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.

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.

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is one of the finest intelligence minds of the 21st century. In the midst of shifting national security policies and varying threats to American interests at home and abroad, Clapper illuminates a broad array of intelligence-related issues.

A powerful voice in the Intelligence Community and one of its leading national security professionals, Eric Traupe is the former assistant director of the CIA for the Near East and served on the front lines of U.S. counterterrorism efforts for more than 20 years. He remains a trusted advisor to our nation’s highest-ranking leaders, having advised CIA directors, presidents, cabinet and military officials, and members of Congress, and participated in momentous White House strategic, policy, and resource decisions. Traupe has tackled the full range of U.S. national security issues, and his leadership, acumen, and unmatched ability to cultivate enduring relationships between the U.S. and its foreign partners continues to be heralded in intelligence circles. To complement his highly sought-after leadership insights, Traupe is masterfully skilled at engaging audiences with his captivating perspectives on today’s top issues in risk management, national intelligence, and the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape.

The former Acting and Deputy Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe led a historic career as an American intelligence official. Named Acting Director of the FBI in May 2017, McCabe spent a total of 22 years at the FBI in various, increasingly-prominent roles. The New York Times said that McCabe “stood out [at the FBI] for his intellect and the range of high-profile cases he has been at the center of,” and The LA Times called him “a methodical investigator who assiduously worked to earn the trust of victims and, particularly, informants and witnesses.” Known for his incredible rise through the counter-terrorism and national security ranks to ultimately reach the top of the Bureau, McCabe worked such high-profile cases as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The author of the highly-anticipated 2019 book "The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump," he is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, and discusses complex, critical issues including national security and cyber security with precision and clarity.

Angie Bastian, entrepreneur, co-founder, and namesake of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP, took a kernel of an idea and popped it into one of the fastest growing brands of natural popcorn. She and husband Dan founded their snack company in their Mankato, MN garage in 2001 as a means of creating a college fund for their children. Their gluten free, non-GMO, whole grain popcorn is proudly sold in natural food, grocery, club and mass retail outlets nationwide with a product presence in Canada, South Korea, Peru, Japan, the Caribbean and Mexico. The company is constantly innovating and is one of the fastest growing and most successful popcorn brands in the market today. Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP is loved by fans as an empowered, spirited brand that represents authentic, real food that delivers on the attributes of clean, transparent labeling and great taste experience.

Revered as a uniquely-skilled “warrior-diplomat,” General John Nicholson retired in September 2018 from his post as Commander of U.S. Forces – Afghanistan and NATO’s Resolute Support mission. In this role, Gen. Nicholson led a 41-nation coalition war effort. The longest serving Commander of the Afghan war, he oversaw a $46.3 billion budget and roughly 14,000 international troops. A combat-seasoned military legend, he discusses coalition building, strengthening culture through collaboration, leadership, geopolitics, and organizational success in the 21st century.

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.

General John Allen is one of the nation’s most legendary military leaders and most respected thought leaders on U.S.-global engagement. When President Obama created the appointment of special envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, General Allen was the first American tapped to confront the Islamic State terror group. Widely hailed as a strategic thinker and a true battlefield leader, Gen. Allen is one of the nation’s foremost experts on the geopolitical relationships between U.S. and Asia and the Middle East. A unique combination of warrior and diplomat, Allen shares awe-inspiring stories of the challenges facing our nation, the keys to combating the enemy, and the leadership lessons that can be applied to today’s business environment.

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.

General Michael Hayden, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), was on the frontlines of geopolitics and the war on terror. A two-time New York Times best-selling author, he served nearly 40 years in the Air Force. The longest-tenured NSA director and the number one military intelligence officer in the country, Gen. Hayden oversaw the entire security community. He has also served in senior staff positions at the Pentagon, the National Security Council, and more. Hayden addresses security, intelligence, crisis management, terrorism, and geopolitics.

As a senior policy advisor, security professional, and leadership consultant, Jeff Eggers leverages 20+ years of experience managing strategic efforts and leading high-stakes, high-performing teams during his time with the White House, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Navy. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Eggers explains why humble leadership is more important than heroic leadership, why leadership’s role is to cultivate rather than control, how a sense of “we” is the common thread amongst all high-performing teams — ranging from Formula One Racing to the Tokyo String Quartet to Navy SEALS — and why the most significant risk factors to a corporation are internal.