Inspiration

Damon West

<p>Sentenced to 65 years in a Texas maximum security prison, Damon West once had it all.</p><p>At 20 years old, he was a Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of North Texas. After a career-ending injury, drugs helped him manage the pain and the disappointment. After graduation, he worked in the U.S. Congress, was a national fundraiser on a U.S. presidential campaign and eventually trained to be a stockbroker for United Bank of Switzerland (UBS).

Dr. Sampson Davis

<p>Growing up in inner-city Newark, New Jersey, Sampson Davis and two friends made a pact to “beat the street” and become doctors—and they did it.</p><p>Today, Dr. Sampson Davis is a board-certified ER physician who has appeared on numerous talk and radio shows including <i>Oprah</i>, <i>CNN</i>, <i>The Today Show</i>, <i>Dr. Oz</i>, <i>Anderson Cooper 360</i>, <i>The View</i>, <i>Tavis Smiley</i> and <i>NPR</i>.

Kuda Biza

<p>Kuda Biza is a serial entrepreneur who builds profitable companies to solve the world’s biggest problems: education and hunger. </p><p>He started his first company when he was just nine years old in Zimbabwe. Kuda moved to the U.S. with only $40 in his pocket to study at Lynn University, he started his second company, a socially conscious apparel brand, before graduating as valedictorian of his class.

Erin King

<p>Erin is an award-winning entrepreneur who helps ambitious achievers unlock their Big Deal Energy® for more ambition, alignment, and aliveness.</p><p>Erin King is the world’s leading personal energy management expert. As Chief Energy Officer of Strikepoint Media (which was twice named one of Inc.

Courtney Clark

<p>Courtney Clark helps teams adapt to change, embrace resilience and achieve more.</p><p>In her twenties, Courtney Clark was “the luckiest unlucky person in the world.” She survived both cancer and a brain aneurysm and then went on to build two successful businesses and to write three books—<em>The Giving Prescription,</em> <em>The Successful Struggle: Powerful Techniques to Achieve Accelerated Resilience </em>and her most recent <em>ReVisionary Thinking</em>.

Travis Mills

<p>Travis Mills’ keynote speech teaches and inspires audiences nationwide to “Never give up. Never quit.” no matter the obstacles or circumstances. Mills’ larger-than-life personality, sense of humor and incredible spirit for life engages audiences from the moment he takes center stage.</p><p>On April 10, 2012, United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and both arms.

Dominique Dawes

<p>Owner of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, Dominique opened the gyms to continue her commitment to developing a healthy and compassionate culture in the sport of gymnastics. Her first academy opened in the midst of a global pandemic, in July 2020, her second location opened in 2023, and she will be opening her third Academy in 2024 located in Columbia, MD. Dawes holds minority ownership of the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League, and she also became part of the Atlanta Falcons ownership group as a Limited Partner in 2024.

Becca Meyers

<p>Becca is a 3x Paralympic Gold Medalist, 6x World Champion Gold Medalist, and holds 23 American Records, and 10 World Records. </p><p>Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Becca has Usher Syndrome and has been deaf since she was born. She could not hear anything for the first few years before she began using a cochlear implant, an electronic device that allows her to hear. Becca began to swim at the age of six in 2000.</p><p>In 2012, Becca was the only deaf athlete on the U.S.

Kara Goldin

<p>Kara Goldin knows what it’s like to build a business, and a new category, from nothing to something big. She is a resilient, inspiring and motivational leader and storyteller.