Trending Topics for 2023

Topics:

As the world continues to be faced with unprecedented change, meeting organizers are adapting their agendas to remain relevant and tackle the top issues of the day.

Below are the top trending topics for meetings this year – along with some great speaker recommendations for each. Keep reading to learn more on the current trending topics in the world!

LEADING THROUGH CHANGE & UNCERTAINTY

Stanley McChrystal, World-Renowned Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan and Co-founder of McChrystal Group
Tarika Barrett, CEO, Girls Who Code
Susan Gordon, 30-Year National Security Leader, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Jim Donald, Chairman of Albertson’s, Former CEO of Starbucks, & Former CEO of Extended Stay Hotels, and Former CEO of Pathmark Supermarkets
Sarah Robb O'Hagan, Legendary Business Leader, CEO of EXOS, Former CEO of Flywheel Sports, Former Global President of Gatorade, Former Marketing Director at Nike, Founder & Author of "Extreme You: Step Up, Stand Out, Kick Ass, Repeat"
James D. White, Transformational Leader and Former Chairperson, President, & CEO of Jamba Juice
Scott Moore, Expert on Building and Leading “No-Fail” Teams and United States Navy SEAL Rear Admiral (ret.)
Nicole Malachowski, First Woman Thunderbird Pilot, Combat Veteran, & Fighter Squadron Commander

STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL

World-Renowned Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan and Co-founder of McChrystal Group

A one-of-a-kind commander with a remarkable record of achievement, General Stanley McChrystal is widely praised for creating a revolution in warfare that fused intelligence and operations. He is also known for developing and implementing the counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and for creating a comprehensive counter-terrorism organization that revolutionized the way military agencies interact and operate.

TARIKA BARRETT

CEO, Girls Who Code

An educational disruptor and a pioneer in leading initiatives to close the gender gap in technology, Dr. Tarika Barrett gives eye-opening talks with actionable insights on progressing organizational culture to create environments that are more representative, inclusive, and supportive of women, and diverse groups. Having taken the reins as CEO of international non-profit Girls Who Code at the height of the pandemic, she shares real-life examples of how leaders can unite and engage their teams during challenging periods, as well as best practices for pivoting your business when faced with disruption.

SUSAN GORDON

30-Year National Security Leader, Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence

One of the most accomplished leaders in the history of national security, Sue M. Gordon is the former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) – the country’s number two ranking intelligence official. As the fifth PDDNI, she co-led the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and oversaw the entire Intelligence Community (IC), comprised of over a dozen agencies that collect information on threats against the United States. In particular, Gordon’s transformative leadership focused on integrating intelligence across the organization, expanding outreach and partnerships, driving innovation, and advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the Community.

JIM DONALD

Chairman of Albertson’s, Former CEO of Starbucks, & Former CEO of Extended Stay Hotels, and Former CEO of Pathmark Supermarkets

The former CEO of Starbucks, Pathmark Supermarkets, and Extended Stay Hotels, and currently the co-chairman of the board of Albertson’s, Jim Donald is a seasoned executive of large, multinational companies with a distinguished career in retail. He has been named one of the “Top 25 CEOs in the World” by The Best Practice Institute and one of Business Travel News’ “25 Most Influential Business Travel Executives” in 2013. Donald earned a reputation for turning around financially ailing companies early in his career. It was this reputation that prompted Extended Stay Hotels to seek him out after emerging from its bankruptcy proceedings in 2010. The hiring marked the rare choice of an outsider to lead a U.S. hotel company, and he led its successful $565 million IPO. He then joined Albertsons Companies in March 2018 as president and chief operating officer, before being named chief executive officer of the large chain in 2018.

SARAH ROBB O'HAGAN

Legendary Business Leader, CEO of EXOS, Former CEO of Flywheel Sports, Former Global President of Gatorade, Former Marketing Director at Nike, Founder & Author of "Extreme You: Step Up, Stand Out, Kick Ass, Repeat"

Described by the media as everything from “Superwoman undercover” to “The Pied Piper of potential,” Sarah Robb O’Hagan is an executive, activist, entrepreneur, and founder of Extreme Living—a company designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations play to their highest potential. She is now the CEO of EXOS, the world leader in elite performance training that helps people reach higher and achieve more.

JAMES D. WHITE

Transformational Leader and Former Chairperson, President, & CEO of Jamba Juice

White shares how he led the 3-year, disciplined strategic plan to turn around Jamba Juice, and how organizational culture is impacted when standard leadership is elevated to transformational leadership. Revealing the characteristics of transformative leadership, he provides his own experiences as leader at Jamba Juice, Nestle-Purina PetCare and other leading global brands, and shares actionable ways that any organization can implement strategy to drive change in their culture.

SCOTT MOORE

Expert on Building and Leading “No-Fail” Teams and United States Navy SEAL Rear Admiral (ret.)

Having served 30 years as a SEAL leader, retired Rear Admiral Scott Moore is a master in organizational leadership and teambuilding. He served in every leadership position in the SEAL teams, including the former commander of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and closed out his career as the number two leader in the entire SEAL organization. He led the military’s elite forces through more than 2,000 of our nation’s most extreme, high-stakes missions and was deployed on SEAL team operations across the globe. He understands the importance of leadership and cohesiveness like few others can, and his experience runs the gamut from leading small groups to large-scale tactical planning. From the mountains of Afghanistan to briefings in the Oval Office, Moore is the man our leaders trusted when failure was not an option.

NICOLE MALACHOWSKI

icole Malachowski uses the aviation-based idea of headwinds as a metaphor to show how with the right mindset, individuals and teams can learn to harness the energy of these headwinds in their advantage. Nicole inspires individuals and organizations and bolsters their ability to: Overcome personal and professional failures, Effectively navigate organizational and cultural change, Endure the discomfort of the unknown, Increase resilience, reinvention, regroup, and adaptability, Have courage to rise above self-doubt and cultural paradigms, Support and mentor others on the team.

See our full list of leadership speakers here

ADAPTING TO THE CHANGING WORKPLACE

Mark Bowden, Expert in Body Language, Human Behavior, and Communication
Ginny Clarke, Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google and Holistic Leadership Strategist
Melissa Swift, U.S. Transformation Leader at Mercer and Future of Work Expert
Kelly Monahan, Managing Director of the Future of Work Research Institute, Upwork; Former Director of Future of Work, Meta; Organizational Behaviorist
Lindsey Pollak, Multigenerational Workplace Expert and NYT Best-Selling Author
Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe & Chairman of the Tobaccowala Foundation
Kaihan Krippendorff, Renowned Business Strategist, Best-Selling Author of Outthink the Competition, and Popular Fast Company Blogger
Michele Gelfand, Award-Winning Cultural Psychologist, Best-Selling Author, and University of Maryland Distinguished Professor

MARK BOWDEN

Expert in Body Language, Human Behavior, and Communication

Mark Bowden is the keynote speaker for organizations worldwide whose work depends upon winning the hearts and minds of others. Mark entertainingly trains any audience in the cutting-edge techniques that will help them to stand out, win trust, and profit every time they speak. His keynote presentation takes everyone on an exciting and humorous journey to understand how, with the right body language “It’s often not what you say—but how you say it, that gets results!” Bowden is the founder of TRUTHPLANE, a communication training company that offers a unique methodology for anyone who needs to communicate with impact with an audience or client. With his system of nonverbal communication techniques, he instantly helps audiences become more confident, collaborative, and credible in their communication—invaluable for anyone in leadership, sales, or teams.

GINNY CLARKE

Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google and Holistic Leadership Strategist

Bringing a holistic perspective from inside some of the world’s leading organizations, Ginny shares her sought-after insights and wisdom on the ways conscious, effective leaders can get the best out of their people and, in turn, create high-performing teams for the future. In this talk, she outlines the importance of beginning with organizational health when guiding your workforce into the future — paying special attention to how to assess, attract, and hire the best talent, and establish a culture rooted in accountability, trust, integrity, and inclusion. Ginny goes beyond ideas and, instead, offers leaders practical tactics and processes for optimizing talent, resources, productivity, and profitability to create a disruption-proof workplace that is equipped for the long run.

MELISSA SWIFT

U.S. Transformation Leader at Mercer and Future of Work Expert

Mercer U.S. transformation leader Melissa Swift combines data from her research with her experiences advising organizations of all sizes and industries on complete, people-oriented redesigns to demonstrate evidence-based, empathic strategies to truly transform work — yielding greater productivity and happier employees. Equally innovative as she is pragmatic, Swift addresses how creating a more human workplace — by reshaping everything from how we measure performance to how leaders behave to digital transformation strategy — creates the best experience for all.

KELLY MONAHAN

Managing Director of the Future of Work Research Institute, Upwork; Former Director of Future of Work, Meta; Organizational Behaviorist

Monahan’s industry-leading research encompasses both the human side of workplace evolution, as well as the latest innovations in tech (such as automation and artificial intelligence) and the ways in which they intersect to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow. In this forward-looking discussion, she outlines the top trends that will impact organizations in all aspects of the future of work — from team building and talent strategy to leading hybrid teams and fostering more diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces, Monahan explains what these trends mean for leaders and their teams, and advises on customized tools, resources, and tactics for integrating them into a successful organizational strategy.

LINDSEY POLLAK

Multigenerational Workplace Expert and NYT Best-Selling Author

One of the world’s leading experts on millennials and today’s multigenerational workplace, Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author and advisor to both young professionals looking to succeed in today’s work environment as well as the organizations that want to recruit, retain, and engage them.

RISHAD TOBACCOWALA

Chief Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe & Chairman of the Tobaccowala Foundation

A consultant who’s advised some of the most successful companies from Madison Avenue to Silicon Valley, Rishad focuses on the intersection of people, technology, and data. Addressing current issues like managing distributed workforces, leading with soul in difficult times, and why change sucks and how to deal with it, he challenges audiences to think about the current era as the start of the “Era of Great Re-invention,” recognizing the opportunity to reinvent tomorrow’s business, government, society, and ourselves for the better.

KAIHAN KRIPPENDORFF

Renowned Business Strategist, Best-Selling Author of Outthink the Competition, and Popular Fast Company Blogger

Kaihan Krippendorff is committed to helping organizations and individuals thrive in today’s era of fast-paced disruptive technological change. Kaihan is known for his ability to turn difficult concepts into easy-to-understand ideas that drive meaningful outcomes and actions. He is an internationally recognized thought-leader, battle-tested consultant, and sought-after keynote speaker on the topics of business strategy, growth, transformation, and innovation.

MICHELE GELFAND

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

Distinguished Psychology Professor Michele Gelfand is one of the leading researchers and writers on culture and the impact of culture on behavior. She’s the author of the wildly-popular new book, Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. Gelfand’s research and writing focuses on the difference between “tight” and “loose” cultures, and how that distinction impacts businesses globally. Arguing that culture drives performance more than mission statements, HR campaigns, or even financial incentives ever will, she helps organizations understand if their culture is “tight” or “loose,” why that is, how that drives everything from performance to revenue to position in the marketplace, and how to create a more “open” or “loose” culture. Gelfand’s work on tight-loose theory and its impact on business performance has been cited over 20,000 times and has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, National Public Radio, Morning Joe, Voice of America, Fox News, NBC News, ABC News, The Economist, De Standard, and more.

See more speakers on change in the workplace here

MANAGING OBSTACLES, OVERCOMING ADVERSITY, & THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY

Darcy Gaechter, Adventurer and First Woman to Kayak the Entire Amazon River
Ben Saunders, World-Record Breaking Polar Explorer
Chris Cassidy, NASA Astronaut and Navy SEAL
Erik Weihenmayer, World-Class Blind Adventurer
Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, Life Sciences Leader, Former EVP, Chief Medical Officer, & Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc.
Joby Ogwyn, World Record-Holding Mountain Climber and Legendary Wing-Suit Pilot
Hakeem Oluseyi, Astrophysicist, Former Space Science Education Lead for NASA, and Inspirational Speaker
Shayla Rivera, Former NASA Rocket Scientist, Professor, and Comedian

DARCY GAECHTER

Adventurer and First Woman to Kayak the Entire Amazon River

An adventurer, record-setter, and boundary-breaker, Darcy Gaechter is best known as the first woman to kayak the Amazon River from source to sea. Her three-person team also became the first team to kayak the entire river, where all previous expeditions had either hiked around or rafted portions of the whitewater in the Amazon River’s headwaters. The journey required her crew to paddle over 4,000 miles across the widest part of South America, a voyage that took 148 days to complete. The successful traverse of the entire Amazonian watershed relied on Gaechter’s team’s ability to balance many factors: physical endurance, an ability to work with the locals to assuage their fears of outsiders, patience for interpersonal conflicts arising from three people spending every waking moment together for five months, and a mental toughness that allowed no room for quitting to be an option. Without a doubt, the Amazon was as much an intellectual and emotional undertaking as it was a physical challenge.

BEN SAUNDERS

World-Record Breaking Polar Explorer

Polar explorer Ben Saunders’s incredible feats of endurance challenge conventional wisdom and prove what can be accomplished through ambition, passion, and a refusal to quit. Best known for leading one of the most ambitious polar expeditions in a century, he was the first to successfully complete an epic, 105-day, 1,800-mile trek on foot to the South Pole—equivalent to running 69 marathons back-to-back. Of his expedition he said, “We can all accomplish great feats. If you dream something hard enough, it does indeed come to pass.” In 2017, he became the second person in history to reach both Poles solo and unassisted, after 52 days and six alone in Antarctic conditions described as “The worst in 25 years.”

CHRIS CASSIDY

NASA Astronaut and Navy SEAL

A decorated veteran of the sea, air, land, and outer space, Chris Cassidy is a member of a distinguished group of only three military veterans to ever become astronauts. In his action-packed career, he lead his teams through challenging, high-risk environments where everything was on the line. Drawing from his experiences, from navigating enemy territory in Afghanistan to making the decision to terminate a spacewalk mission to get his fellow astronaut to safety when he had a leak in his spacesuit, Cassidy shares his keys to overcoming obstacles and making effective decisions to position your organization for success.

ERIK WEIHENMAYER

World-Class Blind Adventurer

Despite losing his vision at age 14, he is an accomplished climber, paraglider, skier, and kayaker who never allows blindness interfere with his passion for pursuing an exhilarating and fulfilling life. Erik brings audiences a powerful message about harnessing the power of adversity as fuel for greatness, emphasizing the importance of building a strong “Rope Team,” and illuminating how to develop a “No Barriers Mindset.”

DR. FREDA LEWIS-HALL

Life Sciences Leader, Former EVP, Chief Medical Officer, & Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc.

Widely regarded for reshaping culture and decision-making in the life science industry, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall shares stories from her inspiring four-decade journey to motivate audiences to overcome obstacles, determine their own destinies, and become effective leaders. Her powerful story of channeling equanimity under duress to overcome loss

JOBY OGWYN

World Record-Holding Mountain Climber and Legendary Wing-Suit Pilot

Joby Ogwyn is world-renowned for his prowess as an adventurer, high-altitude mountain climber, BASE jumper, and wing-suit explorer. Known for his many firsts and unique feats, Joby summited Mount Kilimanjaro when he was just 18. When he first summited Everest in 1999, he was the youngest American to ever do so. A famed top-speed climber, in 2004 Ogwyn beat the ascent record of the Tibetan peak Cho Oyu, reaching the 27,000 foot summit in just eight hours. Four years later, he climbed Mt. Everest in nine and a half hours (it takes most people six days to complete the trip), setting the world record for the fastest ascent. For most climbers, reaching the summit of Everest is the ultimate dream, but for Ogwyn it was only the beginning.

HAKEEM OLUSEYI

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

Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, author of a highly-anticipated upcoming memoir, A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars, is an internationally-recognized astrophysicist, science TV personality, and global education advocate who has had a long, distinguished career in academia and scientific research. He grew up in some of the roughest neighborhoods in the country. As a result, he spent a lot of time inside and at a young age, discovered a love of science and space that was inspired by his role model, Albert Einstein. He was repeatedly faced with circumstances that would make most people give up—a lack of supervision at home, attending his state’s lowest rated school, falling in with the wrong crowd, and failing exams. But Hakeem never gave up. Today, as a world-renowned NASA astrophysicist, Hakeem inspires audiences to chase impossible dreams, fight for what they want, refuse to listen to naysayers, and reach out and lend a hand up to those around them.

SHAYLA RIVERA

Former NASA Rocket Scientist, Professor, and Comedian

Shayla Rivera is an aerospace engineer and former NASA rocket scientist turned salesperson, corporate trainer, and now international keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, radio host, emcee/host, comedian, actor, writer, producer, seminar facilitator, panel moderator and, as of 2017, director of the ENGR[x] program and Professor of Practice with the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. However, none of these labels tells you much about her. She best describes herself as a spiritually irreverent mystic and awareness expert. What many would call a Renaissance Woman.

See our full list of speakers on overcoming adversity here

SPARKING INNOVATION

Amy Webb, World-Renowned Futurist; Founder & CEO of the Future Today Institute and Professor, Strategic Foresight at New York University Stern School of Business
Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Colin Bryar & Bill Carr, Former Top-Level Amazon Executives
Reggie Fils-Aimé, Former President and COO of Nintendo of America Inc.
Neil Jacobstein, Chair of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Track at Singularity University
Poppy Crum, Expert in Technology-Driven Innovation & Human Evolution, Stanford University Adjunct Professor, Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories, Neuroscientist, and Technologist
Jessica O. Matthews, Founder & CEO, Uncharted Power
Michael Steep, Executive Director, Stanford Engineering Center for Disruptive Technology and Digital Cities, & Former SVP of Global Business Operations at PARC Xerox
Peter Sheihan, Founder & CEO of Karrikins Group, Best-Selling Author, and World-Class Speaker on Business Trends & New Market Opportunities

AMY WEBB

World-Renowned Futurist; Founder & CEO of the Future Today Institute and Professor, Strategic Foresight at New York University Stern School of Business

Futurist Amy Webb taps into her research of your organization and industry and links it to curated, data-driven longitudinal tech trends to reveal the forces shaping the future of your business. She connects trends from within and outside of your field to illustrate a chain reaction of events, the potential outcomes of those events, and the ways they might shake up your business, as well as provide tools and strategies for adapting. Webb's talks have been adapted from the world’s largest and most prestigious stages, including the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, to help organizations in any industry position themselves as the disruptors before being disrupted.

SUE DESMOND-HELLMANN

Former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

With a medical, scientific, and philanthropic career that spans more than 30 years, Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann has devoted her life to improving the human condition through innovation. Most recently, she was the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading the organization’s vision for a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

COLIN BRYAR & BILL CARR

Former Top-Level Amazon Executives

Colin Bryar and Bill Carr have more than a decade as part of Amazon’s leadership team, witnessing first-hand the company’s period of unmatched innovation, and provide practical steps for applying Amazon’s approach to leadership, culture, and innovation at your own organization.

REGGIE FILS-AIMÉ

Former President and COO of Nintendo of America Inc.

An award-winning innovator and disruptor, Reggie Fils-Aimé is a proven expert on transforming companies, re-vitalizing brands, and reshaping industries to solve daunting challenges and achieve ‘the impossible.’ Most recently, he was the president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America – the first American and African-American to hold this position.

NEIL JACOBSTEIN

Chair of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Track at Singularity University

Neil Jacobstein is the chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Track at Singularity University, whose mission is “to educate, inspire and empower a new generation of leaders to apply exponential technologies”. He is a founding faculty member and past president of Singularity, which is now over ten years old. He is a mediaX distinguished visiting scholar at Stanford University, where his research focuses on augmented decision systems.

POPPY CRUM

Expert in Technology-Driven Innovation & Human Evolution, Stanford University Adjunct Professor, Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories, Neuroscientist, and Technologist

Dr. Poppy Crum is a visionary futurist and neuroscientist whose work sits at the intersection of technology advancement and human evolution. Highly regarded in both the technology sector and academic circles, she is an Adjunct Professor in Computer Research at Stanford University and the Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories, a leading global innovator and developer of audio, imaging, and voice technologies. An advocate for the kind of technology that learns more about us as we use it, Dr. Crum works to bridge the gap between rapidly evolving technology and insightful, more effective human interaction.

JESSICA O. MATTHEWS

Founder & CEO, Uncharted Power

Named one of Fortune’s “Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs,” Jessica O. Matthews is the founder and CEO of Uncharted Power, an award-winning technology company that provides clean, safe, and low-cost power and data services. Listed on over 10 patents and once invited by President Barack Obama to the White House for the America Invents Act in 2012, she takes audiences along her entrepreneurial journey of flipping the energy industry in its head, inspiring them to use disruptive technology and innovation to power the needs of people worldwide.

MICHAEL STEEP

Executive Director, Stanford Engineering Center for Disruptive Technology and Digital Cities, & Former SVP of Global Business Operations at PARC Xerox

Disruptive technology is growing at an exponential rate, but few people know how to transform disruption into opportunity. Drawing on decades of experience driving innovation and leading operations at companies including Apple and Microsoft, Mike Steep shares strategies on how to leverage emerging technology into bottom line business opportunities. Throughout his career, Mike has worked in the presence of industry legends including David Packard, Bill Gates, and Satya Nadella, witnessing first-hand some of the greatest breakthroughs and transformations within organizations and entire industries. All of this change has been powered by the invention of the digital camera, cloud computing, mobile devices, IoT, meta-materials, and privacy preserving analytics.

JOSH LUBER

Entrepreneurial Disruptor, Co-founder and former CEO of StockX

Having turned his passion for sneakers into a billion-dollar business by creating the world's first "Stock Market of Things," Josh Luber offers an inside look inside the mind of a future-focused entrepreneur and breaks down the latest trends in commerce and tech. Drawing from his experience ideating, launching, and growing StockX to the powerhouse it is today, Luber's talks are future-focused and empower groups to put on their entrepreneurial shoes and unleash the innovative nature within them.

PETER SHEAHAN

World-Renowned Speaker on Exploiting Business Trends and New Market Opportunities

To meet growth expectations, we must transform ourselves and our teams at a faster rate than the external environment is changing or else we risk a slow decline into irrelevancy. Given change isn’t slowing down, this is harder to do today than ever before. The path forward is to build organizations and teams capable of risk-taking, letting go of past successes in pursuit of a new, more vibrant future, and successfully navigating the business from one competitive advantage to the next.

See a full list of our innovation speakers here

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Chief Carmen Best, First African American Female Police Chief in Seattle, WA
Deepa Purushothaman, Transcendent Leader; First-Ever Indian American Woman Partner at Deloitte
Carice Anderson, Impact and Success Engineer; Workplace Development Advisor; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Expert
Jonathan Capehart, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Television Personality
Nikkia Reveillac, Business Insights & Strategy Leader, Organization Designer & Builder, and Director, Consumer Insights at Netflix
Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley
Reggie Rivers, Former Denver Bronco, Media Personality, Author, and Motivational Speaker
Lauren Simmons, Youngest Trader, Only Female and Second-Ever African American Woman at the New York Stock Exchange
Ashley Farmer, Assistant Professor, History & African Diaspora Studies, University of Texas-Austin

CHIEF CARMEN BEST

First African American Female Police Chief in Seattle, WA

The first African-American woman to hold the top policing job in Seattle, Washington, Chief Carmen Best (Ret.) served with the Seattle Police Department for 28 years. In 2018, Best was promoted to Chief of Police, a job she called “a dream of a lifetime,” managing approximately 2,000 sworn and civilian employees. Best quickly began efforts to diversify the police force, which had long been less diverse than the city, recruiting more than 40 new officers of color.

DEEPA PURUSHOTHAMAN

Transcendent Leader; First-Ever Indian American Woman Partner at Deloitte

As the first-ever Indian American woman partner at Deloitte, Deepa Purushothaman has been a highly influential figure in helping organizations rethink their approaches for recruiting, nurturing, and retaining talent, with a special focus on advancing women of color in the workplace. Drawing from her own journey of breaking glass ceilings to become a high-level executive at one of the world’s most powerful companies, as well as stories from the first, the few, and the only — the other female trailblazers who have overcome the obstacles in front of them to become changemakers in the corporate world — Deepa shares meaningful insights and action steps for how leaders can create equitable workplaces for all.

CARICE ANDERSON

Impact and Success Engineer; Workplace Development Advisor; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Expert

Carice Anderson is a DEI expert who helps people from diverse groups navigate their careers and is a trusted advisor to organizations looking to transform their cultures to be more inclusive for all. Leading a compelling conversation that unpacks what workplace culture entails and why cultural intelligence is one of the key traits that will help impactful leaders stand out, Anderson explores the ways organizations can implement intentional DEI strategies in order to attract, retain, and nurture diverse talent, while also outlining steps for individuals to play an active role in shaping workplace culture while realizing their visions for their own careers.

JONATHAN CAPEHART

Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Television Personality

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart is a member of The Washington Post editorial board, writes about politics and social issues for the PostPartisan blog, and hosts the Post’s “Cape Up” podcast. He is also an MSNBC Contributor who regularly serves as a substitute anchor. Capehart is known for his insightful, hard-hitting reporting and writing, as well as his eloquent, witty, and thought-provoking commentary.

NIKKIA REVEILLAC

Business Insights & Strategy Leader, Organization Designer & Builder, and Director, Consumer Insights at Netflix

Over the course of her diverse career leading researching and insight initiatives at top brands such as Netflix, Twitter, and Colgate-Palmolive, Nikkia Reveillac has leveraged empathy, a pioneering attitude, and a deep love for multicultural moments to develop diverse, high-performing teams. In her talks, she opens audiences' eyes to the advantages teams have when their leaders and members are conscious of each individual and the experiences that have shaped them, as well as the importance of creating an environment where all members feel empowered to contribute to the success of the team.

CARLA HARRIS

Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley

Carla Harris is Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley and a leading keynote speaker on motivation, success, and exceeding expectations. In her current role at Morgan Stanley, she is responsible for increasing client connectivity and penetration to enhance revenue generation across the firm. She has extensive industry experiences in the technology, media, retail, telecommunications, transportation, industrial, and healthcare sectors. The recipient of numerous awards, including being named to Fortune Magazine’s list of “The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America,” Harris was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council in 2013. She is the author of two best-selling books, Strategize To Win and Expect To Win, and the creator of “Carla’s Pearls,” the centerpiece of her speeches and television appearances. Carla’s pearls are nuggets of wisdom hard-earned throughout her long and impressive career, which she imparts on audiences globally.

REGGIE RIVERS

Former Denver Bronco, Media Personality, Author, and Motivational Speaker

Reggie Rivers is a renaissance man whose talents and achievements have spanned many different disciplines. He’s a former NFL running back, a media personality, a business owner, an author, and a motivational speaker, master of ceremonies, and auctioneer. Reggie entered the NFL as a classic underdog—an undrafted rookie free agent and a longshot to make a team. But he managed to win a roster spot with the Denver Broncos and stayed with the team for six seasons.

LAUREN SIMMONS

Youngest Trader, Only Female and Second-Ever African American Woman at the New York Stock Exchange

At 22 years old, Lauren Simmons shattered the glass ceiling and made history by being the youngest and only full-time female equity trader on Wall Street for Rosenblatt Securities. Affectionately called the “Wolfette of Wall Street,” Simmons was also the second African American woman in history to hold the prestigious title.

ASHLEY FARMER

Assistant Professor, History & African Diaspora Studies, University of Texas-Austin

Ashley D. Farmer is a well-known historian as well as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. As a contributor to The Washington Post, The Independent, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Public Books, she is well-versed in making historical issues and concepts accessible to the general public.

See a full list of our diversity and inclusion speakers here

MAINTAINING POSITIVITY, BALANCE, & MENTAL HEALTH

Katie Ledecky, Olympic Champion Swimmer; 10x Olympic Medalist, 15x World Champion, 14x World Record Breaker
Wendy Borlabi, High-Performance Expert, Director of Performance and Mental Health for the Chicago Bulls
Helena Boschi, World Renowned Applied Neuroscience Psychologist
Sebastian Terry, Author, TV Host, and Founder of 100 Things Philanthropic Movement
Lisa Sun, CEO & Founder, GRAVITAS
Neil Pasricha, Leadership and Happiness Expert
Dr. William Li, Food, Health and Disease Expert; Founder of Angiogenesis Foundation
Laila Ali, Mom, Wife, Boxing Champion, Elite Athlete, Fitness & Nutrition Expert, TV Host, Cooking Enthusiast, Beauty & Lifestyle Brand CEO, Actress, Advocate for Children, Author, Speaker
Dr. Romie Mushtaq, Neurologist & Chief Wellness Officer for Evolution Hospitality

KATIE LEDECKY

Olympic Champion Swimmer; 10x Olympic Medalist, 15x World Champion, 14x World Record Breaker

One of the most dominant athletes the world has seen and among the most celebrated of her generation, Katie Ledecky is a 10-time Olympic medalist and 15-time World Championship medalist — the most of any female swimmer. In her energizing talks, she shares examples and strategies from her legendary career on the vital roles that maintaining balance and a can-do mindset have when it comes to achieving peak performance as an individual and a team.

WENDY BORLABI

High-Performance Expert, Director of Performance and Mental Health for the Chicago Bulls

Dr. Borlabi opens audiences’ eyes to the mental barriers that stand in the way of success and provides the same tools and strategies she has shared with elite athletes and Fortune 500 companies to help anyone in any industry adopt an athlete’s mindset to identify strengths and weaknesses within themselves and their teams, set meaningful goals, capitalize on opportunities for innovation and growth, and challenge themselves to perform beyond their best when the lights are shining brightest.

HELENA BOSCHI

World Renowned Applied Neuroscience Psychologist

Boschi offers a fascinating and valuable look at why change efforts typically don’t work and explains why the human brain is not inclined to ‘embrace’ change. Specifically, she covers how human beings typically respond to uncertainty, why change creates imbalance and stress in our systems and the emotions that drive us to act. Boschi also provides simple and practical strategies to enable new ways of working at all levels, from creating the right conditions for change to reducing uncertainty and providing a sense of control for those who are both driving and implementing change initiatives.

SEBASTIAN TERRY

Author, TV Host, and Founder of 100 Things Philanthropic Movement

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. Affected by a curious mind and the death of a close friend, Sebastian experienced a moment in his life where he asked himself a simple question; ‘Am I happy?’. The answer was NO and so he decided to pen down a list of 100 Things that he’d always wanted to achieve. Following his heart and armed with nothing but a list, Sebastian's incredible story has grown from an entertaining tale of adventure into a global philanthropic movement that engages a growing tribe of hundreds of thousands to not just set meaningful goals, but also pull the trigger and achieve them – all while helping others do the same.

LISA SUN

Founder & CEO, GRAVITAS

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.

NEIL PASRICHA

Leadership and Happiness Expert

After graduating from Harvard Business School, Neil Pasricha spent a decade as Director of Leadership at Walmart, the world’s largest company. While there he wrote the 50-million-hit, award-winning blog 1000 Awesome Things and the New York Times bestsellers: The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation which have been on international bestseller lists for over 200 weeks and sold over a million copies.

DR. WILLIAM LI

Food, Health and Disease Expert; Founder of Angiogenesis Foundation

Dr. William W. Li is a world-renowned speaker, physician, scientist, and New York Times best-selling author of the Amazon #1 best-seller, Eat to Beat Disease. An international expert on health and disease fighting based on diet, lifestyle, and treatments that keep the body’s blood vessels in balance, he is CEO and President of the global nonprofit Angiogenesis Foundation. Dr. Li’s work has impacted more than 50 million people worldwide and has led to the effective prevention, novel treatment, and even reversal of diseases spanning cancer, chronic wounds, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and vision loss. Known for his ability to predict medical breakthroughs often years before they become realized, he is also the creator of the Eat to Defeat Cancer program, a healthy eating campaign which now has spread to more than 40 countries.

LAILA ALI

Mom, Wife, Boxing Champion, Elite Athlete, Fitness & Nutrition Expert, TV Host, Cooking Enthusiast, Beauty & Lifestyle Brand CEO, Actress, Advocate for Children, Author, Speaker

Laila Ali is a world-class athlete, fitness and nutrition expert, TV host, author, cooking enthusiast, founder and CEO of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand, advocate for women and children, wife, and mother of two. The daughter of late beloved global icon and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali, she is a four-time undefeated boxing world champion, whose stellar record includes 24 wins (21 of which were "knockouts") and zero losses. Laila is heralded as the most successful female in the history of women’s boxing.

DR. ROMIE MUSHTAQ

Neurologist & Chief Wellness Officer for Evolution Hospitality

Dr. Romie brings together Western medicine and Eastern wisdom to help individuals and audiences learn to heal from stress-based illnesses, achieve peak performance, and harness the power of mindful leadership. All of Dr. Romie's programs are based in neuroscience, positive psychology, and mindfulness. Dr. Romie has also traveled the world learning various mindfulness and yoga techniques, and combines her unique skill set to discuss the neuroscience behind mindfulness. A highly sought after professional speaker for corporations and associations, Dr. Romie has a gift for translating complex medical and scientific principles into easy to comprehend information. Her wisdom is featured in her TEDx talk, The Powerful Secret of Your Breath.

See a full list of our speakers on health, happiness, and wellness here

EXPERIENCES & ENTERTAINMENT

Alpana Singh, First Indian Woman and Youngest Female Master Sommelier
Jim Sonefeld, GRAMMY Award-Winning Musician & Drummer, Hootie & the Blowfish
Jon Dorenbos, Magician, America’s Got Talent Finalist, and Former NFL Player
Kevin Kallaugher, Editorial Cartoonist for The Economist & The Baltimore Sun
Sekou Andrews, Grammy-Nominated Creator of "Poetic Voice" & Inspirational Speaker
John Ondrasik, Singer/Songwriter, Five For Fighting
Maurice Ashley, First African-American Chess Grandmaster, Analyst, Commentator and Emcee

ALPANA SINGH

First Indian Woman and Youngest Female Master Sommelier

One of just 269 master sommeliers worldwide, and one of just 28 women to be given the distinction, Alpana Singh became the first Indian woman and the youngest American woman ever to pass the final level of the master sommelier exam at age 26. Born and raised in Monterey, California, Alpana Singh’s strong work ethic and ease with people of all ages stemmed from a youth spent working in her family’s ethnic grocery store. Later, while waiting tables in college, Singh fell in love with wine and discovered that it united her varied interests in traveling, history and food.

JIM SONEFELD

GRAMMY Award-Winning Musician & Drummer, Hootie & the Blowfish

Audience members experience every emotion as Sonefeld combines musical performance and storytelling to share his powerful story of reaching unimaginable highs with Hootie & the Blowfish, hitting rock bottom as drug and alcohol addiction consumed him, and then seeking guidance on the path back to reclaiming his life. Sonefeld shares inspirational, never-before-heard behind-the-scenes stories from his life and the rise of Hootie & the Blowfish to illustrate how anyone is capable of overcoming any obstacle to achieve their purpose in life.

JON DORENBOS

Magician, America’s Got Talent Finalist, and Former NFL Player

Former NFL All-Pro, elite magician, and survivor of immense tragedy, Jon Dorenbos’ extraordinary life and talents have made him one of the most renowned motivational speakers on the circuit today.

KEVIN KALLAUGHER

Editorial Cartoonist for The Economist & The Baltimore Sun

Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher is the international award-winning editorial cartoonist for The Economist and The Baltimore Sun. The first resident cartoonist in The Economist’s 145-year history, his diverse portfolio includes more than 8,000 cartoons, 140 covers, and six books. The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons said, “Commanding a masterful style, Kallaugher stands among the premier caricaturists of the (twentieth) century.” In a distinguished—and syndicated—career that spans five decades, his work has appeared in more than 100 publications worldwide.

SEKOU ANDREWS

Grammy-Nominated Creator of "Poetic Voice" & Inspirational Speaker

Sekou Andrews is the Founder/CEO of SekouWorld, Inc., innovator of “Poetic Voice,” and one of the most successful spoken word poets in the world. On any given day, this schoolteacher turned artist and entrepreneur, who built a 7-figure company on poetry, can be found keynoting at a Fortune 500 company, inspiring thousands at a concert, or performing for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard.

JOHN ONDRASIK

Singer/Songwriter, Five For Fighting

Singer-songwriter John Ondrasik has spent the past decade writing deeply personal songs that include social messages, invoke the human spirit and make an emotional connection. With the past six albums by Five For Fighting, the hockey moniker stage name under which he performs, Ondrasik has seen multitudes of successes. Five For Fighting's breakthrough came in 2001 with the Grammy-nominated song “Superman,” and John’s performance at The Concert For New York.

MAURICE ASHLEY

First African-American Chess Grandmaster, Analyst, Commentator and Emcee

Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker.

See a full list of our entertainment acts here

BOOK A SPEAKER ON CURRENT TRENDING TOPICS FOR 2023

If you're interested in checking out any speaking fees and availability for an upcoming date of these speakers on a trending topic for 2023, or if you would like to book a speaker for your next meeting or conference, contact our team today!

Want more speaker options or event ideas on hot topics trending now? Tell us about your event and we can send you a customized list of speaker recommendations tailored specifically for your event's topic, theme, and audience. Request your custom speaker list.

To get in touch with a member of our team right away, you can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page, email us at Contact@lauthorities.com, or start a live chat with us online.

Topics: