Judy Shepard
<p>Judy Shepard draws from personal tragedy to promote a greater understanding of LGBTQ issues and empower audiences to embrace human dignity and diversity through outreach and advocacy in their own communities.</p><p>In 1998, Judy lost her son Matthew to a murder motivated by anti-gay hate that shocked and captivated the nation. Turning tragedy into a crusade for justice, this leading voice in the LGBTQ rights movement has since established The Matthew Shepard Foundation to carry on her son’s legacy.
Linda Greenlaw
<p>Linda Greenlaw illustrates her approach to effective leadership amid volatility and the critical importance of preparation and extreme risk-taking in any setting.</p>
<p>Linda’s incomparable skill as a fishing-boat captain was first documented in Sebastian Junger’s <i>The Perfect Storm</i>, the best-selling book-turned-blockbuster movie that exposed the hazards faced by deep-sea commercial fishers.</p>
Dr. Peter Salgo
<p>Peter Salgo is an Emmy Award-winning medical journalist, practicing physician, and respected healthcare futurist. Known for providing insights into medical trends, Salgo predicts that progress in fighting heart disease will have a tremendous impact on America's healthcare delivery system and on the future of medicine itself. Salgo also discusses his experience directing the intensive care unit of a New York City hospital during the tragedy of 9/11 and the importance of communication and responsiveness in dealing with crises and emergencies.</p>
Sally Kohn and Tara Setmayer
<p>Noted progressive Sally Kohn and conservative Tara Setmayer bring their spirited debate from television broadcasts to live audiences to tackle some of the biggest issues of the day. In unique and engaging presentations, Kohn and Setmayer offer valuable insight and thought-provoking perspective on partisan issues ranging from climate change and Wall Street largesse to Black Lives Matter and tax cuts.
Jim Knight
<p>With his energetic rock ‘n roll spirit and key business insights drawn from his decades as a Hard Rock International executive, Jim Knight shares strategies for developing leadership, transforming corporate cultures, and amping up customer service to achieve exceptional and sustainable results.</p><p>Although his illustrious career started at Gatorland Zoo in Florida (he has scars to prove it), Jim cut his teeth in the hospitality training industry and eventually led Global Training for Hard Rock International for two decades.
Frank Warren
<p>Frank Warren demonstrates the power of sharing your hopes, dreams, fears and failures and how PostSecret became the catalyst for his passionate commitment to mental health advocacy.</p><p>What started as a community mail art project in which people anonymously share never-before-voiced secrets has since captured our collective imagination and evolved into a worldwide phenomenon.
Elizabeth Birch
<p>One of the most recognized leaders of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement, gay rights activist and diversity speaker Elizabeth Birch served as executive director of the Human Rights Campaign for over a decade.</p><p>During her tenure, the organization quadrupled in size to become the leading civil rights organization of its kind. Birch has also served as worldwide director of litigation for Apple Computer, Inc.
Keith Boykin
Keith Boykin is a national political commentator, TV and film producer, New York Times best-selling author, and a former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. His latest books are Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America (2021), Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom (2022) and Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? (2024).
Bill Rancic
<p>Bill Rancic burst onto the national scene when he was hired as the winner of the first season of NBC's breakthrough program <i>The Apprentice</i>. Currently, Bill is speaking to businesses and organizations around the world on motivational and business topics.</p><p>Bill makes regular appearances on numerous daytime broadcast and cable television programs such as <i>Today</i>, <i>The View</i>, <i>Rachael Ray</i> and various CNBC programs to talk to viewers about business and entrepreneurship.
Kerry Kennedy
<p>Long known as a speaker who inspires with narratives that demonstrate the power of one, Kerry Kennedy addresses sustainable investments, social change, and the capacity of the human spirit to thrive despite overwhelming obstacles. </p>