Described by Dr. Brené Brown as one of her “leadership heroes and a total badass,” U.S. Air Force retired Colonel, DeDe Halfhill is a proven leader who draws from 25 years of command experience and as a senior advisor to the military’s highest-ranking officials to provide a real-world perspective on the power of embracing humanness and vulnerability in leadership. Twice deployed to Iraq, DeDe’s sought-after leadership insights are grounded in personal experiences commanding and advising organizations through challenging environments — often when lives were at risk and there were no easy answers. As a senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, DeDe was a trusted influence in developing solutions to the military’s most-pressing issues. She also served as the military’s lead spokesperson responsible for implementing plans supporting the Department of Defense’s global communications strategy.

Lisa Jaster is one of only three women to graduate from the first integrated United States Army Ranger program, which is one of the most difficult combat training courses in the world, and she was the first female Army Reserve officer to become Ranger qualified. Lisa continues to demonstrate that barriers are meant to be broken and exemplifies how perseverance and hard work are absolutely essential to achieving your goals. Filled with humorous stories and moving anecdotes, her talks leave audiences inspired to push past adversity no matter the cost and better their lives.

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.

One of only a handful of African Americans to earn a PhD in entomology, Dr. Sammy Ramsey is an inspirational science leader and communicator who has defied the odds to achieve his dreams and is a testament to the power of grit, determination, and an unwavering commitment to one’s purpose. When people said he didn’t have what it took to make his mark in entomology, he proved them wrong by making a breakthrough discovery in the field of bee research — one that could potentially reverse a devastating pandemic in bee populations. And when people told him he didn’t “look” like a scientist, he remained true to himself and redefined what a scientist could look like. Dr. Ramsey has mastered the art of unconventional thinking to arrive at innovative solutions to some of the most significant challenges shaping the future of our society and teaches organizations and individuals how they can do the same as they address their most-pressing challenges in business and life head-on.

A 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Colonel Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.) wanted to fly military jets from the moment she saw them at her first air show when she was five years old. She achieved that goal – and then some. A leader, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, an instructor, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame, Nicole’s Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams.

Amy Purdy had a typical childhood until losing her legs at 19 as a result of Meningitis, which has led to an adulthood of extraordinary accomplishments. Amy is the top ranked adaptive snowboarder in the US, a three-time World Cup Para-Snowboard winner, the 2014 Paralympic Bronze Medalist, and the 2018 Paralympic Silver Medalist. She is the co-founder of Adaptive Action Sports (AAS), a non-profit organization which helps disabled youth, young adults, and wounded veterans get involved with action sports, and the author of the New York Times best-selling book, On My Own Two Feet. Amy has evolved into a powerful inspirational and motivational speaker who has been seen by millions of people and invited to share her story to audiences around the world.

After battling depression, suicide, and drug addiction, Justin experienced a life-changing journey living with the Mbuti Pygmy people of the Congo Basin Rainforest. When he returned he founded Fight For The Forgotten, to knockout the world water crisis, which today has expanded its impact to serve the Batwa Pygmies of Uganda. Justin has a deep-seated belief & ability to empower people to stoke the fire that is within us all. Justin "The Big Pygmy" Wren is a national champion wrestler, UFC veteran, inducted Into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame. As a humanitarian he's the founder/CEO of the non-profit Fight for the Forgotten, also authoring a bestselling book with the same name through Simon & Schuster publishing. Justin's transformative storytelling Ignites a fire In the human soul that inspires and empowers us to take action that leads deeper purpose, high performance, and long lasting change. Justin has inspired millions through his appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience (9x), Mike Tyson's HotBoxin', the Ed Mylett Show, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and TEDx Talks, along with his book, Fight for the Forgotten. Today he is the host of his own inspirational podcast, Overcome with Justin Wren and a globally recognized keynote speaker.

Dr. Lior Zoref is a researcher, advisor, TED speaker, and author of the best-selling book, Mindsharing – the art of crowd sourcing everything about the power of collective intelligence. His book was translated to many languages and was listed by Inc. magazine as one of the best books for entrepreneurs along with books by Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Tony Hsieh. Dr. Zoref has been invited to speak at some of the world’s most innovative organizations, including Google, MIT Media Lab, Columbia University, The White House, Nike, Microsoft, and LinkedIn.

Melissa Stockwell is an American war hero who has triumphed over personal tragedy to achieve greatness, World Champion status, and she has dedicated her life to chasing remarkable accomplishments while giving back to others, particularly those who face challenges similar to her own.

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.”

With an exceptional track record of sparking brilliant leaders and turning soft skills into hard results, Jackie Insinger combines relatability and humor with her data-driven, results-focused approach to teamwork and leadership. Equal parts captivating and motivating, Jackie inspires immediate action that leads to inevitable transformation. By leveraging the latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology, Jackie designs simple, actionable strategies that individuals can use right away to spark their team’s brilliance - taking them beyond “good to great” and transforming them from “great to extraordinary.” As a best-selling author with degrees from Duke and Harvard and a certification in Neuroscience for Business from MIT, Jackie’s ideas have been a game-changer for thousands of people and businesses worldwide.

Guy earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the United States Naval Academy, two master’s degrees from MIT (computer science and nuclear engineering), and a third master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. While serving as the Pentagon’s Director of Communications and Secretary of Defense James Mattis’s chief speechwriter, Guy authored America’s publicly released 2018 National Defense Strategy. This strategy set strategic and investment priorities for a $720B national security organization, specifically advocating for game-changing technological investments to safeguard America’s digital infrastructure and defend security interests at home and abroad. Guy has experience in a wide variety of fields spanning technology, construction, medicine, energy, renewable energy, cyber, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. He is an active speaker, providing keynote remarks on leadership, high-performing teams, and personal growth.