Doug Rauch, a legendary former president of Trader Joe’s, was instrumental in leading the company’s transformation from a 7/11 knockoff to what Fortune magazine called the “hottest retailer in the U.S.” In eye-opening presentations, he shares insights on building a great business based on culture, innovation, leadership, and teamwork. He shows leaders how to push for new and better ways to perform, and audiences walk away with knowledge of how to create a self-sustaining culture of innovation, build a brand in a competitive marketplace, and lead with a purpose.

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.

Among the most influential retail industry executives for close to three decades, Jonathan Mayes has been one of the leading voices in elevating diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organizations he has led. Mayes is the former senior vice president and chief diversity & inclusion officer at Albertsons Companies, where he oversaw the organization’s government relations, sustainability, and philanthropy teams, and launched award-winning initiatives designed to position the business for success with DEI and corporate social responsibility at its foundation. He is a visionary who continues to drive the change toward a more representative and equitable workforce and has been recognized as one of the top diversity and inclusion executives in the U.S.

James is a founding member and board chair at Directors Academy, a national not-for-profit organization with the mission of identifying, developing and advancing the next generation of diverse board members and leaders. Previously, he was Chairman, President, and CEO of Jamba Juice, which he transformed from a smoothie shop to a leading global, healthy active lifestyle brand. Prior to joining Jamba Juice, he held senior executive roles at Safeway Stores, the Gillette Company, Nestle-Purina, and Coca-Cola. James currently serves on the boards of leading brands including The Honest Company, Affirm, Medallia, Simply Good Foods, Schnuck Markets, and Bay Club. James is a passionate champion for diversity and inclusion and has been recognized with numerous awards including the American Heart Association Corporate Citizen Award (2014) and Junior Achievement’s Northern California Lifetime Achievement Award (2013). In 2010 the San Francisco Business Times named Mr. White as the Bay Area’s Most Admired CEO.

Former Marine Platoon Commander Jake Harriman is the founder and former CEO of Nuru International, a U.S.-based social venture that empowers poor individuals in remote, rural areas to end extreme poverty in their communities. Inspired to act by the poverty and tragedy he witnessed during four operational deployments throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Bronze Star winner Harriman retired from active duty and enrolled at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business before founding Nuru in 2008 and then living in 3rd world countries to put systems and models in place that save innocent families in war torn regions by teaching and building structure for leadership, agriculture, education, and survival. Harriman has now turned his attention to helping protect the American Democratic experiment. In 2020, he founded More Perfect Union to disrupt and reform the current political system, heal our divided nation, and give the government back to the American people.

A mission-driven innovator and entrepreneur, Seth Goldman is the founder of Eat the Change, a planet-friendly snack company and platform to inform and empower consumers to make dietary choices aligned with their concerns around climate and health. The first business launched under the Eat the Change umbrella was PLNT Burger, which is a plant-based quick-serve restaurant that offers delicious burgers, sandwiches, fries, and soft-serve. Goldman also serves as chair of the board of Beyond Meat, a publicly traded California-based enterprise on the cutting edge of plant-based protein.

A seasoned leader and gifted entrepreneur, Nate Mook knows what it takes to turn words into action and ideas into impact. For five years, Mook was the CEO of World Central Kitchen, working alongside world-renowned activist and humanitarian Chef José Andrés on the frontlines to ensure people in disaster zones have access to fresh meals and building food resilient systems with locally led solutions. Widely recognized for his expertise in technology, filmmaking, and building nonprofit organizations, Mook brings a Swiss Army knife approach to crafting powerful stories that bring people together and drive change in the world.

Anjali Kumar is a former Google executive and the Founding General Counsel and Head of Social Innovation at Warby Parker, a transformative lifestyle brand offering designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially-conscious businesses. She is currently an Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School and Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business Administration, where she teaches Law of Innovation, a graduate seminar which follows an original syllabus of her own design.

Sallie Krawcheck is one of the most respected CEOs on Wall Street. One of the “rare honest voices,” she served as the chief executive of Citi Global Wealth Management, Smith Barney, and Sanford C. Bernstein & Company. She knows the inner workings of Wall Street, Capitol Hill, and the economy like no other. Funny and lively, she connects well with audiences of all levels as she addresses the economy, fiscal policy, regulatory reform, investments, the financial services industry, and what changes to pay attention to in the coming year.

Gavin Patterson is the president and chief revenue officer of Salesforce.com, Inc., leading the CRM company's global sales organization. He previously served as Chief Executive, BT from 2013-19. During his tenure, Patterson completed the UK rollout of the superfast fibre and started the deployment ultrafast fibre. He led the £15billion acquisition of EE, launched BT Sport, expanded BT’s cyber security practice and championed BT’s social purpose agenda. He joined BT in 2004 as MD Consumer and joined the board as CEO BT Retail in 2008. Prior to BT, he spent four years at Virgin Media and nine years at Procter & Gamble. Patterson is a Non-Executive Director at British Airways plc and a Trustee of the British Museum. He graduated from Cambridge University with an MEng in Chemical Engineering.

Cristian deRitis is the deputy chief economist at Moody’s Analytics where he specializes in the analysis of current and future economic conditions, housing markets, and consumer credit. He publishes his analysis regularly on the Economic View website and is often quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal for his views on the economy. Cris is a certified risk management professional and writes a monthly column on risk management issues for the Global Association of Risk Professionals. 

Bert Jacobs is the co-founder and Chief Executive Optimist of The Life is good Company. A $100 million privately held business based in Boston, MA, Life is good® spreads positive vibes with its colorful collection of apparel and accessories. Jake, Life is good’s iconic hero with the contagious smile, teaches men, women and children that optimism is fun, healthy, and empowering. Bert has appeared on CNN’s Tips from the Top, CNBC’s Business Nation, and The Donny Deutch Show. Life is good has been featured in the New York Times, on the cover of Inc Magazine, and on NBC’s The Today Show.