Fresh New Speaker Ideas

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Are you looking for something different at this year’s meeting? Do you have a hard spot to fill that needs to be both entertaining and packed with practical takeaways?

FRESH NEW SPEAKERS

These speakers have presentations that are unlike anything your team has seen:

Keep reading to learn more about each speaker. 

SEKOU ANDREWS 

Creator of “Poetic Voice” & Inspirational Speaker

Sekou disrupted what a conventional keynote speaker looks like and is a true unicorn in the industry. Powerful and with a unique ability to connect with audiences, Sekou’s motivational speeches are more performance than keynote speech and are each 100% customized. He grabs the audience through an emotional and intellectual connection while packing his performance with takeaways on the power of storytelling and the need to stay ahead of your industry’s emerging trends. At a recent speech in Vegas, Sekou kept getting interrupted by applauses because so many attendees just got into it. | Learn more about Sekou Andrews here. 

ANGIE BASTIAN 

Founder of BoomChickaPop

Entrepreneur, co-founder, and namesake of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP, Angie Bastian took a kernel of an idea and popped it into one of the fastest growing brands of natural popcorn. She founded the snack company out of her Minnesota garage in 2001, and it’s now one of the fastest-growing and most-successful popcorn brands in the market. Bastian talks honestly about what it takes to differentiate a product and make a powerful connection with the consumer. Speaking from experience, Bastian also talks about changes in the retail space, why authenticity matters, and how to weigh big marketing, sales, and branding decisions. | Learn more about Angie Bastian here. 

MARK BOWDEN 

Expert in Body Language, Human Behavior, and Communication 

One of the world’s foremost body language experts, Mark Bowden shows audiences how to use non-verbal communication to be more likeable, persuasive, and confident in any social setting. A presentation with instant takeaways and plenty of “Aha!” moments, Bowden’s keynote is unlike anything else on the circuit. Bowden is also a go-to commentator for world media on the body language of leading politicians and public figures, and he appears regularly on news and talk shows. | Learn more about Mark Bowden here. 

DR. POPPY CRUM

Expert in Technology-Driven Innovation & Human Evolution and Chief Scientist, Dolby Laboratories

A 2018 TED and SXSW speaker, Dr. Crum is the Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories and an Adjunct Professor in Computer Research at Stanford University. In fast-paced and thought-provoking presentations that encourage audiences to embrace new technology rather than fear it, Dr. Crum looks at how technology is starting to read human physiology to provide instant feedback that can enhance personal performance, health, and communication. Whether exploring how technology will be able to predict the future onset of a life-altering medical conditions just by picking up on changes in speech patterns, or how we will eventually be able to “retrain” our brains as we sleep to improve daily function, Dr. Crum helps organizations rethink everything from how they talk to consumers and understand demographic patterns to ways to personalize products and marketing strategies. | Learn more about Dr. Poppy Crum here.

DR. KATE DARLING

Leading Expert in Social Robotics and MIT Media Lab Research Specialist

Dr. Kate Darling is a leading expert in robotics and human-robot interactions. Able to take complex ideas and make them conversational and even fun, she is a research specialist at MIT, former Harvard professor, and former Yale fellow. She studies emerging AI and automation technology and talks about the ways these breakthroughs will impact human beings, industries, and societies in the near-term future. She recently gave a TED talk that was just posted online and already has 600,000 views. Plus, she often brings her robots on site and lets attendees play with them, which audiences love. | Learn more about Dr. Kate Darling here.

DR. MICHELE GELFAND

Award-Winning Cultural Psychologist, Best-Selling Author, and University of Maryland Distinguished Professor

Dr. Michele Gelfand is the author of the popular new book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. One of the leading researchers and writers on the connection between culture and behavior, her work has been cited over 20,000 times and has received $13 million in funding from the FBI and DoD. In a new talk, she helps groups think through whether their culture is “tight” or “loose” and how it’s impacting leadership and employees. Gelfand uses real-life examples from the organizations she’s studied to explore how we should be thinking about our work cultures, and how to establish the optimal tight-loose balance to create the high-performing culture we all strive for. | Learn more about Dr. Michele Gelfand here.

SUSAN GORDON

Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence

As the Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Susan discusses first-hand insights on national and cyber security and effective leadership drawn from her 3-decades of legendary intelligence service. As one of the most accomplished leaders in the history of national security, Gordon has learned to “see the world as it is, not as she prefers it to be.” In speeches, she draws on this experience to provide a nonpartisan analysis on the future of national security and cyber security, as well as inspire effective leadership in an age of disruption. Through personal anecdotes from her time in the Intelligence Community, she charismatically motivates audiences to challenge the status quo, adapt to changing environments, and apply innovation to their business. | Learn more about Sue Gordon here.

JESSICA O. MATTHEWS

Innovator and CEO, Uncharted Power

Founder and CEO of award-winning power company, Uncharted Power, Jessica inspires audiences to use innovation and tech disruption to power the needs of people, businesses, and communities worldwide. She is a breakthrough leader in innovation – changing the renewable energy game when she founded the award-winning power and data infrastructure tech company at just 22 years old. Called “the Elon Musk of kinetic energy,” Matthews has revolutionized a new tech-driven energy frontier, creating a sustainable and positive impact on communities worldwide.| Learn more about Jessica O. Matthews here.

ANDREW MCCABE 

Former Acting FBI Director

Few people have more relevant or more recent experience securing our nation at the highest levels of the US government than Andrew McCabe. The author of the new book The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump, he spent 22 years at the FBI before assuming the role of Acting Director in May 2017. A sharp and witty storyteller, McCabe is available to discuss American national security and cyber security, challenges facing our democracy amid the current political climate, as well as leadership lessons learned. | Learn more about Andrew McCabe here. 

DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI

Astrophysicist, Space Science Education Lead for NASA, and Inspirational Speaker

Dr. Oluseyi’s presentation is a combination of his motivational personal story and a mind-bending look at his scientific research. Born into deep poverty in Mississippi, he grew up in some of the roughest neighborhoods in the country, which led him to spending most of his time indoors reading and watching PBS nature shows, where he realized his love of science and space. He went on to obtain three degrees, 12 patents for inventions in modern computer chips, and to work on Nobel Prize-winning research projects. Funny, honest, and incredibly inspiring, Hakeem moves audiences to never give up while offering a glimpse into galaxy secrets currently being unlocked by the world’s top minds. He’s also the author of the forthcoming memoir The Stars in My Soul: My Unlikely Journey Through Space and Time, to which the movie rights have already been bought! | Learn more about Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi here.

CHARLOTTE PEARCE 

CEO & Founder of Inkpact

Charlotte is not your average 26-year-old. She founded her extremely successful company, Inkpact, three years ago, and has since been growing the innovative technology platform to an international powerhouse. Inkpact is a platform that allows companies to pay freelance creators to write hand-written thank you notes to clients at scale. Charlotte talks about how not knowing “how things were done” led her to this new business model—and how she has found success because she was willing to break the rules. | Learn more about Charlotte Pearce here. 

SEAN ROCHE

Former Associate Deputy Director for CIA Digital Innovation

Sean is the former Associate Deputy Director for CIA Digital Innovation, responsible for accelerating innovation across the CIA with cutting-edge technologies and cyber intelligence. Discussing the current cyber landscape, Roche reveals the most pressing threats facing businesses today, while also putting audiences at ease with an actionable framework. An infectious and charismatic speaker, he completely engaged our entire staff in a recent visit to the office – using pointed examples and hilarious stories from his time at CIA to provide a thorough yet digestible cyber security analysis. | Learn more about Sean Roche here.

BRUCE SCHNEIER

Security Technologist & Guru

Bruce captivates audiences with his candor and security know-how, sharing strategies to enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to its insecurity. When people want to understand the vulnerabilities of our increasingly digital world, and how to protect their privacy within it, they turn to Bruce. Schneier has written over a dozen books, including the New York Times best-seller Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World. His other books explore cryptography, computer and network security, trust, and the intersection of security, technology, and society. | Learn more about Bruce Schneier here.

ALPANA SINGH

Restauranteur and Master Sommelier

Our team recently hosted a dinner with Alpana, who is the youngest woman to ever achieve the rank of Master Sommelier (the exam has a 3% pass rate!). She is also the host of Check, Please! on PBS and has opened 3 award-winning restaurants in Chicago. Alpana is unique because she is able to both entertain and inspire. At our dinner, she talked guests through her incredible life story of beating the odds to find success, while mixing in a wine tasting and an education on different varietals. Uplifting and educational, our guests loved Alpana’s insight, stories, and infectious personality. | Learn more about Alpana Singh here.

NICK FRIEDMAN AND OMAR SOLIMAN 

Renowned Founders of world-class iconic brands, including international franchise College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving, Co-Authors of “Effortless Entrepreneur: Work Smart, Play Hard, Make Millions,” National TV Personalities, and Thought Leaders

As companies look to the future of work, many of my clients are looking to hear how they can keep up – how to grow their organization in an increasingly tech-driven world, while also maintaining a world-class culture. Founders of College HUNKS Hauling Junk Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman help groups understand how to do just that. They share the tactics they used to grew College HUNKS from a beat-up van in college to a $150 million business empire. A large employer of millennials, Nick and Omar also provide strategies to better understand how to unlock the potential of a younger workforce, with a focus on using gamification and other tech-enabled strategies to keep employees engaged. | Learn more about Nick and Omar here.

ALEX STAMOS 

Former Chief Security Officer of Facebook

A cyber security expert and business leader who has spent his career improving the security and safety of the internet, Alex Stamos has one of the most-compelling and fascinating talks on cyber security on the circuit. Speaking completely from real-life experience (he also led security at Yahoo!), he shares fascinating stories and offers both high-level and in-the-weeds presentations for audiences seeking to understand the real-world, bottom-line impact of cyber security and cyber warfare. Speaking to my team recently, he walked us through “kill chains,” adversaries, the role corporations now must play in this space, attack types, and actions to take to become more secure. | Learn more about Alex Stamos here.

LISA SUN

Founder & CEO, GRAVITAS

The power of confidence, innovation, and a strong vision.
What would happen if you let go of fear, got off the sidelines, and jumped boldly into the game of life? Lisa Sun, founder and CEO of GRAVITAS, electrifies audiences as she unpacks this vital question in her moving, motivating, and empowering talks. Catalyzing confidence and inspiring innovation, Sun seamlessly blends stories from her personal journey with data and experience-driven insights from her 11 years at McKinsey & Company to offer talks that encourage audiences to choose self-confidence, work to harness their “superpower,” and use gravitas to advance personally and professionally. | Learn more about Lisa Sun here.

SEBASTIAN TERRY

Best-Selling Author of 100 Things, TV Host, and Motivational Speaker

Known worldwide for pursuing an incredible list of 100 Things that he wants to achieve before he dies, Sebastian Terry’s story is surprisingly not about a bucket list. It’s about something more far reaching: Permission, choice, growth, and connection. A journey turned best-selling book, Discovery Channel documentary, and reality TV show, Sebastian’s action-packed story leaves audiences inspired and motivated to alter their mindset, benefit from change, create opportunities, and help others to achieve what they’ve always wanted. | Learn more about Sebastian Terry here.

TRACY WALDER

Former CIA Officer, FBI Special Agent, Educator, and Author, who shares her incredible true story of working in special ops during the era of 9/11, including frequent meetings with President Bush, assuming aliases, and hunting terrorists worldwide. One of few women to work on the operations side of both the CIA and FBI, Tracy Walder shares her empowering journey straight from her college sorority to working in special operations.Taking audiences behind-the-scenes of two of America’s major intelligence agencies during the era of 9/11, she keeps groups on the edge of their seats, detailing insider stories of hunting terrorists worldwide, including frequent meetings with President Bush, assuming aliases, and interrogating suicide bombers. | Learn more about Tracy Walder here.

BOOK A FRESH NEW SPEAKER AT YOUR NEXT EVENT

Are you interested in bringing one of these fresh new speakers who can motivate and inspire your audience to your next event? 

Contact our team to find out more about one of these individuals and their speaking topics, to check their speaking fees and availability, or to book one of these experts for your next event.

Want to see options? Reach out to us and our team can send you a customized list of speaker recommendations tailored specifically to your event's topic, theme, audience, and more.

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