Adam Markel, bestselling author, keynote speaker and resilience researcher, guides individuals and organizations to tap the power of resilience to master the challenges of constant change. With 18 years as a trial attorney building a multi-million dollar enterprise and 10 years as the CEO of a leading personal development and business training company, Adam has much to share about resilience, culture and change. Yet, some of his most enduring lessons came from his years as an ocean first responder - a life and death environment where Adam learned the importance of cultivating high performance capacity and impeccable teamwork.

The honorable Juan Carlos Pinzón is widely recognized as a pivotal player in upholding the strong diplomatic ties between the United States and Colombia and furthering the relationship between the two nations. Having served two terms as Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, Pinzón is counted among the most influential voices in shaping the priorities of the partnership and was the linking presence between American and Colombian leaders in collaborating to address the most important political, economic, and societal challenges in both countries, and across the globe.

In 2007, Dr. Michael Sorrell faced a life-altering decision. He was part of an ownership group that was on the verge of purchasing the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and he would serve as the team’s president following the completion of the deal — a dream come true for him. At the same time, he was approached by Paul Quinn College, a failing institution, to serve as the historically Black college’s president in the interim while they sought out a permanent appointment to take over the role — a search that was proving difficult as the school continued to falter. Dr. Sorrell accepted the role, hoping it would be a brief side quest on his journey to becoming an NBA executive. In reality, it marked the beginning of a transformative and innovative era for the school that continues to this day. Dr. Sorrell has spearheaded one of the great turnaround stories of our time — leading Paul Quinn’s evolution from one of the worst in the nation to a higher education powerhouse. As the longest-tenured president in the college’s history, he has instilled a “WE Over Me” mentality in students, faculty, and the community at large and has been revered throughout his historic tenure for his ability to reimagine organizations to better serve the needs of the people that depend on them. He is a testament to the power of purpose and vision. Dr. Sorrell’s talks center on why the simplest approach to leadership is often the most effective one. As he engages the audience with the experiences that led him to Paul Quinn College, and the turnaround that followed, he introduces them to his “Four Ls” for leading with impact.

Brian D. Quintenz was nominated by both Presidents Obama and Trump to serve as a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in August of 2017 and served four years in his role at the agency until stepping down in August of 2021. During his time at the CFTC, Mr. Quintenz advocated for narrowly tailored, risk-focused regulation and was a champion of innovation, specifically relating to crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi). He led agency’s Technology Advisory Committee, which hosted the most comprehensive set of public crypto-related policy discussions and briefings of any federal financial regulator. During his service, the first U.S. regulated Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts listed on derivatives exchanges, and DeFi expanded rapidly. Mr. Quintenz also contributed consequential ideological perspectives to regulatory debates through dozens of domestic and international keynote speeches, conference panel discussions, and meetings with regulatory counterparts. Additionally, he successfully negotiated critical policy provisions relating to swap dealer capital regulation, the cross-border application of swap dealing rules, position limits on new commodity futures contracts, and automated trading activity. In partnership with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, Mr. Quintenz spearheaded a CFTC-SEC harmonization effort which achieved multiple successes in data reporting and security-based swaps margining and capital requirements. Prior to his appointment to the CFTC, Mr. Quintenz founded and served as the Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer of Saeculum Capital Management, a registered Commodity Pool Operator that specialized in technical analysis investment strategies.

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.

Trevor Williams served as Chief Economist at Lloyds Bank for over a decade. Now an author, academic and consultant, he analyses the key trends and policies that shape the economy and markets. From energy and climate to how companies use their data to understand the wider economy, he brings clarity and relevance to an often complex and abstract field.

Jon Steinberg is the founder and CEO of Cheddar, a new video media company sitting at the intersection of business news and culture. He was named to Ad Age’s 2015 40 under 40. He was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of DailyMail.com North America. Steinberg grew U.S. revenue 45% while at Daily Mail and doubled direct advertising revenue. He joined DailyMail.com from BuzzFeed where he was President & Chief Operating Officer, responsible for business management, company operations, finance, and social advertising operations. Under his leadership, BuzzFeed became a global and profitable social advertising business working with over half of the top 100 brands. He grew the company from 15 employees to over 500. Steinberg was previously Strategic Partner Development Manager on Google’s SMB (small medium business) partnerships team.

Dr. Michael S. Piwowar served as a Commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from August 15, 2013 to July 6, 2018. Previously, Dr. Piwowar was the Republican chief economist for the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where he was the lead Republican economist on the four SEC-related titles of the Dodd-Frank Act and the JOBS Act. He also worked on a number of important SEC-related oversight issues under the jurisdiction of the Committee, such as securities, over-the-counter derivatives, investor protection, market structure, and capital formation. During the financial crisis and its immediate aftermath, Dr. Piwowar served in a one-year fixed-term position at the White House as a senior economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Dr. Piwowar is an economic outlook and financial policy keynote speaker, addressing fiscal trends, investments, and regulation.

Mark Zandi is chief economist and cofounder of Moody's Economy.com, where he directs the company's research and consulting activities. Moody's Economy.com, a division of Moody's Analytics, provides economic research and consulting services to businesses, governments and other institutions.

For a fresh take on today’s business landscape, paired with creative analysis on hot topics in tech; innovation; the economy; policy, media; and more, look no further than widely respected journalist, broadcaster, and author Roben Farzad. Farzad hosts public radio’s “Full Disclosure,” where he takes listeners on an audio exploration into the business of culture and the culture of business. In an exceptional career spanning more than two decades, Farzad has established himself as one of the most authoritative and influential voices on the matters that are driving industry and society forward in every corner of the globe.

Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi has three degrees, 8 U.S. patents, four E.U. patents and has hosted shows on the Science Channel and on Discovery. But more impressive is his life story. Oluseyi grew up in the roughest neighborhoods of America, learned to survive on the street, and still taught himself Einstein’s theory of relativity from an old set of encyclopedias. At every turn he was presented with a compelling option to quit and yet he persevered. Today, he is a NASA astrophysicist, a global educator, and the author of the highly-anticipated memoir A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars where he recounts his journey from the streets to the stars. Dr. Oluseyi is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities.

A political powerhouse with a reputation for building consensus where it was deemed impossible, The Honorable Stephanie Murphy is widely regarded as an impactful legislator who cuts through the partisan gridlock to create meaningful results for our nation. In 2017, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 7th congressional district in a remarkable tenure that concluded in 2023. A leader among the moderate Democrats, during her three terms in the House, she was consistently named one of the most effective and bipartisan members of Congress — working across both sides of the aisle to address key issues ranging from trade to national security policy. Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed her to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, and she co-led the Select Committee’s seventh hearing alongside Representative Jamie Raskin. With extensive public service and private sector experience under her belt, Murphy is a widely respected strategic advisor to government officials and senior business leaders alike.