Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Verónica Recchia

Verónica Recchia

Lawyer & Psychologist | AI Ethics & Cognitive Sovereignty | Co-founder, EIA LATAM Committee | Lecturer (UBA & UTN FRBA)

Verónica Recchia is a lawyer, psychologist, university lecturer and independent researcher specializing in AI ethics, cognitive sovereignty and hybrid intelligence. She lectures at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and UTN FRBA and is co-founder of the EIA LATAM Committee, an interdisciplinary initiative advancing ethical AI governance from a Latin American perspective.

She is co-author of the EIA LATAM Manifesto – AI Ethics in Latin America: A Female Perspective in Defense of Human Dignity and the Future of Human Decision-Making (Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/21212138), author of Agilidad y Talento. Egoísmo y Altruismo del Poder (Despite the MENTE CLICK Mindset) (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNXD3GJQ), and is currently writing MENTECLICK.IA: The Continuity of the Species (ISBN 978-631-01-1706-5).

Her research focuses on AI ethics, cognitive sovereignty, algorithmic governance, hybrid intelligence and the future of human decision-making.

Lawyer & Psychologist | AI Ethics & Cognitive Sovereignty | Co-founder, EIA LATAM Committee | Lecturer (UBA & UTN FRBA) Verónica Recchia is a lawyer, psychologist, university lecturer and independent researcher specializing in AI ethics, cognitive... Show more

Deepak John Reji

Deepak John Reji

Deepak John Reji is an experienced NLP practitioner and researcher who specializes in developing and designing solutions for data science products. He is passionate about domain-centric data science development and advocates for responsible and ethical AI development. Deepak enjoys working with social science and environmental data and creates videos showcasing various prototypes and AI tutorials. Additionally, he hosts the D4 Data Channel podcast, where he interviews industry experts and academicians in the fields of Data Science and Sustainability.

Deepak strongly believes in the power of open source and the democratization of AI. He actively contributes to open-source projects and shares his models and packages in Huggingface and PyPI repositories. His recent research focuses on Immigration and Integration Research, as well as studying human and community interactions in third places using AI and data.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-john-reji/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deepakjohnreji
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4azuuXAAAAAJ&hl=en

Deepak John Reji is an experienced NLP practitioner and researcher who specializes in developing and designing solutions for data science products. He is passionate about domain-centric data science development and advocates for responsible and ethic... 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

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC
President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America
Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect | Curriculum Developer | International Trainer

"I am a Boricua. A dad. A soldier. A professional social worker. An advocate. A teacher. A professor. A counselor. And a friend. And with every role, I lead with love and serve with purpose."

Biography
Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC, is a globally celebrated architect of fatherhood engagement, social policy reform, and transformative leadership development. For over four decades, he has shaped public health, child welfare, mental health, and professional education—building bridges across disciplines, communities, and continents. His career is defined by multidimensional leadership and a relentless pursuit of equity, healing, and opportunity for all. A proud father, soldier, social worker, and visionary educator, he has devoted his life to helping people rediscover hope, dignity, and purpose. His reach spans early childhood education, public health, leadership development, and fatherhood advocacy—fields that, in his hands, become pathways toward healing and intergenerational equity.

"Insights give way to dreams—developing vision—creating purpose that ends in your why."

Foundations: Service, Resilience, and Cultural Identity
Born into a low-income household and shaped by the adversity of the child welfare system, James began his journey at age 17 as a U.S. Army Combat Medic. By 22, he became one of the youngest Substance Abuse Counselors in the Department of Defense, retiring with honors and meritorious distinction in the reserves. Over more than two decades of military service, he developed expertise in trauma response, behavioral health, and law enforcement. This experience forged his devotion to discipline, compassion, and advocacy for the vulnerable.

James's service has been recognized at the highest levels: he is the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Call to Service Award (President Barack Obama), Points of Light Award (President George H. W. Bush), Meritorious Service Medal (U.S. Department of Defense), and Congressional Certificates from Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Barbara Lee, and Diane E. Watson. He is deeply honored by the Ceremonial Elder Proclamation from the Qutekcak Native Tribe of Alaska, the National Social Worker Leadership Resolution (FFCA), and hundreds of additional accolades from national, state, tribal, and community organizations.

Architect of Systems Change: Building Movements, Securing Hope
As founder and CEO of the Fathers & Families Coalition of America (FFCA), Dr. Rodríguez transformed a grassroots Arizona network into an international force with offices in California and Puerto Rico, and active partnerships across North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Australia. He was instrumental in creating one of the nation's first TANF-funded fatherhood programs, a model that generated over $75 million in resources and has been replicated nationwide. Under his leadership, FFCA's International Families & Fathers Conference—now in its 27th year—has become a global destination for educators, policymakers, and innovators, advancing justice and family well-being.

A founding steering committee member of the Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN) at Temple University, James has shaped federal research and policy, serving as principal investigator and senior research consultant on projects for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, CDC, NIMH, and the Oregon Center for Applied Science. His work has driven advances in public health, trauma-informed care, and family resilience.

Signature Curriculum Development and Thought Leadership
James is a master architect of transformational curricula and professional development, including the Advanced Practitioner Credential™ Course (NASW Arizona-approved), OAR Leadership Institute™ (Ownership • Accountability • Responsibility), FFCA DiSC Model™, Ikigai & The Power of Kintsugi™, and SAMHSA-approved Fatherhood and Mental Health Curriculum. He also developed the Strengthening Families Through Nurturing Leadership model. His trainings are lauded for blending cognitive science, neuroplasticity, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and actionable leadership strategies, and have reached over 30,000 professionals—social workers, educators, clinicians, nonprofit leaders, and public officials—across the U.S. and four continents. Over 85% of program graduates report improved outcomes, including higher client engagement and service completion.

Certified as an Executive Coach, Master Trainer for The John R. Wooden Course™, Certified DiSC® Trainer, Life Coach, Ikigai Coach, and Schema Therapy Practitioner, Dr. Rodríguez's leadership development institutes have set new standards for excellence in behavioral health and family services.

Academic Impact, Mentorship, and Global Teaching
Dr. Rodríguez's educational reach is extraordinary. He has served as faculty, lecturer, or keynote at:

University of Southern California
Arizona State University
Morehouse College
Howard University
Columbia University
Yale University
University of Houston
Clark Atlanta University
Mesa Community College
Central Arizona College
Cornell University
Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico
University of the West Indies (Jamaica)
University of Guelph (Canada)
Malcolm X College
Sobo Tribal Nation
Navajo Nation
Qutekcak Native Tribe (Alaska)
Numerous First Nations and international partners
He developed and directed over 30 undergraduate and graduate courses, established statewide programs, and has keynoted and taught from Ivy League classrooms to tribal communities. He serves on the editorial board of PHYLON: The Clark Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture, which he joined upon the appointment of Dr. Obie Clayton, Jr., and supports scholarship on race, family, and social change.

Policy Leadership, Board Service, and Community Engagement
Dr. Rodríguez's policy influence extends to every level of government. He has developed legislation for Connecticut's Fatherhood Initiative, served on Arizona and California TANF/family-strengthening task forces, and advised the New York City Mayor's Fatherhood Advisory Council, DYCD, and ACS. He has shaped policy in partnership with SAMHSA, Region II Head Start, the State of Maryland, and the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. He has provided expert testimony before the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee. He collaborates with Congressman Danny K. Davis and hosts national Fireside Policy Roundtables on equity, child support, and education reform.

His board service is cross-sectoral and visionary, including:

100 Black Men – Arizona Chapter
AGAPE Adoption Agency
Maricopa County Human Services
Fatherhood Corrections Network
Black Family Preservation Institute
And numerous national, state, and tribal boards
Public Health, Equity, and Systems Innovation
James has led multiple national initiatives addressing mental health equity, early childhood wellness, and culturally responsive care—serving Latino, African American, Somali, First Nations, and other underserved communities. His work with the Somali Association of Arizona, the Hispanic/Latino and African American Parent Depression Research Project, and tribal partners has been recognized for its transformative impact on systems and inclusion.

Author, Storyteller, and Purpose-Driven Advocate
As founder of Borinqueño Within Press and author of the forthcoming The Purpose Within—Rise Out of the Ashes Like the Phoenix, Dr. Rodríguez's story is a testament to resilience, hope, and the enduring power of purpose. He weaves together memoir, leadership philosophy, and spiritual reflection, inspiring audiences to discover their own capacity to lead and transform.

Personal Values, Humanity, and Enduring Legacy
Above all, Dr. Rodríguez is a father, grandfather, and mentor. He draws daily inspiration from his children—Antonio (Cassandra), Amber Rodríguez-Young, LMSW (Daric), and Jazmín Rodríguez—and his grandchildren, Ariston and Adalena. His life and work are an expression of core values: love, empathy, humility, and a drive to uplift others. Whether leading a boardroom, inspiring a conference, or building coalitions for social change, James delivers wisdom, practical strategies, and hope—leaving every audience moved to action.

"Leadership is not about titles. It is about being water—shaping, flowing, and giving life wherever you go." — Bruce Lee.

If your organization seeks a keynote speaker, leadership institute facilitator, or strategic advisor who brings unparalleled experience, intellectual rigor, cultural fluency, and a proven record of impact, Dr. James C. Rodríguez is the transformative presence your audience deserves.

Contact:
james.rodriguez@fathersandfamiliescoalition.org
www.fathersandfamiliescoalition.org

"Never The End, Never Goodbye, Just I love You." – Your Friend, James

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect ... Show more

Stephanie Nash

Stephanie Nash

Dr. Stephanie Nash, PhD, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist, intuitive practitioner, and the founder of Paradigm Expansions, where she helps high-achieving empaths, women, and especially those who have spent a lifetime over-functioning for others find their way back to themselves. Her work sits at a rare intersection: clinical neuroscience and rehabilitation science meet chakra-based and intuitive frameworks, giving the analytical mind permission to step aside so the soul can be heard.
Dr. Steph speaks on the science and spirituality of intuition, what it really means to choose yourself without being selfish, and why we need an expanded paradigm of who we are as both spiritual and human beings. Drawing on her own journey from self-abandonment to self-reclamation, chronicled in her forthcoming book The D Word, she brings audiences a rare combination of clinical credibility and lived experience.
Her talks leave audiences with both a framework and a felt sense of permission, whether she's speaking to a room of women rebuilding after loss, empaths learning to set boundaries, or teenagers beginning to ask who they are beneath who they were told to be.

Dr. Stephanie Nash, PhD, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist, intuitive practitioner, and the founder of Paradigm Expansions, where she helps high-achieving empaths, women, and especially those who have spent a lifetime over-functioning for others fi... Show more

Guido Samelnik

Guido Samelnik

Master Coach Profeaional, AACOP - FICOP
3 décadas en Transformación Humana.
26 años en el coaching profesional.
Formador de Coaches Profesionales.
Consultor & Disertante Internacional.
Comisión Directiva AACOP (2006 - 2014).
Facilitador en Negociación Ontológica.
Coach Municipalidad Maipú, Mendoza.
Autor de: “Coaching Ontológico, humanizando la educación” y “Coaching Integral del Siendo”.
Pionero en América en Coaching Deportivo.
Coach Selección Argentina de Softbol Sub20, Bicampeona mundial 2012 - 2014.
Coach Ministerio de Salud, Desarrollo Social y Deportes de Mendoza.
Coach Tesorería General, San Juan.
Coach en decenas de Empresas Fortune 500.
Coach en Vistage, ADEN, UIE, USFQ, GTRH, GM Advisors.
Más de 250.000 personas han participado de mis cursos de capacitación y programas de formación en las últimas 3 décadas en Iberoamérica.

Más de 250.000 personas han participado de mis cursos de capacitación y programas de formación en las últimas 3 décadas en Iberoamérica.

Master Coach Profeaional, AACOP - FICOP 3 décadas en Transformación Humana. 26 años en el coaching profesional. Formador de Coaches Profesionales. Consultor & Disertante Internacional. Comisión Directiva AACOP (2006 - 2014). Facilitador en Neg... Show more

Dr. Calynn Lawrence

Dr. Calynn Lawrence

Dr. Calynn Lawrence is a Chicago-based CEO, Founder, Social Scientist, and Trauma Specialist who advances equitable change by integrating trauma-informed, holistic wellness principles with corporate and civic leadership strategy. Across organizations and community systems, she helps leaders move from reactive culture to proactive, human-centered practices that support resilience, belonging, and long-term wellbeing.

In her work, Dr. Lawrence translates social science insight into actionable, values-driven leadership frameworks that strengthen decision-making, collaboration, and organizational effectiveness. She partners with executives, public sector leaders, and mission-driven teams to design programs and policies that reduce harm, improve relational trust, and create measurable pathways toward a more progressive, equitable world.

Dr. Calynn Lawrence is a Chicago-based CEO, Founder, Social Scientist, and Trauma Specialist who advances equitable change by integrating trauma-informed, holistic wellness principles with corporate and civic leadership strategy. Across organizations... 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

Helen Millar

Helen Millar

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI.

With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an award-winning acting career and a profound personal healing journey, Helen brings rare depth to conversations about leadership, change, resilience and human potential. Her work sits at the intersection of emotional fitness, conscious leadership, communication, psychology, money, faith and strategy.

Helen is a regular speaker at Oxford, Cambridge and London Business Schools, has been featured on the Discovery Channel across three continents, and is the founder of Helen Millar, Hearty.Company and Heart Healer®. Through Hearty, her consultancy brand, she works with organisations and executive teams on emotional intelligence, leadership presence and the human skills AI cannot replace.

Her signature keynote, Emotional Fitness is the Leadership Edge in the Age of AI, explores why the future will not belong to the most intelligent machines alone, but to the most emotionally intelligent leaders. As technology accelerates, leaders need more than strategy, systems and skills. They need nervous system capacity, discernment, authenticity, relational intelligence and the ability to meet uncertainty without collapse or control.

Helen also speaks powerfully on healing your relationship with money, self-worth and change, particularly for female founders, creatives and high-achieving professionals whose external success has outpaced their internal stability. Having transformed her own life from self-sabotage, ill health and financial scarcity into a thriving portfolio of meaningful work, property, investment and global impact, Helen does not speak about transformation as theory. She has lived it.

Her approach combines emotional intelligence, psychological insight, spiritual wisdom and grounded business acumen through her Head to Heart Living and Head to Heart Leadership frameworks. The result is work that is intelligent, human, practical and deeply transformational.

Helen’s talks are ideal for organisations, leadership events, women’s leadership programmes, founder communities, wellbeing conferences and future-of-work conversations seeking a speaker who can bring emotional depth, commercial relevance and a powerful human perspective to the age of AI.

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI. With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an... Show more

Dr. Kenisha Coon-Santiago

Dr. Kenisha Coon-Santiago

Dr. Kenisha Coon-Santiago is a nationally recognized leadership strategist, keynote speaker, systems change consultant, and author with over 15 years of experience advancing equity-centered transformation across child welfare, government, nonprofit, and organizational leadership spaces. Known for her dynamic storytelling, powerful stage presence, and ability to connect lived experience with actionable leadership strategies, she has become a sought-after voice on resilience, workplace culture, transformational leadership, and sustainable systems change.

Dr. Coon-Santiago specializes in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), leadership development, organizational culture transformation, and evidence-based coaching. She partners with organizations nationwide to help leaders move beyond performative change and build human-centered systems rooted in accountability, belonging, and measurable impact.

As the founder of Kenisha Coon Consulting, she has facilitated leadership trainings, keynote presentations, and systems transformation initiatives for national conferences, executive leadership teams, universities, nonprofit organizations, and public sector agencies. Her work focuses heavily on racial equity, leadership accountability, lived expertise, workforce culture, and advancing equitable outcomes for historically marginalized communities.

Dr. Coon-Santiago recently completed her PhD focused on evidence-based coaching, decision-making, and cultural responsiveness within child welfare systems. Her research explored how coaching and transformational leadership influence equitable decision-making and organizational change.

She is also the author of the memoir And Then She Persisted, a deeply personal and empowering reflection on trauma, resilience, identity, advocacy, and breaking generational cycles. Through both her writing and speaking, Dr. Coon-Santiago challenges audiences to rethink leadership, embrace authenticity, and lead with courage in complex systems.

Her signature presentations explore topics including:
• Equity-Centered Leadership and Organizational Transformation
• Women in Leadership and Breaking Systemic Barriers
• Resilience, Burnout, and Sustainable Leadership
• The Power of Lived Expertise in Systems Change
• Antiracist Leadership in Action
• Human-Centered Workplace Culture and Belonging
• Transformational Leadership Through Storytelling and Vulnerability

Whether speaking to executives, frontline professionals, emerging leaders, or national audiences, Dr. Coon-Santiago delivers experiences that are inspiring, practical, emotionally impactful, and rooted in real-world systems transformation.

Dr. Kenisha Coon-Santiago is a nationally recognized leadership strategist, keynote speaker, systems change consultant, and author with over 15 years of experience advancing equity-centered transformation across child welfare, government, nonprofit, ... 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

Maurizio Mangione

Maurizio Mangione

Russian literature lover, writer, rock climber/star.
Former Google Developers Expert and Microsoft MVP, founder of great communities.

Russian literature lover, writer, rock climber/star. Former Google Developers Expert and Microsoft MVP, founder of great communities. Show more

Stephanie Keldani

Stephanie Keldani

Stephanie Keldani is a Keynote Speaker, Identity Architect, and the founder of the 180° Academy. She helps leaders, visionaries, and high-capacity creators navigate profound disruption, unlock deep inner authority, and turn intense friction into their ultimate competitive advantage.

Stephanie’s expertise was forged in the extremes. After escaping a high-control cult as a child—where she experienced severe suppression and systematic trauma—she was forced to rebuild her internal architecture from the ground up. What began as a personal necessity for survival evolved into a rigorously tested, high-performance recalibration process for global leaders ready to stop leading from past obstacles and start leading from truth.

Going far beyond typical mindset work, Stephanie’s keynotes deliver a potent blend of nervous-system level transformation, intuitive intelligence, and practical adaptability frameworks. Whether she is guiding audiences to decouple their self-worth from automation in the age of AI, dissolve deeply rooted patterns of self-sabotage, or lead with absolute conviction from their own core, she empowers people to step into sovereign command of their vision.

Through engaging storytelling, radical transparency, and actionable insights, Stephanie moves audiences from survival mode to profound breakthrough—leaving them regulated, rewired, and ready to lead the future with unwavering clarity.

Stephanie Keldani is a Keynote Speaker, Identity Architect, and the founder of the 180° Academy. She helps leaders, visionaries, and high-capacity creators navigate profound disruption, unlock deep inner authority, and turn intense friction into thei... 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

Lada Bogović Božić

Lada Bogović Božić

I have an MA in cultural studies, but I work as a kindergarten teacher. Tolkien was/is my first love, and I haven't cared much for Marvel until I met my Thor.
I love reading, boardgames, quizzes, arts & crafts and karaoke (try me at your own peril) and have two beautiful children (I promise pics only on request).

I have an MA in cultural studies, but I work as a kindergarten teacher. Tolkien was/is my first love, and I haven't cared much for Marvel until I met my Thor. I love reading, boardgames, quizzes, arts & crafts and karaoke (try me at your own peril)... Show more

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

Giovanna Paolinelli

Giovanna Paolinelli

Giovanna "Gio" Paolinelli is a psychologist, human-centered AI strategist, and innovation consultant who helps organizations understand the people behind technology adoption.

Her career spans the evolution of modern knowledge work, from supporting customers during Evernote's rise as one of Silicon Valley's early unicorns to leading AI-enabled transformation initiatives across government, nonprofit, education, and commercial sectors. Drawing on expertise in psychology, design, facilitation, and emerging technology, Gio helps teams navigate change, improve decision-making, and build more human-centered approaches to innovation.

She speaks on AI adoption, digital transformation, behavioral science, knowledge work, and the future of human-AI collaboration.

Giovanna "Gio" Paolinelli is a psychologist, human-centered AI strategist, and innovation consultant who helps organizations understand the people behind technology adoption. Her career spans the evolution of modern knowledge work, from supporting... Show more

Jenny Xu

Jenny Xu

Jenny Xu ist Soziologin und Research Associate im Projekt „Digitaler Diversitätsdialog (D3)“ an der Universität Passau. Sie forscht an der Schnittstelle von Hochschullehre, Diversität und Künstlicher Intelligenz. Ein weiterer Forschungsschwerpunkt liegt in den Gender Studies.

E-Mail: jenny.xu@uni-passau.de
Projektseite: https://www.uni-passau.de/universitaet/einrichtungen/stabsstelle-kompetenzentwicklung-in-studium-und-lehre-ksl/digitaler-diversitaetsdialog

Jenny Xu ist Soziologin und Research Associate im Projekt „Digitaler Diversitätsdialog (D3)“ an der Universität Passau. Sie forscht an der Schnittstelle von Hochschullehre, Diversität und Künstlicher Intelligenz. Ein weiterer Forschungsschwerpunkt li... Show more

Rebeccah Silence

Rebeccah Silence

The World’s Leading Love & Emotional Healing Coach as named by Business Insider. Trained therapist bringing the best of therapy and the best of coaching for the past 25+ years. Creator of The Practice of Emotional Healing. Author of Coming Back to Life: A Roadmap to Healing from Pain to Create the Life You Want. #1 NY Radio Host for 15 Years. Member of the Board of Directors for Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley

The World’s Leading Love & Emotional Healing Coach as named by Business Insider. Trained therapist bringing the best of therapy and the best of coaching for the past 25+ years. Creator of The Practice of Emotional Healing. Author of Coming Back to Li... 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

Verónica Mota Galindo

Verónica Mota Galindo

Verónica Mota Galindo is a transdisciplinary researcher and epistemological activist at the Free University of Berlin, focusing on philosophy, gender studies, technoscience and decolonial theory. As a member of the international research project Human-Machine, she is contributing to a forthcoming 2026 volume on artificial intelligence, representing Latin America with a focus on AI in Mexico. She is currently studying for a PhD in Philosophy at FU Berlin and a Master's degree in Technology at TU Berlin. She mentors students from minority backgrounds and has created the “Decolonising AI: Intersectional, Feminist and Ecological Literacy” prototype, which has been selected for integration into the Humboldt University's Gender MINT project this year. Drawing inspiration from Haraway's cyborg, her work blends critical AI pedagogy with inclusive, feminist, and decolonial perspectives.

Verónica Mota Galindo is a transdisciplinary researcher and epistemological activist at the Free University of Berlin, focusing on philosophy, gender studies, technoscience and decolonial theory. As a member of the international research project Huma... Show more

Aaron Garth

Aaron Garth

Aaron Garth is CEO of Ultimate Youth Worker, a Melbourne-based social enterprise providing professional supervision, training and consulting to the Australian youth and community sector. He has worked in youth work since 2002 and founded Ultimate Youth Worker in 2012 to professionalise the sector through better training, structured supervision and clearer career pathways.

His work centres on supervision as a genuine space for critical reflection rather than administrative compliance, and on building the workforce capability frameworks that let organisations retain and develop frontline staff. He has designed and delivered accredited training across strengths-based youth work, AOD and dual diagnosis practice, and youth justice contexts, and consults to organisations on psychosocial risk, workforce structure and practice standards.

Aaron is also a PhD candidate at RMIT University researching fathering through a New Materialist theoretical lens, and speaks on the intersection of relational practice, professional identity and sector reform.

Aaron Garth is CEO of Ultimate Youth Worker, a Melbourne-based social enterprise providing professional supervision, training and consulting to the Australian youth and community sector. He has worked in youth work since 2002 and founded Ultimate You... Show more

Jodee Gibson, PhD, PCC

Jodee Gibson, PhD, PCC

Jodee Gibson, PhD, PCC | Jodee's unconventional, holistic approach to understanding human behavior is beyond fascinating. Jodee resides in Oakland County, Michigan. She trains and speaks worldwide. www.jodeegibson.com

Jodee Gibson, PhD, PCC | Jodee's unconventional, holistic approach to understanding human behavior is beyond fascinating. Jodee resides in Oakland County, Michigan. She trains and speaks worldwide. www.jodeegibson.com Show more

Claudia Graf-Pfohl

Claudia Graf-Pfohl

Claudia Graf-Pfohl, M.A., is a doctoral researcher in industrial sociology and an applied digital change manager. Since 2021, she has supported companies through complex development processes related to the introduction of new technologies and is a recipient of the Civic Innovation Award and the Marie-Pleißner Prize.

Claudia Graf-Pfohl, M.A., is a doctoral researcher in industrial sociology and an applied digital change manager. Since 2021, she has supported companies through complex development processes related to the introduction of new technologies and is a r... Show more

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian)

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian) Show more

Amy Fletcher

Amy Fletcher

Writer and Foresight Analyst,

Writer and Foresight Analyst, Show more

Noemi Nagy

Noemi Nagy

Dr. Noémi Nagy is an Assistant Professor of Career & Technical/Workforce Education at the University of South Florida and Affiliate Faculty at the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on workforce development, and the psychology of sustainable careers in rapidly changing industries such as technology and cybersecurity. Her research is international and cross-disciplinary and she works with researchers from Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, UK, the U.S. and Australia.
She’s the author of the internationally recognized Career Resources Model, featured in the London School of Economics Business Review, which breaks down the 13 trainable factors that make or break a successful career. Her research goes way beyond theory: it covers how people actually find jobs (job search behavior, published in PNAS), how they shape their roles to fit their strengths (job crafting), and how they can take charge of their careers instead of waiting for luck or management to do it for them.
Altogether, Dr. Nagy’s research has been cited over 800 times around the world and has earned multiple international awards for its real-world impact. She takes what works in Switzerland’s high-trust, precision-driven innovation scene and brings it to Tampa Bay’s fast-growing tech and cybersecurity community, helping professionals and teams build the mindset, motivation, and structure to grow stronger, stay relevant, and perform at their best.
Dr. Nagy is also an active contributor to the local tech community: she won first place at the Tampa Bay Developers Hackathon in 2022 (Best Architecture & Best Visual Design) and hosted the Tampa Devs Career Forum at USF’s College of Education in 2023, where she teaches her model to students, professionals, and entrepreneurs.

Dr. Noémi Nagy is an Assistant Professor of Career & Technical/Workforce Education at the University of South Florida and Affiliate Faculty at the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship. Her research focuses on workforce development, and the psychology of... Show more

Camilo Zambrano

Camilo Zambrano

Camilo Zambrano is an author, TEDx speaker, founder of Self Disciplined and Adaptable Discipline, and a software engineer by background.

His work reframes discipline as the practice of return: the skill of coming back to what matters after stress, distraction, conflict, overwhelm, or drift. He draws from systems thinking, behavioral theory, neuroscience, and psychology to explain why people drift, what makes returning harder, and how to design conditions that make returning easier.

Camilo speaks about return as a meta-skill, comeback speed, burnout, focus, emotional regulation, neurodivergence, leadership, and the systems that help people and teams recover coherence when life or work pulls them off course.

His TEDx talk, "The Gentle Art of Finding Your Way Back," introduces the central idea behind his work: drift is the default; the return is the skill.

Camilo Zambrano is an author, TEDx speaker, founder of Self Disciplined and Adaptable Discipline, and a software engineer by background. His work reframes discipline as the practice of return: the skill of coming back to what matters after stress,... Show more

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a performance strategist, speaker, and PhD in Sport & Exercise Psychology who helps organizations improve leadership, retention, motivation, and human performance without burnout.

With more than 25 years of coaching high performers, from elite athletes to executives and growth-focused teams, she translates performance science into practical systems leaders can use immediately.

Her work focuses on leadership effectiveness, workplace well-being, communication, accountability, and unlocking the strengths of neurodivergent talent in modern organizations.

Saara has been featured in Forbes Health, Shape, Reader’s Digest, and other national media. Known for energetic, thought-provoking sessions, she helps audiences rethink what drives performance and what quietly destroys it.

Her sessions help leaders identify costly blind spots and the strategic initiatives worth funding next.

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a performance strategist, speaker, and PhD in Sport & Exercise Psychology who helps organizations improve leadership, retention, motivation, and human performance without burnout. With more than 25 years of coaching high perf... 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

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