Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Amanda Austin

Amanda Austin

Amanda thrives at the intersection of improvisation and organizational psychology to help transform organizations. She believes the vulnerability required to improvise and create something together on stage as a team can be translated to a professional group of any size. She uses the philosophy of improvisation and the power of "Yes, And" as a catalyst for positive change within an organization. Her active listening approach to coaching focuses on teaching individuals and teams the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand.

Amanda was the Founder/CEO of Dallas Comedy House (2009-2020), where she oversaw day to day operations of DCH. She was the founder and Executive Producer of the Dallas Comedy Festival (2009-2019). She's the Co-founder of ComedyHouse, a professional training and coaching service, and the co-author of the REALway® leadership training program. She's currently a Senior Managing Consultant-HR Strategic Business Partner at IBM Consulting.

Amanda received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Minor in Business Administration from Texas A&M University. She completed her Masters in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Harvard University in May 2024. She earned her Graduate Certificate in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University and a Certificate in Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace from Cornell. Amanda is an Adjunct Professor at the SMU Cox School of Business MBA program where she teaches a Management course: Organizational Change and Innovation by Design. She's a graduate of the 2018 Leadership Dallas Cohort with the Dallas Regional Chamber, where she continued her commitment as the Leadership Consultant for 2019-2020 and a member of the 2025 Leadership Texas Cohort.

Amanda thrives at the intersection of improvisation and organizational psychology to help transform organizations. She believes the vulnerability required to improvise and create something together on stage as a team can be translated to a profession... Show more

Amal Tahri

Amal Tahri

Passionate about Technology, Sociology and Philosophy

Passionate about Technology, Sociology and Philosophy Show more

Doleh Khan

Doleh Khan

I am Doleh Khan, a development professional with experience in programme management, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), gender research, and youth empowerment. I currently serve as a Program Officer at The Lord Sarfraz Foundation, where I coordinate an Equine Therapy Programme supporting children with autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome.

Previously, I worked with organizations including FAO, Research and Development Foundation (RDF), HANDS Pakistan, and Community World Service Asia. My work has focused on vocational skills development, humanitarian response, gender equality, research, and community engagement. I have contributed to programmes that supported more than 1,300 young people and women with skills training, livelihoods, and employment opportunities across Sindh.

I represented Pakistan at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (UNCC Bangkok) and have participated in international leadership initiatives, advocating for youth empowerment, inclusive development, and evidence-based policymaking. As a Vice Chancellor's Gold Medalist in Gender Studies, I am passionate about creating opportunities for underserved communities and advancing sustainable development through research, innovation, and collaboration.

I am Doleh Khan, a development professional with experience in programme management, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), gender research, and youth empowerment. I currently serve as a Program Officer at The Lord Sarfraz Founda... Show more

Gwénaëlle Hirrien

Gwénaëlle Hirrien

After an atypical career in law, the arts and video games, I chose to retrain in development. My desire to promote continuous improvement and communication led me to become a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Systemic Professional Coach and Responsible Digital Lead. As a professional facilitator for the Fresque du Climat et du Numérique, I am constantly learning about the ecological transition, responsible digital technologies and sociology. Involved in Time For The Planet and supporting women in the digital world. As a theater practitioner, I find it a way of creatively exploring and communicating. What drives me: helping companies and individuals to integrate climate and social issues into their practices.

After an atypical career in law, the arts and video games, I chose to retrain in development. My desire to promote continuous improvement and communication led me to become a Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Systemic Professional Coach and Responsible Digi... Show more

Qing Tingting Liu

Qing Tingting Liu

Qing Tingting Liu is a Ph.D. candidate & Adjunct Lecturer in the Sociology Department at SUNY Albany, currently serving as a Research Assistant with UAlbany's AI & Society Commons, a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Yale University's Center for Cultural Sociology, and a Researcher with the Asian Cultural Research Hub at the University of Melbourne. Her research interests include global migration and transnationalism, race and ethnicity, citizenship and membership, Asian American Studies, Chinese diaspora, work and labor, AI and society, cultural sociology, and methodological cosmopolitanism. Her work has been published in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Mobilities, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Sociological Inquiry, Asian Journal of Women’s Studies, and the edited volume "Women, Social Change and Activism: Then and Now". Meet her here: https://qingttliu.com/

Qing Tingting Liu is a Ph.D. candidate & Adjunct Lecturer in the Sociology Department at SUNY Albany, currently serving as a Research Assistant with UAlbany's AI & Society Commons, a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Yale University's Center for Cultural Sociol... Show more

Dr. Aleha Ingle

Dr. Aleha Ingle

Dr. Aleha Ingle is a retired Air Force veteran, accountability expert, keynote speaker, and creator of Accountability Is Uncomfortable. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, she challenges conventional thinking by exposing how the normalization of avoidance fuels workplace dysfunction, burnout, and preventable harm. Drawing from organizational psychology, leadership, neuroscience, and lived experience, Dr. Ingle equips leaders with practical tools to build cultures rooted in authenticity, accountability, and empathy. Through powerful storytelling, the Accountability Deck, and engaging keynotes, she inspires audiences to stop normalizing what holds people—and organizations—back.

Dr. Aleha Ingle is a retired Air Force veteran, accountability expert, keynote speaker, and creator of Accountability Is Uncomfortable. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, she challenges conventional thinking by exposing how the normali... Show more

Kerry Kolosko

Kerry Kolosko

Kerry is a Data Visualisation Consultant and Business Intelligence Manager hailing from Adelaide, South Australia.

With a background in psychology and the social sciences and over fifteen years reporting experience across a range of industries, Kerry brings a considered and creative edge to BI and data visualization design.

Kerry is a Data Visualisation Consultant and Business Intelligence Manager hailing from Adelaide, South Australia. With a background in psychology and the social sciences and over fifteen years reporting experience across a range of industries, Ke... 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

Barbara Kondilis

Barbara Kondilis

Barbara is an educator/trainer, counselor, researcher, licensed certified social worker, author, and Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) She began her professional career working in the mental health field in the mid 1990’s with individuals, groups, and families, then in preventive public health towards community change. Began the first Toastmasters club in Greece year 2005, and her Toastmasters journey lead to several speaking engagements on building self-awareness and improving team communication, while she coached and mentored officers and clubs, noteable win in Impromptu Table Topics speech competition at District level in 2016. Has served as full and part-time adjunct faculty at two higher level institutions, mentored hundreds of students and ran student activities and services as well as other key administrative positions. Co-Founder and Past President of the Greek non-profit "Art, Graffiti in the City" and the Hellenic Scientific Society for Health Literacy. She uses her multiple counseling and interpersonal skills in providing consultation, life coaching, motivating individuals and groups towards personal self-growth across the life-span, overcoming set-backs and trauma, while increasing their health literacy and 'success stories'.

Barbara is an educator/trainer, counselor, researcher, licensed certified social worker, author, and Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) She began her professional career working in the mental health field in the mid 1990’s with individuals, groups, and ... Show more

Susie Xiyu Liu

Susie Xiyu Liu

Susie Xiyu Liu is an MA student in History at Columbia University. Her research focuses on Chinese American history during the exclusion era, particularly the intersections of religion, urban politics, municipal governance, and immigration. Her current project examines Protestant reform networks and the political governance of New York's Chinatown in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Susie Xiyu Liu is an MA student in History at Columbia University. Her research focuses on Chinese American history during the exclusion era, particularly the intersections of religion, urban politics, municipal governance, and immigration. Her curre... Show more

David Handlos

David Handlos

David Handlos is a software engineer, technologist, educator, and conference speaker with over two decades of experience building enterprise software, automation frameworks, and integration solutions within the financial services industry. He specializes in applying AI, software engineering, and automation to solve complex business and technical challenges.

In addition to his industry work, David serves as an adjunct instructor at Southern New Hampshire University, where he teaches software engineering, software testing, and automation. He also works as an independent genealogist, using technology, historical records, and AI-assisted research to solve complex family history problems, locate ancestral records, and document lineage for citizenship-by-descent and other genealogy projects.

David enjoys speaking about AI, automation, software engineering, and the creative ways technology can be applied to solve problems beyond traditional software development.

David Handlos is a software engineer, technologist, educator, and conference speaker with over two decades of experience building enterprise software, automation frameworks, and integration solutions within the financial services industry. He special... Show more

Lena Chen

Lena Chen

Lena Chen (she/her) is an artist and Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies. Her scholarship examines the figure of the Asian America woman as (Tiger) Mother and Whore. Her work appears in the edited volumes Curating as Feminist Organizing (Routledge, 2022), Sex Work Now (NYU Press, forthcoming), and To Be Named (Routledge, forthcoming). She has taught classes on feminist theory, performance art, and socially engaged art. As an artist, she has exhibited, performed, and screened her work internationally. She has been awarded grants and residencies from Mozilla Foundation, Sundance Institute, Millay Colony for the Arts, Center for Cultural Power, Burning Man Global Arts Fund, Office of Public Art, and others. Currently, she is hosting community workshops on AAPI sexuality to devise a collective performance as part of her practice-based research.

She is a co-founder of JADED, the largest AAPI arts and cultural platform in Western Pennsylvania, and a founding member of MATERNAL FANTASIES, an interdisciplinary collective of mothers/artists and their children. She coordinates the Performing Asian American and Diasporic Sexualities working group at UC Berkeley’s Center for Race & Gender.

Lena Chen (she/her) is an artist and Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies. Her scholarship examines the figure of the Asian America woman as (Tiger) Mother and Whore. Her... Show more

Kaomi Joy Taylor

Kaomi Joy Taylor

Kaomi Joy Taylor, MPA is the founder of the Museum of Names and creator of Name Fluency™, a practical framework for understanding how names shape trust, belonging, connection, and the customer experience. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard Kennedy School and a Certificate in Adaptive Leadership and speaks on names, trust, belonging, and personalization in business. She is the former Executive Director of two nonprofit organizations, most recently the Governor's Institutes of Vermont, and served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Vermont Workforce Development Council. She has also been an adjunct professor of business ethics and strategy, musician, and freelance writer, and continues to consult and provide professional leadership training through the University of Vermont.

Kaomi Joy Taylor, MPA is the founder of the Museum of Names and creator of Name Fluency™, a practical framework for understanding how names shape trust, belonging, connection, and the customer experience. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard Kenn... Show more

Kerri Lynn Majors

Kerri Lynn Majors

Kerri Lynn Majors is an educator, published author, life coach, advocate, and inspirational speaker dedicated to helping people overcome adversity, discover purpose, and transform their lives through knowledge, hope, and personal growth.

She holds a Master of Education in Special Education and a BA in Criminology, with professional experience spanning public education, counseling, social work, including work in substance abuse and correctional rehabilitation.

As founder and CEO of Beauty in Human Growth, LLC, Kerri integrates a spiritual, biological, psychological, and social perspective to understand the whole person and inspire lasting change. Her personal journey, marked by profound challenges, perseverance, and a deep commitment to truth and dignity shapes her powerful message, that no one should be defined solely by mistakes, limitations, or circumstances. Whether speaking to educators, students, faith-based or professional audiences, Kerri bridges education, human behavior, and lived experience to deliver a message that is both challenging and deeply hopeful. Her mission is simple: "Know Hope when you feel no Hope, because your story isn't over.

Kerri Lynn Majors is an educator, published author, life coach, advocate, and inspirational speaker dedicated to helping people overcome adversity, discover purpose, and transform their lives through knowledge, hope, and personal growth. She hold... 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

Andrea Civile

Andrea Civile

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptation in academic settings. His research—rooted in his doctoral project at the University for Foreigners of Perugia—adopts interlinguistic, intercultural, and cross-cultural perspectives and draws on data from Brazil, Japan, and Italy through a mixed-methods design. He is a member of the Pragmática (inter)linguística, cross-cultural e intercultural group at the University of São Paulo and contributes to research on online language teaching. Alongside his research, he has extensive teaching experience in Italy and abroad.

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptati... Show more

Dr. Jonathan McRoy

Dr. Jonathan McRoy

Dr. Jonathan A. McRoy, DBA, LSSBB, is an executive leader, organizational development strategist, and keynote speaker who helps organizations and individuals lead with purpose, navigate change, and build cultures where people perform at their best.

His career spans more than two decades across the military, government, nonprofit, private, and higher education sectors. A retired U.S. Air Force Senior Leader, he has led transformative efforts that align people strategies with business needs, including leadership development programs, change management initiatives, diversity and inclusion efforts, and organizational redesigns. He currently serves as a Vice President of Administration, an adjunct Professor of Practice, and the founder of Elevate Strategies, LLC, a veteran-owned consulting firm.

Dr. McRoy speaks on leadership, management, change, inclusive culture, career transition, and service. He delivers conference keynotes, workshops, commencement addresses, and Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration, completed the Executive Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford, and is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

Audiences leave his talks with clear, actionable strategies delivered with the credibility of a leader who has served in uniform and in the boardroom.

Dr. Jonathan A. McRoy, DBA, LSSBB, is an executive leader, organizational development strategist, and keynote speaker who helps organizations and individuals lead with purpose, navigate change, and build cultures where people perform at their best. ... Show more

Isabella Flecchia

Isabella Flecchia

Non sono un'esperta di AI. Sono esperta dell'impatto dei cambiamenti sulle persone — incluso quello tecnologico. Ho lavorato con aziende in trasformazione per quattro decenni: ho visto cosa blocca davvero il cambiamento, e cosa può aiutare a sbloccarlo. Ed oggi metto questa esperienza anche al servizio di aziende, team e persone che stanno affrontando l'adozione AI.

Non sono un'esperta di AI. Sono esperta dell'impatto dei cambiamenti sulle persone — incluso quello tecnologico. Ho lavorato con aziende in trasformazione per quattro decenni: ho visto cosa blocca davvero il cambiamento, e cosa può aiutare a sbloccar... Show more

Elijah Dale

Elijah Dale

Elijah Dale is a U.S. Army veteran, author, and host of With All Due Respect, a podcast focused on politics, civic participation, and the challenges facing a rising generation of Americans.

After serving in the Army and overseas, Elijah returned to school to study political science at Arizona State University. His work now centers on bringing ordinary people back into civic conversations—particularly young Americans who feel disconnected from politics and institutions.

Through writing, podcasting, public speaking, and conversations across political and generational lines, Elijah explores questions about economic opportunity, public service, political division, and what Americans owe one another as citizens.

His central message is simple: decisions are made by the people who show up.

Elijah Dale is a U.S. Army veteran, author, and host of With All Due Respect, a podcast focused on politics, civic participation, and the challenges facing a rising generation of Americans. After serving in the Army and overseas, Elijah returned t... Show more

Adya Mishra

Adya Mishra

Adya Mishra is the Founder & CEO of Qualia and the originator of Recipient Intelligence, an emerging field dedicated to enabling AI systems to understand and adapt to the people they communicate with.

Her work draws upon artificial intelligence, communication theory, and cognitive science to examine how machines can become more perceptive participants in human communication.

Previously, Adya was a nationally ranked Speech and Debate champion and graduated in three years from the University of California, San Diego.

Adya Mishra is the Founder & CEO of Qualia and the originator of Recipient Intelligence, an emerging field dedicated to enabling AI systems to understand and adapt to the people they communicate with. Her work draws upon artificial intelligence, ... Show more

Stoyana Natseva

Stoyana Natseva

Prof. Dr. Stoyana Natseva is a Bulgarian psychologist, researcher and educator. She is Full Professor (Profesor Titular B) of Psychology and Education at Universidad Azteca and Professor of Practice in Business Psychology at Dunster Business School, Switzerland. She is the founder of Happy Life Academy® and the Happy Life Institute for Direct Change Science, and President of IAPTC®. She created the Internal Autobiographical Map (IAM) framework and the Direct Change Solution® (DCS®) applied system. She is the author of more than twenty books and two scholarly monographs, and has trained over 100,000 students across more than 50 countries.

Prof. Dr. Stoyana Natseva is a Bulgarian psychologist, researcher and educator. She is Full Professor (Profesor Titular B) of Psychology and Education at Universidad Azteca and Professor of Practice in Business Psychology at Dunster Business School, ... Show more

Rebecca Farabaugh

Rebecca Farabaugh

Rebecca Farabaugh is an award-winning marketing, customer insights and experience, and organizational strategy leader, speaker and facilitator with 20+ years of experience helping organizations understand people, navigate change and turn complexity into action.

As a certified Human-Centered Design practitioner and founder of HumanISE, Rebecca challenges leaders to keep humans at the center of work, especially in an increasingly AI-driven world where the uniquely human capabilities of curiosity, critical thinking, empathy, sensemaking, storytelling and trust-building are becoming increasingly valuable.

Rebecca brings together data, research, storytelling, strategy and human-centered design to help audiences think differently about the human advantage in business, AI and tech enablement, operational efficiency, customer and employee experience, data storytelling, brand and marketing, organizational change and the future of work.

Her sessions are practical, interactive, thought-provoking and fun. They are designed to challenge assumptions and leave people with ideas they can actually use.

Rebecca has spoken and facilitated sessions for organizations including the American Marketing Association, AdWeek, Insights Association, Quirks Media, GetWIT, 24/7 Compliance, Highmark Health, Koppers, University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne Light Company. Her recent talks include Stop Designing for Customers. Start Designing for Humans, Designing for Data Excellence, and Beyond the Numbers: Tell a Story with Your Data.

Rebecca holds an M.S. in Marketing Science from the University of Pittsburgh and is a LUMA Institute Certified Practitioner of Human-Centered Design.

She helps people see what they couldn't see before—and gives them the tools to do something about it.

Rebecca Farabaugh is an award-winning marketing, customer insights and experience, and organizational strategy leader, speaker and facilitator with 20+ years of experience helping organizations understand people, navigate change and turn complexity i... Show more

Audrey Franklin

Audrey Franklin

Audrey Franklin is the Founder of HyperStriver and a Career and Leadership Development Coach who helps people find their path, live with purpose, and lead with power. Her journey began with her first paying job as a Front Desk Agent at a small hotel in New Mexico. Over the next decade, she worked her way through college while building a successful career in hospitality. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Lodging and Resort Management from the University of Nevada and held several roles at MGM Grand, including Agent, Night Auditor, and Concierge. Although she was proud of what she was accomplishing, she could not ignore the feeling that something important was missing.

Audrey knew she enjoyed helping people, solving problems, creating positive experiences, and supporting others. At the same time, she felt called to do something more meaningful, something that would allow her to help people grow, lead, and create a lasting impact. That feeling led her back to school, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Psychology and began exploring the connection between human behavior, personal development, leadership, and meaningful work. Although her career transition did not happen exactly as planned, she continued growing professionally in the hospitality and technology industries, eventually moving into project management and leading complex initiatives and teams.

Even as Audrey built a successful career, the same questions remained: What was she truly meant to do? What kind of impact did she want to make? How could she create a life and career that felt both successful and meaningful? She searched for answers through books, podcasts, research, and the work of psychologists, coaches, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Over time, the answer became clear. Her purpose was not simply to build projects, it was to help people build lives and careers they love, create work that reflects their values, and become leaders who make a positive difference.

That purpose inspired Audrey to create HyperStriver. Through coaching, workshops, training, and leadership development experiences, she helps early-career professionals, emerging leaders, and purpose-driven individuals gain clarity, build confidence, and take meaningful action. Her work brings together career clarity, leadership growth, personal development, and positive impact. She believes people are rarely stuck because they are lazy or incapable. More often, they are disconnected from who they are, what matters most to them, and the impact they are capable of making. HyperStriver helps people reconnect those pieces and move from confusion to clarity, from misalignment to purpose, and from dreaming about change to intentionally creating it.

Today, Audrey is also pursuing a PhD in Business Psychology, with academic interests in meaningful work, leadership development, prosocial behavior, and positive organizational impact. She is a Project Management Professional, wife, mother, entrepreneur, lifelong learner, and outdoor enthusiast who believes some of life’s best conversations happen on a trail, around a campfire, on the lake, or while exploring somewhere new. To Audrey, being a HyperStriver means intentionally pursuing growth, embracing meaningful challenges, and using your strengths, purpose, and opportunities to create something meaningful. She believes people are capable of more than they realize and that life and work become more fulfilling when we stop drifting and start moving with intention.

Audrey Franklin is the Founder of HyperStriver and a Career and Leadership Development Coach who helps people find their path, live with purpose, and lead with power. Her journey began with her first paying job as a Front Desk Agent at a small hotel ... Show more

DeAngelo Burse

DeAngelo Burse

DeAngelo Burse is a behavioral scientist, TEDx speaker, and author of Yours To Design: Constructing a Life That Is Meaningful. He developed the NIMBLE framework to help people navigate hereditary and environmental influences to become their ideal selves. As a PhD candidate in psychology at the University of Birmingham in England, his research explores self-regulation, character education, and applied behavioral science. He earned a Master of Science in Psychology, specializing in social psychology, and is certified in Choice Theory® and Reality Therapy.

DeAngelo teaches social psychology and abnormal psychology as a university professor. He is also CEO of Breakroom Huddle, where he works as a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and coaching psychologist, delivering evidence-based programs for Fortune 500 companies, healthcare systems, and government agencies. His work has been featured on ABC, CBS, and NBC-affiliated channels.

Additionally, DeAngelo is the creator of 90-Second Psychologist, a video series that transforms complex psychological concepts into immediately applicable insights in just 90 seconds. He also hosts the Social Curiosity Podcast and speaks globally on the Science of Becoming—exploring character development, personal transformation, and human flourishing. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, DeAngelo enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, outdoor activities, grilling, and watching NFL football.

DeAngelo Burse is a behavioral scientist, TEDx speaker, and author of Yours To Design: Constructing a Life That Is Meaningful. He developed the NIMBLE framework to help people navigate hereditary and environmental influences to become their ideal sel... Show more

Ingrid Scherübl

Ingrid Scherübl

Ich bin Kulturwissenschaftlerin und betreibe die Online-Coworking-Community THE WRITING ACADEMIC, einen Zusammenschluss von Wissenschaftler*innen, die ihr Schreiben priorisieren und das Format der Focus-Session für einen produktiven Schreiballtag einsetzen. Ich veranstalte Schreib-Retreats für Wissenschaftler*innen (Schreibaschram) und bin als Coach und Trainerin in der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung aktiv.

Ich bin Kulturwissenschaftlerin und betreibe die Online-Coworking-Community THE WRITING ACADEMIC, einen Zusammenschluss von Wissenschaftler*innen, die ihr Schreiben priorisieren und das Format der Focus-Session für einen produktiven Schreiballtag ein... 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

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

Julie Marvel

Julie Marvel

Julie Marvel is a speaker, workshop facilitator, storyteller, and community builder who teaches practical human connection skills that help people build stronger relationships and make collaboration easier.

With a master's degree in education and years of experience bringing people together, Julie understands that meaningful relationships don't happen by accident. They begin with curiosity, intentional communication, trust, and a willingness to connect.

In 2018, Julie founded a women's community dedicated to creating meaningful in-person connections and combating loneliness. Through years of leading events, facilitating conversations, and observing how people build relationships, she developed a practical approach to helping individuals feel seen, heard, and included.

Today, Julie brings those insights into the workplace through her signature workshop, Connection to Collaboration: Building Stronger Relationships at Work. Her interactive sessions combine relatable storytelling, humor, and practical exercises that help teams strengthen communication, build trust, and collaborate more effectively.

Julie's message is simple: Stronger relationships create stronger teams, and connection is a skill we can all learn.

Julie Marvel is a speaker, workshop facilitator, storyteller, and community builder who teaches practical human connection skills that help people build stronger relationships and make collaboration easier. With a master's degree in education and ... Show more

Blessing Platinum-Williams

Blessing Platinum-Williams

Blessing Platinum-Williams is an entrepreneur, self-taught full-stack developer, creative strategist and founder of Tonely, an AI-powered communication awareness company.

With over a decade of experience spanning creative strategy, marketing, technology and business development, Blessing brings an unusual combination of technical expertise, creativity and an understanding of how people think, communicate and interact.

Her work in communication awareness explores how our experiences, expectations, emotions and biases shape the way we interpret one another, particularly in digital environments where misunderstandings can have lasting consequences. Through Tonely and her research into communication awareness, she advocates for greater awareness of our communication blind spots before they cause harm.

Beyond technology, Blessing is passionate about encouraging people to recognise their potential beyond the limitations and expectations placed upon them. Having experienced what it means to be underestimated, she went on to teach herself software development and build her own technology company.

Her speaking covers communication awareness, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, leadership, personal transformation, resilience and overcoming limiting beliefs.

Whether addressing business leaders, technology professionals, students or wider audiences, Blessing combines personal experiences with practical perspectives that encourage people to question assumptions, communicate more thoughtfully and recognise what they are capable of achieving.

Her central belief is simple: You are more than what people say you are.

Blessing Platinum-Williams is an entrepreneur, self-taught full-stack developer, creative strategist and founder of Tonely, an AI-powered communication awareness company. With over a decade of experience spanning creative strategy, marketing, tech... 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

Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers.

Join Speakers Directory

Join our Speakers Directory today and amplify your reach! Showcase your expertise to a global audience hungry for your insights. Let your voice be heard!

Create Profile