$10,001 - $20,000

<p>With a story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting, Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton demonstrate that we are all capable of compassion and change, no matter how dire the circumstances. </p>

<p>Spencer Wells is a geneticist, anthropologist, author and entrepreneur. For over a decade he was an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society and Director of the Genographic Project, which collected and analyzed DNA samples from hundreds of thousands of people around the world in order to decipher how our ancestors populated the planet, in the process launching the consumer genomics industry.</p><p>Wells graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin, received his Ph.D.

<p>Jerome Mayne is founder and CEO of the former fraud deterrent company, Fraudcon, Inc. For over 20 years, he has been one of the premier keynote business speakers on ethics, choices, and consequences in corporate America. </p><p>As a budding young finance professional, Jerome Mayne was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. This resulted in a 21-month prison sentence and his life was changed forever.

<p>Lopez Lomong&#39;s remarkable journey from Sudanese Civil War to the Olympic Games underscores the capacity of the human spirit to overcome extraordinary adversity, giving hope and inspiration to pursue dreams that might seem unthinkable.</p><p>Lopez began his journey in Sudan, where he was kidnapped by rebel soldiers at just six years old. After boldly escaping capture, he spent 10 years as a refugee until he was adopted by a U.S. family at 16.

<p>A dynamic and insightful speaker and author, Jeff Bush is known for his unique ability to translate difficult and confusing information coming out of Washington D.C. into winning growth strategies for business owners, executives and high net worth investors. </p><p>Jeff is a colleague of Andy Friedman and an integral part of The Washington Update, the industry’s Nonpartisan experts on all things Washington.

<p>Lea DeLaria seems to have achieved overnight stardom with her two time, SAG Award winning, stand-out role as ‘Carrie ‘Big Boo’ Black’ in the Netflix hit series <i>Orange is the New Black</i>. However, DeLaria’s multi- faceted career as a comedian, actress and jazz musician, has in fact, spanned decades. </p><p>Lea holds the distinction of being the first openly gay comic on television in America which led to countless Television and Film roles portraying Police Lieutenants, PE Teachers and the Lesbian who inappropriately hits on straight women.

<p>When Ty Bennett was 21 years old, he and his brother 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.

<p>E. Cupp is a CNN political commentator and practical conservative with a searing honesty who brings her distinct outlook to CNN programming and special political coverage. </p><p>Cupp most recently hosted CNN&#39;s SE Cupp Unfiltered, a weekly program covering the white-hot intersection of politics and media. Prior to that she led a panel-driven show on HLN that debated contemporary issues impacting the country.

<p>Trans Rights Advocate Geena Rocero, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, is a model, producer, co-host of the TV Show <em>ASPIREist</em> (broadcast on CNN), and the author of memoir <em>Horse Barbie</em>, “a moving chronicle of trans resilience and joy” (<em>Vogue</em>).</p><p>On March 31, 2014, in honor of International Transgender Day of Visibility, Rocero came out as transgender at the annual (main stage) TED Conference, her viral talk has since been viewed more than 4 million times and translated in 32 languages.

<p>Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is an internationally acclaimed economist and public speaker specializing in making economics fun, relevant and educational. Dr. Eisenberg earned a B.A. in economics with first class honors from McGill University in Montreal, as well as a Master and Ph.D. in public administration from Syracuse University.