NEW SPEAKERS: Innovators & Entrepreneurs | MORE NEW SPEAKERS > > |
Damaris Phillips
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A celebrated Food Network Star, chef, and entrepreneur, Damaris Phillips brings an irresistible blend of warmth, humor, and culinary expertise to the stage. Phillips is a speaker who inspires others to live their best, most fulfilling lives. Known for her modern takes on Southern comfort food, Damaris has become a Food Network favorite, hosting shows like Outrageous Pumpkins and Summer Baking Championship, and appearing as a judge on Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped. She’s passionate about health, wellness, and the power of food to bring people together. With a passion for innovation, diversity, and mentorship in the culinary world, she offers inspiring insights on breaking barriers, building a personal brand, and reimagining food as a storytelling tool.
A champion for female entrepreneurship, Phillips co-founded Bluegrass Supper Club, a catering company that celebrates Kentucky’s local farmers, and Pixilation Productions, a media company specializing in social media marketing. Through Pixilation, Phillips helps brands build their digital presence and engage with audiences in creative ways, empowering women in the media and marketing space.
Damaris also co-hosts the podcast That’s Fun with Nikki Dinki, where they explore how to embrace more joy and adventure in your 40s. Her message is simple: live with intention, cultivate meaningful connections, and make room for fun.
As a guest speaker, Phillips brings a refreshing perspective on health, business, and personal growth, offering actionable advice on entrepreneurship, building strong relationships, and living a vibrant, purposeful life.
Steven Bartlett
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Steven Bartlett is cultural force inspiring entrepreneurs to think big, act boldly, and innovate fearlessly. Whether on stage, on screen, or through his hit podcast The Diary of a CEO, Bartlett’s insights and energy make him a must-see figure for anyone passionate about the future of business and leadership.
As the youngest-ever “Dragon” on BBC’s Dragons’ Den (since 2021), Bartlett brings a bold, modern perspective to this iconic show, which inspired the American hit Shark Tank. His ability to connect with emerging business leaders and younger audiences has redefined the role of a Dragons’ Den investor, making him a standout figure in the UK business community.
Bartlett is also the host of Europe’s leading podcast, The Diary of a CEO, where he engages in candid conversations on entrepreneurship, mental health, and personal growth with some of the world’s most influential figures. His raw, insightful storytelling resonates with millions, making the podcast essential listening for aspiring and established entrepreneurs alike.
His influence extends into the health and wellness sector with investments in groundbreaking companies like Huel, the UK’s fastest-growing e-commerce brand, and Zoe, a personalized nutrition program created by top scientists. His diverse portfolio also includes ventures in biotech, blockchain, space exploration, and Web3 technologies, demonstrating his visionary approach to innovation.
As the co-founder of Flight Group, a media, marketing, and investment powerhouse, Bartlett drives growth across industries through companies like Flight Fund, Flight Ventures, and Flight Story. His entrepreneurial journey began with Social Chain, a digital marketing agency that revolutionized how global brands like Apple and Coca-Cola engage with audiences.
Born in Botswana to a Nigerian mother and an English father, Bartlett’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming a multimillionaire entrepreneur is a story of grit, innovation, and authenticity. He embodies the next generation of leadership, empowering others to embrace challenges, disrupt industries, and build meaningful impact.
Chris Appleton
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Chris Appleton, celebrity hairstylist and visionary behind iconic looks for stars like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, and Ariana Grande, is redefining beauty standards and inspiring creativity on a global scale. He is a regular contributor on The Today Show, a lifestyle contributor for The Drew Barrymore Show, and a correspondent for E! Red Carpet events including the Met Gala. He was recently invited by Anna Wintour to be a contributor for VOGUE across VOGUE social platforms and their digital app. Dubbed a “Hair Star” by Vogue UK, Appleton's work has been showcased on covers and major features for top-tier magazines across the globe, including VOGUE, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. With a career marked by innovation, artistry, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, Appleton has become a trusted name in fashion and beauty. Appleton speaks on his self-made success, embracing opportunity, and the joys of following your passion.
As an award-winning stylist and industry trailblazer, Appleton's unique approach to personal branding, resilience, and creative expression resonates far beyond the salon chair. Whether sharing the story of his success through perseverance, creativity, and risk-taking, inspiring audiences to turn perceived challenges into strengths, or offering transformative lessons in creativity and confidence, Chris inspires audiences to embrace their unique style and harness their full potential.
Tracee Ellis Ross
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Tracee Ellis Ross is an award-winning actress, producer, founder, and CEO.
For eight seasons, Ross starred in ABC’s SAG and Critics Choice Award-nominated and Emmy, Golden Globe, NAACP Image Award, and Peabody-winning comedy series “black-ish.” She also starred in the Emmy and GLAAD Award-nominated and NAACP Image Award-winning series “Girlfriends” for eight seasons. Ross has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including a Golden Globe Award, nine NAACP Image Awards, and the 2020 People’s Choice Awards “Fashion Icon Award.” She was also named a Disney Legend for making an extraordinary contribution to The Walt Disney Company.
Ross is the owner, founder, and co-CEO of PATTERN Beauty, the global multi-million dollar brand she created for the curly, coily & tight-textured community in 2019. PATTERN is the #1 BIPOC brand and #2 curl brand sold at ULTA Beauty. PATTERN is also sold at Sephora, Nordstrom, Target, Macy’s, and Amazon, in the US; Sephora in Canada; and Boots, Look Fantastic and Cult Beauty in the UK. With PATTERN, Ross is changing the paradigm of how the textured hair community is marketed to and supported. The company's content and messaging are a celebration of Black beauty & joy. PATTERN proudly supports organizations and programs that empower women and people of color.
Ross will next be seen in season 7 of the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Black Mirror.” In addition to Ross, the new season also features Paul Giamatti, Jesse Plemons, Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd and Emma Corrin, among other returning cast favorites. The new season will stream on April 10th.
Ross is currently in post-production on her Roku original series “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross.” The series will chronicle Ross as she meticulously, laboriously, and sometimes ridiculously prepares for and travels solo to spectacular locations. Ross will serve as an Executive Producer on the docu-series under her banner Joy Mill Entertainment. Joy Mill Entertainment has a deal with 20th and is dedicated to telling joyful, fun, and grounded stories exploring how we see ourselves and how we connect to one another. “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross” will premiere later this year.
Ross recently wrapped production on “Blow The Horn,” an indie psychological drama from Nacho Arenas. The project is an adaptation of “Bajo Terapia,” the acclaimed Argentinian play by Matias del Federico, which has previously been adapted by Spanish filmmaker Gerado Herrero. Others in the cast include Lake Bell, Wrenn Schmidt, Dallas Roberts, Joshua Boone and Ken Leung. In addition to starring in the film, Ross also serves as an Executive Producer.
Ross was last seen opposite Jeffrey Wright in the Oscar-winning drama “American Fiction,” directed by Cord Jefferson. It was nominated for Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards, and was named one of AFI’s movies of the year. Last December, Ross was seen starring opposite Eddie Murphy in Amazon’s holiday film, “Candy Cane Lane.” The film became the most-watched Amazon movie debut in the U.S. and among the top 10 worldwide film debuts ever on the service.
Earlier this year, Ross starred in the thriller “Cold Copy” and is currently lending her voice to Amazon’s animated comedy “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy,” alongside Keke Palmer, Kieran Culkin, Maya Rudolph, and Natasha Lyonne.
Ross advocates for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity. In 2017, Ross gave a powerful speech about claiming your own life at Glamour’s Women of the Year Summit that went viral. In 2018, Ross opened the TED Conference, the first Black woman to do so, with a speech about the wisdom of women’s fury.
In 2022, Ross was given the “Racial Justice Trailblazer” Award by The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law for her demonstrated commitment to racial and social justice and upholding values that promote an inclusive democracy. She has also moderated stops on both of Michelle Obama’s book tours. Ross recently received a 2023 Webby Special Achievement Award for her ingenious use of the Internet to share multidimensional stories of belonging, increasing Black representation in the beauty industry, and serving as a constant, positive force on the Internet, and was named a 2023 Cosmetic Executive Women Female Founder honoree. She was recently honored with the Trailblazer Award by 15 Percent Pledge, as a 2024 CNBC Changemaker, and was given the 2024 Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts by the National Museum of Women in the Arts for being a leader in the entertainment industry and a passionate advocate for gender equity.
Ross received honorary Doctorate degrees from Spelman College in 2023 and Brown University, her alma mater, in 2015.
LL COOL J
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Recording artist, actor, author, and Founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J is a two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, NAACP Image Award winner, and Kennedy Center Honoree. LL COOL J began in the nascent, burgeoning rap and Hip-Hop scene of the 80’s when he signed to Def Jam at age 16, quickly proving himself with outstanding musical talent and business acumen. He was the first rap artist to amass 10 consecutive platinum-plus selling albums. Over the past three decades, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and enduring brands in entertainment.
In 2018, LL launched Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM (Ch.43), garnering millions of daily listeners. LL personally curates and programs the timeless Hip-Hop channel with music, interviews, and in-depth retrospectives. Whether discussing the intersection of art and commerce or the keys to personal and professional success, LL COOL J captivates with his authenticity and wisdom.
Tyler Perry
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Tyler Perry is an established American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, playwright, and author. Born into poverty and raised in a household scarred by abuse, Tyler fought from a young age to find the strength, faith and perseverance that would later form the foundations of his work.
Tyler started his career writing plays, many of which later became the inspiration for his film projects and included the introduction of the now-legendary Madea character, played by Tyler himself. Tyler’s first feature film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, debuted at number one nationwide. His ensuing films include Madea's Family Reunion, Daddy's Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, Meet The Browns, The Family That Preys, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Why Did I Get Married Too?, For Colored Girls, Madea's Big, Happy Family, Good Deeds, Madea's Witness Protection, The Single Mom’s Club, Boo! and Boo! 2: A Madea Halloween, A Madea Family Funeral, Gone Girl, Vice and more.
With the historical official opening of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Perry is the first African American man to ever be at the helm of a major studio.
In conversation, Perry touches upon all of his experiences, ranging from his work in film and television to his activism on behalf of others and the journey it took for him to get where he is today.
Indra Nooyi
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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."
Ryan Reynolds
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Ryan Reynolds is one of Hollywood’s most diverse leading men seamlessly transitioning through varied genres of drama, action and comedy in his rich and ever evolving career. He is equally as successful off-screen as a producer, screenwriter, entrepreneur, and marketing powerhouse.
He is the Golden Globe nominated star and producer of the 20th Century Fox billion-dollar franchise Deadpool.
Beyond acting, Reynolds is a successful entrepreneur and an award-winning marketer, creating breakthrough campaigns for Deadpool as well Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile and the Match Group. He is an owner of Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, Wrexham Football Club, Chief Creative Officer of MNTN and a co-founder of Maximum Effort Productions. He has been recognized as one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company, The Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal and AdWeek among others.
Reynolds is an in-demand speaker for engaging, insightful conversations about his storied career in Hollywood and significant business endeavors.
Kendra Scott
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Founder, chief creative officer, best-selling author, and philanthropist, Kendra Scott, started her company in 2002, just three months after her first son was born. With only $500 and a tea box to carry her collection, she went store to store selling her designs. Her dedication to innovation, quality, customer service, and attention to detail has since transformed her small startup into a billion-dollar brand. Today, with over 2,600 employees and more than 140+ standalone stores, Kendra Scott is celebrated for its design and material innovation, vibrant use of color, and signature shapes. The lifestyle brand offers a diverse range of products, including fashion, demi-fine and fine jewelry, watches, engagement rings, home accessories, a men’s collection (Scott Bros. by Kendra Scott), and a western-inspired brand (Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott).
As the brand continues to grow, Kendra and her company remain true to their founding philosophy of “Family, Fashion, and Philanthropy,” benefiting both customers and employees. Since 2010, Kendra Scott has donated over $70 million to local, national, and international causes supporting women and youth.
Driven by a deep-rooted passion for empowering the next generation of leaders, Kendra founded the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KS WELI) at The University of Texas at Austin in 2019 to empower women and creatives looking to change the world through entrepreneurship. This interdisciplinary program, involving the College of Fine Arts, the McCombs School of Business, the College of Natural Sciences, the Cockrell School of Engineering and School of Undergraduate Studies, empowers, equips, and builds a community for creatives, founders and leaders.
In 2023, Kendra furthered her commitment to philanthropy by launching the Kendra Scott Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to empowering women and youth in the areas of health and wellness, education, and entrepreneurship. Notable programs supported by the foundation include initiatives around breast cancer research and awareness, pediatric hospitals, and early education literacy.
Kendra is a reoccurring investor/guest Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show “Shark Tank”. Kendra also serves on the board of directors for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, while maintaining her role as Executive Chairwoman and Chief Creative Officer of Kendra Scott, LLC. Today, the company continues to operate out of Austin, Texas, where Kendra resides with her family.
Kevin Hart
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Emmy & Grammy-nominated Kevin Hart is one of the most successful and beloved comedians in the world. Hart is Hollywood’s box office powerhouse, opening eleven films at number one at the box office and grossing more than $4.23B in global revenue. Hart was the 25th recipient of the Kennedy Center’s annual Mark Twain Prize for American Comedy, the youngest honoree to date. A successful entrepreneur, Hart is the Chairman of Hartbeat Productions and Founder of HartBeat Ventures. Hart continues to develop, star, and produce feature films, television, and podcasts via Hartbeat for his various partners which include Netflix, Peacock, Sirius XM and Audible. In 2020, Hart released his seventh hour long stand-up special, Zero Fu**ks Given, which earned a Grammy nomination for “Best Comedy Album.” Hart also earned Emmy nominations for Die Hart & the sequel Die Hart 2: Die Harter for “Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series” as well as an Emmy nomination for his Docu-series, Don’t F**k This Up. Hart’s last special, Reality Check, was named the #1 Comedy Tour of 2022 by Billboard. In 2023, Billboard named Hart the “Highest-Grossing Comedian” of the year. Hart is currently touring nationally with his ninth standup special, Acting My Age. Hart is the star and Executive Producer of Peacock’s upcoming drama series Fight Night.
Kevin is a New York Times bestselling author twice over for The Decision and I Can’t Make This Up. The Decision, his first Audible original, was nominated for an Audie award for “Best Original Audiobook in 2021.” Hart’s talent for storytelling fosters meaningful discussions about the cultural and social issues that also appear in his comedy.
Tom Brady
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Seven-time Super Bowl champion, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneurial mogul Tom Brady has garnered accolades on and off the field as a leader and expert in peak performance. Brady has won 19 division titles, seven Super Bowls, three NFL MVP’s and three first-team all-pro awards, all while pioneering a holistic approach to preparation, performance, and recovery. Building on this honed expertise, in 2013 Brady and longtime body coach, Alex Guerrero, co-founded TB12, a health and wellness brand, to share his proven TB12 Method and holistic systematic approach to wellness. Brady’s motivational book, The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance, has gone on to become a New York Times #1 bestseller.
Brady’s serial ventures include his namesake next generation apparel brand BRADY and his global, multi-platform content company 199 Productions, which already boasts numerous high-profile projects including a partnership with ESPN, Disney, and Religion of Sports to produce the tentpole docuseries Man in the Arena, which won the 2022 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Documentary Series. Most recently, the company partnered with Paramount Picutres on the film 80 for Brady. He has long prioritized philanthropy, sustaining relationships with a number of non-profits including the TB12 Foundation, Best Buddies, Make-A-Wish and more. Among other notable achievements, Brady has been honored as ESPY’s “NFL Best Player,” Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsperson of the Year,” TIME’s “100 Most Influential People,” and being named to the NFL 100th Anniversary “All Time Team.” Brady shares personal stories of perseverance, leadership, and disruption as well as savvy business insights about the latest trends in impactful conversations for audiences of all kinds.
Michael Strahan
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Two-time Emmy winner, Super Bowl Champion, and Peabody Award-winning journalist Michael Strahan is a business mogul with an ever-expanding portfolio. After a spectacular NFL career that earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame, Strahan joined the ranks of top sports broadcasters and co-hosted the hit talk show LIVE with Kelly and Michael and headlined FOX's Thursday Night Football Pregame Show. He currently co-hosts ABC’s Good Morning America, serves as an analyst for FOX NFL Sunday, in addition to hosting ABC’s game show favorite $100,000 Pyramid. Strahan’s New York Times bestselling book, Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life, encapsulates the uplifting and inspiring energy he brings to his sought-after keynotes and conversations, for memorable events with audiences of all kinds.
Strahan is the Co-Founder of SMAC Entertainment, and the MICHAEL STRAHAN lifestyle brand encompassing clothing, lifestyle, skincare, and an NFL licensed apparel line. Strahan is also the co-founder of SMAC Entertainment, a multi-dimensional talent management, music, branding and production company to create a major presence in the sports and entertainment arena. He made history as the first American News Anchor to go to space, participating in the Blue Origin spacecraft launch. Strahan is a committed philanthropist, donating his hands and heart to numerous charities including the USO, HELP USA, and Merging Vets and Players. Heralded for his highly sought-after perspective, Strahan talks about his storied career, how to overcome self-doubt to pursue your passion, and ‘Strahan’s Rules’ – a mix of mental discipline, positive thinking, and a sense of play – making a major impact with individuals and organizations.
Serena Williams
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As the world knows, Serena Williams is more than a record-smashing, boundary-breaking tennis champion. Serena has overcome insurmountable odds to win a staggering 23 career Grand Slams. Her remarkable tennis achievements, combined with her off-court success in business and fashion make her one of the most recognizable icons in the world and a powerful voice for women and mothers. Serena’s lifelong passion for design led her to fashion school, which she attended in between winning Grand Slams. In 2018, she launched her clothing line, S by Serena, designed to empower people to look and feel their absolute best. Focused on investing in companies that embrace diverse leadership and opportunity, Serena is effecting change in the financial investments sector with her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, taking 14 startups to unicorn status. Serena has also flexed her star power in the media and entertainment worlds with roles in movies, series, music videos, and more. Her award-winning docuseries, Being Serena, continues to inspire people around the world. Her many philanthropic and world-changing endeavors, including the BirthFUND health initiative, prove Serena’s ability achieve anything she sets her mind to.
Serena’s strategic thinking, champion mindset, and transformative perseverance are palpable, lighting up the room. Representing a small portion of her accolades, Serena is the winner of the NAACP Image Award, the People’s Choice Game Changer Award, Associated Press’s Female Athlete of the Decade, and the Independent’s Woman of the Decade. She has also been named to TIME’s “Most Influential Women of the Past Century” list as well as Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women in the World” and “America’s Richest Self-Made Women.” Serena has inspired audiences live at LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce, and more.
John Cena
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Actor, producer, entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, record-setting philanthropist, and WWE Superstar John Cena delivers high-octane star power and an empowering message of motivation and hope. Cena has been the face of WWE for more than a decade, earning the moniker “the Babe Ruth of the WWE.” He executive produced and narrated the Peacock docu-series WWE Evil, which explores impact of WWE villains on modern culture. As an actor, Cena is known for blockbuster roles in Peacemaker, The Suicide Squad, Hidden Strike, F9: The Fast Saga, Vacation Friends, and a cameo role in Warner Bros.' hugely successful film Barbie, reprised during his infamous presentation at the 2024 Academy Awards. Cena's upcoming credits include Season 2 of Peacemaker and Amazon’s Jackpot. Cena hosts Wipeout on TBS alongside Nicole Byer, which premiered as 2021’s highest-rated new unscripted cable series. With his focus on finding the positive, maximizing opportunities, and making a difference, Cena makes an impact on audiences of all kinds.
Cena has hosted Saturday Night Live, The ESPYs, The Today Show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, American Grit, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?, and the 2017 and 2018 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. He is the author of Do Your Best Every Day to Do Your Best Every Day, Be A Work in Progress, and the #1 New York Times bestselling Elbow Grease series inspired by lessons he learned about hard work, perseverance, and teamwork growing up with four brothers. Cena is Make-A-Wish’s most-requested wish granter and only celebrity to grant more than 700 wishes, a long-time supporter of the U.S. military and promoter of the FitOps Foundation, which empowers veterans through fitness and community, and the recipient of USO Metro’s Legacy of Achievement Award. An in-demand speaker, Cena brings major energy and insights and leaves audiences feeling uplifted and inspired.
Toto Wolff
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Motorsport executive, VC investor, and former racing driver Toto Wolff delivers star power balanced with expertise in high-performance leadership and organizational culture. Toto is the Co-Owner, CEO, and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. A former racing driver turned investor, Toto started his career by founding a tech-focused venture capital firm in Austria. He entered F1 with an ownership stake in the Williams F1 Team in 2009, before acquiring a 30% stake (now 33%) in the Mercedes-Benz works team in 2013. Toto has since led the team, featuring the most successful F1 driver of all-time, Lewis Hamilton, to unprecedented heights, winning eight Constructor World Championships and seven Driver World Championships.
Toto’s high-performance leadership philosophy was the subject of a Harvard Business School Case Study in 2022, “Number One in Formula 1.” He regularly visits Harvard to work with MBA students and teach the case study, leading discussions on high-performance leadership and organizational culture. In 2024, Toto will help teach a Harvard Business School course alongside professor Anita Elberse, focusing on how he has led the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team to historic success. Toto is also an Associate Fellow at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School where he imparts lessons on entrepreneurship and innovation, as well holding an Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University. In sought after talks, Toto leverages his understanding of winning culture, team leadership, and personal effectiveness.
Ginni Rometty
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Ginni Rometty is a leader, innovator, and convener who believes that how we work and lead is as important as what we achieve. As the ninth Chairman, President, and CEO of IBM, Ginni transformed the 100-year-old company, reinventing 50 percent of its portfolio, building a $25B hybrid cloud business, and establishing IBM’s leadership in AI and quantum computing. She drove record results in diversity and inclusion and supported the explosive growth of an innovative high school program, P-TECH, to prepare the workforce of the future in more than twenty-eight countries. Ginni is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World (Harvard Business Review Press). In the book, as she does in sought-after events, Ginni shares milestones from her life and career while redefining power as a way to drive meaningful change in positive ways for ourselves, our organizations, and for the many, not just the few – a concept she calls “good power.”
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 including J.P. Morgan Chase, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and co-chairs OneTen, a coalition committed to upskilling, hiring, and promoting one million Black Americans without four-year degrees by 2030 into family-sustaining jobs and careers. She offers unparalleled insights on leadership, organizational and societal transformation, DEI, the future of work and education, and more, and is in-demand for events with groups including the World Economic Forum at Davos, The Milken Institute, Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, the Consumer Electronics Show, and Grace Hopper, to name a few.
Alex Rodriguez
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Alex Rodriguez is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that backs world-class startups and partners with leading global companies across real estate, sports, and entertainment. While best known as one of the world’s greatest athletes (a 14x MLB All-Star and a 2009 World Series Champion with the New York Yankees), for more than 25 years, Alex leads a team of experts building high-growth businesses and enhancing the value of more than 30 companies in the A-Rod Corp portfolio.
Alex founded A-Rod Corp in 1995, purchasing a duplex apartment on the theory that investing his MLB earnings wisely would protect him from the kinds of financial struggles that afflict too many professional athletes. While he racked up extraordinary stats on the field (696 home runs and more grand slams than any other MLB player in history), Alex simultaneously assembled an impressive team at A-Rod Corp, bought apartment units across the southeastern U.S., and built a fully integrated real estate and development company. In 2020, Alex joined CGI Merchant Group's hotel investment fund to acquire and develop properties across North America and the Caribbean.
Following his success in real estate, Alex has invested in a variety of sectors where he has expertise. He looks for long-term opportunities to provide financial capital, work alongside founders and leadership, and amplify the growth of each company.
In addition to leading A-Rod Corp, Alex is CEO of Slam Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with Antara Capital Chairman Himanshu Gulati as equal partner.
In 2021, Alex joined the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx ownership group, eventually becoming full owner alongside is partner, Marc Lore. In addition to his ownership role, Rodriguez serves as a strategic advisor to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and is an investor in Blue Crow Sports. In the same year, Alex formed A-Rod Media, a strategic pillar within the organization to house all media activity. A-Rod Media offers scalable, multimedia capabilities, including original content creation, compelling narrative storytelling, and audience engagement across all marketing platforms.
Alex is an Emmy Award-winning MLB analyst for Fox Sports. He has been a judge and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, mentored financially distressed ex-athletes on CNBC’s Back in the Game, and co-hosts the video series The Deal with Bloomberg Originals’ chief correspondent Jason Kelly, interviewing CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sports legends. Committed to creating opportunities for young people to succeed, Alex serves on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America and is in the National Alumni Hall of Fame, and the Boards of Trustees of the University of Miami. His gifts to the University of Miami and Florida International University have provided scholarships to dozens of students.
Allyson Felix
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Athlete icon, entrepreneur, and advocate Allyson Felix is the most decorated Track & Field Olympian in U.S. history. An eleven-time Olympic medalist. Seven-time Olympic Champion. World Record Holder. She has won a mind-blowing thirty-one global medals at the Olympics and World Championships. Felix has redefined athletics as she continues to cement her iconic status on and off the track. She is an investor in multiple companies, serves as an advisor to a female-led and focused venture fund, and is the Founder of her own shoe company for women, Saysh. Sought after for her empowering insights about striving for greatness in business and in life, Felix has captivated audiences across industries.
Felix has been featured in major publications including Forbes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Glamour, Essence, Self, O Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Elle. She is passionate about her community and serves on the Board of Directors for &Mother, Right to Play, and others, and through partnerships with Voice in Sport, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and more. Felix has received numerous accolades for her athletics and her advocacy, including being named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People of the Year” in both 2020 and 2021 as well as the Sports Illustrated ‘Unrelenting List’. In demand with groups such as Trellance, Princeton University, Paypal, and World 50, Inc., to name a few, Felix consistently receives rave reviews for her speaking engagements: “The event with Allyson Felix was a great success! She presented such a genuine, focused, inspirational story that displayed her journey of ups and downs; her great lessons and appreciation of what teamwork can bring. A true champion.” (ATG Global Entertainment)
Masai Ujiri
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Vice-Chairman and President of the Toronto Raptors Masai Ujiri is a charismatic and visionary leader credited with driving his team to its most successful period in franchise history, including an NBA Championship. Having been named Toronto’s most influential person, he urges citizens to “believe in this city – believe in yourselves.” He has received numerous accolades for his executive leadership, and few speak as authoritatively about the strategy, teamwork development, and entrepreneurial mindset required to execute a turnaround the way Ujiri has done for several franchises as an executive, coach, and player. Ujiri's personal story reflects his entrepreneurial journey from Nigeria to being the most sought-after executive in the NBA.
A native of Nigeria, Ujiri speaks passionately about his development work in Africa, which is based on investment, not charity, and lifting up communities by empowering women and young people. Masai co-founded Giants of Africa, an organization which uses sport as a tool to enrich the lives of African youth and create opportunities for them on and off the court. Masai’s ethos is to “Dream Big,” and now GOA connects with youth – both boys and girls - in more than 17 African countries and territories. Ujiri has also served as the director of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program, and recently hosted the Moving Sports Forward: Turbo Charging Africa forum at the United Nations Unstoppable Africa Conference in New York City.
A global citizen, Ujiri’s perspective is shaped by his executive and player experience around the world. He played professionally in Europe for six years, with stops in Belgium, Germany, England, Greece, and Finland. He has scouted all over the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Ujiri has also managed and coached the Nigerian junior and senior national teams. In 2020, Masai launched thatshumanity.org, inspired by his experiences and the lessons learned from leaders like Nelson Mandela. “For me,” he says, “it’s about seeing each other. Really seeing. Trying to understand what someone else is going through. And helping if we can. Even if it’s just a kind word. Some encouragement. That’s humanity.”
Venus Williams
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Legendary tennis champion, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneur Venus Williams has made a lasting impact on and off the court with her entrepreneurship, advocacy, and fight for equality. Venus has won 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships, and 4 Olympic gold medals, and was formerly ranked No. 1 in the world. One of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports, she has been a steadfast advocate for equal pay, women’s empowerment, and social justice. Venus is also the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Win. Venus shares her insights in motivational speaking events for groups including Capital One, Ernst & Young, Infor, Gannett, and many more.
Heralded for her innovative business acumen, Venus is the Founder of V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm. She has expanded her portfolio with the launch of her plant-based protein company Happy Viking. Venus recently served as the Executive Producer on the Academy Award-winning Warner Bros. biopic King Richard – which told the story of her father’s impact on her childhood and career as she became a tennis icon and changed the sport for generations to come. Venus has been honored with Variety’s “Power of Women” Award, as Glamour Magazine’s “Woman of the Year,” CARE Impact Award for Gender Equality, ESPN’s “WTA Player of the Year,” and one of Forbes’ “Celebrity 100.”
Venus consistently receives glowing reviews for her events, such as: “Venus was absolutely incredible. Everyone is still talking about her fireside chat. She was so gracious with her time and brought such amazing energy to the event.” (eXp World Holdings)
David Grutman
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Acclaimed innovator, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist David Grutman is a Miami-based mogul whose investments span the hospitality, technology, wellness, consumers goods, and food and beverage industries. Grutman is the Founder of the world-renowned Groot Hospitality, which owns and operates numerous high-profile restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels in Miami and Miami Beach (with imminent expansion across the U.S. and internationally). Grutman is also the Co-Owner and Creative Director of Prince, an Atlanta-based athletics and lifestyle label. There, he oversees everything from product collaborations to new product launches.
An adept and leading-edge venture capitalist, Grutman has built a substantial portfolio highlighting popular and universal objectives and cross-industry symbioses, focusing on maximum synergy and optimal returns. From the consumer arena to public-facing platforms to the nascent world of cryptocurrency, Grutman embraces dynamic diversification and openly shares his expertise, insights, and motivating takeaways in events that make an impact with both organizations and individuals. A leader in both conceptualization and portfolio management, Grutman is a guest professor at Florida International University and has also guest lectured at the prestigious School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, the University of Miami and Harvard Business School. His work has been profiled by GQ, Paper Magazine, Vogue, and many more. In his keynotes and conversations, Grutman emphasizes the importance of relationships – looking beyond the product to value the team and people behind it.
Emma Grede
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Self-made mogul, CEO, and Founder Emma Grede is a groundbreaking and globally successful executive known for building incredible teams and beloved brands. Emma is the CEO and co-Founder of Good American, the first fully inclusive fashion brand that celebrates all dimensions of female power. She launched Good American alongside Khloé Kardashian and they engineered the largest denim launch in history. Their brand is now an iconic inclusive fashion line, and has expanded to ready-to-wear, swim, shoes, and activewear. Emma is also a founding partner of SKIMS, a solutions-oriented brand creating the next generation of underwear, loungewear, and shapewear, and co-Founder of Safely, the plant-powered cleaning brand delivering chemical-free cleaning products to the masses. Emma’s passion for bettering the world through socially responsible and conversation-advancing decisions is consistently reflected in the culture of her teams and the businesses she builds, and she shares her actionable insights in sought-after keynotes and conversations.
Emma is a recurring Shark on ABC’s critically acclaimed Shark Tank, making history as the first Black woman to serve as an investor on the show. She joins the upcoming season of the BBC's Dragons' Den, set to air in 2024. In March 2024, the first season of her Roku series, Side Hustlers, premiered as the #1 on-demand title on The Roku Channel, followed by season two in August 2024; also at #1. Grede co-hosts the show alongside Ashley Graham, where they help female entrepreneurs turn their side hustles into full-time careers. As an activist as well as an investor, Emma has used her wealth of experience to identify and invest in groundbreaking entrepreneurs and start-ups rooted in inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability. She was named one of “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” (2022 & 2023) and “America’s Richest Self-Made Women Under 40” by Forbes, and sits on the Glamour Women of the Year Advisory board. Emma serves as Chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge and also as a board member of Baby2Baby and Obama Foundation’s Board of Directors. As an immersive leader, she continues to advocate for inclusive representation across industries, while finding opportunities to foster real change. Emma’s leadership perspective is in-demand at notable events such as Forbes Women’s Power Summit, Hubspot INBOUND, MediaSlopes, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Summit, Stanford Black Leadership Conference, among others.
Shaquille O'Neal
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Revered cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal is referred to in the celebrity tradition of a one-word moniker: Shaq. Over his fruitful NBA career spanning nearly two decades, Shaq was named to the NBA’s list of 50 greatest players of all time and inducted into NBA Hall of Fame. The four-time NBA Champion, 15-time NBA All Star, and three-time NBA Finals MVP has been named one of the most influential athletes by Forbes as well as the highest-ranked NBA athlete on Nielsen’s “State of the Media: Year in Sports” and Business Week’s “Power Sports 100.” Shaq electrifies every room with his larger-than-life personality, consistently receiving standing ovations for his motivational keynote speeches.
Off the court, Shaq has established himself as a powerful media personality and businessman. Ranked among ‘‘The 100 Most Creative People in Business’’ by Fast Company magazine, Shaq currently manages a diverse business portfolio and serves as an analyst on TNT’s Emmy-award winning show, Inside the NBA. In addition to being an early investor in companies such as Google, Shaq has managed an internationally beloved personal brand, which has included television shows, a shoe line and social media/tech products. Shaq has been invited to speak to hosts from all industries, including Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation, Deutsche Bank AG, World Leaders Group, and more.
Eva Longoria
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Award-winning actor, serial entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author Eva Longoria is paving the way for future women and minority producers, directors, and industry leaders in Hollywood and beyond. Since her rise to fame in ABC’s Desperate Housewives, Longoria has established herself as an in-demand director for television and a media trailblazer through her UnbeliEVAble Entertainment production company, which focuses on purposeful projects that accurately represent stories of the Latinx and other underrepresented communities. Longoria is also a partner in The MACRO Episodic Lab Powered by The Black List, which seeks to discover, support, and empower storytellers of color who typically do not have access to the traditional Hollywood system.
A dedicated philanthropist and activist, Longoria was named one of People Magazine’s “Women Changing the World.” She lends her voice to issues from immigration to reproductive rights, co-founded the nonprofit Eva’s Heroes, and established the Eva Longoria Foundation to help Latinas build better futures through educational programs, scholarships, mentorship, and entrepreneurship. Longoria is a co-founder of the Latino Victory Fund, a movement building political power in the Latinx community, and She Se Puede, a digital lifestyle community and media platform. She is the New York Times bestselling author of cookbooks Eva’s Kitchen and My Mexican Cookbook. Longoria empowers audiences of all kinds with stories of her personal journey and insights about fearless, values-driven leadership.
Maria Sharapova
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Powerhouse Maria Sharapova is known not only as an international tennis star, but also as an inspirational leader and successful entrepreneur. Sharapova became a professional tennis player at age 14. She went on to win five Grand Slam titles (the first, Wimbledon, at age 17), became the 7th female player to complete the career Grand Slam, and rank #1 in the world on five separate occasions. She will be inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2025. Sharapova chronicles much of her tennis career in her New York Times best-seller, Unstoppable: My Life so Far. In her live engagements, Sharapova gives insight into the upbringing, mindset, and tools that made her amazing success possible.
Outside of tennis, Sharapova is an active founder, CEO, and business investor. Sharapova paved the way for athlete founders, creating and scaling her own premium candy line, Sugarpova. She is widely respected for her business acumen currently serving on the boards of Moncler and Wolf & Shepherd, a successful early investor in companies like Bala Bangles and Supergoop!, and was a guest judge on Shark Tank. Sharapova has also served as an investor and advisor to Bala as well as a board member of Moncler and Wolf & Shepherd. Now, Sharapova is using her experience on-and-off the court to inspire and empower audiences to achieve elite performance in all aspects of their lives, particularly women in business.
John Legend
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EGOT-winning, critically acclaimed, multiplatinum singer-songwriter John Legend has garnered 12 Grammy Awards, two Emmy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award, among others. Legend is the first African-American man to earn an EGOT and one of only fifteen people in the prestigious EGOT club. Legend has released seven celebrated albums over the course of his career and is also a coach on The Voice.
Beyond his music career, John, along with partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius, is a principal of Get Lifted Film Co. Most recently, Get Lifted produced David E. Talbert’s acclaimed holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey for Netflix, the HBO, IDA Award-winning docu-series Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, the IFC and AMC comedy series Sherman's Showcase and Sherman's Showcase: Black History Month Spectacular, and Rhythm + Flow for Netflix. Get Lifted and Erik Feig’s PICTURESTART formed Picture LIFT, a joint venture focused on developing, producing and financing multiple films in the $10M range, featuring diverse filmmakers and inclusive casts.
From a young age, Legend aspired to use his position in the entertainment industry as a platform for social change. Throughout his career, Legend has committed his time, energy, and resources to social justice and equality. His philanthropy and advocacy has focused on building just, equitable, and thriving communities. Legend initiated the #FREEAMERICA campaign in 2015 to change the national conversation surrounding our country’s misguided criminal justice policies and to end mass incarceration. In 2007, Legend started The Show Me Campaign, to give every child access to a quality education as well as address systemic issues in our criminal justice system that disproportionately impact the poor, minorities, and disadvantaged.
Joanne Lipman
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Powerhouse journalist Joanne Lipman has transformed newsrooms across the country – and now she’s turned her keen eye to transforming work and life in the post-pandemic era. In her blockbuster new book, Next!: The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work (March 2023), she offers a deeply reported, delightfully readable look at how to change your life, your workplace, or your career -– and how to inspire innovation in others. It follows her No. 1 bestseller That’s What She Said, about achieving gender equity at work and at home, inspiring men as well as women to join together to promote diversity, innovation and excellence.
One of the nation’s most prominent journalists, Lipman is the former editor-in-chief of USA Today and the USA TODAY Network, Conde Nast Portfolio, and The Wall Street Journal Weekend Journal, leading those organizations to six Pulitzer Prizes. Dubbed “innovator in chief” by The New York Times and “star editor” by CNN, Lipman began her career at The Wall Street Journal, where she rose to become the highest-ranking woman in the paper’s history. Lipman has been in-demand with groups such as Motorola, Google, Aetna, Chevron, NBC Universal, among many others.
Lipman is sought after for her insights, appearing on ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and CBS, and is an on-air contributor at CNBC. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, Fortune, and Harvard Business Review. She teaches a popular Yale University course on Media & Democracy, focused on issues including polarization and combatting misinformation. A lively and entertaining speaker, Lipman offers action-oriented insights and critical analysis into issues ranging from workplace culture, to personal and business growth and transformation, to fostering diverse and equitable organizations, and more.
Kevin Griffin
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Hit songwriter, Better Than Ezra front man, bestselling author, and philanthropist Kevin Griffin has produced, written, and co-written albums and songs that have sold over 30M copies and songs that have been streamed over a billion times. Griffin has produced and written songs performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Dierks Bentley, Barenaked Ladies, and James Blunt among others. He is the founder of the Better Than Ezra Foundation, which has raised more than $4M for charities, many of which are devoted to children and the arts around New Orleans and the gulf coast. Griffin is the author of The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life, a bestselling, creative nonfiction book with lessons for every profession and industry. Griffin has also served as adjunct professor and writer-in-residence at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music.
In addition to songwriting and performing, Griffin is involved in artist management, publishing, and lectures on the subject of keeping a creative and competitive edge to groups and companies such as Live Nation, Disney, Nike, WPO, and Salesforce. He is a founder and partner along with Justin Timberlake in Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, which is a two-day event located in Franklin, TN. After its inaugural year, Rolling Stone commented that Pilgrimage had “an A-list lineup (arguably the best curated of the year)” and “established itself as a festival to watch.” An in-demand and entertaining keynote speaker, Griffin has spoken for groups including Novation, WhichWich, Google, and Young Presidents’ Organization on topics of investing in your potential, sparking creativity, and leadership.
LeVar Burton
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LeVar Burton launched his acting career while still a student at the University of Southern California. At 19, he found himself on the cover of TIME Magazine after landing the groundbreaking role of Kunta Kinte in the landmark television series Roots. A seemingly impossible act to follow, Burton achieved further global acclaim as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge in the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation television series, a role he reprised in Star Trek: Picard in 2023. However, it has been his role as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children's series Reading Rainbow of which he is most proud. Airing from 1983 to 2009, it was not only one of the longest-running children's television shows in history but also one of the most acclaimed, earning over 200 awards, including multiple Emmys and a Peabody.
As the honored recipient of six NAACP Awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 14 Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural Children's & Family Emmys, Burton has demonstrated that he can do it all. In 2024, Burton was awarded the National Humanities Medal by the National Endowment of the Humanities at a ceremony in the Oval Office, bestowed by President Biden. Honored for his contributions to literacy in America, LeVar continues his focus on the importance of literature and storytelling in our everyday lives and is a staunch advocate against the banning of books.
With over 4M social media followers, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a dedicated park in his hometown of Sacramento, this pop culture icon has the unique ability to reach across all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups - communicating to a large fan base that is highly engaged and motivated to embrace his message.
Mauro Porcini
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Award-winning design veteran, podcaster, and author Mauro Porcini is PepsiCo’s first ever Chief Design Officer. Since joining the food & beverage corporation in 2012, Porcini has infused design thinking into PepsiCo’s culture and is leading a new approach to innovation by design that impacts the company’s product platforms and brands. Leading international teams, his focus extends from physical to virtual expressions of the brands – including fashion and art collaborations, retail activation, digital media, and beyond. He is the author of The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People, which focuses on innovation, design and leadership and was named a Gold Winner of the Better Future New York Design Award. Porcini offers insights from his journey across startups and multinational corporations for building high-impact brand and design efforts that put people first.
Prior to joining PepsiCo, Mauro served as the first ever Chief Design Officer at 3M, where his mission was to build and nurture a design sensitive culture in a technology driven global corporation. He is also the author of L’età dell’eccellenza: Come innovazione e creatività possono costruire un mondo migliore, which is in its fifth reprint, and hosts the successful video podcast In Your Shoes - with Mauro Porcini, where he interviews inspiring personalities from the creative community worldwide. Mauro has been a presenter and judge on CBS’ New York by Design and Amazon’s America by Design. He has been on the board of directors for several organizations, and currently serves as the President of the Politecnico of Milan Foundation in the United States (Fellows of Politecnico), sits on the board of directors of the Design Management Institute, and on the advisory council of other design, art, innovation, and business institutions.
Erik Logan
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Transformational leader Erik Logan has a diverse portfolio that spans talent management startups, technology, cable networks, and sports league management, most notably as the CEO of the World Surf League (WSL) and President of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). At WSL, Logan redefined the sport by introducing game-changing formats and partnerships with platforms like ABC, HBO, and Apple TV+, achieving record audiences and revenues. His previous role at OWN was marked by a turnaround that led the network to unprecedented ratings and revenues, reinforcing his reputation for innovation and growth.
Throughout his career, including tenures at XM Satellite Radio, Citadel Broadcasting, and CBS/Infinity, Logan has excelled in nurturing new talent and fostering innovative environments. His leadership style is characterized by a commitment to executive growth, a passion for business excellence, and an aptitude for recognizing industry trends, making him a catalyst for change and success in diverse sectors.
Whether leading a sports league to its best performance in over 40 years or driving a media network to become #1 in its key target demographics, Logan consistently demonstrates an uncanny ability to revolutionize how audiences interact with content. As an avid supporter of the growth mindset, Logan inspires a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and adaptability through his leadership and motivational speaking engagements.
Krisztina 'Z' Holly
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MIT-trained engineer and tech entrepreneur Krisztina “Z” Holly, curator of the first ever TEDx event, has been at the forefront of innovation throughout her career. She started her career as a serial tech entrepreneur in Boston and Silicon Valley before spending over a decade building pioneering innovation centers at MIT and USC. The White House subsequently invited her to help spread her novel model across the United States. Today, she invests in early-stage complex science and technology startups as an operating partner at Good Growth Capital and is a sought-after advisor and speaker to organizations around the world. She has been recognized by Rolling Stone, Forbes, WIRED, and Entrepreneur Mag for her ability to scout and cultivate talent and catalyze global initiatives. With a proven track record of fostering innovation, Z’s insights come from real-world experience.
Z has spoken at Davos, the White House, YPO Entrepreneurial Energy, NBC Universal, and the National Academy of Sciences Innovation Summit; she has facilitated numerous sessions for the World Economic Forum with heads of state and CEOs of Fortune 100 companies. She regularly appears as a public expert and interviewer, leading conversations with tech “rockstars” such as Biz Stone and Tim O'Reilly, interviewing world-famous extreme athletes, and facilitating panels with university presidents and global leaders. Z’s authentic style and tailored messages resonate with a wide range of audiences, from students and aspiring entrepreneurs to academics and top executives.
Edward Norton
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Edward Norton is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is a visionary entrepreneur and committed social and environmental activist. Norton is a founding partner of CrowdRise, a web-based technology platform that changes the way organizations share their mission and involve those who support their causes. He speaks personally about his fundraising efforts and our responsibilities, particularly with regard to sustainability and natural resource management in our industrial economy.
Kristi Yamaguchi
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Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time World Champion, and U.S. and World Hall of Fame figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi is a powerful force of nature both on and off the ice. Yamaguchi has appeared as an NBC Olympics broadcast analyst for NBC’s Universal Sports Network, a special correspondent for the Today Show, and was the celebrity champion of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Throughout her career, Yamaguchi has been a highly sought-after corporate spokesperson, working with Kellogg’s and the American Lung Association, Celanese Acetate, as well as serving as the Goodwill Ambassador for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, performing at the opening and closing ceremonies. She has been invited to speak to Marriott International, Illinois Libraries Present, Philips Oral Healthcare, and many more.
Yamaguchi’s philanthropic passions include promoting early childhood literacy through her Always Dream, which finds innovative ways to improve access to books, technology, and family engagement strategies for children of historically and intentionally excluded communities. Yamaguchi authored the New York Times bestselling children’s books Dream Big, Little Pig! and It’s a Big World, Little Pig!, among other titles. She has received the Inspiration Award from the Asian Excellence Awards, the Women's Sports Foundation Flo Hyman Award, the Heisman Humanitarian Award, and the USPOC Jessie Owen’s Olympic Spirit Award. Yamaguchi’s commitment to excellence, clear vision, and uplifting message provide inspiration to all audiences.
Annika Sorenstam
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Hall of Fame golf legend, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Annika Sorenstam is regarded as one of the greatest female golfers of all time, and has shifted her competitive edge to building a business empire. During her fifteen year career at the top of her sport, she amassed over 90 worldwide victories, including 72 on the LPGA and 11 Major Championships. Sorenstam is a ground-breaking player, and continues to change the way women’s golf is played, viewed, and covered. Notably, she received international media attention when she became the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA Tour men’s event. After stepping away from the course, she has founded numerous businesses under her ANNIKA brand, including a collection of high-end apparel, a wine label, a fragrance, a golf academy, as well as her golf course design business, through which she continues to break barriers and challenge stereotypes. Called the “First Lady of Golf” by the PGA, Sorenstam is an in-demand speaker for her insights from her legendary golf career, business ventures, and staying at the top of your game in any field.
Sorenstam has been profiled in Forbes, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and received numerous awards, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom, becoming the first female golfer and only the third female athlete to receive the honor. She holds a record eight Rolex Player of the Year awards, six Vare Trophies for the lowest scoring average in a season, and is the only female golfer to break 60 in an official event, earning her the moniker ‘Ms. 59’. Sorenstam created the ANNIKA Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of a healthy lifestyle. An ambassador for her sport, Sorenstam is a powerful advocate for equal opportunity, an entrepreneurial mogul, and an expert in developing a champion’s mindset, building a brand with integrity, and overcoming obstacles to exceed expectations.
Grant Williams
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Professional basketball player Grant Williams is a leader on and off the court, as two-time back-to-back SEC Player of the Year and First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association. He is recognized by fans of his college team as one of the best players in their history and has been called “a true student of life and basketball” by the Boston Globe. Known for his passion for strategic thinking, Williams is a dedicated academic mentor. He graduated in just three years from the University of Tennessee with a degree in supply chain management from the University of Tennessee, one of the top public programs in the country for supply chain management. The league’s Senior VP of Player Development, Jamila Wideman, called him "an incredible storyteller" with a good sense of humor and a willingness to be vulnerable. Williams brings humor and insight to high-powered events, touching on leadership, teamwork, gender equality, mental health awareness, and more.
Dubbed a “high-energy Renaissance man” in a glowing Forbes profile, he’s received accolades for his commitment to giving back to the community, a passion which is central to his purpose. Williams has leveraged his platform as an NBA rookie to make a major impact in the lives of young people, creating a group mentoring program. For his work empowering young people, he received the Bill Russell Mentoring Award. Williams is a former Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics player and current Power Forward for the Charlotte Hornets. Williams invigorates audiences with his sharp wit, compelling personal story, and his belief that your dreams should be central to your everyday life for maximum success.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee
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Named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Important People of the 20th Century,” one of the UK’s "100 Greatest Britons,” and one of the world's "Most Influential Thinkers,” Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the most powerful communication medium in the world — the World Wide Web — and gave it to the world for free. It is no exaggeration to say that Sir Tim’s visionary work has transformed every aspect of our lives. Today, its importance is greater than ever as we witness the AI revolution, a technology that relies on the web for data. Data is the foundation upon which AI is built, determining its performance, accuracy, and fairness. Without the Web and data, AI cannot exist, let alone thrive.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, as inventor of the web, has long advocated for individuals to own and control their data. This principle is particularly relevant to corporations and governments in the context of AI that is shifting boundaries. In order to have a competitive edge, corporations will recognise this shifting dynamic of data ownership and take steps to align their practices with this new reality. Sir Tim’s genius is in understanding this next, new future and his ability to educate corporations on this paradigm shift. His thoughtful consideration about the web and AI demonstrate how continued, and considered innovation can benefit society in an ethical and equitable manner.
Jimmy Wales
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Leading futurist and ground-breaking tech entrepreneur Jimmy Wales is one of the most sought after visionaries in business and technology. Wales is the Founder of Wikipedia, the 5th most-popular website in the world, which strive to create free access for all to the sum of human knowledge. The stunning feat of democratization of information celebrated it’s 20th anniversary, having become a cultural phenomenon and remaining a leader in the fight against the proliferation of false information online. The tech giant creator is also the Founder of WT.Social, a collaboratively editable social networking platform, which aims to change the way we digest news. Driven by his passion for innovation, disruption, and the endless possibilities in the future of tech, Wales is a compelling and motivational keynote speaker for audiences of all kinds.
Named one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential People, Wales has also been heralded by the World Economic Forum as one of the top 250 leaders across the globe for his accomplishments, his commitment to the society, and his potential to shape the future of the world. Audiences praise Wales for his optimism for the future as well as his masterful ability to speak on complex issues ranging from AI, trends in new media, disruption, and resiliency. He consistently receives rave reviews for his in-demand events, such as: "We were all so thrilled with Jimmy. He was so open and dedicated to share with us, McCann people, media, students and the keynote audience such inspiring stories about him, Wikipedia and basically about such a wide array of interconnected subjects. We were all inspired in such a fantastic way by his presence here." (McCann/Thiess)
De Kai
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De Kai is a pioneering AI scientist who is widely regarded as “the Statesman of AI.” A founder of the contemporary AI field as known today, three decades ago De Kai invented and built the world’s first global-scale online language translator. De Kai continues to push boundaries in AI research, alongside speaking to philosophical questions about the fears and possibilities of humanity's new technology and how we can be empowered to shape our future. In his book Raising AI, De Kai brings decades of experience to help audiences make sense of our interactions with AI at both personal and collective levels—ethically and responsibly. De Kai is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at HKUST and Distinguished Research Scholar at Berkeley’s International Computer Science Institute. His cross-disciplinary works relating AI, cognition, language, music, creativity, media arts, ethics and society centers on enabling cultures to relate, and stems from a liberal arts perspective emphasizing creativity in both technical and humanistic dimensions.
De Kai’s groundbreaking projects have spurred the paradigm shift toward today’s state-of-the-art statistical natural language processing technologies. He has done research at Berkeley, UCSD, University of Toronto, Bell Laboratories, Columbia University, TU Munich, and Toronto. He founded HKUST's internationally funded Human Language Technology Center which launched the world's first global-scale online language translator over twenty years ago.
De Kai is among only 17 scientists worldwide named by the Association for Computational Linguistics as a Founding ACL Fellow and has been named one of the 100 most influential figures of Hong Kong. His TEDx Talk was named an editor's pick. He serves on the board of AI policy think tank TFS (The Future Society), which is heavily involved in drafting the European Union’s forthcoming AI Act. In 2018, Google named De Kai as one of eight inaugural members of its AI Ethics council, ATEAC (Advanced Technology External Advisory Council). Over the past decade, De Kai has given hundreds of talks worldwide on AI ethics, society, and safety.
Stephen Dubner
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Award-winning author, journalist, and media personality Stephen J. Dubner is best-known as co-author of the New York Times bestselling Freakonomics series, an instant international bestseller and cultural phenomenon. Hailed by critics and readers alike, it still appears regularly on The New York Times bestseller list. SuperFreakonomics followed to similar acclaim, and a documentary film version of Freakonomics was chosen as the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival. Dubner is currently the host of the Freakonomics Radio podcast, which gets 5M downloads a month.
Dubner has appeared widely on television, including as a regular contributor to ABC News and as host of the NFL Network's Football Freakonomics, which was nominated for an Emmy. His journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, TIME, and elsewhere, and has been anthologized in The Best American Sports Writing, The Best American Crime Writing, and others. He has been invited to speak to organizations including American Airlines, Xerox, Michigan State University, and more.
Michael Eisner
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Michael Eisner teaches audiences how to develop corporate creativity and strategically invest in innovation, based on his experiences as CEO of Disney and as Founder of The Tornante Company, a fund to invest in and develop companies in the media and entertainment sector. Both Fortune 500 CEO and entrepreneur, Mr. Eisner knows that even large global companies can innovate and adapt to new markets, new economies and new technologies. Through his remarks, Eisner not only inspires corporate innovation, he gives parameters for successful execution such as brand building, establishing strategic partnerships, and employee work teams.
Under the leadership of Michael Eisner, Walt Disney Company revenues grew from $1.7B to more than $170B by focusing on the power of ideas, pursuing the innovative vision, and taking creative risks. As a leader in the media industry for four decades, Mr. Eisner has overseen organizations recognized for their inventiveness and innovation, experienced an explosion of technological advances that have impacted his business and led his companies through the advent of the next big ideas. In his presentations on leadership, he shares his insights on what it takes to run a company that must always grow and change.
Charles Duhigg
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Duhigg is a Pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter at The New Yorker Magazine, and previously at The New York Times Magazine. At The New York Times, he authored or contributed to multiple series, including “The Reckoning” (2008), which studied the causes and outcomes of the financial crisis, and “The iEconomy”, which examined the global economy through the lens of Apple, and which won the 2013 Pulitzer prize in explanatory journalism. He has also won the George Polk Award (2007), the Gerald Loeb Award (2008), the National Journalism Award (2009), was a Business News Visionary Award recipient (2020-2021), and other honors. Duhigg was also the founding host of the “How To!" podcast for Slate Magazine.
In addition to his reporting, Charles Duhigg is a regular contributor to television and radio, including the PBS Newshour, Frontline, CBS Sunday Morning and various programs on CNBC and NPR. Before becoming a journalist, Duhigg worked in private equity and founded a health care company in his home state of New Mexico (and, for one terrifying day in 1999, was a bike messenger in San Francisco.) He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and Yale College.
Kardea Brown
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Celebrated chef, author, and beloved TV personality Kardea Brown is a contemporary Southern cook who shares mouthwatering recipes and insights about cooking, culture, and coming together. She is the host of Food Network’s Delicious Miss Brown, her eponymous show, as well as Cupcake Championship and The Great Soul Food Cook-Off. Brown is of Gullah/Geechee descent, a term used to describe a distinct group of African Americans living in the coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia who have managed to preserve much of their West African language, culture, and cuisine. Brown is the creator of the pop-up restaurant and social destination New Gullah Supper Club, where the menu pays homage to the dishes her grandmother and mother passed down to her.
Brown has appeared on Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped Junior, Cooks vs. Cons, Family Food Showdown, and Farmhouse Rules. She has released her first cookbook, The Way Home: A Celebration of Sea Islands Food and Family with over 100 Recipes, which is already the #1 New Release in Amazon’s ‘African Cooking, Food and Wine’ category and #1 in the ‘Soul Food Cooking, Food and Wine’ category. Brown’s engaging and interactive events are sought-after for memorable programming for audiences of all kinds.
Kurt Andersen
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Radio host and writer Kurt Andersen is a brilliant analyst and synthesizer of historical and cultural trends. He hosted the Peabody Award-winning public radio show and podcast Studio 360 and co-produced the podcast Nixon at War. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Evil Geniuses, and Fantasyland, as well as four novels. Andersen co-created the streaming series COMMAND Z, and has previously written for TV, film, and stage. He’s a regular contributor to the New York Times and The Atlantic, as well as a former New Yorker columnist, TIME critic and columnist, and New York editor-in-chief.
Andersen provides audiences with a fascinating examination of America’s culture that brilliantly displays how we’ve gotten to where we are today, and where we are going. He has spoken to Sotheby’s, Boston College, The New Museum, the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, and many more.
Eitan Bernath
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Culinary personality, entrepreneur, and Gen Z social media influencer Eitan Bernath is best known for his viral cooking videos on social media showcasing his captivating presentation style. The multifaceted entertainer debuted on the first ever kid’s episode of the Food Network’s Chopped and has since amassed 6M+ followers across his social media empire. Bernath is also the Principal Culinary Contributor for The Drew Barrymore Show on CBS as the first TikTok star to expand into a recurring role on daytime television. His popular debut cookbook, Eitan Eats The World: New Comfort Classics to Cook Right Now, built on his work as a contributor to The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Delish. Eitan helps audiences of all kinds lean into what makes them unique, identify their passion, and leave them with the tools and inspiration to pursue their goals.
A pioneer in digital media and content development, Eitan Bernath is the CEO of Eitan Productions, the eponymous entertainment studio overseeing his media ventures. Heralded as a master of quick-cut content, he has been profiled by nearly every prominent media outlet in the country including Vanity Fair, Forbes, and more. His brand partners include Walmart, PayPal, Whole Foods Market, DoorDash, Spotify, TikTok, and KitchenAid. With his entertaining delivery across platforms, Bernath can connect to any audience that likes to eat. Tastewise's CMO, Jacques Botbol, described his keynote speech at the Tastewise Generative AI Food Pioneer’s Summit as “a masterpiece of adaptability, charisma, and professionalism that left an indelible mark.”
William J. Bratton
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The only person to lead the police departments of America's two largest cities, New York and Los Angeles, William J. Bratton’s 46-year career in law enforcement is marked by transformative, community-first leadership. As Police Commissioner of New York City from 1994 to 1996, Bratton gained an international reputation for re-engineering the police department, revitalizing morale and achieving the largest crime decline in New York City's history. During his tenure, murder and serious crime dropped significantly. As Los Angeles Police Chief from 2002 to 2009, in a city known for its entrenched gang culture and youth violence, Commissioner Bratton brought crime to historically low levels through his Real Time and Predictive Policing initiatives by transforming the LAPD's relationship with local communities. His most recent book, The Profession, is a memoir of community, race, and the arc of policing in America. As America's "Top Cop," Commissioner Bratton has translated crisis into opportunity at every stage of his esteemed career, demonstrating the power of optimistic leadership and strategic, turnaround team management.
Among his numerous awards and recognitions, Commissioner Bratton has been named both one of the “Most Influential People in the Security Industry” (Security Magazine); “Public Official of the Year” (Governing Magazine); and Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). He currently serves as the Executive Chairman of Teneo Risk, advising clients on risk identification, prevention, and response, giving corporations the tools needed to handle a constant evolution of threats. Commissioner Bratton offers his audience key takeaways for how they can lead through and transform their own crises, earning praise from audiences, such as Johnson & Johnson: “I can't remember an outside speaker engaging our audience so thoroughly with such credibility. I think our people are now much better equipped to face 'impossible' situations.”
Jim Messina
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Renowned Democratic strategist and international consultant Jim Messina is widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful political advisors. Messina is the mastermind behind former-President Obama and then-Vice President Biden’s 2012 re-election campaign, which Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt called “the best-run campaign ever.” The “Campaign Strategist of the Year” merged technology and politics and established the modern presidential campaign. While serving as the Obama-Biden administration’s Deputy Chief of Staff, he earned the nickname “The Fixer,” building bipartisan support for the historic Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the landmark repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” For over two decades, Messina served as Chief of Staff for various Senate and House offices, developing strong relationship on both sides of the aisle. Messina has gone on to elect over a dozen Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents including: the UK’s Theresa May and David Cameron, Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, Italy’s Matteo Renzi and Spain’s President Mariano Rajoy, who he helped secure a surprising re-election win. Messina has upended the way that cutting-edge organizations think about strategy, and he delivers tangible takeaways with substance and some much-needed humor.
Messina is an in-demand voice at the crucial intersection of politics, business, and technology. He is a fixture on news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, Bloomberg, BBC, and more, and serves on the boards of Blockchain.com, Fortera, Vectra.ai, LanzaTech, the United States Soccer Foundation, and the Montana Land Reliance. At the helm of The Messina Group as CEO, Messina provides strategic consulting to top businesses around the world, including Uber, Airbnb, Google, Delta Air Lines, Hutchison Whampoa, and over 300 others. Among the most sought-after legislative D.C. insiders, Messina provides illuminating, actionable insights on our political and business landscape.
Dr. Mae Jemison
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American icon Dr. Mae C. Jemison broke more than the sound barrier in 1992 when she climbed aboard the space shuttle Endeavour – she became the first woman of color to travel into space. Dr. Jemison was NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist, performing experiments in material science, life science, and human adaptation to weightlessness. She now leads 100 Year Starship (100YSS), a bold, far reaching nonprofit initiative to assure the capabilities exist for human travel beyond our solar system to another star within the next 100 years. Dr. Jemison is a highly sought-after speaker on issues of health care, social responsibility, technology, education, STEM, and motivation.
Dr. Jemison is the Founder and President of The Jemison Group, Inc. (JG) – a technology consulting firm integrating critical socio-cultural issues into the design of engineering and science projects, as well as BioSentient Corporation - a medical devices and services company focused on improving health and human performance is such a company. An inductee of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame, she is the author of Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life and editor of 100 Year Starship Canopus Award Anthology. Dr. Jemison is in demand with groups including DePaul University, MKTG, Girl Scouts of the USA, Qatar Foundation, among many others.
John Rich
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John Rich is an American dream chaser. Armed with confidence, ambition and determination, John Rich is a multi-platinum hit generator, lifestyle-brand entrepreneur, and host of The Pursuit! with John Rich on Fox Business Network. John speaks with authority on entrepreneurism, the music industry, politics, current events, and the importance of family and God.
Whether through a raucous party anthem or a sober reflection on hard times in the heartland, Rich’s ability to capture the American zeitgeist in song has made him one of the most successful and prolific entertainers in the music business today. John is a 3 time consecutive ASCAP Songwriter of the Year winner and has penned over 2,000 songs in his career. In 2011, Rich impressed Donald Trump and American TV audiences with his business acumen and leadership skills, winning NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice and raising $1.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Rich is the founder of a national lifestyle brand called "Redneck Riviera" which celebrates 'Work hard, play hard' Americans. The brand boasts a successful national whiskey, Redneck Riviera Whiskey, a beef jerky line and a full-blown honky-tonk on the famed Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, with several more set to open across the US. The Redneck Riviera brand supports Folds of Honor and has now funded over 100 college scholarships for kids who have lost a parent in combat.
In addition to hosting his own show, Rich makes regular appearances on such top-rated shows such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News Channel’s The Five, Hannity, Fox and Friends and many more.
Lecrae
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A multi-Grammy Award-winning, platinum selling artist, Lecrae has evolved into a New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader, philanthropist, and Co-Owner/President of Reach Records. Referring to himself as a ‘social anthropologist,’ Lecrae seeks social change through authentic connections and calls for redemption through positive change. This year, he’ll also release his second book, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My Faith, a follow-up to his New York Times best-seller, Unashamed.
A catalyst for restoration in faith, music, and popular culture, Lecrae's viral TED Talk helped the public see beyond his music and focus on his message: what we say and do in hip-hop - and in the world - matters, so we should be thoughtful, careful, generous and respectful. In countless interviews, in his music and in his writings, Lecrae continues the message in hopes of restoring faith. “We can change the narrative, empower the disenfranchised, and close wealth gaps and can restore the dignity stripped from us, but we can’t do that by separating ourselves. We need to connect with each other and lean on God to restore our sense of purpose and worth,” shares Lecrae.
To date, he has sold more than 3 million copies and been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards including a win for Best Gospel Album, 15 Dove Awards, one Billboard Music Award, and received both a Soul Train Music Award and BET Hip-Hop Nomination. From his 2017 album, All Things Work Together, his single “I’ll Find You” ft. Tori Kelly, is now certified platinum by the RIAA (sold over 1 million copies) and “Blessings” ft Ty Dolla $ign is now Gold (sold over 500k).
Landyn Hutchinson
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Since Landyn Hutchinson launched her lifestyle brand, Living with Landyn, she has cultivated a highly engaged audience of women (and men!) that she affectionately refers to as her Tribe. Landyn throws a party like no other. Audiences feel refreshed, inspired, and ready to make positive life choices. Most importantly, Landyn is there to remind them that even though life may look pretty in photos, it isn’t always picture-perfect: It’s Authentic.
A dynamic and beloved speaker, Landyn's live show allows her to connect with her highly engaged audience directly, quickly transforming followers into friends. From marriage and parenting to health and beauty to interior design and style, there is no topic that Landyn doesn’t cover with her laid-back, honest conversation. Through various on-stage segments and giveaways, Landyn makes sure that everyone in the audience is engaged and having fun.
Dick Costolo
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TIME Magazine named Dick Costolo one of the "10 Most Influential U.S. Tech CEOs." Costolo is a digital entrepreneur who has launched a series of highly successful ventures, but when he became CEO of Twitter (now X) in 2010, he realized he was helping run more than a digital platform; he was helping run an information revolution. Costolo was the Chief Executive Officer of Twitter from October 2010 to June 2015, where he took the company from $0 to $1.5B in annual revenue. With insights into global communication, information flow, and knowledge parity, Costolo discusses the players making the news and watching it happen in real-time while trying to grow revenue, manage rocket-speed growth, and court investors.
Also a former improv comedian, Costolo is a consultant on HBO’s “Silicon Valley”, a board member for Patreon and IfOnly, and a Venture Partner at 01 Advisors. In his speeches, Dick Costolo calls on his experience as a digital entrepreneur, business executive, and performer to deliver entertaining, insightful speeches with a powerful message about the future of social media and the Internet.
Gotham Chopra
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Award-winning filmmaker, media founder, and author Gotham Chopra is at the forefront of the convergence of sports, science, and spirituality. As the creator and co-founder of Religion of Sports (ROS), an Emmy-winning media company based in Los Angeles, CA, Gotham has worked with some of the most elite athletes in the world including Tom Brady (Tom v Time), Kobe Bryant (Kobe Bryant’s Muse), Lebron James (Shut Up and Dribble), Stephen Curry (Stephen v The Game), Simone Biles (Simone v Herself), and many more to produce content that pushes the boundaries of non-fiction cinema and brings the mythos of sports to a broad audience outside of those that simply follow the games.
Gotham’s brand of sports storytelling leans into the essence of human potential, the dramatic peaks and valleys of competition and athletic achievement, and the heroic narratives that accompany both triumph and failure. He co-authored Walking Wisdom with his father, renowned spiritualist Deepak Chopra, and is the author of The Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life Through the Games We Love – a memoir-meets-manifesto about the overwhelming power of sports and how they provide meaning and purpose in peoples’ lives.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
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Actor, director, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a creative thought leader exploring the relationship between technology and creativity. His acting career, spanning three decades, includes titles from television (3rd Rock from the Sun) to arthouse (Mysterious Skin, Brick, and more) to multiplex (Inception, 500 Days of Summer, Snowden, and more). His feature screenwriting and directorial debut, Don Jon, won an “Independent Spirit Award” nomination and “Best First Screenplay.”
Gordon-Levitt is also the founder of HITRECORD, an online creative platform empowering artists to explore “community-sourced” production. HITRECORD has produced award-winning campaigns for brands ranging from the ACLU to LG, toured live shows and screened short films at festivals such as Sundance, BFI, TIFF, and SXSW. The production company’s first television show, HITRECORD On TV, won an EMMY in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media.
Drawing from his unique perspective as an artist and entrepreneur, Gordon-Levitt delivers dynamic talks and presentations that shed light on internet culture, collaboration, and creativity. He has spoken everywhere from TED to TechCrunch to AT&T. Sharing stories from his years of experience in the Hollywood spotlight, Gordon-Levitt inspires audiences to consider creativity in a new light.
John R. Miles
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Former U.S. Navy officer, Fortune 50 senior executive, entrepreneur, author, and award-winning podcast host John R. Miles is a recognized expert on intentional behavior change, leadership, personal mastery, and the transformative power of "mattering." Founder & CEO of Passion Struck®, his globally renowned podcast, Passion Struck with John R. Miles, has garnered tens of millions of downloads and consistently holds the title of the #1 alternative health podcast worldwide, securing its place among the top 100 on Apple Podcasts. His syndicated national radio show, "Passion Struck with John R. Miles," is heard by millions weekly. John has interviewed David Rubenstein, Seth Godin, Susan Cain, Gretchen Rubin, Robin Sharma, Daniel Pink, Rachel Hollis, Jim Kwik, Arthur Brooks, & countless others. In a world where success is often measured by influence and impact, Miles has earned his place among the world's foremost thought leaders, leaving an indelible mark as a beacon of inspiration and change.
With over 25 years of leadership experience, Miles is frequently sought after as an advisor by many of the world's top companies and their executives. His leadership has been credited with generating billions of dollars in sales and advising two unicorn startups. However, his true passion lies in coaching and mentoring individuals to live a passion-struck life in every area. The story of his journey as a U.S. Naval Academy graduate exemplifying the principles of leadership and personal growth are a part of his debut book, Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life (due out in early 2024). Passion Struck was chosen as one of February 2024's "Must-Read Books" by the Next Big Idea Club.
For more information, visit www.passionstruck.com or www.johnrmiles.com.
Alexa von Tobel
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Renowned serial entrepreneur, CEO and founder, New York Times bestselling author, and podcast host Alexa von Tobel, CFP leads conversations that resonate with the full entrepreneur experience – everything from nuts-and-bolts operations to the craft of company-building. Alexa is the Founder and Managing Partner of Inspired Capital – a $500M+ venture firm focused on the entrepreneurs of the future. Prior to Inspired Capital, she founded LearnVest with the goal of helping people make progress on their money. After raising nearly $75M in venture capital, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual in one of the biggest fintech acquisitions of the decade. Following the acquisition, Alexa joined the management team of Northwestern Mutual as the company’s first-ever Chief Digital Officer, and later assumed the role of Chief Innovation Officer, through which she oversaw the venture arm. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Financially Fearless and Financially Forward, and hosts the weekly podcast Inc. Founders Project with Alexa von Tobel, which features conversations with the best founders across the country. In sought-after talks, Alexa shares accessible and actionable insights about personal finance, entrepreneurial strategy, leading-edge industries, and more.
Alexa has appeared on the cover of Forbes, been interviewed on NPR’s How I Built This, and has been featured in a wide variety of publications from The New York Times to Vogue. She is a member of the 2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows and served as an inaugural member of President Obama’s Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship. Alexa has been honored with numerous recognitions including: Fortune’s "40 Under 40", Fortune's "Most Powerful Women," Forbes’ "30 Under 30", Inc. Magazine's "30 Under 30,” and was named World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader. From her expertise in navigating a recession while staying connected to customers, to leveraging investor strategy in the fintech and Web3 arenas, Alexa’s high-impact talks will resonate with audiences of all kinds.
Tina Brown
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Legendary editor, journalist, CEO, and New York Times bestselling author Tina Brown is an expert on leading through extreme disruption. Brown transformed Vanity Fair, increasing sales from 200K to 1.2M, reinvented The New Yorker, and pioneered online journalism as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Beast. Now CEO of Tina Brown Live Media, she was the visionary Founder of Women in the World Summits and served as the CEO from 2010-2020. An engaging and talented speaker and moderator, Brown offers lessons on reinvention, shifting business models and market conventions, and taking risks.
Brown is the author of New York Times #1 bestselling biography The Diana Chronicles as well as The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992, which was named as one of the best books of 2017 by TIME, The Economist, Vogue, and more. Her new book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor – the Truth and the Turmoil highlights Brown’s expertly observed insights into the world of the royal family. A leader in one of the most disrupted industries in our time, Brown was featured in CNBC’s documentary The Brave Ones, championing her leadership and legacy. Whether she’s sharing stories of triumphant turnarounds or offering concrete tools and inspiration for embracing risks, Brown is an engaging and powerful speaker who makes an impact with both individuals and organizations.
Jeannie Mai
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Emmy-Award winning host Jeannie Mai can be seen each weekday on the nationally syndicated talk show The Real. Mai and her fellow The Real co-hosts received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host, received multiple Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Series, and received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Talk Series. Mai also serves as a sideline correspondent for ABC’s extreme mini-golf competition series Holey Moley, and competed on season 29 of the hit series Dancing with the Stars. Mai’s presentations are both inspiring and relatable, offering insight into building resilience, embracing cultural identity, and harnessing personal strength to achieve success.
Deeply committed to charities that advance women’s interests, Mai serves as a board member for various organizations, including Dress for Success and Same Sky. Mai has served as an advocate to fight human trafficking and has been an ambassador for the Pacific Links Foundation, Step Up, Nightlight International, Not For Sale, and Heartbeat Vietnam. Mai has been honored for her activism work in the AAPI community as a part of the A100 list, highlighting the most influential Asians within their respective industries. Audiences leave Mai’s talks feeling motivated to take control of their lives with renewed passion and purpose.
Dapper Dan
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A New York Times bestselling author and global fashion icon with a remarkable rags to riches story, Dapper Dan pioneered streetwear in the early 1980s with his eponymous store on 125th Street. Co-opting luxury branding to design original garments with high-end detail, Dapper Dan first drew powerful New York City hustlers as clientele, who flocked to him thanks to his strong street reputation as a legendary professional gambler and dandy. He then went on to outfit the world’s top entertainers and celebrities, all leading to his notoriety.
Dapper Dan’s incredible personal journey from a hungry boy with holes in his shoes, to a teen who gambled drug dealers out of their money, to a beloved legend in the worlds of Harlem, fashion, and hip hop, is chronicled in his New York Times bestseller, Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem. It’s a story that inspires and resonates with audiences worldwide, and is now being developed into a premium drama series and a documentary series. In his empowering and riveting remarks, Dapper Dan highlights the importance of tenacity, curiosity, and determination to make ones wildest dreams a reality.
Brian MacKenzie
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Human performance specialist Brian Mackenzie is a pioneer in the development and application of custom protocols to optimize human health and performance. His protocols have been used to accelerate and raise both mental and physical performance in world-class Olympic and professional athletes, top executives, and elite military operators, as well as to improve the health for people suffering from various chronic and pathological issues. Mackenzie’s work is voluntarily and repeatedly subjected to rigorous 3rd party scientific testing, re-testing, and improvement at top institutions in research projects at Stanford University School of Medicine, California State University Fullerton, and San Francisco State University. Mackenzie has also co-authored the book Power Speed Endurance, The New York Times bestseller UnBreakable Runner, and UnPlugged, which assesses the integration of emergent technology and human performance. His programs have been featured in Outside Magazine, Men’s Health, Runners World, Triathlete Magazine, Men’s Journal, ESPN Rise, and periodicals such as The Economist.
Currently, Mackenzie is the Founder & CEO of Shift. He is also the President and Co-Founder of The Health and Human Performance Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching how breath and innate tools can optimize and help health and human performance. Perfect for a somatic readjustment at any time of day, Mackenzie’s workshops focus on science-backed, actionable steps for stress management from the root: the body itself.
Dusty Baker
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Legendary baseball player and retired manager Dusty Baker shares his love and skill with sport for all. The future Hall of Famer dedicated 50 seasons to Major League baseball, 19 as a player, 5 as a coach and 26 as a manager. Over 26 seasons with the Houston Astros, he became the oldest manager in MLB history to take a team to and win the World Series as well as the first African-American manager to have 50 post-season wins. Dusty has been named to the All-Time Los Angeles Dodgers team as a player and the All-Time San Francisco Giants team as a manager. He was honored with Baseball Digest's Lifetime Achievement Award. The first MLB manager to reach the playoffs with five different teams, Dusty shares his expertise in motivational leadership, coaching a high-performing team, and winning under pressure.
Dusty is also a entrepreneur, media personality, and philanthropist. Credited with popularizing the high-five, Baker is highly influential both on and off the field. He is the founder of both Baker Solar Team and Baker Family Wines. He was a TV commentator and broadcast analyst for TBS. A survivor of an aggressive cancer diagnosis, Dusty has helped raise over $1.5M for cancer research and is a passionate advocate for cancer survivors everywhere. He has spoken for countless groups including Houston Methodist Hospital, California State Automobile Association, General Motors, SBC Global Services, and more.
Jessie James Decker
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Country music singer-songwriter, style entrepreneur, and TV personality Jessie James Decker is a New York Times bestselling author with over 7M social media followers. Signed to Warner Music Nashville, Jessie’s passion for music has made the multi-talented artist one of music’s true breakout firebrands. The singer’s authentic style immediately captivated listeners everywhere on her 2009 self-titled debut. She continued to keep it real with her second studio album, 2017’s Southern Girl City Lights, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Jessie is a four-time host of Dick Clark’s Rockin New Year’s Eve, Presenter at the American Music Awards 2022, and beloved contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
Decker is the Founder and Designer of Kittenish – a playful fashion line inspired by her personal style. Decker and her brand were profiled in Forbes, which raved: “country star Jessie James Decker was born to hustle.” The multi-hyphenate is also a multi-time New York Times bestselling author. Decker’s first book, Just Jessie, is her guide to love, life, family, and food. In Just Feed Me, Jessie shares her favorite recipes of her family – her husband, retired NFL player Eric Decker, their three children, and now a fourth one on the way. Jessie’s newest cookbook Just Eat is set to release Fall of 2023. An unstoppable force of talent and energy, Decker’s fans love to connect with Jessie through her brands, music, and in unforgettable events.
Nigel Sylvester
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Professional BMX athlete, creative, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Nigel Sylvester is one of the most culturally relevant cyclists today. Sylvester was catapulted to the forefront of the sports world due to his progressive riding style, innovative content creation, and one-of-a-kind artistic expression and style. He has been a Jordan Brand signed athlete, featured in countless global and digital campaigns. Sylvester created ‘GO Ride,’ hosting a first-of-its-kind transatlantic 30-mile bike ride in London and New York City in honor of World Bicycle Day. His drive to give back led him to start the Nigel Sylvester Foundation, dedicated to transforming the lives of underserved youth, uniting diverse communities, and more. Today, Sylvester is one of the most widely recognized athletes in the world.
Sylvester is known for his outspoken advocacy, grit, and innovative creativity. Sylvester was featured in ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’ and included in Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list. Sylvester has spoken to Nike, Samsung, Chase, UNLOQ, Fashion Tech Forum, eBay, StockX, Complex, Gillette, Oakley about his many achievements across sports, business, and media.
Katy Bohinc
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Artist, founder, and mathematician Katy Bohinc is an award-winning data scientist and visionary polymath Fortune 500 marketer. Bohinc began her career as a data scientist for leading marketing agencies, operationalizing big data adoption. Her work garnered Assembly Media (now Assembly Global) Ad Age’s Agency of the Year award. She has published three books of poetry, along with two edited volumes. Bohinc served as Director of Tender Buttons Press (2013-2020). Her latest endeavor as founder & CEO of The Ratio – an AI startup which applies data science to the ancient traditions of astrology – marks her as a leading creative and scientific mind.
Bohinc is a captivating, visionary speaker, bringing her highly acclaimed poet's voice to a powerful and unique weaving of cultural, technological, and marketing insights. Her voice draws from her incredibly diverse background across data science and AI, literature and the arts, world history, and marketing. She has spoken on the intersections of arts, science, and futurism at MoMa Ps1, LACMA, Princeton University, Cambridge University, Ezra Pound’s Castle, and hundreds more. Bohinc's insightful ability to connect seemingly disparate intellectual disciplines into a case study of the human experience opens audiences' minds to new avenues of creativity.
Bozoma Saint John
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A trailblazing and genuine change-agent, Bozoma “Boz” Saint John is a Hall of Fame Inducted Marketing Executive, author, and entrepreneur who is worthy of the Harvard Business School case study written about her career, titled “Leading with Authenticity and Urgency.” Few people have the depth and breadth of experience that Boz has. Her remarkable success at Netflix, Pepsi, Apple, Uber; the Endeavor brands (WME | IMG, Miss Universe, Ultimate Fighting Champion, Professional Bull Riders, and more); and her own haircare and wig brand, Eve by Boz, proves her to be one of the most effective marketers of any generation. On February 21, 2023, Viking Books published her memoir, The Urgent Life.
With almost 20 years of experience that spans multiple industries including digital music and entertainment, consumer packaged goods, fashion, sports and automotive, Bozoma is a leader heralded for her bold thinking and cutting-edge ideas. Prior to Netflix and Endeavor, she served as the Chief Brand Officer at Uber, where she was tasked with telling the stories of millions of riders and driver-partners across over 600 cities, and as the Head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes, where she built and launched Apple Music, as well as spearheaded campaigns geared towards growing consumer brand recognition, loyalty, and equity around the world.
Recognized for her breakthrough work by both the industry and her peers, Boz is a member of the Billboard Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement and American Marketing Association Hall of Fame. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, named Forbes #1 Most Influential CMO in 2021, Executive of the Year by Billboard Magazine, and featured in lists such as Fortune’s "Most Influential CMOs," Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s "100 Most Creative People," and more.
Hailed as the "coolest person to ever go on stage at an Apple event,” by Buzzfeed, Bozoma brings unparalleled energy, transformative thinking, and innovative ideas to each engagement.
Chrissy Teigen
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New York Times #1 bestselling author, Cravings founder, and TV personality Chrissy Teigen is an enduring icon in American food and culture. Her first cookbook, Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want To Eat, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and the first cookbook to debut at #1 on USA Today’s bestseller list. Teigen’s highly anticipated second cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More, launched alongside her kitchen and tabletop collection, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen. Teigen’s third cookbook Cravings: All Together: Recipes to Love was an instant New York Times bestseller. Previously a judge on NBC’s comedy competition show Bring the Funny and co-host of Paramount’s Lip Sync Battle, Teigen is an entertainment tycoon. She is the founder of Huntley Productions, through which she executive produced Roku’s Chrissy’s Court, HBO Max’s The Way Down, and Fries! The Movie, a documentary which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. Teigen was named to the Variety500 list as an influential business leader for her work with Cravings and Huntley Productions. Teigen shares insights from her multi-faceted career with humor and authenticity.
Beyond her iconic persona and warm presence, Teigen is engaged in active work uplifting communities. She has been a voice for social justice and women’s rights and is actively involved in several charities. In 2018, Teigen was awarded the “Heart of the City” award by City Harvest, a non-profit food rescue organization, for her fundraising efforts. Teigen once helped raise $1M for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in just two days. Teigen has been listed as one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s “20 Most Powerful Players in Food Media.” Teigen’s breadth of achievements inspires any audience, connecting with her warm energy.
Stephanie Izard
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Award-winning chef Stephanie Izard is a pioneer in her field. Chef Izard is the first woman to win the title of Top Chef, an Iron Chef champion, and the Executive Chef and Owner of five Chicago restaurants (Girl & the Goat, Little Goat, Duck Duck Goat, and Cabra), the bakery Sugargoat, and two Los Angeles restaurants *Girl & the Goat LA and Cabra LA). She has authored two cookbooks: Gather & Graze and Girl in the Kitchen. Izard also created a retail product line called “This Little Goat,” consisting of globally inspired cooking sauces, spice mixes, and crunches for home cooks. Izard jumped back into television in 2023 with the release of The Curious Chef, a Tastemade television series where she visits home cooks to get a taste of their time-honored recipes and traditions, alongside numerous appearances, as both a competitor and a judge, on shows including Tournament of Champions, Hell’s Kitchen, Superchef: Grudge Match, Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, and more.
Izard speaks on her experiences of passion, craft, and finding her to the top of a notoriously difficult industry. An inspiration not only to aspiring culinary professionals but anyone looking to break glass ceilings and fulfill their potential, Izard’s grit is a motivational force electrifying audiences nationwide.
Stacy London
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Beloved style expert, TV host, and author Stacy London is one of America’s foremost style experts and a pop culture icon. Best known as the co-host of TLC’s iconic show What Not to Wear for ten seasons, Stacy also hosted and executive produced Love, Lust, or Run. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Dress Your Best and The Truth About Style, and has served as a style correspondent for the Today Show, Access Hollywood, Rachel Ray, and The View. Throughout her career, Stacy has made her mark by raising the confidence of others through empowering and uplifting projects and speaking events.
In 2021, Stacy became the Founder and CEO of State of Menopause – a holistic product line for women which addresses the symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause. By tackling this topic – which is wrapped in shame and stigma – Stacy is leveraging her expertise as a brand leader and continuing to help people from suffering silently, raising their confidence and self-esteem. In 2023, she sunset the company in favor of a long-term educational and advocacy platform about the culture of mid-life, aging, and menopause which she will debut in 2024. She currently advises several other brands on menopause and mid-life.
She previously hosted the mental health podcast Could Be Better, tbh, in collaboration with the Crisis Text Line and The Jed Foundation (JED). Stacy has spoken for groups including Harvard University, Meijer, Vassar College, The Global Wellness Conference, and Women in Retail Summit on the topics of style, self-esteem, and giving menopause the makeover it deserves!
KJ Rose
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Artist Development & Performance Director Keanna "KJ Rose" Henson, author of The Rose Effect: Eight Steps to Delivering The Performance of Your Life, is a powerful change agent with real world experience. KJ delivers real world results. KJ worked with Clive Davis at J Records and coached Lil Nas X, the Lumineers, 24k Goldn, The Kid Laroi, Rubi Rose, Justine Skye, Polo G., and others. She also performed with Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Janet Jackson. KJ directed talent on national campaigns such as Doritos (Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sam Elliot) Uber Eats (Lil Nas X & Elton John), Taco Bell (Lil Nas X) & Roblox (Lil Nas X)
KJ Rose has shared her expertise on WGN America, NBC's News Now, Bloomberg News, and NBC's California Live. Additionally, KJ contributed by coaching talent on shows that include Saturday Night Live, The Voice, The Grammy Awards, MTV Music Video Awards, BET Awards, Amazon Music Holiday Plays, American Music Awards, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. KJ currently works as an actress on TriDestined Studios & BET+ The Family Business. KJ's dedication to excellence catapulted her to influencer status and creative innovator for initiatives led by TikTok, Janie and Jack, Harlem Fashion Row, REVOLT, and BET.com.
KJ's compelling creative destiny and infectious energy lead brands such as Adidas, L'Oreal, Google, Pandora Media, Omnicom, Nickelodeon, Sony Music, Columbia Records, TriDestined Studios and Disney to deem her to be the "ultimate solution" to motivate and encourage their pool of talented employees.
Matt James
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TV personality, entrepreneur, crypto economy advocate, and activist Matt James is known for his historic role as the first Black male lead on ABC’s The Bachelor, which gave him the opportunity to be a role model for young people and encourage important conversations around racial justice and social change. While pursuing a career in finance and real estate, Matt co-founded ABC Food Tours, which creates experiences for students facing the challenge of food insecurity and adversity at home and seeks to provide opportunities on a larger scale. He is also a minority owner, ambassador, and shareholder in Lettuce Grow, a hydroponic farming company. Matt uses his platform of over 1M followers to foster awareness for food justice and human rights.
In addition to being a fan-favorite TV personality, Matt is a leader in the crypto economy, taking his advocacy work into cryptocurrency, blockchain, and NFTs. Matt is a co-founder of Encrypted Energy, a cryptocurrency mining company that sources clean energy to mine bitcoin. He is also a member of Crypto for Black Economic Empowerment, a collective of the most influential Black crypto and blockchain thought leaders. James is also an owner and supporter of the NFT movement, focusing on artists of color and female creators, and has partnered with crypto marketplace BlockFi to create crypto educational content geared toward women & communities of color and is working with Gemini to develop a financial literacy curriculum. He is a sought-after advisor for several digital media companies on the future of the Metaverse and Web3. He is an avid supporter of the Lebron James Family Foundation, Hack the Hood, and the Getting Out and Staying Out Foundation.
Dan Schulman
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Visionary former CEO of PayPal and tech leadership expert Dan Schulman blends profit with purpose and focuses on improving the financial health of people, families, and businesses around the world. Frequently recognized by Fortune as one of the “Top 20 Businesspersons of the Year,” Dan encourages his audiences to embrace stakeholder capitalism, diversity, inclusion, and more, while prioritizing responsible and world class business practices. Prior to his role at PayPal, he served as Group President at American Express, President of the Prepaid Group at Spring Nextel Corporation following its acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc., where he led the company as its founding CEO for eight years, and President and CEO of Priceline Group, Inc. Dan is currently on the Board of Directors for both Verizon and Cisco. Dan has lead global brands through major periods of transition, consistently delivery results and building a reputation as a difference-maker. With his extensive experience in payments, e-commerce, and mobile technology, Dan is uniquely positioned to speak to the challenges and opportunities facing companies today.
Dan is consistently featured on “Best CEO” lists, including being named one of Glassdoor’s “Top 50 CEOs” and Fast Company’s “Top 100 Most Creative People.” Dan was also named one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” heralded for his willingness to step up and make the world better, inspiring others to do the same. Under his leadership, PayPal was named one of the top companies on JUST Capital and Forbes’ JUST 100 list, featuring “companies doing right by America.” PayPal was named to Morning Consult’s “Most Trusted Brands” list and has also been recognized as a Fortune Change the World company for its work to tackle the biggest challenges facing society today. In sought-after talks, Dan empowers audiences with his insights about the future of money, values-driven business, reimagining how merchants can continually strengthen their businesses, and innovative leadership.
Marcus Samuelsson
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Acclaimed chef, restaurateur, New York Times bestselling author, and beloved TV host Marcus Samuelsson inspires audiences with his powerful storytelling and engaging cooking demos. Samuelsson is the chef behind many renowned restaurants worldwide, including Red Rooster Harlem, Red Rooster Shoreditch, and Marcus B&P. Samuelsson was the youngest person ever to receive a three-star review from The New York Times. He has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards and was the guest chef for the Obama Administration’s first state dinner. Samuelsson is also the author of multiple books including the New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef – which The New York Times called “one of the great culinary stories of our time,” Make It Messy, The Red Rooster Cookbook, and his latest groundbreaking cookbook The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. Through his insightful conversations and thoroughly delightful live demos, Samuelsson offers uplifting, entertaining, and though-provoking experiences that resonate with audiences of all kinds.
Samuelsson was crowned champion of the TV shows Top Chef Masters and Chopped All-Stars, and served as a mentor on ABC’s The Taste. His PBS series No Passport Required celebrates the wide-ranging diversity of immigrant traditions and cuisine woven into American food and culture. A committed philanthropist, he co-produces the annual week-long festival Harlem EatUp!, which celebrates the food, art, and culture of Harlem. Samuelsson serves as a UNICEF Ambassador, a member of the U.S. State Department’s Chef Corps, and as the co-chairman for the organization Careers Through Culinary Arts Program. He was selected as a guest chef at the White House under the Obama Administration, where he planned and executed the administration’s first state dinner honoring Prime Minister Singh of India. For his sought-after programs, Samuelsson receives consistent rave reviews: ”Wow! You were utterly amazing. Added such depth and perspective. We can't thank you enough! Hope you'll join another at some point in the future” (Crain’s New York Business) and ”Marcus was thoughtful, personable, and left us wanting more!” (Kraft Heinz Company)
Tiffany D. Cross
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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)
Simon Sinek
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Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people, foster cooperation, build trust, and effect change.
The author of the global bestsellers The Infinite Game, Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, Sinek is an ethnographer by training. Fascinated by the leaders who make an impact on the world and the companies and politicians with the capacity to inspire, Sinek's work focuses on the remarkable patterns in how such people and organizations think, act and communicate.
With a bold goal to help build a world in which the vast majority of us wake up inspired, feel safe at work and return home fulfilled at the end of the day, he is leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that ignite their passion, creativity, and joy.
Sinek is posting videos and encouragement on LinkedIn for these challenging times. Here’s one of his gems: "It is rare for all humanity to have an opportunity to come together to help each other. This is one of those times."
Pitbull
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Grammy Award-winning independent international superstar, education advocate, and entrepreneur Armando Christian Pérez – Pitbull – is a sought-after motivational speaker who invites disruption on a global scale. With billions of audio streams and videos views, plus hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, Pitbull has one of the most impressive careers in music history. Pitbull returned to the road in 2022 with the sold out North American Can’t Stop Us Now Tour along with his SiriusXM Globalization DJs packing amphitheaters and arenas coast-to-coast. From his danceable hit songs to his philanthropic actions, Armando shares a message of hope, hard work, and positivity that resonates worldwide.
Beyond music, Armando has leveraged his business acumen through a diverse portfolio of investments and partnerships. He is co-owner of the NASCAR racing team Trackhouse and has successfully developed other ventures including his own record label Mr. 305, Inc. and Voli 305 Vodka. Armando successfully established Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!) – tuition-free public charter schools across the country, recognized as one of the top school networks in the world. His next long-awaited Spanglish album, Trackhouse, releases Fall 2023 and Pitbull will join Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin on The Trilogy Tour. He has performed for millions worldwide, and even joined forces with the #1 life and business strategist, Tony Robbins, for a global motivational speaking tour. Sharing his uplifting journey to success, Pitbull emphasizes the power of learning from your mistakes – “must-takes,” as he calls them – and embracing a growth mindset to achieve your dreams.
Pitbull melds practical knowledge with personal experiences, ensuring that his talks are not just informative but also deeply resonant and inspirational. His multifaceted career and endeavors reflect a man who is not just an artist, but a leader, entrepreneur, educator, and philanthropist, making him an enriching speaker for a multitude of audiences and events.
Christine Simmons
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Trailblazing leader, entrepreneur, and executive Christine Simmons brings vast experience in some of the most prominent organizations in the world to her spellbinding keynote presentations. Simmons is the Founder of consulting firm Alis Volat Propriis, LLC – which means “she who flies with her own wings” in Latin – advising businesses at every scale on operational excellence, strategic planning, business development, and representation initiatives, and more. Her clothing and merchandise line, Unapologetically™ Christine, encourages everyone to live UNAPOLOGETICALLY™ - which she defines as “Being Bold, Attacking Life’s Challenges in Extraordinary Fashion, & Loving Oneself – Flaws and All!” In 2019, Christine was named Chief Operating Officer at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science – the first Woman and Black person to hold the position. Prior to this role, Simmons was President & Chief Operating Officer of the three-time WNBA Champion Los Angeles Sparks, and was an Executive Vice President with Magic Johnson Enterprises, where she evaluated investment opportunities and was responsible for business development. Speaking globally on topics including business, strategy, leadership, inclusion, and empowerment, Simmons has been sought after by groups including the Bank of America Women’s Conference, UCLA Velocity Conference, and The Black Employee Network from Blue Shield of California, among others.
With over two decades of leadership experience in creating strategic alliances, leading business development, and driving corporate initiatives, Christine has worked with many Fortune 500 corporations and multi-million-dollar companies including Disney and NBCUniversal. A proud UCLA graduate, Simmons currently holds seats on UCLA Foundation Board of Directors and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Advisory Board. Previously, she served on the UC Board of Regents, where she served on the Finance and Capital Strategies, Public Engagement and Development, Investments & Basic Needs committees. She is a Past President and Director on the Board of the UCLA Alumni Association representing all 500,000 global Bruins. Simmons is on the Advisory Council for Playbook Makers, Spry, Next Play Capital, Shared Harvest Fund, and MyCOVID MD. She also volunteers for Better Futures for Thomazeau – a small, grassroots nonprofit that provides aide and is currently building a vocational school in Haiti. A huge advocate of mentoring, Christine formally mentors the next generation of Black and Brown women through Cari Champion’s foundation, Brown Girls Dream, and has informally mentored countless others.
Brian Grazer
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Hollywood legend Brian Grazer is an entertainment mogul with an empowering story of resilience and ingenuity. Coming from modest means and growing up with dyslexia, Grazer is an Academy, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy award-winning producer as well as a New York Times bestselling author. Behind iconic films and shows including A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Splash, 24, and Arrested Development (just to name a few), Grazer's work has been nominated for 43 Oscars and 195 Emmys. Named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Grazer co-founded Imagine Entertainment along with his longtime friend and business partner Ron Howard in the 1980s, quickly growing it to become one of Hollywood's most prolific and successful production companies. With a unique flair for telling fascinating stories and decades of experience as a Hollywood icon, Grazer offers insight into themes such as leading through times of disruption, unleashing curious creativity, innovating in a fast-changing world, and the future media landscape.
The secrets to Grazer's success and distinct outlook are chronicled in his #1 New York Times bestseller, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. Sought-out to speak with hosts including Google, Goldman Sachs, SXSW, and the Aspen Institute, Grazer has helped everyone from parents to CEOs to artists to young graduates hone the mindset, philosophy, and skills needed to thrive at every phase of life.
Guy Fieri
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Chef, restaurateur, and Emmy Award-winning television host Guy Fieri is one of the world’s most recognizable, influential culinary stars. Fieri began his culinary career selling soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle and washing dishes in local restaurants in his early teens. In 2006, Guy won the television competition Next Food Network Star and has been a nonstop presence on the network ever since. With a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he is best known as the “Mayor of Flavortown” and face of Food Network favorites Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Tournament of Champions. His thriving brand empire has grown to include over 80 restaurants worldwide, a 175-location food delivery service, and a diverse portfolio of brands. Fieri’s cultural and culinary preeminence brings a unique star power fueled by his electric personality to all of his endeavors.
Fieri’s enthusiasm for food is matched only by his passion for helping others. He founded the Guy Fieri Foundation to support culinary education as well as provide financial resources to aspiring chefs and feeds frontline workers, first responders, and military personnel. He has been invited by Morgan Stanley, the Foodservice Equipment Distributor’s Association, and more to speak on his many personal and business endeavors. Fieri’s events ignite and inspire any audience with his infectious energy and passion.
Matty Matheson
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Internationally recognized chef, TV personality, author, and entrepreneur Matty Matheson has been breaking barriers since his cooking debut back in 2003. He has authored back-to-back New York Times bestselling cookbooks, Matty Matheson: A Cookbook and Home Style Cookery. After achieving fame as host of the cooking shows Dead Set on Life and It's Suppertime! on Viceland, Matheson decided to launch his self-produced, wildly successful YouTube series Just A Dash. A celebrity chef for the digital age, Matty has cemented his place as a heavyweight in the YouTube ecosystem, amassing over 100M views. Whether he’s engaging your audience in a captivating fireside chat, or leading the audience through a high-energy cooking demo, Matheson generates buzz and brings positivity, humor, and cogent business advice to every event.
In addition to five highly successful restaurants, Matheson has leveraged his brand awareness into partnerships with RVCA, cookware manufacturer Castor Design, food company McCain Canada, and launched Rosa Rugosa – a clothing line centered around durable, well-fitted, and Canadian-made workwear. Matty also played a major role in the hit FX series The Bear – serving as co-producer, culinary lead, and playing a small roll not as a chef, but a beleaguered handyman. A recent New York Times profile described Matheson as “an irresistible – and unexpected – celebrity” and Fast Company’s glowing profile was titled “How Matty Matheson is not-so-quietly building the indie food-media empire we all need.” In high-octane motivational events, Matheson shares his insights which represent a case study in discipline, brand-awareness, and impeccable entrepreneurial instincts.
Lilly Singh
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Lilly Singh is an Emmy-winning entertainer, actress, producer, New York Times best-selling author, gender equality advocate, and President of Unicorn Island. A leading force in pop culture, she has pivoted her successful online career to the big and small screens. Up next, Lilly’s first feature film, DOIN’ IT, will premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. She co-wrote, produced, and stars as the lead in the comedy. During the Festival, Lilly will also receive the “Comedy Crossover” Award at Variety’s Power of Comedy honors. She is also partnering with AAVRANI, an Ayurvedic science-backed beauty brand, to launch the hair care collection she helped create alongside founder Rooshy Roy, inspired by Indian cultural rituals.
Most recently, Lilly starred in the Emmy-winning Disney+ comedy series The Muppets Mayhem, DreamWorks Animation action-comedy THE BAD GUYS, and voiced the lead in her animated series, The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island, now available on YouTube. She currently hosts CTV’s Battle of the Generations, a primetime quiz show that she also executive produces, and is a judge on Canada’s Got Talent. She is the author of two international chart-topping books, How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to ConqueringLife and Be a Triangle: How I Went from Being Lost to Getting My Life Into Shape. With every innovative project, business endeavor, and keynote, Lilly is redefining the rules – breaking norms that led to exclusion – and leading us toward a richer and more inclusive future.
Through her Unicorn Island Productions company, its non-profit arm Unicorn Island Fund, and her Lilly’s Library book club, Lilly continues to blaze new paths in storytelling, spotlighting underrepresented voices and challenging social norms to transform the way the world sees, values and invests in girls and women. In her live events, Lilly offers empowering insights about building her career, creating equity, leading with authenticity, and more, and always with her signature blend of humor, vulnerability, and keen observation.
Stacey Abrams
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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."
Raymond Braun
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Three years ago, Raymond Braun had never run more than three miles and was struggling with debilitating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In February 2023, Raymond set two World Records by completing 7 Olympic Distance triathlons on all 7 continents in 7 consecutive days. This endeavor was part of his mental health recovery program and aimed to destigmatize conversations about therapy and grief, while honoring his late friend, Maya Amoils, a mental health advocate.
As an award-winning multimedia journalist, producer, and advocate, Raymond now facilitates open conversations on the connection between mental and physical health through documentary storytelling, public speaking, endurance events, and peer-to-peer counseling. He has spoken at prestigious events ranging from the White House to the Forbes CMO Summit, and been featured in numerous media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, and many more.
Raymond struggled with OCD-related challenges throughout his life, masking them behind professional achievements and accolades. He graduated as valedictorian for both his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stanford University. He went on to hold leadership positions at YouTube and Bumble, founded a creative consultancy with prestigious clients like CHANEL and Google, and achieved recognition as a GLAAD Award-winning documentary host.
Raymond ultimately found solace and transformation through endurance sports and exposure therapy. He now focuses on mental health awareness, inclusivity in fitness, and sharing inspiring stories of mental and physical transformation to empower others. Raymond's ultimate mission is to prove that individuals possess far greater potential than their self-limiting thoughts, stereotypes, and societal pressures suggest.
Jermaine Stone
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Cru Luv Wine's President and CEO Jermaine Stone was raised worlds away from wine country with plans to become a rapper. By 19, he had the attention of prominent figures in music including Chris Lighty and LL Cool J, but a temporary job packing boxes at Zachys Wine Auctions persuaded him to make a career in fine wine. Jermaine began an accomplished 9-year career, rising to the position of Logistics Manager, overseeing the inbound and outbound transport of $60M worth of fine wine annually. Jermaine became one of the founding Directors of Wally’s Auctions, where he co-created and implemented a full client experience. In addition to major operational roles, he provided strategic advice to Wally’s President and VP, and served as an auctioneer and public speaker at commercial and charity auctions.
Jermaine is the Founder and CEO of Cru Luv Selections, a New York-based wine branding and marketing firm dedicated to blending the best elements of wine and hip-hop culture. He is also the Founder of The Original Wine & Hip Hop Festival, which hosts events, diverse tastings, and master classes. Jermaine is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast, Wine and Hip-Hop and the Street Somm series with Tastemade+. In signature events that are both educational and elevated, Jermaine brings his expertise to bespoke themed events pairing hip-hop music and wine.
Vic Blends
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Motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and barber Victor Fontanez – known by his social media handle Vic Blends – is the most famous barber in the world and the leading motivational voice of the new generation. Vic started cutting hair in his mother’s garage his senior year of high school, and this side hustle quickly turned into passion, then passion turned into purpose. Within five years Vic has amassed more than 18M social media followers and has risen to international success. Beyond his success on TikTok, he became the lead talent in Rockstar’s Latinx Equity Campaign which aired during the NBA Finals. Vic is passionate about making a social impact and shares an empowering message of personal growth, mental health awareness, social change, and more.
Giving back to his community and leaving a legacy are two major pillars for Vic, which prompted him to launch Vic Blends Academy – an online curriculum for the next generation of barbers. Thousands of inspired fans and students have already signed up. Building on his passion for bettering the community has grown from there, when Vic announced the launch of the first licensed barber schools in California Prison history. This program will give incarcerated people the opportunity to obtain their barbers licenses with hopes of setting them up for success upon release. He also funds and hosts an annual giveback to his hometown of Fayetteville – giving thousands of families supplies they need during the holidays. In honor of this monumental project, he received the key to the city of Fayetteville from its mayor. An effusive and energizing voice in conversations about social changing and impact, Latinx culture, and anti-bullying, Vic shares his inspiring insights worldwide.
Christian Siriano
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Award-winning CFDA designer Christian Siriano is a groundbreaking, ambitious, and fearless businessman. Known for whimsical and show-stopping design, the collection is shown each season at New York Fashion Week and sold in retailers across the globe. In 2012, the first flagship Christian Siriano store opened in NYC and his latest retail venture, “The Curated NYC”, was located in the heart of midtown. Siriano’s designs have been worn by current FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Julianne Moore, Lady Gaga, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Porter, Cardi B, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Whoopi Goldberg and Julia Roberts to name but a few. After serving as the Season Four winner and a subsequent mentor on Project Runway, he launched his own digital BRAVO talk show called So Siriano which saw him break down all things fashion and pop culture with guests ranging from Drew Barrymore, Leslie Jones, Billy Porter, Ashley Graham, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. With over a decade of fashion experience, Siriano’s work in the industry promotes celebrations of beauty, diversity, and change.
Siriano was named one of TIME’s "100 Most Influential People," Forbes “30 Under 30," and Crain's "40 Under 40" for his leading contributions to body diversity on the runway and red carpet. A designer, activist, and entrepreneur, Siriano brings his one-of-a-kind charisma to worldwide organizations for conversations about business, entrepreneurship, fashion, diversity, and the power of being your authentic self.
Nate Berkus
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As one of the world’s most influential designers, Nate Berkus is internationally renowned for both his design work and media appearances. He founded his award-winning, eponymous design firm, Nate Berkus Associates, at only age 24. Beginning with his first appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Berkus has risen to global fame. Berkus’ work has been featured in Architectural Digest, New York Times, WSJ, Harper’s Bazaar, VOGUE, and People, among many others. He is included on the ELLE DÉCOR “A-List” of the world’s top designers and the AD100 list. Audiences have followed Nate through his TV shows, including The Nate Berkus Show, American Dream Builders on NBC, and most recently The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project on HGTV. He is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, Home Rules and The Things That Matter. Berkus’ expertise, approachability, and signature style have made him a beloved household name and a trusted authority for almost three decades.
Throughout his career, Nate has used design to empower people to live beautifully across every facet of life. He speaks not only on design and entrepreneurship, but also his inspirational perspectives on love, life, and grief. Berkus has uplifted audiences globally, with American Express, Intuit, and the Design Influencers Conference among those he has uplifted.
Scooter Braun
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Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun is one of the entertainment industry’s biggest entrepreneurs and innovators. Braun is the founder of SB Projects, a diversified entertainment and media company with impact, and the CEO of HYBE-America, the North American subsidiary of South Korean entertainment company Hybe Corporation. After dropping out of college, Braun quickly became a rising star in the hip-hop world as a party planner. During his time as a talent manager, Braun broke countless household names, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and more. Braun proved to be the music industry’s ‘first-responder’ when he organized the One Love Manchester benefit concert and Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief telethon, within just months of one another. Braun’s rich experiences make him an exceptional choice for hosts looking to educate and inspire culturally engaged audiences.
Also profoundly philanthropic, Braun serves as Chair of the Advisory Board of Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools in developing countries. He is also on the board of Fuck Cancer, an organization focused on the prevention and early detection of cancer, which his wife Yael Braun co-founded. Braun, his clients, and his companies have – together – granted more wishes for Make-A-Wish than any other organization in the history of the foundation. Braun’s undeniable impact on entertainment and society is undeniable.
Gail Simmons
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Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as a permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef. Now entering its 21st successful season, Top Chef is rated the #1 food show on cable television. She was most recently co-host of The Good Dish, and was formerly host of Top Chef Amateurs, as well as Iron Chef Canada. From 2004 to 2019, Gail served as special projects director at FOOD & WINE. Gail’s first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Her first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012. Gail is the co-founder of Bumble Pie Productions and sits on the board of several other nonprofit organizations including Children in Conflict, City Harvest and Hot Bread Kitchen.
Simmons' background in both media and culinary spaces affords her the fantastic rhetorical skill of a food writer paired with the expertise of a head chef, making for educational, enriching live engagements. She makes frequent television appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s The View, and the Tamron Hall Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York magazine, Women’s Health, Travel + Leisure, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post. She has received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating.
Dan Goldin
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During his tenure as NASA’s longest-serving Administrator, The Honorable Dan S. Goldin transformed America’s aeronautics and space program. He is credited with the re-emergence of NASA after the Cold War. Despite lower budgets, his “faster, better, cheaper” approach enabled the Agency to deliver programs of high value to the American public without sacrificing safety. Prior to his tenure at NASA, Mr. Goldin served as a leading national security executive, producing systems of high national priority. As the founder of Cold Canyon, an innovation advisory company, and as a senior advisor to Cerberus Capital Management, his career spans space exploration and science, aeronautics, air traffic management, national security systems, semiconductors, advanced sensors, hypersonic, communications, and artificial intelligence. With his accumulated experience, Mr. Goldin is a highly sought-after leader in advancing American technologies and businesses. Mr. Goldin has recently spoken at SXSW, the Space Symposium, Purdue University, the International Aviation Women’s Association, and many more.
Mr. Goldin is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, and the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Astronautical Society, and an Honorary Board Member of the Explorers Club. Mr. Goldin has received the Goddard Memorial Trophy, the premier award from the National Space Club and Foundation, and the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Space Foundation. Mr. Goldin holds 18 Honorary Doctorates from the world’s great universities. As a deep tech champion, Mr. Goldin brings firsthand expertise to the stage, empowering audiences to navigate and harness cutting-edge technologies for transformative business growth and innovation.
Geno Auriemma
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Legendary Head Coach Geno Auriemma has redefined the meaning of success in his 40 years at the University of Connecticut. During his illustrious tenure, Auriemma transformed the women’s basketball program into the gold standard – both on and off the court. Under his guidance, the Huskies went from one winning season to 12 national titles, 22 Final Fours, have had six perfect seasons, and won 55 Conference titles. He also served as the head coach of the U.S. National Team, which won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio. In his empowering remarks he shares lessons from on and off the court on teamwork, perseverance, finding motivation, and overcoming obstacles that resonate with any organization.
An inductee to both the Basketball Hall of Fame and Women Basketball Hall of Fame, and a recipient of numerous awards including more than 30 National Coach of the Year honors, Auriemma has set the bar not only in coaching – but also in team building, motivation, and a tested brand of everyday leadership that creates winning organizations. He shares his insights in a highly-rated MasterClass on 'Leading Winning Teams' as well as in sought-after speaking engagements, delivering motivational insights on building sustainable success.
Erica Keswin
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Bestselling author and workplace strategist Erica Keswin has spent the past twenty years working with some of the most iconic brands in the world as a consultant, speaker, writer, and professional dot-connector. Her book Bring Your Human to Work: Ten Sure-Fire Ways to Design a Workplace That is Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World became a Wall Street Journal bestseller in its first week, serving as a powerful guide to a workplace revolution that honors relationships and puts people first. Her book Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines into Workplace Magic is a #2 Wall Street Journal bestseller and an indispensable guide to taking your employee engagement to the next level. The Retention Revolution: 7 Surprising (and Very Human!) Ways to Keep Employees Connected to Your Company is a game-changing playbook filled with accessible and actionable case studies and research that will prove how transforming old ideas into new beginnings is good for people, great for business, and just might change the world. In Erica's game-changing keynotes, she highlights how relationships are the most powerful driver of success for individuals and companies striving to attract and retain talent and loyal customers.
Keswin and her work have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Huffington Post, O Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Mogul, and Conscious Company, among others. She is also the Founder of the Spaghetti Project, a platform devoted to sharing the science and stories of relationships at work. Leaving audiences deeply informed and engaged, Keswin reveals her tried-and-true, human roadmap for people seeking a more meaningful and connected work life, and provides actionable insights on everything from how to cultivate a work culture of diversity and inclusion, to how to connect with customers in an authentic way.
Roman Coppola
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Roman Coppola is a problem solver. Whether its in his multiple lives as a filmmaker, inventor, consultant, entrepreneur, advisor or tech visionary, Roman Coppola has proven time and again that there is no problem too challenging to solve using his filmmakers’ tool bag. His unique perspective informed by his unmatched wealth of diverse creative experiences enables him to translate his technical skills and creative storytelling to invent innovative solutions to unexpected challenges.
Coppola is best known as a director, screenwriter and producer, but his origins began by wearing all hats available. From sound recording to cinematography, writing, directing, producing and even acting, his hunger for experience and eager inquisitiveness led him to earn his first BAFTA nomination for his work as visual effects director on Bram Stoker’s Dracula at the age of 28.
This unwavering curiosity remains insatiable as ever, and he continues playing an integral part in many other film projects in every capacity, including second unit work, producing, and cowriting with frequent collaborators Sofia Coppola on such projects as Priscilla, Marie Antoinette, Lost in Translation, Somewhere, The Virgin
Suicides and with Wes Anderson on projects including Asteroid City, The French Dispatch, Isle of Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Moonrise Kingdom, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
In addition to all of his collaborative efforts, Coppola has written, directed and produced his own feature films CQ and A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, as well as being the president of pioneering independent production company American Zoetrope, earning him producing credits on the aforementioned Sofia Coppola projects, as well as many other films including Walter Salles’ Cannes Palme d’Or nominated On the Road.
Coppola is also the founder and owner of award-winning commercial and music video production company The Directors Bureau, where his music video direction has been recognized with a Grammy nomination, 3 MTV VMAs for the now-legendary Fatboy Slim Praise You video, as well as residency in the MoMa permanent collection for his stream-of-consciousness video for Phoenix’s Funky Squaredance. He has directed countless other iconic music videos for the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Daft Punk, Air, The Strokes and Phoenix, as well as promotional films for luxury brands including Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Zegna, and a docu-series for Suntory Whisky starring Keanu Reeves.
Coppola is also no stranger to television, winning a Golden Globe Award as co-creator of Mozart in the Jungle, and he has directed numerous television specials including The Strokes: MTV $2 Bill, the Emmy-nominated A Very Murray Christmas, Arcade Fire’s Saturday Night Live special Here Comes the Night Time, and Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special.
As an inventor, Coppola has many creations under his belt including an inflatable film enclosure Photobubble, colorful high-quality tote bags from Pacific Tote Company, and a streamlined communication app close to release. He also launched a revolutionary blockchain-based film community known as Decentralized Pictures with a community of 40,000 strong and growing daily, and most recently cofounded a quarterly culture magazine called Enthousiasmos.
Most recently, Coppola served as second-unit director on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, served as an executive producer on Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, and is now finishing up on his latest feature collaboration with Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme. What lies next for Coppola is as good your guess as it is his.
Andrew Rea
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Andrew Rea is the creator and star of the hit YouTube show, Binging with Babish, one of the most popular web-based cooking shows of all time. Rea is one part chef, one part filmmaker, and a generous dash of irreverent YouTube personality. His passion for teaching and experimenting in the kitchen is rivaled only by his love of film and television, both of which he endeavors to share from his New York City kitchen.
Growing rapidly in under a decade, Rea’s work has expanded into the Babish Culinary Universe, with New York Times bestselling cookbooks such as Basics with Babish, a culinary-themed vacation rental called Bed & Babish, and many more exciting projects that make food accessible and fun. Live engagements with Rea are hilarious, inspiring, and heartwarming; audiences leave ready to follow their dreams.
Ciara
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Grammy-Award winning R&B artist Ciara is a multi-platinum musician, songwriter, philanthropist, entrepreneur, mom of 4 children, and force of fashion. Over her two decades in music, she has sold over 23M records and 30M singles worldwide. Ciara was recently honored an NAACP Image award for her role as Nettie in 2023 adaptation film of The Color Purple. Ciara is an entrepreneurial female founder with brands launched both independently and with her husband Russell Wilson. She is the CEO of Beauty Marks Entertainment, Ten To One Rum, and OAM (On A Mission) skincare.
Ciara is also a philanthropist who co-founded the Why Not You Foundation with husband Russell Wilson, which is dedicated to fighting poverty through education and empowering today’s youth. This cause is close to her heart as a working mom and wife. Onstage, Ciara shares her perspectives on achievement, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.
Eden Grinshpan
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Chef, funny mom, and Host of Top Chef Canada Eden Grinshpan is the author of Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day Every Day. With her relatable, sincere, and humorous personality, Eden is loved for her approachable cooking and entertaining videos. While pregnant with her daughter, Eden created a viral social media trend by posing with outrageous food stacked on her baby belly. She became an advocate for women, mothers, and breastfeeding, posting multiple videos of dancing while pumping breast milk. Eden has built a strong connection with her dedicated followers through her positive, inclusive, and high-energy approach, spreading joy and laughter while showcasing delicious food and fun lifestyle content.
Eden has been featured on the Forbes' "30 Under 30" List, and has been highlighted by various media outlets, including Elle, Cosmopolitan, Cherry Bombe, parents.com, Glamour, The Daily Mail, and many others. She has cooked in restaurants across Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and Israel, and co-founded DEZ – a Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant in the heart of NYC, inspired by her Israeli heritage. Her debut cookbook, Eating Out Loud, is an Editor’s Pick on Amazon and was named one of the best cookbooks of the year by Delish and Library Journal. Eden is currently working on her second cookbook, set to release in the Spring of 2025.
Granger Smith
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Award-winning country music singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Granger Smith has always had the power of music in his hands. A proud Texan, American, father, husband, and Christian, Smith has produced countless hit records and is also the co-author of the bestseller If You’re City, If You’re Country, under the name Earl Dibbles Jr. – his comic alter-ego. Alongside his brothers, Smith founded Yee Yee Apparel – a Texas-based, patriotic, outdoor apparel company. Fans gain insight into his family and country life through the mega-popular YouTube channel The Smiths, as well as Granger’s channel – which features impactful sermons about his journey through grief and the role of Faith in his life. He’s the host of the Granger Smith Podcast, a weekly advice show praised for his captivating storytelling, positive outlook on life, and the profound connection he makes with his audiences.
In 2019, while Smith was at work on his 10th studio album, tragedy struck – he and his wife Amber lost their 3-year-old son River in a drowning accident. After several months of mourning, he started to find healing through his music, and realized it could have the same impact for others going through grief as well. Through his music, beloved podcast, and speaking engagements, Granger inspires hope – showing people the way out of a tough spot and offering the connection that they are not alone.
Smith’s new book, Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache, will be published August 1st, 2023 and focuses on his family’s journey of grief after the loss of River, and lessons learned along the way.
Bobby Berk
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Design expert, Emmy-nominated TV host, and founder Bobby Berk illustrates the critical connections between design and life. Bobby is perhaps best known as the resident design expert and member of the Fab Five on Netflix’s Emmy-winning series Queer Eye, bringing change to peoples’ lives by teaching them that a happy home means a happy life. In addition to his Emmy-nominated work as a host on Queer Eye, Bobby served as the host of Netflix’s Blown Away: Christmas and was a semi-finalist on the sixth season of FOX’s The Masked Singer. With a ”superpower for transforming lives and living spaces” (Los Angeles Times), Bobby offers a memorable program for groups looking to empower their teams, uplift creativity, and build a welcoming company culture.
Bobby leads his eponymous multi-faceted brand, including comprehensive lifestyle destination BobbyBerk.com. His design firm has quickly become a leader in the home building industry, and in 2020, Architectural Digest crowned Bobby as one of the “most famous interior designers working today.” He brings a unique viewpoint to the design experience, with substantial experience across many facets of the trade. Bobby grew up quickly at a young age and faced many challenges before settling in New York in his 20s, where he worked his way up in companies like Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware. His determination, specific creative eye, and love for people soon earned him leadership titles and led to him opening his own design practice. With his extensive background, Bobby has spoken across the globe on topics including retail, manufacturing, interior design and licensing, branding, and more.
Sasha DiGiulian
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Elite professional rock climber Sasha DiGiulian is constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility. An Female Overall World Champion, three-time U.S. National Champion, and decade-long undefeated Pan-American Champion, DiGiulian has traveled to over 50 countries while accomplishing 30+ First and First Female Ascents. As a woman making a career within a traditionally male-dominated space, DiGiulian stands for equality in sport, access, pay, and treatment of female athletes.
DiGiulian’s amazing story has been recounted in her memoir, Take the Lead, and the HBO Documentary on her life, Here to Climb. She has been featured in or on the cover of Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show, 60 Minutes Sports, Nightline, CNN, BBC, Vogue, TIME, and many more. Deeply focused on giving back to her community, DiGiulian sits on the board of the Women’s Sports Foundation and Ascend Afghanistan and is an ambassador for UN Goodwill, Protect Our Winters, and Right to Play International. She has testified in front of the US House Committee of Natural Resources to support the EXPLORE Act. In motivational talks, DiGiulian offers inspirational and actionable strategies for setting and achieving courageous goals for individuals, teams, and organizations.
Vivian Tu
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Former Wall Street trader-turned-expert, educator, and entrepreneur Vivian Tu is on a global mission to make the financial industry less "male, pale, and stale.” Tu is the founder and CEO of financial equity phenomenon, “Your Rich BFF” – making the rules of personal finance accessible and digestible to non-experts and marginalized communities. Tu has earned cross-platform fame and notoriety, garnering 8M followers and spots on Forbes “30 Under 30 – Social Media” and the inaugural “Top Creators” lists. Tu’s New York Times bestselling book, RICH AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life, is the definitive book on personal finance for a new generation.
Tu is the host of her top-charting podcast Networth and Chill – a first-of-its-kind podcast offering accessible advice and lessons in finance, featuring Vivian alongside notable experts, professionals, and famous faces to break down the economics of our lives. Her affinity for turning finance into an approachable topic has transformed her into one of today’s most desirable public speakers, and she has given panels and keynote presentations at events including SXSW, Snapchat’s Financial Seminar, Forbes’ Top Creator event, BuzzFeed’s Content Creators Showcase, Glow Recipe’s Empowerment Summit, NextShark’s AAPI College Readiness Conference, and Her Campus Media’s Her Conference, to name just a few.
Brian Kelly
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The Points Guy (TPG) Founder Brian Kelly the leading voice in loyalty programs, points, miles, credit cards and travel. Kelly has been helping travelers and other consumers navigate the increasingly complicated loyalty universe for over a decade and has grown TPG to be a powerhouse travel and lifestyle media platform that reaches over 11M unique monthly visitors around the world. Kelly has found a unique way to reach his audience and inspire millions to live their best lives through his supercharged personality, deep industry knowledge and extensive worldwide travel.
Kelly has been recognized with awards and accolades, including AdWeek’s "Young Influentials" list in 2019 and Forbes’ #1 travel influencer. His long-standing knowledge and expertise has garnered the trust of the nation’s top morning shows, with appearances on TODAY Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and Kelly & Ryan, among others. Kelly’s passion for travel is shared by a belief in using travel as a global force for good, and he currently serves as a Committee Member for Rainbow Railroad, Global Ambassador for PeaceJam, Co-Chair of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Leadership Council, Goalkeeper for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and member of PTTOW.
Alton Brown
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Peabody Award-winning cook, bestselling author, filmmaker, and TV personality Alton Brown is the beloved host of culinary classic shows like Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen. He created, wrote, and hosted Good Eats as a leader of the first Food Network generation, revolutionizing culinary programming. The king of culinary competitions will return to Netflix’s reboot Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Brown is known for numerous bestselling cookbooks, including I’m Just Here for the Food, Alton Brown: EveryDayCook, as well as his Good Eats series – the fourth installment Good Eats: The Final Years became an instant New York Times bestseller. A consummate showman, Brown has created elaborate cooking and musical variety shows like The Edible Inevitable Tour, Eat Your Science, and most recently Beyond the Eats, playing sold-out tours nationwide. Inspired by both the science and the heart of good cooking, Brown’s programs are informative, endlessly entertaining, and customized to make a major impact with audiences of all kinds.
James Conlon
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Renowned conductor James Conlon has cultivated a vast symphonic, operatic, and choral repertoire and is one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors and educators. Mr. Conlon has spoken internationally about the power of creativity, the enduring importance of classical music, and leadership insights that resonate across industries.
Since his 1974 debut with the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Conlon has conducted virtually every major American and European symphony orchestra. He is Music Director of LA Opera, with whom he has won four Grammy Awards and led more performances than any other conductor in the company’s history, and also serves as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Through worldwide touring, an extensive discography and videography, numerous writings, television appearances and guest speaking engagements, he is one of classical music’s most recognized and prolific figures.
Mr. Conlon is an enthusiastic advocate of the role music plays in our shared humanity and civic life. He has worked to call attention to the works of composers silenced by the Nazi regime – which led to the creation of The OREL Foundation, the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices, and his popular TEDx Talk “Resurrecting Forbidden Music.” Mr. Conlon has received numerous honorary doctorates and accolades including the Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest honor – and was personally inducted by then-President Jacques Chirac.
Marcus Buckingham
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Marcus Buckingham is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world. He brings to high-achieving and leadership audiences the rare combination of valid data, psychological insight, practical tactics, and passion. His presentations are grounded in reality, and powerfully uplifting. He is the author of two of the best-selling business books of all time, First, Break All the Rules, and Now, Discover Your Strengths, and his tenth book, Love + Work (Harvard Business Review Press) is a WSJ bestseller and has been heralded by Forbes as one of the ten must-reads for career and leadership. Marcus’ 2019 Harvard Business Review cover article, "The Feedback Fallacy," was selected by HBR as one of the most influential articles of the last 100 years, and Marcus’ strengths assessments have been taken by over 10 million people worldwide.
Chris Licht
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Former Chairman and CEO of CNN, author, and veteran executive producer Chris Licht is a titan of the television landscape. Licht joined CNN after serving in senior, transformational positions at CBS, CBS News, and MSNBC. Licht previously served as Executive Vice President of Special Programming at CBS and Executive Producer and Showrunner for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – the most-watched show in late night television. Licht was also an Executive Producer on Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News on Paramount+. Prior to that, he served as Executive Producer of CBS’ critically acclaimed morning news program, CBS This Morning, which became the network’s most successful morning newscast in more than two decades. was the co-creator and original executive producer of MSNBC’s Morning Joe and was at the helm as the show garnered critical acclaim for its interviews with newsmakers and perspective on the top news stories. Drawing on his depth of experience, Licht shares key insights about building resilient teams, change management, and leading transformative large-scale organizations by leaning into innovation and empathy.
Licht has received numerous honors for his work. During his tenure as executive producer, CBS This Morning earned a prestigious Peabody Award, two News and Documentary Emmys, and one Daytime Emmy. Also, the broadcast and Licht were honored with an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award as part of CBS News’ division-wide coverage of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Licht’s first book, What I Learned When I Almost Died, tells the story of what happened after a near-deadly brain hemorrhage left Chris in a hospital bed over eight long days to think about how his life had almost been cut short. With warmth and candor, Licht shares the lessons he learned overcoming adversity, surviving a health crisis, and creating more balance in his life in motivational talks.
Sekou Kaalund
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Sekou Kaalund has two decades of Wall Street experience spanning leadership in institutional and retail businesses, making him a highly regarded authority on strategic leadership and targeted, sustainable impact. A former leader at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as well as Citi, Kaalund has established key connections across client segments and industries. He is a highly sought-after speaker for his insights on strategizing growth, developing talent, and forming inclusive teams that have a major impact on organizations of all kinds. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, he spent the last 15 years at JPMorgan Chase in a variety of leadership roles across institutional and retail businesses, most recently serving as Senior Executive Vice President of the Managing Committee of the U.S. Bank. While managing complex firmwide relationships, he launched Advancing Black Pathways, the first global corporate initiative that leveraged a data-driven strategic framework to develop scalable programs to reduce the racial wealth gap, which led to a historic five-year firm-wide $30B commitment to advance racial equity. He has offered riveting keynotes at the Milken Global Conference, National Urban League, the Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Conference, and many more, and has led engaging conversations at Chase Talks with Kevin Hart, Grant Hill, Dominque Wilkins, among many others.
Kaalund’s contributions have received numerous accolades including being named on Ebony’s “Power 100” list as a “Titan of Industry,” the SAID Institute’s Mark of Excellence award, World of Money’s Wall Street Legacy Award, and being named one of Face2Face Africa’s “30 Black Stars.” He has been featured in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, and on the BBC, NBC, and CNBC. Kaalund has been honored by the All Stars Project for leadership and community impact, the Council of Urban Professionals, the Harlem YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club of American inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He serves on several boards, and his leadership initiatives include the tech partnership “Advancing Black Entrepreneurs” StartupBus, a hackathon on wheels.
Lily Cole
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Model, actor, activist, and writer Lily Cole has been engaged in environmentalist work and advocacy for nearly two decades. Following a successful career in fashion – she was named by Vogue France as one of the top ten models of the 2000s – Cole began investigating supply chains and sustainable business practices, becoming a patron of the Environmental Justice Foundation and an ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund. She has founded several of her own social businesses, including the incubator Impossible.com. Cole is the author of Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World, which has been considered a guidebook for those looking for actionable insights and hope in the face of climate crisis. In her accompanying podcast, Who Cares Wins, Cole hosts impactful conversations about climate solutions.
Cole is an in-demand speaker for events with groups like Google, Wired, LeWeb, the Global Fashion Agenda, the Houses of Parliament, COP26, at Davos alongside the The World Economic Forum, where she has spoken multiple times for Arctic Basecamp and Goals House, and on behalf of the United Nations’ ECE Sustainability Pledge. As an actor, Cole has performed at The Globe Theatre, The Old Vic, and Trafalgar Studios, and has appeared in BBC’s The Split, and the upcoming feature film Hilma, among others. She has co-written and presented documentaries for Sky Arts and the BBC, and directed multiple short documentaries for VICE and Nowness. She holds an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Glasgow for her contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes through social businesses, and received an Honorary Award at the German Sustainability Awards for her dedication to climate and human rights activism.
Stephanie Shepherd
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Stephanie Shepherd is an environmental advocate and social entrepreneur. Formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Kardashian West Brands, she has since established her own platform. With close to 2 million followers, Stephanie's expertise is leveraging her social influence to inspire global activism.
In addition to co-founding Future Earth, Shepherd is an ambassador for “Days For Girls International,” “The Environmental Working Group,” and a board member of Former Vice President Al Gore’s “The Climate Reality Project.” She also recently joined "World War Zero," a climate change initiative led by Former Secretary of State, John Kerry. Through her advocacy, Shepherd has generated millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours for organizations who, like her, relentlessly pursue human flourishing and environmental preservation.
Camille Kostek
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Model, actress, and entrepreneur Camille Kostek is known as the host of NBC’s Dancing with Myself and co-host of the top-rated TBS reboot Wipeout alongside John Cena and Nicole Byer. Kostek gained international prominence after landing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover in 2019 alongside Tyra Banks, after winning the first-ever SI Model Search the previous year. She’s been featured in ELLE and on the covers of Haute Living, Ocean Drive, and BELLA, among others. In addition to her work on some of today’s favorite TV shows, Kostek starred in the feature films Free Guy and I Feel Pretty. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, EXTRA, E! News, SI TV, and co-hosted shows on SIRIUS XM radio to millions of listeners. Kostek has hosted many red-carpet events, including the Sports Illustrated Sports Person of the Year Awards, SXSW, Maxim Hot 100, and the Sports Illustrated correspondent at Super Bowl LLI for the NFLPA carpet, among many others, and has spoken at Providence College, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Northeastern University, University of New England, and more.
After growing up as a trained competitive dancer, Kostek took her passion professional, joining the NFL cheer squad for the New England Patriots. Camille shares her love of dance on social media, and her catchphrase ‘Never Not Dancing’ has gone viral. Her message of positive movement and self-love inspired her to launch an annual OWN IT tour, where her motivational events with college students touch on body positivity, self-acceptance, mental health, and manifesting your life. As an entrepreneur, Kostek has launched ‘The Camille Collection with Swimsuits for All and Dune Jewelry. As a dedicated philanthropist, her endeavors include Boston Children's Hospital, Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, and advocating for 4Ocean – a public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp committed to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Kostek is passionate about using her platform to continue spreading self-love and inner strength at highly inspirational events for audiences of all kinds.
Andrew Zimmern
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Emmy and four-time James Beard Award winner Andrew Zimmern is a TV/Media personality, chef, writer, and passionate global citizen. As the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, What’s Eating America, Emmy-nominated Family Dinner, Wild Game Kitchen and the Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. You can also find him judging Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend on Netflix, The Silos Baking Competition on HBO Max and mentoring young chefs on Food Network’s All Star Academy. Later this year, he will premiere Andrew Zimmern’s Field to Fire. He has written four books, including the Ippy Gold Medal award-winning AZ and the Lost City of Ophir.
Zimmern is the founder and CEO of Intuitive Content, an award-winning production company that has been named a Realscreen, and Passport Hospitality, a restaurant and food service development company. As a philanthropist, Zimmern is a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nation’s World Food Programme, International Rescue Committee, and The Nature Conservancy. He also sits on the board of several prominent foundations including EXPLR Media and The Giving Kitchen. Zimmern uses his platform to fight against global hunger, food waste, and for sustainable systems to help our planet survive and flourish. He is the co-founder of the Independent Restaurant Association and the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture and the Independent Restaurant Coalition. He is a special advisor to the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream.
Zimmern has spoken at Google, The Near Future Conference, SXSW, the TIME 100, The Welcome Conference, and many more on the intersections of food, culture, and the future. As one of AdWeek’s “50 Most Influential Voices in Food,” and one of Fast Company’s “Top 30,” Zimmern is well positioned to analyze trends, educate audiences, and tell fascinating stories about his personal journey of resilience, and how food connects to the global community.
He is highly sought after for his unique and entertaining approaches to both lighthearted and serious topics.
Kim Scott
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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.
Rich Kleiman
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Entrepreneur and media architect Rich Kleiman is the co-Founder and CEO of Boardroom – a sports and entertainment company that includes the flagship media network, Boardroom.TV. Founded in 2019 by Kleiman and Kevin Durant, Boardroom covers the business of sports, music, and entertainment, with a special focus on the ways that athletes, executives, musicians, and creators are moving the business world forward. Other projects under the Boardroom umbrella include the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER in partnership with Imagine Entertainment and Apple TV+, the Academy-Award-winning short film Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime). Most recently, Kleiman announced the launch of Boardroom Advisory, an offering for talent and brands to help them navigate business strategy, content creation, sports ownership opportunities, and venture & private equity investing.
Kleiman has been Kevin Durant’s manager since 2013, and brokered KD's lifetime deal with Nike. He is co-Founder of 35V, which houses over 100 early-stage investments across sports, technology, finance, media, and more. The 35V portfolio includes digital sports network Overtime, Coinbase, Acorns, Postmates, and NBA Top Shot by Dapper Labs. Kleiman serves as the Executive Director of the Durant Family Foundation (fka Kevin Durant Charity Foundation), helping underserved and low-income families and youth across the globe. He also sits on the Board of Directors at New Heights Youth, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to sports-based youth development and education in New York City. As both a speaker and a moderator, Kleiman generates high-impact conversations on building robust and lasting business portfolios, maintaining mental wellness as an elite performer, and learning from your mistakes to build an industry-transforming business.
Al Gore
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Al Gore was referred to by TIME magazine as “a businessman who is out to change the world.” An environmental, business, and tech visionary recognized as one of the world's leading activists, Vice President Al Gore offers a unique perspective on national and international issues, including the threats of climate change and the future of tech. He is the Founder and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit devoted to solving the climate crisis, and a co-founder of Climate TRACE.
Gore is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers An Inconvenient Truth and The Assault on Reason, the NYT bestsellers Earth in the Balance, Our Choice: A Plan To Solve the Climate Crisis, The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, and most recently, The New York Times bestseller An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. He is the subject of the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which won two Oscars in 2006 - and a second documentary in 2017, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. In 2007, Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for “informing the world of the dangers posed by climate change.”
Consistently an active leader in technology, Al Gore is uniquely in touch with the opportunities and challenges in charting a new digital society. Vice President Gore’s status as a leader in global politics, technology and business influences his positions as member of the Board of Directors of Apple and a Senior Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Silicon Valley’s preeminent venture firm. In addition, he is a Founding Partner and Chairman of Generation Investment Management, an asset-management company incorporating sustainability values into the financial-services world.
David Plouffe
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A pioneering force of innovation in politics, technology, and grassroots leadership, David Plouffe has distinguished himself as a proven field general and idea generator. He served as Campaign Manager of Barack Obama's historic victory in 2008 and then as Senior Advisor to President Obama in the White House, where he stood at the center of the debate on key issues now facing our country, particularly in the technology and healthcare sectors. Combining his pathbreaking work at Uber, strategic advisory board roles at Binance Global and Alchemy Pay, and policy and advocacy efforts at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Plouffe is a transcending force at the intersection the private and public sectors. He now consults for leading companies in the consumer, social media, crypto, and technology sectors. Plouffe delivers unprecedented insights on disruptive innovation, from the front lines of momentous shifts in both politics and business.
Plouffe is known for thinking beyond the conventional. With his tenacious, methodical, and proven methods, he knows the essential ingredients to crafting a team built for success. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers including The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory and is a political analyst for NBC News. Plouffe’s array of accomplishments demonstrate his profound ability to bridge the gap between dreaming and achieving.
gmoney
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Renowned NFT cultural thought leader, educator, and community authority gmoney has built an enormous following and reputation in the crypto economy space while remaining pseudo-anonymous. With over fifteen years of experience primarily in traditional financial sectors, gmoney is known for his iconic orange beanie-clad CryptoPunk ape, and is one of the largest collectors of NFT’s in the world. He is a futurist and credible voice in conversations about understanding blockchain technologies, developing a diversified portfolio, and making complex technologies understandable for corporations and communities alike.
gmoney is a highly regarded investor, builder, and influencer in the crypto space, partnering with adidas and advising major corporations on strategies for entering the Metaverse. As an advisor and angel investor in over 80 blockchain projects, he has unparalleled access and insights about the most innovative technologies. Named on Fortune’s inaugural NFTy 50: “The 50 Most Influential People in NFTs" as well as Vogue's "Business 100 Innovators" list, he is an in-demand speaker for keynotes and Q&As at [INSIDE], HedgeEye TV, and more, has been featured in Forbes, CNBC, HypeBeast, and elsewhere. He also picks the brains of noteworthy individuals in the NFT/Web3 space on his podcast Admit One with gmoney. gmoney leverages his understanding of economic principles, verticals, and concepts to create an accessible vision for corporations and consumers entering the Metaverse, and uses his platform to elevate diversity and inclusivity in the crypto space.
Ian Happ
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MLB All-Star, entrepreneur, and podcaster Ian Happ is one of the most versatile players in Major League Baseball, both on and off the field. In 2022, Happ became an MLB All-Star and was also named a 2022 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner. He is also the MLBPA Player Representative for the Cubs – taking a leadership role in negotiations between the union and the league owners to find common ground. As a professional athlete, Ian is uniquely positioned to discuss the discipline it takes to be great at your craft, the importance of teamwork, and a having winning mindset – the same principles for success that can be applied in the workplace.
Prior to being draft by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Happ was a finance major. Ian is involved with a diverse and growing portfolio of companies and takes an active role in building true partnerships by focusing on investment opportunities that make an impact. He shares his love of business with his brother, Chris, who is a CPA. Ian also leverages his platform to connect with charities that speak to his values. Ian is also the Host and Executive Producer of The Compound, a weekly podcast hosted on Jomboy Media – for which Happ is an investor. The podcast brings entertainment and levity to conversations about sports and beyond. Ian delivers sports inspiration, business strategy, and uplifting mental health insights that make an lasting impact with audiences.
Steve Aoki
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Grammy-nominated music producer, artist, fashion designer, entrepreneur, and NFT visionary Steve Aoki brings a sense of community to all his work – offering shared space and connection. His new album, HiROQUEST: Genesis, is an epic, multi-genre collection of songs with a world-building story that extends beyond the music itself to a new collectible trading card game Aoki co-created with MetaZoo Games in 2021. Aoki boasts 17.2M monthly listeners on Spotify, with a 77M average monthly reach across all his platforms. In sought-after talks and moderated conversations, Aoki shares his insights about entrepreneurship, music, and technology – inspiring his audiences to embrace new frontiers and invest in community.
In 2022, Aoki launched A0K1VERSE, an NFT metaverse membership community, powered by the Passport, that welcomes his fans to both virtual and real-world experiences. For Aoki, it’s essential to remain forward-thinking as he continues to grow his brand. Steve is the subject of the Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, which focuses on the driving force behind his career: his ambitious father, Benihana founder and perennial daredevil Rocky Aoki. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir BLUE: The Color of Noise and the founder of THE AOKI FOUNDATION, which supports organizations in the brain science and research areas with a focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. In every space he enters, Aoki offers a community for those who need it most.
Karen G. Mills
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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.
Thai Randolph
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Thai Randolph was most recently CEO of Kevin Hart’s global media company HARTBEAT, fundraising over $100M. As an award-winning marketer, business leader and architect of NextGen media companies, Thai has been honored on Variety and Entrepreneur's "Women of Impact" lists and AdAge's "40 Under 40," to name a few.
She has built her career at the intersection of content, commerce, and community and led the launch of Women Write Now – a first-of-its-kind screenwriting fellowship developed in partnership with the Sundance Institute and HARTBEAT to champion the next generation of Black women in comedy through mentorship, advocacy, production, and exhibition. Continuing her mission to carve out spaces for overlooked – yet influential – voices in the industry, Randolph and co-founder/actress Tika Sumpter also launched Sugaberry, an audio-first media company for and by Black women – and co-host the Gracie-award winning podcast, The Suga.
Thai’s leadership perspective is in demand at high profile events such as Advertising Week, CES, Sundance, SXSW, Cannes Lions Festival, The Wrap’s TheGrill, Variety’s Inclusion and Entertainment Summits, Future of Television Conference, Digital Entertainment World, Adobe’s Digital Marketing Conference, YouTube's Publisher Summit, Cynopsis’ Big TV Conference, and Streaming Media East, among others. As a result-focused and empathetic leader, she continues to advocate for inclusive representation in entertainment and advertising, pay equity across industries and maternal and mental health for women and people of color.
Gina Belafonte
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Social justice leader, change maker, and artivist Gina Belafonte has spent her life at the intersection of arts and activism. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sankofa, she embodies her father Harry Belafonte’s work to educate, motivate, and activate artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change. Belafonte and Sankofa enlist the support of today’s most celebrated artists and influential individuals, in collaboration with grassroots partners, to elevate the voices of the disenfranchised and promote peace, justice, and quality, as well as cultural and civic engagement. She is also the Lead Producer of the award-winning and internationally acclaimed documentary Sing Your Song, among countless other projects. Most recently, Belafonte expanded her work for equity rights by launching a virtual reality mental health program, expanding access to this vital care using cutting edge VR/AR technology. She is a visionary, drawing on a powerful legacy and building community to focus on the most pressing issues of our time.
Belafonte and her work have been profiled in Elle, AfroTech, Essence, for Newsy, and more. Her arts and activism initiatives include directing the award-winning hip-hop spoken word musical Lyrics From Lockdown, which addresses mistaken identity, mass incarceration, and police brutality, and producing the Many Rivers to Cross Social Justice Arts and Music Festival, uniting 40 artists and 50 social justice organizations to center voting rights, mass incarceration, and poverty. Her collaborations include: For Freedoms on the 50 State Initiative and the reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms, INTO ACT!ON, and many more. A gifted moderator and inspiring keynote speaker, Belafonte shares lessons from her ground-breaking work and empowers audiences of all kinds to embrace the opportunity to be a force for positive change.
Eric Nam
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Korean American singer-songwriter, TV host, and entrepreneur Eric Nam is one of the most popular and recognizable celebrities in Asia, whose music and advocacy is having a global impact. In an interview for GQ, Nam was described as having “amassed one of the most varied and entrepreneurial legacies to come out of the K-Pop scene.” After growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, and deferring a job offer from Deloitte Consulting, Nam was invited to audition for Korea’s version of American Idol, which launched his meteoric rise as a TV host and pop icon. He was named one of GQ Korea’s “Men of the Year,” one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30 Asia,” and YouTube’s Global Trending “Artist On the Rise,” eventually co-founding and serving as Creative Director for DIVE Studios (DS) – a K-pop focused media company with multiple award-winning podcasts. With the help of his brothers, Nam launched Mindset, a mental health and wellness platform with a library of authentic and intimate video and audio collections from world-renowned celebrities. For his mental health advocacy, Nam received the Time100 Impact Award. Passionate about social impact, diverse representation, and mental health advocacy, Nam has been sought-after to speak for groups like the White House, Milken Institute, JED Foundation, UNESCO, Cornell University, The Korea Society, and NYU, among others.
Nam has been featured in Forbes, Vulture, NPR’s Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, TIME, and many more, and was awarded the Embrace Unity Award by the Council of Korean Americans. He wrote a powerful op-ed for TIME, raising awareness about anti-Asian violence and inspiring change. Nam hosted the DS podcast Daebak Show, celebrating spectacular music, media, and people. Eric's first independent album There And Back Again, which debuted at #3 and #7 on the US and UK Spotify Charts and peaked at #22 Album Sold on Billboard Charts, is inspiring the next generation of change-makers. In 2022, Eric played 60 shows in 54 cities in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania with over 85,000 hard ticket sales. In 2023, his second independent album House on a Hill was released to critical acclaim, celbrated with an 80+ city World Tour. Nam debuted as an actor in the psychological thriller, Transplant (2023) further expanding his illustrious career. With authenticity and insight, Nam sparks thought-provoking conversations on important contemporary issues that make an impact with audiences of all kinds.
Geoff Duncan
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A former professional baseball player, CNN contributor and successful entrepreneur, Geoff Duncan served as Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor from 2019-2023. As the state’s second-most powerful Republican and president of the State Senate, Duncan used a bipartisan approach to navigate the chamber through a global pandemic, civil unrest, and economic tumult. Duncan has established himself as a bold leader, especially in the areas of health care, public safety, technology, and economic development. His efforts to spearhead Georgia becoming the “Technology Capital of the East Coast” have been nationally recognized. After rising to national prominence, he authored a book entitled, GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party.
Prior to public service, Duncan enjoyed a successful career in the private sector. In 2001, he founded a marketing company that sold promotional products to mid-size and large corporate clients nationwide. In 2003, he launched a tech-enabled literature fulfillment division for several large corporate clients. In 2016, Duncan was hired as the CEO of a health care company where he successfully raised several rounds of early round growth capital. In 2019, he founded a consulting business to help growth stage private companies work directly with their management teams. Duncan also serves as a strategic advisor to several venture capital firms around the country.
Geoffrey Zakarian
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World renowned chef and restaurateur, notable TV personality, podcaster, and bestselling author Geoffrey Zakarian has been sharing his sophisticated taste and signature style for three decades. An accomplished chef, host, and culinary consultant, Zakarian has presided over some of the country’s top kitchens, traveling the world for new inspiration to marry with his classical training and techniques in a lifelong effort to deliver paramount hospitality experiences. Outside of the kitchen, he is known as a fan-favorite judge on Food Network’s Chopped, a winner of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, and host of the Emmy-nominated talk show The Kitchen, Top 5 Restaurants, Cooks vs. Cons, and his new show Big Restaurant Bet. Whether it’s an inspiring moderated conversation, a world-class cooking demo, or skilled moderating, Zakarian makes a memorable impact with audiences of all kinds.
Zakarian has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, and many more, and has appeared on ABC’s The Chew and The Rachael Ray Show, CBS’s The Dish, and NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, TODAY, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. He is the author of My Perfect Pantry, Geoffrey Zakarian's Town/Country, among others, and he hosts the acclaimed Four Courses with Geoffrey Zakarian podcast. Zakarian is a dedicated philanthropist, and serves as the Chairman of the City Harvest Food Council, a food rescue organization dedicated to fighting hunger in New York City.
Imani Ellis
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Former NBCUniversal executive Imani Ellis is the CEO and Founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective, a community dedicated to facilitating brave spaces for Black and Brown creatives. Founded in Ellis’s one-bedroom apartment, The Creative Collective has grown into the largest community devoted to creatives of color. In addition to community events, The Creative Collective provides countless resources and workshops. The Creative Collective’s marquee event, CultureCon, is the first-of-its-kind ideas conference that caters to all aspects of creative and young professional life. Past CultureCon speakers have included Tracee Ellis Ross, Will Smith, Regina King, John Legend, Spike Lee, Lena Waithe, and more. As a leader in talent development in media and creative industries, Ellis’s perspectives are crucial for organizations seeking a creative spark.
Ellis is regularly invited to speak at high-profile events and conferences, including Amazon, Jordan Brand, Pinterest, Advertising Week, Meta, the Women of Power Summit, Columbia Business School, and many more. Named a "Breakthrough Creative" by Ebony, a “Visionary” by Forbes, “One to Watch” by Black Enterprise, and a “Diversity Champion by AdWeek, Ellis shares invaluable insights on cultural competency and innovation.
Scott Budnick
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Film producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), and CEO of 1Community Scott Budnick is a pioneer of impact-first entertainment. Perhaps best known for producing the highest-grossing R-rated comedy trilogy in film history, The Hangover, as well as Old School and Due Date, Budnick became internationally renowned as the Executive Vice president of Todd Phillips’ Green Hat Films. Leveraging his platform for good, Scott has been a fierce advocate for social justice and a fairer judicial system by stepping continuously and gracefully between the entertainment industry and his community work. In 2003, he began volunteering with InsideOUT Writers (IOW), which brings creative writing into juvenile halls. In 2014, he founded ARC, whose mission is to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities. Inspiring positive global change through a media co-financing model, 1Community created Just Mercy with Michael Jordan. Budnick’s work shows the ability of creatives and investors alike to make a positive impact on the world.
Budnick’s advocacy work has made a profound impact on social wellness. For his work with youth in the criminal justice system, Gov. Jerry Brown named Scott the 2012 California Governor’s Volunteer of the Year. He sits on the Board of State and Community Corrections and serves as a Board Member for President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. Budnick has been invited to speak at the United Justice Coalition, the Impact Guild Global Forum on Democracy, and the nationwide Corrections Leaders Associations Conference, among many more.
Curtis Stone
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Curtis Stone is a Los Angeles-based Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur, author and culinary entrepreneur. In addition to several Michelin-starred restaurants, Curtis operates Curtis Stone Events in Los Angeles and Australia, a full-service events and catering company that crafts personalized occasions for guests. Outside his restaurants, Curtis is widely known for his appearances on television programs such as the NBC Top Chef franchise, Field Trip with Curtis Stone on PBS, Crime Scene Kitchen on FOX, Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, and his show/podcast Getting Grilled with Curtis Stone. A New York Times bestselling author, Curtis has authored six cookbooks including his most recent, Good Food, Good Life. Curtis developed Kitchen Solutions, a sleek and functional cookware collection, which has become the best-reviewed brand and top-selling culinary line on the Home Shopping Network. Curtis was recognized with the Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding achievement and service in tourism and hospitality. As a beloved TV personality and successful restaurateur, Curtis’s engaging storytelling and infectious enthusiasm make him a standout speaker for culinary events, corporate gatherings, and any audience who loves to eat.
As a public figure, Curtis has dedicated himself to giving back. In 2016, Curtis began a new pledge to give back through his #Commit2One initiative. Each year he partners with a charity, devoting the majority of his time and resources to the cause. Through these efforts, he has raised funds and awareness for The National Young Farmer’s Coalition, Chrysalis, AdoptTogether, and Share Our Strength, which aims to end childhood hunger through their No Kid Hungry campaign. Curtis brings his passion for food to the world stage, captivating audiences with his culinary journey and impact work.
Dan Runcie
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Digital media expert and entrepreneur Dan Runcie is the Founder of Trapital, a media company that’s home for the business of hip-hop. Leveraging his background in business, Runcie pivoted to focus his analysis on the innovative strategy of hip-hop executives who are some of today’s most successful business leaders. Runcie and Trapital cover hip-hop’s influence in leading edge business development, early-adoption of the latest in tech from the advent of streaming to the mainstreaming of NFTs, among other key issues. Through Trapital’s newsletter (16K subscribers), the podcast Trapital, which Runcie hosts, as well as in-depth case studies, Runcie offers vital insights about corporate leadership, entrepreneurial inspiration, and collaboration that make a major impact across industries.
Runcie has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR's All Things Considered, BBC World News, and other publications. He has appeared on countless podcasts and panels, and has been sought after to speak to groups including YouTube, SoundCloud, Sony, the National Association of Black Journalists, and more. Runcie unpacks major themes and strategies from the hip-hop world and shares actionable takeaways for companies looking to develop innovative strategies, improve creativity, and upgrade their media strategies.
Rick Rubin
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Few individuals have affected as many corners of the musical universe for as long as Rick Rubin. He has collaborated with artists from Jay-Z to Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers to Johnny Cash, Adele to Slayer, Imagine Dragons to Lana Del Rey, Kevin Abstract to Black Sabbath. Rubin founded Def Jam recordings while studying fine art at New York University. Working from his dormitory, his first recordings with LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and Run DMC took hip-hop music out of the underground and into the mainstream. His success in selling tens of millions of albums worldwide was a shock to the established recording industry.
Since that time, Rubin has produced and guided the most popular and cutting-edge musicians on the planet, in addition to owning and operating his own label, American Recordings. From 2007 to 2013, he moonlighted as the Co-Chairman of Columbia Records to revamp their artist roster and help the company transition from the traditional record business to the new digital model. Rubin was named a TIME "100 Most Influential People in the World.” He has won nine Grammys and two CMAs. In 2021, he interviewed Paul McCartney for the Emmy-nominated documentary series McCartney 3,2,1, which Rubin also executive produced. He recently released his first book The Creative Act which was an immediate #1 New York Times Bestseller and launched a global conversation about creativity, causing #RickRubin to trend on TikTok and receive over 39M views. Rubin is the host of the Broken Record podcast featuring conversations about life, inspiration, and craft.
In addition to being one of the most honored and prolific producers in the world, he is a renowned host and interviewer known for his incredible insights, attention, and curiosity.
Phillip Picardi
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Award-winning journalist, editor, and author Phillip Picardi is known for his role in revolutionizing Teen Vogue, Allure, and Out Magazines. Under Picardi’s leadership, the digital audience of Teen Vogue grew from just 2M unique visitors per month to over 12M, making the Condé Nast title the fastest-growing women's magazine in America for two years running. He was then appointed by Anna Wintour to oversee the digital operations of Allure, where he concepted “The End of Anti-Aging,” an industry call to action for brands to eradicate the shame and stigma around getting older. Dubbed “the prince of Condé Nast” by The New York Times, Picardi went on to launch a community-driven platform for LGBTQ+ youth called them. From building empowered and diverse teams to generating disruptive and out-of-the-box ideas, Picardi’s speaking engagements offer an abundance of insights.
Picardi went on to rebrand and relaunch Out Magazine, the largest and most influential publication for the queer and trans community. An expert in building empowered teams, he assembled and led the most diverse staff in the brand’s history. During Picardi’s career, he has been a sought-after consultant for clients like Levi's, Ralph Lauren, Lego, Burberry, and Nike. He is also the recipient of multiple awards, including Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People, the Forbes 30 Under 30, the AdWeek Hot List, a GLAAD Award, and more. Picardi recently graduated from Harvard Divinity School, where he was one of eleven students selected for the inaugural Masters of Religion and Public Life program. His studies inspired a podcast about religion and spirituality from Crooked Media called Unholier Than Thou, and his Substack newsletter Religiously Blonde. He is currently working on his forthcoming memoir based on his thesis, “Is Jesus Kinda Hot?” In motivational events, Picardi shares his expertise that resonates with corporate leaders as well as college audiences, and moderates powerful conversations with cultural luminaries.
Ed Mylett
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Globally recognized entrepreneur, bestselling author, and performance coach Ed Mylett is an expert at inspiring his audiences to live life at the highest level. Mylett began his career in the financial services industry, achieving incredible success that earned him a place on Forbes’ “50 Wealthiest Under 50” list. He has expanded his portfolio into technology, real estate, health, food & nutrition, and more. Mylett describes himself as a “team-made millionaire,” and a glowing profile in Forbes describes his “passion for mentoring and coaching others on what it takes to become a champion in all areas of life.”
Ed is the bestselling author of #MaxOut Your Life, which offers no-nonsense, step-by-step strategies to become an elite performer, and his latest book The Power of One More: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Success. His online audience has grown to more than 3M followers in a few short years, and his weekly podcast The Ed Mylett Show features diverse thought leaders and peak performers including Megyn Kelly, Barbara Corcoran, Martin Luther King III, Vivica A. Fox, and many more. In his books, podcast, and speaking events – which range from intimate gatherings to mega-venues of 50K attendees to online audiences of hundreds of thousands – Mylett offers high-octane inspiration and actionable, motivational takeaways engineered to make a major impact.
Jaclyn Johnson
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Serial entrepreneur, author, investor, and podcaster Jaclyn Johnson is a powerhouse innovator rewriting the rules for women in business. Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate, a high-impact media company uniting female entrepreneurs and CEOs through education and community, hosting over 100 events with celebrity speakers and panelists sponsored by top Fortune 500 companies. With two million-dollar exits behind her, Johnson understands first-hand what it takes to create your own space in the market, and recently launched New Money Ventures – a venture capital firm and brand incubator seeking to fund and mentor the next generation of female-led brands. In electrifying keynote speeches and conversations, Johnson shares practical takeaways for cultivating determination, finding your innovative niche, and elevating workplace equality that impact individuals and organizations alike.
Johnson has been profiled in Forbes, Ad Week, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The Los Angeles Times, Entrepreneur, and more, and was recognized as an Ad Week Disruptor and named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30,” among other accolades. She is the author of WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams, a rallying cry for women in the workplace, which Bustle called “one of the most informative and practical advice books for millennial women.” The book’s accompanying podcast, WorkParty, features compelling guests and was named to Forbes’ “21 Podcasts to Listen to in 2021” list. A gifted speaker as well as an insightful moderator, Johnson is a leader in conversations about women in the workplaces, building companies from the ground up, and creating community as a values-driven leader.
Nikki and Brie Garcia
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WWE Hall of Fame Inductees, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and New York Times bestselling authors Nikki and Brie Garcia – The Garcia Twins – are legendary for fearlessly breaking barriers and building a global brand based on hard work, authenticity, and kindness. Nikki and Brie joined the WWE main roster in 2008 and became one of the best tag teams in the history of WWE and the first female twins to rise to international acclaim, earning a Divas Title reign apiece in 2011 and 2012. As sought-after motivational speakers as individuals and a tag team, The Garcia Twins bring a dash of ‘Twin Magic’ to every event, making a major impact with audiences of all kinds.
Brie became Divas Champion in 2011, and was named Diva of the Year in 2013, entertaining millions around the world with her athleticism, confidence, and genuine personality as a star on FOX’s The Real Dirty Dancing. Nikki, who earned the accolade Longest Reigning Divas Champion and the fan title ‘Fearless Nikki’, was seen as a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent Extreme, and is set to host the upcoming celebrity competition show Barmageddon for NBC. The Garcia Twins starred on E!’s hit reality TV show Total Divas, and executive produced and starred on six seasons of their spinoff series Total Bellas.
Their dual debut memoir, Incomparable, became an instant New York Times bestseller and revealed their journey to the pro-wrestling ring, the obstacles they overcame, and how they broke the glass ceiling in their sport to push female performers from divas to superstars. The Garcia Twins share their humor and uncensored insights with their massive audience as hosts of The Bellas podcast. Nikki and Brie are the founders of Birdiebee, Nicole + Brizee Beauty, Bonita Bonita Wine, and serve as investors and collaborators for Colugo. With their expertise in entrepreneurship, excelling in a male-dominated industry, and commitment to testing the limits, Nikki and Brie inspire audiences to dominate in their own lives and never give up.
David Dobrik
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David Dobrik is a digital star and TV personality known for making viral content on YouTube. With over 24.5 million subscribers across two YouTube channels and 12.3 million followers on Instagram, Dobrik has mastered the art of quick-cut content. Dobrik has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Today Show, Live with Kelly & Ryan, Good Morning America, GQ, Wall Street Journal and many others. With his widely popular social media presence and podcast, "Views," Dobrik has elevated himself into international stardom.
Dobrik starred alongside co-judges Ciara and Debbie Gibson, in Nickelodeon's series, America's Most Musical Family in 2019, hosted the Teen Choice Awards and presented at the American Music Awards. David has won Shorty Awards for Vlogger of the Year, Breakout Creator, YouTube Ensemble and Podcast, he's a multi-Streamy Award winner and in 2019, he took home the Kids Choice Award for "Social Star" and the Teen Choice Award for "Choice Web Star: Male."
With his signature candor and entertaining delivery, Dobrik shares how his inimitable work ethic drove him to success, the challenges that come with being a content creator and how to overcome those in any industry, how his DACA status influences his daily life and the content he creates, and details of his journey from struggling content creator to internet star.
Felicia Day
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Award-winning actress, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and digital creator Felicia Day shares an empowering message about finding your community and being unapologetically yourself. As an actress, Day is known for her fan-favorite roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. She is the creator of The Guild, a hit web series about gamers, which won numerous awards and was adapted into a hit comic book series of the same name. Day, whom the New York Times referred to as “queen of the geeks,” is the founder of Geek & Sundry, a self-proclaimed geek hub and digital production studio which was acquired by Legendary Entertainment, and has hosts panels and events for Netflix’s Geeked.
Day is the author of the instant New York Times bestsellers You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), which Forbes called “relentlessly funny and surprisingly inspirational,” and Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity. She is the host of several podcasts, including Felicitations!, Undressing with Felicia Day and Tom Lenk, and 'The Official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Podcast'. Day launched a series on Twitch called WomenR, which highlights diversity among creators in a broad spectrum of entertainment fields and ensures women and girls can see people like them being successful in the creative tech world. In sought-after talks that make an impact with audiences of all kinds, Day shares her personal stories and hard-won wisdom about embracing yourself and making your dreams come true.
David Chang
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Momofuku and Majordomo Media founder David Chang has been named one of “the most influential people of the 21st century” by Esquire, received 6 James Beard Awards, was recognized as GQ’s Man of the Year, and is a TIME 100 honoree. He is the creator of Ugly Delicious on Netflix and Secret Chef on Hulu, as well as a culinary contributor to Amazon’s Thursday Night Football. He is the host of The Dave Chang Show and Recipe Club podcasts. His cookbooks Momofuku and Cooking At Home as well as his memoir Eat A Peach are all New York Times bestsellers.
Chang is an engaging speaker known for his insightful discussions about entrepreneurship, food sustainability, and kitchen innovation. Chang’s straightforward and often humorous delivery makes his presentations both informative and entertaining.
Cheryl Burke
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With over 25 years dancing experience and several championship titles under her belt, Emmy nominated professional dancer Cheryl Burke, tangoed and sambaed her way into the hearts of millions through the hit ABC television show Dancing with the Stars becoming champion twice with Emmitt Smith in Season 3 and Drew Lachey in Season 2.
Cheryl has been named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful and often appears on Maxim’s Hot 100 List. In 2008, Burke was awarded an Asian Excellence Award and in 2010, she made a much talked about appearance in the music video for Ne-Yo’s Camera Phone. In addition to her onscreen roles, Burke is a noted motivational speaker. Having been publicly attacked about her weight and battling body image issues her entire life, Burke often speaks at medical conferences, women’s conventions and to school age children about self-esteem and having a healthy body image. She also speaks about being a survivor of domestic sexual abuse. Her accomplishments in entertainment were celebrated in 2020 with an induction into the Robert Chinn Foundation’s Asian Hall of Fame.
For Cheryl, dancing is a way of life. It provides a medium for her to express her inner feelings and passions all while maintaining focus and composure during extremely high-pressure situations. It is dancing that has made her such a competitor, both on and off the floor, and made her strive for perfection in anything that she sets out to do.
Michael Mignano
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Technology executive and entrepreneur Michael Mignano is passionate about building products that change the world. After serving as VP of Product for Aviary, and growing the photo editing platform’s audience to over 100M creators before an acquisition by Adobe, Michael co-founded Anchor which was acquired by Spotify in 2019 for $170M and is the world’s largest podcasting platform. His work on Anchor transformed podcasting from a niche medium into a universal form of creative expression adopted by millions worldwide. After Anchor was acquired by Spotify, Michael served as Head of Talk Audio for Spotify, where he lead the podcast, live, and video businesses for the world’s leading audio streaming platform. Michael has joined Lightspeed Venture Partners, a venture capital firm, as a partner.
Michael has been recognized by Fortune on their “40 Under 40” list, and he is an angel investor and advisor to more than fifty of the world’s most promising early-stage technology companies, including Cameo, Coda, The Infatuation, Parade, Pipe, and Stir. His career has been focused on building world-changing products that scale to hundreds of millions of users and empower people to express themselves creatively across mediums. In compelling keynote and conversations, Michael shares insights on shifting global culture through powerful ideas, leveraging your passion into an impactful career, and maximizing productivity through communication at work and in life.
Jonny Wilkinson
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Former Rugby Union player, entrepreneur, and podcaster Jonny Wilkinson is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. After making his name as one of the shining lights of Rugby Union, Jonny was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014. His services to the sport were recognized by Her Majesty the Queen, initially appointing him as an MBE, latterly upgraded to OBE and subsequently, CBE. In addition to his incredible achievements in sport, Jonny has become an advocate for mental wellbeing, healthy ways to deal with stress and the unknown, and shares his profound insights in impactful conversations.
Jonny was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2003 and World Rugby Player of the Year in Monaco in 2004. Off the pitch, he established the Jonny Wilkinson NSPiRED Foundation – a program designed to support those in teaching and coaching roles towards inspiring the younger generation to live their fullest lives. The six-week program is devoted entirely to the individual, their world, and their potential to perform, lead, and connect with others. Jonny is also the Creator and Host of the I Am… with Jonny Wilkinson podcast – which explores the remarkable transformations of pioneers and thought leaders around the globe. In powerful talks, Jonny shares his authentic journey learning to deal with pressure, overcome and release trauma, and developing a growth mindset.
Jana Kramer
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Actress, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author Jana Kramer is beloved by her fans for her honest vulnerability. She is best known for her TV appearances in One Tree Hill, Friday Night Lights, 90210, and Entourage. Kramer regularly stars in films such as 20th Century Fox’s Heart of the Country, Hallmark Channel's Love at First Bark, and Lifetime’s Christmas in Mississippi. A multi-hyphenate creative, Kramer’s musical career took off with her eponymous debut album, Jana Kramer. Seven of her singles charted on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay. She won the Academy of Country Music’s “New Female Vocalist of the Year” award for her work.
In 2019, Kramer launched her award-winning iHeartRadio podcast, Whine Down with Jana Kramer, where she shares advice on love, life, and more. Audiences connect with the candid but uplifting transparency she carries through her work. Authenticity, vulnerability, and care are all central to her New York Times bestseller, The Good Fight: Wanting to Leave Choosing to Stay, and the Powerful Practice for Loving Faithfully and latest book, The Next Chapter: Making Peace with Hard Memories, Finding Hope All Around Me, and Clearing Space for Good Things to Come. Drawing on her personal relationships and experiences, Kramer provides spiritual guidance and practical advice to audiences worldwide.
Kramer’s wonderful stage presence, authenticity, and ability to connect with the crowd leaves audiences dazzled at every engagement.
Fawn Weaver
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Serial entrepreneur, two-time New York Times bestselling author, and groundbreaking business mogul Fawn Weaver is an expert in crafting compelling stories; as a writer, powerhouse investor, and values-driven leader. Weaver, CEO of Uncle Nearest, Inc., is one of only five African American women to found and lead a $1B+ company in U.S. history. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history, the best-selling Black American-founded spirit brand of all time, and was the most award-winning Bourbon of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Weaver also built the $50M Uncle Nearest Venture Fund, investing in minority founded, owned, and led brands with the greatest potential to grow into legacy brands. A multi-hyphenate and popular TED speaker, Weaver is a highly sought-after voice in conversations about accelerating growth without sacrificing values, inclusive organizational strategy, and leadership, making an impact with audiences of all kinds.
Weaver has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, CNBC, Fast Company, Oprah Magazine, Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and more, and she has appeared on FOX Business, the TODAY Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, among countless others. She is a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine, and her revelatory segment on NPR’s How I Built This with Guy Raz had the internet abuzz for weeks. A committed philanthropist, Weaver is the Founder of the Nearest Green Foundation, which offers full scholarships to every descendent of Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green, the world’s first known African American master distiller. She is certified as a Corporate Director by Harvard Business School and sits on the Endeavor Group Holdings board of directors, where she also serves on its audit committee. In riveting conversations, Weaver offers key insights and impactful takeaways about cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and what it takes to succeed across industries in business and in life.
Dr. David Katz
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Weight management expert Dr. David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.L.M., is a specialist in Internal Medicine, Preventive Medicine/Public Health, and Lifestyle Medicine, with expertise in nutrition. For two decades, he was the founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. He is also a past president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, founder of the non-profit True Health Initiative, and Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Diet ID, Inc. Dr. Katz has been honored with numerous awards for teaching, writing, and contributions to public health, including a James Beard Foundation Award nominee in health journalism, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Doctors’ World Gala and three honorary doctorates.
Recognized globally as a topical expert, Dr. Katz is frequently invited to speak on longevity and wellness. He holds multiple US patents; has over 250 peer-reviewed publications; and has authored/co-authored 19 books to date including multiple editions of leading textbooks in nutrition, preventive medicine, and epidemiology. Dr. Katz has been invited to speak to prestigious hosts including the MIT Colloquium, Yale School of Management, Merrill Lynch, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, and more.
Dick Vermeil
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Heralded for one of the most distinguished coaching careers in NFL history, Dick Vermeil is also a philanthropist, and entrepreneur, and has had a prestigious career as a sports broadcaster. Vermeil had an illustrious fifteen-year tenure as an NFL coach, beginning with the Philadelphia Eagles – who had not been to the playoffs in almost two decades. In just seven seasons, Vermeil led the franchise to Super Bowl XV. Upon retirement, he began a broadcasting career that spanned fourteen years, serving as an NFL and college football analyst for CBS and ABC. He still participates in the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp, an initiative designed to assist athletes in their post-playing careers. Vermeil returned to the NFL as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, leading the team to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, and returned once again as the ninth head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, who advanced to the NFL playoffs in his third season as their leader. Vermeil is one of four coaches in NFL history to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl, and one of five coaches to lead three different teams to the playoffs. His legendary career has earned a place in Hollywood – he was portrayed by Greg Kinnear in Invincible and Dennis Quaid in The American Underdog.
Coach Vermeil has received many accolades – he is the only coach to be awarded Conference Coach of the Year honors on four levels (high school, community college, Division 1 college football), including being named NFL Coach of the Year twice. He is an NFL Hall of Fame Coach in the class of 2022. Vermeil is active in numerous charitable endeavors, including the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia, The Ronald McDonald House, and the Boy Scouts of Chester County - whose golf tournament bearing Vermeil’s name annually raised $165K for the organization over the 27 years in existence. As an entrepreneur, Vermeil launched Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet, which annually produces 2250 cases of quality Calistoga Napa Valley wines, using grapes harvested from the century old Frediani vineyards in Calistoga. Eighteen acres of this fine vineyard was once owned by Vermeil’s great-grandfather, Garibaldo Iaccheri. Vermeil is sought for his insights about leadership – in compelling talks, he offers motivational takeaways about teamwork, overcoming setbacks, and unpacks what it takes to lead a team or organization through obstacles to unparalleled success.
Desiree Rogers
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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.
Cathy O'Neil
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Data skeptic and New York Times bestselling author Cathy O’Neil is a thought leader exploring the realities and dangers of social networking, the consequences of algorithm design, and defending human dignity in the context of predatory capitalism. A prolific voice in academia and the private sector, O’Neil is the New York Times bestselling author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, which was a semifinalist for the National Book Award. She is also a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, a renowned blogger, and her expertise was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary The Social Dilemma. O’Neill is the Founder of ORCAA, a consultancy providing algorithmic auditing services focused on safety, fairness, and principled use of data, and launched the Lede Program in Data Journalism at Columbia University. Her latest book, The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation, investigates how shame functions as a tool across sectors including government, the healthcare system, and the wellness industry. With a mathematics Ph.D. and background in finance and AdTech startups, O’Neil offers unparalleled insight and analysis about the challenges that lie ahead for individuals and businesses in our increasingly algorithmic world.
Moira Forbes
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As the Executive Vice President of Forbes, Moira Forbes has played a key role in the company's transformation into a digital-first global media company and a preeminent destination for today's business leaders. She’s been at the forefront of driving innovation and shaping the future of the brand, and she also represents the fourth generation of the Forbes family. Through her dedicated column, live events, and video series, Moira spotlights the world's most dynamic leaders and is a prominent advocate for gender equality. Moira’s work has fostered a culture of innovation at the global publication, shaping the future of media and business.
Notably, Moira has been instrumental in shaping Forbes’ editorial focus on the many paths to becoming a successful leader as a prominent advocate for gender equality in the corporate world. She is the Founder, President, and Publisher of ForbesWomen, now the world’s largest media platform dedicated to women in business and leadership. Moira also oversees Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Powerful Women, the definitive ranking of female influence on the global stage, in addition to the annual Power Women’s Summit which she launched in 2013. Moira has shared her insights on leadership at prestigious industry gatherings, including the World Economic Forum, Cannes Lion, SXSW Conference, Massachusetts Conference for Women, and EY Entrepreneur of Year. She is also a regular media and television commentator on the state of women's leadership worldwide.
Mike Muse
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Former record label co-founder and change agent Mike Muse is a pop culture and political expert who uses his platform to create social change. An industrial engineer turned media entrepreneur and tech entrepreneur, he is a co-Founder of LawChamps - advocates for access to justice, social, and legal reform. Mike is host of SiriusXM’s award-winning show, The Mike Muse Show, co-host of Sway in the Morning, and was recently named ABC News Contributor for ABC News Live and the Good Morning America family. Mike has given two TED Talks, and is in demand for his dynamic, funny, and insightful talks about policy as lifestyle and leveraging AI for social good.
Mike served as a member of President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee and was appointed to serve in the United States Small Business Administration as My Brother’s Keeper Millennial Entrepreneurial Champion, as well as the U.S. SBA's Federal Commission for the Council of Underserved Communities as the Millennials in Business Representative. His passion is tech – the future of AI and algorithmic inclusion – and he is one of Google’s NextGen Tech Policy Fellows. In addition to speaking tours with Meta and Chevrolet, Mike has given numerous keynotes for Disney, Google, Verizon, Harvard Law School, and more.
Sean Evans
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Emmy-nominated Hot Ones host Sean Evans has two superpowers: interviewing celebrities and eating extremely spicy foods. Against the odds, he's managed to combine the two into the massively popular YouTube show Hot Ones on First We Feast. Each week, Evans shares a plate of progressively spicier chicken wings with his celebrity guests, eliciting some of the most hilarious and honest answers you've ever seen from stars like Kevin Hart, Gordon Ramsay, and Jennifer Lawrence. Hot Ones has spawned a worldwide base of 8M+ YouTube fans and has racked up almost 60M views.
Despite his extreme tactics, Hot Ones guests respect Evans' deeply researched questions and commitment to his craft. The Chicago native grew up studying heroes like David Letterman and Howard Stern – and gaining an appreciation for extra-hot salsa from his dad – before cutting his teeth as a Complex News host. His interviews with the likes of Allen Iverson and Manny Pacquiao made him a favorite on the sports-media circuit, and his willingness to try just about anything – including a day of The Rock's diet and fitness regimen – helped propel his online profile. Evans has been nominated for and won several Webby Awards and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show host in 2021.
Dylan Byers
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Veteran journalist Dylan Byers is a founding partner and senior correspondent at Puck, a news media startup and C-suite must-read covering Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Washington. Before Puck, Byers served as the senior media reporter at NBC News, where he authored the “Byers Market” newsletter and hosted the Byers Market podcast. He has also worked at CNN, where he served as the senior media reporter and authored the Pacific newsletter, and Politico, where he authored the "On Media" blog. As a speaker, Byers draws from his extensive experience covering technology, media, and business to offer a unique blend of industry analysis, journalistic rigor, and engaging storytelling to captivate audiences and spark thought-provoking discussions.
Byers will ensure your event receives timely, relevant, and impactful perspectives on the pressing issues shaping our digital world. Byers has brought unparalleled expertise and insights to the stage for SXSW, Cannes Lions, Collision, the Global Financial Leadership Conference, and many more.
Jeff Koons
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Iconic contemporary artist and sculptor Jeff Koons is one of the most prominent artists working today. Koons is known for challenging limitations while engaging viewers in a dialogue about the present moment and our historical past. For four decades, Koons has created works that explore themes of self-acceptance and transcendence. He is widely known for his bold paintings and sculptures, including Rabbit, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, Puppy, and Balloon Dog. Koons was the first artist to place a sculpture on the moon. The smooth, mirror-finished surfaces of his iconic stainless-steel sculptures reflect and affirm viewers and their environments. Since his first solo exhibition in 1980, Koons’s work has been shown in galleries, museums, and cultural institutions throughout the world.
Koons has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his cultural achievements. He has been a board member of The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) since 2002 and co-founded the Koons Family International Law and Policy Institute with ICMEC for the purpose of combating global issues of child abduction and exploitation and to protect the world’s children.
Stephanie Schriock
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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.
Ryan Coogler
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Award-winning producer, director, and screenwriter Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller and one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. Coogler is known for the history- and headline-making films Fruitvale Station, Creed, and The Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Black Panther shattered box office records to become the highest-grossing film of all time by a Black director. Coogler’s work is not just critically and commercially successful but has been hailed for celebrating often overlooked cultures and characters and bringing unprecedented diversity to the silver screen. As a speaker, Coogler offers eye-opening insights on the power of storytelling, creating racial equality, and innovative approaches to changing the world.
Coogler has been named to TIME’s “30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing the World,” and has won numerous awards, including four NAACP Image Awards and three Academy Awards. His short film Locks won the Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence at the Tribeca Film Festival, and his breakout film Fruitvale Station received the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance. Coogler’s upcoming projects include a series with Disney+ set in the world of Wakanda as well as a scripted drama for Onyx Collective for Hulu, Sheba – the story of the first African queen’s rise to power, based on true events. Coogler has been in demand for events with groups like Google and Salesforce, who shared this rave review after his keynote presentation: “Ryan was a firm favorite both with the team and the audience.”
Rev Run
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Hip-hop icon, DJ, and preacher Rev Run is one of the most iconic figures in music. The front man of seminal hip-hop group RUN DMC, Rev has sold tens of millions of records worldwide and is widely credited for ushering rap music into mainstream culture. An inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, RUN DMC was named the greatest hip-hop artist of all-time by both MTV and VH1. Describing his considerable impact, Rolling Stone writes, “[Run] took hardcore hip-hop from an underground street sensation to a pop-culture phenomenon... In the process, [Run] helped change the course of popular music, paving the way for rap’s second generation.” A cultural icon, Run has been invited to countless corporate conferences and large-scale events as a motivational speaker and celebrity DJ.
Run remains a dynamic figure in entertainment today. He is the author of several books, is an ordained minister, and a beloved TV personality. His hit MTV show, Run’s House, aired for six seasons and became one of the most widely viewed shows on cable television. Run created and starred in Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers (Food Network), Rev Runs Around the World (Travel Channel), Rev Run’s Home Renovation (HGTV), and All About the Washingtons (Netflix). Most recently, Run starred in The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Disney+) and Disney’s Christmas Holiday Show (ABC Network). Run is in demand for his uplifting style, which resonates across audiences from Black History Month celebrations to mission-driven organizations to corporate clients looking to create an unforgettable experience.
Matthew Berry
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Emmy Award-winning sports analyst and New York Times bestselling author Matthew Berry is universally regarded as “the face of fantasy football.” Berry, also known as ‘The Talented Mr. Roto’, is a fantasy football commentator and analyst for NBC across all platforms, including appearances on Football Night in America, Sunday Night Football Final, a daily audio and video podcast, and a weekly fantasy football show. Previously, Berry was the Senior Fantasy Sports Analyst for ESPN, where he hosted the award-winning Fantasy Football Show with Matthew Berry on ESPN+ and was the most-read weekly columnist on ESPN.com during football season. He won an Emmy for his work on ESPN2’s Fantasy Football Now, and is the author of the New York Times bestseller Fantasy Life, which spent many months on the list. His multi-award-winning podcast Fantasy Focus: Football regularly ranks in the top ten in the sports category. Berry brings his candid and entertaining perspective to memorable events for audiences of all kinds.
Berry was named Marketer of the Year by the Academy of Marketing Science (2013) for his leading role in fueling the national growth of fantasy football. He has also been named one of USA Today’s “NFL’s 100 Most Important People”, Sports Illustrated’s “Top 100 to Follow on Twitter,” and Mashable’s “32 Must Follow Accounts for NFL Fans,” boasting over 1.5M highly engaged social media followers. Berry was named FSTA “Analyst of the Year” by his peers (2017) and is one of only four people to be named to the Hall of Fame for both the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.
Denise Woodard
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Founder, entrepreneur, and mentorship expert Denise Woodard is the groundbreaking Founder and CEO of Partake Foods – a natural food company inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Launched in 2017, Partake’s delicious, allergy-friendly products can now be found in more than 9,000 retailers including Target, Kroger, and Whole Foods Market. Denise is the first Black woman to raise more than $1M publicly for a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) food startup, and the company has raised over $19M to date from investors including HER, Rihanna, Cleveland Ave, FF2032, and Marcy Ventures Partners. Partake was recently named #45 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list, and Denise was named on Inc.’s “100 Female Founders” list for building a fast-growing snacking brand that everyone can enjoy. After winning a pitch competition with just the idea, Denise conducted hundreds of demos, leveraged her supply chain expertise, and created a product and company that has attracted the attention of major funders and publications alike. She delivers actionable, no-nonsense insights with optimism, creating an uplifting and memorable event for groups including Microsoft, Victoria’s Secret, Danone, Carta, and Target, to name a few.
Denise serves on the board of Naturally New York, the advisory board for the UNC Shuford Center for Entrepreneurship, and on the WP Carey School of Business Dean’s Council. Prior to launching Partake, Denise spent a decade in CPGs at various Fortune 100 companies. A mentorship expert, she has participated as a mentoring founder-in-residence for three cohorts of Target’s Forward Founder’s program supporting 30 founders in that time. Denise is also the Founder of Black Futures in Food & Beverage, a fellowship program that offers mentorship, internships, and job opportunities within the food and beverage industries for active HBCU students. From her commitment to excellence in branding, to growing a strong team that exceeds goals, Denise shares her leadership perspective that resonates with everyone from entrepreneurs looking to make their mark to C-suite executives looking to inspire their teams around a unified vision.
Tom Colicchio
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After three decades of excellence in the restaurant industry, Tom Colicchio was awarded The James Beard Foundation’s coveted “Outstanding Chef” award. At age 17, Colicchio made his kitchen debut in his native town of Elizabeth, New Jersey, at Evelyn’s Seafood Restaurant. Colicchio then cooked at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill, Rakel, and Mondrian. During his tenure as executive chef of Mondrian, Food & Wine magazine selected him as one of the top 10 “Best New Chefs” in the U.S. and The New York Times awarded the restaurant three stars. In July 1994, Colicchio and his business partner Danny Meyer opened Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, garnering three stars from Ruth Reichl of The New York Times and earning him The James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef-New York” Award. Soon after, The New York Times awarded Colicchio’s Craft with three stars, deeming the restaurant “a vision of food heaven.” Craft was awarded The James Beard Foundation Award for “Best New Restaurant” in 2002. That same year, Tom received The Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Award for “Chef of the Year.” The New York Times revisited Craft in September 2011, ten years after its debut, upholding its three stars and stating that the restaurant is “as magical and delicious as it was when it opened.”
Since 2006, Colicchio has been applying his experience and expertise to cable television as the head judge on Bravo’s hit reality cooking series Top Chef. The Emmy-winning show is currently in its 18th season. Tom appears in and serves as Executive Producer on A Place at the Table, Participant Media’s documentary about food and security in America which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He has published four cookbooks to date. His latest, Why I Cook, is also a memoir of his outstanding career. Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by supporting charities including Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, Alex’s Lemonade Foundation, United Way of New York, and Food Bank for New York City.
Judge Victoria Pratt
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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)
Daniel Cormier
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Daniel is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. A former two-division world champion, DC held the heavyweight and light heavyweight world championships simultaneously. He is also an accomplished Olympian and former All-American at Oklahoma State.
Cormier is the head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School, having been appointed in the summer of 2018. Cormier made his film debut in 2014, playing himself in the 2014 comedy Mantervention. In February 2015, Cormier starred in the videoclip All About That Cake, a parody of All About That Bass, to promote the 2015 World MMA Awards. In January 2018, he was featured on an episode of Sneaker Shopping on the YouTube channel Complex.
In February 2019 he featured in "Sub-Zero's Head Shatter", the first episode of the YouTube series "The Science of Mortal Kombat" by Because Science. Cormier is known for being a dedicated fan of the New Orleans Saints and professional wrestling.
Wynton Marsalis
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World-renowned trumpeter, bandleader and composer Wynton Marsalis is a leading advocate of American culture. At the age of 17, Marsalis left New Orleans to attend the Juilliard School in New York City. He quickly found himself in an ideal place to learn what was required to be a jazz musician and bandleader, when he hit the road with Art Blakey and the Jazz Masters. Wynton assembled his first band in 1981 and promptly began touring, performing over 120 concerts annually for 15 consecutive years. With the power of his musicianship, the compelling sound of his swinging bands and a far-reaching series of performances and music workshops, Marsalis rekindled interest and excitement in jazz worldwide and attracted a new generation of fine young talent to the genre. As the Co-founder, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as the Director of Juilliard Jazz, Marsalis has elevated jazz music to the forefront of America’s leading arts and educational institutions. Wynton has recorded over 100 jazz and classical recordings, which have garnered nine GRAMMY Awards® and sold over 7 million copies worldwide. In 1997, Marsalis became the first jazz artist to be awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in Music for his oratorio Blood on the Fields. Marsalis' vision for a brighter American future resonates deeply with companies and organizations across a multitude of fields. With Wynton, audiences are treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a front row seat as he speaks about a lifetime of innovation, soul, and music.
Galey Alix
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Home renovation expert, 10-year Goldman Sachs Executive, and viral content creator Galey Alix has curated a unique approach to reinvention that is winning over audiences. After a tough life experience, Galey decided to take a hiatus from social media and prioritize her mental health and wellness. When she logged back on several months later, she discovered her home makeover videos had gone viral, and seized the opportunity to found Galey Alix Design. As the CEO of her own company, Galey surprises deserving families with weekend home renovations – which has earned her 4.7M followers online. She is the Host of MAX's Home in a Heartbeat with Galey Alix. Galey is in-demand for her insights about finding your purpose, balancing professional opportunities with personal goals, and building a values-based business.
Galey and her work have been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, on The Today Show, Rachael Ray Show, Tamron Hall Show, the BEHIND THE BOSS Podcast, and more, and she has been ranked the 4th most influential designer in the world by Vogue. Beyond her wildly popular projects reinventing spaces, Galey is also an advocate for mental health and resilience, sharing her journey of overcoming an eating disorder and how she handles the cyberbullying she has faced as a viral content creator online. In powerful keynote speeches and conversations, Galey shares her message of the power of asking for help and the importance of prioritizing kindness no matter the obstacles you’re facing.
Casey Neistat
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YouTube star, digital creator, filmmaker sensation, and multi-media leader Casey Neistat has redefined brand content on the internet, setting a new standard for the way brands interact with digital creators. He has worked with major brands including J. Crew, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and Nike, and pioneered the ‘daily vlog’ format in the early days of YouTube. Neistat, who got his start working as a dishwasher, is a self-taught filmmaker who attained commercial success with HBO’s The Neistat Brothers and the indie film Daddy Long Legs. Boasting over 14M subscribers, he has parlayed his success as a digital creator into advertising, tech, and startup ventures. He created a video-sharing app called Beme, which was acquired by CNN for $25M, and pivoted to launch 368, a collaboration workspace. Heralded for his motto, “Do What You Can’t,” Neistat empowers audiences to think outside the box and redefine their creative potential.
Neistat was named one of Fortunes’ “Creator 25,” a list honoring those charting unique territory in the world of social media, and was a Fellow of the prestigious New Frontier Artist Residency program at MIT. He has launched a filmmaking masterclass with online course platform Monthly, and his documentary Under the Influence premiered at SXSW to critical acclaim. Neistat is an investor in Angel City FC as well as the bitcoin-rewards startup Lolli, and is an advisor for Ponto, which provides financial infrastructure for Web3. In keynotes that are as engaging and humorous as they are informative, Neistat shares actionable lessons on innovation and creativity, as well as cutting-edge insight into how to level-up your organization’s brand and content strategy.
Jonathan Neman
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Co-Founder & co-CEO of sweetgreen, Johnathan Neman, is on a quest to revolutionize how Americans eat. Over the years, sweetgreen has received numerous accolades from the press including The Washington Post, USA Today, Food & Wine, Forbes, Bloomberg, Washingtonian, CBS, and CNBC, among others. sweetgreen was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies.” Continuing to lean into innovation, sweetgreen is an industry leader in automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) while retaining a focus on sustainability, transparency, and community. Neman’s talks often highlight the importance of conscious capitalism, innovation in the food industry, and building a purpose-driven company.
Jonathan has been recognized as a key innovator in food and business, named to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc’s “30 Under 30,” Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Food & Wine’s “40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under.” Neman’s insights are invaluable for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone passionate about creating positive change through mindful business practices.
Sam Kass
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Nutrition expert, author, and entrepreneur Sam Kass served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition in the Obama administration, Executive Director of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” Campaign, and the Obama family chef. Following his time at the White House, Kass has continued to innovate in the nutrition and wellness spaces as an entrepreneur. He founded TROVE, a strategy firm focused on working with corporations who are serious about transforming our health, climate, and planet through food, and is a partner in Acre Venture Partners, a capital fund investing in the future of food with a mission to improve human and environmental health in the food system. Kass shares his passion for health, disruptive investing strategies, and overall sustainability in invigorating keynotes and conversations.
Kass is a James Beard Leadership Award Winner, one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People,” and author of Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World. The World Economic Forum named him to its 2017 Class of Young Global Leaders, recognizing people “pushing boundaries and rethinking the world around them.” Kass is a sought-after speaker offering leading insights about health and sustainability.
Margaret I. Cuomo
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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.
J. Craig Venter
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Craig Venter, Ph.D. is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous, invaluable contributions to genomic research. He decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, a bacterium, as well as fruit fly, mouse, rat, and human genomes, published in Science. Dr. Venter is Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit dedicated to genomic research and the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics. He is also a co-founder of Viridos, Inc. and Human Longevity, Inc. Dr. Venter currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board at Bluestar Genomics, a company leading the development of non-invasive early cancer detection. With a keen focus on the intersection of technology and biology, Venter's talks provide a glimpse into the future of healthcare and the possibilities of genetic-driven solutions.
Dr. Venter is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the United States National Medal of Science, the Gairdner Foundation International Award, the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, and the King Faisal International Award for Science. Dr. Venter is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology. His insights have been sought by hosts including Princeton University, PepsiCo, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, and more.
Joe Plumeri
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Joe Plumeri is the larger-than-life CEO known for his electrifying speeches and talent for transforming the way companies think and operate. Plumeri believes what sets the most successful leaders apart is their ability to harness their own passions, in their own authentic ways. Audiences find not only optimistic relief in Plumeri’s message but also key strategies to cultivate authentic power. Shortly after he takes his place on the podium, Plumeri becomes relatable to each of us trying to succeed on our own terms, in ways that produce significant results for our careers, companies and stakeholders.
In his speeches, he shares personal stories of struggle and inspiration which led him to become CEO of many companies, including Willis Group, a company nearly bankrupt when he first began but which he transformed into one of the world’s leading insurance brokers. Plumeri offers simple yet profound guidance on how to stay positive, motivate yourself and others, and achieve success in your life and work. National Public Radio has included one of Plumeri’s speeches in its list of “Best Commencement Speeches, Ever.”
Takeaways from Plumeri’s Speeches:
Shaun Tomson
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Team member disengagement is a fundamental problem across the world. (Gallup 2022) World champion surfer, bestselling author, and leadership expert Shaun Tomson lectures widely on the Code Method – a high-impact and transformational self-development program that activates the power of purpose to ignite engagement.
A former World Surfing Champion, Shaun has been described as one of the 10 greatest surfers of all time and one of the most influential surfers of the century. During his professional career he won 19 major pro events and is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative surfers. Shaun is the author of the bestsellers Surfer’s Code, The Code: The Power of “I Will”, and the recent #1 Amazon bestseller The Surfer and the Sage. Shaun has lectured around the world and inspired corporations like General Motors, Cisco, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Google, Disney, and The Gap.
As an entrepreneur, Shaun founded two market leading, international clothing brands – Instinct in the 80’s and Solitude, which he co-founded with his wife Carla, in the 90’s. He produced and co-wrote the award-winning documentary film Bustin’ down the Door, and is an inductee in the US, Jewish, and South African Sports Halls of Fame. Shaun’s powerful mission is to help individuals activate their own personal Code to deeply engage with others to live a better and more purposeful life.
Katie Sturino
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Entrepreneur, author, and body acceptance advocate Katie Sturino is the founder of Megababe Beauty. Katie lends her voice and personal style to raise awareness for size inclusivity, empowering women of all sizes to find their confidence and celebrate their style. Her regular content series #SuperSizeTheLook and #MakeMySize have gone viral, reaching millions of people and attracting global media attention. Katie’s firsthand experience in life and business makes her the perfect person to speak to being a female founder, breaking down barriers, body positivity, and the work it takes to change societal norms.
Katie is the author of Body Talk, an illustrated workbook that tackles how women everywhere have a bad relationship with their body, though in the end, that’s not their fault. She is also the host Boob Sweat, a podcast that delves into often “taboo” topics such as dating in your 30s, Botox, and divorce. Katie has participated in panels such as the Goldman Sachs Small Business Summit, Harvard Business School Luxury Retail & Fashion Panel, WSJ’s The Future of Everything Panel, Women’s Wear Daily Panel, and more.
Meek Mill
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Grammy-nominated recording artist, entrepreneur, and criminal justice reform advocate Robert “Meek Mill” Williams evolved from Philadelphia’s hottest underground rappers to one of the world’s preeminent musical artists. Meek has released a slew of smash studio albums and singles, including his last studio album, Championships, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Top 200 Albums” chart, marking his second chart-topper following his 2015 album, Dreams Worth More Than Money. Meek also serves as the President of Dream Chasers, his exclusive record label that is part of a joint venture with Roc Nation. Additionally, Mill is a co-owner of sports apparel retailer Lids, the largest retail seller of hats and licensed sports product in North America.
Meek is a powerful advocate known for his work in criminal justice, after being entrapped in the criminal justice system and shuffled through the prison system over technical probation violations – all despite never committing a crime as a probationer and a wrongful arrest. Meek maintained his innocence on all but one charge, but because of his arresting officer’s testimony (who has since been discredited) Meek was sentenced to 11-23 months in prison with probation that had been unreasonably extended for over a decade. His last incarceration in 2017 spurred the international #FreeMeekMill movement, which ultimately resulted in his release on bail in April 2018 and eventually led to his original conviction being overturned. Meek is the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of REFORM Alliance - an organization transforming probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing. Through it all, Meek has since used his public platform to generate awareness around the problems within the criminal justice system and highlight how they disproportionately affect multicultural communities.
Jason Y. Lee
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Founder and CEO of Jubilee Media Jason Y. Lee is a leader on the business side of the creator economy, with a focus on empathy and making a positive impact on the world. After graduating from The Wharton School at UPenn, Jason worked as a consultant at Bain & Company. He also previously worked on the 2007 Obama Campaign and for the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Zambia. But Jason stepped away from his successful consulting career to follow his purpose, founding Jubilee Media first as a non-profit, then transitioning to a digital media startup. Jubilee Media creates experiences to promote understanding and create human connection. Known for the viral series Middle Ground, Spectrum, and Odd One Out, Jubilee has developed an audience of more than 7.5M subscribers and garnered more than 3B views.
As the world becomes more divided and media more divisive than ever, Jubilee swims against the current – bridging people together to create empathy, discourse, and love. Jason is a proud Korean-American, and recently received the Digital Influencer Award at Character Media’s Unforgettable Gala. He shared his incredible career journey in a TEDx Talk, and has been sought-after for events with groups including Spotify Space, Boston College, Wharton Asia Exchange, Bain Alumni Speaker series, and more.
Chad Easterling
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Brand and marketing expert Chad Easterling is the co-Founder and CEO of Obsidianworks, a culture-powered marketing agency he co-founded with business partner Michael B. Jordan. Obsidianworks is a full-service advertising and marketing agency that reflects Easterling and Jordan’s diverse upbringings, specializing in cultural connectivity through brand strategy, as well as digital and social impact. Working closely with their talent and brand partners, Obsidianworks creates and executes innovative and culturally resonant campaigns and activations that connect with multicultural consumers. Their roster of clients includes Target, Legacy Classic, Meta, Marriott, and more. In powerful keynote remarks and moderated conversations, Easterling offers insights and tangible takeaways that make an impact with audiences.
Prior to partnering with Jordan, Easterling spent more than a decade at Nike, working across several categories and territories including both Nike and the Jordan Brand. While there, he spearheaded key brand moments and disruptive campaigns, including World Basketball Festival, All-Star Weekends, and Basketball Never Stops, as well as built robust strategies for key signature athletes and products, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook and Zion Williamson. Understanding the role that Nike plays in inner cities and the powerful impact those communities have on culture, Easterling effectively helped connect and establish both brands on a grassroots level through Summer Leagues, high school basketball, NBA, and most importantly, throughout the community. Easterling offers his expertise on topics ranging from the importance of representation to impacting the culture in uplifting ways, and motivates audiences to welcome diverse and multicultural perspectives in branding and business.
Peter Arnell
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Brand and design expert, New York Times bestselling author, photographer, and founder Peter Arnell has built a reputation for creating groundbreaking, boundary-averse work for global brands. He is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Creative Officer of PETERARNELL, and the Founder and CEO of Intellectual Capital Investments. Arnell is known for transforming products, brands, and campaigns for the some of the world's most prestigious companies including Chrysler, Pepsi-Cola Co., Reebok, Donna Karan, Unilever, Fontainebleau and more. Arnell created the strategy brand concept and creative for Donna Karan New York and DKNY. He contributed and collaborated with Samsung on the introduction of the company a consumer-facing brand. He designed the global identity and packaging for the Pepsi brand and re-engineered the entire portfolio identity system and has served as Chief Innovation Officer for both Chrysler and The Home Depot. Arnell has been at the forefront of creating, building, and transforming brands, corporations, institutions, and communities for more than 40 years.
Arnell’s work as a photographer has been lauded by critics from Vogue, I-D Magazine, and other leading publications and has been exhibited at group and solo exhibitions around the world. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Shift, which showcases four decades of branding and marketing experience. His work is also the subject of Peter Arnell: Projects 1980-2020, a two-volume book that celebrates over four decades of tireless innovation and an exceptionally diverse body of work. Arnell has also devoted significant energy to the non-profit space. He currently serves on the Board of the FDNY Foundation, and previously served as a Board Member for the globally renowned non-profit, Special Olympics. Arnell’s unique interdisciplinary approach to brand uniting graphic arts, communications, photography, filmmaking, experience design, industrial design, product engineering, architecture and more to create holistic solutions that drive enduring brand value.
Mauricio Umansky
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Industry disruptor Mauricio Umansky is the Founder and CEO of The Agency, a billion-dollar brokerage that has been redefining the real estate business for over a decade. Umansky, who holds the distinction for selling the most homes in the country priced above $20M, launched The Agency in 2011 with a vision for disrupting the industry by fostering a unique culture rooted in the core philosophy of collaboration. Representing noteworthy clients as well as the world’s top developers and resort brands, The Agency is noted by The Financial Times as one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies and has ranked among Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing private companies in the country for five consecutive years. An in-demand speaker for events such as The Asia Society, Foreign Policy Association, TEDx, World Economic Forum, and KPMG, Umansky shares his incomparable insights on disruptive innovation, leadership, and how to create an unparalleled company culture for maximum impact in your industry.
Umansky has been featured in Forbes, International Banker, Entrepreneur, and more, and together with his team is noted as one of the highest producing agents by The Wall Street Journal’s REAL Trends annual list, and has been ranked #97 on Swanepoel’s 2022 Power200, a prestigious list of top real estate executives in the U.S. He is a proud member of The Young Presidents Organization, an influential and world-renowned business networking organization, serves on the board of Giveback Homes, and supports The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the National Breast Cancer Association. Umansky is the author of The Dealmaker: How to Succeed in Business & Life Through Dedication, Determination & Disruption, which is a #1 New Release on Amazon in Work Life Balance and Business.
Trisha Yearwood
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Award-winning country music star, actor, TV personality, chef, New York Times bestselling author, and entrepreneur Trisha Yearwood has been entertaining and inspiring audiences for decades. Yearwood made history as the first female country artist to have a debut single, ‘She’s In Love With The Boy’, reach #1 on music charts. She has been awarded numerous Grammy, CMA, and ACM Awards for countless multi-platinum albums, and continues to release new music that extends the legacy of her powerhouse voice to a new generation of fans. In addition to being a music icon, Yearwood hosts the Emmy Award-winning Food Network show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen as well as her Facebook Live pre-show T’s Coffee Talk. She has written three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, including Trisha’s Table, and launched a lifestyle brand as well as Trisha Yearwood’s Pet Collection, collaborating with Williams Sonoma on signature lines. Yearwood shares incomparable insights from her personal journey as a music icon, beloved chef, and entrepreneur with an open-heart, giving memorable keynotes and moderating meaningful conversations that are impactful for audiences of all kinds.
Nora Tobin
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Nora Tobin has developed Fit, Fueled & Focused corporate wellness programs, keynotes, luxury retreats, and monthly content scaled globally across Fortune 100 organizations.
Nora Tobin LLC services include:
Nora and her team of health and wellness experts create a 360 degree approach to both corporate and consumer branded wellness, which can include the traditional forms of public speaking, as well as the integration of content, products, and events.
David Gelb
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David Gelb is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated producer, director, and founding partner of Supper Club, a production company. Best known for his critically acclaimed documentary feature Jiro Dreams of Sushi, he is also the creator of the Netflix award-winning series Chef’s Table, now in its eighth season, which has won numerous James Beard Awards. He is also the co-creator of the Netflix series Street Food and an executive producer of Trial By Media.
Most recently, Gelb executive produced the Disney+ series Marvel’s 616 while also directing the first episode, which chronicled the creation of the “Japanese Spider-Man”. David is currently producing and directing the upcoming Disney+ feature documentary Wolfgang chronicling the life of world renowned celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck, which will be released in 2021. He is also in development on the scripted feature film Consume with Searchlight Pictures. David has worked extensively in advertising, directing both short and long-form work for clients including Apple, Google, Chase, Bank of America, Chipotle, Mazda, and the Ford Motor Company.
David was born and raised in New York City, where he was immersed in the arts and journalism throughout his upbringing. His mother, Donna Gelb, is a food writer and recipe chef, and his father, Peter Gelb, is the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera. His grandfather, Arthur Gelb, was the Managing Editor of the New York Times, and his grandmother, Barbara Gelb, was an accomplished writer and playwright.
David graduated from film school at the University of Southern California in 2006, and remained in California. David currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Christine D’Souza Gelb and his young son, Elliot Arthur Gelb.
Jeff Mauro
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Emmy-Nominated Celebrity Chef Jeff Mauro was born and raised in Chicago where he was determined from an early age to become the funniest chef in the world. After years spent cooking in restaurants, graduating with honors from Culinary School, and performing on stage, he landed himself on Season 7 of the hit show Food Network Star. He ultimately won the competition by combining his passions for cooking with comedy and landed his own series, the Emmy-nominated Sandwich King. After five successful seasons to date, he was tapped by the Food Network to also co-host the hit daytime show, 4 time Emmy-nominated The Kitchen, now in it’s 28th season. His new Prime Time Game Show Kitchen Crash premiers in January and his long-awaited cookbook Come on Over releases April 13th.
Jeff is also the proud creator of Mauro Provision, a new brand providing the world with all the foods Jeff and his family grew up loving, eating and cooking. He has been a guest co-host of The Today Show and featured on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Steve Harvey, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay among many others. He also hosts the hit weekly podcast Come on Over with his little sister Emily.
He still lives “in the same damn neighborhood he grew up in” with his wife Sarah, his son Lorenzo & their two dogs JoJo & Pinot G. His favorite color is Pastrami and his favorite smell is meat smoke.
Scott Conant
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Chef, cookbook author and TV personality Scott Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating culinary experiences with thoughtful hospitality and soulful cuisine. He is the chef and owner of The Americano, Mora Italian and Cellaio. Conant has published three cookbooks, including the acclaimed Bold Italian, and is a regular judge on Food Network’s Chopped, host of the spinoff series Chopped Sweets, and frequent co-host on Beat Bobby Flay.
Robert Rodriguez
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Robert Rodriguez is a film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician.
While a student at the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, Robert Rodriguez wrote the script to his first feature film, El Mariachi, which went on to win the coveted Audience Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, and became the lowest budget movie ever released by a major studio. Rodriguez wrote about these experiences in Rebel Without a Crew, a perennial guide for the independent filmmaker.
Rodriguez went on to write, produce, direct and edit a series of successful films including Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Faculty, the Spy Kids franchise, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Frank Miller’s Sin City, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, Grindhouse, Machete and Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For, and embarked on a collaboration with iconic film director James Cameron on the film adaptation of Alita: Battle Angel which Cameron is producing alongside Rodriguez directing.
In 2000, Rodriguez founded Troublemaker Studios, an Austin, Texas based production facility of which he is co-owner and president. The studio includes a world-renowned visual effects house, music and publishing arms and has played a primary role in making Austin a vibrant filmmaking hub.
In 2017, Rodriguez, alongside his sons Racer and Rebel, formed Double R Productions, a development and production company with capabilities to produce media projects across film, television, gaming, and interactive platforms. In addition to Red 11, Double R produced a state of the art VR live-action short called the The Limit as well as as a new feature film, We Can Be Heroes, in partnership with Netflix. We Can Be Heroes has become one of Netflix’s most popular films of all time.
He recently directed the Lady Gaga/Ariana Grande video "Rain on Me," and an episode of The Mandalorian which led to him currently producing the new Star Wars series The Book of Boba Fett.
Simon Doonan
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Author, CFDA winner Simon Doonan made his name in the overlapping worlds of fashion and art for many decades. In addition to his legendary window displays for Barneys New York, Doonan assisted Diana Vreeland with various Met Costume Institute exhibits in the 1980’s and, in 1997, collaborated on The Warhol Look, a travelling exhibit which opened at The Whitney and toured the world.
His Style books include Confessions of a Window Dresser, Wacky Chicks, Eccentric Glamour, The Asylum: A Collage of Fashion Reminiscences… and Hysteria and How to Be Yourself: Life-Changing Advice from a Reckless Contrarian.
His more recent writing offers a broader cultural perspective: Drag: The Complete Story, Keith Haring, and Transformer: A Story of Glitter, Glam Rock and Loving Lou Reed. This most recent book gives a unique perspective on the worlds of Andy Warhol, David Bowie, and Lou Reed.
He is a regular guest at the MOTH, the well-known storytelling series. His contributions have consistently become their most popular podcasts and NPR broadcasts.
A TV comedy series based on his memoir, Beautiful People, aired in the U.K., the U.S., and Australia. He has regularly appeared on America’s Next Top Model, VH1, Chelsea Lately, Full Frontal Fashion, Bravo, and is currently a judge on the Emmy-nominated NBC television show, Making It, co-hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman.
Jasmine Roth
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Renovation star, designer, and author Jasmine Roth is passionate about transforming spaces and inspiring others through entrepreneurship, innovation, and seeing possibilities everywhere. The winner of HGTV’s Rock the Block, Roth is also host of her own shows Hidden Potential and Help! I Wrecked My House, rescuing home improvement projects gone wrong. She is also known for HGTV’s A Very Brady Renovation, which received an Emmy nomination, Brother vs. Brother, Hometown: Takeover, and Extreme Makeover, Home Addition. Roth is the author of House Story: Insider Secrets to the Perfect Home Renovation, answering the most common questions she gets as a renowned renovation expert. In her keynotes and conversations, she brings her signature warmth and clear guidance, encouraging audiences to dream big and transform their spaces and their lives.
Roth has been featured in Forbes, People, BusinessWire, and more. She is the Founder of Built Custom Homes, her boutique development company, and has partnered with Hunter Fans to launch their new line of lighting. Roth’s website, Your Happy Home, showcases her full range of capabilities – from building homes from scratch to designing every single detail. A beloved TV personality and host, home design expert, and serial entrepreneur, Roth creates a memorable event for audiences of all kinds.
Melissa King
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Trailblazing chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Melissa King is a proud Chinese American and queer chef who is also a creative entrepreneur outside of the kitchen. King (she/they) is the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars: Los Angeles (Season 17) and the winner of All-Star’s Fan Favorite. With more challenge wins than any other competitor in the history of Top Chef, King has gone on to serve as a culinary judge on the series as well as The Food Network’s The Julia Child Challenge. Known for her technical precision and ability to blend modern California cuisine with Asian flavors, King has helmed several Michelin starred kitchens in San Francisco and has cooked for notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Al Gore, and curated the menu for the 2022 Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour. Called on as a creative consultant for companies around the world, Chef King is a sought-after motivational speaker supporting women’s empowerment, sustainability, food education, and entrepreneurship.
King has been recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco,” and was named FSR Magazine’s “40 Under 40: Rising Star.” They launched a company focused on partnerships and culinary experiences, as well as a brand of small-batched sauces called King Sauce, an apparel line, and virtual cooking classes. Chef King is passionate about cultural inclusivity, media representation, environmental sustainability, and social justice – working with groups such as Stop AAPI Hate, The Trevor Project, and World Central Kitchen, among others. She is the face of IBM Research’s “5 in 5” series, focused on five innovations that will change our lives within five years. King is a featured chef in the Williams-Sonoma’s Chefs’ Collective. They have performed at food & music festivals from Coachella, Outsidelands, BottleRock, and more, and spoken for groups including Google, Facebook, Chase, and Capital One.
Emeril Lagasse
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Celebrity chef and cultural icon Emeril Lagasse is a beloved staple of American food culture. Lagasse has hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network and was a food correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America. He is the eponymous star of Amazon’s original series Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse, which received five daytime Emmy nominations and won the “Outstanding Culinary Program” category. Lagasse has appeared as a guest judge in five seasons of Bravo’s hit food series, Top Chef, and two seasons of Top Chef, Jr. Lagasse is the New York Times bestselling author of 19 cookbooks, including his most recent: Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen. Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 9 restaurants. Lagasse’s unmatched culinary and media empire had endowed him with a wide breadth of stories, experiences, and dishes, entertaining any audience that loves to eat.
Outside of the kitchen, Lagasse is a profound philanthropist. In 2002, Lagasse established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through culinary arts, nutrition, healthy eating, and important life skills. To date, the Foundation has distributed over $18M in grants benefitting children’s charities in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast. Lagasse was named the “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation. Lagasse is not only a business mastermind, but a kind, warm, and humble hospitality professional dedicated to providing the best possible experience to those around him.
Barbara Sturm
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Leader in aesthetic medicine and entrepreneur Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German aesthetics doctor, widely renowned for her anti-inflammatory philosophy and her non-surgical anti-aging skin treatments. Dr. Sturm began her medical career in orthopedics as part of the team that developed cutting-edge treatments for inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis. Termed the “Kobe Procedure” after the late NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant, the treatment utilizes the patient’s own blood cells to produce proteins that reduce inflammation and stimulate the healing process. Dr. Sturm then translated science from her clinical research and orthopedic practice into the field of aesthetics and opened her own medical clinic in Düsseldorf. She is the Founder and CEO of Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics, sharing insights about starting and growing a business in the social media era with authenticity and authority.
As Dr. Sturm continued to innovate and revolutionize the field, she became one of the most sought-after beauty doctors in the world. In 2002, Dr. Sturm developed her famous “MC1," a bespoke plasma-based cream only available to Dr. Sturm’s patients. The potent cream harnesses the power of the body’s own proteins in a skin-healing formula to address the visible signs of inflammation. Dr. Sturm then set out to create a patients-only skincare regimen built around anti-inflammatory, ingredient science, launching her Molecular Cosmetics skincare line in 2006. In illuminating events, Dr. Sturm shares her business acumen, as well as a wealth of information about skincare, solutions to the aging process, and insights for a healthy lifestyle.
Richard Browning
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Richard Browning is Founder and Chief Test Pilot of Gravity Industries which designs, builds and flies Jet Suits, pioneering a new era of human flight. The company was founded in March 2017 to challenge the perceived boundaries in human aviation and to inspire others to dare to ask “What if?”. It now scales towards an International Race Series.
Gravity has to date been experienced by over one billion people globally with Richard and his cohort of growing pilots completing over 130 flights across 34 countries and speaking at dozens of events from TED Talks to XPrize.
Prior to founding Gravity, Richard was a Royal Marines reservist for six years and an Oil Trader with BP for 16 years where he discovered and implemented major new technologies winning the BP Group innovation Award.
Joseph Lubin
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Blockchain founder, CEO, and former VP of Technology at Goldman Sachs Joseph Lubin is the co-founder of blockchain computing platform Ethereum and founder and CEO of blockchain venture studio ConsenSys. ConsenSys is one of the largest and fastest-growing companies in the blockchain technology space, building developer tools, decentralized applications, and solutions for enterprises and governments that harness the power of Ethereum. Named to CoinDesk’s “Most Influential in Blockchain,” Lubin’s compelling keynotes reveal the transformative power of blockchain technology and his vision for a decentralized future.
Lubin focuses on the intersection of cryptography, engineering, and finance. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and worked in the Princeton Robotics Lab. He held positions as Director of the New York office of Blacksmith Software Consulting, and VP of Technology in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs. Sought-out to speak at events ranging from The World Economic Forum to SXSW, Lubin is equal parts informative and inspiring, shedding light on how new technologies have the power to transform industries and how organizations can reap the benefits.
Phil Libin
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Digital entrepreneur and venture capital investor Phil Libin is an expert in using technology to enhance humanity, productivity, and business on a global scale. A serial tech entrepreneur, Phil is a co-Founder and the CEO of All Turtles – an Artificial Intelligence (AI) startup studio. He is also the co-Founder and former CEO of the global productivity tool Evernote, which created an epic transformation in workflow and has redefined the way individuals and teams work today. In addition, Phil recently launched mmhmm – a video presentation app that makes you more engaging on video calls and recordings. Sought-after as a leader on innovation, Libin provides audiences with an engaging look at what it takes to reinvent productivity at global scale.
Libin offers audiences an engaging look and insider perspective on new digital technologies and how to take advantage of automation and AI tools to take performance and productivity to the next level. He is also a sought-after visionary who helps people change the world through entrepreneurship and invention. When Phil speaks, he consistently receives rave reviews: ”Phil commands the room and it’s clear he knows what he is talking about” (APEC 020 Summit) and “We are very much satisfied with the work and the speeches of Phil Libin. Especially the fireside chat was very inspiring for the audience.” (Swiss Economic Forum)
Lori Greiner
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Heralded as a legendary entrepreneur and inventor, Lori Greiner started with one idea and turned it into a multi-million-dollar international brand. Recognized as one of the most prolific inventors of retail products of our time, Lori has created and marketed over 1,000 products, holds 120 U.S. and international patents, and has a 90% success rate for new items launched. Lori is known for her impeccable negotiating skills and uncanny ability to know, identify, and launch emerging brands.
Lori is a leading Shark on ABC’s four-time Emmy-winning entrepreneurial business show, Shark Tank, where she invests in companies and helps turn peoples’ dreams into a reality. Lori has brought her engaging expertise on innovation, growth, and the world of business to groups including Verizon, Coldwell Banker, PayPal, IBM, Adobe, Chase, and many more.
At the heart of Lori’s success is the winning combination of her talent, hard work, and perseverance. A strong role model and true inspiration to many, she was honored with the Sherry Lansing "Woman of the Year" Award and by the Paley Center as an Important Woman in Television, listed as one of Success Magazine’s "Top 25 Personal and Professional Development Influencers to Follow," ranked by Business Insider Magazine as one of the "Top 30 Best Women Early-Stage Investors of 2023," and voted as a fan favorite on Shark Tank. Lori is a committed philanthropist and author of the international bestseller Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!. A force to be reckoned with in the business world and beyond, Lori delivers empowering insights and buzz-worthy takeaways, emboldening her audience to thrive in work and in life.
Buddy Valastro
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Celebrity baker from numerous hit TV shows and New York Times bestselling author Buddy Valastro is best known as the beloved Cake Boss. Buddy – a fourth-generation baker – learned the ins and outs of his family’s bakery working alongside his father, Buddy Sr. His incredible cakes and entrepreneurial spirit are showcased on his numerous shows, including Cake Boss – the #1 hit TLC series that skyrocketed him to international acclaim. An outrageously affable and uplifting speaker, Buddy is an audience favorite for his inspiring family-centered message, his light-hearted baking demos, and his impeccable business insights.
Buddy is also the New York Times bestselling author of Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia, Baking with the Cake Boss, Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss, and The Essential Cake Boss, and more – sharing his passion for food that brings families together to make lasting memories. From the beloved Hoboken bakery, Buddy and the famiglia have expanded the business to a 100,000 square foot baking facility, over a dozen bakeries in the U.S. and several more abroad, Buddy V’s – a string of Italian family restaurants, and 50 automated retail machines – offering 30-day shelf-life for a piece of cake. A world-renowned CEO, Buddy motivates audiences to embrace challenges, take innovation to the next level, and stay connected to purpose and passion.
Scott Galloway
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Scott Galloway is Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and a serial entrepreneur. He was named one of the world’s best business professors by Poets & Quants. Scott has founded nine companies, including Prophet, RedEnvelope, L2, and Section School, where he also teaches. He is the New York Times–bestselling author of The Four,The Algebra of Happiness, Post Corona and Adrift: America in 100 Charts, and the upcoming Algebra of Wealth: A Simple Formula for Financial Security, forthcoming from Portfolio in April. Scott has served on the boards of directors of The New York Times Company, Urban Outfitters, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Panera Bread, and Ledger. He has won multiple Webby and Best Podcast awards, and his books have been translated into 28 languages. Across his Prof G and Pivot podcasts, No Mercy / No Malice newsletter, and his YouTube channel, Scott reaches millions.
Allison Massari
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While most speakers have a story to tell, there are a select few with one so impactful and poignant that the audience is forever changed. That is what happens when Allison Massari speaks.
Hailed as “life-changing” “riveting” “extraordinary” “bold” and “deeply moving” Allison Massari’s work is a celebration of the power of the human spirit, and her journey is the quintessential story of courage and heart. Allison’s potent message has reached audiences in more than 75 countries and is a testament to hope, radical compassion, and indestructible perseverance. A top keynote speaker, Allison has been recognized with esteemed speaking engagements internationally. She has been featured on PBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX networks and also stars in the award-winning international documentary, Resolve (2015). Her diverse client list includes: Microsoft, GE Healthcare IT, Intel, MDRT, Capital One, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, 3M, Lilly, HIMSS/CHIME, Allscripts, Siemens Healthcare, and McKesson.
Allison’s unique history gives her compelling authority to address difficult issues with genuine sensitivity and profound insight. An interdisciplinary artist as well as an entrepreneur, Allison was preparing paintings for an important museum exhibition early in her art career when her world was shattered. Hit head-on at 60mph and trapped inside her car, she nearly lost her life in a fiery and explosive collision. Burned alive, conscious the entire time, Allison suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on over 50% of her body. Astonishingly, navigating the experience compelled her to discover an unshakeable strength and fortitude—and carefully learn the intricacies of what it takes to overcome adversity and live with heart. Through captivating, hope-filled stories, Allison shares her personal journey and elevates audiences, generating renewed excitement for their life and work. Her unforgettable keynote instills essential tools of self-leadership—teaching how to boldly access grace and resilience and be a dynamic force of goodness in the face of challenges. As Allison states, “We can each make a vigorous, life-changing choice to navigate our way through and beyond adversity and be a force of light for ourselves and others.”
Allison is passionate about tailoring her speech to address the specific issues affecting each market. She takes great care in getting to know her clients—their industry distinction, their mission, and their audience, including the pain points and what they are doing exceptionally well. Her incredible empathy and her capacity to precisely acknowledge and appreciate the work that is done in any organization provides extraordinary support, encouragement, and inspiration to audiences worldwide. Whether she is speaking to leadership teams or to your entire workforce, Allison compassionately highlights each person’s value and demonstrates how their work connects to the overall mission. In Healthcare, for instance, Allison’s groundbreaking program addresses the current challenges faced by the medical industry, including burnout, understaffing, time restraints, employee retention, compassion fatigue and everyday stresses. Audiences experience the far-reaching and vital impact of their work and walk away feeling more connected to their purpose and to each other.
Allison is also an award-winning visual artist. Her work has been sought out by museums and private art collectors internationally and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her colorful and sublime visual art serves as a breathtaking backdrop to all of her keynotes.
Allison Massari’s keynotes are jaw-dropping, heartfelt, and deeply inspirational. She purposefully shares her message of resilience, courage and hope with sincere vulnerability—committed to her desire for no person to feel alone. Prepare to be taken on a journey.
April Rinne
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Change defines the present and uncertainty permeates the future. Individually, organizationally, and collectively, we humans are trying to discern what this means. What are the skills, practices, and superpowers that this world in flux demands – and how can you cultivate them with purpose and joy?
In 2025, humans’ ability to embrace all kinds of change, uncertainty, and not-knowing isn’t exceptional, but rather table stakes. It’s at the heart of responsible leadership (of both oneself and others), thriving culture, and effective communication. It’s the difference between flourishing and flailing. Put another way, learning to love uncertainty is the #1 skill we’ll need this year – and beyond.
Not only that: This is what every one of your colleagues, customers, clients, partners, stakeholders, and teams needs too. Ditto for your family, friends, and kids. This skill fuels every relationship in business, in society, and in life. So why do we resist learning it? What are we waiting for?
April Rinne – change navigator, speaker, investor, author, and adventurer – has been obsessed with these themes and questions for more than 25 years. Her work and travels in more than 100 countries have given her a front-row seat to a world in flux, as well as a world of wisdom to navigate the unknown. Not only is she your guide to developing a “flux mindset,” she’s also ranked one of the 50 Leading Female Futurists in the world by Forbes and is a Harvard Law School graduate, a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, a member of the Silicon Guild and Thinkers50 Radar, a Fulbright Scholar, and the author of the international bestseller Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change.
April is a trusted advisor to well-known startups, companies, financial institutions, nonprofits, think tanks, and governments worldwide, including Airbnb, Nike, Intuit, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, AnyRoad, and Unsettled as well as governments ranging from Singapore to South Africa, Canada to Colombia, and Italy to India. For more than two decades, she’s been known for seeing emerging trends early, understanding their potential, and helping others do the same. April is a bridge-builder between stakeholders, cultures, priorities, and those excited about change and those resistant to it. Recently, she was the sole global faculty member of Finland’s inaugural “masterclass of happiness,” combining her Finnish heritage and “fluxiness” to reach audiences around the world.
Earlier in life April was a global development executive, an international microfinance lawyer, and a hiking guide. Before that, she spent the better part of four years traveling solo, with an insatiable desire to better understand how the rest of the world lives. (One lesson: Change is universal. How we deal with it is not.) She is as comfortable at Davos as she is talking with microfinance borrowers in an urban slum. A certified yoga teacher, she can often be found upside-down, doing handstands around the world.
The following is also shared, depending on audience and context: April also harnesses her very personal experiences with flux, including the death of both of her parents in a car accident when she was 20.
Carl Nassib
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Former NFL player, tech founder, and philanthropist Carl Nassib is an inspirational activist for the LGBTQ community and a powerful advocate for financial literacy. Nassib is a seven-year NFL veteran and former captain of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When he was at Pennsylvania State, Nassib went from being a Walk-On to earning unanimous All-American honors. In 2021, Nassib announced publicly that he is gay – distinguishing him as the first openly gay active player in the NFL’s 103-year history. His announcement included a $100K donation to The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to crises intervention and suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth. Nassib’s historic coming out story directly confronts one of the last bastions of entrenched homophobia – men’s professional sports. Through his advocacy and in sought-after events as a motivational keynote speaker he has made an impact with audiences worldwide.
In addition to his remarkable journey on the football field, Nassib is a tech founder and a committed philanthropist. He is the Founder and CEO of the Rayze app, which enables users to give back to causes they are passionate about – connecting nonprofits to the next generation of philanthropists. He is also an advocate for financial literacy, pushing for more access to financial education and resources for professional and college athletes. Nassib has spoken for groups including the Smithsonian, Villanova, and the Plan Sponsor Council of America, who raved: ”We were thrilled to have Carl Nassib speak at our national conference. His dedication to serving others is a testament to the power of volunteerism and we believe that his message really resonated with our audience.”
Maha Abouelenein
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Maha Abouelenein is a strategic communication expert, best-selling author, and entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience. As the CEO and Founder of Digital and Savvy, a global communications consulting firm with offices in the United States and United Arab Emirates, Maha has been instrumental in orchestrating transformations in communication strategies for clients that include global corporate giants, high-growth startups, sports organizations, top governments, CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals.
With a reputation for delivering results, Maha possesses a unique blend of creative, strategic, and analytical prowess, enabling her to guide projects from inception to execution. Maha is all about relationships—building, nurturing, and serving them. She is an advocate of value creation and the pursuit of cultural relevance as the cornerstones of effective storytelling and communications.
This year, Maha released her debut book, 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, and Own Your Future which became a USA TODAY bestseller and provides a transformative guide on mastering self-reliance. It offers practical personal and professional growth strategies, focusing on creating value, opportunities, and relationships. The book dives into the importance of personal branding, reputation management, and lifelong learning—essential tools for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Maha’s personal journey, from being a caregiver to becoming a global entrepreneur, forms the foundation of her insights, making the book both relatable and inspiring for individuals at every stage of their career.
Raised and educated in the United States to Egyptian parents, Maha is at home in both Western and Arab worlds, offering a global perspective that translates into her work. She serves as a bridge between cultures, providing invaluable support to companies and high-profile executives seeking to navigate business opportunities in the Middle East market, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. She is active in the tech, sports, entertainment, and gaming industries. Maha is an Advisor to LockChain.io and Global Gaming League, sits on the Global Board of Directors of the Associated Press, and is on the Board of the Animal Humane Society.
Maha handled communications for some of the world’s largest tech companies in the Middle East—from Google and Netflix to Udacity and Careem (Uber Middle East)—and more. She helped PR giant Weber Shandwick cement their presence in the Middle East, opening 18 offices in the region and leading the Cairo operation. She supported the largest IPO and the largest acquisition in Egypt’s history at Orascom Telecom. She also supported promotions and sports marketing programs & strategic partnerships for the Olympics, NASCAR, ATP Tennis, Women’s Hockey, and the NFL at consumer product giant General Mills before becoming an entrepreneur.
Maha is a sought-after strategist and speaker who shares her expertise on personal branding,
reputation management, modern communications, and the transformational power of storytelling. She was honored as one of the most influential women in Dubai, named one of the most impactful Egyptians, and nominated as one of the Forbes Power Women of the Middle East. In the U.S., she was named by PR News as one of the Game Changers in the PR Industry and one of Minnesota’s Leading Women in Business by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Journal. Maha is a contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazine.
Maha publishes a weekly newsletter, Savvy Talk, and hosts the Savvy Talk Podcast, where she engages in thought-provoking conversations with industry leaders. She passionately advocates for the power of storytelling and self-reliance in the modern age, emphasizing personal branding as a transformative pathway to leadership. Maha is a dual citizen, an avid tennis player, and resides in Wayzata, Minnesota, with her dog, Coco.
For more information, follow Maha on all social platforms under @MahaGaber and on her website: www.mahaabouelenein.com.
Jeremy Fall
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Award-winning restaurateur and celebrity chef Jeremy Fall is an innovator across mediums and industries who is redefining what it means to be a “cultural icon.” The only child of a French Afro-Caribbean mother and a Tunisian Jewish father, he grew up in the restaurant business and opened five successful eateries by the time he was twenty-seven years old, including Nighthawk Breakfast Bar, Nighthawk AM, Easy’s, Tinfoil Liquor & Grocery, and Paperboy. By age twenty-nine, he was on Forbes’ “30 Under 30 List” and had sold his successful restaurant group. Credited as the first chef and restaurateur to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, Fall recently coproduced and costarred in the Facebook Watch show Beats for Breakfast with singer-songwriter Miguel. Bringing together leading edge thinking from multiple industries, Fall’s insights have been sought after by groups including ZipRecruiter, Cameo, Apple, W3BX, NFTNYC, UCSB, Facebook, and more.
In addition, Fall is the creator of media company Probably Nothing, an online NFT education platform that aims to bridge the gap between metaverse-savvy early adopters and the masses. His project ‘golden egg club’ is at its core – an art collection featuring hand-drawn elements by Fall, which celebrates his career milestones and may expand to reflect future accomplishments. The collection will act as a private membership, providing a space for Fall to cook exclusive meals for the group, inspire creative collaborations, brand partnerships, and more. Fall and Probably Nothing have partnered with Warner Records on the launch of a Web3 record label, expanding Fall’s impact. When it comes to the Web3 space, Fall continues to act as a conduit for the dynamic conversations about how food, technology, and culture intersect now and in the next iteration of the future.
Dan Abrams
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Dan Abrams is the CEO and Founder of Abrams Media, Chief Legal Affairs Anchor for ABC News, and the host of top-rated cable series “Live PD“ on A&E Network. He was previously the co-anchor of ABC's Nightline, host of “The Abrams Report” and the acclaimed “Verdict with Dan Abrams” on MSNBC, as well as the long time Chief Legal Correspondent for NBC News. Dan also served as General Manager of MSNBC, where he presided over a period of unprecedented growth, with ratings and profits each increasing well over 50% during his tenure. During that time Dan was a member of the NBC Universal President’s Council.
Anthony Scaramucci
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Anthony Scaramucci is the Founder and Managing Partner of SkyBridge Capital. He is the author of four books: The Little Book of Hedge Funds, Goodbye Gordon Gekko, Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole (a 2016 Wall Street Journal bestseller), and Trump: The Blue-Collar President.
Prior to founding SkyBridge in 2005, Scaramucci co-founded investment partnership Oscar Capital Management, which was sold to Neuberger Berman, LLC in 2001. Earlier, he was a vice president in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs & Co.
In 2016, Scaramucci was ranked #85 in Worth Magazine’s Power 100: The 100 Most Powerful People in Global Finance. In 2011, he received Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year – New York” Award in the Financial Services category. Anthony is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), vice chair of the Kennedy Center Corporate Fund Board, a board member of both The Brain Tumor Foundation and Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and a Trustee of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation. He was a member of the New York City Financial Services Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2012.
In November 2016, he was named to President-Elect Trump’s 16-person Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee. In June 2017, he was named the Chief Strategy Officer of the EXIM Bank. He served as the White House Communications Director for a period in July 2017.
Niren Chaudhary
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Global CEO, innovator, and philanthropist Niren Chaudhary is a visionary leader. He is formerly the Chairman of the Board of Panera Brands. Prior to becoming Chairman in 2023, Chaudhary served as CEO of Panera Brands and Panera Bread. Previously, Chaudhary served as Chief Operating Officer and President of Krispy Kreme, where he created a path for enterprise value growth of 3x over 5 years. Prior to that, he spent over two decades at Yum! Brands serving in global leadership positions including Global President of KFC and President of Yum! India. Chaudhary is hailed for his commitment to innovation and often provides insight into how large organizations can stay agile.
Chaudhary is guided by his deep passion for serving others and building future leaders. He lectures at Columbia Business School and University of Delhi. His insights and voice have been sought by PWC, Harvard University, and London Business School, to name a few. He dedicates his personal time to serving on the Tufts Medical Centre Board and as an advocate for DKMS, a leading non-profit with the world’s largest stem cell donor registry. Chaudhary’s warm energy extends to his keynotes and moderated conversations alike, connecting with audiences on both an intellectual and personal level.
Katica Roy
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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.
Ken Goldberg
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Ken has been interested in robots, rockets, and rebels since he was a kid. He’s skeptical about claims that humans are on the verge of being replaced by Superintelligent machines yet optimistic about the potential of technology to improve the human condition. Ken developed the first provably complete algorithm for part feeding and the first robot on the Internet. In 1995 he was awarded the Presidential Faculty Fellowship and in 2005 was elected IEEE Fellow: "For contributions to networked telerobotics and geometric algorithms for automation." Ken founded UC Berkeley's Art, Technology, and Culture public lecture series in 1997 serves on the Advisory Board of the RoboGlobal Exchange Traded Fund. Ken is Chief Scientist at Ambidextrous Robotics and on the Editorial Board of the journal Science Robotics. He served as Chair of the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research Department and co-founded the IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. Short documentary films he co-wrote were selected for Sundance and one was nominated for an Emmy Award. He lives in the Bay Area and is madly in love with his wife, filmmaker and Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain, and their two daughters.
Erin Andrews
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One of the most recognized and respected sports broadcasters in the industry, Erin Andrews is part of FOX Sports A Team, reporting for FOX NFL Sunday.
Andrews recently added “creator” to her long list of titles with the launch of her new women's NFL apparel line, WEAR by Erin Andrews. The fashionable, comfortable and subtle line, designed for women to wear anywhere and everywhere, has quickly garnered notable attention - becoming the #1 NFL women’s-only brand since it launched. She is the recipient of the coveted Pat Summerall Award, which celebrates her outstanding work as a sportscaster and contributions to the community, and made history as the first woman to receive this award. Last year, Andrews was honored with a Gracie Award. Andrews co-hosts a podcast with Charissa Thompson called Calm Down with Erin and Charissa for iHeartRadio. The podcast consists of unfiltered conversations between two girlfriends about life, gossip, sports and pretty much every random topic that needs to be dissected.
While at the top of her career with no limits in sight, Andrews was shocked when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer following a routine annual checkup. Not wanting the diagnosis to interfere with the career she had fought so hard for, Andrews quietly planned doctors’ visits around her work schedule in order to keep her diagnosis private and kept moving full speed ahead during treatment, only sharing her story publicly after she received word she was cancer free.
In empowering, insightful conversations, Andrews discusses her storied career and what it took to get to the top of her game, the challenges and triumphs of working in a male-dominated industry, and spreading awareness about cervical cancer prevention.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
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California’s 38th Governor, Hollywood icon, and philanthropist Arnold Schwarzenegger is known globally for his impact in the worlds of sports, entertainment, environmentalism, and philanthropy. He continues to inspire global audiences as the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two books reflecting on his success: Be Useful: Seven Tools For Life and Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s iconic life story, impeccable presentation style, and insightful takeaways leave audiences buzzing for weeks. The Association of Energy Engineers called him “an excellent speaker with an excellent message.”
Gov. Schwarzenegger champions a wide range of philanthropic causes. He advances solution-oriented policy at the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and environmental innovation at The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative. His perspective on global issues has been sought by hosts such as the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, the Association of Energy Engineers, and the Zero Emission Conference.
Earvin 'Magic' Johnson
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NBA Hall of Famer and member of the original Dream Team, Earvin “Magic” Johnson has become one of the most powerful and respected African-American businessmen and philanthropists in the world. In 1991, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation, which serves as a single-disease organization that works to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. Celebrating over 20 years of success, the Magic Johnson Foundation has become one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations around the world.
Beyond his philanthropic work, Johnson has successfully parlayed his skills and tenacity on the court into the business world. Johnson is the founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE), a global empire that is a catalyst for fostering community growth and economic empowerment through high-quality entertainment and products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse communities. MJE has a wide range of business endeavors ranging from sports ownership to food service and facility management, produces quality works in film, television and publishing, and represents the biggest names in media and entertainment. With his unique positioning as a businessman spanning multiple industries and generations, he aims to help companies expand and foster a positive impact domestically and globally.
During his athletic career, Johnson earned five NBA championship rings and led the Los Angeles Lakers to nine NBA finals. He has won three MVP awards and played in 12 NBA All-Star games. A member of the original Dream Team, he earned a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. As a speaker, Johnson inspired audiences with the real-life story of his remarkable rise, his philosophy for success, and empowering message on how to create the best possible future.
John Nosta
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First and foremost, John is a thinker. A thinker entrenched in the world of science, medicine and innovation. John is the founder of NOSTALAB—a digital health think tank. He’s currently ranked as the #1 global influencer in digital health and generally regarded as one of the top global strategic and creative thinkers in this important and expanding area.
John has an established reputation as a vocal advocate for strategic thinking and creativity. He has built his career on the “science of innovation,” a process where strategy and creativity work together to create inflection points in the market. He has also been recognized for his ability to translate difficult medical and scientific concepts into material that can be more easily communicated to patients, clinicians and scientists. He is also one the most popular speakers around the globe presenting his vibrant and insightful perspective on the future of health innovation. His focus is on guiding companies, NGOs, and governments through the dynamics of exponential change in the health / tech marketplaces.
Jason Ma
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Jason Ma, Founder and CEO of ThreeEQ, is an award-winning Chief Mentor of Next Gen Leaders, high-level rainmaker, sought-after speaker, acclaimed author, and a highly regarded and well-connected strategic advisor to UHNW families, CEOs, boards, and single family offices. Ma also serves as an investor and Chief Business Officer at AdXero, a transformative incentivized media distribution technology venture with enormous industry impact and ROIC/MOIC potential.
With 40 years of deep experience spanning technology, education, finance, media, advertising, e-commerce, distribution, telecom, hospitality, and more—combined with over 2 million miles of world travel—Ma brings unparalleled strategic insights and pragmatism to his work. He has inspired and guided a “small army” of Next Gens to achieve success in Ivy League/elite college admissions, high-powered careers, personal development, and enduring family legacies. He also served as a Thiel Fellowship mentor, supporting young entrepreneurs in pursuing transformative ventures.
Ma was a Forbes Global CEO Conference by-invitation delegate for eight years, further cementing his standing in elite circles. His global impact is underscored by a decade of contributions as Silicon Valley’s leading member of the B20, the G20’s official forum with the global business community (private sector). Across ten G20 Presidencies—Australia, Turkey, China, Germany, Argentina, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, India, and Brazil—he has helped shape private sector policy recommendations on the Future of Work, Human Capital, Skills, and Education, while being an influential voice on AI & Digital Transformation and Trade & Investment. Ma is one of a select few Americans appointed annually as a B20 member since 2014.
A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Ma is the acclaimed author of Young Leaders 3.0: Stories, Insights, and Tips for Next-Generation Achievers and former Forbes contributor on Mentoring Young Leaders (~2 million views). His insights have also been featured in elite publications such as Forbes, The CEO Magazine, Impact Wealth, Family Office Magazine, Red Hot Monde Magazine, and showcased at premier Family Office, Private Wealth, Investor, CEO, AI/Tech, B20/G20, Education, and Next Gen leadership summits and shows.
Renowned for his expertise in Next Gen leadership, family legacy enhancement, Ivy League/elite college admissions, high-powered careers, family office trends, strategic investments, AI/tech company building, and geopolitics, Ma’s guidance resonates deeply with UHNW families, Family Offices, and CEOs worldwide.
A philanthropist, Ma serves as a St. Jude/ALSAC Advisory Council lead member, an SVCF partner, and is engaged in his faith community. He is an inspired father of two happy, compassionate Gen Z daughters. The Ma family (playfully nicknamed the “MAfia”) values unconditional love, humor, and high standards in what matters. Ma holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from UC Berkeley College of Engineering.
Daniel Burrus
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Daniel Burrus is considered one of the World’s Leading Futurists on Global Trends and Disruptive Innovation. The New York Times has referred to him as one of the top three business gurus in the highest demand as a speaker.
He is the author of seven books, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Flash Foresight and his latest Amazon No. 1 bestseller, The Anticipatory Organization.
He has delivered over 3,000 keynote speeches worldwide and is a strategic advisor to executives from Fortune 500 companies, helping them to develop game-changing strategies based on his proven methodologies for capitalizing on technology innovations and their future impact. His client list includes Lockheed Martin, Verizon, Microsoft, VISA, Deloitte, Google, Procter & Gamble, KPMG, Honda, FedEx and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Burrus is an innovative entrepreneur who has founded six businesses, four of which were U.S. national leaders in the first year. He is the CEO of Burrus Research, a research and consulting firm that monitors global advancements in technology-driven trends to help clients profit from technological, social and business forces that are converging to create enormous, untapped opportunities.
He is the creator of the Hard Trend Methodology, the Anticipatory Organization® Business Model, used by leading organizations worldwide, and he is a founding member of the Department of Defense Joint Services Futures Group.
His accurate predictions date back to the early 1980s, when he became the first and only futurist to accurately identify the 20 exponential technologies that would become the driving force of business and economic growth for decades to come. They included digital electronics, AI, distributed computing, genetic engineering, lasers, optical storage, photovoltaics, fiberoptics and nanotechnologies to name a few. Since then, he has continued to establish a worldwide reputation for his exceptional record of predicting the future of technology-driven change and its direct impact on the business world.
Burrus is a featured writer, reaching millions of monthly readers with his insights on disruptive innovation, exponential change and the future. His work is featured across various platforms, including LinkedIn, where he is a member of an exclusive invitation-only group of experts. On LinkedIn alone, he has built a following of over 1.2 million professionals.
He has been the featured subject of several PBS television specials and has appeared on programs such as CNN, Fox Business and Bloomberg. Burrus has been quoted in a variety of publications, including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Fortune and Forbes.
David Nico
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Dr. David Nico is the leading expert on Whole Leader Health™, a strategic framework that helps organizations develop resilient, high-performing leaders by aligning personal well-being with leadership effectiveness.
In addition to keynote speaking, learning offerings include:
• Leadership Training
• Professional Development
• Staff Training
• Staff Development
• Leadership Retreats
Jessica Jackley
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Jessica is an entrepreneur, investor, and educator. Her work over the last two decades has focused on financial inclusion, the sharing economy, and social justice. Currently, she is a Professor of the Practice of Social Entrepreneurship at the Marshall School of Business at USC, and cofounder and General Partner at Untapped Capital.
She is best known as a cofounder of Kiva, the world's first crowdfunding site for microenterprises. Kiva lets users lend as little as $25 to individual entrepreneurs, providing borrowers affordable capital to start or expand their business. Since its founding in October 2005 Kiva has facilitated over $1.5B in loans worldwide.
Most recently, Jessica served as the founder of Y Combinator-backed Alltruists, offering at-home, kid-friendly volunteer projects for families. Prior to this she served as Chief Impact Officer at Aspiration, GP at SparkLabs Global Ventures, and an investor, advisor, and former Venture Partner with the Collaborative Fund. She was also previously a Visiting Practitioner at Stanford’s Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society.
Jessica recently served as Walt Disney Imagineering's first Entrepreneur in Residence, launching initiatives related to corporate citizenship and happiness. She continues to consult and advise on these topics as well as a range of social impact. She serves on several nonprofit boards including Habitat for Humanity, advises numerous start-ups, and is an advisory board member of Investcorp Strategic Capital Group.
Jessica’s work has been widely recognized. Honors include The Economist’s No Boundaries Innovation Award, Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Tech, Silicon Valley Forum’s Visionary Award, the Pasteur Institute’s Common Congress Award, finalist for the TIME 100 Most Influential People list, and more.
She holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a certificate in Global Leadership and Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from Bucknell University, and honorary PhDs from Centenary College and Quinnipiac University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Her first book, CLAY WATER BRICK: Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs Who Do the Most with the Least was published in June 2015 (Penguin Random House).
Bobby Flay
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Award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and media personality Bobby Flay offers high-energy, dynamic insights on business success, perseverance, food and lifestyle, and balancing the many flavors in our work and lives.
The first chef to ever receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Bobby Flay is behind famed restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas and beyond, such as Gato, Amalfi, Bobby Flay Steak, and Bar Americain. He also several outposts of his fast-casual concept, Bobby’s Burgers, across the United States. He's the author of 16 best-selling cookbooks, an Emmy award-winning star of countless Food Network programs, and both a James Beard and Rising Star of the Year Award-winner.
A powerhouse in the kitchen, on-screen, and at events, Bobby has been sought-out to speak (and do cooking presentations) everywhere from Google to The New York Times. He leaves audiences energized and empowered to improve the way they live and work.
Dr. Sian Proctor
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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.
Kendra Bracken-Ferguson
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Kendra Bracken-Ferguson is an internationally acclaimed thought leader. In demand for her strategic vision and attention to brands that want to grow to scale quickly and sustainably, she is a sought after speaker and c- suite/board advising powerhouse.
Kendra's ecosystem of leadership is rooted in her global conglomerate BrainTrust where she is the Founder, CEO and General Partner.
BrainTrust is an award-winning, global force created by Kendra in 2015. It was the first of her suite of BrainTrust enterprises leading to her founding BrainTrust Founders Studio in 2021, now the largest membership-based platform designed for diverse founders of beauty and wellness companies that has not only changed the face of beauty but also empowered overlooked business owners to enter the room and sit at the tables of capital and wealth generation.
She also is a General Partner in the adjacent BrainTrust Fund I, dedicated to investing in breakthrough beauty and wellness brands. A transformative brand builder, Kendra is the secret ingredient in guiding and monetizing more than 200 influencer-driven brands that have collectively generated more than $100MM in revenue. Kendra has created and launched seven brands in partnership with celebrities and influencers. Among her firsts, Kendra has the distinction of one of the first 100 Black women ever to have raised more than $1MM in investment for her first company.
Not only has she innovated and partnered into the worlds of celebrity and influence, she has also been early to the power of technology to open new gates of opportunity as the youngest Vice President at Fleisham-Hillard New York, the first Director of Digital Media at Ralph Lauren and the first Chief Digital Officer at CAA-GBG (Creative Artists Agency - Global Brand Groups) when her company was acquired.
She also developed Influencer Data Mapping™, a proprietary advertising marketing solution to drive ROI (return on influence).
Kendra hosts Business of the Beat podcast that sheds light on the business of beauty through the eyes of BIPOC founders, senior executives, influencers, and operators who are in the process of starting, growing, and scaling their businesses. With a focus on empowering and inspiring diverse leaders in the beauty and wellness industry, this podcast features over 170 episodes, and season four is now underway. Each episode uncovers key takeaways and behind-the-scenes stories of entrepreneurs, highlighting the beauty of their success.
Kendra’s first book, The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow and Accelerate Your Brand was released on February 13, 2024 and was named the #1 New Release in Business Entrepreneurship on Amazon.
As much as she does, she also gives. A noted philanthropist, mentor and advisor, Kendra has received numerous awards and has an endowment at her alma mater, Purdue University for a female student of need in the School of Liberal Arts.
Tony Hawk
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The most recognized action sports figure in the world, Tony Hawk was just nine-years old when his brother changed his life by giving him a blue fiberglass Bahne skateboard. By 14 he’d turned pro, and by 16 he was widely considered the best skateboarder on earth. He was world champion 12 years in a row and is a 16-time X Games medalist. In 1999, he became the first skater to ever complete a 900, the holy grail of vert skating. Shortly thereafter, he teamed up with Activision to launch Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, now a billion dollar video game franchise. He has created a Tony Hawk brand that includes Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and the Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys. His speaking engagements draw huge crowds, inspiring everyone from media savvy millennials to corporate veterans.
Tony served as a correspondent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for NBC when skateboarding became an Olympic sport for the first time. An intuitive marketer with social networking, Tony’s fan base numbers in the millions on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. And he recently launched a new podcast co-hosted by Jason Ellis called Hawk vs. Wolf. Tony authored a New York Times bestseller, the bio HAWK—Occupation: Skateboarder, and his book How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO, covers the business side of his career. And in 2022, a biographical documentary film titled Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off by award-winning director Sam Jones debuted on HBO, giving an in-depth look at Tony’s legendary career and personal life. Tony also oversees his own film, television and commercial production company, 900 Films. In 2002, Tony founded The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation), which has given away over $10M to help fund over 650 public skatepark projects throughout the United States that serve over six million visitors a year.
Aliza Licht
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Award-winning marketer, bestselling author, and leading authority on personal branding, Aliza Licht transforms how professionals and organizations position themselves for success. Named one of Forbes's "19 Top Global Personal Branding Experts" and "America's Next Top Mentors" by The New York Times, Licht delivers compelling keynotes that combine actionable advice with memorable storytelling drawn from her 25+ years in fashion and media and her award-winning second book, ON BRAND: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception. Named 'Best Business Book by American Book Fest in Marketing & Advertising,' ON BRAND provides a comprehensive roadmap for professionals at all levels to build equity in the name while navigating both corporate and entrepreneurial environments in today's digital landscape.
With over two decades of marketing, communications, and digital strategy expertise, Licht is the Founder of Leave Your Mark, a multimedia brand and consultancy focused on brand strategy and career development. She advises millions through her top 1% career advice podcast and features in Harvard Business Review, WSJ, Fast Company, Inc., Financial Times, and more.
Licht's journey from corporate executive and anonymous social media personality DKNY PR Girl to a founder and recognized brand authority showcases her expertise in personal branding transformation. Her globally recognized reveal as the creator behind DKNY PR Girl generated a full-page feature in The New York Times and hundreds of other publications, garnering over 230M global media impressions and positioning her as a social media pioneer in the fashion industry. This work led to her first book, Leave Your Mark. Referred to as "The Devil Wears Prada meets career advice', Leave Your Mark is required reading in many university communications programs and ranks among Book Authority's "100 Best Career Development Books of All Time."
A dynamic storyteller who has captivated audiences at American Express, LVMH, Richemont, Google, Amazon, Liberty Mutual, LinkedIn, SXSW, Salesforce, and more, Licht brings award-winning branding expertise to every speaking engagement. She's also regularly featured as an on-air expert, appearing on Good Morning America, Bloomberg, and more.
Licht empowers audiences with actionable strategies for leveraging personal branding to accelerate career and business growth and offers motivational keynotes about the importance of shaping your narrative in a world where personal and professional lines are blurred. Her practical frameworks, compelling career story, and bold, authentic presence make her a sought-after speaker for organizations seeking to transform how their teams show up at work and shape their narratives in the digital age.
David Rowan
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David Rowan is today’s leading speaker on how emerging technologies will impact business — and how leaders should prepare now. He’s given more than 700 keynotes around the world, and has moderated events for the World Economic Forum, the biggest global companies, and governments. As founding Editor-in-Chief of WIRED magazine in the UK, David came to know the founders of WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Google, Didi, Spotify, Twitter and countless other ambitious startups from Tel Aviv to Shenzhen. His best-selling book, Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds (Penguin), is a 20-country quest to identify genuine innovation in the face of technology-led disruption. The book sets out 17 proven strategies for future-proofing a successful business — from “Turn products into services” to “Build an ecosystem.” David spends his time at tech’s cutting edge: visiting university research labs and startup clusters to meet the people building the future. He’s invested in more than 150 early-stage tech companies and runs venture funds that invest in health-tech and climate-tech. David has been a technology columnist for The Times, GQ, Condé Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times, and at WIRED he built a conference and a consulting business. And he is still searching for the future.
David will customize a talk for your meeting, or will moderate your event in his accessible journalistic style. He deconstructs tech trends in real time, unpacking how major innovations like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and more, are changing businesses and consumers. He delivers fascinating and knowledgeable presentations full of insight into the future of technology together with lively examples and engaging clips which reveal that in some cases the future is already here. He’s typically asked to speak about how innovation and technology are likely to impact a particular sector (from manufacturing to motoring), and what incumbent companies can do to protect themselves. He customises every talk, and in recent months has addressed audiences in finance, fashion, utilities, television, insurance, shipping, travel, real estate and business software. He also speaks a lot about changing business models, and how companies can develop a culture of innovation.
Mel Robbins
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Mel Robbins is the creator and host of the award-winning The Mel Robbins Podcast, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She has amassed 25M followers online and is considered the most sought-after expert in life improvement, mindset, and behavior change. The Wall Street Journal calls her a “billion-view podcaster” and TIME Magazine says she gives millions of listeners around the globe “a reason to believe in themselves.”
Her books have been translated into 50 languages and include the #1 New York Times, #1 Amazon, #1 Audible, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling The Let Them Theory, which is the most successful non-fiction book launch in history, with over 1.2M copies sold within a month of its release date. She is also the author of the multimillion-copy-selling The 5 Second Rule, The High Five Habit, and seven #1 audiobook releases on Audible.
USA Today calls Mel “a force to be reckoned with.” She is a global phenomenon in the publishing industry and podcasting. Her Boston-based media production company, 143 Studios, produces award-winning content, podcasts, events, audio series, online courses, journals, and books, along with professional development education for partners like Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, JP Morgan Chase, LinkedIn, Headspace, and Audible.
The Mel Robbins Podcast has won some of the most prestigious awards given to podcasts, including Webby, Signal Awards, and more. It was also recognized as one of Apple Podcasts' Top Shared and Followed Shows of 2024 and 2023 and Spotify Top Global Shows of 2024. Notable accolades for Robbins include being a Forbes 50 Over 50 Honoree, USA Today Top 5 Mindset & Performance Coaches in the World, and one of the fifty most influential influencers on The Hollywood Reporter’s Creator A-List in 2024.
Dov Seidman
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Dov Seidman is a successful entrepreneur and CEO, bestselling author and writer, and a teacher. Seidman is the author of the New York Times bestseller HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything, which offers a philosophical framework for individual and organizational behavior in a world that is increasingly interconnected and interdependent. Most recently he founded The HOW Institute for Society, a global nonprofit that aims to elevate humanity by nurturing a culture of moral leadership, values-based behavior, and principled decision making.
Seidman has been named a “Game Changer” by TIME Magazine, a “Groundbreaker” by The New York Times, “One of the Top Thought Leaders of the Past Decade” by The Economic Times, and “the corporate whisper” by Fortune Magazine because of his “ability to take the challenges that CEOs and other leaders face in their day-to-day roles and place them in a broader context of decision-making.” Led by a lifelong pursuit and passion for ethical leadership, he became the exclusive partner of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Prize in Ethics in 2008, as the institution was in its 20th year of celebrating ethical decision-making among America’s youth. Seidman regularly writes about business behavior, leadership and corporate culture for Fortune Magazine and The New York Times.
“When you press the pause button on a machine it stops. But when you press the pause button on human beings, they start.” – Dov Seidman
Bill Rancic
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After bursting on to the scene as NBC’s first Apprentice, Bill Rancic has traveled to every part of the globe, sharing his life experiences and business acumen with tens of thousands of leaders, businesses and organizations on a variety of important topics. His expertise ranges from why some companies thrive in chaos — and others don't — to the leadership behaviors needed in a world beset by turbulence, uncertainty and dramatic change.
What makes Bill so unique is that he is both a student and teacher of leadership and has a healthy obsession with what makes great companies and leaders tick.
Having invested nearly two decades living the topic, Rancic has authored four books. These include New York Times bestseller You’re Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life, which examines how some companies and leaders make the leap to superior results; the enduring classic, Beyond the Lemonade Stand, which teaches young people and empowers them with the value of both money and positive self-image. In addition, Rancic co-authored I Do… Now What? with celebrity wife Giuliana Rancic where they share secrets to a supportive love and true partnership in marriage. He also just penned his first novel, First Light.
Driven by a relentless curiosity, Rancic really began his business journey when graduated cum laude from Loyola University. He then went on to become a successful entrepreneur when he founded a monthly online subscription-based retailer. Since that time, he has inspired millions of people around the globe to work towards reaching their full potential, both in business and in their personal lives. He is currently co-owner of the RPM Restaurant Group and the Giuliana Prosecco.
Rancic appears regularly on numerous daytime broadcast and cable television programs such as Today, The View, Rachael Ray, Steve Harvey and various CNBC programs.
Martha Pease
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Business Transformation Leader, Chief Marketing Officer, CEO, Board Member
Martha Pease is a Chief Marketing Officer, Board Member, CEO and Global Business Director recognized for leading companies in transforming brands and businesses to increase shareholder value. Martha has held high-level posts in media, retail, fashion, beauty, technology, creative, and consulting firms for iconic companies and including IBM, Apple, Neutrogena, Dominos, L’Oreal Paris, BBDO, BCG and Victoria’s Secret. Recognized and respected as expert in unlocking growth, Martha realigns complex organizations and business models toward transformational change by resetting priorities, balancing risk, and building stakeholder consensus.
Her global perspective, ability to navigate critical inflection points, and direct expertise in scaling businesses are hallmarks of her career. She understands how to capitalize the intersection of digital technology, strategic thinking, culture, creativity, and innovation across industries. Recognized and respected as an expert in driving growth, Martha realigns complex organizations toward transformational change by resetting priorities, balancing risk, and building stakeholder consensus.
Martha has led global teams through periods of significant challenge, steering brands to purposeful and sustainable growth by building new equity and consumer relevance. As CMO, Martha led the architecture and activation of the brand vision and transformation narrative for Victoria’s Secret, and supported the highly successful 2021 public offering. As Neutrogena CMO and Member of the Operating Board, she spearheaded major revenue initiatives, expanded to new distribution, and elevated consumer insight to create and launch the company’s most successful skincare line, Healthy Skin.
In her role as BBDO’s Global Account Director, her strategic vision into the behavior of business customers was central to the successful, early repositioning of Apple’s Macintosh computer to the business market. Martha’s global account leadership for L’Oreal Paris at McCann Worldgroup reinvigorated the iconic “Because I’m Worth It” platform for digital-first consumers, and as EVP at JWT, her team repositioned Domino’s as a modern, trusted brand. Martha served as a Partner and Global Leader at BCG, supporting a range of clients in marketing, sales and brand growth. As a Board Director, Founder, and Investor, Martha has applied decades of experience in leadership and governance to help drive innovation in medical devices, internet data analytics, skin care and consulting services. Recognized for distilling complex messages into digestible information, she has shaped national media conversations as a CNN commentator and authored the book Think Round. A highly awarded advertising and marketing executive, Martha’s work for clients has won every major advertising industry prize including multiple Cannes Gold Lion. Martha is committed to progressing leadership diversity as a mentor and coach to women founders and investors in fashion, healthcare, and retail technology start-ups.
Martha holds a BA from Dartmouth College in English Literature and Film History, with multiple citations for excellence and High Honors. In addition, she is a graduate of the Harvard Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course at Harvard University, and a NACD Board Leadership Fellow.
Chad Sanders
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Tech entrepreneur, author, and Hollywood creative Chad Sanders is a thought leader on creating equity in our workplaces, values-driven leadership, and creativity. Chad started his career at Google, later serving as the Head of Expansion for a startup that was eventually bought by Kaplan. But he felt racially marginalized in these corporate environments and pivoted to a creative career in writing. Chad credits this shift to what he calls Black Magic – the resiliency, creativity, and confidence forged in his experience navigating America as a Black man – and he tested his theory by interviewing Black leaders, scientists, artists, activists, and champions. The result is his critically acclaimed book of essays Black Magic: What Black Leaders Learned from Trauma and Triumph. An insightful and motivational speaker, Chad shares his personal journey back to his authentic self, practical takeaways for creating more equitable and welcoming workplaces and teams, and inspires audiences to commit to themselves to experience joy and success.
Chad’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, SLAM Magazine, TIME, Teen Vogue, Fortune, and more, and has been celebrated by literary luminaries such as Brené Brown, Angie Martinez, and Shea Serrano. He has appeared on CBS News, NPR, Dare to Lead with Brené Brown, Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, among others. Chad has written for ABC Freeform’s Grown-ish and HBO’s Rap Sh!t. He has collaborated with powerhouses such as Spike Lee, Morgan Freeman, and Will Packer, and is the co-host of the Quitters Podcast alongside Julie Bowen. An in-demand keynote speaker, Chad has been sought after for events at Google, Netflix, Target, Twitter, New York University, Columbia Business School, Pymetrics, Berlin questions, The Michelle Meow Show at the Commonwealth Club of California, and many more.
Shane Feldman
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An accomplished entrepreneur and respected thought leader on human connection, Shane Feldman has traveled the world, embedding himself in local cultures across 100 cities and 40 countries, uncovering practical strategies that help leaders create engaged communities.
In this digital age of distraction and disconnection, our leaders are facing a community crisis spanning all generations. Shane's "Leadership Passport" framework helps companies cultivate a work environment centered around community, enabling individuals and teams to perform at their highest levels. As a leading international speaker for more than a decade, Shane has customized high-energy keynotes for dynamic brands across every sector, including Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, PwC, YPO, TD Bank, Shopify, ADP, and Kaiser Permanente.
Shane has been recognized by Presidents, Prime Ministers, the White House and United Nations, and named one of North America’s Top 40 Under 40 LGBTQ+ Leaders. He has been featured by Oprah, Larry King, Forbes, People Magazine, and is the subject of a TV series from A&E.
In this new era, brands are struggling to optimize team culture, leadership, recruitment and loyalty. Through his firsthand experiences travelling the globe and spearheading the entrepreneurship incubator, Count Me In, Shane has decoded frameworks that help leaders build better relationships, and better workplaces.
During his tenure as CEO, Shane helped initiate more than 30,000 Count Me In projects worldwide, contributing a value of over $2.6 billion to the global economy. Shane started Count Me In in 2008 as a school project. With an alumni network spanning 6 continents, Count Me In became a social entrepreneurship incubator, engaging 10-million members in 104 countries.
Shane is a Venture Partner and co-founder of several multinational companies including a fintech startup, advisory firm and boutique hospitality group.
Suneel Gupta
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As the founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company, Suneel Gupta helped thousands of people build better habits for life and work. Now as a bestselling author and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel has taken his mission one step further – helping people reset, reignite, and find meaning in their work by bolstering emotional resilience and engagement. Suneel asks, “How can an organization excel on the outside if its people are exhausted on the inside?” Grit and hustle are simply not a long-term answer to dealing with nonstop change and stress. Suneel offers leaders and teams a better way to work; one that results in sustainable innovation, productivity, and fulfillment. He arms people with science-based habits that will avoid burnout, boost energy, and improve their professional and personal lives.
Suneel is a business survivor and the author of the international bestselling book Backable (2020). That book is rooted in his inner journey from twice-failed entrepreneur to becoming a leader behind two IPOs and being named “The New Face of Innovation” by the New York Stock Exchange. The book reveals the mindset shifts and hidden habits of people who are extraordinary at pushing new ideas forward.
His transformative book Everyday Dharma (2023) codifies Suneel’s mission to help people reset, reignite, and re-engage through a timeless practice called Dharma. Simply put, Dharma brings “who you are” and “what you do” into alignment. When we’re aligned, we’re able to produce our best work and lead ourselves and others effectively, experiencing true joy along the way.
Van Jones
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Van Jones’ honest and poignant social commentary has made him one of the most compelling and powerful public voices in America. A U.S. media personality, New York Times bestselling author, social entrepreneur, and world-class change maker, his reach transcends age, race, geography and political ideology.
A CNN political contributor, Jones is the host of The Van Jones Show, in which he offers his unique take on the future political landscape, and The Redemption Project, which is focused on criminal justice reform. A go-to voice of reason, heralded for his bipartisan, solutions-oriented approach, Jones burst into the American consciousness during the 2016 presidential campaign with an unscripted, truth-telling style and an already established history of bridge-building across party lines.
A longtime progressive activist with deep roots in the conservative South, he has made it his mission to challenge voters and viewers to stand in one another’s shoes and disagree constructively. He pushes people on both the left and the right to be better with experience working with the last four consecutive presidents to sign legislation on issues like prison reform, the green jobs act, and opioid recovery, Jones is a true Washington insider. He is also the author of three New York Times bestselling books, Beyond the Messy Truth, Rebuild the Dream, and The Green Collar Economy, and the host of the Webby Award-nominated podcast Uncommon Ground, where he is on a journey to find unifying solutions to our country’s biggest problems. A dynamic speaker sought-out to speak at financial institutions and college campuses alike, he offers unvarnished and future-looking analysis on politics, policy, climate change, and being a change-maker in a complicated world.
Luvvie Ajayi Jones
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Luvvie Ajayi Jones is an internationally recognized speaker whose thought leadership on culture, authenticity, and disruption enables transformative action. A dynamic speaker, she has captivated audiences around the world with her wit, warmth, and powerful storytelling. Her superpower: using humor as a tool to engage audiences and speak directly to the hearts of others. When she walks away, people take action. Her talks have been consistently praised for their ability to spark conversations, provoke thought, and leave audiences feeling empowered.
She has spoken at some of the most innovative brands, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Spotify, Nike, Bank of America, Deloitte, and American Express. She’s been a featured speaker at noted conferences such as TEDWomen, Cannes Lions, SXSW, Leadercast, 3% Conference, and MAKERS Conference.
Her renowned TED talk “Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable” has over nine million views and counting, has been transcribed into 23 languages, and has placed her in the Top 1% of TED Talks of all time.
Off stage, she’s pouring her words into New York Times bestselling books. She’s written four so far: I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual, and Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens. Her fourth book and first kids’ book, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess, was published in May 2023, debuting at #5 on The New York Times bestsellers list.
Luvvie is the host of a podcast of the same name as her book, Professional Troublemaker, where you can listen to her have candid conversations with changemakers who have taken action, caused good trouble and led courageous lives driven by conviction, humor and honesty. Guests like Bozoma Saint John, Jenifer Lewis, Glennon Doyle, Cynthia Erivo, Donna Brazile, Yvette Noel Schure, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Tarana Burke, Elsa Majimbo, Elaine Welteroth and more. Started in February 2018, the podcast has over 3 million downloads, was chosen as “New & Noteworthy” by Apple Podcasts and featured in their “BOLD WOMEN” collection. It was chosen as a “featured podcast” by Spotify, and NPR’s Michel Martin chose it as a “Must Listen.”
Jamie Metzl
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More than an electrifying speaker, Jamie Metzl is a trusted and sought-after expert on the ever-evolving global geopolitical and biotechnology landscapes. Having spoken around the world and at major companies from Walmart to Google on the geopolitical outlook, how a rising China is transforming the world as we know it, and the latest advances in biotechnology, Metzl is praised as “a fantastic authority” (HSBC) and “an absolute tour de force” (Network 20/20), guaranteed to leave your audience engaged and more deeply informed. A current Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council, and an founding member of the WHO Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing, Metzl is frequently in-demand by major outlets such as CNN and Bloomberg for his sharp, dynamic analysis on the most pressing foreign policy issues and expertise on Asia’s economy and politics.
Having served in high level positions in the White House, State Department, and Senate, as well as run a major international affairs organization, Metzl draws from his cutting edge experience in both the public and private sector to provide transformative insights and actionable takeaways for every audience. Whether shedding light on what Asia’s economic growth means for the global geopolitical outlook and how businesses can best prepare, or diving into the future of the genetics revolution and the impacts that should be on company’s radars, Metzl’s researched-based, thought-provoking talks leave individuals and organizations equipped to keep up with changing times.
Lisa Bodell
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When the most important work isn’t getting done, it’s not the people that need to be fixed – it’s the work. Lisa Bodell, a global leader on simplification, collaboration, and innovation, helps organizations transform performance by reimagining the work. By trading complexity for simplicity, organizations find new ways to unleash creativity and spark the energy so essential to innovate and compete. It also lifts morale, increases engagement, and improves employee well-being and retention. Lisa is the author of two groundbreaking books, Why Simple Wins and Kill the Company. She ranks on the “Top 50 Speakers Worldwide” list and captivates audiences with her insights, energy, and humor. Lisa inspires them to question the status quo and make small changes that have profound impact – giving them time and energy to focus on the work that matters most.
After earning her business degree from University of Michigan, Lisa launched her career at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where she discovered a gift for uniting strategically-driven ideas with forward-thinking themes. She went on to build two successful businesses before moving to New York and focusing on the simplification and innovation space with FutureThink. Founded in 2003, FutureThink works with leading brands worldwide and has become one of the largest sources for simplification and innovation research, tools, and training in the world.
Lisa brings a compelling perspective to the sought-after topics of simplification and innovation to thousands of people each year. A thought leader and serial entrepreneur, her transformational message has inspired executives at top-ranked organizations such as Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the Department of National Intelligence to lead change in their organizations.
Lisa has contributed her expertise to a wide variety of media. She is a monthly contributor to Forbes and has frequently appeared in other media including: Fast Company, WIRED, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and CNN. She has also been featured in many major books such as Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question, Adam Grant’s Originals, and AfterShock, the 50-year celebration based on futurist Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock.
Lisa has taught innovation at both American University and Fordham University and has a TED popular talk on the topic. She serves on the board of advisors of several organizations, including the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, the United States National Security Agency, the Association of Professional Futurists, and Novartis.
Dr. Mark T. Esper
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Mark T. Esper, PhD has led a distinguished career as a visionary leader, innovator, reformer, and change agent with a proven record of accomplishment in a wide range of roles and organizations. He attributes his success to the importance he places on character and values, coupled with boundless energy and a can-do spirit that puts the organization and its people first, and treating everyone with dignity and respect. Dr. Esper became the 27th Secretary of Defense in July 2019 when he was confirmed in an overwhelming 90-8 vote by the U.S. Senate in rare bipartisan fashion. Esper went on to successfully lead the Defense Department through an unprecedented time in the nation’s history, while driving R&D on Artificial Intelligence, directed energy, robotics, and hypersonics, and launching the biggest initiative in decades to improve diversity and inclusion in the armed forces. Esper’s memoir A Sacred Oath is a New York Times bestseller, chronicling this turbulent and critical period of modern American history.
Dr. Esper is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Strategy Group, and the Atlantic Council, among others, and is a frequent commentator on CNN, FOX, Bloomberg, and other news outlets. He is the Distinguished Chair of the Modern War Institute at his alma mater, West Point. Secretary Esper also serves on a number of private equity and venture capital portfolio company boards and is a partner in the venture capital firm Red Cell Partners, where he also serves as the chairman of its national security practice.
Mark T. Esper offers audiences an array of insights, ideas, forecasts, and strategies based on relevant experience, fostering the success of both individuals and teams.
Barbara Corcoran
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From humble beginnings to the fast and furious New York City real estate market, Barbara Corcoran shares her story of success with audiences and provides insight on what it takes to lead teams to greatness and grow their business.
Barbara Corcoran’s credits include straight Ds in high school and college and 20 jobs by the time she turned 23. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country: She borrowed $1,000 and quit her job as a waitress to start a tiny real estate company in New York City. Over the next 25 years, Barbara would parlay that $1,000 loan into a $5 billion real estate business, building the largest and best-known brand in the business. Barbara is the author of the bestseller Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business and host of the Business Unusual podcast, which was named to Forbes' 21 Podcasts to Listen to in 2021 list. She is also the real estate contributor for NBC’s TODAY and a frequent contributor to every major network. Audiences find Barbara’s tell-it-like-it-is style to be very motivating, and she inspires them with innovative tools to grow their businesses, giving them important insight on leadership and practical strategies to lead teams to greatness.
Jacob Morgan
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After having terrible jobs working for other people Jacob went off on his own to research and explore how work and everything we know about it is changing. Today Jacob Morgan is one of the world’s leading authorities on the future of work, employee experience, and how the workplace is changing. He is a best-selling author of The Future of Work, keynote speaker, and futurist who advises business leaders and organizations around the world. Jacob’s work has been endorsed by the CEOs of: Cisco, T-Mobile, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Schneider Electric, Best Buy, KPMG, AARP, Pandora, and many others.
Patrick Lencioni
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Credible. Entertaining. Timeless. Compelling. Authentic. These are words which audience members and clients commonly use to describe Patrick Lencioni's presentations. The combination of his humorous and engaging style, along with the soundness of his theories, has made Pat a sought-after speaker. He has presented to hundreds of groups, tailoring each of his presentations to his particular audience.
Hill Harper
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Hill Harper is a humanitarian, an award-winning actor, bestselling author, entrepreneur, health and wellness ambassador/educator and philanthropist. He is frequently invited to emcee events, or to discuss tech, entrepreneurship, finance, activism, leadership and teambuilding.
Casey Adams
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Entrepreneur, personal branding expert, and renowned business podcaster Casey Adams is a rising marketing star. At the age of 17, Adams launched his podcast, The Casey Adams Show, which has quickly become a top 100 business podcast. He has interviewed hundreds of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world as well as many notable guests including Larry King, Rick Ross, Maye Musk, Robert Greene, and David Sacks. Adams is the Co-Founder of MediaKits, a SaaS platform that allows creators to easily share their creator analytics. Adams moderates substantive and insightful conversations about the hottest topics in business and entrepreneurship.
Adams has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, and more, and appeared on ABC News, BBC World News, and others. He is the author of Rise of the Young: How to Turn Your Negative Situation Into a Positive Outcome, and Build a Successful Personal Brand. Adams specializes in personal branding, social media marketing, and offers his unique perspective on facing challenges with an innovative mindset, building resilience, and turning negatives into positives in life and in business.
Abigail Posner
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Today’s unprecedented speed of change is forcing companies to pivot like never before and leverage their most innovative assets - their PEOPLE. For centuries, our workforce has been focused on specific roles and siloed divisions, but now the path to growth will come by inspiring every employee (from leader to individual contributor) with a new path to bring different, untapped sides of themselves to work, and ultimately become more curious, creative and action-oriented. This process of creating a more holistic person and organization is what Abigail Posner refers to as expansiveness. Tapping into her Harvard background in social anthropology, as well as her practical application in business through her work at Google, where she pioneers a focus around Humanizing Digital, Abigail provides an inspirational narrative and a roadmap for how people and organizations can embrace a new WHOLE-istic approach to business innovation and growth.
Posner is a member of ENDI Corp’s Board of Directors and sits on the advisory boards of the 890 Fifth Ave, SwiftArc Ventures, Global Leadership Diversity Exchange, Realm, TheSocialArchitects & the Conference Board’s Marketing & Communications Team; and has been featured in a host of publications including: NYTimes, Business Insider, Forbes, Adweek, Huffington Post, La Presse, CNBC, Mumbrella, AdNews, B&T & Globes Israel.
If you are looking to guide people in your organization to embrace more than a siloed vision of their roles, as well as become more vested in using their unique perspectives and skills to be more creative and innovative, then Abigail is the perfect guide to spark novel thinking and lead your people to action. Beyond her role at Google, she is a world-renowned speaker, podcaster, writer, beauty blogger, and lifestyle influencer. From appearances before packed audiences at Lincoln Center and SXSW, to speaking in over 10 countries, Abigail has shared her insights on culture, technology and leadership to audiences of thousands and proves that her own expansive approach to life has infused her work with a creative and innovative edge.
Neil Pasricha
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A Harvard MBA, New York Times best-selling author, award-winning blogger and one of the most popular TED speakers in the world, Neil Pasricha is a “pied piper of happiness” (The Toronto Star) who dazzles audiences with ideas and frameworks that skyrocket organizational happiness and engagement.
Pasricha spent a decade inside Walmart, the world’s largest company, working for two CEOs directly and then as director of Leadership Development. He complements this “what’s worked” authority with infectious enthusiasm and heartfelt authenticity. He builds trust with audiences quickly and then challenges them to elevate expectations of themselves and commit to the habit of happiness every day.
Pasricha has spoken to royal families in the Middle East, Ivy League deans, and CEOs at organizations such as Audi, Microsoft and GE—all using research and models that enhance individual performance and create a more positive and productive workplace.
In his latest best seller The Happiness Equation (2016), Pasricha provides step-by-step guidelines to illustrates exactly how to apply a unique set of principles to improving and managing everything—your time, your career, your bottom line, your relationships and ultimately, of course, your happiness.
Neil’s writing and work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, The New Yorker, The Sunday Times, China Daily, The Jakarta Post, The Sydney Herald and Wired.
Alli Webb
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Founder of Drybar, serial entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author Alli Webb shares actionable and inspiring business insights in captivating talks. Webb is is the co-founder of Drybar, Squeeze, and Becket + Quill. In her informative, actionable, and inspiring remarks, Webb demystifies creating a company and brand culture that will transform any industry.
The Inc. Magazine How I Did It cover girl has been named to Fast Company's “100 Most Creative People in Business,” Fortune’s “40 Under 40” list, Marie Claire’s “Most Fascinating Women,” and Inc.'s “100 Women Building America’s Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses,” Webb is a bonafide business powerhouse and an innovative leader paving the way for aspiring entrepreneurs the world over. Webb also appeared as a guest shark on hit TV series, Sharktank and currently serves as an advisor to many budding brands. Webb delights and motivates audiences with talks ranging from business innovation, to how to tap into the entrepreneurial spirit, to the challenges and opportunities in being a female entrepreneur, and beyond.
Mike Walsh
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Mike Walsh is the CEO of Tomorrow, a global consultancy on designing business for the 21st century. He advises leaders on how to thrive in this era of disruptive technological change.
Rather than focusing on the distant future, Mike takes an anthropological approach – scanning the near horizon for emerging technologies and disruptive shifts in human behavior, and then translating these into pragmatic plans for business transformation. A prolific writer and commentator, Mike’s views have appeared in a wide range of international publications including BusinessWeek, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal.
Mike’s clients include many of the global Fortune 500, and as a sought-after keynote speaker he regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons alike.
Byron Reese
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With a gift for storytelling, Byron has captivated audiences around the world with the message that technology is empowering us to build a better world, and he invites his listeners to imagine this better world, and build it.
As a lifelong entrepreneur with multiple IPOs and successful exits under his belt, Byron frequently speaks to business audiences on how to excel in the world of tomorrow, and how to deploy technology successfully.
He states: “Technology multiplies human ability. That’s its trick. It magnifies us. We can move more bricks with a fork lift than we can on our back. Technological advancement is not to be feared, rather it should be welcomed, for by enhancing human ability, we enhance our productivity and therefore our standard of living. This is the entire reason why we live so much more lavish and prosperous lives than did our great grandparents. An hour of our time is vastly more productive than was an hour of theirs.”
Byron has addressed hundreds of corporations and professional organizations on almost every continent and reports that he is open to traveling to Antarctica to round it all out.
Leah McSweeney
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Leah McSweeney is a streetwear pioneer, entrepreneur, and cultural provocateur known for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York, her brand Married to the Mob, and her podcast Improper Etiquette. Her new podcast, The Leah McSweeney Show, features celebrities, wellness experts, pop-culture icons, up and coming artists, and critical thinkers to have open and honest conversation - where nothing is off limits - that allows the audience to hear a multitude of opinions on various topics in a respectful way. McSweeney launched Married to the Mob, one of the first streetwear brands for women, by women, and Happy Place for sustainably sourced premium sleepwear, and offers candid insights about women’s leadership and creative entrepreneurship.
Leah is a contributor to Penthouse, Hypebae, and Mass Appeal, and author of the memoir Chaos Theory: Finding Meaning in the Madness, One Bad Decision at a Time. McSweeney is an advocate for female empowerment and breaking the stigma around mental health, and shares her transparent and dynamic perspective in memorable events.
Keltie Knight
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Keltie Knight is an Emmy Award winning television personality and Entertainment Tonight host. She has co-anchored CBS’s broadcasting of national events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Grammy Awards Red Carpet.
Knight was able to combine her entertainment and entrepreneurial expertise into a podcast she co-created and co-hosts, The LadyGang. Since its inception in 2015, the popular podcast has boasted almost 100 million downloads, making it one of the most popular podcasts for women in the world. The show has been nominated for a Webby award, a People’s Choice award and in 2016 was named 'Podcast of the Year'. LadyGang has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, People magazine and on Entertainment Weekly’s coveted "must list.”
The LadyGang's first book Act Like a Lady became a New York Times instant bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, an Amazon best pick of the month, and a Toronto Star bestseller in Canada. Knight recently collaborated on their first fashion collection nationwide with Express, and in 2018 E! aired 16 episodes of the TV version of the podcast with Knight serving as star and executive producer.
What began as a movement to help women feel less alone, by offering content that was unapologetic, unfiltered, and very real, has grown in the millions and become a powerhouse media brand that has also partnered with major brands including Disney, Netflix, Anheuser-Busch, Vogue, and Chanel.
Knight is frequently seen contributing on The Talk, CNN, HLN, and and as a moderator for Vanity Fair. With best dressed mentions in Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Us Weekly, People Stylewatch and The New York Times, it’s no surprise Project Runway invited her to be a guest presenter.
As passionate as she is about media, she is just as dedicated to service. Knight has a long history in philanthropy, working with groups like the Humane Society and the Beagle Freedom Project. She helped raise over $300,000 for the National MS Society as a part of the team, BeatMS, and nearly 1 million dollars throughout her years hosting the Circle of Hope/ Dancers Against Cancer Charity Gala.
Known for her quick wit and fearless personality, she’s interviewed the biggest stars in the world including Oprah, Meryl Streep, Taylor Swift, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lawrence. Harry Styles kissed her twice. Pharrell Williams deemed her “…a spirited journalist and a star.”
Erica Dhawan
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Mariana Atencio
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Navigating change and uncertainty in life is hard. It’s even harder when you’re not confident about who you are. Coming to America from Venezuela as a young girl, Mariana Atencio felt self-conscious about being different. She recounted her struggles to fit in and adapt to her new life in a TED talk that captured the hearts of tens of millions. Mariana’s message: What makes you different is what makes you special – unleash your potential by embracing your authenticity.
Mariana took that lesson into her journalism career as a national news anchor and network reporter. A born storyteller, Mariana worked to build bridges and understanding – reporting with her unique perspective from all over the globe, earning accolades and a prestigious Peabody Award along the way. Mariana’s bestselling book, Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, inspires people to leverage their personal and professional authenticity to supercharge their relationships, careers, workplace cultures, and happiness. Mariana continues to pursue stories that capture her curiosity as head of her own media production company. She also elevates the impact of events through her powerful keynotes and skillful moderating, and hosting.
Dave Fishwick
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Founder, Sunday Times bestselling author, and many-time entrepreneur Dave Fishwick is building the first new high street bank in over 120 years in Britain - Burnley Savings and Loans Ltd, also called The Bank of Dave. A many-time entrepreneur of six multi-million-pound businesses in the UK and America, Dave is the largest supplier of minibuses in the UK and an experienced pilot of planes and helicopters who hosts the fastest-growing aviation TikTok channel in the world, with over 55M combined views. He is a champion of grit, ingenuity, and taking on seemingly impossible challenges. Dave’s journey taking on the banks in a ‘Dave and Goliath’ style struggle became the subject of his Sunday Times bestselling book, Bank of Dave: How I Took On the Banks, and many subsequent documentaries.
The movie Bank of Dave hit #1 on Netflix, won Best Feature at the National Film Awards, and took Dave on a massive global speaking tour. Netflix is at work on the Bank of Dave sequel – the fastest commissioned move sequel in Netflix history.
Dave has been the star and subject of many TV shows, including Bank of Dave, Bank of Dave: Fighting the Fat Cats, Secret Millions, and the award-winning Loan Ranger series – looking at how payday loan companies exploit the poor, vulnerable, and desperate. Dave has won multiple BAFTA Awards and the prestigious Royal Television Society Award. He is a regular contributor as The Business and Money Expert on ITV with GMB and This Morning, and has been featured on CNBC, BBC, CNN, and more, and he writes for Mail Online, Daily Mail, and The Mail On Sunday.
Dave left school with no qualifications, and started off in life as a builder’s laborer. Now, he’s opened the first new high street bank in Britain in over 120 years - and then Hollywood turned up and made a movie about his life, which has been a global hit.
Dave is an expert on entrepreneurship, business, and finance, and he shares the story behind taking on seemingly impossible challenges, offering valuable lessons for businesses big and small.
Robert Tucker
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What sets this futurist and innovation keynote speaker apart? Answer: 30 years of dynamic speaking experiences combined with in-depth research serving the unique needs of each audience! Robert Tucker has been at the forefront of the future trends and innovation revolution since 1984. As a young journalist in Los Angeles, he began interviewing and studying the most respected futurists, visionaries, and thought leaders of that era. His curiosity piqued by these remarkable encounters, Robert pivoted his entire career to studying the best practices of what he calls “Innovation Vanguard Firms” and how their leaders thrive and adapt amidst ever-increasing industry, technological, and economic changes. Their secret, Tucker tells audiences, is how they develop superior idea management processes to drive growth, and differentiation, and achieve competitive advantage.
During his 30-year career, Robert has been invited to share his ideas in 54 countries and in every state in the US. Leadership groups and governmental sponsors in Singapore, Dubai, Mexico, and Morocco turn to him for thought leadership. They highly rate his sessions and workshops and sometimes have him back again for a second performance. He has advised companies across countless industries: from banking to tech, pharma to defense systems, and almost every industry in between. Clients include Microsoft, American Express, and Citibank, as well as over 400 trade and professional associations and customer user groups on how to create “future-ready” cultures that thrive no matter which way the wind blows.
Traversing the globe, Tucker has been invited to share his strategies (and sometimes to serve as a facilitator, talk show host, and two-day boot camp instructor) with an amazing variety of audiences, in an amazing variety of environments. From addressing the top leaders in Dubai of the Executive Council of United Arab Emirates to presenting to thousands of Asian insurance salespeople gathered in Bangkok’s giant BITEC Convention Center, it’s all in a day’s work for this seasoned personality. From keynoting the prestigious Captains of Industry Conference in Singapore, to a group of students gathered in war-impacted Gaziantep, Turkey (just across the border from Aleppo), Tucker provides each audience with inspiring, powerful “take-home value” as he empowers your audience to tackle even the biggest challenges and disruptive trends.
According to audience surveys the key is Robert’s unique, hands-on research combined with captivating storytelling. “We learn best through stories,” says Tucker, who enlightens audiences to not only understand why they need to “futurize their thinking,” but also how to use his methods to see further up the road and to make better, forward-thinking decisions.
Tucker’s pioneering research with his company, Innovation Resource Consultant Group, identified the critical success attributes of 43 leading American innovators and became the acclaimed book, Winning the Innovation Game. Former Intel Chairman Andrew Grove described Tucker’s international bestseller Managing the Future: 10 Driving Forces of Change as a “lucid, practical guide to total quality in business.” In Driving Growth Through Innovation, Tucker delved into the emerging best practices of companies pioneering radically more effective approaches to developing cultures of innovation. And in his latest book, Innovation Is Everybody’s Business: Making Yourself Indispensable in Today’s Hypercompetitive World, Tucker takes up the issue of leadership development, and reveals the innovation skills essential to success in today’s hyper-change era.
A multi-year winner of the Top Five Speaker Hall of Fame, Tucker was also awarded the prestigious Brand Personality Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation for outstanding contributions to the field of innovation.
Not only has Tucker entertained and enlightened audiences at thousands of events and conferences he has also curated and organized several in his hometown of Santa Barbara, California. The 2023 Pacific Coast Futures Retreat was a resounding success among attendees and speakers. Tucker also worked closely with BigSpeak to create the “Elite Retreat” for the top conference producers like ASAE to gather and look at the future of conferences and meetings.
Tucker is a contributor to Forbes.com and has been featured in Bloomberg, BusinessWeek, Innovation Excellence, and many other publications. His “Innovation Trends” newsletter is read by thousands of clients and top leaders worldwide. He has appeared on CBS News, Channel News Asia, Bloomberg, Network 18 India, the PBS series Taking the Lead, and was a featured guest on the CNBC series The Business of Innovation.
John Hope Bryant
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John Hope Bryant is an American entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and prominent thought leader on financial inclusion, economic empowerment and financial dignity. Referred to as the Conscience of Capitalism by Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines and James Herbert, Chairman and CEO of First Republic Bank, most recently Bryant was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Most Influential Atlantans”, one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s “Notable Georgians” and one of LinkedIn’s “Top Voices” in 2020. Bryant was also recognized as one of the “Most Admired CEOs” in 2018, American Banker magazine 2016 "Innovator of the Year”, INC.’s “The World’s 10 Top CEOs” (honorable mention), and one of Time magazine’s “50 Leaders for the Future” in 1994.
Mr. Bryant is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, Inc. the largest non-profit, best-in-class provider of financial literacy, and economic empowerment services in the United States for youth and adults. He is also the Chairman and CEO of Bryant Group Ventures and Founder and Principal of The Promise Homes Company, which is the largest minority-controlled owner of single-family rental homes in the United States. Both Operation HOPE and The Promise Homes Company have experienced explosive growth under Bryant’s leadership, 553% from 2014-2018, and 303% from May 2017 to present, respectively. Five former U.S. presidents have recognized his work, and he has served as an advisor to three sitting U.S. presidents from both political parties. He is responsible for financial literacy becoming the policy of the U.S. federal government. In January 2016 Bryant became the only private American citizen to inspire the renaming of a building on the White House campus, when the U.S. Treasury Annex Building was renamed the Freedman’s Bank Building. The Freedman’s Bank was founded by President Abraham Lincoln. Its legacy has become the narrative of the work of Operation HOPE—to help all people in the "Invisible Class" become fully integrated into our nation’s economy.
Mr. Bryant has received hundreds of awards and citations for his work, including Oprah Winfrey’s Use Your Life Award, and the John Sherman Award for Excellence in Financial Education from the U.S. Treasury.
He is the author of bestselling books Up From Nothing, The Memo, How the Poor Can Save Capitalism and Love Leadership.
Andre Iguodala
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Andre Iguodala has made his mark as one of the NBA’s premier players. Named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice, a three-time NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors, Iguodala was also a member of the United States National Team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal both times. Iguodala was named the National Basketball Players Association’s First Vice President in 2019.
Off the court, Iguodala is known for his savvy business instincts and has been at the forefront of navigating the worlds of venture capital and technology in the Bay Area. He was profiled in The New York Times for his business and tech investment success. Iguodala has invested in over 40 companies through F9 Strategies, including GOAT, Zoom, HIMS, Lime, Thrive Global, AllBirds, Casper, STANCE, and Carta. In partnership with Bloomberg, Iguodala created The Players Technology Summit, which convenes top executives and leaders in the technology, venture capital, and sports communities to exchange ideas and share expertise in an educational and empowering forum. Iguodala is also a member of the Board of Directors for Jumia Technologies, a leading e-commerce platform widely considered the “Amazon of Africa.”
Andre’s memoir, The Sixth Man, is a deeply personal look at Iguodala’s life growing up in Springfield, Ill., with his single mother and brother, who he says taught him how to be a defender early on. Iguodala recounts his early awareness of segregation and racism, the strength and influence of the strong women in his life (and later, coaches), and his gradual realization of how to best harness his intelligence, ambition, and drive.
In insightful, impassioned speeches, Iguodala engages audiences with digestible information on tech investing, data trends and analysis, and shares his insights on leadership, how to overcome obstacles to pursue your passions, the lessons he has learned from his storied career, how his upbringing shaped his success, and more.
Richard Culatta
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Richard Culatta is an internationally recognized innovator and tech futurist, known for helping organizations around the world establish cultures of innovation and problem-solving. Through his work as a designer at IDEO, to leading learning innovation at the CIA after 9/11, to becoming the first Chief Innovation Officer for the State of Rhode Island, Culatta has gained national attention for pioneering strategies to bring innovation into complex organizations. He was appointed by President Obama to lead a national agenda using technology to make education more accessible and equitable. Culatta currently serves as the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a nonprofit organization focusing on using AI and cutting-edge technologies to accelerate innovation in learning. His leadership has helped transform some of the world’s most complex organizations, positioning them to thrive in an ever-changing digital landscape.
Richard is known for his ability to reimagine how organizations tackle tough problems, delivering non-traditional solutions to complex challenges. Culatta’s approaches consistently deliver breakthrough results. He explores the role of using Artificial Intelligence to help us become better at being human. In his book, Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World (Harvard Business Review Press) Culatta offers a hopeful, forward-thinking approach for the future, and provides practical solutions for becoming better humans in virtual spaces. As a hands-on parent and global thought leader, he provides practical strategies that families and institutions can use to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world, making his message essential for organizations navigating the challenges of the future. His visionary insights are transforming the way we think about technology— as a powerful force for good that can shape a more innovative, inclusive, and equitable world.
Matt Medved
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Founder of nft now and digital economy expert Matt Medved has worked to bridge the worlds of music, culture, and technology to uplift artistry for nearly a decade. Medved is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of nft now – an award-winning web3 digital media platform building the future of tokenized media to combat AI disinformation and pioneer a community-centric media model. Since launching in 2021, nft now has become a leader in leveraging AI to power its content strategy, and has brought to market innovative web3 products like the Now Pass and industry-leading events like The Gateway and NFT100.
Previously, Matt served as the SVP of Content at Modern Luxury and the EiC of SPIN, where he directed the iconic music and culture title’s 2019 rebrand. Before leading SPIN, Matt founded Billboard Dance in 2015 and grew the vertical into the leading dance/electronic music publication in North America. Medved is the co-creator of nft now's NFT Marketing Bible and has helped numerous Fortune 500 brands successfully enter and navigate web3 while understanding and harnessing its benefits for business.
An early adopter of web3 and AI, Medved has spoken for groups including Harvard Business School, SXSW, NFT NYC, New York Media Festival, Syracuse University, Billboard Live Music Summit, and Institute for Public Relations. He previously conducted human rights field research and wrote $2M in funded grants to the U.S. Department of State and USAID as a consultant for conflict resolution NGO Search for Common Ground in Nigeria — where he also reached more than 6M listeners as a guest DJ at Africa’s largest radio station. Medved is a multihyphenate creative who taps into the business case for new technology in a way that is relevant, accessible, and actionable for audiences of all kinds.
Johnny Cupcakes
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Does your brand have 'groupies?' Do your customers obsess over your product or service? Do you have raving fans spreading the word worldwide? This level of hysteria is what drives the planet's fastest-growing brands. Named America’s #1 young entrepreneur by Business Week, profiled in the New York Times, NPR, MTV, Forbes, Newsweek and The Boston Globe, and featured in Inc. magazine as one of the world’s fastest-growing independent businesses—there is only one man that knows the answer to that question—JOHNNY EARLE, the founder of Johnny Cupcakes.
After 5 global store openings, he inspires fans to camp out for weeks ahead of time and high-profile collaborations such as The Simpson's, Looney Tunes and Nickelodeon. Johnny is now sharing his secret recipe for viral business and marketing success through his high impact keynote speeches.
If you dream of inspiring cult-like brand loyalty—the kind that involves mile-long queues and even permanent tattoos—Johnny Cupcakes is for you.
Natalie Nixon
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Executive leadership strategist Dr. Natalie Nixon is "the creativity whisperer for the C-Suite." She's considered by many to be the foremost authority on unlocking the creativity within teams, at every level. Be it mid-level management, in-person or remote teams, C-suite executives, or board room, Dr. Nixon's pioneering work in creativity and results have reshaped how companies like IBM, NBCUniversal by Comcast, Bank of America, Salesforce, Microsoft, Google, Deloittle, and many others have approached their biggest business obstacles and resulted in unprecedented results.
With contemporaries like Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, and Scott Galloway, coupled with her unique outlook and experience, Dr. Natalie Nixon stands above almost all other speakers for our event. Dr. Nixon's life in creativity, research, and results-based innovative process has trade associations, corporations, and NGOs from around the world raving about her talks. As a keynote speaker, audiences value her accessible expertise on creativity, the future of work, and innovation. She advises leaders on transformation--by applying necessary tools of wonder and rigor to amplify profit, growth, and overall business value. She brings an innovative and unique perspective to every keynote, strategic advisory engagement, and leadership coaching session.
Her experience living in 5 countries and her background in the social sciences (anthropology), academia (business and innovation management), and the arts (fashion and dance) distinguish her as a one-of-a-kind creativity expert. Because of the value she brings to each event, Natalie has been named among the top 50 keynote speakers in the world. Dr. Nixon has been featured in all of the business leadership staples, such as Forbes, Fast Company, INC., and many others.
Dr. Natalie Nixon, her book The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work, and firm Figure 8 Thinking, have garnered a trifecta of praises. Core77 recognized her firm as one of the top women-led firms of 2022. "[Natalie] helps you get unstuck and unlock the work you were born to do!" (Seth Godin, Marketing guru); "[Natalie] is a personal trainer for your creativity muscle" (Jessi Hempel, host of LinkedIn's "Hello Monday" podcast).
Natalie received her BA (honors) from Vassar College, and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London.
Adam Braun
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Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Great-West Life have all hosted New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Adam Braun and praised him as “The best speaker I’ve ever seen in the history of our company’s offsite events.” (Coca-Cola HBC); “The feeling was unanimous, the best speaker we’ve ever had at an offsite.” (Kraft Brands); “We all agreed that he is someone to watch over the next few years.” (Great-West Life)
Adam Braun knows how to motivate people to powerful action and organizations who bring Adam to their event are seeing the difference. His TEDTalk "The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life," has been viewed 1.3 million times.
The Founder of Pencils Of Promise, Adam Braun’s story is how one young man turned $25 into more than 525 schools, serving 100,000 students around the world, and built a global community which is well on its way to achieving its goal of making a quality education a possibility for everyone. His story proves that anyone can take small steps to lead a successful and significant life.
Adam's book, The Promise of a Pencil, did not become a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller just because it was a great story; it became a sought-after guide for achieving goals and dreams and in the book Adam outlines chapters that provide actionable steps toward success. Adam empowers audiences to discover their next big idea, and he gives them guideposts for a path forward. Watch him in action in this inspiring presentation: Creating Extraordinary Change in Life & Business
Adam went on to become Founder & CEO of MissionU, a 21st-century higher education company teaching hard and soft skills for the new economy. MissionU was an early pioneer in remote learning for workforce development that led to it being named to Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies" in 2018, and it was acquired by WeWork later that year.
By the age of 31 Adam was already named to Business Insider’s 40 Under 40, Wired magazine‘s 50 People Who Are Changing the World, and was selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s first ten Global Shapers. Braun was previously nominated for the TED Prize and has received the nation's oldest and most prestigious award for public service, the Jefferson Award.
David Romanelli
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As a bestselling author, wellness innovator, entrepreneur and intergenerational pioneer, David Romanelli brings a unique, seasoned, and entertaining approach to today’s pressing challenges of work-life balance, stress, information overload, and the overall desire to live a happier, healthier life. He fuses ancient wellness practices with modern passions that give people accessible tools to overcome stress, focus their mind, and improve their relationships at work and home.
David’s newest book, Life Lessons from the Oldest and Wisest, is a reminder that countless professionals, parents, and partners have walked the earth before us. They’ve had triumph and failures…booms and busts…and have the advice we all need to hear…if only we would listen.
His previous book, Happy is the New Healthy, twice reached #1 on Amazon’s Healthy Living Bestseller List. David’s 15 years of experience in the wellness and lifestyle industry, including over a decade touring and presenting around the world, gives him a wide range of expertise to speak with humor and knowledge that connects with audiences both large and small. He has been featured in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek.
Peter Diamandis
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Dr. Peter H. Diamandis is an international pioneer in the fields of innovation, incentive competitions and commercial space. In 2014 he was named one of "The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders" – by Fortune Magazine.
In the field of Innovation, Diamandis is Founder and Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation, best known for its $10 million Ansari XPRIZE for private spaceflight.
Diamandis is also the Co-Founder and Vice-Chairman of Human Longevity Inc. (HLI), a genomics and cell therapy-based diagnostic and therapeutic company focused on extending the healthy human lifespan. He is also the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Singularity University, a graduate-level Silicon Valley institution that studies exponentially growing technologies, their ability to transform industries and solve humanity’s grand challenges.
In the field of commercial space, Diamandis is Co-Founder/Co-Chairman of Planetary Resources, a company designing spacecraft to enable the detection and prospecting of asteroid for precious materials. He is also the Co-Founder of Space Adventures and Zero-Gravity Corporation.
Diamandis is the New York Times Bestselling author of Abundance – The Future Is Better Than You Think and BOLD – How to go Big, Create Wealth & Impact the World.
Jerry Michalski
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Jerry Michalski helps people see the future differently. As a top tech analyst during the Dot-Com era, Jerry helped shape the worlds of software and online services, paving the way for online community, blogging, wikis, social media and more. He advises organizations large and small on how to navigate the waves of technological and social change that are transforming their industries and our world. Briefly put, producers could once mostly ignore consumers, telling them what was on offer and what they should want. Now the playing field is much more level. People are not mere consumers. Companies are realizing this, which is leading to a humanization of capitalism. The problem is, most companies don’t know how to be human, strange as that may seem. Jerry helps organizations become more human by offering unique perspectives on innovation, automation, big data, reputation, trust, authenticity, intent, purpose and other words that frighten the lawyers. He does this by guiding conversations into deep waters, framing issues crisply and clearly, and opening new possibilities.
Jerry is unique in being able to bring 26 years of contextualized, curated information to bear on your questions, live and virtually. Your participants will jump in their seats when they take part in this process.
Steve Brown
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Steve Brown is a leading thinker on AI, generative AI, autonomous agents, digital transformation, the future of work, and how advances in AI will shape the future of business, education, and society. He draws upon decades of experience in artificial intelligence and high tech to advise leaders on how to build winning AI transformation strategies that fuel innovation, boost productivity, and drive growth.
During Steve’s 25-year career in artificial intelligence and high tech, he has held a range of leadership roles including Chief Evangelist and futurist at Intel and senior director and in-house futurist at Google DeepMind in London. He is co-founder of The Provenance Chain Network, a company that provides supply chain transparency and resilience services to the U.S. Space Force and is a strategic advisor to two AI startups. He is also a BCG Luminary.
Steve works with global brands, Fortune 100 companies, startups, and government agencies. Clients include Nike, JP Morgan, Samsung, Comcast, Audi, PepsiCo, and Disney and he has been featured on major media including BBC, CNN, Bloomberg TV, ABC, CBS, NBC, and in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired Magazine. He speaks at events around the world on the future direction and impact of AI and inspires companies to create new products and services, streamline operations, and elevate work using AI and other technologies. Steve’s book, The Innovation Ultimatum: How Six Strategic Technologies will Reshape Every Business in the 2020s, published by Wiley, is a how-to guide on innovation and digital transformation.
Jay Williams
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Jay Williams is CEO of Improbable Media, a next generation production and brand consulting company he co-founded in 2024 with NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Improbable harnesses the power of content and storytelling to support elite talent and brands in developing and expanding their ecosystem. Jay’s versatility extends from business to broadcasting as one of ESPN’s top on-air talents. He is the host of the network’s award-winning College GameDay show and frequently contributes to ESPN’s signature shows First Take and Get Up.
On the court, Jay is one of the most decorated and prolific players in college basketball history, winning the National Championship at Duke University and being inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the second overall selection in the NBA Draft and played for the Chicago Bulls.
His autobiography, Life is Not an Accident: A Memoir of Reinvention, is a New York Times Bestseller.
Michael Ventura
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Michael Ventura is an accomplished leader, practitioner, and educator. As the founder of strategy and design consultancy Sub Rosa, he advised influential organizations from the American Civil Liberties Union, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, and Nike to well-respected institutions such as The United Nations and the Obama-Biden Administration. Alongside his thought leadership work, Michael serves as faculty at the Esalen Institute and in private practice working with individuals seeking personal growth and mentorship. His book, Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster 2018) explores the intersectionality of these two worlds (leadership and self development) through the practice of empathy for each of us as individuals, for others, and for society at large.
He has served as a board member and advisor to a variety of organizations including Behance, The Burning Man Project, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the United Nations' affiliated Tribal Link Foundation, and a variety of growth-stage businesses. He is a visiting lecturer at institutions such as The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, Princeton University, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. An ardent steward of personal and professional development, Michael is frequently engaged as an advisor to leaders, teams, and corporate boards at moments of transformation and change.
Felipe Gomez
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Felipe Gomez is not just an accomplished executive, he is a visionary leader who has spent over 25 years inspiring and transforming organizations around the world. Combining his management acumen and a lifelong passion for music, Felipe inspires audiences with an entertaining and memorable learning experience. Discussing the tools and ideas for becoming a virtuoso, and illustrating it all with help from an on-stage grand piano, Felipe inspires audiences to consistently aim for excellence, create meaningful and long lasting connections, and build effective cultures of innovation.
For the past fourteen years, Felipe has honed his skills and created a portfolio of products and services that are reliable, proven, and transformative. With his tools, individuals, teams, and organizations can shift their mindsets, refine their behaviors, and create emotional connections that expand their thinking patterns, take risks, learn from failures, and achieve mastery.
Today’s world demands innovative and audacious approaches to transformational challenges. Felipe’s work has been delivered in over 25 countries, and the high praises he has received from his clients and participants validate its global relevance.
Leslie Gifford
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Renowned fashion innovator and entrepreneur Leslie Gifford is known for her ability to build both brands and communities. Gifford has built and sold two successful fashion brands: Naked Cashmere and 360Cashmere. Gifford’s story serves as inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, offering valuable lessons on navigating the intricacies of the fashion industry and achieving success through determination and innovation. As a female entrepreneur, she has represented woman founders on national platforms including Forbes, PEOPLE, and more. She is on the board of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Gifford’s dedication to both her craft and philanthropy embodies the power of entrepreneurship to make a positive impact on society.
Gifford’s passion for giving back led her to serve as a board member of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, where she actively contributes to the fight against breast cancer. Leslie is also a sought-after speaker, engaging audiences with her experiences as a business leader and advocate for women’s health. Gifford has been a champion of mental health advocacy as well, partnering with Evolve Together and Silence the Shame. Gifford has spoken at the LEAP Foundation, UCLA, and more.
Zahra Al-Harazi
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Zahra Al-Harazi is among Canada’s most successful entrepreneur and leadership expert known for her exceptional keynote addresses that have motivated and inspired the world’s largest organizations. She embodies her message of growth and resilience through the power of purposeful leadership and developing a winning attitude in both business and life.
A survivor of two civil wars, and both a refugee and an immigrant, Zahra landed in Canada with her three children with no education or connections. Her entrepreneurial spirit quickly led her to start her own company, Foundry Communications, which, within a few years, went on to become an internationally recognized design agency.
Since then, she has been honoured with accolades including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, One of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN, RBC’s Top 25 Immigrants to Canada, and Canada’s Top 40 under 40. Zahra has served as a former UNICEF Ambassador, and delivered her first Ted Talk in 2017. She also became a HarperCollins Best Selling Author in 2020 with her book, What It Takes.
Currently, she is building her third company, Skillit, an online skill-sharing marketplace. Zahra also serves as a consultant, working with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, entrepreneurs and professional organizations. Zahra has overcome decades of cultural and societal challenges to become a successful entrepreneur who found her own voice. Having spoken to audiences of thousands in over twenty countries, she is continuing to build and inspire. She currently sits on the Opportunity Village board and the Greater Good council.
Sekou Andrews
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Sekou Andrews is the CEO of SekouWorld, Inc. and one of the most successful spoken word poets in the world. On any given day, this school-teacher turned artist and entrepreneur, who built a 7-figure company on poetry, can be found keynoting at a Fortune 500 company, inspiring thousands at a concert, or performing for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard.
Sekou is the creator of “poetic voice” – a cutting-edge speaking category that seamlessly fuses inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry, like “Hamilton” meets “TED”. His unique presentations are in high demand from leading associations and global brands like Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, and Paypal. He has been featured on ABC World News, CBS, MSNBC, HBO, Showtime, MTV and BET, and Forbes has called him “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” Sekou’s accomplishments include two National Poetry Slam championships, two national poetry tours, two Independent Music Awards, three Helen Hayes Awards, the most “Just Plain Folks” music awards in history, the 2020 ABA “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, and the first GRAMMY nomination for “Best Spoken Word Album” awarded to a spoken word poet in over 30 years.
A fearless disruptor of the speaking industry, Sekou also teaches rockstar secrets to public speakers through his Stage Might speaker training system that helps leaders become more dynamic communicators. Combining innovation and inspiration, Sekou Andrews is redefining the notion of what a speaker is, and what a poet can be.
Toto & Susie Wolff
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Toto and Susie Wolff are the powerhouse duo of the motorsport world whose combined expertise and engaging presentations resonate with audiences across industries. With world-renowned expertise in high-performance leadership, sustainability, and organization culture, Toto and Susie offer a memorable and empowering program.
Toto is the Co-Owner, CEO, and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, and has led the team, featuring the most successful F1 driver of all-time, Lewis Hamilton, to unprecedented heights, winning eight Constructor World Championships and seven Driver World Championships. Toto’s high-performance leadership philosophy was the subject of a Harvard Business School Case Study in 2022, “Number One in Formula 1.” In 2024, Toto will help teach a Harvard Business School course alongside professor Anita Elberse, focusing on how he has led the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team to historic success.
Susie has spent more than 20 years at the forefront gender diversity and representation internationally. After retiring from professional competition, Susie continued to be the driving force of change in the sport by founding Dare To Be Different – a mission to inspire the next generation and increase female participation in all levels of motorsport. Now, as the Managing Director of the all-female driver category, F1 Academy, Susie continues to inspire the next generation of female talent by creating opportunities and improving accessibility.
Together, Toto and Susie deliver results-oriented lessons in winning culture, leadership, and equity that organizations can implement to drive their own teams to success.
Susie Wolff
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Former professional racing driver, motorsport executive, and entrepreneur Susie Wolff has spent more than 20 years at the forefront gender diversity and representation internationally. At the 2014 British Grand Prix, she made history by becoming the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years by driving for 16-time World Champions Williams Racing. After retiring from competition, Susie continued to be the driving force of change in the sport by founding Dare To Be Different – a mission to inspire the next generation and increase female participation in all levels of motorsport.
Susie took her first steps into management and ownership as Team Principal and shareholder of Venturi Racing in Formula E. After building the series’ most gender-diverse team, she became the marque’s Chief Executive Officer and secured two vice World Championship titles before leaving in 2022. Now, as the Managing Director of the all-female driver category, F1 Academy, Susie continues to inspire the next generation of female talent by creating opportunities and improving accessibility.
For her services and contribution to women in sport, Susie was awarded an MBE in 2017 and received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Edinburgh and continues to be an inspirational role model for women across the world.
Chris Barton
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Chris Barton wanted a way to identify songs anywhere he heard them. There wasn’t one – so he invented an app called Shazam. Chris’s creation is nothing short of pure magic. Chris seeks to delight people by using technology to make seemingly impossible ideas come to life. Shazam is just one of them. It changed the way the world discovers music and laid the groundwork for the consumer AI industry we know today. In addition to creating Shazam, Chris holds twelve patents and played key roles in the early days of Google and Dropbox. Chris’s newest venture, Guard, aims to use AI to detect drowning in swimming pools – a never-before accomplished effort. In his speeches, Chris’s story and storytelling completely captivate audiences. He inspires people to make big things happen in their organizations – to create magic in defiance of the obstacles.
Holding 12 patents, including one found within the Google search algorithm, Chris has made significant contributions to the tech industry. He also invests in a wide range of start-ups, including artificial intelligence for heart health and inflammatory disease therapeutics. Today, Chris spends much of his time building his third startup company, Guard, an artificial intelligence system that detects drowning in swimming pools.
When he has time, Chris enjoys speaking at events and sharing lessons learned from his experiences overcoming the impossible. He inspires people with firsthand stories that highlight key take-aways across technology innovation, persistence, removing friction, and entrepreneurship. Chris gives audiences a new framework for making big things happen. His truly inspirational story motivates them to take action.
Freada Kapor Klein & Mitch Kapor
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Like every VC firm, Freada Kapor Klein, Ph.D. and Mitch Kapor have experienced high-profile blowups and total losses. But Kapor Capital’s investing principles have created a stunning new ecosystem of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors, all devising innovative, effective solutions to address the most pernicious problems afflicting many of America’s poorest communities. In their talks, Freada and Mitch share their core beliefs that all companies must make a positive impact, and that the obstacles entrepreneurs overcome in life are a far better predictor of long-term success than the schools they attend or investment dollars raised from friends and family.
Using stories behind some of the most remarkable companies ever launched, they show that the standard investment model doesn’t work, how it can be fixed, and what the future could look like if more investors joined them.
TJ Adeshola
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Internationally-recognized media executive TJ Adeshola is a leader at the intersection of tech, media, and culture. Adeshola is the Former Vice President of Global Content Partnerships at Twitter – providing strategic consult for media properties across sports, gaming, entertainment, and news. He helps the biggest media brands in the world leverage Twitter and new media spaces to generate revenue and connect with culture, and TJ shares his actionable takeaways in transformative speaking engagements.
TJ has appeared on CNBC, Good Morning America, ESPN, NBA TV, NFL Network, and more. He has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation as an inductee in the Hall of Achievement, Sports Business Journal, Ad Age, and Black Enterprise "40 Under 40" awards, and was named one of 29 "Young Influentials" by Adweek. Through all his ventures, TJ prioritizes amplifying diverse voices across the entertainment, music, and sports industries. Adeshola has been sought after for thought leadership on high profile stages and conferences including including Advertising Week, SXSW, Cannes Lions, CES, MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School, the World Congress of Sports and more.
Caroline Baudino
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Caroline Baudino is a champion for women’s empowerment, having woken up at 47 with the midlife “itchies” and falling into the support and community she found and cultivated across social media. While pursuing her passions and keeping her personal fire burning, Caroline does it all (parenting, wife-ing, blogging, speaking, business) while looking amazing in the second half of life—a true Midlife Remix.
Having grown up in NYC the daughter of the president of Viacom, Caroline knows firsthand the unrealistic expectations thrust upon women, including those born into privilege. After shunning the must-marry-well life plan of her parents (read: "must marry for money"), Caroline moved to LA to forge her own path, planted in authenticity and the pursuit of true happiness. She now makes a home with her techy husband (whom she, *gasp,* married for love) and two sweetheart sons.
Caroline is known for her vulnerability, impeccable and edgy clothing, makeup, jewelry, and can-do attitude of CHOOSING HAPPY. She normalizes imperfection—physical, emotional, and in relationships—and inspires her audience to use fashion and beauty as tools for championing their own lives, reminding them that effort is not the enemy. Caroline's mantra is “Get up. Get dressed. Let's do this!” so that you can “Look Good. Feel Good. Do Good.” every single day.
When Caroline isn’t giving easy-breezy runway fashion shows in front of her home or accessible makeup tutorials for the modern aging woman, she’s curating a line of bags with Mali + Lilii, developing motivational stationary and other products, giving back to her community through a variety of initiatives, is an Amazon VIP Affiliate, part of the Katie Couric Media Women's Collective, and is speaking to women and men about the ways fashion can be their very best friend. In the often fake and airbrushed Instagram space, Caroline is a breath of fresh air.
Dana Cowin
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Award-winning food and lifestyle tastemaker Dana Cowin is an innovator in media, food, and entrepreneurship. Her work spans advising creatives, founders and non-profits as well as creating editorial through podcasts, social, video, zines and books. For 21 years, she served as Editor in Chief of Food & Wine magazine and transformed the magazine into a must-read lifestyle publication and digital outlet. An influencer in the food world, she is a sought-after speaker on topics from trendspotting to lifestyle and motivation, leadership, and branding. And of course, good food! Cowin was the keynote speaker for the Bacardi Spirit Forward first national tour, a frequent judge on Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, presenter at TedXManhattan on food waste, interviewed experts at SXSW and Fast Company Innovation Festival, among many others.
Through her brand consulting work, Cowin advises growing companies on storytelling, food, PR, and marketing, lending her expertise to businesses such as Dig Food Group (where she was Chief Brand Advisor), to Neiman Marcus, to the Trust for Governors Island. She is an investor and advisor to startups in the culinary space, has a longstanding commitment to supporting opportunities for economic growth through culinary training. Cowin serves on the boards of Food Education Fund, Hot Bread Kitchen, and the Food Council of City Harvest. Cowin is host of Speaking Broadly, a podcast that features visionary women at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and food. Inspired by their singular experiences, Cowin selected more than a dozen women to write their own stories in the first Speaking Broadly zine, published spring 2022, and developed the Giving Broadly project - a gift guide highlighting incredible products from women-owned brands.
Lisa Wardell
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Business executive Lisa Wardell has more than 25 years of experience managing business strategy, operations, finance, and mergers and acquisitions, while driving shareholder value, stakeholder engagement, and company mission. Lisa currently serves as the Chairman of Adtalem Global Education Inc. – which aims to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Lisa previously served as Adtalem’s President and CEO, then CEO & Chairman, and Executive Chairman. During her tenure as CEO, Wardell oversaw the strategic repositioning of Adtalem’s portfolio, and was the only African American woman CEO in S&P’s MidCap 400 Index. Under her leadership, gender and ethnic diversity has increased at the Adtalem board to 67%. Wardell has also led the higher education sector in implementing new standards in transparency and financial literacy, and in cultivating quality partnerships to fill critical global workforce needs. With expertise in business strategy, mission-driven growth, fostering diverse workforces, higher education, and advancing equity in healthcare, Lisa has been sought-after for her perspective by groups including Bloomberg, ASU+GSV Summit, Executives Breakfast Club, and more.
Prior to her work with Adtalem, Wardell was the Executive VP and COO for The RLJ Companies, a Principal at Katalyst Venture Partners, and a Senior Consultant for Accenture. She has also worked extensively in the media, entertainment, sports, gaming, and hotel industries, including assisting with the founding and management of Our Stories Films Studio and the now Charlotte Hornets. Lisa serves as the Vice Chair on the executive committee of The Business Council, and as Vice Chair of the Kennedy Center Corporate Fund. She also serves on the boards of American Express and GIII Apparel Group, Ltd., has served on the Adtalem board since 2008, and previously served on the Lowes Home Improvement board. A fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion and access to education at scale across diverse communities, Lisa also is a member of the board of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Executive Leadership Council, CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Fortune CEO Initiative. Lisa has been featured on CNBC and Cheddar as well as in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Business Insider, Black Enterprise, and other publications.
Hana Ben-Shabat
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Hana Ben-Shabat is a world class expert on generation Z and its effect on culture, work, and commerce. She challenges audiences to think differently about Generations, go beyond the conventional stereotypes, and use generational insights to build stronger organizations and drive market success.
Hana is the Founder of Gen Z Planet, a research and advisory firm. She is the author of the book Gen Z 360 which provides a deep, often surprising, analysis of the rise of Generation Z, their arrival at a time of an unprecedented change, and their strategic importance to business. Hana is a sought-after business commentator and is frequently quoted by leading media outlets including CNBC, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Insider, AP, Forbes, Fortune, and Inc. Magazine.
Before founding Gen Z Planet, Hana was a partner and board member of the global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney where she co-led the firm’s Global Consumer Institute and advised clients around the world on issues of corporate strategy and organizational effectiveness. Before that she held marketing positions at several Israeli tech companies.
Building on her proprietary research and a 20-year career as a management consultant to the worlds' leading brands, Hana's keynotes weave together insights, real-world case studies, real-life Gen Z stories, and no-nonsense guidance. She leaves audiences with actionable strategies that they can use to effectively recruit, train, and retain Gen Z employees as well as to develop and sell products and services to them. Her presentations are often described as "thought provoking," "fascinating," "inspirational," and "full of practical ideas and advice."
Merline Saintil
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Merline Saintil – a software engineer turned Silicon Valley COO and investor who has taken six companies through their IPOs – is an active investor in dozens of companies that are shaping the future of work, e-commerce and technology.
A frequent featured speaker and with her perspectives quoted in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Forbes, Merline is now starting a $50M fund that invests in early stage management teams.
She is a Fortune 500 board member and co-founder of Black Women on Boards, a global organization of 200 executives at market-leading companies who help prepare, place and propel Black top talent into boardrooms of the most innovative companies.
Her Carnegie Mellon master’s degree in software engineering serves her well as lead independent director of Rocket Lab. She also advises the C-suite as a board member and committee chair at GitLab, Symbotic, Lightspeed Commerce, and TD Synnex.
Away from cap tables and quarterly meetings, Merline is a passionate fan of the Stanford Women’s Soccer team, which conveniently plays home games near her office in Palo Alto and which includes her daughter, an equally ardent student of computer science.
Indré Rockefeller
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Indré Rockefeller is the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Paravel, a sustainable travel goods brand that has been named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies of 2022," selected amongst Oprah's Favorite Things, and awarded Travel and Leisure's Global Vision Award and Modern Retail's "Most Responsible Retailer" in 2021. Indré is also a graduate student at Columbia University’s Climate School and an environmental advocate. Indre’s work focuses on developing sustainability and climate education content and on sustainable and circular design innovation.
Building on her career in the fashion industry - including at Vogue and Moda Operandi - Indré brings her passion for storytelling, design, and brand building to the sustainability and climate space. Indré has written and spoken on topics ranging from the pitfalls of greenwashing, how a polar expedition to Antarctica changed her career trajectory, opportunities for circular design in the fashion industry, and failing at composting.
Leah Keith
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Through her company Li’l Girl Productions, writer and producer Leah Keith creates live-action and animation series and movies that explore the messiest times in our lives in the funniest and most dramatic ways possible.
Currently, as a creator and showrunner Leah is developing a comedy series, Hot Chocolate Mess with Skydance Media, Amazon Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Productions. She is writing a feature film remake of the 1979 film A Little Romance for HBO Max, Claire Rudnick-Polstein and John Wells Productions and she is currently packaging a half-hour comedy inspired by her life with her elderly mother with Skydance Media and Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s Bassett Vance Productions. She was an Executive Producer on the Daytime Emmy Award-winning Original Series for Netflix Julie and the Phantoms created by Dan Cross and David Hoge and Directed by Kenny Ortega and Executive Producer of Best. Worst. Weekend. Ever, an Original Series for Netflix that was Co-Created by Daniel Bryan Franklin, Robin Stein and Jeremy Garelick and Directed by Jeremy Garelick.
Being a content creator, who has also been a “buyer,” earlier in her career at DreamWorks Pictures and Walt Disney Studios, gives Leah a unique perspective on the creative and business sides of Hollywood. She has worked on Emmy Award-winning, NAACP Image Award-nominated, and Peabody Award-winning motion pictures and television. What makes Leah and her career distinctive is her ability to understand and maintain the delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and creative integrity.
A favorite at corporations, universities and creative companies, Leah is a dynamic and entertaining speaker who enjoys drawing upon her experiences as a storyteller, her knowledge of the craft of writing and her business acumen to help audiences get in touch with their authenticity as a gateway to success and personal fulfillment.
Eric Kuhn
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Social media virtuoso, media innovator, and successful entrepreneur Eric Kuhn has brought some of the world’s largest and most prestigious organizations into the new age while working at UTA, CNN, the NBA, and CBS News. Most notably, he was a Co-Founder and CMO for Layer3TV, a next generation cable provider spearheading a new era of home entertainment. Kuhn subsequently joined United Talent Agency and was dubbed “Hollywood’s first social media agent,” harnessing the power of social media for top industry talent. He is a renowned bridge-builder between Silicon Valley and Hollywood, advising emerging technology companies and Fortune 500 corporations on how to harness content, technology, and social media to accelerate business.
In sought-after and engaging keynotes speeches, Kuhn shares fresh ideas and actionable data that inspire listeners to re-think the way they understand and utilize innovation and technology. He provides real, practical takeaways — in the form of raw industry data, anecdotes, and actionable strategies — that organizations and leaders can readily apply to their own entrepreneurial goals. Kuhn has keynoted and moderated numerous industry conferences and events around the world and regularly speaks with companies and private equity funds to help them better understand technology and innovation.
Mike Jackson
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Mike Jackson is an Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning film, theater, and television producer. As co-founder and managing partner of Get Lifted Film Co., a Los Angeles based production company which has developed projects with major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and FX, Jackson harnesses his Philly hustle and unparalleled tenacity to bring elevated multi-cultural content to global audiences alongside Ty Stiklorius and EGOT-winner John Legend. Additionally, Get Lifted and Erik Feig’s Picturestart have formed Picture Lift, a joint venture focused on developing, producing and financing multiple films in the $10M range, featuring diverse filmmakers and inclusive casts.
Jackson’s forthcoming projects include The Black Cyclone, a feature drama film about cycling champion Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor, the film The Long Way Down based on Jason Reynold’s award-winning novel which will be distributed by Universal, and the film adaptation of S.A. Cosby’s novel Blacktop Wasteland.
Most recently, Jackson and Get Lifted produced HBO’s The Legend of the Underground, a feature documentary that premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, focused on resilient Nigerian youth fighting anti-LGBTQ laws. Additionally, the team produced Netflix’s Monster, as well as Nancy Buirski’s documentary, A Crime on the Bayou, that holds a Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” score of 100% and profiles brave individuals who fought for justice in and around the Civil Rights era.
Notably, Jackson executive produced HBO docu-series Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, which received the AAFCA TV Honor for Best Documentary and was awarded “Best Multi-Part Documentary” by the International Documentary Association. Jackson and Get Lifted also executive produced the HBO documentary 40 Years A Prisoner and the Netflix documentary Giving Voice. Additionally, Rhythm + Flow for Netflix, which won the 2020 NAACP Image Award, Damien Chazelle’s Oscar®-winning musical La La Land, as well as NBC’s 2018 Emmy®-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live and the 2017 Tony® Award-winning August Wilson play Jitney.
Radha Agrawal
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Radha Agrawal is the co-Founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, bestselling author of Belong, and entrepreneurial force, co-founding and investing in multiple 9-figure businesses in the wellness space including THINX. Her global morning dance, music, and wellness movement Daybreaker has reached half a million people in 30 cities worldwide, and Radha’s team joined Oprah and WW on tour in 2020. Named one of MTV’s “8 women who will change the world,” Radha has won numerous entrepreneurship awards and accolades for disruptive and culture-shifting innovation.
An expert in science-backed strategies for building community, Radha’s keynote speeches have exhilarated audiences for events with Nike, Wisdom 2.0, Princeton University, Burning Man, and Facebook’s Global Marketing Summit. Radha is a sought-after commentator on increasing connection at work and in life, identifying opportunities for social entrepreneurship, and amplifying a 'profit with a purpose' mission.
Tiffany Shlain
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Included on NPR’s list of “Best Commencement Speeches” Tiffany Shlain is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards, and author of the national bestselling book 24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection.
Tiffany has received over 80 awards and distinctions for her films and work, including selection by the Albert Einstein Foundation’s as one of the 100 visionaries who carry on his legacy, being listed as one of Newsweek's "Women Shaping the 21st Century," and winning the Marshall McLuhan Outstanding Book Award.
Tiffany lectures worldwide on topics including the relationship between humanity and technology; the future of work; creativity and neuroscience; transforming ideas into reality; Jewish identity; and gender and inclusion. The Museum of Modern Art, New York premiered her one-woman performance, Dear Human, at the start of 2020 to a sold-out crowd and standing ovation. During the pandemic she translated her stage energy to Zoom with her very popular ZoomChallahBakes that the press called “one of the most engaging Zoom experiences of the pandemic.”
Tiffany’s dynamic keynotes include stunning visuals and audience engagement, and are known for their wisdom, humor, insight, and ability to explain complicated subjects in entertaining and accessible ways. She appears regularly in the New York Times and Washington Post, and her work has been referenced on Jeopardy and in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
Justin Dillon
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Justin Dillon founded and currently runs a tech company called FRDM that helps Global Fortune 500 brands address social injustice in their supply chains. He used to play music professionally (Universal) which allowed him to tour the world. It was on a tour to Russia that he first learned about human trafficking. He wanted to help, so when he made a rockumentary film about the issue called Call+Response which included activists (Cornel West), journalists (Nicholas Kristof - New York Times), and celebrity activists (Ashley Judd), along with Grammy winning artists. Call+Response was released to theaters becoming one of the highest grossing documentaries in 2008. They gave all the ticket sales away to projects saving kids from slavery.
The film campaign caught the attention of the Obama Administration who asked Justin to develop something similar to carbon footprint, but for modern slavery. Justin and his team developed Slaveryfootprint.org, which can tell you how many slaves it takes to run your life. It was a global success. Today over 30 million people know their slavery footprint. The project received support from Google and went on to win SXSW and Cannes. He was invited to speak all over the world about technology and movement building.
Almost every company wants to market themselves as a movement and almost every employee wants to be part of one. If your company wants to stand out, it has to stand up. Justin offers lessons from his years of running movements, marketing campaigns, and ground-breaking companies to help companies or organizations operate like a movement. Your company doesn’t need social or environmental experts to run like a movement. You just need to find your unique super-power and leverage the hell out of it. Justin is proof that you don’t need the right university, the right connections, or the right promotion to leverage your super-power. All you need is guidance to find your super-power and build your movement. Thats what Justin helps people and companies do. He even wrote a book about it called A Selfish Plan To Change The World (Harper Collins).
Deborah Rosado Shaw
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Today’s challenge for many organizations is about transformational leadership. Do your leaders have the capacity to help people see beyond what limits them, to help them see beyond their current constraints in a way where they are paving a path for their best level of performance? This is an entirely new area of prowess that Fortune 50 Trusted Advisor and former SVP, Chief of Global Diversity & Engagement officer at PepsiCo Deborah Rosado Shaw calls the New Realm of Mastery. This level of leadership is about addressing people’s commitments, their goals and what they value most in their own lives in a way that helps transform them into self-starters, risk takers and people who know how to find their voice and path even in the most challenging times. As Deb shares with global leadership audiences, the best leaders help people learn how to motivate themselves in times of uncertainty and challenge. Deb helps leaders and organizations elevate to new heights by sharing the strategies of the New Realm of Mastery, which former Chairman of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi praised as follows, “Deborah is a leading and powerful voice who founded PepsiCo’s transformational leadership program and took our company-wide conversation about diversity from one focused on inclusion to a broader dialogue about the engagement of all employees with each other and with the diverse world around us.”
Beau Lotto
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Your challenge at the very first moments of your next event is to get your audience instantly connected, warmed up and plugged in. Your event’s success is decided from the start. By getting your audience members open and wanting to change, collaborate, and create, you will avoid any skepticism. Leverage your investment with Beau Lotto as your opening keynote speaker.
World-famous neuroscientist, Dr. Beau Lotto, will prepare and super-motivate your audience by using the principles of neuroscience (yes, you read that right). When you step back and consider the Big Picture, the strategy makes sense. We all know the world is changing fast — that’s a given. The challenge is to adapt…or die. What you need is a speaker who will show your audience how to thrive in the face of change. Beau gives your attendees, in practical plain talk, the neuroscience behind personal evolution. He provides the detailed steps to achieve a successful culture where your audience can empower evolvability and thrive as a result.
Beau’s megamix is more than just science, however; he weaves in ideas from technology, art, fashion, music, and performance. It’s the kind of subject matter, delivered in a friendly, entertaining style, that turns heads.
The result for you: usable ideas that create a more invigorating, inventive, and evocable company culture. As well, this could be your first step in creating more meaningful, post-transactional customer relationships. Think of his gift to your audience as insight backed by science.
Beau’s keynote visit is more than just another indistinguishable inspirational speaker yelling, “You can do it!” Much more. Here, you get a fact-based return on investment. Don’t let Beau’s science background give you pause – his talks are always common-sense, and peppered with humor, audience participation and actionable principles that audiences can apply in their professional lives.
Beau, a renowned audience arouser, is a leading expert in perception, neuroscience, and complex adaptive systems. He’s helped navigate brands like Cirque du Soleil, Microsoft and L’oreal to even greater successes. In corporate circles as well as in the scientific community, Beau is well known and well respected; he’s earned a world-class reputation as a speaker, masterclass leader and big-league corporate consultant.
He’s been electrifying crowds for over 30 years, including a three-time gig as a mainstage TED-talk speaker. How? By challenging his audiences’ perceptions about change, getting them to look past their biases, and sparking ideas about how to create a more evolved, can-do organization.
The ultimate strategy: to apply scientific truths about perception to get your staff achieving solid bottom-line results.
Audiences love him because his unique style enables him to:
• Connect with every audience member
• Get his point across using humor, interaction and evidence rather than high-tech speak
• Engage the audience in a way that will cause immediate improvements and evolution in your organization
• Give your audience the tools they need to more be successful, courageous and collaborative in wildly uncertain, changing times
• Stay positive, inspirational, and aspirational (which is contagious and nourishing)
• Step up the possibilities as to what your people will consider do-able and achievable
• Share with the group how to create a culture (both at the conference, in oneself and across the organisation) grounded in 10Cs: Evolutionary, Neuroscientific principles that empower individuals and systems to thrive in a constantly changing world.
If you want to build your team more effectively and have them face and conquer their problems, fears and challenges, let Beau show the way. Neuroscience – as entertainingly explained by Beau – holds the key to adaption, creativity, innovation, and perception.
Deepica Mutyala
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Deepica Mutyala is the founder & CEO of LIVE TINTED and a renowned South-Asian American beauty entrepreneur with a dedicated following. On a mission to change beauty standards, the focus of her platform aims to dismantle colorism, while encouraging her followers to advocate for and love themselves. Her effectiveness and passion have been recognized by O: The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, VOGUE and more. She was also a judge for the 2021 Miss Universe competition, and was named one of Entrepreneur’s 100 Powerful Women of 2020.
Since rising to the forefront of the beauty industry after her 2015 YouTube video “How to Cover Dark Under Eye Circles” (currently 10.9 million views) went viral, Deepica landed appearances on Today and Dr. Oz. Following this success, she created the multicultural digital community LIVE TINTED, bringing attention to those underrepresented in media. In the past year, Deepica has transformed LIVE TINTED into its own award-winning beauty brand, offering a growing range of multi-use products that are inclusive, clean, cruelty-free and vegan.
Ozan Varol
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Today, thinking like a rocket scientist is a necessity. Learning to embrace uncertainty and thrive in the unknown will be the lifeblood of the most successful leaders and organizations for years to come. Those who can tackle these challenges with a mindset that combines extraordinary thinking with a practical, proven moonshot process, will achieve extraordinary results. As Ozan poignantly shares in his keynotes, “It is only when we sacrifice the certainty of answers and embrace uncertainty, that breakthroughs happen.” As a former rocket scientist, and the #1 Bestselling Author of Think Like A Rocket Scientist, there is arguably no one better than Ozan Varol to help audiences understand the process behind Moonshot Thinking, which can help businesses launch their own moonshot, spot opportunities they couldn’t see before, and create an extraordinary advantage to shape the future of their industry. Ozan has been called a “true original” by Adam Grant and dubbed a “superhero” by Dan Pink. His work has been described as “must read” by Susan Cain and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, and more. He has helped numerous large and small organizations reimagine the status quo with moonshot thinking, including Microsoft, Intel, General Electric, Google X, Adidas, Lloyds Bank, among many others.
Tomas Pueyo
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Tomas Pueyo is a growth, product and marketing expert, currently leading a billion-dollar business inside Course Hero, an online education company based in Silicon Valley. With two Master of Science degrees in Engineering and an MBA from Stanford, Tomas has spent the last few years of his career taking hard problems, dissecting them, solving them, and communicating about them. He is the author of The Star Wars Rings: The Hidden Structure Behind the Star Wars Story and gave a TEDx talk about storytelling structure.
He has published several high-profile articles on Medium. His latest, focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, have been viewed by over 60 million people and translated into over 40 languages. His strategy of “The Hammer and The Dance” has been followed by governments around the world, and publicly endorsed by countries such as Germany, Bulgaria, Peru, and others. He has become an expert source for journalists on COVID-19, quoted in hundreds of media outlets around the world, including The New York Times and CNN. Tomas, who is multilingual, now advises public and private sectors around the globe on Coronavirus strategies.
Marcus Lemonis
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As an impressionable youth, Marcus Lemonis read the description of Entrepreneur to his mother from the dictionary while working on a school project, which inspired him to challenge himself and make his dreams come true. His humble beginnings and journey through life represent the heart and soul of what true entrepreneurism is. Although he was not born in America, he is proud to be living the American Dream through hard work, determination and believing. Those who have had the chance to hear his story through his moving speaking engagements would say that he is humble, down to earth and 100 percent brutally honest.
He stars in CNBC's Streets of Dreams With Marcus Lemonis, where he travels across the United States to take a look at the most influential streets in the country that fuel America's business cultures. A past nominee for the 2018 Critic’s Choice Award for Best Structured Reality Series for his work on CNBC’s The Profit, Marcus lends his business expertise to struggling businesses in various industries across the country while using his famous People-Process-Product principle. Through his 3P mantra, he analyzes every business by the quality people, whether they have an excellent and relevant product, and the best possible process for creating, delivering, and selling that product. While many people frequently call him the “business turnaround king,” he will be the first to say that he really helps people with tough love so they can use the experience to inevitably succeed. In 2022, he will star in The Renovator, an HGTV series where he helps frustrated families renovate their homes that no longer serve their needs.
Marcus was born in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon in 1973; and, at nine months old, was adopted by a couple living in Miami, FL. As a young child, he was exposed to positive and prosperous business values at his family-owned auto dealership. His entrepreneurial spirit bloomed at age 12 while attending Epiphany Catholic School, when he started a lawn mowing service to generate money for a candy business while enlisting his friends for their help. He then graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and moved to Milwaukee, WI to attend Marquette University, where he studied Political Science, Criminology and Economics.
With approximately 165 locations in 37 states and a comprehensive e-commerce platform, Marcus has long time served as the Chairperson at America’s #1 source for RVs, camping accessories, RV maintenance and repair - Camping World and Gander RV & Outdoors. In 2017, he became the RV Business Newsmaker of the Year for “evolving into one of the most transformational characters in the U.S. recreational vehicle industry.”
With multiple ventures on his resume, Marcus can be seen sharing his knowledge through numerous business and entertainment television programs and is also regarded as one of the most sought-after industry experts and keynote speakers in the small business sector today.
Marcus drives results through collaborations, partnerships and relationships. His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: know your numbers, trust the process and remember that he’s 100 percent IN CHARGE!
Belinda Parmar, OBE
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Belinda Parmar OBE is a corporate campaigner who has worked for the past twenty years transforming company cultures. Belinda works alongside CEOs and leaders using the power of empathy in language and leadership.
Belinda founded her first company ‘Lady Geek’ in 2010 which inspired women to become tech pioneers and wrote a book called Little Miss Geek. Belinda’s experience of running a gender focused company led her to the conclusion that gender can shut down a conversation, but empathy can open it up to everyone. In 2015, Belinda received an OBE by the Queen for her services to women in technology. Belinda then went on to launch The Empathy Business which is a consultancy helping some of the worlds biggest brands. She currently works with some of the world’s most complex companies in the world including Barclays, Facebook, Aston Martin and British Gas.
Belinda pioneered the first ever way to measure empathy in companies and is the creator of the Global Empathy Index, featured in the Harvard Business Review. Belinda speaks at Davos for the World Economic Forum and was voted one of the top global public diversity figures in Nov 2020 alongside Kamala Harris.
In 2019 and 2020 Belinda was invited to Davos to speak on the power of empathy in responsible leadership. Belinda has written for The Guardian, been voted one of the most influential women on Twitter by Forbes and regularly appears on the BBC and Sky News talking about empathy, tech, inclusion and responsible leadership.
Liz Bohannon
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How can a beginner’s mind influence the successful outcome of any goal? The answer might very well inspire you to create a new roadmap for your next challenge. Liz Bohannon, Founder and CEO of successful fashion brand Sseko Designs, shares the lessons learned from her 10-year journey growing her business from three women under a mango tree, into a successful international fashion brand that provides employment, educational opportunities, and entrepreneurial training to thousands of women across the globe. Her story is filled with lessons for success that are grounded in the principle of having a beginner’s mind. Liz sums up those lessons in her new book, Beginner’s Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now. In it, as in her speeches, she shares uncommon ideas toward success like, Own Your Average, Stop Trying to Find Your Passion…Create It, and Dream Small. Liz continues to channel her inner beginner as she manages 100s of employees across multiple continents, and this mindset sets her apart as a more courageous, creative and effective leader. Audiences find humor and heart in Liz’s storytelling, as well as refreshing strategies that are a realistic roadmap to reaching goals.
Troy Aikman
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Troy Aikman is one of the most recognizable and accomplished personalities in sports and beyond, as a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, Emmy nominated broadcaster, philanthropist, and serial entrepreneur. Aikman is the new voice of ESPN's Monday Night Football alongside Joe Buck. Together with Buck, Aikman is part of the second-longest broadcast tandem in NFL history — his voice has become synonymous with the game. Aikman harnesses his tenacity, drive, and likeability from the field and brings it to every project and partnership off the field.
An empowering and insightful speaker, Aikman engages audiences with conversations about how to identify (and maximize) the individual assets of members on any team, how to use unexpected change and setbacks to grow, what he learned from the struggles and triumphs of his football career, and more.
Dan Mulhern
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Dan Mulhern is a speaker, executive coach, and lecturer at University of California Berkeley.
He is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of leadership and organizational culture. Mulhern has worked with a wide range of organizations, from start-ups to Fortune 500, from government to non-profits. He has coached and presented at well-known companies like Ford, Google, and Facebook, but also delights in a strong practice with large non-profits like Goodwill of Greater Detroit, Americorps, and the Chicago Legal Aid Foundation. He has been a proud and committed public servant providing, for example, leadership training since 2011 to prominent women ascending to positions of governor, attorney general and senator.
In 2012 Mulhern began to shift his practice from individual coaching and team development to LeadingX2. He realized that the notion of “the” leader makes sense, and teams are surely critical, but experts and practitioners alike have leapt over the atomic unit – the dyad. His research demonstrates that LeadingX2 is pervasive, powerful and practicable, yet no one teaches us how – how to build extraordinary partnerships! He researches and works closely with powerful dyads: both true co-founders or co-ceos, as well as dyads in which one reports to the other like a CEO and COO or President and Provost, but whose leadership can be powerfully synergistic. His current work is primarily dedicated to helping clients capitalize on the incredible power of LeadingX2.
Through his work as a public speaker, radio personality, writer, professor, leadership coach, and consultant, Mulhern has inspired thousands to lead with their best self. He received the Golden Apple Award, as the student-voted most exceptional teacher at UC Berkeley, and the Earl Cheit Award as outstanding undergraduate instructor at the Berkeley Haas School of Business.
He is the author of Everyday Leadership: Getting Results in Business, Politics and Life; Be Real: Inspiring Stories for Leading at Home and Work; and co-author of A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Future.
Mulhern has 20 years in executive coaching and executive team consultation, following 15 years experience in leadership positions in government, non-profits, and business.
Marissa Orr
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Marissa Orr is a former Google & Facebook executive, bestselling author, and leadership speaker. Spending 15 years working at today’s top tech giants, she has conducted talks for thousands of people in the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, at companies and universities such as Google, Twitter, Pace University, New School, American Express, and more. Originally from Miami, Orr received her Master’s degree in Decision and Information Sciences from the University of Florida. Her debut book, Lean Out, The Truth About Women, Power, & the Workplace, was released by Harper Collins Leadership in June of 2019 and is an Amazon bestseller.
Featured in Forbes, Fox, Yahoo! Finance, and CNBC, Lean Out is not simply a retort to Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, but a revolutionary path forward with the power to change the lives of men and women in the corporate world and beyond. With Lean Out, Orr provides a fresh voice for a new generation of thinkers.
Clint Pulver
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Clint Pulver is a motivational keynote speaker, author, musician, and workforce expert.
He’s also fun, dynamic, entertaining – and the no-stress speaker clients love to work with.
He has been a Professional Drummer for over 20 years, having played for various professional musicians and in venues like the Vivint Arena, the Stadium of Fire, and the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. In 2010 he founded the UVU Drumline known as the Green Man Group, which he directed for 6 years. He then continued on to direct the Drumline for the NBA’s Utah Jazz until 2015. Clint was recently featured in Business Q Magazine as one of their “Top 40 under 40” as a premiere Corporate Keynote Speaker. He has appeared on America’s Got Talent and in several different Feature Films with actors like Jack Black (School of Rock) and John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite).
Known as “The Millennial Speaker”, Clint Pulver helps organizations that want to retain, engage and inspire their people. As the president and founder of The Center for Employee Retention, Clint has transformed how corporations like Keller Williams, AT&T and Hewlett Packard create lasting loyalty through his work and research as “The Undercover Millennial”. For over a decade, he has been a self-motivated Entrepreneur who is well versed in business start-up, sales management, management training, and growing multi-million dollar accounts. Clint understands first hand that relationships are based on trust, service, support, connection and consistent follow-through.
Clint strongly believes that a single moment in time can change a person’s life. He has traveled the world speaking to youth and adult audiences alike, challenging them to dream, excel, connect, and believe--both in themselves and in the power of others. For over a decade, Clint has dedicated his heart to helping organizations understand the younger generation and helping the younger generation understand themselves through living a life of significance, instead of just a life of success: “It’s not about being the best in the world…it's about being the best FOR the world”.
Laura Putnam
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If you’re looking for insights on well-being, motivation, innovation, or human performance, Laura Putnam, author of Workplace Wellness That Works, can help. A former urban public high school teacher, international community organizer, dancer, and gymnast, Laura is now a movement builder in the world of health and wellness.
Laura has keynoted at conferences, companies and associations around the world for audiences as large as 3,000 people and has shared the stage with such notables as famed TV personality Dr. Oz, and Dan Buettner, author of Blue Zones. Her unique style of speaking combines relevant science with meaningful stories and a good dose of humor. With a mission to get people “in motion,” she guides team members, managers and leaders in discovering how to get big results with simple steps.
As CEO of Motion Infusion, a well-being training and consulting firm, Laura works with a range of organizations from Fortune 500s to nonprofits to academic institutions, helping each to build a culture of well-being.
Recent media appearances include MSNBC, US News & World Report, Business Insider and NPR. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, and The American Journal of Health Promotion. Laura teaches at Stanford University, and is the recipient of the American Heart Association’s “2020 Impact” award and the National Wellness Institutes “Circle of Leadership” award.
Laura Putnam is turning the wellness world upside down. From a book that pioneers a whole new system for workplace wellness to keynote speeches that are jam-packed with energy, insights and humor - Laura is ready to revolutionize your organization.
Jeff Haden
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Jeff Haden is one of today’s foremost — and most popular — business minds. He’s a contributing editor for Inc. Magazine where he averages approximately 2.3 million readers each month. He’s a LinkedIn Influencer with over 1 million followers. He’s the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win. Jeff turns theoretical concepts into simple, insightful actions that transform the way businesses, organizations, and people perform to help them achieve professional and personal goals — while having a lot more fun.
Deirdre Van Nest
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Deirdre Van Nest is the go-to expert for financial advisors, leaders, and professionals in a client-facing role, on improving communication skills (whether one-one or with a group). She is a top-rated International Keynoter, and Trainer, and the creator of the Crazy Good Talks® Blueprint, and The Emotionally Engaging Advisor™- 2 practical communication systems that have taught thousands how to bring in business faster and impact more lives through the power of public speaking, storytelling, and making emotional connections.
Deirdre is a regular contributor for Horsesmouth, a faculty member at the Hoopis Performance Network, and is called upon frequently for interviews on podcasts and TV talk shows.
She’s also a Certified World Class Speaking™ Coach, a Certified Fearless Living Coach, a contributing author of the Amazon bestseller World Class Speaking™ in Action and author of “Fire Your Fear™”.
Bill Wooditch
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Success isn’t fast, it isn’t easy, and it isn’t certain. But one thing is certain: success will always be under construction. For Bill Wooditch, success didn’t happen overnight. It took years of dedication, applied self-belief, the mastery of skills, and at all times perseverance. Success begins with that one commitment – your commitment to make your life all that it can be.
He was the top salesperson in a Fortune 500 company, and for two years in a row, he was the top producer for the 6th largest insurance brokerage in the world. His transition from top salesperson to founder and CEO of Wooditch Enterprises, a company generating $100MM in sales is a testament to the power of resilience, the quest for purpose, and the rewards of achievement that can only come from a mindset that moves in one direction – “Always Forward!”
Bill is the author of, Always Forward!: Discover the 7 Secrets of Sales Success and his second book, Fail More: Embrace, Learn, and Adapt to Failure As a Way to Success is now available. As a professional speaker he has had the opportunity to work with Fortune 500 companies like AIG, Old Republic, Zurich, and Bank of America and mentors those who are hungry for success, teaching them skills to harness the lessons of failure to create new opportunities.
The hard-won lessons he shares in his keynotes are designed to shorten the distance between where you are now and where you are determined to go in the future.
Daniel Newman
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Daniel is principal analyst of Futurum Research, CEO of Broadsuite Media Group, and author of six Amazon best-selling books. The latest release, “Human/Machine: The Future of Our Partnerships with Machines” explores the challenges as well as the wondrous opportunities of the growing relationships with machines. This guide to our near future was charted with co-author renowned economist Olivier Blanchard.
Dan is a contributor to some of the worlds largest media outlets, including Forbes, Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post. His Top 10 Digital Transformation Trends for 2020, was recently published in Forbes and he currently ranked #1 in the prestigious ARInsights Power 100 list of Technology Industry Analysts. Dan is considered one of the industry leaders/analysts with the most sustained “buzz” in the industry right now. He spends his time researching, analyzing and providing the world’s best and brightest companies with insights as to how digital transformation, disruption, innovation, and the experience economy are changing how business is done. He brings together the technology layer with the human layer, seeking to solve the biggest challenges that companies have today; how to grow, scale, change and adapt to a world where technology and media shift at breakneck speed. Recently his Top 10 Digital Transformation Trends for 2020 was ranked #1 in the prestigious ARInsights Power 100 list of Technology Industry Analysts. Dan is considered one of the industry leaders/analysts with the most sustained “buzz” in the industry right now.
Dan loves technology, but he’s also extremely passionate about digital transformation and strategy. He believes technology can only reach its potential when it is intertwined with humanity. When people and technology work together to meet their potential, the business results will follow.
From keynoting on the world’s largest stages to weekly insights on Forbes and Entrepreneur, his goal is to provide clients with what they need to out-innovate and turn disruption from threat into success.
Navi Radjou
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Navi Radjou is a Silicon Valley-based innovation and leadership thinker who has advised senior executives worldwide on breakthrough growth strategies over the past 25 years. A Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, Navi has served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Previously, he served as vice president at Forrester Research, a leading technology research and advisory firm. In 2013, Navi won the prestigious Thinkers50 Innovation Award – given to a management thinker who is re-shaping the way we think about and practise innovation. He delivered a talk at TED Global 2014 on frugal innovation (over 1.7 million views). Navi co-authored Frugal Innovation: How To Do Better With Less, published by The Economist in 2015, as well as the global bestseller Jugaad Innovation (over 200,000 copies sold worldwide). He is working on his next book Conscious Society: Redefining Who We Are. Reinventing How We Consume, Work, Relate, and Live. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and widely quoted in international media. Born and raised in Pondicherry, India, he holds dual French-American citizenship. He attended Ecole Centrale Paris and Yale School of Management.
Eric Whitacre
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Grammy-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre is unlike any keynote speaker you've seen before. His secret power lies in his one-of-a-kind fusion of music and interactive multi-media, with lessons that radically transform the way your organization feels and thinks. He injects new life into organizations that may feel stuck, uninspired, or overwhelmed by the pace of change; provides insight on transformative innovation and disruptive leadership; and opens audiences' eyes to new ways of creating and collaborating.
Working at the vanguard of art and technology. Whitacre has brought his unforgettable combination of speaking and music to the TED conference-- where his talk went viral-- and at events for Google, UNICEF and the United Nations. As audiences rave: "Probably the most emotionally impactful speaker we have ever had — people were mouth opened, crying, not leaving their seats."
Dan Thurmon
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A teacher of peak performance, author of books and presentations with impact, and a lifelong student of success, happiness, and achievement, Dan Thurmon is on a mission. To encourage attendees’ uniqueness and contributions. To discover a sense of purpose and greatness. To have meaning at work and in their lives.
Dan has worked with organizations around the world, in every spectrum of business: Fortune 500 companies. Startups. Associations across hundreds of industries. Troops on the front lines. Students, teachers, and entrepreneurs. Through his presentations and workshops, Dan helps these organizations to accelerate improvement, facilitate true breakthroughs and enable and encourage greatness.
Inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame and a member of the illustrious Speakers Roundtable, Dan also served as President of the National Speakers Association, leading their CEO, staff and 3,500 world-wide members in a profound transformation.
Dan believes deeply that the right words, presented in the right way, at the right time, can change everything. His lifelong study of language and presentation skills have enabled a mastery of landing the critical idea that will shift an individual...or an organization. His opening presentations enable more productive and transformational meetings. Or as a closer, he provides a call to action that elevates the experience and the ROI of a meeting investment.
Dan doesn’t just talk about peak performance. He personifies it.
Scott Steinberg
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Hailed as The Master of Innovation by Fortune magazine, and World’s Leading Business Strategist, award-winning strategic consultant, trends expert, and professional speaker Scott Steinberg is a bestselling expert on leadership, change + innovation. A go-to resource for C-level leaders, he has served as a source of thought leadership, insight, and consulting for over 1000 leading brands, and advised on household-name products found in 100+ million homes.
One of America's top futurists (per the BBC); the author of Make Change Work For You and Millennial Marketing; and among today's top business strategy + leadership training providers, the Fortune 500 calls him a "defining figure in business + technology" and "top trendsetter to follow."
A strategic adviser to CEOs and four-star generals, firms like IBM, PwC, and the US Dept. of Defense regularly seek his insight. As the CEO of BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, and management consulting + market research firm FutureProof Strategies, he helps partners stay one step ahead of emerging trends – and drive growth around them.
One of the world's 150 most influential keynote speakers + futurists, and today’s #1 generations expert and technology expert (per Google), he offers breakouts, workshops, and speeches at meetings/events, and has consulted on dozens of industry-leading solutions. A noted content strategy, social media + communications expert, his eye for business analysis has also led to work as an insider for 600+ media outlets from CNN to The Today Show. From Dell to MTV, he’s worked with many top brands to drive success. An expert witness + board member who advises C-level leaders, attorneys + investors, he also offers sales and media training, and hosts many executive summits.
"One of the best gurus on innovation + competitive advantage strategies to accelerate growth.” -European Commission
“If you really want to know about business, you should refer to Scott Steinberg.”- Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin
Matt Mayberry
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Matt Mayberry, a former NFL linebacker for the Chicago Bears, is currently one of the most-read columnists for Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as an acclaimed keynote speaker, author, and peak-performance strategist. Using a real-world approach, He specializes in maximizing the performance of organizations, teams, and individuals all over the world.
Matt provides attendees with a real-world strategy for peak performance, incorporating motivation, process & mindset, and credibility into his keynotes. While Matt’s programs have been revolutionary for sales and leadership groups, he has presented for tech, finance, industrial and pharmaceutical groups as well.
A partial client list includes: the FBI, National Kitchen & Bath Association, Fifth Third Bank, NAPA Auto Parts, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Cosentino, USA Hockey, DuPont, Union Pacific Railroad, and Lowe’s.
From the football field to being the head of business development for a multi-million dollar healthcare company and becoming a successful entrepreneur, Matt has the credibility to deliver a keynote speech with a strong focus on actionable ideas and strategies designed to maximize business and personal performance.
Jay Abraham
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Jay Abraham is known as “The 9 Billion Dollar Man” for adding at least that much in revenue to his clients’ bottom lines. As the founder and CEO of The Abraham Group, Inc, Jay has been recognized as one of the most successful marketing and business strategists on the planet. He has over 25 years of experience solving problems for more than 10,000 clients in more than 450 industries around the globe.
Jay Abraham’s ability to uncover hidden assets, overlooked opportunities, and undervalued possibilities has captured the attention and respect of CEOs, bestselling business authors, celebrated entrepreneurs, and fellow expert marketing consultants; yet, his clients and audiences range from Fortune 100 companies, such as Microsoft, FedEx and General Electric, to small business owners, company employees and college students.
Using various formats, including everything from engaging keynotes, interactive 1/2 and full day workshops, to weekend bootcamps and more, Jay Abraham teaches audiences/clients how to take various, proven success-concepts from a myriad of industries and adopt them to their specific business goals.
He has been featured in Forbes, INC, Success Magazine, Investor’s Business Daily, USA Today and many other notable business publications.
Ashley Fox
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Ashley Fox is one of the NFL’s most well respected journalists and a trailblazer in the ego-infused world of sports media. During her 24-year career, including 7 years as a lead NFL reporter and analyst for ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, Ashley covered the United States’ most popular sport for the largest sports media network in the world.
By being fair, honest and accountable, with unwavering professionalism and boundless optimism, Ashley earned the trust of professional athletes, coaches, owners, team executives and league commissioners. She understands the power of relationships and the steps necessary to build and maintain them. She has mastered the lost art of listening and knows that the best questions mine the most insightful answers.
Since 1993, Ashley Fox has reported from the world’s largest sporting events- the Summer Olympics, Wimbledon, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the Final Four, the World Series, the Stanley Cup Finals, and the PGA Championship. Ashley’s written work has been featured on ESPN.com, TheUndefeated.com, ESPNW.com and in ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A world-class communicator, Ashley shares with her global audience her inspiring story of determination, perseverance, balancing personal and professional integrity, believing in the impossible and overcoming obstacles. Attendees of Ashley’s presentations learn the proven leadership, communication and teamwork strategies that took her from a small-town girl with big-time dreams to an award-winning reporter and columnist for the preeminent sports network on the planet.
Katara McCarty
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Katara McCarty is an organizational coach, speaker, entrepreneur and author. She is a fierce woman driven by a passion that is exuded in everything she does and contagious to those around her.
For 25 years, Katara has led women of all ages in both non-profit and for-profit sectors of business. In 2000, at just 22 years old, Katara partnered with her husband to open God’s House, a non-profit organization, in Marion, Indiana, where she served as an executive and co-pastor, growing the congregation from 40 to more than 600 members over 16 years while simultaneously founding and leading the development of God’s House and Ceelelo School in Zambia, Africa.
Katara then went on to co-found and direct The Center for Success, a community center for at-risk children in Marion, Indiana, which has since expanded into Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan.
Branching into the corporate world, from 2016-2018, she served as the director of culture for Carmel, Indiana-based TCC, the nation’s largest Verizon Authorized Wireless Retailer. She led all of TCC’s cultural initiatives for over 3,000 employees at 1,200 store locations across 43 states.
Led by passion and inspired by the strength of women, Katara left the corporate world to live and execute her “Why” through public speaking, coaching and writing. She currently works with companies and individuals to look for opportunities where they can improve their cultures and enable women to grow, advance, thrive and succeed.
Andrew M. Davis
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Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, Andrew produced for NBC and worked for The Muppets. He's appeared in the New York Times and on the Today Show. He's crafted documentary films and award-winning content for tiny start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. Today, Andrew Davis teaches business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy.
Tarun Wadhwa
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The most fascinating things in life are those that surprisingly pop-up out of nowhere and inexplicably capture our attention. After all, we are hardwired with a fight-or-flight instinct that demands that we notice anything disruptive. Tarun Wadhwa has lived his whole life examining rule-changing innovative disruptions and how they affect our business and personal lives, and may be the clearest and most accurate futurist alive today.
Tarun is an entrepreneur, academic and award-winning writer who is working at the intersection of technological advancement, innovation, global growth, security, and public policy. He regularly writes for Forbes and The Huffington Post, and his work has appeared in The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Marketwatch, The Washington Post, Digital-Life-Design, and many other prestigious journals. A noted thought leader, he is currently a Visiting Instructor at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering and was previously co-Founder and COO of AIC Chile, a private innovation lab that creates technologies aiming to alleviate poverty.
One of Tarun’s most exciting ventures is Day One Insights, a strategy and advisory firm he founded around technological convergence and corporate reinvention. This work focuses on trends that are overturning established industries; developments in healthcare, financial markets, cyber-security, retail, entertainment, transportation, and the impact of technological advancements on legal systems and societal institutions. All of this cutting-edge research has provided opportunities to partner with several of the most talked about companies in the world and influence leadership decision-making that is transforming these organizations.
It is no surprise that Tarun has become a favorite speaker with these same global companies. He packs his keynotes with eye-opening data, memorable stories, and a charismatic style that is infectious.
Robert Safian
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Robert Safian is one of the most sought-after speakers, moderators, and interviewers in the modern business. From leadership positions at Fast Company, Time, Fortune and Money, to incisive analysis across multiple TV networks, podcasts, and digital platforms, Safian has been lauded as an unparalleled source of insight on the future of the global enterprise. He is not only among the most acclaimed publishing executives in history but has deep relationships across the C-suite in multiple industries, accessing the cutting-edge developments that are reshaping our world.
Molly Bloom
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Molly Bloom is an inspirational keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Molly’s Game. She is best known for her memoir, Molly’s Game, which was adapted into an award-winning film of the same name by Aaron Sorkin. Bloom’s memoir chronicles her journey from college student to LA waitress to building and operating the largest and most notorious private poker game in the world. Her games featured hundreds of millions of dollars and players like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, A-Rod, and Ben Affleck.
Bloom began her career as a world-class skier. While training as a pre-teen she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and had to undergo surgery that the doctors said would end her athletic career. A year later, fully recovered, she was back on the slopes. She later joined the U.S. Ski Team and at 21 years old was ranked No. 3 in North America in moguls, but her Olympic dreams would go unrealized as she left the team to pursue other projects. This led her to what she thought would be a year sabbatical in LA.
Bloom was finishing her degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and was in the process of applying to top tier Law Schools, when her assistant job turned her into an accidental entrepreneur, running one of the most exclusive, high-stakes underground poker games in the world, pulling in as much as $4 million per year. What happened next is where her story truly begins. The film Molly’s Game, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, stars Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Jessica Chastain (as Molly), Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Brian d’Arcy James, and Chris O’Dowd. Featured on Daily Hive and the New York Times as a ‘must watch’ movie, Molly’s Game is now available to stream on YouTube TV.
Bloom has appeared on numerous shows and in media outlets such as Ellen, Vice, The Los Angeles Times, NPR, Vulture, and has been asked to speak at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, for companies like Blackrock Financial, SiriusXM Radio, and delivered the 2018 commencement speech at Colorado State University.
Currently, Molly is focusing her energy on uplifting and mentoring other women after having been the mentee of amazing, dynamic women herself. In 2020, she launched the One World Group to support women facing various challenges, especially those exacerbated by the global pandemic. In 2022, she launched TORCHED, a new podcast about Olympic controversies.
Fortune 1000 Events - Since 2021 began, Molly Bloom has given keynote presentations to Fortune 1000 companies Comcast (three times!) and US Bank.
Kelly McDonald
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Kelly McDonald is considered one of the nation’s top experts in leadership, marketing, the customer experience and consumer trends. Her client experience includes brands such as Toyota, IIABA, NASA, Kimberly-Clark, Nike, Harley-Davidson, Great Clips, Miller Beer, and Sherwin-Williams. Kelly was named one of the “10 Most Booked Speakers in the U.S.” and ranked #1 on the list of “25 Hot Speakers” by Successful Meetings Magazine. She has been featured on CNBC, in Forbes, INC. Magazine, BusinessWeek, CEO World, Fast Company, and more. She is the author of four bestselling books. Her newest, It’s Time to Talk about Race at Work: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is one of the top Bestselling Business Books in the U.S.
Justin Forsett
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Undersized and overmatched, at 5'8" Justin Forsett had plenty of reasons to give up on becoming a full-time NFL starter. It wasn't until 2014 at age 29 that Forsett "came out of nowhere" and proved them all wrong.
Forsett spent parts of four seasons (2008-11) with Seattle and the 2012 season with the Texans. He played in nine games for the Jaguars in 2013 before injuring his foot, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. Forsett spent more than two seasons with the Ravens, including one Pro Bowl year in which he took the league by storm in 2014. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2015 following his most successful season in the NFL, and ranked #65 on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2015.
After breaking his arm midway through the 2105 season, recovering, and playing just nine more games with the Ravens, the Detroit Lions, and the Denver Broncos, Forsett announced his retirement from the NFL on May 3, 2017.
Justin, however, will be defined by much more than his stats. Justin was a cherished fan favorite and big part of the community. He spent much of his time spreading advice and encouragement to his teammates and anyone he worked with. A Christian man of integrity, he was extremely active in volunteering to help those in need, the Baltimore community in particular, who embraced him back.
When speaking to audiences, Justin has a genuine desire to positively impact others with his message of perseverance through life’s disappointments. His witty and down-to-earth personality engages audiences from corporate environments to youth groups as he shares his inspirational journey of hope, focus, determination, and the importance of legacy.
Vinh Giang
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With only 6 months to graduate, Vinh Giang left his degree in commerce and law to become an online magic teacher ultimately building a hugely successful online business, 52kards, which now serves over 800,000 students all around the world. This earned him the award of Top Young Entrepreneur in Australia.
Vinh Giang’s real magic journey began when he finally understood what Robert Houdin (an amazing magician) meant when he said: “A magician is an actor playing the part of the magician.” Once Vinh understood the meaning behind this quote, he focused all his energy on studying the art of performance and not the art of presentation. He has spent the last 15 years mastering the art of performance-enhanced communication, helping thousands of professionals worldwide to learn these skills.
Vinh is also the CEO of Luminary Productions which produces exceptional video for individuals and companies all around the globe.
Vinh’s presentation will bring out the magic in you!
Michael Uslan
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In an inspiring program, Uslan takes audiences along on the journey of creating his career to bringing Batman successfully to the big screen. He shares the principles that allowed him to persevere despite repeated rejection and encourages audiences everywhere to reach for their dreams and believe in themselves.
In a different program specifically aimed at corporations, guilds, and business conferences, Uslan uses Batman to discuss the need for the spirit of entrepreneurship and the critical importance of branding and re-branding in business today, and how we all personally need to adapt that concept to our own lives by periodically reinventing ourselves.
In a third program, Uslan addresses the founders of the comic book industry and how, not coincidentally, the majority of them are Jewish immigrants or first generation American Jews. Personally familiar with these legends, Uslan shares their anecdotes and also reveals the connection between the super-heroes created by these men and women and Jewish lore and tradition—i.e. how The Golem spawned The Hulk and just how similar Superman and Moses really are.
Proven to deliver what USA Today hailed as one of the top 10 commencement addresses of all time at Indiana University, Michael Uslan is sure to capture your audience with his devotion and intellect, and inspire them with the wonder and promise of comics universe.
Edgar Perez
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Global executives have come to appreciate Edgar Perez for his wide-ranging insights on how they can spark innovation in their organizations, through strong leadership and a comprehensive approach that leverages creativity and disruptive technologies. Mr. Perez is articulate and deeply versed in artificial intelligence, generative AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.
Known for authoring Knightmare on Wall Street:The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets (2013), and The Speed Traders: An Insider’s Look at the New High-Frequency Trading Phenomenon That is Transforming the Investing World, published in English by McGraw-Hill Inc. (2011), 交易快手, published in Mandarin by China Financial Publishing House (2012), Mr. Perez has brought together his latest research and insights with the publication of The AI Breakthrough:How Artificial Intelligence is Advancing Deep Learning and Revolutionizing Your World (2018).
Mr. Perez has consulted for private equity and hedge funds, is Council Member at the Gerson Lehrman Group, Guidepoint Global Advisors, and Internal Consulting Group. Mr. Perez was also a vice president at Citigroup, a senior consultant at IBM, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co. in New York City. Previously, he managed Operations and Technology for Peruval Finance. Mr. Perez has an undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Lima, Peru (1994), a Master of Administration from Universidad ESAN, Lima, Peru (1997) and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School, New York, with a dual major in Finance and Management (2002). He belongs to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society.
Mr. Perez has addressed thousands of top executives around the world through keynote speeches and corporate training programs on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, deep learning, cybersecurity and financial trading. He contributes to The New York Times and China’s Sina Finance.
Cindy Whitehead
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Cindy Whitehead shares insights designed to help others shatter the “pink ceiling,” put the power of choice in women’s hands, and achieve breakthrough success for women in business.
Self-made, stiletto-strapping, and unapologetically pink, Cindy has built two businesses from the ground up and sold them for industry record-setting returns. An acclaimed entrepreneur, she is the co-founder and former CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, known for developing Addyi, the first-ever FDA-approved female sexual desire enhancer, a.k.a. “female Viagra.” She sold Sprout for $1 billion in 2015. Prior to Sprout, she was the co-founder of Slate Pharmaceuticals, which redefined long-acting testosterone treatment for men.
Her latest venture is The Pink Ceiling, which focuses on solving problems for women by mentoring, investing in, launching, and building other women-led or -focused businesses. Fortune has called her “a tireless force of nature” and Entrepreneur Magazine featured her on the cover of its 2016 "Women to Watch" issue.
Now Cindy is paying it forward by inspiring current and future entrepreneurs to create meaningful change for women by seeking out real solutions to real problems. With a proven track record of innovation in healthcare, a motivating, get-it-done perspective, and experience with regulatory approvals, audiences find her insights on breaking down social barriers and busting through ceilings critical to fueling success and achieving breakthroughs for women everywhere.
Jonathan F. P. Rose
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Jonathan F.P. Rose’s business, public policy and not-for-profit work focus on creating a more environmentally, socially and economically responsible world. In 1989, Mr. Rose founded Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, a multi-disciplinary real estate development, planning, consulting and investment firm. The firm has completed $2.3 billion of transformational work, in close collaboration with cities and not-for-profits. Mr. Rose is a thought leader in a wide range of urban issues, and the development of communities of opportunity. He has received the MIT’s Visionary Leadership Award, The Urban Land Institute’s global award for Excellence and many other awards for his work.
Mr. Rose’s book on how to create resilient cities, The Well Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations and Human Behavior Teach us About the Future of Urban Life, was published by Harper Wave in 2016, and won the 2017 PROSE Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work by a Trade Publisher.
Mr. Rose is a Trustee of Enterprise Community Partners and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects and Honorary Trustee of the American Museum of Natural History and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Mr. Rose plays bass and blues harp.
Mr. Rose and his wife Diana Calthorpe Rose are the co-founders of the Garrison Institute and serve on its Board. The Institute connects inner transformation with outer solutions to relieve suffering in the fields of trauma, education and the environment.
Mr. Rose graduated from Yale University in 1974 with a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, and received a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980.
Harry G. Broadman
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At the vanguard of his generation 38 years ago, Harry Broadman began a career focused on investment opportunities and risks in emerging markets. Today, he’s globally known as a venerable practitioner of the design and execution of novel ‘first-mover’ strategies in such markets to achieve rapid business growth and rigorous risk-mitigation—strategies that focus on building durable cross-border trade and investment transactions, potent strategic partnerships, agile supply chains, robust corporate governance, tough financial compliance and anti-corruption controls, and incentives for sustained innovation.
Re-inventing himself multiple times across greatly differentiated senior roles in the private sector as a CEO, private equity investor, expert witness, management consultant and board director—interspersed with stints as a high-level White House trade negotiator and economic official and Senate committee professional staff member—he emerged as an authority on the fundamental drivers of the transformation world markets experienced (and continue to do so) long before the term "globalization" was ever uttered.
Harry has worked on the ground in more than 85 emerging markets across 5 continents, including China, India and the rest of Asia; much of Latin America; Russia and the Former Soviet Union; Eastern & Central Europe; the Balkans and Turkey; most of Africa; and much of the Middle East.
He’s advised entities such as IBM, Coke, CEMEX, Canon, Exxon, TPG, Valmet, KIA, ITW, Carlyle, PPG, Corning, Heineken, Merck, Mahindra, Walmart, Deere, Mars, Avon, Canadian Pension Bd, Intel, GE, Future Fund, ADIA, ICANN, Temasek, Berkshire Hathaway, McCormick, SunEdison, Westinghouse, Dow, Siemens, Standard Chartered, Microsoft, Apollo, Tyco, Caterpillar, Nike, Pfizer, Hilton, Blackstone, and Jaguar.
As a speaker, Harry brings to audiences a unique combination of fundamentally insightful views and operational lessons about the ways is which market and policy dynamics will impact C-suites, boards, managers and workers as well as suppliers and customers, and how they’ll alter business fortunes.
Harry has the rare ability to frame such effects from a genuinely prospective vantage point rather than conventional rear-view mirror extrapolations, and through a prism incorporating intrinsic non-linearities of market changes. And, all done in a highly entertaining mode, infused with his infectious sense of humor.
Greg Norman
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Arguably the most successful athlete-turned-businessman in the world, Greg Norman is known as much for his entrepreneurial spirit in the boardroom as his dominance on the golf course. The internationally renowned “Great White Shark” won more than 90 tournaments worldwide, including two Open Championships, and he holds the distinction of defending his No. 1 position in the world golf rankings for 331 weeks, the second-longest reign in history. As one of the most prolific players in the game’s history, his career culminated in 2001 when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame with a higher percentage of votes than any other inductee in history.
Greg Norman now transcends the game of golf, with over a dozen companies around the world bearing his name and the iconic shark logo as part of the Greg Norman Company, which he leads as Chairman & CEO. His internationally recognized brand boasts more than 100 golf course designs across six continents, a global real estate collection, award-winning wine, golf-inspired lifestyle apparel and a diverse investment division. Across all facets of business, the Greg Norman brand consistently delivers the quality that his name is synonymous with and continues to inspire people to attack life.
Isaac Lidsky
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“Isaac Lidsky may possess the most eclectic resume in business,” according to Inc. Magazine. He is the CEO and co-founder of ODC Construction (Florida’s largest residential shell contractor) and author of the New York Times best-selling book Eyes Wide Open: Overcoming Obstacles and Recognizing Opportunities in a World That Can’t See Clearly (March 14, 2017, Penguin Random House). A dynamic speaker whose viral TED Talk reached more than 1 million views in 20 days, and a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude), Isaac is the only blind person to serve as a Law Clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court. As a child actor, he played “Weasel” on NBC’s “Saved By The Bell: The New Class.”
Dispelling any notion of disability, or the acceptance of self-imposed limitations among any of us, Isaac has forged a true vision for leading and living Eyes Wide Open and mastering your own reality. In his talks to corporate audiences, entrepreneurs and associations around the world, Isaac provides his philosophy and actionable principles for individuals and leaders to build more accountability and courage into how they interact and engage with themselves, others, the world and their highest aspirations.
Georgia Dienst
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Georgia is a deeply humanitarian futurist, disruptor and business entrepreneur with a strong notion that we can create radically positive change in the world through science, technology and business.
Having worked with companies like Youtube, Google X, Singularity University as well as many global brands and start-ups, she has deep insight into future trends and how these are affecting business and the media landscape. Her passion lies in harnessing the power of brands and business to do good in the world.
Blake Masters
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Blake was a student at Stanford Law School in 2012 when his detailed notes on Peter Thiel’s (co-founder of PayPal) class “Computer Science 183: Startup” became an internet sensation. Masters and Thiel have transformed those class notes into a New York Times bestseller: “Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future.”
Everybody is in favor of innovation in the abstract, yet few people actually engage in the kind of sustained, original, and independent thinking that innovation requires. Using insights learned from working closely with Silicon Valley’s best entrepreneurs and investors, Blake helps companies work through the tough questions that can help orient them toward creating new value in the future instead of merely copying what’s worked in the past.
Aaron Ross
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Aaron Ross is the best-selling author of Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business into a Sales Machine With The $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com. Called “The Sales Bible of the Silicon Valley,” the book has been #1 on amazon’s telemarketing list for over 2 years. His newest book, From Impossible To Inevitable: How Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue, details the hypergrowth playbook of companies like the record-breaking Zenefits (which skyrocketed from $1 million to $100 million in two years), Salesforce.com (the fastest growing multibillion dollar software company), and EchoSign—aka Adobe Document Services—(which catapulted from $0 to $144 million in seven years). Whether you have a $1 billion or a $100,000 business, you can use the same insights as these notable companies to learn what it really takes to break your own revenue records.
Matthew Luhn
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Matthew Luhn, Former Pixar Story Artist, is a writer, story consultant, creative writing instructor and keynote speaker with over 25 years' experience creating stories and characters at Pixar Animation Studios, The Simpsons, and beyond.
Matthew trains Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, and other professionals on how to craft and tell stories that bridge the gap between business and heart to build stronger brands and business communication.
Matthew Luhn heard thousands of great ideas while working at Pixar, The Simpsons, and ILM, but how is it that some of these ideas make great movies and TV shows, while others don’t make the cut? The answer: the best innovators and directors have developed a process that focuses their team’s creativity into not only creating great ideas but also fleshing them out – something Matthew has experienced firsthand.
Tan Le
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Tan Le is an innovator, inventor & entrepreneur, and is the Founder and CEO of EMOTIV. Born in South Vietnam, Le migrated to Australia as a refugee with her family in 1981. In 1998, Le was named Young Australian of the Year and voted one of Australia’s 30 Most Successful Women Under 30. Le’s story was featured in the ‘Hope’ section of the Eternity Exhibition of the National Museum of Australia. Le has been featured in “Who’s Who in Australia” List since 1999, Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology in 2010 and Forbes’ 50 Names You Need to Know in 2011.
Jeff DeGraff
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Jeff DeGraff’s life reads like an innovation playbook. The pages are speckled with failures followed by great successes all because of the mantra adopted at an early age from icon Walt Disney: “Keep moving forward.” Jeff knows how to innovate because he has been through the wringer and rolled with the punches, each time adding a new, better, and cleverer play than the last to his dossier. Jeff’s creative and direct take on making innovation really happen have made him a world renowned thought leader and have prompted his clients and colleagues to dub him as "The Dean of Innovation".
Jeff has advised many of the world’s leading corporations, using the Competing Values Framework that he co-created, on how to grow, change and ultimately move forward to see positive results. Jeff’s clientele list reads as a ‘who’s who’ of the business world, boasting Eaton, American Airlines, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, General Electric, Prudential and Pfizer, all as happy customers. Clients call Jeff when they want to achieve a cultural change that leads to sustainable innovation and growth. Time and time again, clients have been enthralled and inspired by Jeff’s speaking abilities and unorthodox view of innovation. He commands the room as he combines theory and practice to instill the mindset needed to make innovation truly happen. Jeff’s ideas have gained such a following that he created the Innovatrium, an innovation institute in the heart of the University of Michigan’s campus.
Kaihan Krippendorff
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Kaihan Krippendorff has made a commitment to helping organizations and individuals thrive in today’s era of fast-paced disruptive technological change. He began his career as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company before founding the growth strategy and innovation consulting firm Outthinker, a community comprised of strategy executives from the world’s top F500 and private companies. Outthinker ideas have created $2.5 billion in revenue, and companies that participate in the Outthinker process grow 100-120% faster, thanks to Kaihan's game-changing insights that allow businesses to execute cutting-edge strategies to thrive in the new economy.
Krippendorff is a bestselling business author and member of the prestigious Thinkers50 Class of 2019 Radar group, a global selection of the top 30 management thinkers to follow and hear from in the coming year.
A sought after speaker and facilitator in a number of fields, including business strategy, disruptive growth strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and corporate entrepreneurship, Kaihan has served some of the largest corporations in the world, including Microsoft, ABC TV, Johnson & Johnson, and AIG. He is also an advisory board member for a blockchain-powered transportation platform, an international food processing/exporting company, and a B-corporation focused on sustainable products and lifestyle.
Whether delivering a keynote, or heading a workshop, anyone who has worked with Kaihan will mention the great lengths he goes to in order to customize his program to your industry and carefully select material that will resonate with the audience.
Eric Boles
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Eric Boles is the CEO and Founder of The Game Changers, Inc., a leadership training, and development company, headquartered in Lakewood, Washington. Eric is a noted global expert in talent development, change management, and cultural transformation. He is a thought leader in business strategies and provides in-depth coaching and consulting to help organizational leaders maximize their human asset and increase productivity and peak performance.
Eric is a graduate of Central Washington University. His community involvement includes serving on the Governance Board for the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap counties. Teaching Pastor at Life Center of Tacoma.
Recent client’s include State Farm Insurance, Bank of America, Astra Zeneca, Arch Capital, Mayo Clinic, Bridgestone, Planet Fitness, Eli Lilly, Subway, Sotheby’s Real Estate, BASF, Honeywell, Nationwide Insurance, AgReliant, NAPA Auto Parts, Staples, Simplot, Walser Automotive, Bristol Myers’s Squibb, GSK, The Leadership Institute, Express, and many others.
With his vast experience in corporate boardrooms as an executive coach and business consultant, Eric brings razor sharp insights and leadership strategies that have impacted the marketplace. His perspectives on managing and leading change, transforming culture and overcoming complacency are laced with practical tools and principles that can be applied both professionally and personally.
Prior to becoming a sought-after Speaker and Consultant, Eric learned many of his principles of peak performance, team dynamics and leadership from his experience as a Wide Receiver with the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
Eric is also an author of a book entitled Moving to Great…Unleashing Your Best in Life and Work.
Eric is a committed husband of over 25 years to his wife, Cindy Boles. He is a father to two adult daughters, Taylor Boles – 2020 Graduate of The University of Washington, and Madison Boles – Student Athlete at Colorado State University.
Vernice Armour
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Combat tests you. Being a beat cop tests you. Life tests you. Three brothers and being the only girl...tests you. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour has been tested her whole life. A gutsy trailblazer, her resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black female combat pilot. She served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter.
As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.
Agnia Grigas
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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.
Ken Hughes
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Ken Hughes is now acknowledged as being one of the world’s leading authorities on consumer and shopper behaviour, blending his understanding of consumer & cyber psychology, digital anthropology, behavioural economics and retail futurology to explore the needs of the new consumer and predict the changes to come.
Ken advises some of the biggest brands in the world on customer experience, omnichannel strategy, shopper marketing, retail trends, the millennial and Gen Z shopper and the peer-to-peer economy. As an accomplished author, TED speaker, part-time university professor and actor, his performances are not only insightful and thought-provoking, but are infamous for their sheer energy, entertainment and passion, not to mention his generous Irish wit.
Every year, Ken shares his thought-disrupting insight with tens of thousands of delegates globally as one of the most popular keynote speakers booked on the international conference circuit relating to the future of consumerism.
Adam Cheyer
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Best known as a creator of Siri, Apple’s AI assistant, Adam Cheyer is a visionary pioneer in AI and computer human interfaces, an inventor holding 39 patents, and an engineering executive. He is one of the world’s most authoritative and engaging speakers on AI, the future of technology, and entrepreneurship/building successful startups, appearing before audiences from Cisco, Google, Dell, Visa, and other leading companies.
Adam’s more than 30-year career has been marked by both commercial success and his passion to use technology to make the world a better place. He has been a co-founder or founding member of five successful startups, four of which were acquired for their breakthrough AI technology. These include Siri, (sold to Apple where, working alongside Steve Jobs, he led server-side engineering and AI for the Siri assistant), Viv Labs (sold to Samsung, where as VP R&D, Adam led product engineering and developer relations for Samsung’s voice assistant, Bixby), Sentient (massively distributed machine learning sold to Cognizant), and Gameplanner.AI (sold to Airbnb as their first acquisition as a public company). He also co-founded Change. org, the world’s largest petition platform, empowering more than 500 million people in 197 countries to drive change in their communities.
Currently, Adam is VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, where he is working to use generative AI to radically transform the platform into an intuitive “travel concierge.” He is also an advisor to several companies including Project Voice Capital Partners, Otter.ai, Riva Health, Evolv Technology, Disruptel (acquired by Samba TV), Brilliant Labs, AI Sprouts, and Spatial Labs. Previously, Adam was VP Engineering at Verticalnet (enterprise software) and Dejima (mobile software). Adam also spent more than a decade at SRI International, where his most recent role was as Chief Architect of CALO/PAL, the US government’s largest-ever funded AI project.
Joe Katz
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Joe Katz moved to Los Angeles from New York where he reported on fashion trends for ABC’s Ontheredcarpet.com, NBC LA and CBS 2. Joe contributed weekly to CBS Radio’s KFWB as well as Martha Stewart Radio on Sirius XM radio. You can read some of his celebrity fashion commentary in InTouch magazine, Life & Style magazine, Real Simple and OK Magazine. Joseph was the Fashion Expert at the Oscar Awards® reporting live from the Red Carpet for the Associated Press, as well as with CBS and CNN.
Joe has written fashion commentary on celebrity clients like Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, The Jonas Brothers, Blake Lively, Drew Barrymore, Kate Hudson, Ali Larter, Natalie Portman, Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson and Jordan Sparks.
Joe has been in the fashion industry for years. He got his start as an authority owning his own modeling agency. Joe worked closely placing models with some of the top modeling agencies in New York such as, Elite, Ford, Next, IMG, Wilhelmina and many more.
In New York, Joe worked with the top PR and advertising executives from Roberto Cavalli, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Diesel, Kenneth Cole, Armani Exchange and many others.
Joe’s passion for fashion and style along with his background in comedy, have made him the guy to watch for and listen to.
Dr. Mark van Rijmenam
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Dr. Mark van Rijmenam, CSP, renowned as The Digital Speaker, is a trailblazing strategic futurist and highly sought-after international keynote speaker. His unique ability to simplify intricate concepts and captivate audiences has inspired and enlightened over 100,000 managers, directors, and C-level executives across more than 25 countries on all continents. In 2023, he was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional and Global Speaking Fellow accreditations.
With a deep understanding of (generative) AI, blockchain, the metaverse, and other emerging technologies, Dr. Van Rijmenam is the trusted advisor to leading companies and governments seeking to innovate and thrive in the digital age.
Dr. Van Rijmenam holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, a Master of Science in Marketing Management, and a PhD in Management from the University of Technology Sydney. His research focuses on how organizations should navigate big data analytics, blockchain, and AI. He is a respected voice in the technology community and a member of the Professional Speaker Australia association and the Global Speakers Federation.
As a distinguished 5-time author and corporate educator, Dr. Van Rijmenam is celebrated for his candid, independent, and balanced insights. His engaging and thought-provoking presentations, webinars, workshops, and podcasts empower audiences to embrace the future and stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly changing digital world.
In his keynote speeches, Dr. Van Rijmenam explores the future of work, the role of the metaverse, generative AI, such as ChatGPT, and the importance of data-driven customer-centricity. He emphasizes the need for ethical applications of technology and helps organizations build trust while leveraging data for growth and innovation and governments while considering the human side of technology to ensure the ethical application of such digital tech.
Neel Doshi & Lindsay McGregor
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Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi are co-authors of the New York Times bestselling book, Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation and co-founders of startup, Vega Factor. Lindsay takes the reins as CEO of Vega Factor.
After decades of practical experience and study, Neel and Lindsay have developed the science of high performing cultures. What is unique about their work is they have developed a quantifiable approach that explicitly links culture with performance. Their work isn't theoretical only. Leading organizations are putting into practice the methodology described in their New York Times bestselling book, Primed to Perform.
In Lindsay and Neel's work, they have concluded that why someone works, drives how well they work. In other words, a person's motive for their work is the driver of their adaptive performance. Three motives increase performance while three motives decrease performance. Neel and Lindsay can unequivocally prove this perspective with live audience engagement, company data, current events (like Wells Fargo) and experiments. In their talk, they share alternatives that are proven to build high performing cultures.
Tal Ben-Shahar
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*In partnership with Speaking Matters
Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer who taught the most popular course at Harvard University on "Positive Psychology," and the university's third most popular course on "The Psychology of Leadership" — with a total of more than 1,400 students.
In 2022, he designed and launched the world’s first Master’s Degree in Happiness Studies in collaboration with Centenary University.
Ben-Shahar consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporations, the general public, and at-risk populations. Topics include leadership, ethics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness.
His most recent books are Happier, No Matter What: Cultivating Hope, Resilience, and Purpose in Hard Times and Happiness Studies. He is also the author of The Joy of Leadership: How Positive Psychology Can Maximize Your Impact (and Make You Happier) in a Challenging World, the New York Times bestseller Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, and others.
Ben-Shahar is a serial entrepreneur and is the co-founder and chief learning officer of the Happiness Studies Academy (HSA), Potentialife, Maytiv, and Happier.TV.
An avid sportsman, Ben-Shahar won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.
Sheila Heen
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Sheila Heen is a founder of Triad Consulting Group and a lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School.
Heen’s corporate clients include MITRE, BAE Systems, HSBC, Tatweer of Dubai, Unilever, the Federal Reserve Bank, Standard Bank of South Africa, Merck, and numerous family businesses. She often works with executive teams, helping them to work through conflict, repair working relationships, and make sound decisions together. In the public sector, she has also provided training for the New England Organ Bank, the Singapore Supreme Court, the Obama White House, and theologians struggling with disagreement over the nature of truth and God.
Heen has spent the last 20 years with the Harvard Negotiation Project, developing negotiation theory and practice. She specializes in particularly difficult negotiations—where emotions run high and relationships become strained. Heen is co-author of the New York Times business best sellers Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Penguin 2000), and Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It’s Off-Base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered and Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood) (Viking/Penguin 2014).
One of the side benefits of writing Difficult Conversations has been the chance to appear on shows as diverse as Oprah and The G. Gordon Liddy Show, NPR’s Diane Rehms Show, FOX News, and CNBC’s Power Lunch.
Heen is a graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles, and Harvard Law School. She is schooled in negotiation daily by her three children.
Betty Liu
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Ms. Liu is an accomplished entrepreneur, business leader and journalist with unmatched access to C-suite executives across a variety of industries, particularly in Asia. She is also author of two books including Work Smarts: What CEOs Say You Need to Know to Get Ahead.
She most recently served as the Executive Vice Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and Chief Experience Officer for NYSE’s parent company, ICE (NYSE:ICE). While at the exchange, Ms. Liu was actively involved in more than 25 initial public offerings, including some of the largest listings in recent history like Uber, Pinterest and Tencent Music Entertainment. She also founded the NYSE Board Advisory Council which brought together CEOs of companies like Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Procter & Gamble, and Goldman Sachs to advance diversity in the boardroom. The Council is still going strong and has placed multiple women and minorities on major public company boards.
Ms. Liu also has extensive experience raising public and private capital. She founded the special purpose acquisition company D and Z Media Acquisition, whose IPO was ten times oversubscribed and was traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:DNZ). Ms Liu also founded the ed-tech company Radiate, which raised two rounds of venture capital before being bought in 18 months by ICE in 2018.
Prior to her business career, Ms. Liu was an award-winning journalist for over 25 years, and is best known for serving as a leading anchor and editor-at-large at Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio in New York City. Ms. Liu hosted “In the Loop” and developed several franchises including “Titans at the Table,” which featured leaders in finance, capital markets, entertainment, and business, reaching over 340 million viewers globally.
Giuliana Rancic
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Giuliana Rancic is an entertainment journalist, author, fashion and beauty expert and television personality with over 3 million devoted followers on Twitter, 3 million on Instagram and 10 million followers across her social media platforms. Dynamic and highly sought after as a world-renowned speaker, Giuliana travels the world focusing on topics that continue to inspire and motivate audiences of all sizes.
Giuliana was the host of the internationally watched entertainment news show, E! News, and was on the red carpet for every mega-event in the entertainment industry (Oscars, Grammy Awards, Golden Globes) interviewing the stars and getting breaking Hollywood scoop as well as all things pop culture. In 2021, she announced a new development deal with E!'s parent company, NBCUniversal, where she will produce and bring stories to life.
Giuliana is also a fashion designer, having one of the most successful clothing lines on HSN called G by Giuliana. She is also a restaurateur, as the "R" in the popular restaurant group RPM Italian and RPM Steak. Most recently, she announced the launch of Giuliana Prosecco available at Total Wine and Target.
In 2012, Rancic released her second book, I Do, Now What? Published by Random House. Giuliana co-authored the book with her husband, Bill Rancic. Giuliana most recently released her highly anticipated memoir, Going Off Script, also with Random House. The book debuted on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
In 2011, Giuliana was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and underwent a double mastectomy that same year. Following her treatment, she created “Fab-U-Wish,” a program to grant fashion, beauty and celebrity-themed wishes to women battling breast cancer. This program is just one aspect of her ongoing mission to help those going through hardships to find happiness and a positive outlook on life. Others include The Pink Agenda, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Operation Smile, Dress For Success, and the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Giuliana and Bill Rancic
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Most people are familiar with this couple from watching their life stories unfold during their seven year stint as reality stars on the Giuliana and Bill show. Dynamic and highly sought after as speakers, Giuliana and Bill travel around the world focusing on topics that continue to inspire and motivate audiences of all sizes.
Giuliana is a force both on-camera and off. Giuliana is a leader in the fashion industry with her continued success of her clothing line G by Giuliana as well as her home goods line August & Leo on HSN.
Continuing his commitment to entrepreneurship, Bill speaks to business, organizations and universities. His formula for success is sought out by major corporations throughout the world.
Together Bill and Giuliana are partners in the RPM Restaurant Group located in Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. as well as partners in Giuliana Prosecco.
They are involved in many Breast Cancer Charity Organizations as well as the Mercy Home for Boys in Chicago. Bill and Giuliana currently reside in Austin Texas with their 10 year old son Duke.
Jerry Michalski & April Rinne
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Everywhere we look, the economy is changing. Growth doesn't look like it used to. Work and the workplace have turned upside down. Business leaders and policy makers are wondering what to do. And it's still early, with even more change on the horizon.
Jerry Michalski and April Rinne are here to help you navigate this space, both today and moving forward.
Together and individually, they have seen these forces at work and helped birth new industries. From microfinance to tech booms (and busts), from the sharing economy to automation, and from new business models to trust-driven innovation, each of them has been at the 50 yard line in the very early stages of some of the most important transformations of the last three decades. They love what they do, and when they do it together, more than doubling the value they bring to the table.
They’re great at trailblazing and they love helping others forge profitable new paths.
Nataly Kogan
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A leading expert on leadership and thriving, Nataly Kogan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur whose superpower is helping people to reinvent their stories and unlock their best, thriving selves.
Nataly immigrated to the US as a refugee from the former Soviet Union when she was 13 years old. Starting her American life in the projects and on welfare, she learned English by watching “Who’s the Boss?” on repeat.
She went on to reach the highest levels of career success at McKinsey and Microsoft, as a Managing Director at a venture capital fund, and as founder or executive at 5 startups and tech companies.
But after years of chasing a non-existent state of nirvana, Nataly suffered a debilitating burnout that led her to find a new way to live and work. Nataly founded Happier Inc., whose gratitude-sharing mobile app, courses, Happier @ Work, and leadership programs have helped more than a million people lead more fulfilling lives.
She is a sought-after international keynote speaker and has appeared in hundreds of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and TIME.
Nataly is the author of Happier Now, The Awesome Human Project, and The Awesome Human Journal, and hosts The Awesome Human Podcast, which people call their “best-self hour.”
Nataly began painting when she turned 40 and is a self-taught abstract artist. She is passionate about the power of art to fuel our wellbeing and often integrates it in her speaking and mentorship work.
She loves yellow, overuses the word “awesome”, and is the funniest person in her family. (Just ask her husband and daughter, her favorite awesome humans.)
For more, visit natalykogan.com.
Dave Zilko
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Dave Zilko founded his first specialty food company more than 20 years ago on a $2,500 credit card loan. While today Dave remains an equity partner in several food-oriented enterprises, he recently exited active involvement in the industry when he engineered the sale of Garden Fresh Gourmet, makers of the number one brand of fresh salsa in North America, to the Campbell’s Soup Company for $231 million. Dave was a partner at Garden Fresh for 13 years, serving as Vice Chairman with primary responsibility for strategy and sales.
Today Dave has an equity stake in and is CEO of FUEL Leadership—a digital media property that also organizes business events featuring an exclusive list of rock star-level speakers—a roster that spans the spectrum from business to entertainment.
Dave is also an operating partner at Huron Capital, a Detroit-based private equity firm with over $1 billion under management. He serves on the boards of the $60 million Grow Michigan venture fund, of Jimmy Buffett's charitable foundation, "Singing for Change," and is on the executive board of the largest food rescue organization in the country, Forgotten Harvest. Dave graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in finance and earned a Master of Business Administration in marketing from The George Washington University.
Charlie Miller
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Recognized globally for his ability to identify vulnerabilities in consumer products, Dr. Charlie Miller is "one of the most technically proficient hackers on Earth", according to Foreign Policy.com.
A Principal Autonomous Vehicle Security Architect at Cruise Automation and the former head of the autonomous vehicle security division at Didi Chuxing, Dr. Miller has made waves within the field of automotive security for his work alongside research partner, Chris Valasek.
Dr. Miller previously helped secure Uber’s self-driving car fleet. Before that he served on Twitter’s computer security team after five years as a computer hacker for the National Security Agency. The 4-time winner of the “Super Bowl” of computer hacking, the annual Pwn2Own competition, Dr. Miller has publicly demonstrated many security exploits, specifically of Apple products and is the first person to remotely hack the iPhone, as well as the Android smartphone (on the day it was released).
He is the co-author of three books, including iOS Hacker’' Handbook, and has been featured in a range of media outlets, including NBC, ABC, CNN, NPR, CNBC, The New York Times, USA Today and Forbes.
Mallory Brown
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Mallory Brown is an impact storyteller. She travels the world to tell real-life stories of human connection. Her goal is to connect audiences to incredible causes and provide a direct means to help. At the age of 33, Mallory has explored over 50 countries and pioneered a new, engaging form of philanthropy. Her story inspires others to live a passionate, generous, and global life.
In eight years of storytelling, Mallory has helped thousands of generous donors directly reach people in need. She speaks to audiences across the globe about the power of empathy and how one individual can truly make a difference in the world. Her efforts have been featured by the Today Show, The New York Times, Crain's Detroit Business, the Huffington Post, and Cosmopolitan magazine.
Erik Qualman
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#1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 50 countries and reached 25 million people this decade. He was voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.
His entertaining, educating, and empowering style is made possible by his revolutionary video-storytelling capability. Qualman is the chairman of Equalman Studios which has produced film and animation projects for the likes of Disney, Cartier, IBM, and many other global brands. His business books are used in over 200 universities and have been translated into 8 languages. He has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs. NYU Stern signified Qualman is to digital leadership what Deming is to quality and Drucker is to management.
Anders Sorman-Nilsson
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As the Swedish-Australian founder of Thinque, Anders Sorman-Nilsson (LLB MBA) has become a valued strategist to Fortune 500s and ASX leaders, converting provocative questions into proactive, predictive strategies. A global thought leader since 2005, Anders works across four continents as a speaker, futurist and author.
Anders is an active member of TEDGlobal and has keynoted at TEDx in the United States and Australia, was nominated for the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader in 2015, and was the keynote speaker at the G20's Y20 Summit in Australia. His presentations are meticulously researched, highly energetic and always fascinating with content tailored to the audience, which is why clients like Apple, Cisco, Mercedes Benz, Hilton, SAP, Gartner and Macquarie Bank have turned to Anders over the years to help them to push the bounds of the status quo -- translating research into valuable foresight and business impact.
Featured regularly in international media including Monocle, Business Insider, Sky News Business, CIO Magazine and BOSS, Anders has authored two books; Digilogue: how to win the digital minds and analogue hearts of tomorrow’s customer and Thinque Funky: upgrade your thinking. His new book is out and it is called: Seamless: A Hero's Journey of Digital Disruption, Adaptation and Human Transformation.
Cheryl Cran
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Named as a #1 future of work influencer, Cheryl Cran engages audiences on the trends and technologies shaping the future workplace today, the strategies to proactively map the future as a leader, and how to create agile, flexible and innovative teams to meet the real-time disruptions and demands of fast changing world.
CEO of parent company Synthesis at Work Inc. and founder of NextMapping™/NextMapping.com - a business solution brand that encompasses all of Cheryl’s work and research on the future of work and the leadership needed to navigate change in the workplace - Cheryl has built a reputation over two decades for delivering extraordinary value to clients that include AT&T, Bell Mobility, Omnitel, Gartner, British Telcomm, Manulife, as well as mid-sized companies and entrepreneurs in industries that include technology, health, agriculture, finance, insurance and more.
The common theme of all of Cheryl’s life’s work is a ‘people first’ and digital second approach to create a more human future, helping companies to build the leadership capacity needed to 'change the world' through business. Her future of work thought leadership has been featured in publications such as Huff Post, Forbes, IABC Magazine, Law Magazine, Metro New York, Entrepreneur Magazine, Readers Digest, CBS Online, NBC Online, Fox Online and more. Cran is the author of 7 books on the ultimate leadership skills needed to be future of work ready, including NextMapping - Anticipate, Navigate & Create The Future of Work and her new book Super, Crucial, Human. She is the creator and host of the podcast NextNow - Future of All Things.
As one of the most dynamic female innovation keynote speakers, Cran delivers true value to leaders and teams by helping them transform their thinking from linear to creative and drive innovation for themselves and for their company. Her clients describe her as ‘the best’ at providing context and solutions for a fast changing future in a vibrant and interactive keynote speech delivery style.
Peter Thum
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A pioneer who has used his keen entrepreneurial skills to build three businesses founded on advancing a social mission, Peter Thum is a leader in creating businesses that do good while doing well.
As the founder of Ethos™ Water, Peter Thum turned his idea of getting clean water to children into a successful social venture that was acquired by Starbucks, that has changed an industry, generated millions of dollars and changed hundreds of thousands of lives. In building a brand, a business and a self-funding philanthropic engine directly connecting consumption to a related social mission, Thum forged new ground and created a model that others have followed.
Thum co-founded and is the CEO of Fonderie 47, an organization that is taking AK-47s from war zones in Africa, turning them into watches, jewelry and accessories with proceeds funding weapon destruction in war-torn regions of Africa, destroying over 45,000 assault rifles to date. More recently, Thum founded and is the CEO of Liberty United, which recycles illegal guns from American cities into jewelry that funds programs to reduce gun violence and give children opportunities to learn and play. From thriving in a competitive business environment to showing the importance of finding your passion in life, Thum inspires audiences with his remarkable story of seeing wrongs in the world and using his drive and business acumen to right them.
Brian Forde
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Brian is the CEO and co-founder of Numero, a start-up building FinTech software for political campaigns. He was a candidate for United States Congress from 2017 – 2018 and was one the top ten fundraisers in the country for first-time candidates including raising more money in cryptocurrency than any other political candidate in history. Prior to his run, Brian was the Director of the Digital Currency Initiative at the famed MIT Media Lab where he was named the second most influential person in world on bitcoin and blockchain and helped to educate Heads of State, including his former boss, President Barack Obama, Fortune 500 CEOs, and thousands of others as they race to get up to speed before bitcoin and the blockchain disrupt their organizations.
Previously, Brian served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House and founded one of the largest phone companies in Nicaragua after serving as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer. For his work, Brian was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Graduate of the Last Decade by the London Business School, and 40 under 40 Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.
Bill Benjamin
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Engaging and dynamic... you’d never know he is a math and computer guy!
Bill Benjamin has over 25 years of business experience and has provided his expertise on performance and leadership with diverse groups in many high pressure environments, including the U.S. Marines, NASA, Intel, Goldman Sachs and Surgeons!
Bill is a partner at the Institute for Health & Human Potential. IHHP is a world leader in developing and delivering unique training programs that help people perform and lead under pressure. IHHP’s recently released book: Performing Under Pressure, The Science of Doing Your Best When it Matters Most has become a NY Times bestseller as well as being named by INC magazine as one the top 10 business books of the year.
Bill knows first-hand the importance of having to perform under pressure: he is a recovering mathematics major (pause).... He is also a former sales and marketing executive in the IT industry, and has received direct feedback from his wife and his two young daughters that being smart is not enough to succeed at work or at home!
Bill was born in Canada, lives in suburban Chicago, and travels the world helping others learn his hard earned wisdom into the one quality that will make each of us better leaders – our ability to perform under pressure.
Ashish J. Thakkar
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Ashish J. Thakkar is the Executive Chairman of Mara Sokoni, an African e-commerce platform with a focus on B2C marketplace for general merchandise. He is also the Founder of Mara Group and Mara Foundation. Ashish has driven the growth of the Mara Group from a small IT business in Uganda to the globally recognized multi-sector investment group that exists today. Through its investments, Mara Group now employs over 11,000 people across 25 African countries in sectors spanning technology, banking, real estate and infrastructure. Ashish serves as Chair of the United Nations Foundation, Global Entrepreneurs Council and is the author of The Lion Awakes: Adventures in Africa’s Economic Miracle.
Vivek Wadhwa
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Technology is creating the most exciting innovations the world has ever seen. It is also causing anxiety about our future. Navigating technological change at light speed is much harder if you don't have a trusted Sherpa to be your guide. Vivek Wadhwa has become a globally respected voice on advancing technologies and innovation.
Vivek's background is impressive -- an Entrepreneur, Academic, Author, Keynote Speaker wrapped into a wonderfully vibrant and charismatic package. His research is focused on the critical advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, computing, synthetic biology, 3D printing, medicine, and nanomaterials, and how these advances are creating disruptive changes for companies, industries, governments and the culture at large.
Vivek Wadhwa is a must-see speaker, and leaders come away with concrete insights that they can apply immediately.
Mick Ebeling
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Recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award and listed as one of the world’s most influential creative people by The Creativity 50’s , Mick Ebeling has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation. As a career producer and filmmaker and now founder and CEO of Not Impossible, Ebeling harvests the power of technology and story to change the world.
Ebeling founded Not Impossible, a multiple award-winning social innovation lab and production company, on the premise that nothing is impossible. His mantra of “commit, then figure it out” allows him to convene a disparate team of hackers, doers, makers and thinkers to create devices that better the world by bringing accessibility for all.
Named one of Wired’s ‘Agents of Change’, a two-time SXSW innovation of the year award winner, a two-time Tribeca Disruptor innovation winner, a fellow with The Nantucket Project , and recipient of every major creative and advertising award, Ebeling is on a mission to provide “Technology for the Sake of Humanity.”
Marc Randolph
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Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor and investor. Marc was co-founder of the online movie and television streaming service Netflix, serving as their founding CEO, as the executive producer of their web site, and as a member of their board of directors until his retirement from Netflix in 2004.
He is a frequent speaker at industry events, works extensively with young entrepreneur programs, and is a trustee of the non-profit National Outdoor Leadership School. Marc’s general themes are strongly entrepreneurial but his message resonates just as well with corporate CEOs as it does with students and early stage entrepreneurs. His experience as a six-time founder allows him to speak with authority not only about how companies get started, but about how businesses of any size can better foster innovation and more effectively turn ideas into realities.
Mark Thompson
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New York Times bestselling author Mark C. Thompson is a leadership coach for the world’s fastest growing, most innovative companies—from LYFT CEO & Cofounder Logan Green, Pinterest Cofounder Evan Sharp and World Bank CEO Dr. Jim Kim, to founders Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Tony Robbins and Charles Schwab, for whom he served as the world’s first CXO—Chief Customer Experience Officer.
Forbes Magazine says Mark has the ‘Midas’ touch as a sought after coach, speaker and venture investor. His New York Times bestselling books include: ADMIRED: 21 Ways to Double Your Value; Now Build a Great Business; and Success Built to Last - Creating a Life that Matters, Mark is also an Innovation Leadership columnist for Forbes.com, Inc.com and FastCompany.com. His most recent bestseller ADMIRED is a primer on how the world’s “Most Admired Companies” achieve long-term success and growth as well as the qualities that are common to “Most Admired Leaders”.
Mark was Charles Schwab’s former Chief of Staff and Chief Customer Experience Officer, and the Executive Producer of Schwab.com which today has assets over $3 Trillion. He is a co-founding advisor of Sir Richard Branson’s Entrepreneurship Centres.
Dr. Thompson is an expert on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation who has spent over 25 years leading teams and building companies from the ground up. He delivers actionable, valuable and practical advice for leaders at all levels of an organization.
Julie Williamson
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Dr. Williamson is a Vice President of Strategy and Research for Karrikins Group, where she has worked with some of the world's largest companies, helping them set and execute on strategy and transformation. She is a leading voice in how organizations link together communication, design, strategy, sales, marketing and service to deliver sustainable growth. She uses both traditional and forward looking resources in her strategy and transformation work, leveraging design thinking to help client arrive at solutions that are informed by data and inspired by creativity.
Her work with Peter Sheahan on the recently released book MATTER: Create more value, move beyond the competition, and become the obvious choice highlights Julie’s commitment to working with clients to find and deliver on opportunities for growth and development.
Julie is an educator and a professional, teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses on organizational strategy, behavior, and change, and helping students connect the theoretical concepts to real-world applications. Her work with knowledge management and leadership development has been put to the test with Fortune 100 companies and stands well outside of the classroom.
Jenn Lim
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Jenn Lim wears a lot of hats — literally and figuratively. She’s a bestselling author and has been named one of the World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers. She’s had the privilege of leading a company to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing List, sitting on the Global Happiness Council of Work & Wellbeing, and working with hundreds of companies — from Fortune 500s and Best Places to Work to startups and governments
Jenn’s approach to leadership is not for the faint of heart. She speaks the truth powered by a real-talk style that doesn’t shy away from tough topics, cuts through the fluff, and gets to what matters most. Her authentic approach and eons of experience in people, culture, and org design give her the street cred to back up her purpose of nurturing fulfilling lives through the work/life choices we make every day. And yet, despite her reputation as a “global workplace expert,” Jenn remains grounded, down to earth, and refreshingly weird.
Jenn’s beliefs are simple yet profound: we can be leaders at all levels, live true to our authentic selves and create workplaces rooted in happiness and humanity. She’s been named one of the World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers and featured in publications like Inc., Forbes, Fast Company, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and Success Magazine. Jenn inspires folks around the world on ways to find meaning, grit, and joy, even in the toughest of times. She reminds us how we can all ripple an impact when we get real with ourselves first. When she’s not speaking or advising, you’ll find her spontaneously starting a dance party or meditating anytime she’s got a quiet minute. And if you need help parallel parking when you’re in a tough spot, she’s got your back (literally and figuratively)
Learn more about her at JennLim.com.
Michelle Gielan
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Michelle Gielan has spent the past decade researching the link between happiness and success. She is the bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness: The Science of Igniting and Sustaining Positive Change and was named one of the Top 10 authors on resilience by the Harvard Business Review.
Michelle is an Executive Producer of “The Happiness Advantage” on PBS and a featured professor in Oprah’s Happiness course. She formerly served as anchor of The CBS Morning News, and her research has received attention from dozens of media outlets including The Washington Post, FORBES, and The New York Times.
Tony Schwartz
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Top leaders and companies believe in Tony’s work. He has delivered his transformational ideas to the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival and TEDx; and to leaders at companies ranging from Apple, Google and Facebook to Coca-Cola, Genentech and Goldman Sachs; and to such organizations as the National Security Agency, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Cleveland Clinic and Save the Children.
Tony Schwartz is author or co-author of several books which have reached bestseller status on the Wall Street Journal and New York Times lists. The Power of Full Engagement is consistently cited as one of the most influential management, productivity and personal development books of all time — translated into 28 languages. He authored The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working (also published under the title Be Excellent at Anything) and What Really Matters. He also co-authored The Art of the Deal (with Donald Trump) and Work in Progress (with Michael Eisner).
Joshua Medcalf
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After asking the question, “What would I do if money didn’t matter?” Joshua Medcalf dropped out of his Masters program at Duke University, skipped scholarships to law school, and moved across the country into a homeless shelter to serve people. Today he is the president and founder of Train to be CLUTCH, whose focus is a heart's first approach to leadership, life skills and mental training. He has written three highly acclaimed books: Burn Your Goals: The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential, Train to be CLUTCH 101; and An Impractical Guide to Transformational Leadership. Joshua has the unique position of mentoring highly talented millennials as well as baby boomers with decades of invaluable experience, and he is able to share case studies and the latest scientific research on maximizing human performance in a multi-generational workplace through engaging and unbelievable stories.
Lady Mone
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Lady (Michelle) Mone, Baroness of Mayfair, OBE is the founder of Ultimo - the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand. Honoured by Her Majesty the Queen with an OBE in 2010 for her outstanding contribution to business, Lady Mone is now Start-up Business Csar for the British Government and the UK’s No.1 female speaker.
Lady Mone is regularly listed as one of the UK’s top female entrepreneurs and has been steadily building her empire, encompassing over 15 patented inventions, businesses & brands over the last two decades.
Michelle is an expert in business, motivation, fashion, health & well being.
Erika Karp
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Erika Karp is Chief Impact Officer at Pathstone, an independently operated, partner-owned advisory firm offering comprehensive family office services and customized investment advice for families, family offices, and foundations and endowments. Erika joined the Pathstone team from Cornerstone Capital Group, the sustainable and impact investment advisory firm she founded in 2013, and whose team is now part of Pathstone. As an early advocate, Erika brings both pragmatism and intensity to driving the discipline of sustainable and impact investing. Having spent decades on Wall Street, Erika developed a deep belief in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analysis as a critical input to investment decision-making. At Pathstone, she guides the firm’s strategy for engaging with clients who seek to align their investments with their mission or values.
Erika envisions a world where capitalism fully values all forms of capital, including human and natural capital, and where investments serve to foster a regenerative global economy. She has made it her mission to bring the disciplines of finance, economics, and sustainability to bear in pursuit of a more inclusive form of capitalism. More of Erika’s thoughts on this can be found here.
In 2021, Erika was recognized by InvestmentNews for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The award honors individuals who inspire others from diverse backgrounds to join, flourish, and bring their authentic selves to work in the financial services industry. Erika was also recognized among 100 “Women in Impact” by Real Leaders. Erika speaks at venues and conferences around the world including GreenBiz, the UN Global Compact, Confluence Philanthropy, Mission Investors Exchange, SALT, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Wharton School, the NYSE, the Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD), the White House, and many other forums.
Aimee Mullins
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Aimee Mullins revels in the continuous exploration of what is possible—both for herself and those whose lives she touches. Aimée has developed her own unique formula for creating the “invented life,” fashioned from her undeniably unique combination of life experiences as on Olympic athlete, ground-breaking high fashion model, a beacon for design tech, dedicated advocate and avant-garde actor. Aimée has spoken multiple times at the world-famous TED conference, is a TED All-Star and her talks have been viewed nearly 5 million times. She delights in sharing what she has learned to help others shatter perceived limitations and reinvent themselves. In a warm, engaging and approachable style, Aimée offer insightful, actionable and powerful guidance to corporate and consumer audiences worldwide. Aimée is a born story-teller, Renaissance woman, and inspirational icon for achieving the “impossible.”
An influential voice in today's culture, she is regularly invited to share her ideas at various corporations and global conferences like TED and TEDMED. In addition to her professional career, Aimee serves on numerous boards and spends much of her time assisting various non-profit organizations, most notably the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF). She is a founding member of the Leadership Board to SPIRE Institute, the world’s largest and most diverse athletic development center.
Ben Casnocha
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Ben Casnocha is an award-winning technology entrepreneur, author, and executive in Silicon Valley. BusinessWeek named Ben “one of America’s top young entrepreneurs" and Human Resources magazine named him one of the top trendsetters in the talent industry for the year 2015. He has led inspiring conversations about the future of work, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking with large audiences in more than a dozen countries around the world.
Ben is coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age, which has become one of the most sought-after management frameworks on how to recruit, manage, and retain entrepreneurial employees.
Nicholas Webb
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Nick Webb is a number one best-selling author and is one of the most popular Innovation, Healthcare, Future-trends, and Customer Experience Speakers in the world. Nick is the CEO of LeaderLogic, LLC a Management Consulting Firm that provides consulting services and training to the top brands in the world. Nick works shoulder-to-shoulder with boards of directors of multibillion-dollar companies to assist them in building future-ready organizations.
As a technologist, Nick has been awarded over 40 Patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office for a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including one of the world’s smallest medical implants and one of the first wearable technologies.
Nick’s best-selling books include, What Customers Crave, The Innovation Mandate, What Customers Hate, Happy Work,Lucid Leadership and his number one bestselling book, The Healthcare Mandate. Nick has been awarded one of the Top 30 Business Experts for eight years in a row.
Nick has served as a Chief Innovation Officer and an Adjunct Professor at a top medical school. Nick was awarded his Doctorate of Humane Letters (hon.) for his contributions in healthcare.
Additionally, Nick is also the Producer and Host of the Award-winning Documentary Film, “The Healthcare Cure”. The film won the Sedona International Film Festival’s “Audience Choice Award”, Most Impactful Film.
NICK SPEAKS ON:
Let’s face it – “innovation” has become a buzzword. Everyone loves it and a lot of people talk about it, but very few know how to leverage it for success. Nick will bring to your group his decades of real-world business experience and show them, in a way that’s engaging and entertaining, how every member of your team can become an innovator and contribute to your bottom line.
Nick Webb will bring to your group his extensive real-world knowledge of healthcare innovation, including his experience as an inventor of one of the world’s smallest medical implants. In recognition of his contributions to healthcare innovation and policy, Nick was awarded the Doctorate of Humane Letters (hon.) from Western University of Health Sciences. Your team will love him – and you’ll soon see the difference in their performance!
With Nick Webb, you’ll have on your team the acclaimed author of “What Customers Crave,” his best-selling book that redefines the customer relationship. His deep, first-hand knowledge will make a difference that you’ll see in your team’s performance and your bottom line!
Nick Webb has studied the past, knows the present, and speaks with authority about the future. As he reveals in his forthcoming book, “The Innovation Mandate” (HarperCollins Leadership, 2019), Nick sees a bright future for those who take advantage of currents in the marketplace rather than fighting them. If you want your team to face the future armed with actionable information, Nick Webb will deliver!
As CEO of Leader Logic and recipient of the Top Global Business Guru award for 2017, 2018, and 2019, Nick Webb understands the challenges of leadership, knows the real-world application of innovation, and speaks to the audience from the perspective of having worked in the trenches. He’s helped thousands of leaders from around the world to rise to the top – and he’ll do the same for you!
Olivia Fox Cabane
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Olivia Fox Cabane has lectured at Stanford, Yale, Harvard, MIT, the Marine Corps War College and the United Nations. As keynote speaker and executive coach to the leadership of Fortune 500 companies, she helps people become more persuasive, influential, and inspiring. From a base of thorough behavioral science, Olivia extracts the most practical tools for business, applying the latest in global behavioral science to everyday leadership needs to improve her clients’ productivity, effectiveness and efficiency.
In addition to being a columnist for Forbes and The Huffington Post, Olivia is often featured in media such as The New York Times, Bloomberg or BusinessWeek. She has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal as well as NPR’s Marketplace show. Olivia currently serves as Director of Innovative Leadership for Stanford’s StartX program. Her course at Berkeley’s Business School was so popular that university staff had to guard the entrance to ensure that only the students admitted to that course gained entrance. Her first book, The Charisma Myth, published by Penguin/ Random House, went into second printing before it even launched.
Anthony Bourke
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Major Anthony “AB” Bourke is a highly-experienced F-16 fighter pilot having flown tactical missions in countries all over the world. During his 20 years of service, he accumulated more than 2,700 hours of flight time in various high performance aircraft and was one of the first pilots to fly an F-16 in homeland defense efforts over New York City in the aftermath of September 11th.
Following his impressive military service, AB applied the tools and techniques that made him one of our nation’s premier fighter pilots to the competitive world of business. He ascended rapidly to become the top producing mortgage banker in the Western US for a prominent lending institution. His success in the mortgage banking industry led to an opportunity with a California based start-up where his team dramatically grew annual revenue from $500,000 to $65M in just three years.
Following these two endeavors, AB combined his love of business with his passion for tactical aviation to build a global training company based on lessons learned in the military. He brings his tactical knowledge and vast business experience to the forefront of the global management training community, and shares his impactful message of achieving peak performance with audiences around the world.
Ron Garan
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Keynote speaker Ron Garan is a highly decorated NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, and active social entrepreneur who believes that appropriately designed and targeted social enterprise can solve many of the problems facing our world.
He is the author of the critically acclaimed book The Orbital Perspective, hosts a popular podcast with the same name, and is currently launching two new books: Railroad to the Moon and Floating in Darkness.
Susan Cain
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Co-founder of Quiet Revolution, LLC; one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business; an accomplished corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant for clients such as JP Morgan, GE, and Merrill Lynch; and author of the award winning bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking–Susan Cain is a (quiet) force to be reckoned with.
A self-proclaimed introvert, she is soft-spoken yet powerful, witty, and incredibly engaging. Cain has received high praise for her presentations at Google, Microsoft, Harvard, West Point, the SEC and the U.S. Treasury and is the recipient of several awards, including the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership. Through her countless appearances in popular media, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, CBS This Morning and NPR, Cain shows audiences how to tap into their “quiet side” and leverage talents typically associated with introverts.
Yossi Ghinsberg
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A philosopher of life, Yossi Ghinsberg is a man of passion, fixed resolve and a connector of people. He believes that nothing promotes growth more than an unexpected experience and unconventional thinking. In these times of great challenge and change, his “Power to Survive” message is timely.
Not many living people know that survival is a choice as deeply and intimately as Yossi Ghinsberg. Having been lost for three weeks in the depths of the uncharted Amazon, in the midst of a raging rainy season, without companionship, food, weapon or fire, he survived against all odds. The most important thing he learned from this experience was that we all have the power to survive.
John Foley
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John GUCCI Foley has spent nearly a decade sharing practical and inspirational messages on High Performance with audiences around the world. The former lead solo pilot for the famed Blue Angels flight-demonstration squadron is among the top 10 most sought after conference speakers, presenting keynote messages at more than 100 events a year. John is a Sloan Fellow at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he reverse-engineered the culture of excellence and teamwork found in the Blue Angels, and the founder and CEO of John Foley Inc. and CenterPoint Companies, which provide in-depth training on the How of High Performance. To give back, John founded the Glad To Be Here® Foundation, which administers a giving-forward program that partners with clients to make donations to worthy charities. To share the message of excellence worldwide, John hosts The High Performance Zone, a podcast dedicated to achieving high performance and fearless success.
His exciting, rare journey inspires awe, triggering keynote audiences to take action and rethink what they believe is possible.
Ty Bennett
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When Ty was 21 years old, he and his brother Scott started a business in direct sales, which they built to over $20 million in annual revenue while still in their twenties. Since that time, he has developed over 500 sales managers globally with sales and leadership in 37 countries. As a young entrepreneur, Ty continues to engage his team’s focus to grow sales. He uses the power of influence and storytelling to get buy-in to the vision of growing their multimillion-dollar sales organization.
With a natural ability to engage and empower others, Ty draws on his experience in the trenches to share real and tangible techniques about the principles of leadership that continue to create his success. The founder of Leadership Inc., who has been featured as one of the Top 40 Under 40, Ty is a young fresh voice providing interactive presentations that are engaging, dynamic and inspiring.
His clients include some of the most recognizable brands in the world such as: Coca-Cola, Subway, Wounded Warrior Project, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Remax. Ty has shared the stage with celebrities, Olympians and world-renowned thought leaders such as President Bush and President Clinton.
Ty’s best-selling books – The Power of Influence and The Power of Storytelling: The Art of Influential Communication – are used in graduate courses at multiple universities including MIT, as today’s version of “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
Mike Rayburn
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Mike Rayburn is a two-time TED Talk Presenter, an innovative entrepreneur and Hall of Fame speaker who uses world-class guitar and comedy to teach change and innovation to corporations world-wide. He has headlined Carnegie Hall, headlined in Las Vegas, and performed more than 5,000 presentations in 20 countries on five continents. Rayburn is a regular on Sirius/XM and morning radio nationwide. He has performed as guitarist with The Beach Boys and John Oates. Rayburn’s keynote is called “The What IF? Keynote Experience.” You will learn three simple tools for harnessing your unrealized potential, creating and leading change, and becoming a virtuoso performer. You’ll hear amazing music including a solo guitar version of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Oh, and you laugh a LOT! No one does what Mike Rayburn does.
Josh Linkner
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Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and a globally-recognized innovation expert.
Daymond John
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An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand, and a pioneer in the fashion industry with over $6 billion in product sales. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author of five books including his most recent, Powershift: Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal, and Achieve Any Outcome, and star of ABC's Shark Tank, where millions of weekly viewers tune into the show as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights. His marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands has made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today.
Each of Daymond John’s keynotes are customized to fit your specific objectives. They are informative yet entertaining and involve: lots of humor, high-energy, and audience-speaker interaction. Daymond uses compelling stories from his rags-to-riches journey to illustrate his points and always leaves audience members with practical, tangible, and invaluable tools to incorporate into their professional as well as personal endeavors. With over twenty years of phenomenally successful business experience, Daymond has the ability speak on a wide-range of business-related matters.
Robert Herjavec
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From delivering newspapers to waiting on tables to launching a computer company from his basement, Robert Herjavec applied his immense energy and ambition with outstanding success. The firms he created proved so outstanding in their operation that they attracted companies such as AT&T and Nokia, who purchased them from Herjavec to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Herjavec’s motivational business advice has received millions of impressions through TV, print, radio and digital media. He shares his expertise with other entrepreneurs each week as a leading Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show, Shark Tank.
Michael Leavitt
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Michael O. Leavitt is the founder and Chairman of Leavitt Partners where he helps clients navigate the future as they transition to new and better models of care. In previous roles, Mr. Leavitt served in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush (as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of Health and Human Services) and as a three-time elected governor of Utah.
Seth Mattison
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With his finger on the pulse of the changing nature of work and leadership, Seth Mattison blends storytelling from his own personal experience working with category-leading brands with cutting-edge research to develop fresh perspectives on the issues most relevant for organizations to thrive today.
Seth is an internationally recognized thought leader, author, advisor, and top- rated keynote speaker on talent management, high-performance cultures, leadership, and the Future of Work.
His research, case studies, and thought leadership focus on inspiring audiences, while sharing actionable strategies to support individuals and organizations in their pursuit to be future-ready.
For almost two decades, Seth has shared his insights with tens of thousands of business leaders around the globe for many of the world’s most recognizable brands including Mastercard, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, The Dallas Cowboys, AT&T, PepsiCo, GE Energy, E&Y, Caterpillar, and The Walt Disney Company, to name a few.
In addition to speaking, Seth is the founder and CEO of FutureSight Labs, an org design and transformation firm that supports many of the world’s most inspiring leaders by helping prepare themselves and their organizations for the Future of Work through research, training, advising, coaching, digital tools, and thought leadership.
Sallie Krawcheck
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Sallie Krawcheck’s mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals (or, put more bluntly, to get more money into the hands of women), thus enabling them to live better lives and unleashing a positive ripple effect for our families, our communities and our economy. She is the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital-first, mission-driven investment platform for women. Ellevest is one of the fastest growing digital investment platforms and has been named a #24 on CNBC’s top 50 "Disruptor" list, #14 on LinkedIn’s 50 “Most Sought-After Startups” ( #2 in New York), and one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Brilliant Ideas. Krawcheck is also Chair of Ellevate Network, a 135K-strong global professional women’s network; and she is the best-selling author of Own It: The Power of Women at Work.
With a reputation for integrity, creativity, independence of thought, a sense of humor and an unrelenting focus on results, Sallie Krawcheck has built a career that has reached the top levels of success across a range of functions: as a senior corporate executive, as a research analyst and now as an entrepreneur. She has been recognized by Inc. as a “Top Female Founder”, called "The Last Honest Analyst" by Fortune magazine, was named the seventh most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, was # 9 on Fast Company's list of the "100 Most Creative People in Business and is considered one of the "Most Influential People in ESG Investing" by Barron's." She has been called one of the top 10 up and coming entrepreneurs to watch by Entrepreneur Magazine and has landed on Vanity Fair’s “The 2018 New Establishment List.”
Before launching Ellevest, Krawcheck built a successful career on Wall Street: She was the CEO of Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, US Trust, the Citi Private Bank, and Sanford C. Bernstein. She was also Chief Financial Officer for Citigroup. Prior to that, Krawcheck was a top-ranked research analyst covering the securities industry.
Daniel Kraft
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Daniel Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, and innovator. With over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, biomedical research and healthcare innovation, Kraft serves as Faculty Chair for Medicine for Singularity University, and is founding Executive Director of Exponential Medicine, a program that explores convergent, rapidly developing technologies and their potential in biomedicine and healthcare. He is board certified in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics with specialty training in hematology/ oncology and bone marrow transplantation, and has multiple patents and publications in major biomedical journals. His various TEDTalks talks have over 1 million views. He is founder of RegenMed Systems & Bioniq Health and advises many biomedical startups including Scanadu, Jointly Health, and others including the X-Prize and Qualcomm Life.
Shawn Achor
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Shawn Achor is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential. Shawn graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and earned a Masters from Harvard Divinity School in Christian and Buddhist ethics. After spending 12 years at Harvard, Shawn traveled to 50 countries studying how to create an interconnected approach to potential and happiness. He has now worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, and at places like NASA, the NFL, and the Pentagon. Shawn has battle-tested his research in high-challenge environments from working with all the public schools in Flint Michigan, to six battalions of Marines at Camp Pendleton, to government leaders at Camp David, to students in a shantytown in Soweto South Africa, to hospitals in the wake of a mass shooting in Orlando and the Boston bombing. In every place, Shawn has found the optimism can be increased through mindset and behavioral change, and that by creating an interconnected approach to happiness and success, we shine brighter together. Shawn’s research made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED talk is one of the most popular of all time with over 20 million views, and his lecture airing on PBS has been seen by millions.
Gary Pisano
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Gary Pisano is an award-winning author, great speaker, and teacher. The Harry E. Figgie Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, Pisano has advanced the business community’s understanding of technology and operations management, competitive strategy, product development, organizational learning, outsourcing and innovation management. A great presenter, Pisano often speaks at industry conferences and to senior executive audiences.
Michio Kaku
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Dr. Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist, bestselling author, acclaimed public speaker, renowned futurist, and popularizer of science. As co-founder of String Field Theory, Dr. Kaku carries on Einstein’s quest to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into a single grand unified theory of everything.
Dr. Kaku is the author of numerous New York Times bestselling books, including Physics of the Future, Physics of the Impossible, Parallel Worlds, Einstein’s Cosmos, Visions, Beyond Einstein and Hyperspace. His most recent book, The Future of the Mind, was released in February 2014.
Seth Godin
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Seth Godin is an Author, Entrepreneur and Most of All, A teacher
Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 19 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn). His most recent book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world.
Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!).
By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has been able to motivate and inspire countless people around the world.
In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both.
Steve Wozniak
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Steve Wozniak is best known as the co-founder of Apple Computer, which helped shape the personal computer industry with the popular Macintosh. Considered by most to be the real “brains” behind Apple, Wozniak is not just a first class engineer with three decades of world-famous credentials, he’s also an incredible speaker and philanthropist. Drawing from his lessons at Apple, Wozniak delivers an unforgettable and always customized presentation full of expert insight on creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and fostering STEM education.
Keith Ferrazzi
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Keith Ferrazzi radically transforms teams by offering leaders the inspiration and the road map to catapult their organizations forward, make up for lost time, embrace new realities, and win new frontiers.
His newest best-seller, Competing in the New World of Work, offers a bold new vision for what the organization of the future looks like — digital, distributed, inclusive, resilient, empathic — and the emerging best leadership practices that will redefine success in the ever-evolving world of work.
Based on an ambitious global research initiative involving thousands of executives, innovators, and change-makers who have redefined their strategies, business models, organizational systems, and even their cultures, Ferrazzi documents the workplace innovations that emerged during the pandemic and shows leaders how to shape their organizations and practices to remain competitive in a new, post-pandemic context.
Also the author of Who’s Got Your Back, Never Eat Alone, and Leading Without Authority, and he’s an entrepreneur, Founder & Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight, and an executive team coach to some of the most prominent organizations in the world. He’s a thought leader and frequent contributor to publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company. Keith has been at the forefront of remote team transitions since his published research appeared in Harvard Business Review.
In his speeches, he examines how the pandemic forced us to shed antiquated ways of doing business and make bold leaps into the future of work and reveals the emerging best practices of thousands of C-suite executives on how to remain competitive and impactful in a post-pandemic world. You’ll leave inspired and ready to catapult your organization forward, embrace new realities, and discover new frontiers.
Lisa Ford
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Lisa Ford, CSP, CPAE, is a speaker with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She speaks throughout the United States and internationally on topics of customer service, leadership, team issues and change. Lisa is best known for her work in the areas of customer service. She is the author of the videotape series How to Give Exceptional Customer Service, the #1 selling business video series in the U.S. for over 5 years.
Lisa designs content personalized to the audience and issues they face. She has also customized numerous videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, Citgo, American Gas Association, American Diabetes Association and American Veterinary Medical Association.
In 2002, Lisa was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association. She is one about 240 speakers who have been honored over 30 years. She also serves a Board Member of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee.
John Maxwell
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John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 30 million books in fifty languages. He has been identified as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association® and the most influential leadership expert in the world by Business Insider and Inc. magazine. He is the founder of The John Maxwell Company, The John Maxwell Team, EQUIP, and the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, organizations that have trained millions of leaders from every country of the world. The recipient of the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network, Dr. Maxwell speaks each year to Fortune 500 companies, presidents of nations, and many of the world’s top business leaders.
Watch John C. Maxwell's teachings on the topic of Leading Through Crisis >>
Peter Sheahan
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After decades of standing in the fire with leaders of high-performing organizations, Peter Sheahan has come to believe that an organization will only go commercially where its leaders first go personally.
Having grown his own companies by accelerating the growth and transformation for clients that include: Apple; Chick-fil-A; DeBeers; and AT&T -- Peter will provoke you to get bigger, by getting better! When leaders are true to their purpose, they gravitate towards doing work that matters and solving higher-order problems. The journey to get there requires that they have the courage to tell themselves the truth, take intelligent risks, and assume ownership for driving the alignment necessary to build an organization which behaves in ways worthy of its leadership position.
In being true to his own ambitions and relentless pursuit of growth, Peter has published seven books, built three global companies and delivered more than 2,500 presentations in 40+ countries. Today he is focused exclusively on inspiring leaders to do the hard work required to accelerate growth and transformation.
Bill Taylor
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Bill Taylor shows business leaders a path to go from now to next in a world filled with nonstop disruption. As a young entrepreneur, Bill co-founded Fast Company, the bold business magazine that redefined the genre and chronicled the tech-fueled revolution that transformed business and work. Highlighting free-thinking leaders and companies that are upending their organizations and industries is Bill’s passion – and he had a front-row seat. After selling the magazine, Bill has continued to inspire a generation of executives and company-builders to think differently about leadership, change, culture, and the new world of work. He’s written three bestselling books filled with examples of new ways to innovate and succeed: Simply Brilliant: How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways, Practically Radical, and Mavericks at Work. Bill also writes regularly for the Harvard Business Review. In a business environment where ordinary is not an option, Bill Taylor is a natural storyteller who inspires people to avoid the experience trap and not allow what they know to limit what they can imagine about the future.
Kenneth Cole
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Kenneth Cole has built a 150 store-strong retail empire, uniting his fashion instincts and business acumen with his philanthropic convictions. Mr. Cole’s influence reaches far beyond the world of fashion – he has been a dynamic advocate for many causes ranging from initiatives for the homeless to his work as Chairman of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).
Ram Charan
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Ram Charan is a world-renowned business advisor, author and speaker who has spent the past 35 years working with many top companies, CEOs, and boards of our time. In his work with companies including GE, MeadWestvaco, Bank of America, DuPont, Novartis, EMC, 3M, Verizon, Aditya Birla Group, Tata Group, GMR, Max Group, Yildiz Holdings, and Grupo RBS, he is known for cutting through the complexity of running a business in today’s fast changing environment to uncover the core business problem. His real-world solutions, shared with millions through his books and articles in top business publications, have been praised for being practical, relevant and highly actionable — the kind of advice you can use Monday morning.
Ram has coached more than a dozen leaders who went on to become CEOs. He reaches many more up-and-coming business leaders through in-house executive education programs. His energetic, interactive teaching style has won him several awards, including the Bell Ringer award at GE’s famous Crotonville Institute and best teacher award at Northwestern. He was among BusinessWeek‘s top ten resources for in-house executive development programs.
Ram has authored over 25 books since 1998 that have sold over 2 million copies in more than a dozen languages. Three of his books were Wall Street Journal bestsellers, including Execution, which he coauthored with former Honeywell CEO Larry Bossidy in 2002, which spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. He also has written for publications including Harvard Business Review, Fortune, BusinessWeek, Time, Chief Executive and USA TODAY.
Christine Clifford
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Christine Clifford's experience taught her how to sell products, services and herself. Now an Award-Winning, Professional Speaker, Bestselling Author of You, Inc. The Art of Selling Yourself and Not Now...I'm Having a No Hair Day!, and Industry-Leading Salesperson, Christine Clifford shares her experiences and successes with audiences worldwide.
Tony Alessandra
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Tony Alessandra shows audiences how to out-sell, out-market and out-service the competition with his high-tech, high-touch sales and marketing techniques.
Gary Swart
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Formerly the CEO of oDesk, the world's largest online workplace with more than 1B in work through the platform from over 3 million clients and 10 million freelancers, Gary Swart guided the company to industry-leadership and through a merger with Elance while serving as a leading voice for the future of work and the emerging online work industry. He is currently a General Partner at Polaris Partners, investing in technology and healthcare companies.
Gary serves as a thought leader on marketplaces, sales leadership, the future of work, how best to hire and manage teams, and on the rise of the “freelance economy.” He has spoken at the Inc. Leadership Conference, The Economist’s Ideas Economy Panel, SXSW, TechCrunch 50, and at HBS—which teaches a case study on oDesk. His commentary has appeared in a variety of publications including LinkedIn, Forbes, TechCrunch, The Washington Post and The Next Web. And he’s appeared on TV and radio outlets, including CNBC, BBC, Bloomberg TV, National Public Radio (NPR), Startups Uncensored, and the Fox Business Network. In addition, Gary is a faculty member at the Alchemist Academy and a StartX Mentor.
Mitch Lowe
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Mitch was a founding Executive at Netflix, Inc., serving as Netflix’s Entertainment Domain Expert and as Vice President of Business Development & Strategic Alliances from 1998 to 2003. Now, Mitch is the CEO of MoviePass, Inc., a Movie Theater subscription service.
Becky Margiotta
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Becky combines storytelling and humor with her unique leadership experiences as a military officer and social entrepreneur to inspire audiences to:
Challenge and transcend their own limiting beliefs about what is possible to create in the world
Apply the principles of large-scale change to their own efforts to make the world a better place
Create fearless leaders and teams that are capable of unleashing unprecedented social change