With more questions than answers in today’s economic landscape, Dana Peterson, chief economist for the Conference Board, has established herself as a visionary, and the go to expert providing insightful analysis and predictions to corporations, associations, and government organizations looking for clarity and foresight into how economic drivers might impact their businesses in the short- and long-term. With over a decade of experience in the field, she serves as the globally recognized think tank’s public face and primary spokesperson on all things related to the economy.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest thinkers and problem solvers in the world of information security, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko is a cybersecurity leader, open-source programmer, writer, and ethical hacker who has been among the most influential figures in shaping the modern field of cybersecurity as we know it. From pioneering work on offensive techniques and information security methods and tools, to his famous 1998 testimony to U.S. Congress on systemic flaws in the architecture of the Internet where he described how to “take down the entire Internet in 30 minutes,” he has left his mark on many parts of modern infosec technology. Zatko’s experiences within senior management are no less interesting and impressive. He has held leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Defense and fintech companies currently valued at $100 billion, as well as one of the most well-known social media companies in the world. In all of his roles, he has upheld his commitment to ethics and lawful disclosure. He has been described by his contemporaries as “a principled technologist with a knack for making complex concepts accessible and an earnest desire to fix problems.” His talks are designed to help any organization understand the differences between real security risks and fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Michael J. Durant is the best-selling author of In the Company of Heroes and the inspiration for the movie Black Hawk Down. He was the sole survivor of the helicopter crash caused by a Somali-fired grenade and held as a prisoner of war for 11 days. Prior to his time in Somalia, Durant had participated in combat operations in the Persian Gulf, Panama, and Kuwait. A highly-decorated soldier, his awards include the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Medal. He addresses leadership, teambuilding, growth, and his experience as a soldier and as a hostage.

Rita McGrath is a leading expert on growth strategy, the author of The End of Competitive Advantage, and one of Columbia Business School’s most popular professors. Named a top thought leader by Thinkers50, she shares insights and exercises on how to align business operations to the coming environment – capturing opportunities fast, exploiting them decisively, and quickly moving on – including disruptive innovation and the social and technological forces that create opportunity. Audiences value her ability to connect cutting edge research to practical business problems.

Joel Brenner is the former national counterintelligence executive and mission manager for counterintelligence at the Office of the National Counterintelligence (CI) Executive, which directs national, interagency CI for the government. He is the author of America the Vulnerable: Inside the New Threat Matrix of Digital Espionage, Crime and Warfare. Brenner is a cyber security expert and provides business strategies on this complex issue. He also addresses global risk management, privacy, and data security.

Conservation biologist and National Geographic explorer Steve Boyes gives audiences an eye-opening look at the world around us and shares insights on the power of exploration. Through the use of stunning high-quality images and stories, he challenges audiences to view the world with a fresh perspective. He believes that rich biodiversity is the key to maintaining our quality of life and connection to the planet, and he shares the human experience of the wilderness with audiences so that they come to understand why they need to protect areas that they will likely never see firsthand.

Bert Jacobs is the co-founder and Chief Executive Optimist of The Life is good Company. A $100 million privately held business based in Boston, MA, Life is good® spreads positive vibes with its colorful collection of apparel and accessories. Jake, Life is good’s iconic hero with the contagious smile, teaches men, women and children that optimism is fun, healthy, and empowering. Bert has appeared on CNN’s Tips from the Top, CNBC’s Business Nation, and The Donny Deutch Show. Life is good has been featured in the New York Times, on the cover of Inc Magazine, and on NBC’s The Today Show.

Dr. William W. Li is an international expert on health and disease fighting based on diet, lifestyle, and treatments that keep the body’s blood vessels in balance. Dr. Li’s expertise extends across many health arenas including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease, wound healing, and more than 70 other disease conditions. His work has been recognized by O Magazine, The Atlantic, USA Today, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and CNN, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative. His latest book Eat to Beat Disease was released March 2019 and is a New York Times Best-seller as well as Amazon #1 best-seller.

With a career devoted to understanding how humans make risk decisions, Andy Ellis is a seasoned technology executive with deep expertise in security. An advisor to several cyber security startups, including Orca, Vulcan, and Uptycs, he currently serves as an advisor at cyber security venture capital firm, YL Ventures. Ellis formerly served as the chief security officer of web and internet security company Akamai. In his 20 years with Akamai, he helped to design and bring to market several of the company’s core technologies behind its security solutions. Combining more than 20 years of security experience with insider anecdotes from his time serving as CSO, he explores how and why humans make risk choices and decisions – and their impact on security.

Kevin Kallaugher (Kal) is the international award-winning editorial cartoonist for the Economist and The Baltimore Sun. His diverse portfolio includes more than 8,000 cartoons, 140 covers, and six books. In lively, illustrated presentations, Kal draws on stage while touching on themes like the uniqueness of our political system and the role of cartoons in free speech. He shares insights on current events, politics, and the economy and offers audiences a unique surprise to take home after his talks. He has lectured at TED, Harvard, Pixar, and Google among others. Offering an exciting twist for meetings and events, his presentations are always funny, interactive, and memorable.

General James Conway is a retired four-star general and the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. His previous postings include serving as the Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force, where he took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Called a “superb, multi-talented leader,” Conway is a highly-decorated marine, and, as such, is an authority on leadership, team building, crisis management, and our nation’s challenges five to ten years out.

How do you turn a t-shirt brand that’s sold from the trunk of a rusty car into a global, multi-million dollar business? Johnny Earle transformed Johnny Cupcakes into one of the world’s fastest growing independent businesses. Businessweek named him America’s No. 1 young entrepreneur, and he has been profiled by the New York Times, NPR, MTV, Forbes, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, and INC. By focusing on the customer experience (he wants buying a t-shirt to feel like your birthday), he created such a unique brand that consumers would (and do) line up around the block for his shirts.