Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker. Maurice is well known for providing dynamic live tournament coverage of world-class chess competitions and matches.

Rayid Ghani is a Distinguished Career Professor in the Machine Learning Department and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Rayid is a reformed computer scientist and wanna-be social scientist, but mostly just wants to increase the use of large-scale AI/Machine Learning/Data Science in solving large public policy and social challenges in a fair and equitable manner. Among other areas, Rayid works with governments and non-profits in policy areas such as health, criminal justice, education, public safety, economic development, and urban infrastructure. Rayid is also passionate about teaching practical data science and started the Data Science for Social Good Fellowship that trains computer scientists, statisticians, and social scientists from around the world to work on data science problems with social impact.

Over his 37-year career, Rishad Tobaccowala has worked across almost every area of marketing including brand advertising, media, database, as well as direct and interactive marketing. As a pioneer in digital marketing, Tobaccowala helped create one of the first interactive groups and digital agencies 20 years ago and has helped launch a series of initiatives over the years from groups focused on gaming, social, mobile, and search engine marketing. Starcom IP, Play, Giant Step, SMG Search, and Denuo are some of the brands Tobaccowala helped incubate.

For more than two decades Nathan Jamail has either been setting sales records, or training others on how to do so. Previously Nathan set record results in sales by producing top performing sales teams in capacities such as business sales, direct consumer sales, indirect sales, distribution and marketing for several Fortune 100 companies. Also named a top Executive Sales Director for a Fortune 500 company where he received numerous National Sales Excellence awards and was named Executive Coach Leader.

Gary Hamel is an influential Thinkers50 thought leader who developed the concepts of strategic intent, core competence, and corporate imagination. His landmark books have appeared on every major management best-seller list and have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has transformed the focus and language of many of the world's most successful companies and offers audiences pointed lessons on making innovation a way of life and competing for the future.

Oren Klaff is known for being able to pitch a sale for anything. His presentation help companies and individuals learn how to deliver a successful sales pitch. His experience in the past 12 years has taught him how to raise capital, sell companies, and close complex deals. Oren has extensively studied how humans respond to each other in high-stakes business situations, and he recently published this work in the now best-selling book, Pitch Anything.

Danny Vargas has created opportunities, overcome challenges, and beaten the odds all his life. As founder and president of VARCom Solutions, a D.C. area-based marketing and public relations firm, he has made a mark not only in business but in the community as well.

Sheila is a Founder of Triad Consulting Group and co-author of two New York Times bestsellers, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, and Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well. Sheila turns the usual conversations on their head and shows leaders how they can transform the culture of learning in their organization

Frances West is an internationally-recognized thought leader, inspirational speaker, strategy advisor, author, and women in technology trailblazer known for her work in innovation, technology, and business transformation. She is the founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategy advisory company focused on operationalizing inclusion as a business and technology imperative through her unique Authentic Inclusion™ blueprint. Her insightful and impactful approach comes from her unique personal background as a first-generation, no-English speaking immigrant to her trailblazing professional path as one of the first women in the technology field and her experience as a global executive in sales, marketing, business development, and research as well as her ground-breaking work in accessibility as IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. Frances brings a valuable business perspective to this human rights-based initiative. Because of her expertise, she was invited as the sole IT industry representative to testify before the US Senate on the need to pass the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and she holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in Boston in recognition of her work in accessibility, research, and digital inclusion.

Kerry Hannon is a nationally recognized expert and strategist on career transitions, entrepreneurship, personal finance and retirement. She is a frequent TV and radio commentator and is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences across the country.

Lonnie Mayne is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, author and executive performance advisor to many of the top brands and most influential leaders in business and community today. He is a former technology and turnaround executive who has developed and advanced the concept of Red Shoes Living into one of the most innovative themes of our times.

Bill Taylor is a best-selling author, celebrated entrepreneur and groundbreaking thinker on leadership and innovation. The author of the New York Times best seller Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win, Taylor’s new best seller, Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself, is based on his in-depth access to 25 organizations that are making deep-seated changes under the most trying circumstances imaginable.