Dedicated to creating the conscious workplace for tomorrow, Virginia “Ginny” Clarke is a seasoned executive recruiter who has advised at the highest levels of corporate America for decades. A proven expert in driving diverse leadership, she is the former director of executive recruiting at Google, where she led the company’s diversity, non-tech recruiting, and leadership internal mobility teams – finding and hiring senior leaders across the company. She also built a scaled internal mobility program for Google’s senior leaders and designed much of the infrastructure that supports their executive recruiting function today. In speeches, Clarke draws on her unparalleled experience assessing thousands of executives inside corporate C-Suites and boardrooms to bring a unique, holistic five-dimensional approach to true leadership that is essential now more than ever. She delivers “no-holds-barred” discussions on the root causes that lead to a lack of diversity in organizations, and provides the integrated solutions that anyone can use to affect change.

Widely respected as an innovator in unlocking high performance in teams and individuals, Dr. Wendy Borlabi possesses expert-level understanding of the mental aspects of peak performance and works alongside the world’s top athletes to help them reframe their mindsets to reach their full potential. She is the director of performance and mental health for the Chicago Bulls where her mindset-centered philosophy to mastering your field is embedded in the team’s success and prevalent at all levels of the organization and its culture. A leading sports psychologists and performance coach, Dr. Borlabi is also an independent consultant with the NBA and is the founder of performance psychology firm Borlabi Consulting, through which she advises organizations in any industry on teamwork, elevating mental toughness, and inspiring unwavering confidence in their teams. Previously, she served as senior sports psychologist for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), preparing the country’s top athletes for dominant performances at two Winter Olympics and one Summer Olympics.

As McDonald’s Corporation’s legendary vice chairman and CEO, Jim Skinner led a turnaround at the world’s largest food service company, leaving the chain with the best financial performance in its history. One of the architects of McDonald’s worldwide “Plan to Win” revitalization plan launched in 2003, he managed a successful shift in strategy that led to increased sales, reinvented menus, modernized restaurants, and innovative new offerings. Repeatedly hailed by media as the “CEO of the Year, Skinner addresses business strategy, turnaround stories, leadership, and managing change.

Greg Wasson is the former CEO of Walgreens, the largest drugstore chain in the U.S. He transformed an iconic company and helped change an entire industry. Known for his willingness to take risks, he spearheaded a string of deals that moved the company into new markets, including the acquisition of Duane Reade and Alliance Boots – creating the world’s first global health and wellness company. He also delivered returns exceeding the S&P 500 and generated more free cash flow than the previous 98 combined. Wasson discusses leading a global business and healthcare.

Barry Nalebuff is the co-founder of Honest Tea and an expert on using game theory to improve business strategy. In fascinating and engaging presentations, he helps audiences use these concepts to create new, effective solutions for their organizations. The author of six books, including best-selling Thinking Strategically and Co-opetition, he uses a diverse array of case studies about game theory to lead audiences to surprising revelations. With his sharp wit and warm sense of humor, he goes beyond the old rules of competition and cooperation to combine the advantages of both.

Ever since 2002, as chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company — where she became the first African American woman CEO among the top five of the Black Enterprise 100s largest black-owned companies — Linda Johnson Rice has shone a ray of positivity on the black community with her strong and resilient leadership.

Cristian deRitis is the deputy chief economist at Moody’s Analytics where he specializes in the analysis of current and future economic conditions, housing markets, and consumer credit. He publishes his analysis regularly on the Economic View website and is often quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal for his views on the economy. Cris is a certified risk management professional and writes a monthly column on risk management issues for the Global Association of Risk Professionals. 

Known as a dynamic, captivating speaker, Joe is a sought-after expert on workforce, leadership, and teamwork subjects. He is the author of 3 books including Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work. Joe hosts the popular podcast Boss Better Now and his work as a leadership and workforce expert has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Newsweek, and more. Joe previously managed training at one of the largest healthcare systems in the country and has taught leadership courses at two major universities. Joe's programs combine energy, humor, stories, and rich social science research with clear, real-world takeaways on how to find and keep devoted employees, become better bosses, and create thriving workplaces.

Conquering grave challenges to become a successful entrepreneur, Chris Gardner is an avid motivational and inspirational speaker, addressing the keys to overcoming obstacles and breaking cycles. He is great for groups looking for a speaker who has “walked the walk” and accomplished things that no one else thought they would be able to do. He is also a passionate philanthropist whose work has been recognized by many esteemed organizations and discusses commitment and fatherhood.

Bob Ballard shares amazing stories with incredible enthusiasm and energy about the treasures of the ocean and how new discoveries could solve the world’s toughest problems. The man who discovered the Titanic, the Bismarck, and life at the bottom of the sea is an enthralling presenter who inspires curiosity and adventure through science and education. He weaves in his own discoveries to illustrate his points and uses incredible pictures to bring his adventures to life.

Born and raised in Monterey, California, it was only natural that Alpana Singh would develop a deep-rooted interest in wine. At 26, she passed the final level of the Master Sommelier exam—a feat achieved by only 269 people in the world. She's the first Indian woman and the youngest female ever to do so. She went on to serve as a Sommelier for highly-acclaimed restaurants in Chicago before opening three of her own. In lively, fun, and informative talks, Alpana shares her inspiring story of rising from the daughter of Fijian immigrants to becoming a successful entrepreneur and TV personality all while navigating a male-dominated profession. She give audiences a glimpse into the life as a Sommelier as she teaches them how to taste wines “blind,” purchase bottles like a professional, and pair with meals for any occasion.