACP Image Awards. His standup documentary, Workin' It Out, debuted exclusively on Netflix. Deon served as a presenter for the 55th NAACP awards and 2023 DiversityInc “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” awards.
Melissa Villaseñor
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Comedian, actor, and musician Melissa Villaseñor makes a major impact on audiences with her uncanny impressions, personal stories, and hilarious insights. Best known for her groundbreaking work as the first-ever Latina cast member on Saturday Night Live, she got her start blowing audiences away with her expertise in comedic impressions as a semifinalist on America’s Got Talent. Villaseñor has since appeared on Comedians in Cars Drinking Coffee, Barry, and Crashing, and voiced characters for Toy Story 4 and Wreck It Ralph 2. She tours nationally, headlining clubs and theaters, and recently appeared on Netflix’s The Standups. The star is an exemplary storyteller, and she uses her comedic gifts to imitate celebrities and create characters, captivating crowds and leaving them doubled over with laughter in keynotes tailored to each audience.
Villaseñor has appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the PBS series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., and hosts the podcast Laughing with Myself, on which she “discusses silly things and maybe sings and definitely does all the voices to make herself laugh alone.” She released her pop album Dreamer in 2019, and her upcoming workbook Whoops ... I’m Awesome, filled with personal stories, activities, prompts, and original art to help you embrace your most awesome self. With her multifaceted talents and immense charisma, Villasenor is sure to make your next event a memorable one.
Jimmy Butler
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Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat is a 5-time NBA All-Star and a 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist who was the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Originally from Tomball, Texas, Butler (31) attended Marquette University and won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2015 as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Jimmy is a 4-time All Defensive Team selection, and a 3-time All NBA honoree.
Butler’s vast off-the court interests and passions include traveling, listening to country music, coffee, soccer, fashion and playing dominoes with his friends and family. He also enjoys wine tasting, cooking and working out.
Jimmy is widely regarded as one of the hardest working, most fit, self-made players in the entire NBA. His popular YouTube page has 640K + subscribers while his Instagram page has nearly 6M followers.
Michael 'Killer Mike' Render
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Michael Render, known by his stage name “Killer Mike,” is a Grammy-winning rapper, entrepreneur, and passionate advocate for social justice. With a robust career, Render has left an indelible mark on the music industry as one-half of the acclaimed duo Run the Jewels while rising to prominence in activism and community engagement. Render is the host of multiple series, including the Emmy Award winning PBS show Love & Respect with Killer Mike, Facebook’s Roll’N with Killer Mike, and Netflix’s Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, while also turning in regular speaking appearances on Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Real Time with Bill Maher. Render’s outspoken commentary on racial and social issues, coupled with his commitment to fostering positive change, has solidified him as a respected voice in contemporary culture. A dynamic force in the intersection of art and advocacy, Render's influence extends beyond the stage.
As an entrepreneur, Killer Mike has ventured into various business endeavors, leveraging his platform to amplify marginalized voices and contribute to the empowerment of underserved communities. With a commitment to challenging the status quo, Killer Mike continues to inspire and motivate audiences, encouraging them to be agents of change in a world hungry for innovation and justice. He has been invited to speak by institutions encompassing the Cleveland Public Library, Webster University, Tulane University, and many more.
Craig Ferguson
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Craig Ferguson is an Emmy Award-winning actor, writer and comedian with a diverse career that encompasses film, television and the stage. Ferguson is the author of three books, most recently Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations.
As the host of Celebrity Name Game, Ferguson was awarded the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host two years in a row and was nominated for a third. Ferguson recently concluded his wildly popular daily SiriusXM program “The Craig Ferguson Show.” In 2014, Ferguson concluded his ten-year run as the host of CBS’ The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which had set all-time viewer records and earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination and the 2009 Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting for his interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Ferguson has written the feature films The Big Tease and Saving Grace. In 2003, he made his directorial debut with I'll Be There, which he also wrote and starred in. I'll Be There went on to receive the Audience Award for Best Film at the Aspen, Dallas, and Valencia film festivals. Craig was also named "best new director" at the Napa Valley Film Festival. Ferguson’s other film credits include, Niagra Motel, Lenny the Wonder Dog, Prendimi l’anima, Life Without Dick, Chain of Fools and Born Romantic. In 2011, Ferguson portrayed ‘Owl’ in the Disney classic Winnie the Pooh, and in 2012 he portrayed ‘Lord Macintosh’ in Disney’s animated feature Brave. He has appeared as ‘Gobber’ in the animated feature series How to Train Your Dragon.
Ferguson has achieved notable success on the North American comedy circuit and has performed to sold-out theaters all across the country, including Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. He has five widely acclaimed stand-up comedy specials: “A Wee Bit O’ Revolution"; “Does This Need to Be Said”; “I’m Here to Help”, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album; “Just Being Honest”, which earned him a second Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album; and “Tickle Fight”.
Randy Rainbow
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Renowned comedian, satirist, New York Times bestselling author, and multi-hyphenate creative Randy Rainbow is a viral sensation who dispenses musical comedy salve for a divided nation (Washington Post). A four-time Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, producer, actor, singer, writer, satirist, and host, Randy is known for his popular web series, The Randy Rainbow Show. Touring the U.S. with his sold-out solo musical comedy concerts, the influencer and Internet sensation's viral comedy videos have received hundreds of millions of views across all social media and digital platforms. His debut memoir Playing with Myself became an instant New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
Rainbow's musical parodies and political spoofs have garnered him worldwide acclaim. As an actor, Rainbow has appeared as a featured guest star in the FX comedy/drama series Better Things, and on the New York stage as a lead in the Encores! series revival of Call Me Madam at New York City Center. His EP Hey Gurl, It’s Christmas! debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Comedy chart and #1 on the iTunes Holiday chart. His first full-length studio album, A Little Brains, A Little Talent, also debuted at #1 and earned Rainbow his first Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.
Rainbow’s fresh take on politics and current events has led to interviews and profiles by The Washington Post, CBS Sunday Morning, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN, NPR, ABC News, OUT, People, and Entertainment Weekly. Through his engaging, hilarious, and uplifting comedy, music, and moderated conversations, Rainbow leaves a lasting impression on every audience.
Chris Redd
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Emmy Award-winning comedian, writer, rapper, and actor Chris Redd performs across the country and internationally doing standup and touring with The Second City Touring Company. Redd is a former repertory player on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, and most recently appeared on NBC’s Kenan and on Peacock’s Bust Down. He received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.” Previously he was a performer at Chicago’s Second City and iO Chicago. Redd was featured as a 2016 Standup New Face at Just for Laughs in Montreal, and has been in demand for events with groups like Global Citizen Festival.
Redd released his debut stand-up album in 2019, But Here We Are. He has starred in films across genres including Scare Me, Vampires vs. the Bronx, Deep Murder, The House, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Redd starred opposite Kathy Bates in the Netflix original comedy series Disjointed and was featured in the series Wet Hot American Summer, NBC’s Will & Grace, Netflix’s Love, TV Land’s Teachers, Comedy Central’s Detroiters, and Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents. He has also loaned his voice to many projects including Netflix’s Big Mouth, Audible’s 64th Man and Disney’s Star vs. the Forces of Evil. In addition to his award-winning and memorable work on screen, Redd is active in charity work – he works with Poverty Alleviation Charities in Chicago and their Letters to Santa program – and is a sought-after speaker at fundraising events for his programs that combine hilarious and tailored standup sets and insightful moderated conversations.
Walker Hayes
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Chart-topping country singer-songwriter Walker Hayes has broken into the mainstream with his authentic sound and his honesty about overcoming the obstacles he’s faced. He is known for his albums Reason to Rhyme, Boom, and his latest release Country Stuff the Album featuring his smash hit multi-platinum song ‘Fancy Like’. The song went viral on TikTok and connected with audiences across genres, spending over six months at the #1 spot on the Billboard Country Songs Chart and hitting the top five on Billboard’s Hot 100 Songs, earning Hayes his first Grammy nomination. The Washington Post profiled in the groundbreaking recording artist in a piece titled, ‘Walker Hayes isn’t afraid to sing about struggling, and it’s making him a success,” writing, “Hayes has broken into the mainstreaming by sounding different.”
Hayes has performed on Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The TODAY Show, among others. His newest release, ‘AA’, features his trademark unapologetic honesty as well as stories from his own life. Hayes is an impactful speaker and performer, sharing his journey through addiction and recovery. He inspires audiences to face challenges head on and never give up on their dreams.
Allison Moorer
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Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and author Allison Moorer is a powerful storyteller known for her memoir Blood as well as I Dream He Talks to Me: A Memoir of Learning How to Listen. Through music and memoir, Moorer shares meditations of redemption, acceptance, and the power of healing through art. She has received numerous nominations, for an Academy Award for “Best Original Song,” a Grammy, an Americana Music Association Award, and from the Academy of Country Music Awards. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter, Guernica, No Depression, Literary Hub, and The Bitter Southerner, and she received the Hall-Waters Prize for Excellence in Southern Writing in 2020. A highly regarded memoirist, Moorer speaks with vulnerability and authority about how we can face life’s hardships and take ownership over our own stories, in keynotes and conversations that are riveting for audiences of all kinds.
Trisha Yearwood
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Award-winning country music star, actor, TV personality, chef, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneur Trisha Yearwood has been entertaining and inspiring audiences for decades. Yearwood made history as the first female country artist to have a debut single, ‘She’s In Love With The Boy’, reach #1 on music charts. She has been awarded numerous Grammy, CMA, and ACM Awards for countless multi-platinum albums, and continues to release new music that extends the legacy of her powerhouse voice to a new generation of fans. In addition to being a music icon, Yearwood hosts the Emmy Award-winning Food Network show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen as well as her Facebook Live pre-show T’s Coffee Talk. She has written three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, including Trisha’s Table, and launched a lifestyle brand as well as Trisha Yearwood’s Pet Collection, collaborating with Williams Sonoma on signature lines. Yearwood shares incomparable insights from her personal journey as a music icon, beloved chef, and entrepreneur with an open-heart, giving memorable keynotes and moderating meaningful conversations that are impactful for audiences of all kinds.
Tenille Townes
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Award-winning country music singer-songwriter Tenille Townes transports audiences through her inspiring storytelling and music. Through musical performances like her TED Talk How the Light Gets In, Tenille speaks about the power of creativity in making meaning out of life’s greatest challenges and building your dreams from the ground up. Her albums Living Room Worktapes and The Lemonade Stand received fan and industry praise, with her breakout single ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ earning her four awards at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards, including Female Artist of the Year. Driven by her childhood dream to reach others through music, Tenille founded Big Hearts for Big Kids Foundation, which has raised over $2M in the past decade for youth in need. Tenille forges a deep connection with audiences and ensures memorable events through her conversations and performances.
Robert Rodriguez
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Robert Rodriguez is a film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician.
While a student at the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, Robert Rodriguez wrote the script to his first feature film, El Mariachi, which went on to win the coveted Audience Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, and became the lowest budget movie ever released by a major studio. Rodriguez wrote about these experiences in Rebel Without a Crew, a perennial guide for the independent filmmaker.
Rodriguez went on to write, produce, direct and edit a series of successful films including Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Faculty, the Spy Kids franchise, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Frank Miller’s Sin City, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, Grindhouse, Machete and Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For, and embarked on a collaboration with iconic film director James Cameron on the film adaptation of Alita: Battle Angel which Cameron is producing alongside Rodriguez directing.
In 2000, Rodriguez founded Troublemaker Studios, an Austin, Texas based production facility of which he is co-owner and president. The studio includes a world-renowned visual effects house, music and publishing arms and has played a primary role in making Austin a vibrant filmmaking hub.
In 2017, Rodriguez, alongside his sons Racer and Rebel, formed Double R Productions, a development and production company with capabilities to produce media projects across film, television, gaming, and interactive platforms. In addition to Red 11, Double R produced a state of the art VR live-action short called the The Limit as well as as a new feature film, We Can Be Heroes, in partnership with Netflix. We Can Be Heroes has become one of Netflix’s most popular films of all time.
He recently directed the Lady Gaga/Ariana Grande video "Rain on Me," and an episode of The Mandalorian which led to him currently producing the new Star Wars series The Book of Boba Fett.
Kevin Griffin
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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.
Julianne Hough
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Award-winning performer, recording artist, and entrepreneur Julianne Hough is an energetic force who shares her message of self-acceptance, creativity, and wellness in empowering engagements. A true triple threat, Hough is known worldwide for her dancing, acting, and music, and became a household name as a two-time professional champion on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. After multiple wins, she went on to judge the series, and won an Emmy for her original choreography. She is the founder of KINRGY, an accessible and fun movement experience based in her belief that movement creates energetic health. Hough and KINRGY were a vital part of Oprah’s 2020 Vision Tour. She is fulfilling a childhood dream with her Broadway debut in the critically acclaimed POTUS. With each of her endeavors, Hough expands her portfolio and her impact with audiences of all kinds.
A serial entrepreneur, Hough has collaborated on a shoe line with Vince Camuto, a capsule collection with MPG Activewear, released a series of dance-based fitness DVDs, and is the Co-Founder of Fresh Vine Wine. She is known for films including Safe Haven, Paradise, Rock of Ages, the remake of Footloose, and more, and starred as Sandy in FOX’s Grease Live! Her self-titled debut album hit #1 on the Billboard Country charts and earned her two Academy of Music Country Awards for “Top New Female Vocalist” and “Top New Artist.” Hough has also released the powerful self-love anthem “Transform” and The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection. From holistic movement and healing, to achieving next-level dreams, to engaging with compassion, Hough shares her warmth and uplifting insights in memorable events.
Cam
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Cam writes music to tell the truth, especially truths that help women understand themselves. The GRAMMY®-nominated artist has released music that is brazen, bold and transcends genre boundaries as seen through songs like the viral fame of “Diane” and the breakthrough debut of her double-platinum hit, “Burning House.” “Burning House” garnered Cam multiple award nods and to date, is the most-downloaded song by a female country artist since 2015. Along with joining international superstar Sam Smith on the North American leg of his “Thrill of It All Tour” this Summer, Cam has shared the stage with artists like Harry Styles, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, George Strait, Alicia Keys, Eric Church, Smokey Robinson and others.
Julie Andrews
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Julie Andrews has been a beloved and much-honored star of stage, screen and television for more than half a century. She was already a Broadway legend when she made her feature film debut in 1964’s Mary Poppins. Andrews’ iconic performance in the title role of the magical nanny brought her an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. The following year, she earned a second Oscar® nomination and won another Golden Globe Award for her unforgettable portrayal of Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. She received her third Academy Award® nomination and won another Golden Globe Award for her “dual” role in Victor/Victoria. Ms. Andrews received her honours as a Dame of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and was also a Kennedy Center Honoree.
Today’s young film audiences may be more familiar with Andrews as a queen trying to train her teenaged granddaughter to be a princess in the hit films, The Princess Diaries, and its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement. Andrews also voiced the character of Queen Lillian in the blockbuster hits Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third. She also voiced the narration of the hugely successful Disney release of Enchanted. In 2010, Ms. Andrews added to her multi-generational appeal with the release of films The Tooth Fairy, Shrek Goes Fourth and Despicable Me. Her earlier motion picture credits also include The Americanization of Emily, Hawaii, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Star!, Darling Lili and 10, to name only a few.
Ms. Andrews has joined talents with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, to pursue the publishing of books committed to stimulating a sense of wonder in children and young readers. The Julie Andrews Collection has released over 25 books to date, many of which have achieved #1 status, including the Little Bo series, the Dumpy The Dump Truck franchise, The Great American Mousical, Thanks to You and Simeon’s Gift. Her latest franchise of books, entitled The Very Fairy Princess, has repeatedly produced bestsellers, while simultaneously introducing a whole new generation to Julie Andrews.
In addition to her stage and screen work, Julie has dedicated her life to her family and to serving important causes, including Operation USA, an international relief organization with which Julie has traveled to such places as Vietnam and Cambodia. She has served as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), which provides financial and technical support for low-income women in developing countries. In 2012 she received The Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cancer Society.
Charlotte Jones
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Charlotte Jones, Dallas Cowboys Owner, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, oversees all business operations, strategies and applications surrounding the team’s brand as it is presented to fans worldwide. Working in the executive office since 1989, Charlotte’s experience has propelled her forward as one of the most innovative and versatile executives among women in professional sports and executives as a whole. Charlotte’s vision and direction leads the Cowboys in brand marketing, fan engagement, stadium design, entertainment, licensed apparel, cause marketing and community relations.
Jones played an instrumental role in the design and development of The Star in Frisco, the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, team training facility and event center located in Frisco, Texas. Opened in 2016, the 91-acre mixed-use development serves as the team’s headquarters and a destination for shopping, dining, nightlife, athletics, fitness, events, hotel, luxury residential living and commercial real estate.
She played a prominent role in shaping the design, décor, sponsor integration and overall presentation of AT&T Stadium, the renowned state-of-the-art venue that opened in Arlington, Texas in 2009. Under Jones’s guidance, the venue has played host to some of the highest profile sports and entertainment events in the world – among those are Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the annual Cotton Bowl Classic and the first-ever College Football Championship game in 2015. She was instrumental in bringing the Academy of Country Music Awards to AT&T Stadium to celebrate the 50th anniversary, breaking ratings and attendance records, as well as WrestleMania 32 which broke WWE’s all-time attendance record.
Charlotte Jones travels across the country speaking on philanthropic initiatives, brand innovation and cultivating the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
Arthur C. Brooks
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Blending cutting-edge research in behavioral science and neuroscience with philosophy and wisdom traditions, Dr. Arthur Brooks teaches people from all walks of life how to live a better, happier life.
Arthur Brooks is a Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, #1 bestselling author, and columnist at The Atlantic who specializes in using the highest levels of science and philosophy to provide people with actionable strategies to live their best lives. Arthur provides happiness training and professional development to businesses, academia, government, and faith communities based on cutting-edge research in social science and neuroscience, as well as philosophy and wisdom traditions.
As a speaker, Arthur engages his audience with bold, clear, and actionable ideas. Blending cutting-edge science, ancient wisdom, philosophy, music, and art, Brooks reaches listeners in a format that is thought-provoking, unconventional, uplifting — and most of all, useful.
Ron Fair
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Ron Fair is a true giant of the modern music industry — a Grammy-nominated producer, arranger, executive, and A&R visionary whose fingerprints are on some of the most iconic artists and recordings of the past 50 years.
Fair has launched, shaped, and revived the careers of megastars including Christina Aguilera ("Beautiful", "What a Girl Wants"), Mary J. Blige ("Be Without You"), The Black Eyed Peas ("Where Is the Love?"), Fergie ("Big Girls Don’t Cry"), Queen Latifah, The Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss, Keyshia Cole and Fantasia — to name just a few. His influence extends across genres, from working with Snow Patrol and Bastille to developing major projects for Lang Lang, Jonny Lang, The O’Jays, and even rock legends like Slayer. His soundtracks for blockbuster films like Pretty Woman, Reality Bites, and Dumb and Dumber have become cultural touchstones.
Beyond his studio achievements, Fair held leadership roles at some of the industry's most influential labels — serving as Chairman of Geffen Records, President of A&M Records, and Chief Creative Officer at Virgin Records — and played key roles at RCA, EMI, Chrysalis, and Island Records. He began his career assisting Oscar-winning composer Bill Conti on the now-legendary Rocky film score, giving him a foundation that spans both popular music and film.
Fair's knowledge isn't just historical — it's transformational. He has shaped how the modern music business discovers, nurtures, and promotes talent on a global scale. As a former Trustee of the Recording Academy (Grammys), an Honor Roll member of the British Manager's Forum, and a sought-after speaker at USC, UCLA, Musexpo, Artlist, and more, Fair brings to any stage a rare blend of creative mastery, business acumen, and inside stories from the frontline of global entertainment.
When Ron Fair speaks, audiences gain not just a front-row seat to music history — but a powerful, insider’s blueprint for how great ideas, great leadership, and great creativity can change industries and lives.
Check out a viral clip of Ron Fair's game-changing insights >>
Dr. Edda Fields-Black
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Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black is award-winning historian, artist, and public humanities scholar whose specializes in technology and labor in West Africa and the US South. Her passion is uncovering voices that are not recorded in written sources and have not been previously heard and telling stories that heretofore have not been told.
Fields-Black’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War, is the first detailed account of one of the most dramatic episodes of the Civil War, a raid the US Army conducted on seven rice plantations in the South Carolina Lowcountry in June 1863. The Combahee River Raid was based on intelligence gathered by Harriet Tubman who worked as a Union spy. It resulted in 756 enslaved people liberating themselves, the largest slave rebellion in US history. COMBEE is based on original documents in which freedom seekers who liberated themselves in the Raid tell their life stories in their own words. Fields-Black is a direct descendant of a formerly enslaved man who fought in the Raid, as well as Blacks enslaved on the Combahee area who were not liberated in the Raid.
Fields-Black also translates her historical research into artistic platforms. She took “history off the shelf and put it on stage,” writing libretto for Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked: Requiem for Rice (with three-time EMMY™ Award-winning classical music composer, John Wineglass), the first full symphonic work about slavery, and serving as executive producer for the project. Fields-Black also has worked as a consultant for permanent exhibits, “Rice Fields of South Carolina” at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and “Carolina Gold” at the International African American Museum, and “From Slavery to Freedom” at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Steve Martin & Martin Short
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Comedy and entertainment titans Steve Martin and Martin Short have delighted fans for decades with their organic comedic chemistry across television, film, and live performances. Martin and Short first appeared together as co-stars with Chevy Chase in Three Amigos!, and their creative partnership has since blossomed across countless notable projects. The duo received three Primetime Emmy nominations for their Netflix special, An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life. They have also collaborated on several national live comedy tours: A Very Stupid Conversation, The Funniest Show in Town at the Moment, You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today!, and Dukes of Funnytown. Martin and Short’s must-watch Hulu comedy series with Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building, has garnered another 3 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, 2 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, a Golden Globe Award nomination, and a Peabody Award nomination.
Captivating new and lifelong fans alike, Steve Martin and Martin Short turn any engagement into a once-in-a-lifetime comedic experience. Martin and Short bring audiences closer than ever to the inner lives and comedic genius of two funny men. These legends blend comedy, music, and the stories of their lives in dynamic live events that will inspire, uplift, and entertain every audience.
Matt Medved
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Founder of nft now and digital economy expert Matt Medved has worked to bridge the worlds of music, culture, and technology to uplift artistry for nearly a decade. Medved is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of nft now – an award-winning web3 digital media platform building the future of tokenized media to combat AI disinformation and pioneer a community-centric media model. Since launching in 2021, nft now has become a leader in leveraging AI to power its content strategy, and has brought to market innovative web3 products like the Now Pass and industry-leading events like The Gateway and NFT100.
Previously, Matt served as the SVP of Content at Modern Luxury and the EiC of SPIN, where he directed the iconic music and culture title’s 2019 rebrand. Before leading SPIN, Matt founded Billboard Dance in 2015 and grew the vertical into the leading dance/electronic music publication in North America. Medved is the co-creator of nft now's NFT Marketing Bible and has helped numerous Fortune 500 brands successfully enter and navigate web3 while understanding and harnessing its benefits for business.
An early adopter of web3 and AI, Medved has spoken for groups including Harvard Business School, SXSW, NFT NYC, New York Media Festival, Syracuse University, Billboard Live Music Summit, and Institute for Public Relations. He previously conducted human rights field research and wrote $2M in funded grants to the U.S. Department of State and USAID as a consultant for conflict resolution NGO Search for Common Ground in Nigeria — where he also reached more than 6M listeners as a guest DJ at Africa’s largest radio station. Medved is a multihyphenate creative who taps into the business case for new technology in a way that is relevant, accessible, and actionable for audiences of all kinds.
Chonda Pierce
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Emmy®-nominated and best-selling comedian Chonda Pierce, or “the country comic” as Billboard Magazine dubbed her, has been making audiences laugh for more than three decades with her winning combination of fierce wit and southern charm. A stand-up comedian, television hostess, author and actress, Pierce has channeled her life experiences into positivity, bringing laughter to audiences around the country. As the RIAA’s number one selling female comedian of all time, her hilarious take on life is easily relatable as she publicly opens up to her listeners about times of darkness and depression in her own life, drawing humor and good from every situation.
Pierce is a frequent guest at the famed Grand Ole Opry and has served as host of the Inspirational Country Music Awards and Christian Music Hall of Fame Awards and also co-hosted the GMA Dove Awards in 2012. She has also appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The View, Fox News Channel, Wanda Sykes, Hallmark Home & Family, NY1, CNN’s History of Comedy, How The States Got Their Shapes, and her comedy is regularly featured on XM and Sirius satellite radio. Variety raved about her ability to draw audiences for an encore performance for Chonda Pierce: Laughing in the Dark.
In addition to her comedic work, Pierce has used her success to help others, and in 2006 founded Branches Recovery Center, which offers counseling and treatment to those with depression, anxiety, addiction, regardless of their ability to pay. She has also raised millions of dollars for international relief organizations Compassion International, WorldVision, Food for the Hungry and Feed the Children.
Today, as the RIAA’s best-selling female comedian, Pierce continues to bring the laughs with her unique blend of music and comedy.
Folake Olowofoyeku
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Nigerian-born actress Folake Olowofoyeku has won the ❤️ of critics and audiences alike with her title role in the CBS half-hour comedy Bob ❤️ Abishola. In this comedic examination of immigrant life in America from a creative team led by Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men), a middle-aged, divorced medical sock salesman (Billy Gardell) from Detroit suffers a heart attack and falls for his cardiac nurse (Folake), an immigrant from Nigeria and young single mom. “Olowofoyeku bewitches as the delightfully gruff and straightforward Abishola,” applauds the Hollywood Reporter, recognizing the “surprising level of nuance” in the series which renders it “nothing short of groundbreaking.” Audiences seem to agree, tuning in to make it one of the highest rated among the network’s series.
She received the 2019 Breakout Actress in TV Award for her work on the series on behalf of the Sync Con Honors. Her additional television credits include a recurring role on Transparent and guest roles on The Gifted, Modern Family, How to Get Away with Murder, Westworld, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, among others.
Olowofoyeku’s feature film credits include When They Could Fly, which earned her a Best Actress award at the prestigious ReelHeART International Film Festival in Toronto, Central & Broadway, for which she won Best Actress in a Fashion Film at the CinéFashion Film Awards, Female Fight Club, The Bride, The Child Within and Hellbenders-3D, among others.
As a voiceover artist, Olowofoyeku voiced the Priestess on the video game “Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode 1.” Olowofoyeku’s other passion is music – she sings, plays guitar and piano and enjoys DJing. In 2019, she released her single, “Happy, Happy (Money Dun Come)” under the moniker ‘Fọlákẹ́’.
Olowofoyeku grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and spent time in London. Her native language is Yoruba. Growing up in Nigeria, the youngest of twenty children, Folake always dreamt of being in the arts, a dream that went squarely against the wishes of her parents, Chief Babatunji and Chief Mrs. Felicia Olowofoyeku, who insisted on the family profession of law and politics. During a summer vacation in New York City, unbeknownst to her family, Folake began to pursue her goal as a student at City College of New York, where she would earn her B.A. with honors in theatre and a diploma in Audio Engineering from The Institute of Audio Research (IAR), also distinguishing herself on the basketball court where she competed with CCNY's Beavers in the NCAA. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles to earn success in the film and television industry.
Felipe Gomez
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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.
Sekou Andrews
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Sekou Andrews is the CEO of SekouWorld, Inc. and one of the most successful spoken word poets in the world. On any given day, this school-teacher turned artist and entrepreneur, who built a 7-figure company on poetry, can be found keynoting at a Fortune 500 company, inspiring thousands at a concert, or performing for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard.
Sekou is the creator of “poetic voice” – a cutting-edge speaking category that seamlessly fuses inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry, like “Hamilton” meets “TED”. His unique presentations are in high demand from leading associations and global brands like Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, and Paypal. He has been featured on ABC World News, CBS, MSNBC, HBO, Showtime, MTV and BET, and Forbes has called him “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” Sekou’s accomplishments include two National Poetry Slam championships, two national poetry tours, two Independent Music Awards, three Helen Hayes Awards, the most “Just Plain Folks” music awards in history, the 2020 ABA “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, and the first GRAMMY nomination for “Best Spoken Word Album” awarded to a spoken word poet in over 30 years.
A fearless disruptor of the speaking industry, Sekou also teaches rockstar secrets to public speakers through his Stage Might speaker training system that helps leaders become more dynamic communicators. Combining innovation and inspiration, Sekou Andrews is redefining the notion of what a speaker is, and what a poet can be.
Chris Barton
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Chris Barton wanted a way to identify songs anywhere he heard them. There wasn’t one – so he invented an app called Shazam. Chris’s creation is nothing short of pure magic. Chris seeks to delight people by using technology to make seemingly impossible ideas come to life. Shazam is just one of them. It changed the way the world discovers music and laid the groundwork for the consumer AI industry we know today. In addition to creating Shazam, Chris holds twelve patents and played key roles in the early days of Google and Dropbox. Chris’s newest venture, Guard, aims to use AI to detect drowning in swimming pools – a never-before accomplished effort. In his speeches, Chris’s story and storytelling completely captivate audiences. He inspires people to make big things happen in their organizations – to create magic in defiance of the obstacles.
Holding 12 patents, including one found within the Google search algorithm, Chris has made significant contributions to the tech industry. He also invests in a wide range of start-ups, including artificial intelligence for heart health and inflammatory disease therapeutics. Today, Chris spends much of his time building his third startup company, Guard, an artificial intelligence system that detects drowning in swimming pools.
When he has time, Chris enjoys speaking at events and sharing lessons learned from his experiences overcoming the impossible. He inspires people with firsthand stories that highlight key take-aways across technology innovation, persistence, removing friction, and entrepreneurship. Chris gives audiences a new framework for making big things happen. His truly inspirational story motivates them to take action.
TJ Adeshola
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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.
Michael R. Jackson
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Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, composer, and lyricist Michael R. Jackson is the creator of A Strange Loop, which the New York Times has called a “bravura meta-musical.” The piece – which took Jackson eighteen years to create – won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2020. A Strange Loop went on to receive eleven Tony Award nominations and was called a “gutsy, jubilantly anguished musical with infectious melodies” by The New York Times. The musical received a New York Drama Critics Circle Award and won two Tony Awards – for Best New Musical and Best Book. In The New Yorker, Vinson Cunningham wrote, "To watch this show is to enter, by some urgent, bawdy magic, an ecstatic and infinitely more colorful version of the famous surreal lithograph by M. C. Escher: the hand that lifts from the page, becoming almost real, then draws another hand, which returns the favor." In engaging moderated conversations, the much-lauded creator shares the importance of making an impact in your own time, and leaves audiences feeling inspired and connected through shared empathy.
Jackson has been named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” (2022) and has received numerous awards including a New Professional Theatre Festival Award, a Jonathan Larson Grant, a Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, an ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Award, a Whiting Award, the Hellen Merrill Award for Playwriting, the Windham-Campbell Prize, among many others. He has appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, CBS Sunday Morning, and Late Night with Seth Meyers, to name a few. The Pulitzer Prize-winner also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for White Girl in Danger, which will premiere in New York City in 2023. Jackson has been sought after for candid and compelling conversations about art and authenticity by audiences worldwide.
David Barrett
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Award-winning composer and producer David Barrett is renowned for writing one of the most memorable motivational songs in the American songbook. His “One Shining Moment” – written in one sitting and inspired by the legendary Larry Bird – has been the soundtrack to greatness for 35 years of network broadcast and is beloved by many millions of listeners. The iconic anthem has been sung by Grammy winners Jennifer Hudson, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Ne-Yo, and Barrett’s own original vocal performance. Because of his song "One Shining Moment," Barrett is as comfortable with coaches as he is with award-winning songwriters, as at home with educators as he is with poets. His “One Shining Moment” has led to incredible connections with audiences from all industries and backgrounds, and whether the conversation turns to storytelling, sports, innovation, or life, Barrett shares unparalleled insights about inspiration and achievement.
Barrett has received numerous awards for his work: a silver medal at the New York Film Festival for the short film Don’t Cross That Line, as well as two Emmy Awards for scoring PBS documentaries about on the lives of legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes and author C.S. Lewis. He has composed themes for the Professional Golf Association, the Olympics, and the U.S. Open, and toured at length as a performer with the legendary Art Garfunkel. Barrett’s music and his compelling storytelling inspire audiences of all kinds to believe that anything can happen.
Steven Donziger
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Renowned human rights lawyer, writer, front-line defender, and activist Steven Donziger has been internationally heralded for his focus on addressing human rights abuses and corporate malfeasance. Known for his “Herculean tenacity” (Business Week), Steven is part of the team working with indigenous and farmer communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, who won a historic $9.5B judgement against Chevron for the environmental cleanup of what experts consider to be one of the worst oil-related catastrophes in the world. Following the stunning victory, he became the main target of a retaliatory campaign by Chevron – the only person ever to be prosecuted by a corporation – and was wrongly imprisoned, receiving support from 68 Nobel Laureates and 120 NGOs working for his release. In a piece for VICE, he reveals the challenges he and other activists have had to overcome for trying to hold a corporation accountable. More on the ongoing story and latest updates can be found at FreeDonziger.com. Steven is sought after for events with groups like Tomorrowland Music Festival, NYU Law, Stockholm+50 Climate Conference, the Hay Festival, the World Rainforest Day Summit, and more.
Steven is the Founder of Project Due Process, a legal advocacy group for Cuban detainees who arrived in the United States in the Mariel boatlift. He previously served as the Director for the non-partisan National Criminal Justice Commission that produced the landmark study, The Real War on Crime. Steven’s analysis and commentary on human rights, environmental, and criminal justice matters has been featured in numerous legal publications, academic journals, and news outlets. In 1991, Steven led a mission to Iraq of lawyers, public health specialists, and military experts to assess the impact on civilians of the bombing during the first Gulf War. The group’s report, which found that an estimated 100K children would die following the end of hostilities due to damage to the Iraqi healthcare infrastructure, was adopted by the United Nations and covered in more than 400 media outlets around the world. He is the former chief correspondent for United Press International in Nicaragua, where he reported for a variety of publications during the U.S.-backed contra war. Steven currently serves on the Board of Advisors to the Fortune Society, the largest self-help organization for ex-offenders in the United States. In impactful events, Steven offers insights from his tremendous career as a litigator and advocate, from his decades of work addressing human rights abuses, to cutting edge issues regarding the climate crisis, and how these global events impact individuals, organizations, and communities today.
Daryl Davis
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Daryl Davis is committed to helping people ignite positive change – using conversation to build bridges. His jaw-dropping experiences speak for themselves. For nearly 40 years, he’s engaged leaders of the KKK and White supremacist groups face to face to find the answer to a question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” That question stemmed from his first encounter with racism at age ten when he was pelted with rocks, bottles, and soda cans by a handful of White spectators while marching in a parade. Seeking to understand, not to change minds, Daryl met their hatred with civility, patience, and listening. Those conversations spawned genuine and lasting friendships with many who changed their own minds and disavowed hateful beliefs. Some even gave Daryl their robes and hoods when they did. As a speaker, Daryl is an extraordinary storyteller who inspires and empowers audiences with tools they can use to make better workplaces, communities, and relations with family and friends. Daryl’s work is chronicled in his book Klan-Destine Relationships and the documentary Accidental Courtesy. Daryl’s TEDx Talk has over 12M views.
Daryl graduated from Howard University with his Bachelor of Music Degree. He has performed extensively with Chuck Berry, The Legendary Blues Band (formerly The Muddy Waters Blues Band), and many others. While music is his profession, improving race relations is his obsession. He is known to many as “The Rock'n'Roll Race Reconciliator.”
Through his work, Daryl has discovered a successful method of transforming enemies into friends. His stories of his encounters with – and transformations of – White supremacists have inspired people all over the U.S. and abroad. His audiences leave his presentations empowered to:
Julie Solomon
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Marketing expert and entrepreneur Julie Solomon has been empowering lives through her chart-topping podcast and in-demand online programs for over fifteen years. Following a career as a publicist for some of the top music acts and thought leaders, Solomon launched her courses Pitch It Perfect, The Influencer Academy, and the SHINE Mastermind, teaching tens of thousands of students worldwide. Solomon is passionate about helping women turn messages into movements and empowers entrepreneurs to grow their influence and impact. She is the author of the empowerment guide Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable.
Recently named one of the Top 100 Leaders in influencer marketing, Solomon and her work have been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Weekly, Business Insider, SUCCESS, and People, among others. As the host of the chart-topping The Influencer Podcast, she offers authentic strategies for business growth and personal development to millions of listeners. In sought-after keynotes, Solomon shares her philosophy of highlighting inner brilliance to maximize potential in work and in life, leaving audiences of all kinds feeling motivated and confident.
Radha Agrawal
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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.
Claire L. Evans
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Claire L. Evans is a writer and musician. She is the singer and coauthor of the multiple Webby and GRAMMY-nominated pop group YACHT, known for their expansive investigations into the intersection of art and technology. Their groundbreaking 2019 release, Chain Tripping, was produced in collaboration with machine learning researchers and artists, and Claire has spoken about YACHT’s unique working process—and the significance of AI as a creative tool—at academic computer science conferences and music festivals alike.
Claire has her hands in past and future simultaneously: as the founding editor of VICE’s Terraform, she has published leading and emerging voices in speculative fiction, and as the author of Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women who Made the Internet (Penguin Random House, 2018), she helps audiences understand the true history of technology. Broad Band has received acclaim from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Kirkus, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and Scientific American, and been featured on NPR’s Science Friday.
Claire writes extensively about computation, biology, and technology culture and history for outlets such as VICE, Rhizome, The Guardian, WIRED, Rest of World, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Document Journal, Eye on Design, Quartz, OneZero, PioneerWorks, and Aeon, among others. She lives in Los Angeles, where she is a faculty advisor to graduate design students at Art Center College of Design.
Justin Dillon
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Justin Dillon founded and currently runs a tech company called FRDM that helps Global Fortune 500 brands address social injustice in their supply chains. He used to play music professionally (Universal) which allowed him to tour the world. It was on a tour to Russia that he first learned about human trafficking. He wanted to help, so when he made a rockumentary film about the issue called Call+Response which included activists (Cornel West), journalists (Nicholas Kristof - New York Times), and celebrity activists (Ashley Judd), along with Grammy winning artists. Call+Response was released to theaters becoming one of the highest grossing documentaries in 2008. They gave all the ticket sales away to projects saving kids from slavery.
The film campaign caught the attention of the Obama Administration who asked Justin to develop something similar to carbon footprint, but for modern slavery. Justin and his team developed Slaveryfootprint.org, which can tell you how many slaves it takes to run your life. It was a global success. Today over 30 million people know their slavery footprint. The project received support from Google and went on to win SXSW and Cannes. He was invited to speak all over the world about technology and movement building.
Almost every company wants to market themselves as a movement and almost every employee wants to be part of one. If your company wants to stand out, it has to stand up. Justin offers lessons from his years of running movements, marketing campaigns, and ground-breaking companies to help companies or organizations operate like a movement. Your company doesn’t need social or environmental experts to run like a movement. You just need to find your unique super-power and leverage the hell out of it. Justin is proof that you don’t need the right university, the right connections, or the right promotion to leverage your super-power. All you need is guidance to find your super-power and build your movement. Thats what Justin helps people and companies do. He even wrote a book about it called A Selfish Plan To Change The World (Harper Collins).
Alex Toussaint
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Alex has been a pioneer in the fitness space since 2012 when he got his first opportunity to teach spin at Flywheel Sports Inc. He was recruited by Peloton Interactive in 2015, and currently sits at the intersection of fitness, tech, media, music, sports, and entertainment.
As a world class Peloton Cycling Instructor, Alex is a hybrid of high-performance athlete, motivational coach, and live performer.
Known for his tough-love approach and respected for his authenticity, Alex continues to use his platform to inspire and empower others.
As Alex would say, "It's not about me, it's about we."
Nicola Benedetti CBE
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Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. Her ability to captivate audiences and her wide appeal as an advocate for classical music has made her one of the most influential artists of today.
Asides from extensive touring with the world’s most exceptional orchestras and ensembles, Nicola is one of the world’s leading advocates for quality music education, the role of arts and culture in the wider community and the transformational effect it has on all young people. She has formalised her vision and commitment to the education of young people and supporting of music teachers by establishing a charitable organisation: The Benedetti Foundation.
Winner of the GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020, as well as Best Female Artist at both 2012 and 2013 Classical BRIT Awards, Nicola was appointed a CBE in 2019, awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music (2017), and an MBE in 2013. In addition, Nicola holds positions of Vice President (National Children’s Orchestras), Big Sister (Sistema Scotland), Patron (National Youth Orchestras of Scotland’s Junior Orchestra, Music in Secondary Schools Trust and Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Nicola is also the only instrumentalist to have performed twice at the Last Night of the Proms.
Beau Lotto
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Your challenge at the very first moments of your next event is to get your audience instantly connected, warmed up and plugged in. Your event’s success is decided from the start. By getting your audience members open and wanting to change, collaborate, and create, you will avoid any skepticism. Leverage your investment with Beau Lotto as your opening keynote speaker.
World-famous neuroscientist, Dr. Beau Lotto, will prepare and super-motivate your audience by using the principles of neuroscience (yes, you read that right). When you step back and consider the Big Picture, the strategy makes sense. We all know the world is changing fast — that’s a given. The challenge is to adapt…or die. What you need is a speaker who will show your audience how to thrive in the face of change. Beau gives your attendees, in practical plain talk, the neuroscience behind personal evolution. He provides the detailed steps to achieve a successful culture where your audience can empower evolvability and thrive as a result.
Beau’s megamix is more than just science, however; he weaves in ideas from technology, art, fashion, music, and performance. It’s the kind of subject matter, delivered in a friendly, entertaining style, that turns heads.
The result for you: usable ideas that create a more invigorating, inventive, and evocable company culture. As well, this could be your first step in creating more meaningful, post-transactional customer relationships. Think of his gift to your audience as insight backed by science.
Beau’s keynote visit is more than just another indistinguishable inspirational speaker yelling, “You can do it!” Much more. Here, you get a fact-based return on investment. Don’t let Beau’s science background give you pause – his talks are always common-sense, and peppered with humor, audience participation and actionable principles that audiences can apply in their professional lives.
Beau, a renowned audience arouser, is a leading expert in perception, neuroscience, and complex adaptive systems. He’s helped navigate brands like Cirque du Soleil, Microsoft and L’oreal to even greater successes. In corporate circles as well as in the scientific community, Beau is well known and well respected; he’s earned a world-class reputation as a speaker, masterclass leader and big-league corporate consultant.
He’s been electrifying crowds for over 30 years, including a three-time gig as a mainstage TED-talk speaker. How? By challenging his audiences’ perceptions about change, getting them to look past their biases, and sparking ideas about how to create a more evolved, can-do organization.
The ultimate strategy: to apply scientific truths about perception to get your staff achieving solid bottom-line results.
Audiences love him because his unique style enables him to:
• Connect with every audience member
• Get his point across using humor, interaction and evidence rather than high-tech speak
• Engage the audience in a way that will cause immediate improvements and evolution in your organization
• Give your audience the tools they need to more be successful, courageous and collaborative in wildly uncertain, changing times
• Stay positive, inspirational, and aspirational (which is contagious and nourishing)
• Step up the possibilities as to what your people will consider do-able and achievable
• Share with the group how to create a culture (both at the conference, in oneself and across the organisation) grounded in 10Cs: Evolutionary, Neuroscientific principles that empower individuals and systems to thrive in a constantly changing world.
If you want to build your team more effectively and have them face and conquer their problems, fears and challenges, let Beau show the way. Neuroscience – as entertainingly explained by Beau – holds the key to adaption, creativity, innovation, and perception.
Steve Jones
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Steve Jones is a music biz insider who will change the way you think about business, marketing, creativity, and customer service. As the author of two highly-acclaimed business books, Steve draws upon his 30 years in the music industry to demonstrate how the essential lessons of business can be learned from the bands, songs, and albums we love. He will show you how to build a brand as consistent as AC/DC, as immediately recognizable as Kiss, and as resilient as Fleetwood Mac. His concert-like presentations are filled with music, humor, and engaging backstage stories from the music business. Steve is the author of Brand Like a Rock Star and Start You Up. He has spent over three decades in music and media, witnessing the rise (and sometimes fall) of countless rock legends. In addition to being a popular speaker at conferences worldwide, Steve also works with media brands and companies in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean to turn their customers into raving fans.
Eric Whitacre
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Grammy-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre is unlike any keynote speaker you've seen before. His secret power lies in his one-of-a-kind fusion of music and interactive multi-media, with lessons that radically transform the way your organization feels and thinks. He injects new life into organizations that may feel stuck, uninspired, or overwhelmed by the pace of change; provides insight on transformative innovation and disruptive leadership; and opens audiences' eyes to new ways of creating and collaborating.
Working at the vanguard of art and technology. Whitacre has brought his unforgettable combination of speaking and music to the TED conference-- where his talk went viral-- and at events for Google, UNICEF and the United Nations. As audiences rave: "Probably the most emotionally impactful speaker we have ever had — people were mouth opened, crying, not leaving their seats."
Jason Hewlett
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Jason Hewlett’s speaking career began following one fateful performance of his popular One-Man Show. The client was so impressed with Jason's powerful messaging that he was asked to keynote their Management & Leadership Conference the following year. Jason’s customized presentation and content, combined with music and comedy, was so well received it has turned into multiple speeches for clients throughout the country. His reputation is now that of someone who delivers an incredible, standing-ovation show worthy of Las Vegas praise, AND a keynote speaker sharing practical and insightful business principles applicable for leadership, entrepreneurship, and cultural impact.
In thousands of corporate presentations for front-line motivation and management instruction, Jason’s talks combine message, authenticity, humor, music, and impersonations. His talks feel like a show with a message, or a keynote speech with entertainment, while remaining a G-rated, family-friendly, corporate ready experience. Few performers can match the level of laughs, energy, and appropriate material for any audience. Jason Hewlett is constantly brought back again and again by his clients.
In addition, combining his ability as a seasoned speaker, entertainer, and behind-the-scenes event advisor, Jason has become one of America’s top Master of Ceremonies/Emcees for the largest corporate and charity events. Whether a 3-day convention or an awards gala, Jason keeps the energy, laughs, and excitement going throughout, while allowing executives to take a back seat and enjoy the conference rather than stress about running it.
With over 2,000 presentations for Fortune 500 companies and clients such as American Express, Delta Airlines, the Salt Lake Olympics, Experian, NuSkin, Younique, Coca~Cola and Wells Fargo, Jason Hewlett is your go-to solution for a keynote, entertainment and emcee.
Christopher Jackson
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A Grammy and Emmy Award-Winning Songwriter, Composer and Actor and the original George Washington in the Tony and Grammy Award-Winning Broadway Musical, Hamilton; Christopher Jackson is currently the star of the hit CBS drama Bull, and most recently appeared in Ava DuVernay's Central Park 5 for Netflix. His story is powerful and motivational, as he shares his remarkable journey from a small town in Illinois (population 3,000) to performing for a constantly-packed house on Broadway. From school plays, to Off-Broadway productions, to starring as George Washington in the revolutionary, critically-acclaimed musical Hamilton, Jackson reveals the lessons learned along the way and the mantras, moments, and mentors that made a difference. Taking audiences behind the scenes of Broadway's biggest hit-- sharing everything from befriending Lin Manuel-Miranda back in 2002, to performing for President Barack Obama-- Jackson also reflects on the social impact of Hamilton, addressing issues of inclusion and race. With talks as riveting as they are thought-provoking, Jackson leaves audiences inspired and empowered (and maybe with a song or two stuck in their head).
Jackson is also a powerful advocate for social inclusion, the arts and autism. Since his son was diagnosed with autism in 2007, he has become a vocal and passionate supporter of Autism Speaks, KultureCity, and Sesame Street's autism outreach program. In his speech “The Power of Kindness” he talks about his own family's struggle with more questions than answers and shares the challenges and opportunities that come with working with children on the spectrum. He opens up about the "beautiful struggle" of raising his own son, as well as ways to create acceptance and inclusion for all people with unique abilities.
Jonathan F. P. Rose
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Jonathan F.P. Rose’s business, public policy and not-for-profit work focus on creating a more environmentally, socially and economically responsible world. In 1989, Mr. Rose founded Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, a multi-disciplinary real estate development, planning, consulting and investment firm. The firm has completed $2.3 billion of transformational work, in close collaboration with cities and not-for-profits. Mr. Rose is a thought leader in a wide range of urban issues, and the development of communities of opportunity. He has received the MIT’s Visionary Leadership Award, The Urban Land Institute’s global award for Excellence and many other awards for his work.
Mr. Rose’s book on how to create resilient cities, The Well Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations and Human Behavior Teach us About the Future of Urban Life, was published by Harper Wave in 2016, and won the 2017 PROSE Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work by a Trade Publisher.
Mr. Rose is a Trustee of Enterprise Community Partners and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects and Honorary Trustee of the American Museum of Natural History and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Mr. Rose plays bass and blues harp.
Mr. Rose and his wife Diana Calthorpe Rose are the co-founders of the Garrison Institute and serve on its Board. The Institute connects inner transformation with outer solutions to relieve suffering in the fields of trauma, education and the environment.
Mr. Rose graduated from Yale University in 1974 with a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, and received a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980.
Betty Liu
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Ms. Liu is an accomplished entrepreneur, business leader and journalist with unmatched access to C-suite executives across a variety of industries, particularly in Asia. She is also author of two books including Work Smarts: What CEOs Say You Need to Know to Get Ahead.
She most recently served as the Executive Vice Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and Chief Experience Officer for NYSE’s parent company, ICE (NYSE:ICE). While at the exchange, Ms. Liu was actively involved in more than 25 initial public offerings, including some of the largest listings in recent history like Uber, Pinterest and Tencent Music Entertainment. She also founded the NYSE Board Advisory Council which brought together CEOs of companies like Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Procter & Gamble, and Goldman Sachs to advance diversity in the boardroom. The Council is still going strong and has placed multiple women and minorities on major public company boards.
Ms. Liu also has extensive experience raising public and private capital. She founded the special purpose acquisition company D and Z Media Acquisition, whose IPO was ten times oversubscribed and was traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:DNZ). Ms Liu also founded the ed-tech company Radiate, which raised two rounds of venture capital before being bought in 18 months by ICE in 2018.
Prior to her business career, Ms. Liu was an award-winning journalist for over 25 years, and is best known for serving as a leading anchor and editor-at-large at Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio in New York City. Ms. Liu hosted “In the Loop” and developed several franchises including “Titans at the Table,” which featured leaders in finance, capital markets, entertainment, and business, reaching over 340 million viewers globally.
Mark Schulman
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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.
Mike Rayburn
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Mike Rayburn is a two-time TED Talk Presenter, an innovative entrepreneur and Hall of Fame speaker who uses world-class guitar and comedy to teach change and innovation to corporations world-wide. He has headlined Carnegie Hall, headlined in Las Vegas, and performed more than 5,000 presentations in 20 countries on five continents. Rayburn is a regular on Sirius/XM and morning radio nationwide. He has performed as guitarist with The Beach Boys and John Oates. Rayburn’s keynote is called “The What IF? Keynote Experience.” You will learn three simple tools for harnessing your unrealized potential, creating and leading change, and becoming a virtuoso performer. You’ll hear amazing music including a solo guitar version of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Oh, and you laugh a LOT! No one does what Mike Rayburn does.
Ronan Tynan
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Irish tenor, recording artist, physician, and champion disabled athlete Ronan Tynan moves audiences like few others can. His stirring performances and personal story of triumph have brought him international fame. The New York Times called him “the closest thing this country has to an official Meistersinger.”
Tynan has performed at historic events including Ronald Reagan’s funeral and the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral. His memorable renditions of “God Bless America” have been heard at the World Series, The Belmont Stakes, and other momentous events.
Profiled by ABC’s 20/20, People magazine and CBS Sunday Morning, Tynan was born with a lower limb disability and had his legs amputated at age 20. Within a year, he was competing in the Paralympic Games, both in track and field and as an equestrian. He won 18 gold medals and set 14 world records, nine of which are still in place today.
The first disabled person ever admitted to Limerick’s National College of Physical Education, Tynan became a physician specializing in orthopedic sports injuries and was the subject of the BBC documentary, Dr. Courageous.
In 1992 less than one year after he began studying music, Tynan won the John McCormack Cup for Tenor Voice. He shot to stardom two years later after winning the BBC talent show, Go For It. A recording contract with Sony Music and sold-out concerts around the world soon followed. His debut album, My Life Belongs to You, released in 1998, jumped to number five on the charts. That same year, Tynan joined Anthony Kearns and John McDermott as The Irish Tenors, an instant worldwide sensation.
Tynan’s album Ronan debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart. He put out Sing Me an Irish Song, a collection of Irish favorites in 2009 and his latest album, All Kinds Of Everything, features classic performances from his musical career. Tynan captivates audiences with his humor, lively spirit and inspirational message about overcoming obstacles and living life to the fullest.
