Humanities & Social Sciences

Esteemed speakers contributing their insights into human culture, behavior, and societal development

Li Jiansheng

Li Jiansheng

TODO Group ambassador,LFAPAC open source evangelist .
kuosi(适兕)is an independent researcher, social hacker, and the lead author and manager of "The Way of Open Source" (开源之道). Focusing on the intersection of institutional economics and software collaboration, he applies the theories of Coase, North, and Williamson to decode the complex governance structures of open-source communities and tech ecosystems. As an objective observer of technological evolution, his current research explores the paradigm shift from traditional open source to "Open Skill" and Agentic AI models.

TODO Group ambassador,LFAPAC open source evangelist . kuosi(适兕)is an independent researcher, social hacker, and the lead author and manager of "The Way of Open Source" (开源之道). Focusing on the intersection of institutional economics and software col... Show more

Michelle Storm

Michelle Storm

Michelle is a multipassionate portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she explores how people live, work, and thrive, translating complex insights into meaningful everyday practices and solutions. Her work as a Vision-to-Experience Curator connects ideas to real-world impact, helping individuals and organizations bring purposeful concepts to life.

She has led workshops, trainings, and sessions focused on leveraging creativity and technology to drive innovative thinking, collaborating with diverse teams to tackle complex challenges. Committed to building bridges between different perspectives, she thrives on turning bold ideas into actionable strategies that yield meaningful, sustainable impact in both the short and long term. Her aim is always to bring people together in ways that spark self-discovery, creative expression, and personal liberation—ultimately empowering every individual to step fully into their potential.

Alongside these roles, Michelle is an author, artist, and podcaster, using storytelling and creative expression to explore themes of purpose, resilience, and modern innovative work. Her multidisciplinary path reflects a commitment to curiosity, integrity, and designing a life that aligns with her values, vision of success, and purpose.

With experience across multiple sectors and creative fields, Michelle brings a grounded, integrated perspective to conversations about wellness, innovation, and entrepreneurship, offering insights shaped by both lived experience and intentional design.

Michelle is a multipassionate portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she e... Show more

Rocío Mieres

Rocío Mieres

Rocio Mieres socióloga especializada en videojuegos y en fenómenos digitales
MG en innovación y tecnología para la educación
Docente universidad Bernardo O'Higgins y UNIACC
Miembro de diferentes redes de investigadores en el área de videojuegos
Editora de la Revista Central de Sociología de la Universidad Central de Chile

Rocio Mieres socióloga especializada en videojuegos y en fenómenos digitales MG en innovación y tecnología para la educación Docente universidad Bernardo O'Higgins y UNIACC Miembro de diferentes redes de investigadores en el área de videojuegos ... Show more

Kody Hartlaub

Kody Hartlaub

Kody Hartlaub is an internationally recognized performance specialist in the mental architecture of champions. He works exclusively with elite athletes, Olympic contenders, world-class competitors,
and high-performing organizations—including professional athletes on the Philadelphia Phillies, world champions pursuing their next title, Olympic-stage athletes, Division 1 programs, and corporations like L'Oréal—to unlock performance at the highest level.
In less than a decade, Kody has executed a complete program turnaround at the college level, taking a Division 3 athletic program from last place to top-tier status in under a year. He's guided a two-
time world champion through his pursuit of a third championship. He's positioned Olympic-level athletes for international competition. He's embedded himself in locker rooms and boardrooms where the margin of error is zero, and results are the only currency that matters.
His work is about diagnosis and execution. Kody identifies the psychological architecture underneath performance: the belief systems, decision-making patterns, emotional regulation, and mental discipline that separate champions from competitors. He rebuilds that architecture from the foundation up, then ensures it performs under pressure, when it counts most.
Kody holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and is completing his master's in sport performance and psychology. More importantly, he is personally mentored by Ben Newman, one of the five most respected performance coaches in the world. He has been selected as a judge for the International Globee Awards for Excellence: a distinction reserved for the elite practitioners in his field.
As founder of KHP Coaching, creator of the Diamond Leadership Architecture framework, and architect of the KHP1 performance community, Kody doesn't build athletes. He builds champions who know exactly who they are, what they're capable of, and how to deliver it when the stakes are highest

Kody Hartlaub is an internationally recognized performance specialist in the mental architecture of champions. He works exclusively with elite athletes, Olympic contenders, world-class competitors, and high-performing organizations—including profess... Show more

Tammy Ho

Tammy Ho

Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies, UCR.
Sino-Burmese immigrant: born in Burma, raised in California.

Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies, UCR. Sino-Burmese immigrant: born in Burma, raised in California. Show more

Lindsay Lee

Lindsay Lee

Lindsay Ellis Lee, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, researcher, educator, and consultant specializing in gifted education, neurodiversity, creativity, and educational technology. She serves as a faculty member at Elmbridge University and is the Founder and Director of Advanced Learning Research & Consulting, LLC. Dr. Lee's work explores the intersection of gifted education, neurodiversity, creativity, and human-centered technology integration, with a focus on expanding access, opportunity, and talent development through strengths-based learning design. She has published research in leading gifted education and creativity journals, serves as Chair-Elect of the National Association for Gifted Children's Research & Evaluation Network, and collaborates with schools, universities, and educational organizations on research, program evaluation, and professional learning initiatives.

Lindsay Ellis Lee, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, researcher, educator, and consultant specializing in gifted education, neurodiversity, creativity, and educational technology. She serves as a faculty member at Elmbridge University and is the... Show more

Katelyn Jones

Katelyn Jones

Katelyn Jones, PhD, is the founder of Noetic, a decision strategy and AI advisory practice for C-suite and senior leaders. She works with executives who are making significant investments in strategic initiatives and AI but can't clearly connect those investments to outcomes their boards, investors, or funders care about — helping them build the decision infrastructure that closes that gap.

Her background spans academic research, executive leadership, and teaching. Trained as a political scientist, her doctoral work examined how decisions are made in international organizations and how those choices play out on the ground. A growing focus of her work is on supporting leaders in navigating AI adoption beyond efficiency and compliance, helping them deploy AI in ways that have meaningful outcomes, specific impact goals, and ultimately do more good than harm.

She teaches Decision Strategy to MBA students at Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business, serves as Board Chair of Joel Hall Dancers & Center, and has keynoted events including the PMI Chicagoland Leadership Forum and Compass Connect. Her work has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and Crain's Chicago Business.

Katelyn speaks on decision strategy and leveraging AI for maximum impact. Her recent talks include the keynote "Measuring What Matters: AI's Social Impact" and the workshop "Decision Strategy: Building a Toolkit for Your Leadership Team and Board."

Katelyn Jones, PhD, is the founder of Noetic, a decision strategy and AI advisory practice for C-suite and senior leaders. She works with executives who are making significant investments in strategic initiatives and AI but can't clearly connect thos... Show more

Akihiko Morita

Akihiko Morita

Akihiko Morita was a keynote speaker at the EMCC Global Annual Conference 2026, presenting “If AI Can Ask the Questions, What Is the Human Practitioner For?”, and a presenter at ICF Converge 2025 with “Beyond the Human Coach: AI, Wisdom Traditions, and the Future of Coaching.” He has also published two articles in the European Business Review.

He explores the impact of AI on how we work, live, and think, drawing on both Eastern and Western philosophies to provide thought-provoking insights and help leaders navigate an age of civilizational transformation.

As an ICF-certified Professional Coach (PCC), he has delivered over 3,000 coaching sessions in Japanese and English, supporting leaders and changemakers across global organizations.

As a former Board Director of the ICF Thought Leadership Institute (TLI) of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), he contributed to international conversations on coaching, generative AI, leadership, and the future of humanity.

With a Ph.D. in Social Thought and professional experience as a diplomat, UN official, NGO director, and executive coach, he brings an interdisciplinary and global perspective to the challenges of human transformation in a rapidly changing world.

Akihiko Morita was a keynote speaker at the EMCC Global Annual Conference 2026, presenting “If AI Can Ask the Questions, What Is the Human Practitioner For?”, and a presenter at ICF Converge 2025 with “Beyond the Human Coach: AI, Wisdom Traditions, a... Show more

Frank Malaba

Frank Malaba

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guided by a central question: How does the body remember, and what stories does it insist on carrying?

Drawing from Southern African oral traditions, queer lived experience, and a deep commitment to dignity and presence, Frank creates narrative spaces where memory becomes a form of knowledge. His solo works, including Stories of My Bones and The Chaos of Belonging, have toured internationally, inviting audiences into intimate encounters with ancestry, identity, and the quiet rituals that shape us.

As a photographer, Frank documents everyday rituals and marginalised lives with tenderness and clarity. His 2025 exhibition Rituals opened in Cape Town to critical acclaim, and his ongoing project I Met a Mermaid explores African water spirituality, homelessness, and the ocean as a site of survival and myth.

He is also the founder and curator of Uncovered: Stories in Oslo (Avdekket: Fortellinger i Oslo), a live storytelling platform centred on true, lived narratives. His facilitation practice blends embodiment, listening, and community building, creating spaces where people can speak from the truth of their lived experience.

Across all mediums, Frank works from the belief that storytelling is not performance, it is presence, witness, and a return to the body as archive.

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guide... Show more

Carolina Greno

Carolina Greno

For the last 10 years, Carolina has worked as a clinical psychologist decoding the human mind; now, she’s using that expertise to revolutionize public speaking training.

Mixing her talent development knowledge, mindfulness, and her background in theatre, she creates transformational experiences that take individuals from shy and uncertain to confident and impactful speakers.

Her unique 4-personality framework has helped hundreds of professionals find their speaking zone of genius—whether they’re natural storytellers or data-driven thinkers. She has worked with global companies like Upwork and P&G, and specializes in training teams to communicate with clarity, confidence, and influence.

For the last 10 years, Carolina has worked as a clinical psychologist decoding the human mind; now, she’s using that expertise to revolutionize public speaking training. Mixing her talent development knowledge, mindfulness, and her background in ... Show more

Ben Kereopa-Yorke

Ben Kereopa-Yorke

Ben Kereopa-Yorke is a Senior Security Researcher at Microsoft, based in Melbourne, working on AI security, security research, red teaming, and agentic systems. His work sits at the intersection of technology and human security, and he does active research and writing across AI security, cyber security, and socio-technical risk.

He co-leads the OWASP Machine Learning Security Top 10, serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, and is a member of the Australian Computer Society Professional Standards Board. His research has peer-reviewed publications spanning AI security, cyber security, human-computer interaction, Brookings, and Oxford Intersections: AI in Society. His public work also includes open technical projects on GitHub and Hugging Face, where he publishes under the name Zen0.

Ben Kereopa-Yorke has been recognised publicly with the 2025 Charles Sturt University Alumni Award for Professional Excellence, and his public writing emphasises practical AI security, governance, and Pacific perspectives on AI safety. He speaks and writes regularly on how real-world AI systems fail, how agentic security workflows are changing offensive and defensive practice, and what organisations need to do to secure the next generation of AI-enabled systems.

Ben Kereopa-Yorke is a Senior Security Researcher at Microsoft, based in Melbourne, working on AI security, security research, red teaming, and agentic systems. His work sits at the intersection of technology and human security, and he does active re... Show more

Patrick Smyth

Patrick Smyth

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led technical bootcamps for researchers at Columbia University. In his free time you can find Patrick swimming in a frozen lake or hanging out with his six-month-old baby.

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led tech... Show more

Crystal Ash

Crystal Ash

Crystal T. Ash is a dynamic speaker, host, moderator, life strategist, and author whose passion is rooted in empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. An esteemed 2006 graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences and 2013 graduate of Liberty University, where she earned a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. With over 15 years of speaking experience, Ash brings a wealth of knowledge and authenticity to her engagements. Her insightful presentations on personal and professional development captivate audiences, as she skillfully breaks down barriers and creates opportunities for success. Her signature talk is No More Orange Popsicles: Empowering thru Core Values, which examines how operating through core values can serve as a compass for making aligned decisions and positively impacting others.

In 2021, Ash published her debut book, Lessons from My Grandma's Table, further exemplifying her commitment to inspiring others through storytelling and authentic engagement. She is renowned for infusing her speaking engagements with vibrant energy, warmth, and a genuine desire to uplift her community. Whether addressing young or mature audiences, Ash’s core message encourages self-discovery, personal growth, and meaningful transformation, inspiring all to live out their true purpose.

Crystal T. Ash is a dynamic speaker, host, moderator, life strategist, and author whose passion is rooted in empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. An esteemed 2006 graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor's... Show more

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is a Ghanaian individual known for his interest in education, communication, and social development. He is passionate about learning, personal growth, and contributing positively to society through knowledge-sharing and community engagement.

He demonstrates strong skills in written communication and critical thinking, with a keen interest in peacebuilding, leadership, and youth development initiatives. Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is committed to self-improvement and values integrity, discipline, and service to humanity.

Through continuous learning and active participation in meaningful initiatives, he aspires to make a lasting impact in his community and beyond.

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is a Ghanaian individual known for his interest in education, communication, and social development. He is passionate about learning, personal growth, and contributing positively to society through knowledge-sharing and ... Show more

Andrew Young Choi

Andrew Young Choi

Dr. Andrew Young Choi is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pace University, where he teaches and supervises in the Clinical Health Psychology Program.

His award-winning scholarship employs queer of color critique to illuminate the complexities of intersectionality, racism-related stress, and identity among Asian Americans. Leveraging psychoanalytic concepts, his interdisciplinary research explores the evolving nature of anti-Asian racialization and its theoretical and clinical implications. He brings advanced methodological expertise, including critical analysis, multivariate statistics, psychometrics, structural equation modeling, and qualitative content analysis. He has authored over 20 publications and received more than 30 awards, honors, and fellowships for his intellectual contributions.

Dr. Choi is board-certified in Counseling Psychology and specializes in culturally responsive psychodynamic psychotherapy for high-performing professionals from diverse backgrounds. He creatively integrates insight-oriented, goal-focused, and decolonial principles to support a broad range of mental health goals. He has provided effective care across diverse settings—including college counseling centers, community mental health clinics, and inpatient and outpatient hospitals—with extensive public sector experience serving clients from global majority and LGBTQ+ populations.

He earned his PhD in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at the Counseling and Student Development Center of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology at Cambridge Health Alliance / Harvard Medical School. He is an alumnus APA Minority Fellow, Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC-12) Postgraduate Scholar, and University of California Regents Special Fellow.

Dr. Andrew Young Choi is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pace University, where he teaches and supervises in the Clinical Health Psychology Program. His award-winning scholarship employs queer of color critique to illuminate the complexit... Show more

Dr. Daniel Freeman

Dr. Daniel Freeman

What sets Dr. Freeman apart is not advice or frameworks, but the space he creates. His work is intentionally calm, confidential, and unhurried—a place where leaders can talk openly, explore ideas, and sort through complexity without performance or politics getting in the way. Conversations are relaxed, human, and grounded, even when the issues are serious. Clients often say they don’t feel “coached” or “consulted,” but genuinely heard. The result is clarity that feels earned, not imposed—and decisions that feel steadier because they were thought through in a space that was both rigorous and welcoming.

Dr. Daniel Freeman brings together an uncommon mix of training and lived experience. With a background in sociology and a doctorate in global leadership, a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, combined with years as a former professional athlete, nationally recognized track and field coach, consultant, and adjunct instructor, his work is shaped by both academic rigor and real-world pressure. Over the past decade, he has held thousands of one-on-one conversations with nonprofit executives, Fortune 500 CEOs, founders, athletes, and coaches. That experience has given him a deep understanding of how leaders actually think, decide, and carry responsibility.

What sets Dr. Freeman apart is not advice or frameworks, but the space he creates. His work is intentionally calm, confidential, and unhurried—a place where leaders can talk openly, explore ideas, and sort through complexity without performance or po... Show more

Joule Diaz

Joule Diaz

I’m Joule Diaz a founder, speaker, and builder of impact rooted in real life.

I created Her Impact because I know what it feels like to live in survival mode while still being responsible for everything and everyone around you. My work is centered on helping women and girls move from just getting through life to actually leading it with confidence, clarity, and self-worth.

I don’t speak from theory. I speak from lived experience. From navigating pressure, rebuilding, and figuring things out in real time while still showing up.

My message is about ownership, resilience, and becoming who you are even when life doesn’t feel stable or certain.

When I speak, I’m not there to perform. I’m there to connect. To create a moment where people feel seen, challenged, and reminded of their power.

Everything I do is rooted in truth, growth, and impact that lasts beyond the room.

I’m Joule Diaz a founder, speaker, and builder of impact rooted in real life. I created Her Impact because I know what it feels like to live in survival mode while still being responsible for everything and everyone around you. My work is centered... Show more

Thies Johannsen

Thies Johannsen

Thies Johannsen arbeitet an der Schnittstelle von Geistes-, Sozial- und Ingenieurwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt auf strategischem Wissenschaftsmanagement, Kompetenzarchitekturen und missionsorientierter Innovationssteuerung. Er verbindet evidenzbasierte Produkt- und Programmentwicklung mit Forschung und Lehre zur Gestaltung von Transferstrukturen, transdisziplinären Kooperationen und innovationsorientierten Ökosystemen.

Thies Johannsen arbeitet an der Schnittstelle von Geistes-, Sozial- und Ingenieurwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt auf strategischem Wissenschaftsmanagement, Kompetenzarchitekturen und missionsorientierter Innovationssteuerung. Er verbindet evidenzbasie... Show more

Amal Tahri

Amal Tahri

Passionate about Technology, Sociology and Philosophy

Passionate about Technology, Sociology and Philosophy Show more

Tega Edwin

Tega Edwin

Dr. Tega Edwin helps companies reduce turnover and boost employee engagement through trauma-informed leadership and strategic career development.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor and former Associate Professor of Counseling, she bridges clinical psychology with business outcomes, teaching leaders how to retain top talent, navigate difficult conversations with confidence, and build cultures where people actually want to stay.

Dr. Edwin has delivered keynotes and trainings for Northwestern Mutual, Lockheed Martin, St. Louis Public Schools, and universities, including the University of Houston Clear Lake and New Jersey City University. Through her signature coaching program, Find Your Fulfilling Career, her clients have secured roles at KPMG, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Henkel, with salary increases averaging $35,000+.

Her award-winning research on career development has been published in Career Development Quarterly (2019 Article of the Year), Professional School Counselor, and other leading journals. As a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, she trained the next generation of career counselors in the evidence-based communication and relational skills that drive meaningful change.Dr. Edwin is the author of Helping Relationship Skills: Facilitative Skills that Foster Change (Cognella), which teaches the relational communication framework that transforms managers into leaders who inspire engagement, navigate difficult conversations, and drive measurable results.

She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Penn State and an M.A. in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. She's a National Certified Counselor and Certified Salary Negotiation Facilitator.

When she's not on stage or coaching clients, you'll find her on the pickleball court or diving into her Bible.

Dr. Tega Edwin helps companies reduce turnover and boost employee engagement through trauma-informed leadership and strategic career development. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and former Associate Professor of Counseling, she bridges clini... Show more

Chinenye Egbuna Ikwuemesi

Chinenye Egbuna Ikwuemesi

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences rethink AI ethics, itechnology transformation, nstitutional design, and “future of X” conversations by bringing in African civilisational logics that have been systematically excluded from Western narratives. Her work spans a 40+ volume Afrodeities Codex and The Shadow Storm, a 50‑chapter speculative epic that turns decolonial theory into vivid, accessible story. On stage, she translates complex histories and mythic systems into practical tools for leaders, technologists, and creatives who want to build futures answerable to more than markets alone.

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences ret... Show more

Renee Samantha

Renee Samantha

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, and digital identity.

Through her visual project “Lady Gorilla,” Hamilton experiments with AI-generated imagery to study audience reactions, symbolism, and the psychology of online engagement. She also incorporates these visuals into lectures to explore how emerging technologies influence cultural narratives and representation.

Her work sits between art, technology, and academic inquiry, examining how AI reshapes the way we construct and interpret identity in the digital era.

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, an... Show more

Ewa Tamar Lewandowska

Ewa Tamar Lewandowska

Ewa Tamar is a multidisciplinary researcher, curator, and builder leading experiential spaces for leadership, creativity, and community in an increasingly automated world. Following a decade in tech leadership, she pivoted to PhD research at GCAS to investigate the existential and somatic impacts of the automation transition.

Her work is anchored in three pillars:

• Reclaiming Authentic Intelligence: finding clarity and agency beyond algorithmic logic.
• Somatic Sovereignty: recognizing the body as a site of resistance against the nervous system activation of the ever-present logic of optimization.
• Imagining Alternatives: Creating ways of working and relating rooted in relational intelligence and care.

In addition to research and teaching, Ewa is currently establishing a multidisciplinary eco-cultural residency on her great-grandfather’s ancestral land in Masovia, Poland.

Ewa Tamar is a multidisciplinary researcher, curator, and builder leading experiential spaces for leadership, creativity, and community in an increasingly automated world. Following a decade in tech leadership, she pivoted to PhD research at GCAS to ... Show more

Girard Newkirk

Girard Newkirk

I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39.

My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and community through Genesis Block, Newkirklytics, the Neighborhood Economy Index, and Newkirk Enterprises. I’m not talking about hypothetical frameworks or abstract policy theory. I’m designing and deploying real systems that make local economic activity visible, measurable, and investable, especially the micro-entrepreneurs, creators, informal workers, and neighborhood-level producers who have always powered our communities but rarely show up in the data.

I believe the future of prosperity isn’t top-down theories based on outdated economic models but rooted in local ownership, inclusive entrepreneurship, and circular capital systems that keep value circulating where people live. My work turns that belief into infrastructure. The Neighborhood Economy Index and our sector tools quantify what has long been unseen: the economic power of microbusinesses, shared kitchens, creatives, disabled entrepreneurs, local manufacturing ecosystems, and underserved communities across the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa.

As a speaker, I bring together data, story, spirit, and strategy. I’ve lived this work for years, building entrepreneurial ecosystems, supporting founders who’ve been overlooked, creating pathways to upward mobility, and designing new economic systems that honor dignity and human possibility. My goal on every stage is simple: help leaders see the Neighborhood Economy differently, not as charity work or an “equity initiative,” but as a powerful engine of growth, resilience, and wealth creation that deserves real investment and serious strategy. It’s actually market inefficiency that needs to be corrected.

I’m here to shift the conversation from wealth extraction to community circulation, from scarcity to abundance, from invisibility to proof, from disconnected programs to systems that actually work. And I’m building alongside institutions, cities, universities, DFIs, foundations, and community leaders who believe, as I do, that the people closest to the problem are also closest to the solution; they need better tools, better data, and better support.

That is the work. That is the calling. And that is the Neighborhood Economy.

I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39. My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and comm... Show more

Isabella Matticchio

Isabella Matticchio

I hold a PhD in Linguistics (Univ. Padova), and I am currently an Assist. Prof. of Italian in the University of Rijeka (Croatia, EU). I have previously held research and teaching appointments in the universities of Pula/Pola (Croatia) and Klagenfurt (Austria, EU). In Fall 2024 I was a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Italian, Columbia University, and in Spring 2025 a Fellow of the Italian Academy at Columbia University.

I hold a PhD in Linguistics (Univ. Padova), and I am currently an Assist. Prof. of Italian in the University of Rijeka (Croatia, EU). I have previously held research and teaching appointments in the universities of Pula/Pola (Croatia) and Klagenfurt ... Show more

Dr Pedro A González Jr MJ MAC

Dr Pedro A González Jr MJ MAC

Dr. Pedro A. González, Jr., M.J., MAC, is a Cuban American exiled professor, Author, and Researcher who teaches the Theory of Communication in U.S. universities after retiring from a successful career as a Journalist and War Correspondent on TV.
He is a member of and participates in national and international professional journalism and academic organizations.
In total, he has published 20 books.

Dr. Pedro A. González, Jr., M.J., MAC, is a Cuban American exiled professor, Author, and Researcher who teaches the Theory of Communication in U.S. universities after retiring from a successful career as a Journalist and War Correspondent on TV. He... Show more

Lawrence I. Morris BSE MBA

Lawrence I. Morris BSE MBA

Lawrence I. Morris, author of the 'Unified Theory of Belief' postulate, is a best-selling & award-winning writer, engineer, technologist, and entrepreneur whose background in data analytics, product development, AI and theology intersect in a search for deeper human understanding. With academic roots in NYU Stern School of Business and Columbia Engineering, Morris explores belief, truth, and structure in both the spiritual and scientific domains. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and continues to examine how revision as well as interpretation - both intellectually and spiritually - shapes the way we live and believe.

Lawrence I. Morris, author of the 'Unified Theory of Belief' postulate, is a best-selling & award-winning writer, engineer, technologist, and entrepreneur whose background in data analytics, product development, AI and theology intersect in a search ... Show more

Srebrenka Peregrin

Srebrenka Peregrin

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autorica je zbirki "Bajkarice", "Bajkari" i "Bajkarenje" te autorica romana o Frini, kurtizani u usponu.

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autoric... Show more

Andrea Moysén

Andrea Moysén

Andrea Moysen ist in der Wissens- und Technologietransferabteilung der Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften die Schnittstelle zwischen Internationalisierung und dem Projekt „Transfer und Transformation“. Ein strategisches Ziel des Projekts besteht darin, Forschungsprojekte und die Entstehung von Wissen für verschiedene Zielgruppen zugänglich und erlebbar zu machen. Als zertifizierte interkulturelle Trainerin fördert sie die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Menschen mit vielfältigen kulturellen und beruflichen Hintergründen und schafft so wichtige Voraussetzungen für einen offenen und inklusiven Wissensaustausch. Ihr Masterabschluss in Interkultureller Wirtschaftskommunikation befähigt sie dazu, komplexe Inhalte zielgruppengerecht aufzubereiten und in unterschiedlichen Kontexten verständlich zu vermitteln. Derzeit erweitert sie ihr Profil durch ein Zweitstudium der Psychologie. Dadurch baut sie ihre Kompetenzen im Verständnis von menschlichem Verhalten, Motivation sowie Team- und Gruppendynamiken weiter aus. Dies ist ein entscheidender Beitrag, um Wissenstransfer wirksam, partizipativ und nachhaltig zu gestalten.

Andrea Moysen ist in der Wissens- und Technologietransferabteilung der Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften die Schnittstelle zwischen Internationalisierung und dem Projekt „Transfer und Transformation“. Ein strategisches Ziel des Proje... Show more

Giselle Fuerte

Giselle Fuerte

Giselle Fuerte, M.A. is a Forensic AI Researcher, Learning Architect, and the founder of Being Human With AI (BHWAI). With over 20 years of experience designing high-stakes training systems for global organizations like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Paychex, she specializes in the intersection of algorithmic risk and human psychological safety.

Giselle is the creator of the Problem AI Use Severity Index (PAUSI), a first-of-its-kind clinical screening tool used to measure AI dependency and relational harm. Her pioneering research into the "Taxonomy of Algorithmic Coercion" maps more than 50 specific model behaviors—such as sycophancy and "love bombing"—to technical failure modes.

A recognized industry speaker, she has advised audiences at the American Psychological Association (APA) and the SHIELD Global Online Safety Conference on moving from "user error" narratives to product liability in AI safety. Her work has been featured by the BBC and Bloomberg, and her interactive curriculum, "The Spiral: AI Safety Investigation," is a featured partner of Code.org’s Hour of AI.

Giselle Fuerte, M.A. is a Forensic AI Researcher, Learning Architect, and the founder of Being Human With AI (BHWAI). With over 20 years of experience designing high-stakes training systems for global organizations like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Payc... Show more

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