Erik Weihenmayer is a world-class adventurer, the first blind man to summit Mount Everest, and one of only 150 mountaineers to climb the Seven Summits. His latest and most demanding adventure is kayaking the 277 miles of the Grand Canyon. One of the most exciting and well-known athletes in the world, he never let his lack of vision interfere with his quality of life. Weihenmayer’s feats have earned him incredible press coverage and dozens of awards. He is also the author of two books and addresses leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, motivation, and inspiration.

Former Marine Platoon Commander Jake Harriman is the founder and former CEO of Nuru International, a U.S.-based social venture that empowers poor individuals in remote, rural areas to end extreme poverty in their communities. Inspired to act by the poverty and tragedy he witnessed during four operational deployments throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Bronze Star winner Harriman retired from active duty and enrolled at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business before founding Nuru in 2008 and then living in 3rd world countries to put systems and models in place that save innocent families in war torn regions by teaching and building structure for leadership, agriculture, education, and survival. Harriman has now turned his attention to helping protect the American Democratic experiment. In 2020, he founded More Perfect Union to disrupt and reform the current political system, heal our divided nation, and give the government back to the American people.

Retired Marine Sergeant and Paralympic Bronze Medalist, Rob Jones’ life is synonymous with fearless perseverance. In 2010, he was struck and injured by a land mine, resulting in a double above-the-knee leg amputation. Despite the injury, Rob’s incredible spirit remained intact. He went on to win bronze in the 2012 Paralympics, place fourth in the 2013 World Rowing Championships, and bike across the country for charity in 2015. In the fall of 2017, Rob completed a month long, back-to-back marathon challenge, running 31 marathons in 31 days in 31 different major cities. The incredible undertaking raised awareness and funds for wounded veteran charities.

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. He 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. In speeches, Reggie shares the lessons he’s learned from the NFL that translate perfectly to the business world and enable peak performance. His message will reinforce the ideas that organizations are already preaching to their teams – providing that “aha” moment by presenting these strategies in the context of football.

Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular “How to Build a Life” column. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the 2022 #1 New York Times bestseller From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. He speaks all around the world about love and happiness, giving more than 150 speeches and lectures per year in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Brooks began his career as a classical musician, leaving college at 19, and performing with ensembles in the United States and Spain. In his late twenties, while still performing, he returned to school, earning a BA in economics through distance learning. At 31, he left music and earned an MPhil and PhD in public policy analysis, during which time he worked as a military analyst for the Rand Corporation. Brooks then spent the next 10 years as a university professor at Syracuse University, where he taught economics and nonprofit management. In 2009, Brooks became the president of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, one of the world’s most influential think tanks, which he led for a decade. During this period, he was selected as one of Fortune Magazine’s “50 World’s Greatest Leaders” and was awarded seven honorary doctorates.

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.

Retired Colonel Greg Gadson is a 25-year career United States Army officer. Although a bilateral above-the-knee amputee, he has not been defeated by unfortunate circumstances, instead, his life is a portrait of courage in the face of great adversity. Greg communicates his passion for service, teamwork, and leadership in his moving and inspirational message made relevant for individuals, teams, and organizations of all sizes. He applies the poignant lessons of pride, poise, and team that he learned as a West Point football player to every aspect of his life and credits those same lessons as the underlying principles that saved his life when he was serving as a battalion commander in Iraq.

Throughout his action-packed, hair-raising combat career, retired Navy SEAL Commander Rorke Denver successfully led his troops through unforgiving special forces missions in challenging, do-or-die environments in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and other international hot spots. Having overseen every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALs, Denver has lived what it takes to succeed in fast-moving environments where chaos is all around you and there’s no guarantee that you’ll live to fight another day. Denver’s own experiences provide the basis for the sough-after lessons he shares with audiences as he helps teams and individuals live and perform at their highest level, even when it seems like everything is working against them. The principles he shares are also featured in his New York Times bestseller Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior and in his second book, Worth Dying For: A Navy SEAL’s Call to a Nation. He is also widely recognized as one of the stars of the Hollywood action film “Act of Valor,” and has also been featured alongside John Cena on FOX’s hit show, “American Grit.”