​​D’Lo (he/they) is a queer/transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan-American actor/writer/comedian whose work range includes stand-up comedy, solo theater, plays, films and music production, poetry and spoken word. Rooted in social justice, D’Lo brings the fierce with the funny through his stories and stand-up comedy.

Rashmi Airan is a captivating speaker, transformation expert, and Ivy League-educated attorney. As a former Wall Street investment banker and independent law practitioner, she faced a federal prison sentence that reshaped her life. Now, she inspires leaders to embrace vulnerability and resilience through her RISE THROUGH IT™ framework. With her story of overcoming unimaginable challenges and over 30 years of experience, Rashmi has collaborated with Fortune 100 companies, empowering others how to break free from fear and turn setbacks into success.

Ayinde Alakoye is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of nēdl, his third live broadcast radio streaming venture. Ayinde was also the creator of the original iheartradio app served as a Speechwriter, Staffer, and Senior Message Advisor for Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, during both elections.

Sheena Allen is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and creative architect. She is the CEO and Founder of TOO.AI, an AI venture focused on advancing human health, wealth, and capabilities. She also founded CapWay, a fintech ecosystem for financial inclusion. Sheena has been featured in various documentaries and publications, including Inc Magazine and Forbes.

Rebecca Altamirano has dedicated her professional life to working within underrepresented communities to open up access to the culture of power. Her professional path has given her deep hands-on experience on working with the underserved and underrepresented. Many of these experiences she has shared as a co-author of “Be The Change: Reinventing Schools for Student Success”

Sekou Andrews is a dynamic spoken word poet and CEO of SekouWorld, Inc. His innovative "poetic voice" seamlessly melds inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry, making him a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies and global brands like Google, Nike, and Paypal. With two National Poetry Slam championships and a GRAMMY nomination, Sekou is a fearless disruptor of the speaking industry and a coach to leaders seeking to become more dynamic communicators.

A sought after voice of inspiration, Mandy is a columnist, founder, and prolific influencer. Her breadth of work in mind+body connection and unwavering optimism has earned her global attention and positioning alongside elite social leaders and sports figures around the world. Mandy now travels the globe inspiring resilience through her recent and personal triumph in mental and physical wellness.

David & John Auten-Schneider, known as the Debt-Free Guys, host the Queer Money® podcast. They are the first LGBTQ+ personal finance contributors to Forbes and have worked with major companies like Capital One and Orbitz, as well as leading LGBTQ+ non-profits such as The Trevor Project and Out & Equal. They recently co-authored two LGBTQ+ money studies with The Motley Fool. Their work has appeared in Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, Good Morning America, and more.

Emily Best is the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark. An advocate for equity inclusion in the entertainment industry (and the entire working world), Best regularly speaks at conferences and events about leveraging entertainment to build equity and sustainability for everyone, crowdfunding, and pitching, building equitable startups, and serves as an advisor and mentor to dozens of early-stage companies.

Mike Brown, a pro-athlete turned self-taught coder, transitioned from tackling to tech and went on to be the founder and CEO of Win-Win, a platform powered by gaming and giving. Win-Win enables pro athletes and influencers to monetize their fanbase and help brands engage with end consumers.

Chris is a serial entrepreneur with global experience. Since 2010, he has focused on bringing the lessons of Silicon Valley to entrepreneurs around the world.  He is the co-founder of the US Market Access Center and the A3 Global Collider.  Through USMAC, Chris has trained and mentored more than 1,000 startups from 25+ countries.

Jeff Butler is a speaker, author, and international consultant who helps organizations improve their relationships with millennial employees. Unlike other experts on millennials, Jeff has been in the trenches of what it means to be a millennial and what it takes to retain and keep them engaged.  You may have seen him on Forbes, USA Weekly, or on the TED stage.

Courtney Caldwell is the Cofounder & CEO of beauty-tech startup, ShearShare, the largest provider of on-demand salon and barbershop space rentals and the most affordable leases in the market. She is also an award-winning entrepreneur and tech founder and has spent two decades building winning teams in tech marketing.

Dr. Tye Caldwell is the Cofounder & Chief Strategy Officer of ShearShare. Recognized as a tech visionary and industry pioneer, Dr. Caldwell’s mission is to help beauty and barbering professionals around the world maximize their earnings potential. He has worked in beauty for 25 years as a master barber-stylist, educator, and small business coach, offering his 20+ years of industry knowledge as a proven roadmap.

Cheryl Campos is a serial maverick, aligning her passions to achieve success across multiple arenas. As the CEO of a leading financial nonprofit and a professional model and actress, Cheryl possesses a unique and powerful dual perspective that bridges the analytical and creative worlds. Her dynamic career embodies innovation, resilience, and the limitless potential of following one's diverse passions.

Jennifer Cassetta is a nationally recognized speaker, empowerment coach, and self-defense expert. She has worked with tens of thousands of professional women around the country to help them unleash their inner badass. Equipped with her 3rd-degree black belt in HapKiDo, Master’s degree in Nutrition, and health coaching certification, she develops programming that helps women feel strong, safe, and powerful from the streets to the boardroom.

Bestselling author Kwame Christian and host of Negotiate Anything,  the world’s  #1 podcast on the subject, sees negotiation as an invaluable life philosophy that will build stronger relationships, teams, and leaders, promote cultural harmony and empathy,  and foster more productive and inclusive workplaces. His highly interactive talks provide practical tools that have helped countless individuals and organizations overcome the fear, anxiety and emotion associated with negotiation.

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Dr. Marcus Collins, best-selling author of For the Culture, is a leading expert on using culture to influence behavior and inspire action. A marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and former head of strategy at Wieden + Kennedy, he's also a Forbes contributor and an inductee in the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement. Collins has been the creative force behind major campaigns for Nike, Apple, Budweiser, and Beyoncé.

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Dawn Dickson is a serial entrepreneur and inventor with over 20 years of experience in technology, marketing, and business development. Her most recent ventures are Flat Out of Heels and PopCom. Dawn is a seasoned professional speaker, business advisor, and angel investor.  She continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s top retail tech entrepreneurs.

Ugwem Eneyo is co-founder and CEO of SHYFT Power Solutions, specializing in the use of IoT software and big data to improve access to clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions in markets that struggle with grid resiliency. Ms. Eneyo explores how we use tech to create ‘grids of the future’ but particularly in emerging markets. She’s given talks on the nexus of energy and sustainable development to global thought leaders, including the World Bank.

Melinda Briana Epler has over 25 years of experience developing business innovation and inclusion strategies for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and global NGOs. As CEO of Empovia, Melinda works with the tech industry to solve diversity and inclusion together. Using her background in storytelling and large-scale culture change, she is a strategic advisor for tech companies, tech hubs, and governments around the world.

Michael “Manny Faces” Conforti is an award-winning journalist, podcast professional, public speaker and independent scholar. Much of his work focuses on advocating for the use of Hip Hop music and culture as a tool to improve lives, livelihoods and communities throughout the nation and the world, in areas including education, science and technology, health and wellness, politics and social justice, business and entrepreneurialism, the fine arts, spirituality and self-help, and more.

Dr. Jen Fry (she/her) is a Sports Geographer, tech founder, and sought-after speaker and educator. She owns JenFryTalks, a social justice education firm that explores the intersection of conflict and DEI. Jen facilitates conversation and skill-building with organizations, leadership and C-suite groups, small and large teams, affinity groups, and more. She advises on best practices that create more equitable organizations, communities, and teams, where each person feels a sense of belonging.

Andrea Guendelman is a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur who specializes in Expansive Leadership—helping individuals and organizations unlock potential through openness. She is a leading force in creating platforms for minority professionals and the tech industry. Through her own experiences as a Harvard-trained corporate lawyer and an entrepreneur, she co-created Bevisiblelatinx, Wallbreakers, and most recently, Speak_.

As an internationally recognized speaker, Phil has shared his wisdom and inspired audiences in 40 different states and four continents to over 100,000 people. He is a firm believer that with the proper motivation, training, and support system, members of any generation can become capable of remarkable accomplishments.

Arlan Hamilton is a remarkable entrepreneur who built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a VC firm dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT.

Chante Harris is a climate tech strategist and Founder and Managing Partner of Eunoia Group. She is also Co-Founder of Women of Color Collective in Sustainability (WOC/CS), a champion of social and finance innovation, and ACEEE Champion of Energy Efficiency. Throughout her career, she has successfully scaled nationwide campaigns, technologies, and ideas for the Obama Administration, Fortune 500 companies, and startups. Chante is at the helm of driving climate innovation and advancing the energy transition across cities.

Harold Hughes is the CXO and co-founder of Catalyst Labs, an entrepreneur support organization he co-founded to help provide entrepreneurs with the resources and community they need to launch, build, and scale their companies. As a web3 builder, he is the founder of Bandwagon, a South Carolina-based live experience technology company. Harold published "A Kids Book About Blockchain" to help educate people "from 6 to 60" about the revolutionary technology that Bandwagon specializes in. Harold is also an active angel investor, primarily investing in women, people of color, and Black founder-led companies.

Mazin Jamal is the founder of Holistic Underground: a leadership & organizational development agency for social movements & businesses. He honed his craft working with leaders and teams around the world. He has coached, consulted, and presented for executive leaders and teams from Apple, Google, Postmates, Atlassian, and more. He is also the creator of the PurposePlace™ Methodology.

Shontavia Johnson is an entrepreneurship and innovation expert who has helped hundreds of people build personal brands, businesses, and intellectual property portfolios. Founder of the Brand and Business Company. Shontavia is an entrepreneur, creator, Liberty Fellow through Aspen Institute, and a Fulbright Specialist. She shares her message to audiences globally.

Thomas Kolditz, a retired Brigadier General and renowned leadership expert with over 30 years of experience, has led organizations and directed leadership programs at prestigious institutions such as Yale School of Management and West Point. As the author of "In Extremis Leadership: Leading As If Your Life Depended On It," he is a sought-after speaker known for sharing practical insights and captivating stories from his extensive career, offering actionable takeaways for effective leadership in challenging environments.

Joseph Kopser serves as an Executive-in-Residence at the McCombs School of Business.  Prior to that his company, RideScout, was acquired by Mercedes. He served in the Army for 20 years after graduating from West Point and Harvard. He was recognized as a White House Champion of Change in clean energy and won the U.S. DOT Data Innovation Award. Co-author of, Catalyst, he is an advisor for CleanTX.

Russell Ladson is a creative technologist whose work sits at the intersection of emerging technologies, purposeful design, and visual art. His work investigates the use of emerging technologies like AR/VR (XR) to heighten the human-to-human experience through experimental concepts around information discovery in a post-smartphone world.

Leonard D. Lane DBA is a distinguished international senior executive, board-level advisor, and business professor, specializing in the convergence of supply chain management, sustainability, and technology within a global context. With over 50 years of management and consulting experience.

Jennifer Magley is the Chief Brand Officer of The Basketball League (TBL) and Basketball Super League (BSL). She is also a consultant, speaker, contributor to FORBES, and former professional athlete specializing in connecting top talent with opportunities onstage, on camera, and in the boardroom. She has placed talent at Fortune-level companies and has a background in recruiting, partnership relations, and contract negotiations. As a Keynote Speaker and Consultant, she has spent over a decade helping successful people become unstoppable. Magley is a former NCAA Division I Head Coach and has received national media coverage, notably by USA Today, CNN, ESPN, Foundr Magazine, and US News & World Report. 

James Norman is a serial entrepreneur who at the age of 16 built his first online company. While previously he may have been known as a visionary in automotive product planning, over the past 10 years in the media and entertainment industry, he has become a thought leader in over-the-top media and consumer video consumption behaviors.

Akua Nyame-Mensah is the founder of ANM & Company which exists to build better leaders. Akua is an ICF-certified executive coach, leadership & culture advisor, team builder, Facilitator, and podcast host of Open Door Conversations. She worked, consulted in, and visited over 30 countries worldwide. With extensive international experience, including a pioneering role at Jumia Group, she seamlessly blends coaching with leadership psychology, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence research. She believes that business growth comes from personal growth.

Damian Pelliccione (they/them) is the CEO and Co-Founder of Revry, the world’s first LGBTQ Global Content Streaming Network. With over 15 years of experience in the digital and new media world and as an avid speaker, passionate about supporting the LGBTQ community in both authentic representation and entrepreneurship, Damian has spoken at more than over 250 conferences and film festivals around the world.

Milagros Phillips designs strategic learning initiatives for clients seeking to enhance their diversity and inclusion programs by adding race literacy to their initiatives. With more than 25 years of experience in learning and development, Milagros has consulted with, designed and delivered customized programs across many industries and services, including financial/insurance, healthcare, higher education, and national and political leaders.

Christie Pitts is an investor, operator, and activist. Formerly VP of Operations at Mahmee and investor at Backstage Capital, she co-founded the VCs for Repro initiative, focused on the intersection of the economy and reproductive justice, and hosts the Moms at Work liveshow to build community, raise awareness, and advocate for better experiences for working moms.

Dr. Katie Pritchett is an educator and business leader with nearly 20 years of experience supporting businesses of all sizes. With expertise in strategic innovation, leadership coaching, and organizational agility, she has held roles at UT Austin, the U.S. Department of Education, and Slalom Consulting. As founder and CEO of KPI Coaching, LLC, she delivers tailored executive coaching, leadership workshops, and keynotes.

Bill Reichert is co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, a well-known seed and early-stage venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. Bill travels around the world giving presentations and workshops on innovation, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and technology trends.

Ryann Richardson made history when she became the 50th Anniversary Miss Black America. The tech marketer-turned-founder and Diversity & Inclusion advocate spent 10 years building brands and culture for companies spanning early-stage startups to billion-dollar "unicorns" to the Fortune500. Her work earned her a spot as the youngest honoree on Savoy Magazine’s list of Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America, and set her on the path to discovering her unique purpose as a champion for underrepresented voices.

Frankie Russo is an entrepreneur with a proven track record for using innovative methods to unlock rapid growth and competitive advantage . His keynotes and masterclass experiences are full of actionable insights for fostering a culture of authenticity, imagination and generosity to unlock breakthrough innovation, extraordinary transformation and to keep growth going

Rodney Sampson, of Opportunity Hub, is heralded as the leading inclusive startup ecosystem builder and is passionate about reducing poverty and wealth gap by advancing the cause of innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and investment as a way of life for all, with an emphasis on socially disadvantaged and under-estimated and sponsored communities in America and beyond.

Dr. Kryss Shane, a renowned LGBT+ expert, boasts over 25 years of experience in guiding leaders globally. Featured in The New York Times, ABC News, and more, she specializes in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, helping businesses navigate these areas effectively. Holding a doctorate and multiple master’s degrees, Dr. Shane is an esteemed educator, serving at Columbia University and other institutions. Author of impactful books, including "The Medical Professional's Guide to LGBT+ Inclusion," she advocates for LGBT+ rights and inclusivity on various fronts.

As one of the world’s foremost experts on accountability and commitment, Alex is a five-time TEDxTalk speaker, author, podcast host, internationally-recognized humanitarian, social entrepreneur & innovator, author, and Founder of the because I said I would movement. His work, featured on shows like The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, CNN, Fox News, and many other programs, inspires people to honor their commitments.

Jill Sinclair is an executive coach, author, TEDx & international keynote speaker who changes people's lives by challenging their limits. Jill crafts her language and her message so she's speaking to the core of what her audience needs. She Helps her audience to UNCOVER and OVERCOME their success blockers. Jill is the founder of Hustler Sophisticate Speaker Series and Business Bootcamps.

Dedren Snead seamlessly blends the realms of art, technology, industry, and education in a way that very few can. Snead believes in creating inclusive, interactive storytelling that weaves together every culture and background possible. His creative endeavors encompass an amalgamation of Afrofuturistic graphic novels, animation, gaming, and augmented reality. Snead was recently chosen for a Ford Foundation Fellowship, where he will exercise his thought leadership fusing gaming, artificial intelligence, and the future of work. His work is a transformative journey, ushering executives, educators, and students into a future where creative and technical careers are not just possibilities but achievable realities, with Artificial Intelligence acting as a collaborative ally. Dedren Snead is not just an artist and developer but a pioneer in harnessing the power of gaming as a transformative educational tool.

Lolita Taub is a GP at Ganas Ventures where she invests in pre-seed and seed community-driven companies in the US and Latin America. She is a woman of color with 13 years in tech, micro-influencer, an international keynote speaker, 2x TEDx speaker whose work in venture capital and tech has been recognized on Forbes, Inc.com, The Huffington Post and Entrepreneur.com among other publications.

Dr. Talaya Waller believes that a strong brand has the power to change the world, which is why she is passionate about working with professionals striving to make a positive impact on the future. This vision drives her startup, Valuables, an AI-powered brand management and executive positioning platform. Previously, she has provided brand consulting for leaders of top organizations, including the United Nations, Google, the NBA, and the Federal Reserve Board. She has taught at Duke and lectured internationally. Institutions like MIT and Oxford house her academic contributions, while her insights on personal brand equity are featured in outlets like Bloomberg, Fast Company, and Forbes.

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Aniyia Williams is a systempreneur, creator, inventor, tech changemaker, and investor. She is a principal on the Responsible Technology team at Omidyar Network, and works to help the tech world live up to its promise of changing lives for the better. She served as Executive Director of Black & Brown Founders, co-founder of Zebras Unite, and founded and led the fashion tech company, Tinsel.

Dr. Brynn Winegard is a renowned business professor, professional speaker, and expert in applied neuroscience and positive psychology. She is dedicated to helping professionals achieve peak mental performance at work by understanding and utilizing their brain better. Dr. Winegard holds multiple degrees, including an MBA and PhD, and teaches graduate and executive learners at various institutions. She has conducted research through Harvard Medical School and is a fellow with Harvard-McLean Hospital IOC Research Institute.

Ramona Wright, a TEDx speaker, author, tech investor, producer, tech investor, and philanthropist, has more than 15 years of strategic communication expertise. She’s a trailblazer who taught public relations and social media marketing to more than 200. Ramona is an accomplished speaker who has spoken on behalf of the American Heart Association, Google, and Microsoft. She worked with Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar Award-winning talent.