Marci Rossell is a world-renowned economist and financial expert known for her ability to take complex economic issues, often dull in the button-down press, and make them relevant to people’s lives, families, and careers. Her animated style was honed when she served as the popular and lively Chief Economist for CNBC and Co-Host of Squawk Box, where she became a household name and a must-watch source of financial news. An expert on investing, globalization, and trade, she uses her media and courtroom experience coupled with her expertise in business and government to address the current state of our economy, including economic recovery, restructuring, and revitalization.

Amy Webb may not be a superhero – but she does have a powerful ability to anticipate trends and emerging technology that will disrupt tomorrow. And she can envision and help prepare for the impact they’ll have on business and society. Now she’s teaching others, including corporate leaders, innovators and governments, to do the same. Founder of the Future Today Institute, Webb is a renowned futurist and strategist. For her, it’s not simply an interest; it’s a profession and a passion. Nor is “forecasting the future” about creating fantastical scenarios. Webb doesn’t simply make speculations or predictions; her work is evidence based, drawn from mapping and modeling quantitative and qualitative data collected in the present to understand what’s coming (5-20 years from now). Named to the 2017 Thinkers50 Radar list of management thinkers most likely to shape the future – and winner of its 2017 Distinguished Achievement Award – Webb is already making an impact on today’s Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies, government agencies, large nonprofits, universities and startups worldwide. Focusing on the intersection of technology, business and society, she takes a purposefully broad lens to her work. When thinking about the future, most only look at their industry and direct competitors. Webb is adamant about looking at multiple, adjacent landscapes. “You have to be able to see the top of the forest in order to see where all the trees are and how they connect,” she says.

One of the true legends of baseball, "Iron Man" Cal Ripken, Jr. broke several professional records during his 21 seasons, but none is as sacred as his consecutive-games-played record. Shattering Lou Gehrig's streak of 2,131 games by more than 500, Ripken displayed perseverance, endurance, and an everyday work ethic that endeared him to fans, transformed him into a national icon, and some argue, even saved baseball at its darkest moment. An inspirational speaker, philanthropist, businessman, and best-selling author, Cal Ripken, Jr. is the personification of leadership, commitment, and excellence. In warm and witty presentations filled with stories from his illustrious career, he shares how his keys to success apply to both the business world as well as the baseball field.

Tim Alberta is the former chief political correspondent for POLITICO Magazine, where he covered the Donald Trump presidency, Capitol Hill, the ideological warfare between and within the two political parties, demographic change in America, the evolving role of money in elections, and what lies ahead for the current administration. He is now a staff writer for The Atlantic and the author of the best-selling book, American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Donald Trump, as well as The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in the Age of Extremism.

A forward-thinking expert on the digital future and the possibilities new technology presents to reshape society and the ways businesses operate, Melanie Subin is a leading futurist who provides strategic foresight, insights development, corporate innovation and transformation strategies, and strategic management and design processes that help to position organizations in every industry for sustainable success. Subin currently serves as the managing director for the Future Today Institute, a foresight and strategy firm founded by world-renowned futurist Amy Webb that leverages research, signals, and trends to help businesses reduce uncertainty and prepare for plausible futures. Throughout her career, she has assessed the impact of major external forces, such as climate change, increased technological sophistication, changing consumer and business preferences, and rising connectivity on the risks and opportunities facing small, medium, and large businesses across the globe.

In an era of unparalleled polarization in politics and society, April Ryan represents an increasingly rare middle ground committed to upholding the integrity of fact-based journalism. With more than 25 years as a seasoned White House correspondent and political analyst, Ryan has the unique vantage point as the only Black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House — a position she has held since the Clinton era and spanning five presidential administrations. Her historic tenure as the longest-serving Black female White House correspondent has afforded her with incredible familiarity with the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation’s past presidents.

A beauty industry vanguard, Jessie Hayes-Stallings is the founder and CEO of Skinphorea Facial Bar & Acne Clinic who took her passion for skincare and manifested it into the first facial bar and acne clinic in Metro Detroit — a concept that has made waves in the industry. She has set Skinphorea apart by providing customers with medical-grade skin treatments while creating an elevated and personalized, yet convenient relaxation experience. Not only does she create experiences for Skinphorea’s skincare clients, she also creates opportunities for beauty industry hopefuls. As an investor and a mentor, she has partnered with the state to develop an apprenticeship program that offers aspiring estheticians the opportunity to train to earn their esthetic license at Skinphorea before being offered a full-time position at the company.

One of the nation’s leading journalists, Heather Caygle has made a name for herself covering the ins and outs of what’s happening inside Congress and the White House and the impact on politics, policy, and society. She is currently the managing editor of Punchbowl News, which has grown to become one of the most credible media outlets in the few short years since its founding. Before becoming managing editor of Punchbowl News, Caygle served as congressional bureau chief for POLITICO and a congressional reporter for Bloomberg BNA. Her byline has become nearly perpetual alongside many of the nation’s top stories, as she covers headline-making news from every conceivable angle.

When the world’s top companies want to understand what’s next for their businesses and how they can create the next big breakthrough in their industries, they turn to world-renowned futurist Sheryl Connelly. Connelly is a global trends and consumer expert whose mastery at identifying what’s coming around the corner and the potential influences on customer attitudes and behavioral patterns that directly impact business strategy is unparalleled. From 1996-2023, she was a cornerstone presence on Ford Motor Company’s global trends and futuring team, working her way up the ranks at the automotive juggernaut and becoming the company’s chief futurist. Connelly draws upon her business foresight expertise and experiences at Ford to help organizations in any industry identify and analyze global consumer trends in order to lay the groundwork for long-term, future-focused planning and strategy across the entire company, and anticipate the ever-evolving needs and desires of the people they serve.

Adam von Gootkin is a globally recognized innovator and risk-taker who has revolutionized the spirits industry with his unique approach to traditional business principles. Carrying on his family’s entrepreneurial legacy in the spirits industry, which began in the 1800s and continued through the prohibition era and into the present day, von Gootkin is the co-founder and CEO of Highclere Castle Spirits and the co-founder of Highclere Castle Cigar Co. A visionary in every sense of the word, von Gootkin has built an empire on foundations of authenticity and has re-written the rules for how organizations can spark innovation on the path to radical success.

At the complex intersection of global politics, economics, investment, and financial markets sits Jeffrey Garten. Few experts can boast such high-level experience in both government and business, as well as a deep knowledge of the global economic picture. He has earned an unparalleled reputation. His experience, from the emerging markets to the dean’s office at the Yale School of Management, has made him a hot commodity for organizations whose survival depends on a clear picture of the state of the global economy and the underlying implications of America’s policies.

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.