Education
Future of Education, Work and Leadership
Future of Education, Work and Leadership:
Former US Senator & Ambassador
Known as a builder of political bridges with deep expertise in both the public and private sector, Ambassador Scott Brown speaks from more than 30 years of experience as a diplomat, senator, military officer, trade negotiator and bestselling author.
Transformational Speaker, Entrepreneur & Author
Jacob is a former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur, transformational speaker, and writer. He is the Chief Transformational Officer for PurposePoint and the Co-Founder of Varlo, a cycling and triathlon apparel brand.
Groundbreaking Urban Artist
Justin BUA is an award-winning artist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Groundbreaking in his field, BUA is internationally known for his best-selling collection of fine art posters—The DJ being one of the most popular prints of all time.
Top Inspirational Speaker, Bestselling Author, Wheelchair Athlete & Successful Entrepreneur
Scott brings the concepts of Vision, Mindset and Grit to life using his life-changing story. Three powerful words, when put into action, will help you Stand Up to Any Challenge.
Educator & Congressional Candidate
Tierney Cahill is an award winning educator that inspires audiences around the country with her experience of running for Congress as a sixth grade teacher.
Co-Founder of 826 National, Leader of Enterprise for Youth & The Teacher Salary Project
Ninive Calegari is the co-founder, with Dave Eggers, of 826 National, which she helped grow from a local tutoring program into an influential education phenomenon that partners with schools, families, and community organizations across the country.
Award-Winning Lawyer Specializing in International Law & Human Rights
Amal represents clients before international courts including the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.
Biden-Harris Presidential Appointee leading the Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the U.S. Small Business Administration
Natalie has provided some of the nation's most prominent CEOs of billion-dollar organizations, executives of global brands, senior advisors to the White House, and more with inspiration, insight and advice.
Best-Selling Author, The Campus Color Line & Higher Education Thought Leader
Dr. Eddie R. Cole is Associate Professor of Higher Education and Organizational Change at UCLA. His research focuses on college presidents’ historic role in shaping racial policies and practices both inside and outside of the educational sphere.
TED Speaker & Space Exploration Engineer
As a child, Nagin Cox had a dream of exploring space. And through incredible determination, a fighting spirit and a never-quit attitude, she has done just that. Cox has been a spacecraft operations engineer at NASA’s JPL for over 2 decades.
Educator
Dr. Rudy Crew is the former superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Public School system and chancellor of New York City.
Scholar & Educator
Speaker Linda Darling-Hammond is a professor of teaching at Stanford University, where she focuses on school restructuring and teacher education.
Former Mayor of New York City
Managing a crisis is never easy. But trying to handle one of the worst to hit a major city in a century is almost unimaginable—unless you’re former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Award-Winning Essayist & Critic
William Deresiewicz is an award-winning essayist and critic, a frequent college speaker, and the best-selling author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life.
Former Mayor of Miami
As former mayor, speaker Manny Diaz transformed Miami from a poor, crime-ridden, and economically stagnant city to a flourishing metropolis with a hurtling skyline.
Performing Artist, Founder of the Sphinx Organization, & Best-Selling Author
Named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts and member of President Biden’s Arts Policy Committee, Aaron P. Dworkin is former dean and current Professor at the University of Michigan.
One of Wall Street’s First Black Women Traders
From humble Southern beginnings to breaking barriers on Wall Street, Martina Marshall Edwards is the epitome of not allowing your circumstances to determine your outcome.
Professor of Science Education & Author
Christopher Emdin teaches STEM classes at Columbia where he serves as Director of Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center. He wrote Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation.
One of America's Most Celebrated Schoolteachers
A once-in-a-lifetime educator, Rafe Esquith may be the most inspiring school teacher in America. Called “a genius and a saint” by The New York Times, Esquith stresses the need to make students our priority.
National Award Winning Author, Professor & Activist
Sanderia Faye (Smith) is an Assistant Professor of Practice at Southern Methodist University (SMU). She is also a professional speaker, activist and sommelier, where she pairs wine with books.
Innovator & Leader in Teacher Education
The former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, Michael Fullan is an expert on education reform. He advises lawmakers with the moral goal of universal education.
Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter
Alicia Garza is someone who believes that black communities deserve what all communities deserve — to be powerful in every aspect of their lives. That’s what drives Garza as an innovator, strategist, internationally recognized organizer and writer.
Host of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior & CBS’s The Talk
Akbar is the host of NBC’s four time Emmy nominated series American Ninja Warrior, Universal Kid’s spin off show, American Ninja Warrior Jr.
Gen Z Enthusiast, Tech Innovator & Professor
Kristen Geez is a globally recognized Gen Z Enthusiast, Tech Innovator, and highly sought-after International Speaker and Professor, with a mission to inspire and empower the next generation.
Founder & CEO of REthinc
Kate Gerson is a powerful advocate for equity in American institutions. With over 25 years racial equity work and education leadership, Kate has emerged as a thought leader.
New York Times Bestselling Author & James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, Princeton University
One of the nation’s most prominent scholars, Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. is an author, political commentator, public intellectual and passionate educator who examines the complex dynamics of the American experience.
Intersectional Activist & Co-Founder of March For Our Lives
X González (they/them) is a gun-violence prevention activist born and raised in Parkland, Florida. A survivor of the Marjory Stoneman-Douglas High School shooting, X became a leading voice in the gun-violence prevention movement.
Leading Hispanic Educator
Dr. Ana Guzman served as senior advisor to the Secretary of Education under Clinton. She has been in educational administration for over 15 years as the leading voice for Hispanic Americans in education.
Senior Fellow M-RCBG at the Harvard Kennedy School & Former College President
Gregory Haile has exceptional leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. By the time he was 40 years old, he had become the president of Broward College, one of the largest colleges in the United States.
Entrepreneur, Author & Former Education Leader
Entrepreneur, speaker, author, and former education leader David Hardy Jr. has an accomplished career in leading transformational change in organizations across multiple industries.
Renowned Author & Researcher Advocating for Equitable and Inclusive Education
Andy Hargreaves is Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa in Canada and Research Professor at Boston College in the US. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Education.
Transformational Speaker, Educational Leader & National Trainer
Brian Heat is a dynamic Educator, Trainer and Amazon Best Selling Author with his latest book release Get Ignited, who transforms audiences by infusing high-octane motivational and cinematic themes.