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.

Peter Thum is a recognized pioneer in social enterprise. He founded and was President of Ethos Water through its acquisition by Starbucks. To date, Ethos Water has granted $13.8 million to provide water, sanitation and hygiene education to over half a million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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.

Multimedia presenter whose presentations feature funny video clips and a high degree of audience interaction. Ross Shafer has the most intriguing Comedy & Business background of any speaker on leading through change, reinvention, and resilience. Ross’s funny and energetic style was honed as a headlining comedian and host of TV’s Match Game (ABC), The Late Show (FOX), Almost Live! (NBC and Comedy Central) and Love Me, Love Me Not (USA). Embracing his humorous world view explains why Ross risked buying and selling 23 companies (each rescued from bankruptcy) and earning the savvy to author ten insightful business books. Ross’s fresh takeaways are fun and sticky … and he delivers the creativity to ignite and inspire front line staff as well as senior executives.

Frank Caliendo is an American comedian and impressionist who is best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv. He is also the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday.

Scott gives fresh global perspective to his programs about the changing worlds of employee engagement, customer engagement, branded customer service, personal branding, humor as a tool in sales, service, public speaking, and change management.

With hilarious observations, clever wordplay, and just the right amount of snark, corporate comedian Greg Schwem proves there's always a place for comedy in the workplace. He's been called "America's favorite corporate funnyman" and "king of the hill" of the growing corporate comedy world.

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.

Mark Shriver, the senior vice president of Save the Children’s U.S. programs, has made a career of working to ensure that every child has a safe, vibrate, healthy, and educated childhood. A member of the Maryland House of Delegates, he served as the first chair of the joint and subcommittees on children, youth, and families and was repeatedly recognized as “Outstanding Legislator of the Year.” He has also been widely covered and published in the national media and authored A Good Man. Shriver addresses life lessons learned from his father and children’s issues.

Jimmy Tingle has worked his way up the stand-up comedy ladder from open mics and street performer to commentator/humorist on “60 Minutes II” and commencement speaker at the Hallowed Halls of Harvard. He now stands among the top social and political humorists of his generation as he aspires to make audiences of all backgrounds and political persuasions see the humor in their daily lives.

Fatima Bhutto, born and raised in Pakistan, is an acclaimed poet, writer, columnist, and journalist. With a steep family history in politics, she is also a renowned activist and has undertaken work for women’s rights and humanitarian issues, as well as broader world politics.

Kevin Pollak has established himself as both a comedic and dramatic actor, having appeared in over thirty films in the past decade. His ability to portray a wide range of characters has made him one of the first stand-up comedians to have a successful dramatic film career.