Few possess Sarah Isgur’s deep level of insights and expertise when it comes to explaining transformative events in law and politics, and how society is being reshaped around them. Regarded among the nation’s most reputable and in-the-know political commentators, Isgur served as the director of the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Justice department from 2017-2018. She has a been a spark plug in politics for the entirety of her career, working high-profile campaign roles for several political heavyweights, including Mitt Romney and Carly Fiorina. Currently, she is a senior editor for The Dispatch, as well host of the publication’s legal podcast, “Advisory Opinions” and a professor at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

Judy Smith is the real-world "Olivia Pope" from the hit television show, "Scandal." After television writer Shonda Rhimes met Smith, she was inspired by the fast-paced environment that Smith operated in. Smith's work combines communication skills, media savvy, legal and political acumen to protect and save many important figure's reputations.

A presidential-level communicator with more than three decades experience as a national security official, Beth Sanner is among the most influential voices at the highest levels of American intelligence. As the senior-most analyst for the entire Intelligence Community (IC), she was a trusted adviser to the President of the United States on our nation’s most important intelligence matters – first as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s director of the President’s Daily Brief and later as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration. Having served in several leadership, staff, policy, and analytic positions in the IC, Sanner has briefed four Presidents and also advised vice presidents, congressional and cabinet officials, and foreign partners; her acumen is highly sought after by our nation’s decisionmakers and organizations across various industries. Sanner uniquely immerses audiences in her talks —making them feel as though they are our nation’s leaders being briefed on hot-button developments with the potential to reshape our world.

Sue M. Gordon is the former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) – the country’s number two ranking intelligence official. As the fifth PDDNI, she co-led the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and oversaw the entire Intelligence Community, comprised of over a dozen agencies that collect information on threats against the United States. In particular, Gordon’s transformative leadership focused on integrating intelligence across the organization, expanding outreach and partnerships, driving innovation, and advancing diversity and inclusion throughout the Community. With nearly four decades of legendary and dedicated service, Gordon has led at every level of the Intelligence Community with roles spanning numerous organizations and disciplines – drawing on this experience to inspire audiences to challenge the status quo, adapt to changing environments, and apply innovation to their business.

Few people have had the immense impact that Meghan O’Sullivan has had at the highest levels of geopolitics. She is a globally respected geopolitical expert who has advised the nation’s highest-ranking leaders — from President George W. Bush to Secretary of State Antony Blinken — on some of the most-complex challenges in international affairs. Currently, Dr. O’Sullivan is the Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. There, she leads 300 scholars, practitioners, and staff as they advance the boundaries of international relations, security, technology, science, energy, and the environment. The Belfer Center has consistently been ranked as the world’s top academic think tank.

Anja Manuel is a founding partner and principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel, LLC, a strategic consulting firm, which she co-founded along with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and others. The firm assists CEOs and senior executives at major US companies in key emerging markets such as China, India, and the Middle East. She teaches at Stanford University’s International Policy Studies Program and is a leading expert on globalization, emerging markets, and America’s shifting role in international leadership. Anja is a former State Department official, an international lawyer, and the author of the book, This Brave New World.

Haiyan Wang is an expert on global business strategy, the managing partner of China India Institute, and the author of Getting China and India Right and the Quest for Global Dominance. Noted the world over for her vast expertise, she was among the first Chinese to study international business after China opened its doors to the outside world. She shares insights on the biggest global trends affecting business and how organizations can leverage the market and the resource opportunities presented by the China and India phenomenon to achieve global dominance within their industries.

Susan Sher, the former chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama and Chicago’s first female corporation counsel, is a long-time friend of the Obamas. Originally hired as the President’s associate counsel, Sher was part of his health care reform team before moving to the East Wing. There she helped promote the new legislation and the First Lady’s anti-obesity campaign. Previously, Sher was the vice president for legal and governmental affairs of the University of Chicago Hospitals for more than a decade. She addresses health care, the White House, and women in leadership.

Asha Rangappa is a Senior Lecturer at the Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and a former Associate Dean at Yale Law School. Asha served as a Special Agent in the New York Division of the FBI, specializing in counterintelligence investigations. Her work involved assessing threats to national security, conducting classified investigations on suspected foreign agents, and performing undercover work. Asha has published op-eds in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post, among others, and has appeared on NPR, BBC, and several major television networks. She is an editor for Just Security and is currently a legal and national security analyst for CNN.

Rebecca is a global innovation expert, journalist and renown author of three books on technology and investment in emerging markets. Her latest book is Tech Titans of China, published in September 2019. Rebecca is the founder of media and events platform Silicon Dragon Ventures, which she formed in 2010 shortly after her first book Silicon Dragon was published. Her books have received favorable reviews by The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, and translated for multiple markets internationally. Today, she is a correspondent at CNBC.com. Her work has been published in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company and thought leadership reports by multinational corporations. A frequent speaker and media commentator, Rebecca is regularly on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg TV and BBC, and her views quoted in the Economist and New York Times.

Helen H. Wang is an award-winning author and expert on China’s middle class. She is the founder of The Helen Wang Group, an organization that provides innovative programs and strategic consulting for companies doing business in China.Originally from China, Wang has lived in the U. S. for over twenty years. After finishing her masters degree at Stanford University, she joined at a prestigious think tank, Institute for the Future, in Menlo Park, California, and consulted for Fortune 500 companies including Apple Computer, Oracle, and Bank of America.

Frances West is an internationally-recognized thought leader, inspirational speaker, strategy advisor, author, and women in technology trailblazer known for her work in innovation, technology, and business transformation. She is the founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategy advisory company focused on operationalizing inclusion as a business and technology imperative through her unique Authentic Inclusion™ blueprint. Her insightful and impactful approach comes from her unique personal background as a first-generation, no-English speaking immigrant to her trailblazing professional path as one of the first women in the technology field and her experience as a global executive in sales, marketing, business development, and research as well as her ground-breaking work in accessibility as IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. Frances brings a valuable business perspective to this human rights-based initiative. Because of her expertise, she was invited as the sole IT industry representative to testify before the US Senate on the need to pass the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and she holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in Boston in recognition of her work in accessibility, research, and digital inclusion.