Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi is a business powerhouse, globally renowned for leading the company through a decade of tremendous growth and change. Praised for her prescient and strategic thinking, she was responsible for growing PepsiCo's revenues from $35 billion when she became CEO, to $63.5 billion in 2017. She oversaw a portfolio of global brands and diversified products enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 180 countries and territories around the world. As PepsiCo’s director of global strategy for over a decade, Nooyi led the company's restructuring, including the divestiture of its restaurants into the successful YUM! Brands, Inc; the acquisition of Tropicana and merger with Quaker Oats; the merger with PepsiCo’s anchor bottlers; and the acquisition of Wimm-Bill-Dann, the largest international acquisition in PepsiCo’s history. An advisor to several early-stage companies, Ms. Nooyi currently serves on the boards of Amazon, Philips, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Partnership for Public Service, and is an independent director of the International Cricket Council. She is a trustee at the National Gallery of Art, and is on the Dean’s Advisory Council at MIT’s School of Engineering.

Celebrated for her hallmark motto of "do well by doing good," Nooyi was chief architect of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s pledge to do what’s right for the business by being responsive to the needs of the world through sustainable growth initiatives such as making healthier and more nutritious products, limiting the company's environmental footprint, and empowering associates and people in the communities PepsiCo serves. With multiple appearances in Forbes' "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women," Fortune's "Most Powerful Women," and TIME's "100 Most Influential People in The World," Nooyi has been sought-out for her unparalleled business insights and empowering messages on leadership, inclusivity and change everywhere from The World Economic Forum to The Aspen Institute. In 2019, her portrait was inducted into the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and in 2022 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future, published by Penguin Portfolio in September 2021, and teaches the MasterClass "Leading with Purpose."

Lael Brainard is one of the leading economic policymakers, shaping the financial landscape through her expertise in monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and economic governance. As one of the foremost voices on the U.S. and global economy, Brainard has played a pivotal role in navigating financial crises, guiding regulatory frameworks, and fostering economic cooperation.

As the Director of the U.S. National Economic Council (NEC) from 2023 to 2025, she led the administration’s economic policies on growth, tax, investments in semiconductors and clean energy, labor markets, and trade. Before that, she served on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB) from 2014 to 2023, including as Vice Chair starting in 2022. Throughout her tenure, Brainard was instrumental in shaping U.S. monetary policy, and stabilizing financial markets in cooperation with financial officials in the US and globally.

A seasoned policymaker, Brainard’s experience spans multiple administrations. She has operated at the highest levels of economic diplomacy, including in negotiations with China. She served as Undersecretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury (2009-2013), representing the U.S. in G-20 and G-7 financial negotiations, and was a key player in global economic recovery efforts following the 2008 financial crisis.

Brainard’s global perspective is rooted in her unique upbringing as the daughter of an American diplomat in Cold War-era Poland and Germany. She earned a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University and has held influential roles in academia, including at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and as Director of the Global Economy and Development Program at The Brookings Institution.

Brainard’s contributions to economic policymaking and strategy have earned her widespread recognition, including Treasury’s Alexander Hamilton Award and Harvard’s Centennial Medal. Whether advising presidents, shaping Federal Reserve policy, or guiding international economic strategy, Lael Brainard remains one of the most respected and influential voices in economic policy today.

Political leader, business owner, and bestselling author Stacey Abrams is heralded for her candid insights on politics, leadership, entrepreneurship, social justice, and being a true force for change. A tax attorney by training, Abrams served eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Minority Leader, and became the Democratic nominee for governor in 2018 and 2022. She has launched multiple nonprofit organizations devoted to democracy protection, national and local voter engagement, tackling social issues, and building a more equitable future in the South.

An incomparable entrepreneur, Abrams has built a remarkably broad portfolio across nonprofit, political, and business sectors. She co-founded financial services firm NOWaccount Corp., Nourish, Inc. – a beverage company with a focus on infants and toddlers, and Insomnia Consulting to specialize in development, investment, and consulting for complex infrastructure projects, including transportation, waste-by-rail transfer, energy, facilities, and water. Abrams and her business partner published Level Up – a guidebook for entrepreneurs.

Abrams is also the CEO of Sage Works Productions, Inc., an entertainment production company. She conceptualized and produced the Academy Awards-shortlisted documentary All In: The Fight for Democracy and wrote the New York Times bestselling books Our Time is Now and Lead from the Outside. She is also the author of the political thrillers While Justice Sleeps and Rogue Justice, two children's books, and several romantic suspense novels, three of which are under development. She has been nominated for an Emmy and received the NAACP Image Award in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Sought-out to speak everywhere from TED, where her talk has almost 7M views and counting, to college campuses, to corporate board rooms, to the Commonwealth Club and Chatham House, Abrams is a powerful and passionate speaker. As TIME wrote of her, "People tend to remember the first time they heard Stacey Abrams speak, and it’s easy to see why."

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.

Award-winning political analyst, New York Times bestselling author, and MSNBC national correspondent Joy-Ann Reid was the longtime host of MSNBC’s beloved The ReidOut. Reid made history with her namesake show as the first Black woman to host a primetime cable news program. Prior to The ReidOut, she hosted the hit weekend morning news show AM Joy. Reid is the author of Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons, and the Racial Divide, We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama, which she co-edited, and the New York Times bestseller The Man Who Sold America: Trump and the Unraveling of the American Story. She also hosts two podcasts Reid This, Reid That, with Emmy-winning journalist Jacque Reid, and a books podcast What to Reid. MSNBC’s new special, The Culture Is, features Reid as co-host, moderator, and executive producer for the first episode, The Culture Is: Black Women. A sought-after keynote speaker, Reid is celebrated for her no-nonsense commentary and insights, taking audiences beyond the headlines in impactful engagements.

Reid has been featured in Washington Post, Forbes, The New York Times, Vogue, Black Enterprise, Fast Company, Ms., among many others, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Miami Herald, New York Magazine, and The Daily Beast. She was a 2025 NAACP Image Award winner for her #1 New York Times bestseller Medgar & Myrlie. a 2022 NAACP Image Award winner for The ReidOut, 2003 Knight Center for Advanced Journalism fellow, and has received awards from the Women’s Media Center, the National Action Network, the National Association of Black Journalists, and been nominated for an Emmy, a GLAAD Media Award, and two prior NAACP Image Awards. Reid has taught at Syracuse University and is a Hearst Visiting Professor at Howard University, teaching a course on the impact of race and gender on political coverage. Drawing on her decades-long experience in politics and passion for addressing the intersections of race, justice, and culture, Reid offers in-demand analysis on today’s most important issues.

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.

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.

Women’s health expert Dr. Sharon Malone has been active in advocating for reproductive rights, reducing teen pregnancy, and eliminating health care disparities. She is the Chief Medical Advisor at Alloy Women’s Health, a telehealth company focusing on women over 40. Before joining Alloy, Dr. Malone was a partner at one of the oldest and most successful OB/GYN medical practices in Washington, D.C. She is board-certified by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and certified by the North American Menopause Society as a Certified National Menopause Practitioner. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Grown Woman Talk, called a “must-read” by Michelle Obama. Dr. Malone’s speeches are informed by her extensive clinical experience, advocacy work, and commitment to improving health outcomes for all women.

Dr. Malone believes that all women should be able to make decisions regarding their health and quality of life based on facts – not fear. Dr. Malone serves on the D.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Board and the regional panel for the White House Fellows Program selection. She was appointed to the selection committee for the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction awarded by the University of Alabama School of Law. In addition, Dr. Malone has consistently been voted one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “Best Doctors" and named to Forbes' "50 Over 50" list. Dr. Malone’s compassionate approach to patient education and care allows her to make any audience feel welcome, comfortable, and informed.

Sunny Hostin is a five-time Emmy Award-winning legal journalist, two-time New York Times bestselling author, and co-host of The View. She is a sought-after keynote speaker who earns rave reviews for her events. Hostin’s debut novel Summer on the Bluffs, first in her "Summer" trilogy, skyrocketed to #11 on the New York Times Bestseller List and is being adapted as the first major project for Sunny Hostin Productions alongside Octavia Spencer's Orit Entertainment. She recently released the second book in her acclaimed ‘Summer’ series, Summer on Sag Harbor, an instant New York Times bestseller. In the fall of 2020, Hostin released her memoir, I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Identity, Justice, and Living Between Worlds, with HarperOne. 

Hostin has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Woman, Essence, The CUT, Latina, and Ebony, amongst others. A sought-after public speaker, she has spoken at and moderated panels for the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Corporate Counsel Women of Color, the National Bar Association, and more. Hostin served as a witness at the Federal Judiciary’s Congressional Hearing for the Public’s Right of Access to the Courts, and was she was part of the groundbreaking ABC primetime newscast, “Soul of a Nation,” the first broadcast network newsmagazine aiming to put Black life in America front and center. An inescapable voice from the top echelons of news and entertainment, Sunny continues to use her platform to advocate for and give a voice to the marginalized.

Elizabeth Nyamayaro is an award-winning humanitarian, author, and former United Nations Senior Advisor on gender equality. Born in Zimbabwe, Elizabeth has worked at the forefront of global development for over two decades improving the lives of underserved populations, and has been instrumental in fighting global inequalities, advancing social justice, and challenging the status quo to accelerate women’s rights around the world – through her leadership roles at the World Bank, World Health Organization, UNAIDS, UN Women and the United Nations World Food Programme. Elizabeth is the mastermind behind HeForShe, a United Nations global solidarity movement for gender equality that took the world by storm, generating more than 1.2B conversations on social media and galvanizing men in every single country in the world in just five days. Her book Human Skills is a guide to strengthening relationships and leading a fulfilling life.With her TED Talk garnering more than 1M views in its first weeks alone, Elizabeth is a prominent thought-leader and has engaged at global forums such as World Economic Forum in Davos, Cannes Film Festival, Skoll World Forum, Harvard, Oxford, the British Parliament, among others.

Named as Apolitico’s "100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy" in 2018 & 2019, Elizabeth has been touted by The New York Times as “one of only two women transforming Davos.” She has been featured in Vogue, Fast Company, Wired, Fortune, Elle, BBC, and CNN. She has also served as a Glass Lions jury at Cannes Lions and has received the PR Council Trailblazer Award for Social Impact and the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Global Women’s Rights Award. A Political Scientist by training, Elizabeth holds a Masters of Science in Politics from the London School of Economics & Political Science and leadership education from the Harvard Business School. 

Chelsea Clinton is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, advocate, and public health expert.  As Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, Dr. Clinton provides vision and expertise to flagship programs like the Clinton Global Initiative, Too Small to Fail, and the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), a global program that empowers student leaders to turn their ideas into action. Dr. Clinton also serves as the vice chair of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which has helped over 11M people in more than 70 countries access critical HIV/AIDS medications and works across more than 125 countries around the world to build and strengthen sustainable health systems. 

In addition to her Foundation work, Chelsea teaches at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She has written several books for young readers, including the bestselling She Persisted series. She is also the co-author of The Book of Gutsy Women with her mom Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the two star-in and executive produce the adapted, critically-acclaimed series GUTSY on Apple TV+. Chelsea consistently receives rave reviews for her speaking engagements, such as: ”Chelsea was an incredibly generous speaker. The audience raved about her and she drove her message home in a very compelling manner. She was honest and personal and all around a huge hit. It was both a pleasure and an honor to interview her on stage.” (Business and Creativity Conference)

27^th Prime Minister of Australia, world leader, and acclaimed author Julia Gillard offers fresh insights on geopolitics, the global economy, gender equality, and global health. The first woman to serve as Australia’s Prime Minister, Gillard received worldwide attention for her speech in Parliament on the treatment of women in professional and public life. Gillard is the author of three books: her memoir, My Story, Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons, co-authored by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, which analyzes the influence of gender on women’s access to positions of leadership, and Not Now, Not Ever: Ten years on from the misogyny speech, which explores the history and culture of misogyny and the roadmap for the future.

Gillard is a Distinguished Fellow with the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution in Washington and serves as an Honorary Professor at the University of Adelaide. She currently serves as Chair of beyondblue – one of Australia’s leading mental health awareness bodies, Wellcome – a global charitable foundation which supports science to solve urgent health challenges, and is the inaugural Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership – which is addressing women’s under-representation in leadership through research, practice, and advocacy. She previously led the Global Partnership for Education – the global funding body for education in developing countries. Gillard was appointed to lead South Australia’s Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.

Named to Forbes list of “The World’s Most Powerful Women,” Gillard’s expertise in leadership, global and mental health, and gender equality has established her a global leader and key voice in today’s most important conversations.

Sanna Marin is the Former Prime Minister of Finland (2019-2023) and the former leader of the Finnish Social Democratic Party. Appointed at the age of 34, Marin served as the youngest Prime Minister of the world when taking office in 2019. She also made history as the longest-serving woman prime minister of Finland, leading a coalition government entirely headed by women.

During Sanna Marin’s term, she led Finland through the COVID-19 pandemic, and her government implemented many progressive reforms addressing climate change, social justice and equality, including world's most ambitious climate laws aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035 and progressive family leave reform. She helped the country navigate neighboring Russia’s devastating full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Finland’s rapid joining of NATO – the swiftest entry for any country in the alliance’s history. 

Following her term as Prime Minister, Marin joined the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and specializes in topics of geopolitics, strategic autonomy, climate change, and female leadership. Her new book, Hope in Action: A Memoir about the Courage to Lead, is coming out on November 4, 2025.

Marin has been actively engaged in politics since 2006. She has spoken at Davos AM23, the Lowy Institute, the Munich Security Conference, and for New York University’s 2023 Commencement, among others. 

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.

Author, Emmy-winning journalist, and Latinx advocate Paola Ramos is sought after for her informative, relatable, and engaging programs. Ramos uses multi-media platforms – in both English and Spanish – to uplift the voices of marginalized communities, break down stereotypes, and mobilize people toward civic engagement. She was the former Deputy Director of Hispanic Media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign, a political appointee during the Obama Administration, and also served in President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Ramos is a host for VICE News, as well as a contributor for MSNBC and Telemundo News. An in-demand voice for making sense of the latest headlines as well as meaningful shifts in culture and politics, Ramos has been an impactful speaker for groups such as Comcast, Planned Parenthood, UTA, Athena Health, Syracuse University, Orrick, and more.

Ramos is the author of Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity and Defectors, assiduously reported explorations of the political and ideological experiences of Latinx Americans. Ramos and her work have been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, The Cut, Hola!, among many others. Ramos is a Hauser Leader in the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, where she received her Masters in Public Policy, and recently joined her alma mater Barnard College’s Board of Trustees. With every speaking engagement, Ramos receives rave reviews, such as: “We had an incredible fireside chat with Paola Ramos. She was informative, relatable, and engaging. Our audience learned about different Latinx communities and shared their own experiences during the event.” (Athena Health)

Multiple Emmy, Peabody, and DuPont Award-winning journalist Suzanne Malveaux is the CEO and President of Malveaux Global Media. Malveaux spent two decades at CNN, bringing ground-breaking journalism to the network. There, she covered the White House for 10 years, interviewed 5 U.S. Presidents, embedded with U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and reported on the war in Ukraine from the front lines. Malveaux was recently recognized by Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism for covering "One of the Top 50 Stories of the Century" for her reporting on then-Senator Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Malveaux is also a profound advocate for ALS patients, winning a Gracie Award for her work documenting her mother’s journey with the condition.

Malveaux is Co-Chair of the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF), sits on the Board of Trustees for HBCU Xavier University, and is a former board member of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. She has been named “Journalist of the Year” by Essence Magazine and one of “America’s Most Powerful Players under 40” by Black Enterprise. Malveaux has been named an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow as well as an Aspen Global Leadership Network fellow and has participated in numerous panels at the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival.

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and bestselling author Peggy Noonan has provided unique and thoughtful analysis of our nation and its leaders to millions of readers worldwide. Her Wall Street Journal column, Declarations, has run weekly since 2000. Forbes Magazine hailed her column as “principled, perceptive, persuasive, and patriotic.” Her most recent New York Times bestseller, A Certain Idea of America, is hailed as a masterclass in how to see and love America.

She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary in 2017. Noonan has also served as a Special Assistant and speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan. In the Reagan White House, she worked alongside the President on speeches that span the 40th anniversary of D-Day, the Challenger disaster, and his Farewell Address. Noonan’s speeches are filled with humorous anecdotes and political insight, as entertaining as they are thought-provoking.

A current political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, Noonan provides unique and thoughtful analysis of our nation and its leaders. Noonan has spoken to groups as diverse as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, World Affairs Council, the University of Charleston, the 92Y, and more.

CNN Senior Political Correspondent Abby Phillip anchors CNN’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip and Inside Politics Sunday. She joined the network in to cover the Trump Administration and served as White House Correspondent before transitioning to the campaign trail. In January 2020, she moderated CNN's Democratic Presidential Debate in Iowa. She also anchored special coverage of Election Night in America surrounding the 2020 election and hosted the CNN Special Report: Kamala Harris: Making History about the Vice President's barrier-breaking career. Prior to CNN, Phillip worked at The Washington Post as a national political reporter and ABC News as a digital reporter for politics. She also covered the Obama White House for POLITICO as well as campaign finance and lobbying. She was nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy for her powerful hour-long documentary on Black maternal health: Homebirth: Saving Black Moms. She was part of CNN's Emmy Award-winning coverage of the Israel-Hamas War and for her contributions to The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper. With her engaging presence and incisive commentary, Phillip illuminates key issues and sparks meaningful dialogue on the forces shaping our democracy.

Phillip has been honored with the National Urban League’s Women of Power Award, named to the TIME “100 Next” list, and named to the Ebony "Power 100" List. She serves on the board of the News Literary Project and is committed to advancing democracy at every opportunity. Phillip has spoken to Kean University, the National Press Foundation, the University of Rhode Island, and many more.

Jane Coaston is an expert on American conservatism. Her current podcast, What A Day, is a 20-minute morning overview of "what truly matters," bringing on experts to discuss the big stories shaping today. She is a Fall 2024 Fellow at USC Center for the Political Future, where she leads students in a close study of cultural and political movements. Coaston also is an on-air contributor for the Chris Wallace Show and other CNN shows. She was previously a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times and former senior politics reporter at VOX. She hosted the popular New York Times podcast, The Argument, which offered context, analysis, and good-faith engagement on current political debates. Her work has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NPR, The Ringer, Buzzfeed, and The Washington Post, and she has written for publications ranging from ESPN Magazine to The National Review. Coaston’s compelling perspectives and commentary challenge conventional thinking, offering fresh insights into today’s most important debates.

As a foremost expert on the American Conservative movement, Coaston is highly sought-out among top political institutions for her thought leadership. She is a current resident at the USC Center for the Political Future former resident fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. Coaston has spoken to the Texas Tribune Festival, SXSW, Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, Stony Brook University, University of Virginia, University of Southern California, University of Michigan.

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.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Duke is a highly regarded banker with many firsts as a woman in banking. Although she has been a key decision-maker in the boardroom of both the Federal Reserve and a major US bank, her commonsense view of the world was shaped by 30 years of community banking and small business lending. She joined the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in 2008, just as the financial crisis got underway. With her practical understanding of the banking industry, she was the Fed’s point person on housing, consumer, and small business issues during the crisis and the recovery. She stepped up to chair the board of directors of Wells Fargo after the discovery of serious sales practices issues required that company to take a hard look at its culture. As Board Chair she oversaw a nearly complete replacement of the board and management team and maintained regular dialogue with investors and regulators.

Today, her understanding of the perspectives of both investors and public policymakers combines with her high-level experience and crisis-tested judgment to give color and texture to her remarks. Audiences appreciate that Duke has walked down Wall Street, Main Street, and Constitution Avenue. Her speeches and panel discussions highlight the interplay between the banking system and the economy with a focus on fiscal, monetary, and regulatory policy. With a conversational style, she approaches policy from the standpoint of the factors that shape it and the consequences that flow from it.

Economist, academic, and New York Times bestselling author Emily Oster brings a data-driven focus and champions a strategic approach to today’s most important questions. Oster holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University, and is a Professor of Economics at Brown University. Known for her New York Times bestselling books The Family Firm, Expecting Better, and Cribsheet, Oster proposes a classic business school framework for making decisions thoughtfully and deliberately – which she says is less about a specific answer and more about taking the right approach. She is a highly sought-after speaker for events with groups like Spotify, Athena Health, Capital One, and more.

Oster’s thought leadership is featured in her twice-weekly newsletter ParentData, which has over 100K subscribers on Substack, as well as her contributions to The Atlantic. She is an in-demand voice on health economics and statistical methods, and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Slate, The Cut, and others. Oster was named to TIME’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People of 2022, and the profile by Steven Pinker described her work saying: “Oster shows how ‘data’, a scary word, can be a humanizing force.” Though her approach discusses parenting specifically, her talks offer a smart and winning guide on how to think clearly – and with less stress – about any key decisions in life, for both organizations and individuals.

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.

Her Majesty Queen Noor is an international public servant and advocate for cross-cultural understanding and conflict prevention and recovery issues such as refugees, missing persons, poverty, climate change, and disarmament. Her Majesty’s work in Jordan and the Arab world has focused on national and regional human security in the areas of education, conservation, sustainable development, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding. Overall, her peace-building work has focused on the Middle East, the Balkans, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Her Majesty received the United Nations Environment Program Global 500 Award for her activism in environmental protection, promoting awareness and initiating community action for the preservation of Jordan’s natural heritage. Her Majesty has worked with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Seeds of Peace, Council of Women World Leaders, and Women Waging Peace and as a member of the Pew Global Attitudes Survey International Advisory Board.

Her Majesty authored Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, a New York Times #1 bestseller published in 17 languages. In recognition of her efforts to advance sustainable development, democracy, and peace, the Queen has been awarded numerous awards and honorary doctorates in international relations, law, and humane letters. World Awards Media and countless other hosts have commended her speaking style as “eloquent, graceful, and warm.”

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.

Lara Spencer is an Emmy-winning anchor and reporter for Good Morning America, and has been a journalist with ABC news since 2000. She is also the creator, host and Executive Producer of HGTV’s Emmy® Award-winning “Flea Market Flip” as well as “Everything But the House."

Spencer has written two New York Times Bestselling books: I Brake for Yard Sales, and Flea Market Fabulous. In addition to her career, Spencer is the mother of two children and very active at her Alma Mater Penn State University where she was an All-American platform diver.  She is also a dedicated advocate for pet adoption and has 3 rescue dogs of her own. 

Olympia Snowe is recognized as a policy thought-leader in Washington. She is also an inspiration for the barriers she overcame to become one of the most powerful women in Washington. The Washington Post summed up Senator Snowe's powerful legacy as a politician, "with several historic distinctions to her name: She is the first woman in U.S. history to serve in both chambers of a state legislature and both chambers of Congress. She was the first Greek American woman to serve in Congress, the youngest Republican woman elected to the House and the first Republican woman to serve on the Senate Finance Committee." 

She made the decision not to seek a fourth term in the United States Senate when she arrived at a stark reality: that the excessive political polarization in Congress would not diminish in the short term.  As a result, she joined the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, to take her fight for bipartisanship in a different direction.  At the BPC, she serves as a Senior Fellow where she is able to harness her insider’s knowledge to promote change from outside of Congress.  

A Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden, Anita Dunn has played a significant role in shaping modern political strategy and public policy. Previously, Dunn served as White House Communications Director under President Obama, where she managed messaging during critical moments of his presidency. President Joe Biden called her “an invaluable part of our White House.”

Named one of Washingtonian’s “Most Powerful Women,” Dunn has broken barriers and holds a unique role in Washington, having been the only person who has served as a senior advisor of the winning campaigns for two different presidents. Dunn currently serves as an advisor to Future Forward. Dunn’s expertise in managing communications during high-stakes situations, especially from her time in the White House, provides a rich source of lessons for organizations in any field.

White House Correspondent and political analyst Laura Barrón-López is an expert on current U.S. politics. She is the White House Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, where she covers the Biden administration for the nightly news broadcast. She is also a political analyst on CNN. Her expertise in U.S. government affairs reflects over a decade of covering breaking news in politics. Previously, Barrón-López was a White House reporter for POLITICO, where she covered the national Presidential election. She has led the Washington Examiner’s coverage of the Democratic Party, coverage of Congress for HuffPost, and coverage of environmental policy for The Hill. Barrón-López’s sharp analysis, compelling storytelling, and engaging presentation style captivate audiences globally.

Barrón-López is an expert on the hottest political issues on voters’ minds today. Her voice has been sought by UVA’s Miller Center, the Texas Tribune Festival, the Atlantic Festival, the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference, and more. Pairing personal stories from her time as a reporter with her in-depth knowledge of current events, Barrón-López leaves audiences feeling inspired and informed.

Public servant and New York Times bestselling author Huma Abedin began her career in national politics as an intern in First Lady Hillary Clinton’s office in 1996, later serving as a Senior Advisor to Senator Clinton and Traveling Chief of Staff for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. She was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of State, served as Vice Chair of Hillary for America in 2016, and currently serves as Hillary Clinton’s Chief of Staff. Abedin is the New York Times bestselling author of BOTH/AND: A Life in Many Worlds, a stunning memoir grappling with family, legacy, identity, faith, and more through her profound believe that in an either/or world, she can be both/and.

Abedin is a regular contributor for MSNBC on issues ranging from politics to foreign affairs to women’s leadership. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Forbes 30/50 Annual Summit held every March in Abu Dhabi to mark International Women’s Day. In 2023, Huma was awarded the Celebrating Women Award from the New York Women’s Foundation. She is on the board of Vital Voices, a non-profit organization that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation, and human rights.

Abedin is a contributor for MSNBC and has been featured in Vogue, The Washington Post, The Cut, Puck, The New York Times, and more, and appeared on Bloomberg, CBS Sunday Morning, The Today Show, Morning Joe, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Lead with Jake Tapper, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Drew Barrymore, BBC, The Guardian, Snap Chat Good Luck America, Twitter Spaces, among many others.  She has been sought-after for events with groups like 92Y, Forbes 30/50 Women’s Summit, The Asia Society Texas, and many others. Abedin shares her journey through opportunities and obstacles, as well as insider insight into the political landscape and today’s most pressing issues, with compassion, courage, resilience, and grace.

Former high school government and law teacher Sharon McMahon is on a mission to curate facts, fun, and inspiration by educating Americans on democracy, politics, and history. After years of serving as a high school government and law teacher, Sharon took her passion for education to Instagram with a mission to combat political misinformation with non-partisan facts. Sharon has earned a reputation as “America’s Government Teacher'' and quickly amassed over a million social media followers, affectionately known as “Governerds.” Sharon is also the host of the award-winning podcast, Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, where, each week, she provides entertaining yet factual accounts of America’s most fascinating moments and people. Her debut book, The Small and the Mighty, has been celebrated as one of the year’s top reads by Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Goodreads, highlighting the unsung heroes who shaped America.

In a time where flashy headlines and false information often take the spotlight, Sharon is a reliable source for truth and logic. She has shared her knowledge with CNN, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Good Morning America, and has been featured in The Atlantic. She has received PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year Award as well as the noteworthy Jefferson Award.

In all that she does, Sharon encourages others to be world-changing humans. She has led her community in various philanthropic initiatives that have raised more than $7M for teachers, domestic violence survivors, terminally ill children, medical debt forgiveness programs, Ukrainian refugees, and more.

Award-winning journalist and critically acclaimed author Elaine Weiss is a trusted expert on women’s history and political activism, voting rights, and civic engagement. With warmth, humor, and inspiring clarity, Weiss connects with any group, making historical events relevant to today’s most controversial issues. Weiss is the author of The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote (Viking/Penguin), hailed as a “riveting, nail-biting political thriller” with powerful parallels to today’s political environment. An insightful and entertaining work of narrative history, The Woman’s Hour was a GoodReads Readers’ Choice Award winner, was short-listed for the 2019 Chautauqua Prize, and received the American Bar Association’s highest honor, the 2019 Silver Gavel Award. It has also been adapted for young readers and used in schools and libraries nationwide. Her latest book, Spell Freedom, is already gathering critical acclaim.

Weiss is a frequent media commentator, appearing on CBS Sunday Morning, PBS, NPR’s All Things Considered, and C-Span, and many public radio stations. She has also been featured as an expert analyst in several major documentaries, and has published op-eds and essays in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and other publications, offering a historical perspective on timely topics. Weiss also served as a historical advisor to the NYC Public Theater’s production of the historical musical SUFFS.

In presentations that are enlightening, empowering, and eye-opening, Weiss inspires audiences with conversations about what it takes to make social and political change, the power of civic engagement, and the origins of the ongoing struggle over women’s rights and voting rights.

Rave reviews include “Elaine did an amazing job of bringing the history to life and connecting it with our organization today” (Women's League of Voters) and “In this crazy world we live in, we need more people like [Elaine] inspiring others to be good people!” (The Tennessee Municipal League)

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

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

Internationally recognized environmental activist, author, and MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Catherine Coleman Flowers has dedicated her life’s work to advocating for environmental justice. Founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice (CREEJ), Flowers has spent her career promoting equal access to clean water, air, sanitation, and soil to reduce health and economic disparities in marginalized, rural communities. Her leadership and fervor in fighting for solutions to these issues led her to one of her most notable appointments yet — Vice Chair of the Biden Administration’s inaugural White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Flowers is the author of the acclaimed and award-winning book Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret, in which she shares her inspiring story of advocacy, from childhood to environmental justice champion. Whether addressing equal access to water, the effects of climate change on different communities, or the effect of history on today's inequities, Flowers' lens of leadership in environmental justice and climate change engages and inspires attendees with tangible solutions and ways to take action.

Flowers serves as Rural Development Manager for Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), is a Board Member for the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Climate Reality Project and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Flowers is also Co-Chair of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Commission on Accelerating Climate Action and Practitioner in Residence at Duke University. She has written powerful pieces for the New York Review of Books, The Guardian, The New York Times, and Frontline Magazine, and has been profiled by 60 Minutes. Thought-provoking and informative, Flowers’ talks have left lasting impressions at the American Institute of Architects, the Triple Bottom Line Americas Conference, the Bloomberg Green Festival, the Global Philanthropy Forum, Georgetown University, Wheaton University, and more.

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.

As a former U.S. Chief of Protocol (2009-13), White House Social Secretary (1997-2001), and Special Assistant to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton (1993-97), Capricia Marshall has set the stage for diplomacy at the highest levels. Ambassador Marshall has devoted her life to public service, working to transform and create new methods of global engagement to build international goodwill.

Ambassador Marshall provides audiences with illuminating insight into the art of diplomacy, the power of protocol, and actionable strategies for effective communication and relationship-building. Consistently recognized as one of the leading female power players in Washington, Marshall is an inductee of the BizBash Hall of Fame as an "event industry game-changer," has been featured in Elle's "Setting the Agenda: How 43 Women are Changing the World for Women," as well as Elle's "10 Most Powerful Women in DC," and Washington Life's "Power 100."

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

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

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

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

Physician and activist Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, MD, FACP is a public advocate for healthcare value, meaning in medicine, patient-centered care, and end-of-life care. She speaks at the cross-section of her career as a medical professional and her personal experience standing alongside her husband during his life, diagnosis, treatment, and death. Dr. Kalanithi is the widow of the late Dr. Paul Kalanithi, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir, When Breath Becomes Air, for which she wrote the epilogue. Dr. Kalanithi’s humanistic approach to the heaviest discussions in healthcare showcases her empathy, drive, and commitment to stellar patient care.

Dr. Kalanithi explores issues of medicine and mortality in her Gravity podcast, where she shares personal reflections, poetry, and deep conversations. She has appeared on PBS NewsHour, NPR Morning Edition, and Yahoo News with Katie Couric, and has been interviewed for People, NPR, and The New York Times. Dr. Kalanithi has stepped forward as an advocate for end-of-life care, drawing on both her professional expertise and personal experiences to improve care access for patients worldwide.

Called “the really indispensable Cheney” by columnist George Will, Lynne Cheney enlivens audiences and lights up TV screens while arguing for the need to teach America’s story fully and fairly. As chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and second lady, she brought this message to audiences across the country. 

With a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Cheney also speaks forcefully on the importance of nurturing a diversity of viewpoints on college campuses, as well as in the mainstream media. Through speeches and appearances on radio and television - including a stint as co-host on Crossfire Sunday - she has established her identity as an incisive commentator on culture and politics.

Dr. Cheney's 12th and newest book, The Virginia Dynasty: Four Presidents and the Creation of the American Nation, adds to her oeuvre on American history.  In a recent profile by the Wall Street Journal, Dr. Cheney said she hopes that by studying America's origins we can understand and reassert the 'civic glue that has held us together.' 

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.

Former Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Dr. Rochelle Walensky is a renowned expert exploring the challenges and gifts of what it means for leaders, organizations, and the world to protect public health. Dr. Walensky was the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and served as the 19^th director of the CDC and the ninth administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Having received an M.D from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she also trained in internal medicine and earned an MPH in clinical effectiveness from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2001. In the earliest part of the pandemic, Dr. Walensky served on the front lines, taking care of patients, serving on the Massachusetts General Hospital incident management team, and conducting research on vaccine deliver and strategies to reach underserved communities. Dr. Walensky’s tenure at the CDC began on January 20th, 2021, when she led the nation - and the world - through unprecedented times, facing the largest density of infectious threats likely ever seen in this country.

Dr. Walensky has worked to improve HIV screening and care in South Africa, led health policy initiatives, and researched clinical trial design and evaluation in a variety of settings. She was chair of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at the National Institutes of Health from 2014 to 2015. She has also been a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents and had been co-director of the Medical Practice Evaluation Center at Massachusetts General Hospital since 2011 before assuming the position of CDC Director. She is currently current Menschel Fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sought-after for her perspective on public health and crisis management, Dr. Walensky has spoken for groups including Boston University, Northeastern University, Bloomberg, Milken Institute, Aspen Ideas, and more.

Actor, activist, and New York Times bestselling author Ashley Judd is heralded for her unforgettable performances and tireless advocacy work. From starring roles in box office hits and award-winning independent films, Judd’s films tell very personal stories that tap into larger issues, and she brings this gift for storytelling to all her speaking engagements. A voice for the often voiceless, she shines an illuminating light on the vulnerable and the at-risk. Judd has traveled the world with her international public health work, from maternal health to child survival, human rights to disease prevention and treatment. She has been working with NGO’s, grass roots organizations, governments, and supranational bodies since 2004, and detailed her experience in her New York Times bestselling book, All That Is Bitter and Sweet. For her sought-after speaking engagements, Judd regularly receives glowing praise such as: “Ashley Judd walked onto the Ford Hall Forum stage and hit it straight out of the park from her first word to her last. She is not only incredibly intelligent and a top-notch presenter, but also thoroughly knowledgeable and committed... It was clear that the audience found Judd completely captivating and a true inspiration.” (Ford Hall)

Judd was named one TIME’s “Persons of the Year” for her role as a silence-breaker and change-maker of the #MeToo movement, shifting the culture and conversation around sexual abuse and harassment. She is a sought after public speaker and frequent OpEd author on topics as diverse as conflict mineral mining and child marriage. She serves as the Global Goodwill Ambassador for UNFPA, the Global Ambassador for Population Services International, and is Chairperson of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project: Curbing Abuse, Expanding Freedom. She has received the Muhammad Ali Kentucky Humanitarian Award and her alma mater, the University of Kentucky, established the Ashley T. Judd Distinguished Gradate Fellowship in the Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women. Judd illuminates topics of women’s rights, mental health, the environment, and more with her indelible storytelling and global experience, and hosts rave about her impact: "Ms. Judd was the perfect choice for the closing keynote. She had obviously done her homework on the ATHENA leadership principles because she connected her remarks directly to them. She was intelligent, thought provoking, humorous, sincere, warm and extremely engaging. Conference attendees raved about her and she and her staff were delightful to work with. I would highly recommend her as a speaker." (Güd Marketing | Marketing That Matters)

Please visit ashleyjudd.com to learn more about Judd's latest projects and advocacy work.

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)

Seasoned political strategist, former CNN political commentator, and author Symone Sanders Townsend is a gifted communicator with a passion for problem solving, social justice, and in-depth analysis of today’s most important issues. Sanders Townsend previously served as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, the youngest person to ever hold that title. She served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration, and will now bring her nuanced and critical insight to MSNBC as the host of SYMONE, as well as serving as an anchor and hosting a show on The Choice, MSNBC’s digital streaming arm. In her book No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, Sanders Townsend shares her take-no-prisoners approach to life, politics, and career success, advocating for a new generation to be powerful in their own right. A rousing call to leadership, Congresswoman Maxine Waters raved, “Symone’s honest and profound reflection on standing up and speaking out is sure to inspire young people across the country to become the change agents the world needs.”

Sanders Townsend is a highly sought-after commentator and speaker, from her TED Talk Stop asking permission!, to an invigorating conversation at SXSW, Politico’s 2019 Women Rule Summit, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, and many more. She served as the National Chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee, a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, and in her role as principal of the 360 Group, Sanders Townsend worked on leading-edge solutions to tough political and social problems. Sanders Townsend shares her expertise in communication and political strategy, in-depth analysis of key political issues, and the challenges and possibilities for radical change with authenticity, humor, and insight.

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins is a journalist who covers the most important domestic and global news stories. On her primetime program, The Source with Kaitlan Collins, she has interviewed major global figures like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukranian President Volodymr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Trump Employee 5, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, Bill Barr, Mitt Romney, Bernie Sanders, former Attorney General William Barr, GOP presidential candidates, and more. Previously, Collins was the co-anchor and chief correspondent of CNN This Morning. Prior to the launch of the morning show, she served as CNN's Chief White House Correspondent based in Washington, D.C. Collins is lauded as a balanced and incisive voice in political conversations.

In recognition of her journalistic work, Collins has been included in Mediaite's annual list of the “Most Influential People in News Media.” She was named to Crain's NewsPro's “12 to Watch in TV News,” as well as one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30: Media.” In 2023, she was named to Variety’s “New Power of New York” list and The Hill’s “Changemakers” list. Also in 2023, she received an Emmy Award for her part in CNN's coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Collins provides perspectives on U.S. government, politics, and foreign affairs in addition to lending her on-air interviewing experience to hosting and moderation.

The co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, founder of Know Your Value, and New York Times bestselling author Mika Brzezinski is a celebrated, go-to voice on current events, world affairs, and women's empowerment. A former anchor of CBS Evening News Weekend Edition and CBS News correspondent who frequently contributed to CBS Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes, Brzezinski has covered some of the most pivotal moments of the 21st century, from the September 11 attacks to multiple presidential elections. Brzezinski is also the author of seven bestselling books that serve as essential and inspiring guidebooks for empowering women, offering encouragement and practical advice on claiming and communicating their worth. As a speaker, Brzezinski brings a powerhouse combination of journalistic integrity, leadership insights, and empowering advocacy to your event.

Brzezinski offers empowering insights into women's equality and work-life balance as well as a dynamic perspective on the current political and media landscape, which she has shared with hosts including Harvard University, the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the Lake Nona Institute.

Award-winning community organizer, political strategist, and jazz singer LaTosha Brown is a trusted expert and resource in political strategy, rural development, and special programming for philanthropies. Brown is the co-Founder of Black Voters Matter Fund and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute – a power-building southern-based civic engagement organization – leveraging over two decades of experience as a revered institution-builder in non-profit and philanthropy sectors. A renowned philanthropic consultant, she has served as an advisor for groups such as the Ford Foundation, Friends of New Orleans, and the Clinton Global Initiative for over 25 years, and is the principle owner of TruthSpeaks Consulting, Inc. Brown is the Visionary, Founder, and Co-Anchor of the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, a $100M, 10-year initiative to invest in organizations that serve Black women and girls. Beyond her regular media appearances on MSNBC, CBS, ABC, BET, Fox Soul, CNN, NPR, PBS, Brown was recently featured in three documentaries, including "Finding Justice " "Battleground Georgia," and "Vigilantes." She has launched and served countless organizations with her nationally recognized expertise in issues related to social justice, economic and leadership development, wealth creation, and civil rights.

Brown has served as an American Democracy Fellow with the Charles Warren Center at Harvard University, and is a Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School. She was named to Forbes' "50 Over 50" list. She serves on the board of the National Coalition on Black Civic Engagement (NCBCP), the Southern Documentary Fund, and is an active member of several national and international organizations. She and her work have received numerous awards, including the Beloved Community Award from The King Center, Forbes "50 Over 50 Impact List," the Dove Crown Award, Ms. Foundation's "Woman of the Year," the Humanitarian Choral Arts Award at the Kennedy Center, and many more.

In recent years, Brown has delivered over 50 keynote addresses, spoken at more than 20 colleges and universities, and served as commencement speaker for Harvard Black Students graduation and Pitzer College. Sought after for her uplifting keynote speeches, Brown shares message of hope and shared humanity, inviting audiences to envision a future and a democracy we deserve.

Linsey Davis is an award-winning journalist, ABC News Live "Prime with Linsey Davis" and ABC World News Tonight Radio correspondent, and bestselling author whose timely and balanced reporting have earned her many honors including two Emmy Awards, a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, and multiple Gracie Awards. Davis is renowned for her tough but fair moderating skills in the arena of political debate, as well as insightful interviews with major influential figures, including Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence, and Dr. Anthony Fauci. She is a sought-after moderator, having led the first roundtable discussion with Black female mayors of Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Baton Rouge, and Tacoma, as well as a series of interviews with the spouses of presidential candidates in a series called Running Mates. In addition to her wave-making reporting, Davis is the author of six books, including The New York Times bestsellers Girls of the World and The Smallest Spot of a Dot, and the titles How High Is Heaven, Stay This Way Forever, The World Is Awake, and One Big Heart. As a speaker and moderator, Davis’ voice is in-demand on a dynamic array of subjects and audiences are energized by her presence.

Leadership & culture expert Kim Scott is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss without Losing your Humanity, which launched a global management revolution. Kim is the co-Founder of Radical Candor®, LLC – a company dedicated to helping organizations and teams move from a culture of command and control to one of collaboration. Previously, Kim led AdSense, YouTube, and Doubleclick Online Sales and Operations at Google, and then joined Apple to develop and teach a leadership seminar. She has been a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and several other tech companies.

Kim was the co-Founder & CEO of Juice Software – a collaboration startup, and led business development at Delta Three and Capital Thinking. Earlier in her career, she worked as a senior policy advisor at the FCC, managed a pediatric clinic in Kosovo, started a diamond cutting factory in Moscow, and was an analyst on the Soviet Companies Fund. Kim is the author of three novels, and her book Just Work: How To Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to Create a Kick-Ass Culture of Inclusivity (which is being re-released as Radical Respect in May 2024) is an essential guide leaders and their employees need to create more just workplaces and establish new norms of collaboration and respect.

Award-winning CNN Anchor and Chief Investigative Correspondent, Pamela Brown inspires audiences to advocate for themselves and stay the course when someone tries to shake them off. Brown began her career at ABC7/WJLA-TV and NewsChannel8 in Washington D.C., where she became a Sunday evening anchor and an Emmy®-nominated special projects reporter covering several national and international stories. Known for her journalistic tenacity, Brown now anchors CNN Newsroom. Brown previously served as the network's Justice and Supreme Court correspondent covering law enforcement, as well as issues related to the Department of Justice and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

As a speaker, Brown is a stellar moderator and provides her personal experiences with working motherhood, Alzheimer’s, and the many groundbreaking stories she has aired. Brown has delighted hosts including J.P. Morgan, The Aspen Institute, Salesforce, and more.

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.

Respected political correspondent and chief national affairs analyst Kasie Hunt has covered campaigns, Congress, and Washington for almost two decades, including three presidential campaigns. Kasie currently serves as a CNN anchor and the network’s chief national affairs analyst, after more than eight years at NBC where she anchored Way Too Early with Kasie Hunt, Kasie DC on MSNBC, and served as the Capitol Hill Correspondent. Kasie is widely respected for her hard-hitting exchanges with major players in Washington D.C., earning a reputation for adding fresh angles to the political news cycle. She is also a brain tumor survivor. Just 36 years old when she was diagnosed and underwent brain surgery, she brings a unique perspective on resilience in an unstable world. Kasie in in-demand with a wide range of audiences from students to advertising executives to major philanthropic groups, including events with the BUILD Series, SXSW, Politicon, and the George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs.

Hunt started her career in journalism as a print reporter, covering health policy for National Journal, including the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the 2012 presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney for the Associated Press, and the 2010 midterm elections for Politico. She has appeared regularly some of the nation’s most influential programs, including NBC’s Meet the Press, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, CNN’s Inside Politics, and PBS’s Washington Week. In 2018, Kasie led the NBC News investigative team that was awarded the Joan Shorenstein Barone Award for its reporting on sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill. In sought-after events, she offers rare behind-the-scenes insights into the inner workings of presidential campaigns and Congress, as well as the cutthroat world of TV news.

Renowned communications expert, political strategist, and writer Jennifer Palmieri has been on the frontlines of national politics for more than two decades. Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Madam President, Palmieri served as White House Communications Director for President Obama and head of Communications for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. With her unparalleled level of knowledge and experience in the West Wing, she is sought-after for her shrewd insights about crisis management, voter mindset, and the media environment impacting current events.

One of the most accomplished communications advisors in politics today, Palmieri was the co-host of Showtime’s Emmy-nominated political docu-series The Circus, pulling back the curtain with insightful analysis and a unique perspective on the role gender plays in electoral politics and the media. She is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and hosted the podcast Just Something About Her. After losing her sister to early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2017, she has written and spoken about her family’s experience in an effort to aid other families facing the same disease. In moderated conversations and engaging point-counterpoint debates, Palmieri has been in demand for events with groups like Starbucks, Google Zeitgeist in London, the Center for American Progress, the Bloomberg MAKERS Women’s History Month event, and more.

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

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

Former Congresswoman and Orlando Police Chief Val Demings is a rising political star who has made an impact with her message, “everyone counts, and everyone is accountable.” A lifelong public servant, Demings broke numerous glass ceilings in her rise through the Orlando Police Department, her election to Congress, her appointment to prosecute the first impeachment of former president Donald Trump, her campaign for Senate in Florida, and her consideration as a potential running mate to President Joe Biden. She is heralded as a tireless champion for public safety, civil rights, the rule of law, and the American Dream – Demings shares her perspective and insights as a riveting keynote speaker.

Demings served as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 10^th District from 2017-2023, and held positions on numerous House Committees including Judiciary, Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Oversight and Government Reform. Demings was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Women’s Caucus, and New Democratic Caucus, as well as a member of the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Review Board and the Elections Security Taskforce, to name just a few. At sought-after events with groups including the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Orlando Economic Partnership, League of Women Voters, 92^nd Street Y, and many others, Demings shares her uplifting and inspiring vision for the promise of what America could be, if we have the courage to fight for it.

An entrepreneur, activist, politician, and philanthropist, President & Dr. Joyce Banda is the former president of Malawi, the country's first female president and Africa's second. Dr. Banda was instrumental in the formation of the African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (AFWE), currently running in 41 countries in Africa; the Council for the Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa (CEEWA); and the American & African Business Women’s Alliance (AABWA), of which she served as first President. Dr. Banda has taken on a Distinguished Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Global Development, jointly with the Woodrow Wilson Center, where she brings her invaluable experiences as a leader in African politics. Dr. Banda is also a member of the United Nation's Council of Women World Leaders and was recently named Honorary Chairperson of The Women Empowerment & Development Society in Asia-Africa. Continuing her tireless work encouraging women to enter political office and championing the rights of women and the disenfranchised, Dr. Banda speaks globally on topics of women’s empowerment, globalization, and policy.

Dr. Banda has been named one of both Africa and the world’s most powerful women by Forbes. Dr. Banda has championed women’s rights in Malawi and beyond, co-authoring the book From Day One: Why Supporting Girls Aged 0 to 10 Is Critical to Change Africa's Path. As a speaker, Dr. Banda adds a wealth of leadership experience and inspirational insights, motivating and empowering your audience to make a change in the world.

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.  

Former White House Social Secretary and business executive Desiree Rogers has helped major organizations reinvent business models and reach new and more diverse audiences with tangible results. The first black CEO and Co-Owner of Black Opal Beauty and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the first black female CEO of a Fortune 500 Company, and a former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, Rogers is heralded for her uncanny business acumen and innovative approach to marketing and brand development. Beyond her experience in the private sector, Rogers was appointed by President Obama as White House Social Secretary, re-positioning the White House as the “People’s House” and implementing innovative events.

Named to the "50 Most Influential People in the Multicultural Market" by WWD, "Top 25 Women to Watch" by Crain's Chicago Business, and "Top 50 Most Powerful African American Business Women" by Black Enterprise, Rogers offers insights on everything from how to make marketing work in a digital and global age, to how to talk about race and foster a positive, inclusive work environment. Sought-out to speak at Chicago Ideas, TED, the Society for Human Resource Management, and more, Rogers has the unique ability to connect with her audience, energize and inspire teams, and illuminate new strategic pathways and operational approaches.

Award-winning journalist, media executive, and author Isha Sesay has been covering global events and major breaking news for over a decade, with a focus on stories of social injustice and their impact on women and girls. Sesay is the CEO of OkayMedia, a media company dedicated to Black culture and uplifting Black voices, and serves on the board of directors. Previously, the celebrated journalist spent more than a decade with CNN International as an anchor and correspondent. Sesay led the CNN team that covered the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from their school in Chibok in 2014. CNN’s in-depth reporting was recognized with a Peabody Award, and Sesay received a Gracie Award for her coverage. Her painstakingly detailed account, Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram, is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Whether offering insights about the intersections of race and gender in the media, global events, or her significant advocacy work, Sesay’s perspective makes an impact with audiences of all kinds.

Sesay is the Founder and President of W.E. (Women Everywhere) Can Lead, a non-profit organization working in her native country of Sierra Leone to nurture and empower teen girls to become Africa’s next generation of dynamic female leaders. She serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s reproductive health and rights agency. As the host of the podcast The Accidental Activist, Sesay moderates riveting conversations with cultural icons who are united by their motivation to make a difference in the world. In addition, she has moderated and hosted events with groups such as the Gates Foundation, Coca Cola, The Obama White House, The World Bank, MasterCard Foundation, Women Deliver, and Brilliant Minds. She has been sought-after for talks with groups like Untitled Future, The Brookings Institution, the Global Citizen Festival, among many others.

Journalist, political advisor, and author Iuliia Mendel rose to international prominence when she served as the press secretary and spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Mendel worked previously for ICTV, Espresso TV, 112 Ukraine, and Inter, and served as a Communications Consultant for the World Bank. She produced the documentary Shell-Shocked: Ukraine’s Trauma, the first documentary focused on post-traumatic stress disorder. Mendel’s first book, The Fight of Our Lives: My Time with Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Battle for Democracy, and What It Means for the World, received immediate critical acclaim and has been acquired for development into a limited TV series. In her writing as well as in her speaking engagements, Mendel brings incisive analysis, insider context, and an unparalleled point of view to the most vital issues facing the world today.

Mendel is a regular op-ed columnist for The Washington Post, and her work has appeared in Politico Europe, The New York Times, the Atlantic Council, VICE, Spiegel Online, and Forbes. She became the first Ukrainian journalist to win the prestigious World Press Institute fellowship, and was named to Focus magazine’s “100 Most Influential Women in Ukraine” and Novoe Vremya magazine’s “100 Most Successful Women in Ukraine.” Sought after for her frank and moving insights, Mendel’s commentary about the war in Ukraine – as well as the international impacts of this crisis – offer a deep background on the interconnected issues playing out on the world stage.

NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith is the co-host of the NPR Politics podcast – the top political news podcast in America. Keith joined NPR in 2009 as a Business Reporter on topics spanning the business world, from policy debates to technology trends. Serving as the White House correspondent for NPR since 2014, she chronicled the final years of the Obama administration, covered Hillary Clinton’s failed bid for president, and documented the Trump administration. Keith is a sought-after speaker for events with groups including the National Association of State Retirement Administrators, Stable Value Investment Association, Johns Hopkins University, and many others.

Keith serves on the board of the White House Correspondents' Association and is the association's president through the middle of 2023. Her mission for the year of her presidency is to demystify the White House beat for the public, in an effort to help restore trust in the press, an essential pillar of American democracy. She also serves on advisory boards for the University of California Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement and the UC Berkeley J-School. Keith consistently receives glowing reviews for her events, such as: “It was honestly one of our best events (probably our best). She received a standing ovation and I’ve received non-stop kudos to and for her. Fantastic.” (Drury University)

Political commentator, bestselling author, and gay rights activist Margaret Hoover is the host of PBS’ Firing Line with Margaret Hoover – a smart, civil, and engaging contest of ideas. Firing Line is a public affairs, multi-platform program that engages in long-form interviews and a rigorous exchange of ideas with the guiding principle that civil discourse is a civic responsibility. A CNN contributor, Ms. Hoover has served in The White House under President George W. Bush, in the Department of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill and on two presidential campaigns. A gifted analyst and moderator, Ms. Hoover connects with a broad audience to amplify bipartisan solutions to the pressing challenges facing American businesses and individuals.

Ms. Hoover is the bestselling author of American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The Daily Beast, CNN.com, and FoxNews.com. She is the President of American Unity Fund – a political organization focused on achieving full freedom and equality for LGBT Americans. Ms. Hoover serves on the boards of Stanford University's Hoover Institution, the Hoover Presidential Foundation, the Belgian American Educational Foundation, The Markle Foundation, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. A persuasive and impassioned speaker, Ms. Hoover brings a unique perspective to topics including individualism, the future of politics, and more.

Respected political and cultural organizer Alexis McGill Johnson is the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Planned Parenthood, which provides vital health services to 2.4M people each year through more than 600 health centers across the country, offers a vision of a world of equity: where sexual and reproductive rights are basic human rights; where access to health care doesn’t depend on who you are or where you live; and where every person has the opportunity to choose their own path to a healthy and meaningful life. Alexis, a researcher by training, co-founded and co-directed the Perception Institute, which creates solutions that reduce bias and discrimination and drive equity and belonging. Alexis is a thought leader on brain science and narrative change, has written and spoken extensively on equity, race, and culture, and is sought-after for events with groups like Viacom, SXSW, MAC World AIDS Day, the United Nations Global Compact Gender Equality Summit, and more.

A tireless advocate for reproductive freedom, Alexis has served in Planned Parenthood’s leadership for more than a decade. She also serves on the boards of Color of Change and is the Founder of The Culture Group. Alexis is uniquely positioned to offer in-depth analysis, actionable insights for individuals and organizations, and shares an affirmative vision of protecting and expanding reproductive health care.

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.).

Organizational leader, political strategist, and senior advisor Stephanie Schriock is a strategic, adaptive leader with a 20-year record of success in both startups and mature organizations. An inspirational visionary, Stephanie’s strengths in management, strategy, and media relations are underpinned by her down-to-earth ability to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and views. From 2010 through 2021, Stephanie was President of EMILY’s List – a national organization dedicated to electing women to office. During her tenure, she tripled its income to $120M, quadrupled its staff to 120, built an online community of over 5M, and trained more than 14K women to run for office. She is the author of Run to Win: A Leadership Guide to Women Who Want to Change the World, an Amazon Editor’s Pick in Best Nonfiction. Stephanie has been sought-after to speak for groups including Yale University, George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, the Harvard Women in Law Program, America Votes, and more.

Before joining EMILY’s List, Stephanie managed the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Jon Tester in Montana, building a campaign organization from scratch and defeating an 18-year incumbent. She served as Senator Tester’s Chief of Staff until 2010. Stephanie also managed Al Franken’s Senate campaign in Minnesota and was the national finance director for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign, where she pioneered the digital techniques that have since transformed political campaigning and fundraising. She serves on the boards of the Goldman School’s Center on Security in Politics at UC-Berkeley, Priorities USA, and Democracy Docket, and is currently consulting for Precision Strategies, FrontRow, and the Strategic Victory Fund. With expertise spanning leadership, politics, business, and more, Stephanie is an uplifting speaker who offers actionable strategies for growth and empowerment.

One of the world's foremost communication strategists, Karen Hughes specializes in strategic messaging, crisis communications, and executive positioning with clients ranging from global corporations to Fortune 500 CEOs. She was inducted into the PR Hall of Fame for her work as worldwide vice chair of BCW Global. Hughes has also served as counselor to President George W. Bush and Under Secretary of the State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. As counselor to the President, she managed the White House Offices of Communications, Media Affairs, Speechwriting, and Press Secretary. As Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, she oversaw three bureaus at the Department of State: Educational and Cultural Affairs, Public Affairs, and International Information Programs, and participated in foreign policy development at the State Department. In the private sector, Hughes has served on the Microsoft Advisory Council for Policy and Politics (MAC) since 2011, as Principal of Message Matters, and as former Worldwide Vice Chair of global communications firm BCW (2008-2022). Hughes’ diverse expertise at the highest levels of communication across the public and private sectors imbues her with a compelling ability to tailor presentations to provide a directed expert perspective. 

Hughes has spoken at Boston College, Merril Lynch, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, and many more. The Union League Club of Chicago, yet another happy host, said, “It was obvious from her remarks that she had given a great deal of thought to her address, and she touched upon all the right notes... A big home run!”

Dynamic. Captivating. Relevant. These are just a few words used to describe Judge Victoria Pratt. She is recognized nationally and internationally for her commitment to reforming the criminal justice system. She’s been called a pioneer in procedural justice­­ – a simple, proven approach to transforming our court system using the power of dignity and respect. Her respectful approach has had a transformational impact on court participants, the community, and court practitioners. Her highly viewed TED Talk “How judges can show respect” has been listed as one of the Top 15 Most Viral Motivational Talks on Facebook, with over 37M views. Pratt is the author of The Power of Dignity: How Transforming Justice Can Heal Our Communities, which the Los Angeles Review of Books called ”mandatory reading,” among other rave reviews.

Considered a global expert, Pratt has worked in Dubai, Ukraine, England, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico. She’s been featured in media outlets such as The Guardian, Forbes, and PBS, to name a few. She champions criminal justice reform through her consulting firm Pratt Lucien Consultants, LLC, by sharing her skills and approach with corporations such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Prudential, as well as other institutions and organizations. In sought after motivational keynotes, Pratt offers unparalleled insights on procedural justice, transforming justice, DEI work, and leadership that make an impact with audiences of all kinds. She regularly receives rave reviews for her events, such as: “"Judge Pratt does not disappoint. She is a dynamic speaker with a passionate message that applies universally. Her words made the audience members reflect long after her presentation. I highly recommend her if you want your audience to be informed and inspired!" (Prudential Financial)

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.

Former Texas State Senator and Founder of the non-profit Deeds Not Words, Wendy Davis is renowned as a passionate advocate for women in social, economic and political spheres. After skyrocketing to near celebrity status through her historic 13-hour filibuster in the Texas Senate to stop a legislative effort that would have dramatically reduced women’s access to healthcare, Davis emerged as a leader in the national conversation surrounding women’s leadership and issues which threaten our individual opportunities. Long before she was a Texas State Senator and Texas’ Democratic nominee for Governor in 2014, Davis struggled with the same obstacles faced by women around the country. Determined to break the cycle of poverty she’d been born into, Davis fought to juggle school, career and single motherhood and uses those experiences to connect with others in order to shape perspective. Through Davis’ work at Deeds Not Words, for which she earned a spot on Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” she is shaping the next generation of leaders and directly working to foster diversity, inclusivity, and change at the highest levels of business and government.

At the podium, Davis combines the power of personal storytelling with her deep policy understanding to explain why equitable policies matter in the lives of women as well as the overall health and vibrancy of our economy, guiding organizations across industries toward a better understanding of the institutional value in creating diverse work environments, and key issues such as pay equity, family leave, and harassment policies. A living testament to the ability we each possess to rise above challenges and succeed, Davis demonstrates the power of each of our unique voices, and the value in raising them for what we believe in. Audiences are left inspired to utilize their individual strengths into meaningful contributions, and organizations are left with the tools and insights needed to advance positive change.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Stacy Schiff is the author of multiple award-winning bestsellers and an acclaimed historian. The Wall Street Journal called her “perhaps the most seductive writer of nonfiction prose in America in our time.” Her book The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem was hailed by The New York Times as “an almost novelistic, thriller-like narrative.” Joseph Ellis deemed Schiff’s the finest account to date of the witch trials; David McCullough declared the book “brilliant from start to finish.” Schiff’s #1 bestseller Cleopatra: A Life was published to great acclaim – it appeared on numerous year-end “Best Book” lists, including The New York Times “Top Ten Books of 2010,” has been translated into more than 30 languages, and won the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography. She is the author of Pulitzer Prize-winner Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov), Pulitzer Prize finalist Saint-Exupéry: A Biography, and A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, winner of the George Washington Book Prize. All New York Times Notable Books. Apple TV produced a TV series based on A Great Improvisation starring Michael Douglas. In engaging moderated conversations Schiff captivates audiences with her power as a storyteller, drawing connections between the past and the most important issues today.

Schiff has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities and was a Director’s Fellow at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library. Among other honors, she was named a 2011 Library Lion by the New York Public Library, a Boston Public Library Literary Light in 2016, and in 2017 received the Lifetime Achievement Award in History and Biography from the New England Historic Genealogical Society. She received the 2019 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award. In 2018 she was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Awarded a 2006 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she was inducted into the Academy in 2019. Schiff has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Los Angeles Times, among many other publications. Her most recent book, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, is already a bestselling revelatory biography, and Ron Chernow has hailed it as “a glorious book that is as entertaining as it is vitally important” and The Wall Street Journal declared it a "tour de force."

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

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

For more than four decades, Kay Bailey Hutchison has leveraged her expertise in the public and private sectors. She served in the U.S. Senate for twenty years representing the state of Texas. As a member of Senate leadership, she was elected Vice-Chairman of the Republic Conference and later Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-highest ranking Republican Senator. Then in 2017, she became the permanent Representative of the U.S. to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, where she held the alliance together and strategized the U.S. working relationships with Russia, China, and the rest of the world. Highly regarded for her commitment to bipartisan solutions, Ambassador Hutchison offers an insider’s perspective and practical, non-partisan insights to issues central to the national economy, homeland defense, and foreign affairs in her engaging talks.

Kay Bailey Hutchison was named one of the world’s 100 most powerful women by Forbes. She served two terms as Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and previously worked as a prominent attorney at Bracewell, LLP, an established international law firm in Dallas, Texas. She is a Senior Adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges, and is the namesake for the KBH Center for Energy, Law and Business at the University of Texas. Ambassador Hutchison is the New York Times bestselling author of three books, including Unflinching Courage: Pioneering Women Who Shaped Texas, Leading Ladies: American Trailblazers, and American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country. With her breadth of experience, she is a masterful, knowledgeable speaker on national security, foreign policy and America's agenda on the world stage.

Award-winning gender economist and former Global 500 global executive Katica Roy is a programmer, data scientist, and the CEO and founder of an award-winning SaaS company, Pipeline. Pipeline uses advanced technology to enable companies to realize the economic opportunity of intersectional gender equity and launched the first gender equity app on Salesforce's AppExchange. Pipeline, which is backed by both Accenture and Workday, was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2019 and awarded Fast Company’s: 2023 and 2020 World’s Most Innovative Companies, 2021 Next Big Things in Tech, and 2022 World Changing Ideas.

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 President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senators Booker and Gillibrand, 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 stages across the world including major stages at SXSW, CES, Web Summit, The Atlantic, and for major corporations such as JP Morgan, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Cisco, Edelman, BNP Paribas and more. Katica Roy is disrupting the business world with data-driven content that dynamically changes the audience. Ultimately compelling them to take action!

Katica’s 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 Morning Consult, garnering over 2.9 billion impressions. She has received numerous accolades, including being named a 2019 Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business and awarded the 2019 Stevie Entrepreneur of the Year—Gold Award, the 2020 Colorado Entrepreneur of the Year as well as one of LinkedIn’s Top Influencer for gender equity in 2022. 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 (as an advisor to the President, Congress, and the SBA). Katica offers illuminating insights into fixing the leaky talent pipeline, the economic opportunity of gender equity, engineering gender equity into the future of work, AI and the future of revenue, the intersection of gender equity and climate change, and more.

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

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

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

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

Reena Ninan is a television journalist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Good Trouble Productions, a media company focused on amplifying causes through producing, distributing, and hosting engaging content. Ninan created and hosts two top-rated podcasts, Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting and HERO: The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women.

She has served as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East—reporting from Baghdad to Beirut to Jerusalem—as well as a White House Correspondent for ABC News. She also anchored the CBS Weekend news in New York. Reena is most passionate about foreign affairs, female entrepreneurship, economic inclusion, mental health/wellness, and creating thriving communities. Ninan is a gifted speaker as well as an expert moderator – having moderated conversations for the Council on Foreign Relations, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Centerview Partners, PhRMA, Foreign Policy, and many more.

Republican strategist, analyst, and TV personality Ana Navarro is a vital voice in political media today. The Miami New Times named her a “Republican power-consultant,” and the Tampa Bay Times called her “a sought-after voice in Republican politics and an adviser for any presidential hopeful.” Navarro is respected on both sides of the aisle for her straight shooting and candor.

Navarro first served as ambassador to the United Nation’s Human Rights Commission, a special advisor to the government of Nicaragua, and one of the primary advocates for NACARA (Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act). Navarro then transitioned to the private sector. She has also played a role in several federal and state races in Florida. She served as the national Hispanic co-chair for Governor Jon Huntsman’s campaign and the national co-chair of John McCain’s Hispanic Advisory Council. She served on Governor Jeb Bush’s transition team and was his first director of immigration policy.

Navarro frequently appears in the media, sought after by Meet the Press, Bill Maher’s Real Time, Anderson Cooper 360, and more. She is a co-host of ABC’s The View. From both her media work and political insider perspective, Navarro is in touch with the political issues of today. In presentations, Navarro discusses the latest hot button issues in politics, giving audiences a roadmap for where the country is headed.

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. 

Tara Palmeri is a deeply sourced political columnist who uncovers the machinations at the highest levels of power in Washington. Her quick wit and unvarnished reporting offer a deeper level of understanding of the intrigues of the permanent political class, going beyond the headlines to the egos and ambitions driving it all.

Dr. Adjoa B. Asamoah is an experienced executive and strategic consultant to Fortune 500 companies and has worked with local, state, and federal governments for over 25 years. As atrained behavior specialist, she brings to the boardroom a unique ability to ascertain and discern complex issues and deliver thoughtful insights that help companies achieve strategic agendas. With both domestic and international experience, she works as a senior advisor to CEOs, heads of state, ambassadors, secretaries/ministers, and members of Congress across diverse industries and sectors (including consumer brands and products, government, behavioral health, education, and entertainment). Adjoa has extensive risk management, regulatory, and compliance expertise. Additionally, she is responsible for allocating a $76 billion dollar appropriated budget. She leverages cultural intelligence and behavioral insights to create national multicultural marketing campaigns that improve brand image, corporate social responsibility, and companies’ market share. 

Multiple award-winning national and international CNN senior correspondent Sara Sidner is renowned for exposing injustices and uncovering truth in the most extreme environments. In 2016, Sidner took on a beat which focused on social, racial, and political conflict across the U.S. and in 2020, she helped lead CNN’s coverage in Minneapolis, Minnesota after the police killing of George Floyd. She has shaped the national dialogue with her work covering the first known coronavirus outbreak, the Charlottesville White Nationalist Rally as well as the trial of the Neo-Nazi who killed anti-racism protestor Heather Heyer, and the protests in Ferguson, Missouri following the police murder of the unarmed Black teenager Michael Brown. Previously, Sidner worked for CNN as an international correspondent based in India, then Jerusalem, and later Abu Dhabi. She hosts The Big Picture for CNN+, an in-depth look at the most important and interesting story of the day. Sidner has received rave reviews as a keynote speaker and moderator from groups such as the Alliance of Women Philanthropists, NAACP, the 92^nd Street Y, the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism, and many others.

Sidner has received numerous honors including a regional Emmy, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and multiple Gracie Awards from the Women in Media Foundation. She has reported from over twenty countries around the world, from the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to the fall of Tripoli. She was part of the team that won a Peabody Award for CNN’s coverage of the Arab Spring, and shared the Achievement of the Year Award from SKY Women in Film & Television in the U.K. for her work. As an insightful moderator, inspiring keynote speaker, and renowned investigative journalist, Sidner offers her compelling and candid perspective as a journalist, woman, and citizen on the most intense and important news stories of our time.

Lesley Stahl is one of America's most honored and experienced broadcast journalists and offers a historical look at politics from a career that has spanned over fifty years. Her rich career has been marked by political scoops, surprising features and award-winning foreign reporting, a body of work that won her the RTDNA's 2015 Paul White award for lifetime achievement. She has been a 60 Minutes correspondent since March 1991 and began her 30th season in 2020. She is the author of the best-selling book Becoming Grandma.

Alexis Abramson, Ph.D., is a trailblazing gerontologist, sought-after thought leader, and mesmerizing keynote speaker who has revolutionized the nexus of ‘aging and business’ for over two decades. With an unparalleled ability to captivate audiences and empower them to reframe their perspectives on aging, Dr. Abramson's expertise is indispensable in navigating today's rapidly shifting demographic terrain. TIME magazine said: “Few entrepreneurs have focused more sharply on the needs of multi-generations than Dr. Alexis Abramson.”

Dr. Abramson's impressive roster of consulting and speaking clients includes distinguished brands and institutions such as L’Oréal Paris, Walmart, Philips, COMCAST, Marriott, ADP, Duracell, Ameriprise, AARP, Humana, AIG, National Golf Foundation, Kroger, Harvard, BMO Private Bank, Kimberly-Clark, Siemens, AAA, Comfort Keepers, Northwestern Mutual, P&G, Beltone, Subway, Genworth, Arthritis Foundation, and countless others.

As a charismatic speaker and fervent advocate for multi-generations, Dr. Alexis will impart her vast knowledge and experience at your upcoming event. Her keynote presentations offer an exceptional blend of innovative and practical strategies, scientific depth, and real-world insights that inspire transformative change in how we perceive and address aging. Seize this unparalleled opportunity to learn from one of the most dynamic thought leaders in gerontology as she guides you on a journey to redefine aging.

Catherine V. Herridge is an Emmy Award‐winning veteran investigative correspondent who covers national security and intelligence. 

A strong advocate for the First Amendment and press freedom, in February 2024, Herridge was held in civil contempt by a US federal court for refusing to disclose her confidential sources for a series of national security stories in 2017.

As a senior investigative correspondent for CBS News from 2019-2024, Herridge’s reporting was a catalyst for legislative change affecting more than a million American veterans and civilians. The Investigative Unit’s Emmy‐nominated series “Decades of Exposure” is credited by activists and lawmakers with the passing of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in August 2022.  Part of the burn pit legislation known as the PACT ACT, the law is considered one of the largest expansions of VA healthcare and benefits for American veterans.

In 2021, Herridge and the CBS News Investigative Unit won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ top prize, the Kevin Carmody Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting, for a year-long probe that exposed serious health hazards at the K-2 military base in Uzbekistan that supported Special Operations missions into Afghanistan after 9/11. In response to Herridge’s reporting, an Executive Order recognized K2 veterans and mandated a comprehensive Defense Department study on the health consequences.

Herridge has reported  from Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, Northern Ireland, Russia and the former Yugoslavia. Prior to joining CBS News, Herridge was the chief intelligence correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC), and a TV and radio correspondent for ABC News in London.  In 2019, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society awarded Herridge with its annual Tex McCrary Award for excellence in journalism.  

Denise was born and raised at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. Her mother is a Chinese immigrant who escaped communism in 1949, as the daughter of a two-star general who served under the command of President Chiang Kai-Shek. Her father is a Canadian immigrant who enlisted and served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. As a member of a proud military family, Denise has a special appreciation for the liberties that enabled her parents to achieve the American Dream. She also recognizes the personal significance of her favorite Bible verse: To whom much is given, much is required. This verse underlies Denise’s life-long commitment to public service.

Denise is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to starting her own public affairs consulting firm, she practiced law at K&L Gates; worked for a San Diego-based renewable energy company; and served as a presidential appointee at the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a law clerk in the U.S. Senate. In 2016, Denise ran for Congress, and as a first-time candidate, earned the designation of an NRCC “Young Gun,” along with 43% of the vote in California’s then-52^nd Congressional District.

Denise writes and speaks on topics ranging from business to leadership, politics and faith. In 2018, Denise spoke as part of a six-city tour with Propel Activate, a national faith-based conference focused on developing leadership skills in women. She has spoken on the main stage at CPAC, delivered keynote addresses at political, religious, and business conferences, and written op-eds that have been published by local, national, and faith-based media outlets.

Denise is a regular contributor to Propel Women, an online outlet which reaches over 1,000,000 women. She is a political contributor for NewsNation. This fall, Baker Publishing Group will release her first book, titled Politics for People Who Hate Politics: How to Engage without Losing your Friends or Selling your Soul.

Susan Del Percio is a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant.  She is a political analyst for NBC & MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News THINK and Know Your Value.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the political, government, nonprofit and private sector arenas, she is a trusted advisor, helping leaders develop and execute focused strategic communications and winning crisis management campaigns.

Her unique insights on government procedure, regulatory environments and public policy is highly sought after, especially now, with public affairs, policy and media so thoroughly intertwined.

Appointed as a Special Advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014, she initiated and implemented communication strategies, and advised and developed policy initiatives. Susan also served as Deputy Commissioner in the Giuliani Administration (1995-2001) prior to founding her firm in 2001.

Bushra Amiwala is a media icon, activist, dynamic speaker, and the youngest Muslim elected official in the United States.

At the age of 19, she announced her candidacy for the Cook County Board of Commissioners, with the goal to serve as a voice for her underrepresented generation and other marginalized communities. Her campaign has been covered nationally by outlets such as Forbes, The Hill, Bloomberg, the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Teen Vogue, and landing her on the cover of TIME magazine. Bushra recently went down in the Chicago History Museum as the Youngest Muslim Elected in the United States.

Her leadership has extended far beyond her campaign as she’s inspired countless others to increase their civic participation. As a result, she’s been named Glamour magazine’s "College Woman of the Year," Seventeen magazine’s "Voice of the Year," and internationally as CosmoGirl’s "Change Maker of the Year." Bushra was awarded the Public Peace Ambassador award sponsored by the United Nations, and has been named as one of the 18 people to remember from 2018.

In addition to these awards, Bushra is the subject of an original PBS documentary called And She Could be Next, the female candidate on Amazon’s RUN the Series, and a Hulu documentary called Our America: Women Forward. She has made hundreds of TV and radio appearances, including outlets such as Fox, CBS, NPR, ABC, and PBS.  

Bushra has spoken at countless colleges and universities, organizations and international companies, with live audiences ranging from 25 to 15,000 people including UNICEF, and Harvard. She is recent graduate from DePaul University and serves on the Board of Directors of the Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO), GenerationVote, Women Empowering Women in Illinois Legislation (WeWill) and SheVotesIL. She holds her elected seat on the Skokie Board of Education, as its youngest member.

Shannon Watts is a mother of five who, prior to founding Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, was a stay-at-home mom and former communications executive. The day after the Sandy Hook tragedy, Watts started a Facebook group with the message that all Americans can and should do more to reduce gun violence. That online conversation has grown into a nationwide grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country, with over 5 million supporters. Watts tells the inspiring story of how her rallying call-to-action grew into a social movement powered by mothers to protect children from America’s gun violence crisis and offers lessons for others who want to make a difference in their community in her debut book Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World.

In addition to her work with Moms Demand Action, Watts is an active board member of Emerge America, one of the nation’s leading organizations for recruiting and training women to run for office. In 2018, she was named one of InStyle Magazine’s Badass Women, one of People Magazine’s 25 Women Changing the World, and a Yerba Beuna Center for the Arts 100 Honoree. Watts’ writing has appeared in Vogue, Refinery 29, Time, The Washington Post, The Hill, and others.

Souad Mekhennet is an award-winning journalist and book author who defies simple characterization. Her significant contributions to public discourse and global understanding are uniquely forged through a combination of her professional acumen and pathbreaking determination as a German woman of Moroccan and Turkish parentage. Souad’s immense cultural fluency sheds light on the evils of our time, but also support justice. Her dangerous encounters read like scenes from an action thriller, but also portray unparalleled humanity. Whether in the remote tribal regions of Pakistan, attending global gatherings in Dubai or Switzerland, on the streets of European capitals, or visiting mosques and synagogues across the United States, Souad’s reporting consistently challenges assumptions and breaks down barriers between people.

Based in Washington and Frankfurt, Souad Mekhennet is a national security Staff writer for The Washington Post where she was part of the reporting team recognized as Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2019. Souad first reported for The Post in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, delving into the background of the Hamburg cell and writing on the threat al-Qaeda posed in Europe, North Africa and the Gulf. She was part of The Post’s coverage of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In 2004, she began a long interlude at The New York Times where she produced some of the most defining insights into the Bush administration’s war on terrorism, most notably the CIA’s botched rendition of Khalid el-Masri, a German citizen. Souad returned to The Post in 2014 and helped unmask the identity of terrorist Jihadi John. Known for closely monitoring activity within terror networks, she has many times been the first to break news and publish front page stories, such as reporting the death of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the leader of the group behind the 2015 Paris attacks, 15 hours before government confirmation and other media.

In her deeply reported memoir, I Was Told to Come Alone: My Journey Behind the Lines of Jihad, Souad recounts how she went to jihadi strongholds to interview the leaders of and the converts to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and the Islamic State. A product and champion of liberal democracy who is culturally and linguistically at home across the Arab world, Mekhennet is fair-minded and fearless as she seeks to find out who these people are and what motivates them. The book provides offers unique access and insight across countries.

Loung Ung was only 5 years old when the Khmer Rouge soldiers stormed into her native city of Phnom Penh. Four years later, in one of the bloodiest episodes of the 20th century, some two million Cambodians – out of a population of seven million – had died at the hands of the infamous Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime. Among the victims were both of Loung’s parents, two sisters, and 20 other relatives. In 1980, Loung, her older brother Meng and his wife, escaped by boat to Thailand, where they spent five months in a refugee camp before relocating to the United States in Vermont.

Loung Ung is now a bestselling author, activist, and co-screenplay writer of First They Killed My Father, the critically acclaimed 2017 Netflix Original Movie produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, based on Ung's bestselling memoir, now streaming on Netflix in 190 countries. On November 5, 2017 with the start of the awards season, the film received the “Hollywood Foreign Language Film Award" at the Hollywood Film Awards.

Loung’s bestselling memoir, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, was a 2001 recipient of the Asian/Pacific American Librarians’ Association award for Excellence in Adult Non-fiction Literature, is widely taught in high schools and universities across the U.S. and internationally, and has been translated into 15 languages, including Khmer, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. 

Since 1995, Loung has made over thirty trips back to Cambodia and has devoted herself to helping her native land heal from the traumas of war. She has worked as an activist to end violence against women, child soldiers, and the Campaign for a Landmine Free World, serving as its spokesperson from 1997-2005 before leaving to focus more on her writing and restaurant business.  In 2013, Loung expanded her activism reach as one of the writers for Girl Rising, a groundbreaking documentary film directed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins. 

The World Economic Forum selected Loung as one of the “100 Global Youth Leaders of Tomorrow.” Among the publications, television and radio shows she has been featured on are The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, People Magazine, CNN, Nightline, the Diane Rheme Show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and The Today Show, among others. In addition, she has been the subject of documentary films broadcast by German ARTE, Japanese NHK, and the New England Cable Network (NECN).

Former diplomat, author, and advisor on emerging markets, Anja Manuel is Co-Founder and Partner along with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm that helps US companies navigate international markets.

She is the author of the critically acclaimed This Brave New World: India, China and the United States. From 2005-2007, she served as an official at the U.S. Department of State, responsible for South Asia Policy.

A graduate of Harvard Law School and Stanford University, Manuel now also lectures at Stanford University.

She currently serves on two corporate boards: Overseas Shipping Group, Inc., a NYSE listed energy transportation company (risk committee chair, and audit comm. member), and Ripple Labs Inc., a leading blockchain payments company (governance committee). Manuel also serves on advisory boards of Flexport Inc., Synapse Inc., Center for a New American Security, and the boards of the American Ditchley Foundation, Natl. Comm. on US-China Relations, and Governor Brown’s California Export Council.

She is a frequent commentator on foreign policy and technology policy, for tv and radio (NBC/MSNBC, Fox Business, BBC, Bloomberg, NPR, etc.) and writes for publications ranging from the New York Times, to the Financial Times, Fortune, the Atlantic, and Newsweek, among others.

She is the Director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Aspen Security Forum -- the premier bi-partisan forum on foreign policy in the U.S. -- and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Yamiche Alcindor is the White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, Host of Washington Week, and a contributor for NBC News and MSNBC. She often tells stories about the intersection of race and politics. 

As a contributor for NBC News and MSNBC, she often appears on a number of shows including Morning Joe, Andrea Mitchell Reports, and Meet the Press with Chuck Todd.

Previously, Alcindor worked as a national political reporter for The New York Times where she covered the presidential campaigns of Mr. Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders as well as Congress. She also wrote about the impact of President Donald Trump's policies on working class people and people of color.

In 2020, the White House Correspondents’ Association named Alcindor the recipient of the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage. She has also been honored with the Gwen Ifill Next Generation Award by Simmons University and NextGen Leader Award by the Georgetown Entertainment & Media Alliance.

Influential in steering the dialogue of the country, Dr. Julianne Malveaux shares her groundbreaking views on race, women, the economy, and the state of America. 

A distinguished labor economist, syndicated columnist, and colorful commentator, Julianne has been hailed by Dr. Cornel West as "the most iconoclastic public intellectual in the country.” She is president emerita of Bennett College, America's oldest historically black college for women, and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, Economic Education. Julianne has taught at some of the country’s most prestigious universities, while her scholarship and progressive observations have been featured in several anthologies. A popular author, her latest book is Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy.

Armed with a Ph.D. in economics from MIT and a passion for social justice, Julianne shapes public opinion in 21st century America through her profound contributions to the discussion of issues involving race, culture, and gender, and their economic impacts. Well-versed in public affairs and economic issues, she shares her unique perspective on the future of our country and enlightens with thought-provoking analyses on issues that matter most to the American public.

Ertharin Cousin possesses more than thirty years of national and international non-profit, government, and corporate leadership experience focusing on food, hunger, humanitarian operations, political organizing, community development and resilience strategies.

From 2009 until 2017 Cousin led the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as the twelfth Executive Director (ED). As WFP ED Cousin guided the world’s largest humanitarian organization with 14,000 staff serving 80 million beneficiaries in 75 countries meeting urgent food needs; while, championing and serving as a global advocate for longer-term solutions to food insecurity and hunger. 

Cousin has been listed numerous times on the Forbes "100 Most Powerful Women" list, as the Fortune "Most Powerful Woman in Food and Drink", on Time’s "100 Most Influential People" list, and as one of the "500 Most Powerful People on the Planet" by Foreign Policy magazine. 

Cousin has an international reputation as a leader, with an emphasis on visionary thinking, practical problem solving, and the capacity to articulate clearly an important perspective on the global political and social situation. 

Dr. Agnia Grigas, is a political economist, author, and speaker. She is a Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council and an independent consultant based out of Los Angeles. Her three acclaimed books include “The New Geopolitics of Natural Gas” (Harvard UP) and “Beyond Crimea” (Yale UP), which was selected as TIME’s Top-10 book on Russia, and “The Politics of Energy and Memory” (Routledge). She has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, John Hopkins, Oxford, LSE, and leading business and security conferences. She regularly appears in the media including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Newsweek, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Foreign Affairs, CNN, BBC. Agnia earned her Doctorate & Masters degrees in International Relations from University of Oxford, and her BA in Economics-Political Science from Columbia University.

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.

Laura Schwartz is a dynamic professional speaker, emcee and internationally recognized television commentator. But when she arrived at the White House in January of 1993, she was just a 19-year-old student with no political connections and no way of knowing what was about to come next. She landed a volunteer position answering phones in the press office, but that was just the beginning. She climbed her way up the ranks of the Clinton Administration, as the Midwest Press Secretary, Director of Television and, ultimately, Director of Events, where she produced the President’s events on the world stage.

Laura is the author of Eat, Drink & Succeed, which focuses on powerful, positive and productive networking secrets not only to her success but that of Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and more.  Laura relates these powerful techniques to every reader and audience regardless of industry or location in the world.

Throughout every presentation, Laura shares secrets to leadership and success while revealing essential tools that will increase sales, productivity, elevate you to the table or propel you to the next level in business and beyond. As she often remarks, “You never know when the next conversation will be thee conversation to change your life or that of someone else!”

Laura has been taking her empowering presentations to stages across the world since 2001 and is well known for her keynotes and as a mistress of ceremonies and on stage interviewer for multi-day conferences and events. Whether addressing an intimate gathering of 30 or a crowd of 30,000, Laura captivates attendees with her positive energy, expertise and enthusiasm.

Elizabeth Cohen is senior medical correspondent for CNN's Health, Medical and Wellness unit, reporting breaking medical news and health consumer reporting on CNN and CNN.com. Her signature digital column, Empowered Patient, keeps consumers informed on how to ensure the best medical care for themselves and their families. She has a masters degree in public health and is the author of THE EMPOWERED PATIENT: How to get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time.

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.

Nancy G. Brinker is regarded as the leader of the global breast cancer movement. Her journey began with a simple promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear and hopelessness caused by this disease. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world.

As Ambassador Nancy has given speeches around the world – from the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland to business leaders in Moscow, Russia and at annual meetings of our nation’s largest companies. In front of countless audiences big and small, she has shared her fascinating experiences and stories as our nation’s top diplomat in Hungary in the weeks and months immediately following 9/11 and as the United States Chief of Protocol under President Bush where she had the intimate opportunity to walk the halls of the West Wing and White House Residence while managing protocol and social matters for visiting heads of state and government.

The first ever female head of The New York Times editorial board and op-ed columnist, Gail Collins is a noted women’s historian and author of When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.

Martha Raddatz was named Senior Foreign Affairs correspondent for ABC News in November 2008, after serving as chief White House correspondent during the last term of President George W. Bush's administration. She has received Peabody and Emmy awards for her coverage of presidential campaigns and the Sept. 11 attacks. In 2006, Ms. Raddatz broke the story on the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. She is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family.

Donna Brazile is one of the best known, most influential African-American women in modern American political life. She was named one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Washington, D.C.,” by Washingtonian Magazine and one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in America” by Essence Magazine. Ms. Brazile is a Senior Advisor at Purple Strategies, New York Times bestselling author, Chair of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and sought-after Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning media contributor to such outlets as ABC News, USA Today and TheGrio.

She became the first African American woman to serve as the manager of a major party presidential campaign, running the campaign of former Vice President Al Gore.  She previously served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee and of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute.  She is a current member of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. 

She is author of the 2004 best-selling memoir Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics and the 2017 New York Times Bestseller Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-Ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump In The White House. 

She serves as an adjunct professor in the Women and Gender Studies Department at Georgetown University and served as the King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University and as a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. She has lectured at nearly 250 colleges and universities on diversity, equity and inclusion; women in leadership; and restoring civility in American politics.

Star Parker founded the Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education, CURE, to provide a national voice of reason on issues of race and poverty in the media, inner city neighborhoods, and public policy.

A life long advocate for women, children and the underserved, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend’s career has focused on creating public and private partnerships to solve some of the most intractable problems facing America today.

Ms. Soderberg brings her to the table her breadth of experience in the formation of US foreign policy, including promoting peace in Northern Ireland, participating in a United Nations mission to Indonesia and East Timor, negotiating key United Nations resolutions regarding the Middle East and Africa, conducting shuttle diplomacy in Latin America, assisting in the development of the Clinton Administration’s policy of political economic normalization with Vietnam and advising President Clinton on policies regarding China, Japan, Russia, Angola, the Balkans, Haiti, as well as several conflicts in Africa. With nearly twenty years of experience in the formation of U.S. foreign policy, Nancy Soderberg has been involved in most of the conflicts around the world and speaks and writes regularly on national security issues. Ms. Soderberg is highly qualified to discuss today’s crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, Africa and the Middle East and what effects peacekeeping, terrorism, nonproliferation, and the United Nations can have on the outcomes.

As the national political correspondent for NPR, Mara Liasson’s voice is unmistakable and her words memorable. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition.

Liasson provides key coverage of the candidates and issues in both presidential and congressional races. During her tenure she has covered seven presidential elections — in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Prior to her current assignment, Liasson was NPR's White House correspondent for all eight years of the Clinton administration. She has won the White House Correspondents' Association's Merriman Smith Award for daily news coverage in 1994, 1995, and again in 1997. From 1989-1992 Liasson was NPR's congressional correspondent.

Susan Dentzer is one of the nation's most respected health and health policy thought leaders and a frequent speaker and commentator on television and radio, including PBS and NPR, and an author of commentaries and analyses in print publications such as Modern Healthcare, NEJM Catalyst, and the Annals of Internal Medicine. She was also the editor and lead author of the book Health Care Without Walls: A Roadmap for Reinventing U.S. Health Care. She brings sharp analysis to the state of healthcare today, economic and budgetary issues, as well as the future of social security and Medicare.  

Susan Dentzer is Senior Policy Fellow for the Robert J. Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. Based in Washington, DC, where the center’s research team is located, she focuses on aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic response; health system transformation, such as through telehealth; biopharmaceutical policy; health coverage expansion, and other key health policy issues.

From 2016 to 2019, Dentzer was President and Chief Executive Officer of NEHI, the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization then composed of more than 80 stakeholder organizations from across all key sectors of health and health care. From 2013 to 2016, she was senior policy adviser to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest philanthropy focused on health and health care in the United States, and before that, was the editor-in-chief of the policy journal Health Affairs. From 1998 to 2008, she was the on-air Health Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour. Dentzer wrote and hosted the 2015 PBS documentary, Reinventing American Healthcare, focusing on the innovations pioneered by the Geisinger Health System and spread to health systems across the nation.

For almost three decades Dr. Nancy Snyderman has combined careers as a head and neck cancer surgeon, network television correspondent, and advisor to Fortune 500 corporations and is one of the most trusted voices in medical communication. As an award winning medical journalist, she has garnered several of the industry’s most distinguished honors including Emmy’s, DuPont, Edward R. Murrow, and Gracie awards. Dr. Snyderman has reported on wide-ranging topics affecting all strata of society and has traveled the world extensively, reporting from many of the world’s most troubled areas. She is routinely called upon to explain some of the most complicated scientific breakthroughs to the public via television, radio, and print.

As an economist, policy-maker, professor, and former business school dean, Laura D'Andrea Tyson has long been a leading champion of ways to re-think the role of business in society. Currently a Professor and Director of the Institute for Business and Social Impact at the Haas School of Business and the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Blum Center for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley, Tyson has also served as Dean of London Business School from 2002 through 2006 and as Dean of the Berkeley Haas School of Business from 1998 through 2001.

Frequently sought our for her economic insight from the highest levels of government, Tyson was a member of the US Department of State Foreign Affairs Policy Board (2011-2013) and served as a member of President Barack Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (2011-2012). She was also a member of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (2009-2011). 

Tyson is currently a Senior Advisor at Credit Suisse Research Institute and The Rock Creek Group. Among the many other esteemed positions Tyson currently holds are:

• Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress
• Member of the Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution Hamilton Project
• An advisory board member of Generation Investment Management, H&Q Asia Pacific, and the Observatory Group
• Member of the Asia Commission of the Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute
• Advisory committee member of the Presidential Leaders Scholars
• Member of the international advisory council of Bocconi University
• Advisor to the Alliance for Competitive Taxation
• Special Advisor at the Berkeley Research Group
• Member of the Fair Shake Commission on Income Inequality and Middle Class Opportunity
• Serves on the economic advisory board of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School
• Member of the Berggruen Institute on Governance’s Think Long Committee for California, 21^st Century Council and Governance Index
• Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Women’s Empowerment
• Member of the Boards of Directors of AT&T, CBRE Group Inc., and Silver Spring Networks and Lexmark International Inc.
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Jacobs Foundation, The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, and the Opportunity Institute

In addition to her economic work at the highest levels of governments and Fortune 500 companies, she is a leader in the blending of business and social change, exploring ways that for-purpose organizations can impact social change using for-profit principles, and vice versa. Additionally, she has tremendous experience and insight into global trade and trace policy, as she helped usher China into the WTO and was instrumental in the creation of NAFTA and other trade legislation.