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.

A decorated veteran of the sea, air, land, and outer space, Captain Chris Cassidy is among the leaders of an exclusive and distinguished group of accomplished military astronauts who have made an impact on and beyond this world. Recognized for his leadership and achievements as a United States Navy SEAL and a NASA astronaut, CAPT Cassidy’s various military deployments and spaceflight missions provided the catalysts for an action-packed career where he made the most of every opportunity presented to him, even in challenging and high-stakes environments.

Jimmy Chin is a professional climber, mountaineer, skier, director and photographer. Born and raised in Mankato, Minnesota, he signed a sponsorship agreement with the The North Face in 2001 and is a 14-year veteran of The North Face Athlete Team. He has organized and led numerous climbing, ski-mountaineering and exploratory expeditions to China, Pakistan, Nepal, Tanzania, Chad, Mali, South Africa, Tibet, Borneo, India and Argentina. As a Speaker, Jimmy has lent his story and experience to a variety of audiences, addressing global tech leaders, financial institutions, nonprofits and creative agencies. His talks take you on his own personal journey from a young kid in Minnesota who just wanted to climb Yosemite and capture images to a world-class climber and filmmaker. He relays the many lessons he’s learned navigating the world's most challenging climbs, and sharing the stories of other accomplished adventurers.

Dr. Leroy Chiao has extensive experience as a NASA Astronaut and prior to that, as a Research Engineer. Chiao is a veteran of four space missions and has logged 229 days in space, earning the honor of commanding the International Space Station. He is also one of one of only 166 people to walk in space and was one of a few Americans to ever co-pilot a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Chiao discusses how commitment, training, and teamwork can produce extraordinary achievement by sharing anecdotes from his career as an astronaut.

Ambassador Ron Kirk is the former United States trade representative (USTR) who was a pivotal member of the president’s economics team. With nearly 20 years in politics, he has been a Dallas mayor, U.S. Senate candidate, a lawyer with international reach. Boisterous and entertaining, Kirk analyzes the current political environment and offers audiences a glimpse behind the curtain in Washington and into what the president is really thinking. He also addresses trade, jobs, the economy, and doing business in China.

Denise Hamilton is a nationally recognized Diversity & Inclusion leader, specializing in Ally training. Denise is Founder and CEO of WatchHerWork, a digital learning platform for professional women. She is a highly requested speaker and trainer as well as media personality whose platform has reached and served people all over the world. Denise leverages her 25 years of executive experience with Fortune 500 organizations like AOL and CBRE to provide solutions that support the employees and the bottom line. Clients have said Denise’s superpower is the ability to have the most challenging discussions and come out the other side with solutions and a positive direction. She uses this gift to lead workshops, design education programs, and coach senior leaders. The goal is to empower individuals and teams to mine and close the gender gap, understand differences, resolve conflict, and become better allies.

Vincent K. Brooks is a retired four-star general who was in command of all US Forces in Korea, where he concurrently commanded United Nations Command as well as the Republic of Korea. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he led the 4,000 cadets as the cadet brigade commander or “First Captain.” A history-maker, Brooks is the first African American to have been chosen for this paramount position. He is also the eighth African American in history to attain the military’s top rank—four-star general in the United States Army. Widely respected as a speaker and leader of cohesive, innovative organizations, within and beyond the military, his areas of expertise are: leadership in complex organizations, crisis leadership, and building cohesive trust-based teams, national security, policy, strategy, international relations, military operations, combating terrorism and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as diversity and inclusion.

Colin O'Brady is a professional endurance athlete who has achieved four world records. He grew up exploring the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and cultivated a passion for adventure in the outdoors. His success swimming in Oregon led him to Yale University. After years as a professional triathlete, he returned to his first love - the mountains. In 2016 Colin conquered the speed records for the Explorers Grand Slam and Seven Summits, a global mountaineering challenge to climb the tallest mountain on every continent including Mt. Everest and ski to the North and South Poles. In 2018 Colin shattered the speed record for the 50 High Points Challenge when he summited the highest point in each of the 50 states in just 21 days. On December 26, 2018 he became the first person to cross the landmass of Antarctica solo, unaided by kites or resupplies. He accomplished the feat in 54 days, covering more than 930 miles along the way, including more than 77 miles in the final 32-hour window where he went without sleep. Throughout the nearly two-month journey, O’Brady never took a full day off.

With an unwavering commitment to public service, The Honorable Gina Ortiz Jones has continually pushed boundaries, shattered glass ceilings, and left an enduring impact in the realm of national security, politics, and beyond.  She has held several high-ranking titles throughout her career, including becoming the first woman of color and first out lesbian to serve as the under secretary of a military department when she was appointed by President Joe Biden as the 27th Under Secretary of the Air Force in July 2021. Unanimously confirmed by the Senate, the appointment made her the second-highest ranking civilian in the Department of the Air Force, which includes the Air Force and the Space Force. She is a name synonymous with trailblazing leadership and an unyielding commitment to creating positive change.

Ram Charan is a world-renowned business advisor, author, and speaker who has spent the past 35 years working with top companies, CEOs, and boards. He is the best-selling author of 17 books – including Boards that Lead and Execution – that have sold more than two million copies He discusses growth, innovation, corporate governance, succession planning, and leadership; and has been called a “top 10 resource for in-house executive development” by BusinessWeek. A sought-after advisor for his ability to guide boards and CEOs, Charan provides practical, take-home strategies.

Ruben Gonzalez is a four-time Olympian and a national luge champion. Ruben uses his Olympic experiences to inspire audiences to think differently, to live life with passion and to have the courage to take the necessary steps toward their goals to push beyond their self-imposed limitations to produce better results. In his speeches he address peak performance and determination.

Three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Darren Woodson is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Dallas Cowboys uniform. The vocal leader of the defense during the Cowboys 1990’s Super Bowl teams, Woodson was one of the most popular players both inside the clubhouse and as an ambassador in the community. Upon retirement, Woodson joined ESPN as an NFL analyst. He appears on NFL Live and SportsCenter, as well as other ESPN platforms throughout the year. Woodson earned a reputation as one of the hardest hitters and most ferocious strong safeties in the NFL during his 13 seasons (1992-2004), all with the Dallas Cowboys. The quarterback of the team’s defense during its three championship runs in the 1990s (Super Bowl’s XXVII, XXVIII and XXX), Woodson registered career totals of 11 sacks, 23 interceptions and 1,350 tackles, the most in Cowboys franchise history at the time of his retirement in 2004. A native of Phoenix, Woodson was a second-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft (37th overall) from Arizona State University, where he was a converted linebacker. He earned a bachelor of science from ASU in Justice Studies. In addition to his analyst work for ESPN, Woodson is involved in several businesses, and he remains active in the Dallas community, most notably as a board member for the North Texas Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.