Artist, founder, and mathematician Katy Bohinc is an award-winning data scientist and visionary polymath Fortune 500 marketer. Bohinc began her career as a data scientist for leading marketing agencies, operationalizing big data adoption. Her work garnered Assembly Media (now Assembly Global) Ad Age’s Agency of the Year award. She has published three books of poetry, along with two edited volumes. Bohinc served as Director of Tender Buttons Press (2013-2020). Her latest endeavor as founder & CEO of The Ratio – an AI startup which applies data science to the ancient traditions of astrology – marks her as a leading creative and scientific mind.

Bohinc is a captivating, visionary speaker, bringing her highly acclaimed poet's voice to a powerful and unique weaving of cultural, technological, and marketing insights. Her voice draws from her incredibly diverse background across data science and AI, literature and the arts, world history, and marketing. She has spoken on the intersections of arts, science, and futurism at MoMa Ps1, LACMA, Princeton University, Cambridge University, Ezra Pound’s Castle, and hundreds more. Bohinc's insightful ability to connect seemingly disparate intellectual disciplines into a case study of the human experience opens audiences' minds to new avenues of creativity. 

Dambisa Moyo is a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords sitting as Baroness Moyo of Knightsbridge . She is a principal of Versaca Investments - a family office focused on growth investing globally. She serves on a number of global corporate boards including Chevron, and the Oxford University Endowment Investment Committee. She is a member of The American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Moyo is respected for her unique perspectives, her balance of contrarian thinking with measured judgment, and her ability to turn economic insight into investible ideas. 

Dr. Moyo is the author of five bestselling books on the global macroeconomy and geopolitics. She holds a PhD in economics from Oxford University and a Masters degree from Harvard University. Dr. Moyo was named to the list of TIME’s "100 Most Influential People" in the world; writes for the Financial Times, WSJ, Barron's, and Harvard Business Review. Dr. Moyo is a pre-eminent thinker whose insights empower key decision-makers in strategic investment and public policy.

MIT-trained engineer and tech entrepreneur Krisztina “Z” Holly, curator of the first ever TEDx event, has been at the forefront of innovation throughout her career. She started her career as a serial tech entrepreneur in Boston and Silicon Valley before spending over a decade building pioneering innovation centers at MIT and USC. The White House subsequently invited her to help spread her novel model across the United States. Today, she invests in early-stage complex science and technology startups as an operating partner at Good Growth Capital and is a sought-after advisor and speaker to organizations around the world. She has been recognized by Rolling Stone, Forbes, WIRED, and Entrepreneur Mag for her ability to scout and cultivate talent and catalyze global initiatives. With a proven track record of fostering innovation, Z’s insights come from real-world experience.

Z has spoken at Davos, the White House, YPO Entrepreneurial Energy, NBC Universal, and the National Academy of Sciences Innovation Summit; she has facilitated numerous sessions for the World Economic Forum with heads of state and CEOs of Fortune 100 companies. She regularly appears as a public expert and interviewer, leading conversations with tech “rockstars” such as Biz Stone and Tim O'Reilly, interviewing world-famous extreme athletes, and facilitating panels with university presidents and global leaders. Z’s authentic style and tailored messages resonate with a wide range of audiences, from students and aspiring entrepreneurs to academics and top executives. 

Rohini Kosoglu is the go-to expert on AI, health care, and the future of work—bringing deep expertise in global trends and industry dynamics, having navigated both the public and private sector at the highest levels. As a Venture Partner at Fusion Fund and a Policy Fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered AI, she sits at the intersection of emerging technology and societal impact, advising both public and private sectors on what’s next.

Kosoglu counsels Fortune 500 companies, startups, and academic institutions and sits on corporate and nonprofit boards. Her presentations deliver a practical, nonpartisan roadmap for AI governance to spur innovation and unlock human-centered outcomes—leaving every audience energized, informed, and ready for the future.

"With a knack for trying and succeeding at new things," according to Forbes, Abigail has been described by Pop Culturist as “one of the voices of her generation.” 

Abigail is a New York Times best-selling author, a filmmaker, and a woman-in-tech leader specializing in artificial intelligence, as well as a wife and mother of two. Abigail is a frequent speaker on topics of leadership, equity, representation, ethics and creative careers, including keynotes at the National Conference of State Legislatures, US Presidential Scholars, Y’Allfest, as well as talks with Talks at Google, San Diego Comic Con, LA Comic Con, the California Commonwealth Club (with Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland and Deb Liu, CEO Ancestry), META, Facebook AI, Paypal, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Target, Twitch, The League of California Cities, Munger Tolle, as well as Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth and Berkeley among other venues.

Abigail penned the New York Times bestselling novel, Loveboat, Taipei and companion novels. She serves as executive producer for the film adaptation Love in Taipei, now on Netflix, and directed her first short film, The Vale — Origins, starring Lea Salonga, a prequel to her novel The Vale. 

She and her work have been profiled in print and tv, including Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, Bloomberg TV, Forbes, Fortune, Cosmopolitan, The Hollywood Reporter, Seventeen, NBCNews, NBC Bay Area, ABC7 and the World Journal.

Abigail holds a BA from Harvard, JD from Columbia and MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. In her career in tech, she has negotiated multibillion-dollar deals on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, worked in venture capital and hosted Intel’s Artificial Intelligence podcast featuring leading industry experts including Andrew Ng, Facebook's Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun and US Congresswoman Robin Kelly. She also served with the Partnership on AI. Forbes describes her as, “One of the most respected voices in fairness and AI.”

Her works include multiple novels for young people, including a graphic novel exploring cognitive diversity, as well as original film and TV projects. She serves on the board of Harvardwood, is a member of Dan Lin’s Rideback Rise Circle 2025 and served as a judge for the Golden Trailer Awards recognizing the industry’s most outstanding film trailers. Abigail lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

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

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

Data skeptic and New York Times bestselling author Cathy O’Neil is a thought leader exploring the realities and dangers of social networking, the consequences of algorithm design, and defending human dignity in the context of predatory capitalism. A prolific voice in academia and the private sector, O’Neil is the New York Times bestselling author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, which was a semifinalist for the National Book Award. She is also a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, a renowned blogger, and her expertise was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary The Social Dilemma. O’Neill is the Founder of ORCAA, a consultancy providing algorithmic auditing services focused on safety, fairness, and principled use of data, and launched the Lede Program in Data Journalism at Columbia University. Her latest book, The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation, investigates how shame functions as a tool across sectors including government, the healthcare system, and the wellness industry. With a mathematics Ph.D. and background in finance and AdTech startups, O’Neil offers unparalleled insight and analysis about the challenges that lie ahead for individuals and businesses in our increasingly algorithmic world. She is also a founder and board member of the non-profit OCEAN. 

A trailblazing and genuine change-agent, Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is a Hall of Fame Inducted Marketing Executive, author, and entrepreneur who is worthy of the Harvard Business School case study written about her career, titled “Leading with Authenticity and Urgency.” Few people have the depth and breadth of experience that Boz has. Her remarkable success at Netflix, Pepsi, Apple, Uber; the Endeavor brands (WME | IMG, Miss Universe, Ultimate Fighting Champion, Professional Bull Riders, and more); and her own haircare and wig brand, Eve by Boz, proves her to be one of the most effective marketers of any generation. On February 21, 2023, Viking Books published her memoir, The Urgent Life.

With almost 20 years of experience that spans multiple industries including digital music and entertainment, consumer packaged goods, fashion, sports and automotive, Bozoma is a leader heralded for her bold thinking and cutting-edge ideas. Prior to Netflix and Endeavor, she served as the Chief Brand Officer at Uber, where she was tasked with telling the stories of millions of riders and driver-partners across over 600 cities, and as the Head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes, where she built and launched Apple Music, as well as spearheaded campaigns geared towards growing consumer brand recognition, loyalty, and equity around the world. 

Recognized for her breakthrough work by both the industry and her peers, Boz is a member of the Billboard Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement and American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, named Forbes #1 Most Influential CMO in 2021, Executive of the Year by Billboard Magazine, and featured in lists such as Fortune’s "Most Influential CMOs," Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s "100 Most Creative People," and more. 

Hailed as the "coolest person to ever go on stage at an Apple event,” by Buzzfeed, Bozoma brings unparalleled energy, transformative thinking, and innovative ideas to each engagement.

Award-winning scientist and internationally bestselling author Hope Jahren is an expert on global climate change who helps us see our interconnectedness and interdependence with the world around us. Jahren’s New York Times Notable Book and NEA Big Read Lab Girl won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography among other accolades. In a review of her book The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here, Nature called Jahren “the voice that science has been waiting for.”

Jahren is the recipient of three Fulbright Awards and is one of four scientists, and the only woman, to have been awarded both of the Young Investigator Medals given within the Earth Sciences. While a tenured professor at the University of Hawaii, she built the Isotope Geobiology Laboratories, with support from National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the NIH. She is currently a professor at the Norwegian Academy for Science and Letters. 

For her sought-after keynote speeches, Hope receives consistent praise: “The presentation was flawless” (Medical Library Association), “Hope was absolutely brilliant” (Merwin Conservancy), and “Hope’s entire visit was a HOME RUN for us… She set a high bar for future presenters” (Howard Hughes Medical Institute).

Trailblazing community leader Mayor Aja Brown made history as the youngest mayor ever to serve the City of Compton. Leveraging her expertise as an urban planner, an economic developer, and community servant, Brown quickly became known for her pragmatic 12-Point Vision for Compton revitalization strategy, deploying evidence-based initiatives and attracting new record levels of reinvestment from the private sector. Prior to her ground-breaking tenure as mayor, she co-founded Compton Community Development Corporation, a non-profit emphasizing education programming, scholarships, and small business loans. Brown is a strong and consistent leader in the movement for equity and justice, lending critical support to actionable policy changes, and has joined with mayors around the country committed to guaranteed income, launching the largest city-based guaranteed income program in the country, The Compton Pledge. Brown is an inspiring changemaker, motivating audiences of all kinds through her visionary leadership and commitment to community-driven change.

Brown has been profiled in Vogue, Elle, ESSENCE, TIME, and many more. She participated in Policy Link and ESSENCE’s All-In Cities Initiative, which brings Black women mayors around the country together to share, ideate, and then build better communities. Brown is highly sought-after for keynote speeches as well as moderated conversations, and regularly receives rave reviews, such as: “The event was wonderful!!! She was a hit. Everyone had nothing but positive feedback on her and said it was probably one of THE best lunch and learns we have ever had! So kudos to the Mayor! She is really delightful and inspiring” (Intuit Inc.).

Ginni Rometty was the ninth Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of IBM. Under her leadership, the 100-year-old company reinvented 50 percent of its portfolio, built a $25 billion hybrid cloud business, and established leadership in AI and quantum computing. Rometty also drove record results in workforce transformation and supported the explosive growth of an innovative high school program to prepare the workforce of the future in over twenty-eight countries. 

Through her work with the Business Roundtable, Rometty helped redefine the purpose of the corporation. She has been named Fortune’s #1 Most Powerful Woman three years in a row, is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and has been honored with the designation of Officier in the French Légion d’Honneur. Today, Rometty serves on multiple boards and cochairs OneTen, a coalition of companies driving a SkillsFirst movement to unlock career opportunities for talent without four-year degrees. She is married to Mark Rometty, and the author of the bestselling book Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World.

Deshauna Barber is a dynamic international motivational speaker, Army veteran, former Miss USA and founder of the Women Veterans For Change. Renowned for her impactful and inspiring approach, Barber recently partnered with E.L.F. BEAUTY and Emerald Audio Network as the host of their new limited podcast series, Valor, to highlight the extraordinary stories of courageous servicewomen throughout history, celebrating their bravery and resilience. 

Leveraging her unique experiences as an Army officer, STEM graduate, and advocate, Deshauna exemplifies the power of perseverance and resilience. Her journey from a decorated military career to becoming a top- rated speaker, sought after by Fortune 500 companies, underscores her remarkable ability to inspire and motivate. In 2019, Deshauna made history as the youngest President and CEO of the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), a leading nonprofit dedicated to advocating for servicewomen and female veterans. During her tenure, she championed women’s rights and resources on Capitol Hill, making significant strides in support of our nation’s service members. She has also launched a speaker mentorship course called Thrive, a cohort-based training program with 18 aspiring students pursuing careers as motivational speakers. Deshauna holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Virginia State University, a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and Services from the University of Maryland University College, and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certification from Cornell University. Crowned Miss USA in 2016, Deshauna became the first soldier to win the title. She used her platform to advocate for increased support for soldiers with Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

With over 11 years of military service, she continues to emphasize the importance of mental health for service members and veterans. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Deshauna channels her experiences into empowering others, dedicating her life to inspiring and uplifting those around her. As a motivational speaker and advocate, her global mission is to encourage, inspire, and strengthen individuals, embodying her commitment to making a positive impact in the world.

Columbia Business School professor Dr. Sheena Iyengar is a world expert on choice and decision-making. Her book The Art of Choosing received the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year and inspired an eponymous TED Talk.  Her subsequent book, Think Bigger, was a Gold Medal Winner of the 2024 Axiom Business Book Award. Her research is regularly cited in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Economist as well as in popular books, such as Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and Aziz Ansari’s Modern Romance. Dr. Iyengar has also appeared on television, including The Today Show, The Daily Show, and Fareed Zakaria’s GPS on CNN. Her TED Talks have collectively received 7M views and her research continues to inform markets, businesses, and individuals around the world.

Dr. Iyengar has been named a member of Thinkers50, a global ranking of the top 50 management thinkers. She won the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Core Teaching from Columbia Business School in 2012 and was named one of the World’s Best B-School Professors by Poets and Quants. She has also given keynotes and consulted for companies as wide-ranging as Deloitte, Google, Bloomberg, Blizzard Entertainment, J.P. Morgan & Chase, and The North Face.

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall has tackled the world’s most pressing global and domestic challenges for four decades. Leading in top public roles, including as White House Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor (2021-2025), Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Energy (2014-2017), White House Coordinator for Defense Policy, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Arms Control (2013-2014), Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs (2009-2013), and at the Pentagon as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia (1994-1996), Sherwood-Randall has worked on the most complex and consequential global challenges, participating in the highest levels of international and domestic decision-making. Sherwood-Randall’s expertise spans a broad range of topics that are highly relevant today, including leading through crises, securing critical infrastructure, driving energy innovation, and conducting international diplomacy with both allies and adversaries.

Offering unique insights and unparalleled expertise across a spectrum of issues, from homeland security to national security, Sherwood-Randall presents the threats and opportunities that lie ahead through a compelling insider’s lens. Her work in both the top levels of the American government and with private sector partners highlights her ability to bring innovative solutions to complex challenges. She offers insights on reducing threats, navigating uncertainty, managing emergencies, and making tough decisions under pressure in the media spotlight. With first-hand experience as a defense and energy policy leader, global crisis manager, and proven female executive, Sherwood-Randall has inspired numerous teams to achieve ambitious goals, facing dynamic times with courage, steadiness, and grace under pressure.

Ursula Burns made history as the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company when she became CEO of Xerox in 2009. Her journey from the lower east side projects, to earning two engineering degrees, and landing an internship at a company she would one day run, is a story that will inspire many. Burns is the author of Where You Are Is Not Who You Are: A Memoir, which received a rave review by the New York Times.

When Ursula took the helm at Xerox in 2009, she was tasked with turning around a company that was quickly becoming obsolete. Pushing for diversification and development of new products and services, and spearheading the largest acquisition in Xerox history, Ursula oversaw a monumental transformation and massive growth.

Ursula regularly appears on Fortune’s and Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women. She helped lead the White House national program on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) from 2009-2016, currently sits as the Chairwoman of the Board at Teneo Holdings LLC and is on the board of Exxon Mobil, Endeavor, and Uber, and was previously on the board at Nestlé. She is also Co-Founder of Integrum Holdings, a private equity firm. Burns is on the Board Diversity Action Alliance, leading an effort to support diversity on corporate boards. 

An absolute force and American icon, Ursula shares her executive insights on leadership in a time of disruption, and instructs leaders how to answer the call to create more inclusive and diverse organizations. Her powerful and important conversations challenge and inspire audiences.

American icon Dr. Mae C. Jemison broke more than the sound barrier in 1992 when she climbed aboard the space shuttle Endeavour – she became the first woman of color to travel into space. Dr. Jemison was NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist, performing experiments in material science, life science, and human adaptation to weightlessness. She now leads 100 Year Starship (100YSS), a bold, far reaching nonprofit initiative to assure the capabilities exist for human travel beyond our solar system to another star within the next 100 years. Dr. Jemison is a highly sought-after speaker on issues of health care, social responsibility, technology, education, STEM, and motivation.

Dr. Jemison is the Founder and President of The Jemison Group, Inc. (JG) – a technology consulting firm integrating critical socio-cultural issues into the design of engineering and science projects, as well as BioSentient Corporation - a medical devices and services company focused on improving health and human performance is such a company. An inductee of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame, she is the author of Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life and editor of 100 Year Starship Canopus Award Anthology. Dr. Jemison is in demand with groups including DePaul University, MKTG, Girl Scouts of the USA, Qatar Foundation, among many others.

Tennis icon, founder and serial entrepreneur, and philanthropist Naomi Osaka has transformed the world of sports with her outspoken advocacy for racial justice and player wellbeing. Ranked No. 1 in the world, the four-time Grand Slam Singles Champion made history as the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam and the first Asian player to hold a top ranking. The proud daughter of a Haitian father and Japanese mother, Naomi has used her platform to bring attention to racial inequality and police brutality, and sparked a global conversation about mental health awareness.

Naomi is the Founder of KINLÒ, a functional skincare solution for melanated skin and underserved communities, the co-founder of sports representation company Evolve and media company Hana Kuma, and has equity in more than a dozen brand partners, including Hyperice, Sweetgreen, and the crypto exchange FTX, in addition to being an early investor and advisory board member for Tom Brady’s NFT platform Autograph. Renowned for her advocacy for mental health, Naomi has partnered with Modern Health, a mental health resources company, as the company’s chief community health advocate. Her decision to take a break from tennis sparked an international conversation about the wellbeing of athletes, and of women of color in the workplace, and she became the leader of a movement for greater mental health care and awareness that continues to make an impact today.

Naomi has written powerful pieces for The New York Times, TIME, Esquire, and been profiled in countless publications, including Vogue, which heralded her as “the people’s champion.” She has been named to the TIME 100 three years in a row – in his profile for her, Russell Wilson wrote: “But sometimes, someone’s sphere of influence is so great, they can change a culture, change a society, change a whole world. Naomi Osaka has the power to do that.” She has been named a Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year, received the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award as well as the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award, and was chosen as the AP Female Athlete of the Year, among numerous honors.

Chess Grandmaster Judit Polgár is the International Chess Federation's official greatest female chess player of all time. At the age of 12, Polgár took the lead in the adult women’s world ranking, which she would hold for the next 26 years. By 14, she was already a two-time Women's Chess Olympic Champion (1988, 1990). Polgár won two further silver medals as member of the Hungarian men's team. At the age of 15 years and 4 months, she became a male international grandmaster, breaking Bobby Fischer's age record. In October 2005, Polgár ranked 8th in the absolute world ranking, as the first and, to date, the only female top 10 chess player. Polgár gave the informative and entertaining TED Talk “Giving checkmate is always fun,” and her talks on breaking the glass ceiling and strategic decision-making have delighted audiences worldwide.

Since retiring, Polgár has focused on the international promotion of the sport of chess, writing, and the Judit Polgár Chess Foundation. The World Chess Hall of Fame inductee has authored many books on chess, including Chess Palace, the Best European Learning Materials award-winning program now used by 40K children daily. Polgár has been an expert commentator at major international tournaments. Polgár has spoken at TED Conference, Morgan Stanley, CITI Bank, Exxon, the Warwick Economics Summit, and McKinsey: “We collectively think the speech Ms. Polgar gave during her presentation at our Executive event in September was excellent.”

Emmy Award-winning science correspondent, host, and podcaster Alie Ward is an expert in curiosity, engaging audiences across mediums with her explorations in science, inventions, and food. Alie won a Daytime Emmy Award for her work as a correspondent for CBS’s The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation with Mo Rocca, hosts Did I Mention Invention? on the CW, and appears on Netflix’s Brainchild and 100 Humans, and the Science Channel’s How to Build Everything. She is a Consulting Producer for the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions on their Netflix shows Ada Twist, Scientist and Waffles & Mochi, making STEM and cooking fun and accessible for young audiences. Alie is best-known for her podcast Ologies, a comedic science podcast that consistently ranks among the top five science podcasts, captivating audiences and making us think outside the box.

Alie is a culinary host, appearing on the Cooking Channel’s Food: Fact or Fiction and Unique Sweets. She also created the Cooking Channel series Tripping Out with Alie and Georgia. Alie was a staff writer and editor for the Los Angeles Times, an on-air contributor for KTLA, and is a co-founder of the science communication collective Nerd Brigade. In 2022, Ologies won Best Science Podcast at the iHeart Awards, and continues to top "best of" lists in numerous publications. With her fascinating background and witty point of view, Alie inspires audiences to find and follow their passion, try something new, and let curiosity reign.

Former director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner has been at the forefront of the United States’ environmental and energy polices for nearly four decades. As President Clinton’s EPA Administrator, President Obama’s "Energy Czar," and one of six members of President Biden's Climate Engagement Advisory Council during his campaign, Browner has negotiated, developed, proposed, and implemented U.S. policy affecting global energy, environment, public health, and business matters. Today, Browner provides her expertise through dual roles in the business and policymaking arenas and serves as a Senior of Counsel at Covington & Burling, as well as board chair of the League of Conservation Voters. With deep understanding at the intersection of politics, business, and environmentalism, Browner’s expertise on sustainability is unparalleled.

Browner’s voice has been sought by organizations such as KPMG, Capgemini, UCSC’s Panetta Institute for Public Policy, and more. Browner regularly counsels industry leaders in transportation, energy, and consumer product sectors on regulatory matters spanning all sustainability concerns. Browner’s clear insights, deep expertise, and solution-oriented approach to sustainability inspire audiences to build a better tomorrow.

Renowned wildlife ecologist, equity and justice advocate, and storyteller Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is a trail-blazing conservationist whose insights about STEM, equity, and the power of nature inspire audiences of all kinds. As an active scientist, Dr. Wynn-Grant researches how human activity influences the behavior of wild animals, spending long periods in the wilderness tracking and observing black and grizzly bears in the Western U.S. and African lions in rural Kenya and Tanzania. Her wildlife exploration and media work has taken her to six of seven continents and over 25 countries. A native Californian, Dr. Wynn-Grant attributes her interest in wildlife and conservation from the nature shows she watched on television as a child, and today she uses media to increase representation of Black scientists and explorers. Dr. Wynn-Grant is the Host of a new NBC series, Wild Kingdom - a new version of the iconic wildlife show premiering Fall 2023.

Dr. Wynn-Grant envisions a near-future where the outdoors is a safe, equitably accessible, and positively transformative space for all people, and she shares her passionate insights in riveting keynotes and conversations. Dr. Wynn-Grant is a faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at University of California at Santa Barbara, serves on the Golden Gate regional board of NatureBridge, and is a National Geographic Explorer. Her PBS podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, takes listeners deep into the heart of the world’s most remote jungles, savannas, tundras, mountains, and deserts with her as she studies wild animals in their natural habitats. A phenomenal leader in her field and a compelling speaker, Dr. Wynn-Grant uses the power of storytelling to make science accessible, emphasizing the importance of creating equitable opportunities for young people to experience nature first-hand.

Peabody and Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Amna Nawaz currently serves as co-anchor & co-managing editor of PBS NewsHour. Her diligent reporting and skillful moderation have shaped coverage of some of the most important events in recent history. Amna’s portfolio is broad, delving into politics, foreign affairs, education, climate change, culture, and sports to great acclaim, with her NBC News Special ‘Inside the Obama Whitehouse’ earning her an Emmy Award. From her distinguished position as NBC’s Islamabad Bureau Chief & Correspondent to her Peabody Award-winning work, Amna’s signature thoughtful and thorough analysis establish her as one of the foremost voices in journalism today.

Leading notable panels such as the Aspen Ideas Festival and the RespectAbility #ADA30 Summit 2020, Amna’s insightful moderation elevates conversations. In a ground-breaking moment, she co-moderated a 2019 Democratic Primary Debate, becoming the first Asian American and first Muslim American to do so. Amna has interviewed international newsmakers, influential voices in the arts, and travelled from border towns to Appalachia covering vital issues and enriching national and international dialogue.

Amna’s work has appeared on ABC News, Nightline, NBC News, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Dateline NBC, MSNBC, and MSNBC.com. Nawaz was a Fall 2021 Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service and she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Asian American Journalists Association, the South Asian Journalists Association, and the Inter-American Dialogue. Amna consistently receives rave reviews for her speaking engagements, such as: “Amna was outstanding! Gracious, delightful, simply perfect. The tone of her speech hit the spot. Everyone loved it.” (Greenwich Academy)

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

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

Powerhouse journalist Joanne Lipman has transformed newsrooms across the country – and now she’s turned her keen eye to transforming work and life in the post-pandemic era. In her blockbuster new book, Next!: The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work (March 2023), she offers a deeply reported, delightfully readable look at how to change your life, your workplace, or your career -– and how to inspire innovation in others. It follows her No. 1 bestseller That’s What She Said, about achieving gender equity at work and at home, inspiring men as well as women to join together to promote diversity, innovation and excellence.

One of the nation’s most prominent journalists, Lipman is the former editor-in-chief of USA Today and the USA TODAY Network, Conde Nast Portfolio, and The Wall Street Journal Weekend Journal, leading those organizations to six Pulitzer Prizes. Dubbed “innovator in chief” by The New York Times and “star editor” by CNN, Lipman began her career at The Wall Street Journal, where she rose to become the highest-ranking woman in the paper’s history. Lipman has been in-demand with groups such as Motorola, Google, Aetna, Chevron, NBC Universal, among many others.

Lipman is sought after for her insights, appearing on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and CBS, and is an on-air contributor at CNBC. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, Fortune, and Harvard Business Review. She teaches a popular Yale University course on Media & Democracy, focused on issues including polarization and combatting misinformation. A lively and entertaining speaker, Lipman offers action-oriented insights and critical analysis into issues ranging from workplace culture, to personal and business growth and transformation, to fostering diverse and equitable organizations, and more.

Award-winning science journalist, STEM advocate, and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Mary Roach is known for her books Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War, and Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. An insatiably curious researcher, Roach is an award-winning journalist whose new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law was an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and received countless accolades. Her TED Talk, 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Orgasm, made TED’s list of “The 10 Most-Watched Talks.” Roach is an expert on cultivating a risk-taking mindset, following your instincts, and transforming the way we think about the world around us.

Roach is a prolific popular science writer, and her work has been featured in National Geographic, Wired, Vogue, GQ, The New York Times Magazine, and more, and she has served as Guest Editor for Best American Science and Nature Writing. She has appeared on The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, NPR’s Fresh Air, among others. Roach was a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize, and the winner of the American Engineering Societies’ journalism award. Called “America’s funniest science writer” by the Washington Post, Roach offers fascinating (and hilarious) keynotes and conversations that engage audiences of all kinds.

Naval Aviator and Air Force Combat Pilot Colonel Merryl Tengesdal (Ret.) shares a story of relentless determination. One of the most interesting and compelling maverick women in aviation, Colonel Tengesdal piloted the “Dragon Lady” high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, deploying worldwide in support of combat and military operations for over two decades. She has served as the Director of Inspections for the Air Force Inspector General, Commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, and made history as the first and only African American woman USAF U-2 Pilot. With experience flying in combat zones, she offers insights into staying focused and making critical decisions in high-risk situations. Colonel Tengesdal’s lessons translate seamlessly for business leaders, executives, and professionals navigating fast-paced industries.

Colonel Tengesdal’s remarkable career is chronicled in her memoir Shatter the Sky. She invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood in the Bronx, to her years deployed in the Middle East, South America, and Asia, to her experience on the hit reality show Tough As Nails. Colonel Tengesdal speaks on overcoming obstacles, pushing past limitations, and succeeding in any industry, no matter the odds. 

Colonel Tengesdal has also appeared as a commentator on PBS’ UNLADYLIKE2020: The Bessie Coleman Story, as a technical consultant on Bridge of Spies, and as a featured contributor for Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warrior. Colonel Tengesdal was inducted into the 2019 Gathering of Eagles Foundation as an aviation pioneer and is a dedicated advocate for women and children of color in STEM. Her story is one of relentless determination, making her an excellent choice for audiences seeking motivation to break barriers and embrace changes.

Small business expert, author, and venture capitalist Karen G. Mills is a leading authority on U.S. competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Mills is a Senior Fellow at Harvard Business School, served in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet as the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from 2009 until 2013, and was a member of the President’s National Economic Council. During her tenure at the SBA, Mills took steps that led to record-breaking years for lending and investments in growth capital. Additionally, her efforts helped small businesses create regional economic clusters, gain access to early-stage capital, boost exports, and tap into government and commercial supply chains.

Mills is the author of Fintech, Small Business & The American Dream: How Technology is Transforming Lending and Shaping a New Era of Business Opportunity (second edition to be released in 2024), as well as numerous other publications on fintech, innovation policy, and the supply chain economy. She is a venture capitalist and the President of MMP Group, Vice Chair of Envoy, and a Director of several Churchill Capital entities. Mills is a trusted voice on how new technologies are revolutionizing how small businesses can leverage growth and economic opportunity, and how institutions large and small can be a catalyst for innovation and change.

Award-winning actress, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and digital creator Felicia Day shares an empowering message about finding your community and being unapologetically yourself. As an actress, Day is known for her fan-favorite roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. She is the creator of The Guild, a hit web series about gamers, which won numerous awards and was adapted into a hit comic book series of the same name. Day, whom the New York Times referred to as “queen of the geeks,” is the founder of Geek & Sundry, a self-proclaimed geek hub and digital production studio which was acquired by Legendary Entertainment, and has hosts panels and events for Netflix’s Geeked.

Day is the author of the instant New York Times bestsellers You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), which Forbes called “relentlessly funny and surprisingly inspirational,” and Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity. She is the host of several podcasts, including Felicitations!, Undressing with Felicia Day and Tom Lenk, and 'The Official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Podcast'. Day launched a series on Twitch called WomenR, which highlights diversity among creators in a broad spectrum of entertainment fields and ensures women and girls can see people like them being successful in the creative tech world. In sought-after talks that make an impact with audiences of all kinds, Day shares her personal stories and hard-won wisdom about embracing yourself and making your dreams come true.

Former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Lute has dedicated her career to preventing terrorism, enhancing global stability and security, and helping those in crisis. She currently serves on the boards of Shell, the global energy and petrochemical company; Union Pacific, the largest railroad in the United States, and Marsh McLennan, the leading global risk, insurance, and consulting company. Ms. Lute also serves on the boards of the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan U.S.-based think tank focused on international affairs, and the Center for Internet Security (CIS), a nonprofit leader in establishing and advancing domestic and international cybersecurity standards and practices. Lute has contributed significantly to cybersecurity culture around the globe, and her deep understanding of national security, international relations, and organizational leadership can provide unique perspectives on global and domestic issues.

Ms. Lute has held significant leadership roles in the private and public sectors, cybersecurity, and international diplomacy and post-conflict peace building. She was the CEO of SICPA, North America, a Swiss-based provider of currency, identity, brand, and other security solutions. She is a retired U.S. Army officer with a PhD from Stanford University and a JD from Georgetown.  

Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo is a foremost leader in the fight against cancer. She is a board-certified radiologist, teaching professional, and national advocate for the prevention of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Her book, A World Without Cancer: The Making of a New World and the Real Promise of Prevention, presents a provocative and surprising look into the ways that profit, personalities, and politics obstruct real progress in the war on cancer. A trusted expert on health and wellness who empowers people to make lifestyle decisions to tangibly improve their health, Dr. Cuomo explores the ways in which lifestyle decisions not only promote general health and well-being but can also be used to treat and prevent a wide range of diseases.

A fearless advocate for the health of all people worldwide, Dr. Cuomo also addresses the power and necessity of STEM education and provides people with the tools and inspiration needed to transform their lives. She has spoken to the Houston City Council, Newark Academy, St. Vincent Hospitals, and many more.

Theresa Payton is a trailblazer in technology and cybersecurity, making history as the first female White House Chief Information Officer, under President George W. Bush.  She’s recognized as one of the world’s top advisors on secured digital transformation, AI and privacy, consulting Fortune 500 boards, CEOs, and technology executives to safeguard critical assets and navigate complex digital challenges. Because she’s the go-to expert among network television news programs and other major media outlets for her broad cybercrime-fighting knowledge, relatable persona and ability to make complex technology understandable, she starred as Deputy Commander of Intelligence on the CBS TV reality hide-and-seek show, Hunted.  She’s also CEO and chief advisor of a leading digital security firm, Fortalice.

Katica Roy is an award-winning gender economist, former Global 500 global executive, programmer, data scientist, and the CEO and founder of an award-winning SaaS company, Pipeline.

CNN, MSNBC, CBS, Bloomberg, Cheddar, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, Wharton Business, Newsy, and NBC have sought Katica for her sharp and unconventional take on the day’s headlines. She has interviewed former President Biden, former Vice President Harris,Senators Booker and Gillibrand, former Secretary Pete, Canadian Pay Equity Commissioner Karen Jensen, Sophia Bush, Eve Rodsky, Gretchen Carlson, and Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings. 

She has spoken on over 100 of the top stages across the world, including major stages at SXSW,CES, Web Summit, and for major corporations such as BNP Paribas, JP Morgan, P&G, Cisco, Google, and Microsoft. 

Her high-octane, visionary articles have been published by the World Economic Forum, Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, Bloomberg, NBC, Entrepreneur, The Hill, The Advocate, Harvard Business Review, and MorningConsult. Her articles have garnered over 2.9 billion impressions.

Katica is the flagship expert columnist for Equity Observer, a new vertical from Design Observer led by Editor-in-Chief Ellen McGirt, the former Fortune editor and creator of the award-winning RaceAhead newsletter.

Her biweekly column, Equity by Design™, explores how equity must be intentionally built into the foundations of business, technology, policy, and the economy. Katica’s

 work has been cited by multiple New York Times bestselling authors across more than 10 books. Her research has also been cited  in multiple U.S. congressional publications and proceedings,  and she serves as a resource to policymakers. 

In 2017 Katica was named a Luminary by the Colorado Technology Association; in 2018 a Colorado Governors' Fellow; in 2019 a Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business and awarded the Stevie Entrepreneur of the Year—Gold Award; in 2020 she was named the Colorado Entrepreneur of the Year; in 2022 a LinkedIn Top Influencer for gender equity. She is a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council, Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum, The Aspen Institute's Tech Accountability Coalition, and the US Small Business Administration’s National Women’s Business Council (where she advises the President, Congress, and the SBA on funding female entrepreneurs—including oversight of the $34 billion in federal contracting set-asides earmarked each year for female founders).

Pipeline uses advanced technology to make intersectional gender parity a reality in our lifetime. Under Katica’s leadership, Pipeline created the first gender equity app on Salesforce’s AppExchange and was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2019.

 The company has also been recognized on Fast Company’s lists 2020 and 2023 World’s Most Innovative Companies, 2021 Next Big Things in Tech and 2022 World Changing Ideas.

 In recognition of Pipeline’s groundbreaking work to close the gender equity gap, Governor John Hickenlooper officially declared April 10 “Equity for All® Day” in the State of Colorado.

Katica’s passion for equity is deeply personal. She is the daughter of an immigrant and a refugee, plus a proud, breadwinner mother raising a teenage daughter and son.

Nearly 60 years to the day after her father and sisters climbed the stairs of  Air Force One to freedom—thanks to the humanitarian intervention of President Eisenhower—Katica received a letter from another U.S. President, Barack Obama, thanking  her for standing up and speaking out. It was a full-circle moment that underscored the generational impact of her work.

Change defines the present and uncertainty permeates the future. Individually, organizationally, and collectively, we humans are trying to discern what this means. What are the skills, practices, and superpowers that this world in flux demands – and how can you cultivate them with purpose and joy?

In 2025, humans’ ability to embrace all kinds of change, uncertainty, and not-knowing isn’t exceptional, but rather table stakes. It’s at the heart of responsible leadership (of both oneself and others), thriving culture, and effective communication. It’s the difference between flourishing and flailing. Put another way, learning to love uncertainty is the #1 skill we’ll need this year – and beyond.

Not only that: This is what every one of your colleagues, customers, clients, partners, stakeholders, and teams needs too. Ditto for your family, friends, and kids. This skill fuels every relationship in business, in society, and in life. So why do we resist learning it? What are we waiting for?

April Rinne – change navigator, speaker, investor, author, and adventurer – has been obsessed with these themes and questions for more than 25 years. Her work and travels in more than 100 countries have given her a front-row seat to a world in flux, as well as a world of wisdom to navigate the unknown. Not only is she your guide to developing a “flux mindset,” she’s also ranked one of the 50 Leading Female Futurists in the world by Forbes and is a Harvard Law School graduate, a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, a member of the Silicon Guild and Thinkers50 Radar, a Fulbright Scholar, and the author of the international bestseller Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change.

April is a trusted advisor to well-known startups, companies, financial institutions, nonprofits, think tanks, and governments worldwide, including Airbnb, Nike, Intuit, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, AnyRoad, and Unsettled as well as governments ranging from Singapore to South Africa, Canada to Colombia, and Italy to India. For more than two decades, she’s been known for seeing emerging trends early, understanding their potential, and helping others do the same. April is a bridge-builder between stakeholders, cultures, priorities, and those excited about change and those resistant to it. Recently, she was the sole global faculty member of Finland’s inaugural “masterclass of happiness,” combining her Finnish heritage and “fluxiness” to reach audiences around the world.

Earlier in life April was a global development executive, an international microfinance lawyer, and a hiking guide. Before that, she spent the better part of four years traveling solo, with an insatiable desire to better understand how the rest of the world lives. (One lesson: Change is universal. How we deal with it is not.) She is as comfortable at Davos as she is talking with microfinance borrowers in an urban slum. A certified yoga teacher, she can often be found upside-down, doing handstands around the world.

The following is also shared, depending on audience and context: April also harnesses her very personal experiences with flux, including the death of both of her parents in a car accident when she was 20.

In July 1960, Jane Goodall began her landmark study of chimpanzee behavior in what is now Tanzania. Her work at Gombe Stream would become the foundation of future primatological research and redefine the relationship between humans and animals.

In 1977, Dr. Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues the Gombe research and is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. The Institute is widely recognized for innovative, community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the global environmental and humanitarian youth program.

Dr. Goodall founded Roots & Shoots with a group of Tanzanian students in 1991. Today, Roots & Shoots connects hundreds of thousands of youth in more than 130 countries who take action to make the world a better place for people, animals and the environment.

Dr. Goodall travels an average 300 days per year, speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees, other environmental crises, and her reasons for hope that humankind will solve the problems it has imposed on the earth.

Dr. Goodall’s honors include the French Legion of Honor, the Medal of Tanzania, and Japan’s prestigious Kyoto Prize. In 2002, Dr. Goodall was appointed to serve as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and in 2003, she was named a Dame of the British Empire.

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

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

Seema R. Hingorani is a Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM). She is also a member of the Investment Management Operating Committee, Chair of the Senior Advisory Board of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, a Senior Sponsor of Investment Management’s Diversity Council and a member of Morgan Stanley’s Diversity and Inclusion Senior Leaders Advisory Council. As part of the MSIM senior leadership team, Seema is focused on strategic client relationships, investment talent development and diversity initiatives across the platform. Seema joined Morgan Stanley in 2019 and has 29 years of investment experience.

Seema is also the Founder and Chair of Girls Who Invest, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in portfolio management and executive leadership in the asset management industry. Previously, Seema was the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of SevenStep Capital, an opportunistic investment platform focused on seeding women portfolio managers. Seema served until June 30, 2014 as Chief Investment Officer for the New York City Retirement Systems which had assets of $160B. Previous to this appointment, Seema was Interim Chief Investment Officer and before that Head of Public Equities & Hedge Funds for the pension funds. Under her leadership, the pension fund was named Hedge Fund Manager of the Year - Large Public Pension Plans by Institutional Investor. Prior to Seema’s four years of public sector experience, she served as Global Director of Fundamental Research at Pyramis Global Advisors; a Partner, Portfolio Manager and Senior Equity Analyst with hedge fund Andor Capital Management; a Partner and Senior Equity Analyst at hedge fund Pequot Capital Management; Co-founder of hedge fund Mirador Capital Management; and an Equity Analyst with T. Rowe Price.

Seema has worked with several organizations focused on issues concerning women and girls and is a prolific speaker on the topic of a more robust inclusion of women in the corporate sector. In 2024, she was recognized by Forbes on its list of “50 over 50: Investment” for her industry leadership. She was awarded in 2021 the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) by France, the country’s highest civil and military award. She was also recognized in 2021 as one of the 100 most influential women in U.S. finance by Barron’s, honored as the 2019 Bloomberg 50 “Ones To Watch”, the 2016 Woman with Impact by the Connecticut Women's Business Development Council, and Wall Street Women Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015 by Traders magazine. Seema served as a member of the National Finance Committee of Secretary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign. She is a Board Director of the non-profit organization Women’s World Banking, a Senior Advisor for The Wharton School Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance Cypher Accelerator, and an active member of The Economic Club of New York.

Jessica Malaty Rivera is an infectious disease epidemiologist and internationally recognized science communicator. She earned her MS in Emerging Infectious Diseases from the Georgetown School of Medicine and has dedicated the last 15 years of her career to emerging disease surveillance, public health policy, and vaccine advocacy. Her specialty is in translating complex scientific concepts into impactful, judgment-free, and accessible information for diverse audiences. From 2020-2021, she served as the Science Communication Lead for The COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic. 

Currently, she is a Research Fellow at Boston Children's Hospital Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, a Researcher at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, a Senior Science Communication Advisor at the deBeaumont Foundation, and an expert contributor for NBC Bay Area, CNN, PBS, BBC and more. 

In 2021, Jessica was named one of the "World’s 50 Greatest Leaders" by Fortune Magazine for her work on COVID-19 research and data communication. That same year she made the cover of Parents magazine, highlighting her work as a world-renowned science communicator from home. In 2022 she was named one of the Top 50 Leaders of Digital Health by Rock Health, and in 2023 she was named as one of Fierce Pharma's Fierce 50 for Social Impact in Health. Jessica was the host of the 2023 COVID Tracking Project podcast series which was nominated for a Peabody Award in 2024. 

Between her day jobs and being a full-time mother to three little kids, she also dedicates several hours a week to promoting science literacy and debunking misinformation on social media. 

Merline Saintil – a software engineer turned Silicon Valley COO and investor who has taken six companies through their IPOs – is an active investor in dozens of companies that are shaping the future of work, e-commerce and technology.

A frequent featured speaker and with her perspectives quoted in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Forbes, Merline is now starting a $50M fund that invests in early stage management teams.

She is a Fortune 500 board member and co-founder of Black Women on Boards, a global organization of 200 executives at market-leading companies who help prepare, place and propel Black top talent into boardrooms of the most innovative companies.

Her Carnegie Mellon master’s degree in software engineering serves her well as lead independent director of Rocket Lab. She also advises the C-suite as a board member and committee chair at GitLab, Symbotic, Lightspeed Commerce, and TD Synnex.

Away from cap tables and quarterly meetings, Merline is a passionate fan of the Stanford Women’s Soccer team, which conveniently plays home games near her office in Palo Alto and which includes her daughter, an equally ardent student of computer science.

Keynote speaker, thought leader, researcher, and author Heather E. McGowan is one of the leading voices on the Future of Work. McGowan is a sense maker, a dot connector, a deep thinker, and a pattern matcher who sees things that others miss. Heather gives people the courage and insight that illuminates their path forward. She’s transforming mindsets and entire organizations around the globe with her message about how the next phase of work will focus on continuous learning and how leadership must shift to guide these expeditions. Her groundbreaking approach to learning has made employees more fulfilled and innovative, leaders more potent and empathetic, and businesses more effective at reaching their goals in a rapidly evolving market.

Her message is never more powerful than when she’s onstage, where her no-nonsense approach creates a fundamental mindset shift across the audience leaving them both transformed in their thinking and clear in their path of action.

McGowan is the co-author of The Adaptation Advantage (April 2020) and The Empathy Advantage (March 2023).

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.

Belinda Parmar OBE is a corporate campaigner who has worked for the past twenty years  transforming company cultures. Belinda works alongside CEOs and leaders using the power of empathy in language and leadership. 

Belinda founded her first company ‘Lady Geek’ in 2010 which inspired women to become tech pioneers and wrote a book called Little Miss Geek. Belinda’s experience of running a gender focused company led her to the conclusion that gender can shut down a conversation, but empathy can open it up to everyone. In 2015, Belinda received an OBE by the Queen for her services to women in technology. Belinda then went on to launch The Empathy Business which is a consultancy helping some of the worlds biggest brands. She currently works with some of the world’s most complex companies in the world including Barclays, Facebook, Aston Martin and British Gas.

Belinda pioneered the first ever way to measure empathy in companies and is the creator of the Global Empathy Index, featured in the Harvard Business Review. Belinda speaks at Davos for the World Economic Forum and was voted one of the top global public diversity figures in Nov 2020 alongside Kamala Harris. 

In 2019 and 2020 Belinda was invited to Davos to speak on the power of empathy in responsible leadership. Belinda has written for The Guardian, been voted one of the most influential women on Twitter by Forbes and regularly appears on the BBC and Sky News talking about empathy, tech, inclusion and responsible leadership. 

Georgia is a deeply humanitarian futurist, disruptor and business entrepreneur with a strong notion that we can create radically positive change in the world through science, technology and business.

Having worked with companies like Youtube, Google X, Singularity University as well as many global brands and start-ups, she has deep insight into future trends and how these are affecting business and the media landscape. Her passion lies in harnessing the power of brands and business to do good in the world.

Tan Le is an innovator, inventor & entrepreneur, and is the Founder and CEO of EMOTIV. Born in South Vietnam, Le migrated to Australia as a refugee with her family in 1981.  In 1998, Le was named Young Australian of the Year and voted one of Australia’s 30 Most Successful Women Under 30. Le’s story was featured in the ‘Hope’ section of the Eternity Exhibition of the National Museum of Australia. Le has been featured in “Who’s Who in Australia” List since 1999, Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology in 2010 and Forbes’ 50 Names You Need to Know in 2011.

Dr. Pippa Malmgren is a digital diviner: she uses years of experience at the highest levels of geopolitics and industry to identify the trends that others might miss in a turbulent landscape. Her work in the White House, with heads of government, NATO generals, tech startup founders and professional investors gives her a unique perspective on world events.

She educates, advises, and consults on a global scale for public and private organizations, national governments, financial institutions, associations, industry executives and more. She has served President George W. Bush as a Special Assistant to the President and on the Economic Council, advising on the Enron scandal and terrorism risks to the economy post-9/11. She was until 2019, a Non-Executive Board Member of the Department of International Trade in the UK. Using all the knowledge she's gathered over an eclectic and stimulating career, she has founded and worked with tech startups across a range of disciplines including robotics, space, Web3, motorsports, biotech, and clean water, some of which have won national technology awards. She has been named one of the most influential women in tech by several organizations.

Pippa has delivered keynote speeches for Google, American Express, Ernst and Young, Barclays and HSBC, as well as giving the Commencement Address at the London School of Economics graduation ceremonies multiple times throughout the years. An award­ winning author of four books, she can synthesize complex concepts into ideas that an audience will want to take away.

Pippa leaves audiences energized, empowered, and excited to seek out the next big opportunity, and always scores in the top percentile with live and virtual audiences. Her keynote speeches are infused with her signature combination of expertise and charisma, providing valuable insights, practical solutions, and cautious optimism for the future.

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

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

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

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

Annie loves to dive deep into decision making under uncertainty. Her latest obsession is on the topic of quitting. In particular, she is on a mission to rehabilitate the term and get people to be proud of walking away from things.

Annie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4M in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her master’s degree. In 2021 she returned to her alma mater as a Visiting Scholar, where she also teaches executive education. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology.

Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute.

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

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

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

More than just a technologist, businesswoman or global leader, Dr. Cheryl Shavers is an inspiration, a role model for individuals and organizations faced with seemingly insurmountable odds.