Paul Ryan served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representative and as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019. Known for his meteoric rise in politics and often praised for his seriousness and honesty, Ryan is a committed conservative and public servant who has spent his life advocating for real solutions that expand opportunity for Americans. Before serving as Speaker of the House, he was Chair of the House Budget Committee, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and a U.S. Vice Presidential candidate. He is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau.

General Stanley McChrystal is a four-star general, the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the most sensitive counter-terrorism units. He is widely praised for revolutionizing warfare by fusing intelligence and operations and is credited with the capture of Saddam Hussein and the location and killing al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called McChrystal “one of America’s greatest warriors.” McChrystal addresses leadership, teambuilding, and geopolitics.

Two-time New York Times bestselling author and sought-after leadership expert Ashley Merryman finds the science essential to understanding what makes people tick — what motivates us, what inspires us. Then she explains how to use these insights to help people discover new ways to succeed. Merryman has taught Olympians and professional athletes how to perform under pressure, advised Fortune 100 executives on building winning cultures, and coached military leaders on institutional change. In her speeches, she offers evidence-based techniques and real-world strategies that leaders can apply at every level of their organization. Her talks are filled with fascinating anecdotes and cutting-edge research. Her presentations are always thought-provoking and inspiring, as she makes complex concepts accessible to a wide audience.

Peter Morici is an economist and professor of business at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business. A three-time winner of the MarketWatch Top Forecaster Award, his track record has made him a go-to source. He is the author of 18 books, is widely published in leading journals, and has been featured on myriad news programs. Morici is also the former director of economics at the U.S. International Trade Commission. He addresses the U.S. and global economies, economic policy, macroeconomics, business strategy, trade, regulatory issues, and industrial policy.

Chris Fussell is a former Navy SEAL Officer and the current President at McChrystal Group, a premier leadership and management consulting firm founded by General McChrystal and fellow SEAL David Silverman. Fussell leads the company’s sales, branding, and client relations teams, bringing his Special Operations experience and his expertise in cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing within large, dispersed organizations.

Tim Pawlenty, one of the leading voices in the Republican Party, was a two-term governor of Minnesota serving from 2003 until 2011, a candidate for the 2012 Republican nomination for President, and the co-chair of Mitt Romney for President. Tim was a solutions-oriented politician who was well-respected on both sides of the aisle. His education, healthcare, and energy initiatives were widely viewed as among the most innovative in the nation. Tim previously served as president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, which represents leading financial service companies in protecting the security, integrity, and success of our nation’s financial system. The author of the book, Courage to Stand, Pawlenty offers audiences candid and entertaining presentations on politics, the future of the GOP, the economy, and issues important to the financial services industry.

Micah Zenko is the Director of Research and Learning at McChrystal Group, charged with the development and instruction of offerings designed to improve organizational performance through red teaming, strategic planning, and scenario development. Micah is the author of three books. His second book, Red Team: How to Succeed by Thinking Like the Enemy, which was released in 2015, reveals the work of red teams and explains how to most effectively apply them to the modern world. Micah has also published articles in The Atlantic, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and Business Insider.

Tom Wheeler is a businessman, author, and was Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) from 2013 to 2017. For over four decades, Wheeler has been involved with new telecommunications networks and services. At the FCC he led the efforts that resulted in the adoption of Net Neutrality, privacy protections for consumers, and increased cyber security, among other policies.

Michael K. Farr, the founder and CEO of Farr, Miller & Washington, LLC, is the Chairman of their Investment Committee and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the firm. Michael is the longest-running paid contributor for CNBC television and appears regularly on The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC’s Nightly News, CNN, BloombergTV, Reuters, and the Nightly Business Report. He can be heard on Associated Press Radio, CBS Radio, and National Public Radio, and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, The Washington Post, Businessweek, USA Today, and many other publications. Michael is a highly sought-after speaker who covers topics such as investing, retirement, the current economic situation, the Federal Reserve, and much more.

Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association,the U.S Trad association that owns and produces the continent's largest annual trade show, the International CES. He led the industry in its successful transition to HDTV. He co-founded and chaired the HDTV Model Station and served as a leader of the Advanced Television Test Center (ATTC). He is a charter inductee to the Academy of Digital Television Pioneers, and received its highest award as the industry leader most influential in advancing HDTV. Shapiro most recently authored the 2018 best-selling book Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation.

Steve Beshear served as the 61st Governor of Kentucky from 2007-2015. He also served as Attorney General from 1979 to 1983, Lieutenant Governor from 1983 to 1987 and was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974-1979.

Bradley Schurman is an expert on demographic change and how it disrupts social, cultural, political, and economic norms across the United States and worldwide. His deep understanding of population shifts, his grasp of emerging trends, and his expansive knowledge of history make him an authoritative voice in the future of us. He’s the author of THE SUPER AGE: DECODING OUR DEMOGRAPHIC DESTINY and the founder and CEO of the strategic foresight and inclusive design firm, The Super Age. He’s written for Newsweek and been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USAToday. He's appeared on NBC's TODAY Show, CBS News Primetime with John Dickerson, and regularly appears as a guest on podcasts, radio, and television shows worldwide. Schurman spent his first two decades working for LeadingAge, a community of nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations serving older adults, and AARP, America's leading organization for people aged fifty and older, where he led thought leadership in Asia and Europe and with entities like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Economic Forum.