A school teacher turned actor, musician, two-time national poetry slam champion, entrepreneur, and award-winning poetic voice, any given day may now find Sekou keynoting at a leadership conference, helping a Fortune 500 company with brand messaging, or even performing pieces for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard. Sekou is the creator of Poetic Voice, a new, cutting-edge speaking category that seamlessly fuses inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry to make messages more moving and memorable. For over 15 years, Sekou Andrews has been helping the world’s largest organizations deliver relevant information with riveting inspiration through an innovative, unconventional category of speaking called “Poetic Voice.”

A powerhouse presence in the world’s most famous kitchens and as a mental health and wellness advocate, Andre Rush is a celebrity chef and decorated U.S. Army combat veteran with more than 20 years of service. Renowned as the White House Chef with 24-inch biceps, Chef Rush served through the administrations of Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump, gaining international attention for his unmistakable muscular physique when a picture of him preparing a meal on the White House lawn went viral and received more than one hundred million views. He uses his platform to advocate on behalf of our nation’s veterans, while also sharing important messages about wellness, individual and collective growth, and the moments that shape who we are.

John Ondrasik, better known by his stage name Five for Fighting, is a platinum-selling, Grammy nominated American singer-songwriter who has released six major albums and sold more than 2.5 million records and whose hits include “100 Years,” “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” “Chances,” “The Riddle,” “Freedom Never Cries,” and “What If.” Ondrasik offers audiences an intimate evening of storytelling, humor, and great music. He offers insights on the creative process and innovation while sharing stories and playing his most famous songs.

A first-generation American immigrant, turned American soldier, combat veteran, and now a professional touring stand-up comedian, Thom Tran turned a literal lifetime of war and tragedy into a successful comedy career. On 3 April 2003, his 4th day in Iraq, during a gunfight Thom was struck in the back of the head by a sniper’s bullet. On April 3, 2003, his 4th day in Iraq, during a gunfight Thom was struck in the back of the head by a sniper’s bullet. Since starting his comedy career, Thom created the GIs of Comedy tour, a group of combat veterans turned stand-up comedians.

As an internationally recognized graffiti artist, author and entrepreneur, Erik redefines the term “keynote speaker.” Pulling from his history as both a businessman and an artist, he has grown to become one of the most sought-after corporate speakers available today. Erik’s on-stage painting seamlessly becomes a visual metaphor to the core of his message, encouraging organizations toward profitability through innovations and superior levels of performance. His list of clients includes AT&T, Disney, London School of Business, Microsoft, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Ernst & Young, and XPrize; Erik has even been featured as a TED presenter. The responses received have been nothing short of incredible, with standing ovations to prove it.

Part journalist, part historian, and all shrewd political observer, Ronald (Ron) Brownstein explains the complexities of American politics with lucid precision. As a CNN Senior Political Analyst, Senior Editor for the Atlantic, and Contributing Editor for National Journal, he produces sharp analysis on politics, policy, the electorate, media, healthcare, energy, the press' impact on Americans, and the range of issues informed by his strong sense of American political and national history. Brownstein provides an insider’s look into politics and the media and has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He is also the author of seven best-selling books, and his articles on politics, public policy, and culture have appeared in myriad of major publications and on many broadcast news outlets.

Amy Holmes is a familiar face with an unconventional voice in political news. As an on-air political analyst, Amy dissects and debates the issues of the day, appearing regularly on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and PBS. She is the host of the PBS weekly program "In Principle," and the former host of the daily MSNBC morning show Way Too Early. In addition to working with TheBlaze and MSNBC, she co-hosted the Washington Times and Talk Radio Network's America’s Morning News, a nationally-syndicated morning radio show heard coast-to-coast by over 1.5 million listeners daily.

Fun, engaging, and the creator of celebrity looks for the general public, Joe Katz is best known for his Oscar Red Carpet appearances. With many years of experience in the fashion industry, Katz is the stylist and personal shopper at the luxurious, five star Montage Beverly Hills Hotel. His fashion media contributions include Good Morning America, The Doctors, Yahoo, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Associated Press, CBS 2, NBC LA, as well as Life & Style, Real Simple, and Ok Magazines.

Nick Bilton, Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair and former Lead Technology Writer for the New York Times, is a journalist, designer, UI specialist, technologist, author, hardware hacker, and researcher. Bilton has worked in many industries within the context of design, research and development, and technology. He is also the author of Hatching Twitter and I Live in the Future: & Here’s How It Works, which explores the effects of new technology on our brains. With highly visual presentations, he addresses innovation, the future of media, technology, and society and how technology affects our work and minds.

With his signature dry wit and delivery, Ben Stein provides an intellectual and humorous look at politics, the economy, and current affairs. A former presidential speechwriter, economics and securities law instructor, and Emmy Award-winner, Stein is a versatile speaker who is equally comfortable addressing college graduates or seasoned executives.

Gianno Caldwell is founder and principal at Caldwell Strategic Consulting—a bipartisan firm headquartered in Washington, DC, which provides strategic advice and consulting in the areas of Public Affairs and Government Relations. Gianno has held a role on behalf of a member of Congress as well as roles at the federal, state, and local level reflecting over 15 years of total experience and seven years of legislative experience culminating in the recognition of his ability to effectively create legislative strategies and build bipartisan coalitions. He is a Fox News Political Analyst who frequently provides analysis and commentary on political, financial, and cultural issues. He's also a contributor to the Hill Newspaper. His opinions are sought out on a wide variety of topics, including domestic policy, the economy, and Congress. In addition, Gianno is Porsche Power 30 under 30 as well as Red Alert Politics 30 under 30 award recipient for 2016.

From the Baltimore Opera to QVC shopping channel, Executive Producer and TV Host Mike Rowe has had hundreds of jobs and relished his role as a chronic freelancer. He’s best known as the “dirtiest man on TV,” a title he earned on the hit TV series Dirty Jobs, where he traversed all 50 states; completed 300 different jobs; and transformed cable television into a landscape of swamps, sewers, and coal mines. He has narrated hundreds of documentaries about space, nature, dinosaurs, and how stuff works. Mike also runs the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity that works hard to debunk myths about the skilled trades and help close the skills gap.