Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Ivan Palomino

Ivan Palomino

His tenure in senior leadership roles at global corporations saw him manage teams across all continents, implementing transformative programs in corporate transformation and innovation.

As an entrepreneur, Ivan has founded several tech startups and serves on the advisory board of multiple others. His work has impacted over 100 corporations, helping them cultivate high-performing, human-centric work cultures. He is the CEO of PeopleKult, a company dedicated to using behavioral science, technology, and analytics to advance next-generation work cultures.

Ivan is a sought-after speaker and writer on topics such as the future of work, human-centric work cultures, well-being at work, and the future of learning. His deep understanding of behavioral science and commitment to human development shine through his insights and practical guidance for entrepreneurs.

His tenure in senior leadership roles at global corporations saw him manage teams across all continents, implementing transformative programs in corporate transformation and innovation. As an entrepreneur, Ivan has founded several tech startups an... Show more

Mable Amuron

Mable Amuron

Mable Barbara Amuron is a researcher examining the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital culture, and society, with a focus on misinformation and disinformation. Drawing on her editorial and literary background, she investigates how AI systems shape the creation and perception of information online. Her work explores the risks of AI-driven mis/disinformation, such as deepfakes, automated content, and
algorithmic amplification, and their effects on public trust and democracy. Through interdisciplinary research, Mable analyses the ethical, social, and technical dimensions of emerging technologies while advocating for transparency, accountability, and equitable access to information. Her expertise spans
misinformation studies, election analyses, AI and society, and research communication, combining critical analysis with ethical storytelling to promote informed and resilient communities.

Mable Barbara Amuron is a researcher examining the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital culture, and society, with a focus on misinformation and disinformation. Drawing on her editorial and literary background, she investigates how AI sys... Show more

Vitor Reis

Vitor Reis

Vitor works at Delivery Hero as Sr. Director of Engineering, leading an organization of 80 FTEs and 10 teams in the Driver App and Order Processing domains for the Logistics department. He previously worked in Enterprise Resource Planning, Finance, and Education companies of all sizes. Outside of work, he learns about wine, geography and history, stays active with tennis and calisthenics, and is on a journey to learn to become an epic dad for his two boys (ages 3 and 1).

Vitor works at Delivery Hero as Sr. Director of Engineering, leading an organization of 80 FTEs and 10 teams in the Driver App and Order Processing domains for the Logistics department. He previously worked in Enterprise Resource Planning, Finance, ... Show more

Mette B. Lorenzen

Mette B. Lorenzen

Mette is a subject matter expert in stress prevention, delivering talks and workshops for international companies.

She is a certified mindfulness instructor, with "MBSR in Mind-Body Medicine" from Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, and trains weekly with Saki Santorelli, EdD, co-founder of mindfulness. This deep and ongoing practice shapes her grounded and profound approach to balancing and enriching The Good (Work)Life.

With a background as a cognitive psychotherapist, a Diploma in Psychology, and a Diploma in Vocational and Career Guidance, Mette brings deep insight and practical tools to her talks.

Her work is recognised by companies such as Vestas, IDEXX, and Umbraco – see website for all 25+ reviews.

She is the author of an illustrated book on stress prevention and a book on stress factors in our personal lives.

Known for making complex topics accessible, she also shares her expertise through free mindfulness tools and meditations on Spotify - see link - and deeper meditations on Insight Timer in English, German, Danish, and French.

Mette is a subject matter expert in stress prevention, delivering talks and workshops for international companies. She is a certified mindfulness instructor, with "MBSR in Mind-Body Medicine" from Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, and trains weekly with Saki S... Show more

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić (1996), BA in English language and literature. So far, he has translated, from English to Croatian, several books for different publishing houses in Zagreb, among others "The Priory of the Orange Tree" by Samantha Shannon for Hangar 7. He is currently working on another fantasy project with the mentioned publishing house, as well as his own dark fantasy novel, where Monster comes out of his Empire in the boy's closet, and the boy takes his hand.

Luka Pejić (1996), BA in English language and literature. So far, he has translated, from English to Croatian, several books for different publishing houses in Zagreb, among others "The Priory of the Orange Tree" by Samantha Shannon for Hangar 7. He ... Show more

Ashleigh Pandora Steele

Ashleigh Pandora Steele

Ashleigh Pandora Steele is a force - unshakable, undeniable, and unforgettable. As a visionary strategist, dynamic speaker, and unapologetic trailblazer, she stands at the intersection of purpose and power, leading changemakers toward their next level of impact. Ashleigh is the Founder and CEO of The Opia Designs Company, a strategic growth agency that equips businesses, nonprofits, and personal brands with the clarity, confidence, and systems needed to scale beyond limits.

Ashleigh Pandora Steele is a force - unshakable, undeniable, and unforgettable. As a visionary strategist, dynamic speaker, and unapologetic trailblazer, she stands at the intersection of purpose and power, leading changemakers toward their next leve... Show more

Tori Brenneison

Tori Brenneison

Tori Brenneison is a senior software developer and former art historian whose mission in life is to serve as a warning to others. With her background in enterprise software development and technical education, Tori has built a reputation for modernizing solutions, developing impactful web applications, and mentoring the next generation of developers. Beyond her technical skills, she is deeply committed to fostering diversity, inclusion, and servant leadership in the tech community.

Tori’s wide-ranging experience and dynamic teaching style make her a compelling conference speaker and workshop facilitator. When she's not at her keyboard, you might find her hiking, petting strange cats she found on the street, or admiring her collection of midcentury bakeware. Best to approach her in the wild with a sacrificial cup of coffee, and be forewarned: she's a hugger.

Tori Brenneison is a senior software developer and former art historian whose mission in life is to serve as a warning to others. With her background in enterprise software development and technical education, Tori has built a reputation for moderniz... Show more

Sidd Ahmed

Sidd Ahmed

Sidd Ahmed is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of VDart Group, a global technology and talent solutions company built on the philosophy of people, purpose, and planet. With no traditional corporate background, Sidd founded VDart and scaled it into a USD 240+ million enterprise, employing 4,000+ professionals across 12 countries and serving industries including automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and financial services.

As Group CEO, Sidd also leads multiple ventures, VDart Digital, VDart BPM, Vouch, BeRecognized, Hidden Curve, and Verified ID ,driving expansion across key global markets such as Japan, Australia, Malaysia, and the UAE.

Under his leadership, VDart has earned consistent global recognition, including eight consecutive appearances on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S. list, NMSDC National Supplier of the Year (2023), Toyota Diverse Supplier of the Year, Great Place to Work® Certification, and the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Award.

Sidd’s individual honors include "Trailblazer of the Year – GMSDC (2025), Most Admired CEO – Atlanta Business Chronicle (2025), Leader of Change – Times of India, and the Global Entrepreneur Award – CII-Yi.

Beyond business, Sidd is the founder of Project Sidd, through which he has inspired 150,000+ students in person and built a global digital community of over 3 million followers. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Education Foundation, contributing to education and workforce development initiatives.

A purpose-driven leader and compelling speaker, Sidd Ahmed is widely recognized for transforming business success into meaningful, scalable impact.
Note : He requires an honorarium for conference speaking engagements , negotiable based on scope and travel.

Sidd Ahmed is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of VDart Group, a global technology and talent solutions company built on the philosophy of people, purpose, and planet. With no traditional corporate background, Sidd founded VDart and scaled it in... Show more

Lolu Olufemi

Lolu Olufemi

Lolu Olufemi a.k.a Lolu Lessons is a Change Management Speaker, Consultant and Coach, helping organisations and individuals unlock their potential to navigate change with purpose and clarity.

Raised in Scotland, born in Nigeria, and having lived in seven different cities, Lolu has experienced first-hand the complexities of personal and professional transitions. Her journey from finance to change management consulting has taught her one crucial lesson: change is about people.

With an MBA from Imperial College London and 18+ years of experience in the Big 4 leading teams and working with multi-national clients, Lolu brings hands-on expertise in people-centred change management. Her practical, jargon-free approach has helped organisations across finance, retail, government, and media navigate change successfully by putting people at the heart of change.

Known for her engaging #LoluLessons across social media, Lolu makes change management accessible, actionable, and human.

Lolu Olufemi a.k.a Lolu Lessons is a Change Management Speaker, Consultant and Coach, helping organisations and individuals unlock their potential to navigate change with purpose and clarity. Raised in Scotland, born in Nigeria, and having lived ... Show more

Emanuele Moscato

Emanuele Moscato

I spent several years working in large companies in different areas (business development, marketing, sourcing, organization, digital innovation) measuring myself in different fields, from software simulation and validation, to strategic sourcing and finally to organizational methodologies. In these experiences I was able to put into practice what I learned in my studies and learn new things using my ability to see and my propensity to think out of the box. Now is the time to help companies improve themselves by providing them with an external, competent and sometimes visionary, point of view. That's why I decided to take care of companies, and even before the people who make them live, from outside as a consultant.

I spent several years working in large companies in different areas (business development, marketing, sourcing, organization, digital innovation) measuring myself in different fields, from software simulation and validation, to strategic sourcing and... Show more

Caroline Benefield

Caroline Benefield

Caroline Benefield Weeks is a wife, stepmom, avid collector of hobbies, and freelance digital marketing consultant living in Atlanta. After a long career in nonprofit and higher education communications, Caroline pivoted to a career as a romance author before opening her boutique marketing agency, Southern Grit Digital. When she's not nerding out over audience segmentation and storytelling, she can be found hiking and trail running across the Southeast, learning ever more fiber arts, and planning her next national park visit.

Caroline Benefield Weeks is a wife, stepmom, avid collector of hobbies, and freelance digital marketing consultant living in Atlanta. After a long career in nonprofit and higher education communications, Caroline pivoted to a career as a romance auth... Show more

Steve Pereira

Steve Pereira

Steve Pereira has spent over two decades improving the flow of work across organizations. He’s worked through tech support, IT management, build and release engineering, and as a founding CTO for enterprise SaaS. After shifting to consulting large enterprises on value stream performance improvement, he created Flow Engineering to make value stream mapping simple, quick, and actionable. He serves as lead consultant for Visible Flow Consulting, as a board advisor to the Value Stream Management Consortium, Chair of the OASIS Value Stream Management Interoperability technical committee, and co-founder of the Flow Collective to bring flow-focused professionals together.

Learn more about his work at https://visible.is

Steve Pereira has spent over two decades improving the flow of work across organizations. He’s worked through tech support, IT management, build and release engineering, and as a founding CTO for enterprise SaaS. After shifting to consulting large en... Show more

Gilles Brieux

Gilles Brieux

Convaincu des valeurs que véhicule l’agilité, je donne mon énergie pour accompagner des équipes et des organisations désirant se transformer.

Convaincu des valeurs que véhicule l’agilité, je donne mon énergie pour accompagner des équipes et des organisations désirant se transformer. Show more

John Phillip

John Phillip

John Phillip graduated from Coventry University and is now based in London. He works as a developer at Cheap Essay Writing UK, a company known for providing essay writing services UK to which students can trust. The team delivers clear, original academic work that meets university standards. Outside of work, John enjoys learning new technologies and improving his coding skills. Students can access quality essay writing help at affordable prices.

John Phillip graduated from Coventry University and is now based in London. He works as a developer at Cheap Essay Writing UK, a company known for providing essay writing services UK to which students can trust. The team delivers clear, original acad... Show more

Shahan Ahmed

Shahan Ahmed

Currently working in Conduent. My focus on HIPPA regulations compliances!

Currently working in Conduent. My focus on HIPPA regulations compliances! Show more

Jennifer Hyppolite

Jennifer Hyppolite

Jennifer Hyppolite is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, educator, and speaker specializing in culturally responsive and ethically grounded care for immigrant and second-generation communities. She works in private practice, where she supports individuals navigating identity development, attachment wounds, intergenerational trauma, and the psychological impact of migration and cultural transition. Her clinical work is informed by a deep understanding of how culture, power, and systemic inequities shape mental health experiences and access to care.

Jennifer Hyppolite is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, educator, and speaker specializing in culturally responsive and ethically grounded care for immigrant and second-generation communities. She works in private practice, where she supports indiv... Show more

Arianne Jennings

Arianne Jennings

Dr. Arianne Jennings, LCPC, is a licensed mental health practitioner and public health consultant born and raised in Baltimore, MD. She is passionate about helping others reach their full potential by addressing their behavioral and social issues. Dr. Jennings loves working with professionals with anxiety, depression and undergoing various life transitions. She has spent her career supporting the people who give so much of themselves to others: therapists, leaders, caregivers, educators, and organizations. Her mission is simple—to create spaces where helpers can breathe, reset, and thrive. Dr. Jennings has facilitated specialized trainings in trauma-informed care, clinician wellness, and organizational consulting.

Dr. Arianne Jennings, LCPC, is a licensed mental health practitioner and public health consultant born and raised in Baltimore, MD. She is passionate about helping others reach their full potential by addressing their behavioral and social issues. Dr... Show more

Brieanna Lightfoot Smith

Brieanna Lightfoot Smith

Through her signature R.E.S.T.™ framework, Brieanna Lightfoot Smith helps audiences release perfection, reclaim purpose, and rebuild rhythm so they can live and lead from a place of Freedom, Flow, and Fulfillment.

Through her signature R.E.S.T.™ framework, Brieanna Lightfoot Smith helps audiences release perfection, reclaim purpose, and rebuild rhythm so they can live and lead from a place of Freedom, Flow, and Fulfillment. Show more

Yanyi .

Yanyi .

Yanyi is the author of Dream of the Divided Field (One World 2022), The Year of Blue Water (Yale 2019), and the writing advice column The Reading (2020– ). He teaches poetry in the MFA Program at Warren Wilson College and at large. In 2023, he founded the Asian American Literary Archive.

Yanyi is the author of Dream of the Divided Field (One World 2022), The Year of Blue Water (Yale 2019), and the writing advice column The Reading (2020– ). He teaches poetry in the MFA Program at Warren Wilson College and at large. In 2023, he founde... Show more

Kira Buckley

Kira Buckley

A wellbeing guide. Kira Buckley is an integrative medicine practitioner, writer, and ceremonial guide whose work sits at the intersection of somatics, ancestral intelligence, nervous system regulation, and cultural repair.
With a background as a former educator and over a decade of clinical and experiential work in acupuncture, herbal medicine, somatic therapy, and ritual facilitation, Kira speaks to what happens beneath behavior—where the body carries stories that language, systems, and family structures often fail to name.
Her talks explore themes such as:
The inherited costs of caretaking, productivity, and “being strong”
Rest as a physiological and cultural recalibration—not a luxury
How grief, burnout, and chronic symptoms are often signals of misalignment rather than pathology
Reclaiming authority from external validation, tradition, and transactional love
The body as a living archive of ancestral memory and future possibility
Kira is known for her grounded presence, sharp insight, and ability to translate complex somatic and spiritual concepts into language that is accessible, embodied, and actionable. She does not offer platitudes or performance healing—she invites people into honest self-contact, practical integration, and courageous choice-making.
Whether speaking to educators, healers, creatives, caregivers, or organizational leaders, Kira’s work leaves audiences with more than inspiration—it leaves them with permission and tools to live in deeper alignment with their bodies, boundaries, and truth.

A wellbeing guide. Kira Buckley is an integrative medicine practitioner, writer, and ceremonial guide whose work sits at the intersection of somatics, ancestral intelligence, nervous system regulation, and cultural repair. With a background as a for... Show more

Samuel Tolbert

Samuel Tolbert

Samuel Tolbert is a mindset strategist, leadership development expert, and founder of Elevated Thoughts Academy, where belief reconstruction meets real-world leadership transformation.

With a background spanning college athletics, military service in the U.S. Navy, organizational leadership, and executive coaching, Samuel brings a rare depth of lived experience to every stage he steps on. His journey—from losing a basketball scholarship, to global military service, to navigating homelessness and identity loss—became the catalyst for his life’s work: helping individuals and organizations close the gap between who they are and who they’re called to become.

Samuel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, with advanced training in leadership coaching, mentoring, and organizational change. He is also the author of Potential to Purpose: The Power of Intentional Thinking, a transformational work that explores how belief systems, identity, and internal alignment shape performance, culture, and outcomes.

Through proprietary frameworks such as the Thought Seeking Model (TSM) and the Move & SOAR (MV-SOAR) Model, Samuel equips leaders, students, and organizations to move beyond surface-level motivation into sustainable, identity-rooted growth. His work has been delivered across universities, schools, workforce programs, faith-based organizations, and corporate environments.

Samuel is known for a speaking style that is honest, structured, and disruptive—in the best way. He doesn’t inspire people to try harder; he helps them think differently so leadership, confidence, and clarity emerge naturally.

Samuel Tolbert is a mindset strategist, leadership development expert, and founder of Elevated Thoughts Academy, where belief reconstruction meets real-world leadership transformation. With a background spanning college athletics, military service... Show more

Nidhi Chanani

Nidhi Chanani

Nidhi Chanani is an award-winning author and illustrator of over a dozen books. She was born in Kolkata, India and raised in California. She holds a degree in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2012 she was honored by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change. Her graphic novels include Pashmina, Jukebox, Super Boba Café and the Shark Princess series. She also has a number of picture books including I will be fierce, Strong, Binny’s Diwali, What Will My Story Be and Quiet Karima. When she’s not making books Nidhi loves to travel and has visited 20 countries. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. nidhichanani.com

Nidhi Chanani is an award-winning author and illustrator of over a dozen books. She was born in Kolkata, India and raised in California. She holds a degree in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2012 she was honored by the Ob... Show more

Nina Rodriguez

Nina Rodriguez

Nina Rodriguez is the founder, executive producer, and host of GRIEF AND LIGHT, a respected platform amplifying griever voices, expanding grief literacy, and offering meaningful pathways forward. Rooted in the belief that grief is not something to "fix", but something to tend, honor, and integrate, her work invites more honest conversations about loss and life after it.

The GRIEF AND LIGHT podcast has surpassed 100 episodes and has received multiple recognitions, including Ear Worthy’s Best Independent Podcasts of 2026 (“Best Life Lessons”), TalkDeath’s Best of 2025 (Readers’ Choice, Best Podcast), a Women Who Podcast Award (2025), and a Women Podcasters Award nomination (2026).

An experienced and sought-after speaker, Nina presents on grief, grief literacy, resilience, sibling loss, and post-traumatic growth. She has spoken at the University of Miami, the Latinas in Podcasting Virtual Summit (2025), and at events co-created with Reimagine, including a three-part series exploring sibling loss, grief and podcasting, and accessible pathways to grief support. Her talks are known for blending emotional depth with practical insight, cultural fluency, and an unwavering respect for lived experience.

Nina’s work is deeply personal. After the sudden and unexpected death of her only sibling, Yosef, in 2019, she launched GRIEF AND LIGHT in 2023 as an honest exploration of grief, meaning-making, and growth after loss. Today, she serves as a grief-informed guide and space-holder, committed to helping individuals and communities live more fully in the “and”, where grief and joy coexist.

She leads the Get Griefy Small Business Collective Podcasters Network, supporting independent creators in building sustainable, grief-informed platforms, and has hosted Reimagine’s Room for Grief gathering on multiple occasions. Nina is also a member of RedBoxMe, a collaborative platform with Cartier at the intersection of philanthropy, art, leadership, and culture, where she brings grief literacy as a lens for connection, empathy, and dialogue.

Nina is a regular contributor to Get Griefy Magazine, writes the Substack Resting Grief Face by Grief and Light, and is a co-author of Resilient A.F., Vol. 2: Stories of Resilience (2025). She is a graduate of Megan Devine’s Grief Care Professional Certificate Program.

In addition to her grief-focused work, Nina brings over a decade of experience in communications, strategy, and sales across fintech, real estate, and higher education, infusing professionalism, empathy, and clarity into every room she enters.

Based in Southeast Florida, Nina welcomes aligned speaking engagements, collaborations, and conversations, virtually and in person.

Learn more via griefandlight.com

Nina Rodriguez is the founder, executive producer, and host of GRIEF AND LIGHT, a respected platform amplifying griever voices, expanding grief literacy, and offering meaningful pathways forward. Rooted in the belief that grief is not something to "f... Show more

Kharisma Johnson

Kharisma Johnson

Kharisma Johnson is a confidence, communication, and execution speaker who helps vision-driven individuals move from ideas to impact. Her flagship keynote, Where Dreams Are Too Big to Fit on Paper, is designed to inspire clarity, confidence, and momentum across audiences. With a background in communications and storytelling, she blends mindset, clarity, and practical tools—including AI as a modern support system—to help people take action before they feel fully “ready.”

Her work speaks to students, entrepreneurs, creatives, and organizations navigating growth, self-belief, and execution at every stage. Through her signature message, Where Dreams Are Too Big to Fit on Paper, Kharisma challenges audiences to think beyond limits, trust their voice, and turn bold vision into confident action.

Kharisma Johnson is a confidence, communication, and execution speaker who helps vision-driven individuals move from ideas to impact. Her flagship keynote, Where Dreams Are Too Big to Fit on Paper, is designed to inspire clarity, confidence, and mome... Show more

Christina Aldan

Christina Aldan

Christina Aldan is a brand strategy consultant, keynote speaker, trainer, and mentor. She offers businesses brand consulting and creative content for everyday media. With over 18 years of experience in the digital realm, Christina is highly regarded for her approach to business, partnering with clients to find unique strategies that ensure their goals are met. Christina builds connections through her keynote addresses, training workshops, and technological education. She uses these tools to help individuals and businesses cultivate value in everyday media. Christina has delivered talks on all 7 continents, presenting training workshops for the Microsoft MVP community, Las Vegas Raiders, Yale School of Public Health, international corporations, and conferences worldwide. Christina uses her charisma and expertise to inspire others by mentoring women in business like herself. She also has sat on state and local boards supporting women in tech, entrepreneurship, mental health, and children with learning disabilities.

She is the recipient of the Las Vegas Women in Tech Community Service Award, the Distinguished Woman of the Year Award in STEM. Learn more at: Luckygirliegirl.com.

Christina Aldan is a brand strategy consultant, keynote speaker, trainer, and mentor. She offers businesses brand consulting and creative content for everyday media. With over 18 years of experience in the digital realm, Christina is highly regarded ... Show more

Elvire Gagneur

Elvire Gagneur

With a PhD in History (to understand where we come from) and an HR MBA from Dauphine (to know where we’re headed), I eventually traded academic theories for the boots-on-the-ground reality of SMEs.

La DistilleRHie: This is my lab. I support business leaders on HR topics and, more broadly, on the art of "working well together." I distill HR into the right doses—no silver bullets, no indigestible jargon. Just practical, concrete solutions, built on conviviality and co-creation.

CoQuest: My "cards on the table" project. Literally. Because recruitment is increasingly becoming a standoff between recruiter and candidate, I decided to change the rules of the game. I created a gamified method to put the human connection back at the heart of hiring.

My Philosophy:
I’m neither a traditional consultant nor a coach. I’ve carved out my own path at the intersection of HR, collective intelligence facilitation, and game design. My goal? To transform HR processes into real experiences, blending business efficiency with genuine pleasure at work.

My mantra? Less talk, more results, and always one move ahead.

With a PhD in History (to understand where we come from) and an HR MBA from Dauphine (to know where we’re headed), I eventually traded academic theories for the boots-on-the-ground reality of SMEs. La DistilleRHie: This is my lab. I support busine... Show more

Shanne Sowards

Shanne Sowards

Shanne Sowards is the founder and Executive Director of Squires Empowering Young Dads (SEYD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping, mentoring, and empowering teen and young fathers. With a deep passion for breaking cycles of fatherlessness, Shanne has built Squires into a trusted community resource where young dads can gain confidence, leadership skills, and a vision for healthy fatherhood.

Drawing from his own experiences as a young father, Shanne understands the unique challenges young dads face and has committed his life to ensuring they are not left behind. Under his leadership, Squires has developed innovative programs like The Knight Project, which combines personal growth with leadership development, giving young fathers opportunities to step into their roles as leaders in their families and communities.

Shanne is widely recognized as a passionate advocate, speaker, and mentor who believes that supporting young fathers strengthens families and transforms communities. His work has given countless young men the tools not only to graduate and achieve stability, but also to build lasting legacies as engaged, intentional dads.

Shanne Sowards is the founder and Executive Director of Squires Empowering Young Dads (SEYD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping, mentoring, and empowering teen and young fathers. With a deep passion for breaking cycles of fatherlessness... Show more

Sonia Daniels, Ph.D.

Sonia Daniels, Ph.D.

Most organizations don’t fail because of poor leadership or lack of talent. They fail because their systems quietly work against their intentions.

I’m a Ph.D.-trained organizational systems expert and founder of a successful operating company. I work with senior leaders when strategy is clear, people are capable, and execution still isn’t happening.

My keynotes help organizations:
-Understand why execution breaks down even in high-performing cultures
-Replace blame and burnout with system-level clarity
-Build human-centered structures that actually support follow-through
-Leaders bring me in when initiatives stall, transformations lose momentum, or “alignment” hasn’t translated into results. I translate complexity into shared language teams can use immediately—without oversimplifying or shaming.
-Audiences include executive teams, leadership cohorts, government agencies, and professional associations navigating complex change.

Typical outcomes: Greater clarity around where work gets stuck, a shared framework for diagnosing execution problems, and practical next steps leaders can act on after the event—not just inspiration that fades by Monday.

Most organizations don’t fail because of poor leadership or lack of talent. They fail because their systems quietly work against their intentions. I’m a Ph.D.-trained organizational systems expert and founder of a successful operating company. I w... Show more

LaShawnda Rodgers

LaShawnda Rodgers

LaShawnda Rodgers is a visionary leader in change management, DEI, and leadership development, standing at the forefront of organizational transformation. As the Founder and Principal Consultant at Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium, she brings over 20 years of experience in guiding multi-million-dollar global projects, technical consulting, coaching, career growth, and stakeholder management.

LaShawnda’s expertise extends into the realms of data science and technology, where she has successfully led initiatives that leverage data-driven insights to enhance customer engagement, leadership development, and employee experience. Her technical acumen is complemented by her role as a Microsoft Partner and a member of Microsoft’s Black Partner Initiative, where she collaborates on innovative solutions and strategies.

In her capacity as Vice President of Community Outreach for Blacks in Technology, LaShawnda partners with organizations to increase African American representation in the technology fields. She is also a Founding Member of Tech Ladies, mentoring and equipping women with the tools to advance their careers in tech. Her efforts have empowered many professionals to confidently negotiate their salaries, articulate their value, and achieve their desired career outcomes.

LaShawnda’s commitment to creating equitable, inclusive work environments has led to significant increases in profitability for organizations. Her recognition with the 40 Under 40 Award and features on platforms like Hired.com, Mentor Me Tech Summit, and Power To Fly underscore her impact as a thought leader dedicated to uplifting individuals and businesses alike.

When she is not speaking, consulting, or coaching, LaShawnda enjoys horseback riding, hiking, and spending time with her family.

LaShawnda Rodgers is a visionary leader in change management, DEI, and leadership development, standing at the forefront of organizational transformation. As the Founder and Principal Consultant at Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium, she brings ove... Show more

Michelle Storm

Michelle Storm

Michelle is a 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 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 peop... Show more

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