Shayla Rivera is an aerospace engineer and former NASA rocket scientist turned salesperson, corporate trainer, and now international keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, radio host, emcee/host, comedian, actor, writer, producer, seminar facilitator, panel moderator and, as of 2017, director of the ENGR[x] program and Professor of Practice with the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. However, none of these labels tells you much about her. She best describes herself as a spiritually irreverent mystic and awareness expert. What many would call a Renaissance Woman.

Ambassador Ron Kirk is the former United States trade representative (USTR) who was a pivotal member of the president’s economics team. With nearly 20 years in politics, he has been a Dallas mayor, U.S. Senate candidate, a lawyer with international reach. Boisterous and entertaining, Kirk analyzes the current political environment and offers audiences a glimpse behind the curtain in Washington and into what the president is really thinking. He also addresses trade, jobs, the economy, and doing business in China.

Denise Hamilton is a nationally recognized Diversity & Inclusion leader, specializing in Ally training. Denise is Founder and CEO of WatchHerWork, a digital learning platform for professional women. She is a highly requested speaker and trainer as well as media personality whose platform has reached and served people all over the world. Denise leverages her 25 years of executive experience with Fortune 500 organizations like AOL and CBRE to provide solutions that support the employees and the bottom line. Clients have said Denise’s superpower is the ability to have the most challenging discussions and come out the other side with solutions and a positive direction. She uses this gift to lead workshops, design education programs, and coach senior leaders. The goal is to empower individuals and teams to mine and close the gender gap, understand differences, resolve conflict, and become better allies.

Vincent K. Brooks is a retired four-star general who was in command of all US Forces in Korea, where he concurrently commanded United Nations Command as well as the Republic of Korea. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he led the 4,000 cadets as the cadet brigade commander or “First Captain.” A history-maker, Brooks is the first African American to have been chosen for this paramount position. He is also the eighth African American in history to attain the military’s top rank—four-star general in the United States Army. Widely respected as a speaker and leader of cohesive, innovative organizations, within and beyond the military, his areas of expertise are: leadership in complex organizations, crisis leadership, and building cohesive trust-based teams, national security, policy, strategy, international relations, military operations, combating terrorism and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as diversity and inclusion.

Dan Bartlett, the former counselor and key advisor to President George W. Bush, was responsible for strategic communications, policy formulation, and the implementation of the administration’s agenda. His experience serving in the highest levels of state and federal government and helping lead two successful presidential campaigns gives him a unique perspective in shaping public opinion and reputation management. Currently the executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart, Bartlett addresses politics, strategic communications, and life in the West Wing.

With an unwavering commitment to public service, The Honorable Gina Ortiz Jones has continually pushed boundaries, shattered glass ceilings, and left an enduring impact in the realm of national security, politics, and beyond.  She has held several high-ranking titles throughout her career, including becoming the first woman of color and first out lesbian to serve as the under secretary of a military department when she was appointed by President Joe Biden as the 27th Under Secretary of the Air Force in July 2021. Unanimously confirmed by the Senate, the appointment made her the second-highest ranking civilian in the Department of the Air Force, which includes the Air Force and the Space Force. She is a name synonymous with trailblazing leadership and an unyielding commitment to creating positive change.

The Right Honorable Jean Chrétien is the former prime minister of Canada and is one of the most respected world leaders of the last 25 years. His career spans more than 40 years in public service, and under his leadership, his party won three consecutive majorities in the House of Commons. Queen Elizabeth appointed Chrétien to the Order of Merit, an award given to “individuals of exceptional distinction in the arts, learning, sciences, and other areas such as public service.” He addresses global / geopolitical matters, such as globalization, the economy, security, and social issues.

Matthew Dowd is a well-known and respected cultural commentator and strategist. For the past 30 years, he has helped shape strategies and campaigns for CEOs, corporations, foundations, governments, candidates, and presidents. Most recently, he served as chief political analyst for ABC News where he appeared on This Week, Good Morning America, and Nightline. He was the chief strategist for the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign, earning the title “strategist of the year.” He is also the author of the best-selling Applebee’s America. Dowd addresses politics; running winning campaigns; and demographic, commercial, and political patterns.

Internet pioneer, business expert, and best-selling author of five books, Tim Sanders advises Fortune 500 executives on leadership, marketing, and new media strategies to grow their business. Building on his belief that that happy employees and satisfied customers drive business, he focuses on how to build relationships with knowledge, networking, and compassion. Tim is one of the top-rated keynote speakers on the speaking and lecture circuits due to his expertise, passionate delivery, and extensive pre-event preparation process. His highly-customized speeches on leadership development, sales success and collaboration deliver take away value for audience members as well as reinforcing event themes.

Throughout his career, Mr. Oczkowski has worked at the intersection of where product development meets data science to forecast, predict, and analyze commercial markets and American elections. Prior to his work at Data Propria, Mr. Oczkowski also served as Head of Product for Cambridge Analytica where he most notably ran the team of embedded technical specialists inside the Trump Campaign that led to the scientific understanding of the eventual outcome of the election - a scenario that pundits missed. Using tactics from the worlds of: behavioral science, growth hacking, machine learning, sentiment analysis, and NLP, Mr. Oczkowski successfully connects behavioral dots together to make informed decisions about groups of people.

A best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Polly LaBarre is an inspiring and provocative voice on the big ideas and important questions that will shape the future of organizations, work, and success. As a co-founder and editorial director of the MIX (Management Innovation eXchange), LaBarre puts her passion for making human endeavors more productive, creative, and fulfilling to the test. The MIX is a pioneering open innovation project dedicated to re-inventing management for the 21st century.

Three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Darren Woodson is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Dallas Cowboys uniform. The vocal leader of the defense during the Cowboys 1990’s Super Bowl teams, Woodson was one of the most popular players both inside the clubhouse and as an ambassador in the community. Upon retirement, Woodson joined ESPN as an NFL analyst. He appears on NFL Live and SportsCenter, as well as other ESPN platforms throughout the year. Woodson earned a reputation as one of the hardest hitters and most ferocious strong safeties in the NFL during his 13 seasons (1992-2004), all with the Dallas Cowboys. The quarterback of the team’s defense during its three championship runs in the 1990s (Super Bowl’s XXVII, XXVIII and XXX), Woodson registered career totals of 11 sacks, 23 interceptions and 1,350 tackles, the most in Cowboys franchise history at the time of his retirement in 2004. A native of Phoenix, Woodson was a second-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft (37th overall) from Arizona State University, where he was a converted linebacker. He earned a bachelor of science from ASU in Justice Studies. In addition to his analyst work for ESPN, Woodson is involved in several businesses, and he remains active in the Dallas community, most notably as a board member for the North Texas Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.