Rebecca Rayner is an explorer and journalist investigating what exploration means in real life — and who gets to claim it.

Her work treats exploration as a lived practice rather than a performance, shaped by place, identity, constraint, and care. Through long-form storytelling and sustained exploration projects, Rebecca examines how curiosity is built and sustained across real lives, including motherhood, neurodiversity, work, class, burnout, and access, and how these contexts quietly reshape ambition, risk, and belonging.

With a background in journalism and experience within the travel industry, Rebecca combines place-based research with lived inquiry, asking not just where we go, but how we move through the world and what stories we tell about who exploration is for. Her work is grounded in proximity, responsibility, and return — exploring familiar landscapes as seriously as distant ones, and valuing depth over spectacle.

Rebecca speaks on modern exploration, lived authority, neurodivergent ways of seeing, motherhood and identity, and exploration through constraint. Her talks invite audiences to rethink adventure, success, and expertise, and to recognise exploration as something practiced over time, within real, imperfect lives.

Rebecca Rayner is an explorer and journalist investigating what exploration means in real life — and who gets to claim it. Her work treats exploration as a lived practice rather than a performance, shaped by place, identity, constraint, and care. ... Show more

Michael Cinquino has spent his career studying what happens to people under pressure, and what allows trust, clarity, and real collaboration to emerge when outcomes matter.

He began in high stakes environments as a United States Navy Rescue Swimmer, where presence was not a mindset but a requirement for survival.

After his military service, he trained as an actor, earning a BA in Acting and Directing and an MFA in Acting from Rutgers University, where he studied with William Esper, a protégé of Sanford Meisner. That lineage instilled a deep respect for listening, embodiment, and unforced response, and a firsthand understanding of how performance collapses when it becomes self protective.

Michael’s work later moved beyond the stage into leadership and organizational life. He spent nearly a decade working behind closed doors with the founders of the CIO Strategy Exchange, an invitation only forum that convened senior Chief Information Officers from Fortune 70 organizations including Goldman Sachs, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, Disney, Lockheed Martin, and Target. These leaders met for extended, off the record conversations designed to surface real tensions, think forward together, and speak candidly without performance.

Those rooms made something unmistakably clear: innovation and trust do not emerge from politeness or impression management. They emerge from environments where productive tension is allowed to exist and people are not punished for thinking out loud. As Edwin Land observed, politeness can be the poison of collaboration. Michael saw that principle lived, not theorized.

He later brought these insights into academic and applied settings, teaching at the University of New Hampshire’s Paul College of Business and Economics and building psychologically safe practice environments where people could rehearse human interaction without the cost of performance.

Today, Michael continues to develop Drop the Act through writing, speaking, and applied organizational work. He is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Applied Psychology at Northwestern University, deepening the integration between communication science, nervous system regulation, and leadership behavior.

Michael Cinquino has spent his career studying what happens to people under pressure, and what allows trust, clarity, and real collaboration to emerge when outcomes matter. He began in high stakes environments as a United States Navy Rescue Swimme... Show more

I'm Senior Marketing Speacialist at EPAM Systems, working with the teams in Serbia, Croatia and Greece. I have been part of the Marketing team for 5 years and I had lot of experience in this field.

I'm Senior Marketing Speacialist at EPAM Systems, working with the teams in Serbia, Croatia and Greece. I have been part of the Marketing team for 5 years and I had lot of experience in this field. Show more

Harender Bisht is a Technical Architect and Lead Developer with over 10 years of experience designing and implementing enterprise systems across insurance, reinsurance, finance, and regulatory reporting domains. Based in New Jersey, he currently serves as Lead Developer and Technical Architect at Crum & Forster, where he leads large-scale initiatives spanning IFRS-17, reinsurance platforms, finance automation, and enterprise data architecture.
His work includes designing and implementing the company-wide IFRS-17 data and calculation framework, integrating claims, premiums, reinsurance, and actuarial data into Moody’s Analytics and OneStream. He has architected enterprise integrations for Sapiens Reinsurance, enabling modernization and retirement of legacy systems, and developed a hybrid cloud/on-prem enterprise job orchestration platform to centralize and audit batch operations. Harender has also designed microservices for OFAC sanctions screening using Azure Cognitive Search and built AI-powered reporting solutions leveraging retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and offline large language models.
Harender’s technical expertise spans Azure cloud architecture, microservices, .NET, C#, Python, data engineering, Snowflake, OneStream, and insurance-specific platforms and regulations, including IFRS-17 and reinsurance systems. He collaborates closely with finance, actuarial, compliance, and operations teams to align technical architecture with regulatory and business requirements.
He is a final-year PhD candidate in Artificial Intelligence at the University of the Cumberlands, with a research focus on ethical and explainable AI for insurance fraud detection. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Applications from the University of Bridgeport and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Amity University.

Harender Bisht is a Technical Architect and Lead Developer with over 10 years of experience designing and implementing enterprise systems across insurance, reinsurance, finance, and regulatory reporting domains. Based in New Jersey, he currently serv... Show more

- seit 2018 wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Zentrum für Qualitätssicherung und - entwicklung/Zentrum für Wissenstransfer und Weiterbildung an der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz mit den Schwerpunkten Schreib- und Lesedidaktik, tutorielle Lehre und Lehrendenberatung, digitale Lehre, KI in der Lehre, Gutachterin für Habilitationen
- 2023 Dr. phil. in Germanistik
- 2016 Master of Education in Germanistik, Philosophie, Bildungswissenschaften und Master of Arts in Germanistik mit Schwerpunkt Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft
- 2016/17 wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Bereich Neuere deutsche Literatur und ihre Didaktik an der Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main

- seit 2018 wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Zentrum für Qualitätssicherung und - entwicklung/Zentrum für Wissenstransfer und Weiterbildung an der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz mit den Schwerpunkten Schreib- und Lesedidaktik, tutorielle Lehr... Show more

Studium der Geschichtswissenschaft (Passau, Potsdam)
Arbeitsorte:
ZDF (Redaktion Zeitgeschichte / ZDF History), Mainz
Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Halle
Lehrstuhl Neueste Geschichte, Universität Würzburg
Lehrstuhl Fränkische Landesgeschichte, Universität Würzburg
Stabsstelle Kompetenzentwicklung in Studium und Lehre, Universität Passau

Aktuell Instructional Designer, mediendidaktische Beratung zu digitaler Lehre, KI-Implementierungen in der Hochschullehre

Studium der Geschichtswissenschaft (Passau, Potsdam) Arbeitsorte: ZDF (Redaktion Zeitgeschichte / ZDF History), Mainz Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Halle Lehrstuhl Neueste Geschichte, Universität Würzburg Lehrstuhl Fränkische Landesgeschichte, Univ... Show more

Tech Entrepreneur who is passionate about building software that solves real problems.

Tech Entrepreneur who is passionate about building software that solves real problems. Show more

A Software Engineer passionate about Kubernetes and virtualization, currently working on the NGN (Nvidia Grid Network) platform, delivering GPU as a Service (Iaas) in the cloud.

A Software Engineer passionate about Kubernetes and virtualization, currently working on the NGN (Nvidia Grid Network) platform, delivering GPU as a Service (Iaas) in the cloud. Show more

Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Netflix working on Core Recommendations

Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Netflix working on Core Recommendations Show more

Mai-Linh K. Hong is a poet and literary scholar whose work explores how refugees know, imagine, and re-create their worlds. Her debut poetry collection, CONTINENTAL DRIFT, won the 2025 Trio Award and will be published by Trio House Press in July 2026. Her current research,"Perilous Telling: Story in the Shadow of the Refugee Regime," theorizes refugee storytelling as knowledge-making under duress. Dr. Hong's articles and essays on Asian American literature, refugees, race, and human rights appear in Amerasia, Verge, MELUS, Law, Culture, and Humanities, and other journals and edited volumes. She is coeditor and coauthor of THE AUNTIE SEWING SQUAD GUIDE TO MASK MAKING, RADICAL CARE, AND RACIAL JUSTICE (U. of Calif. Press, 2021). Dr. Hong's research has been supported by fellowships from ACLS, AAUW, and the Institute of Citizens & Scholars, and her poetry has received support from Voices of Our Nation, Tin House, and the Vermont Studio Center. She is Assistant Professor of Literature at the University of California, Merced.

Mai-Linh K. Hong is a poet and literary scholar whose work explores how refugees know, imagine, and re-create their worlds. Her debut poetry collection, CONTINENTAL DRIFT, won the 2025 Trio Award and will be published by Trio House Press in July 2026... Show more

I am a Senior Vice President of Engineering at Divum Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, a leading provider of digital solutions and services for startups and enterprises. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, I have a proven track record of delivering complex and scalable products across multiple domains and platforms, leveraging my expertise in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

My core competencies include product building and architecting, IT consulting, and delivery management. I have successfully created and implemented roadmaps, standards, and processes for various clients and stakeholders, ranging from fintech and banking to healthcare and non-profit organizations. I have also led and mentored a global team of engineers, consultants, and analysts, ensuring high-quality performance and professional growth. My mission is to empower businesses and organizations with innovative and impactful digital solutions that enhance their value proposition and customer experience.

I am a Senior Vice President of Engineering at Divum Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, a leading provider of digital solutions and services for startups and enterprises. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, I have a proven track record of d... Show more

I spent my 20s building things people said were impossible. I didn't have a trust fund or a traditional roadmap; I had a non-linear brain and a relentless obsession with how systems work.

I’ve lived the full spectrum of influence. I have lived out of a car on the streets of NYC and at a lighthouse on the California coast, I have navigated the elite corridors of South West London, and I have stood in the halls of power coaching the Director of the United States Mint on how to command a room. I have built punk venues from the ground up and managed talent for the world’s biggest film franchises.

My non-linear path wasn't a detour. It was an elite training ground. It taught me how to spot the operational leaks that 99% of people miss. It taught me how to scale a movement by 400% with zero financial backing and how to engineer a 3,675% growth spike in a week with just $20 for strategic advertising.

I am an expert in zero-waste scaling, engineering systemic overhauls, and extreme lean operations. I don’t need a $1M budget to find a $1M solution. My experience building venues, brands, events, and organizations from nothing means that I see efficiency leaks that traditional consultants are trained to ignore.

My credits include:

The United States Mint | Coached the 38th Director on executive presence & rhetorical logic at Voice Academy NYC

The New York Times | Featured contributor

The Julliard School | Provided private coaching to dual-enrolled Julliard students

Josh Groban / Madison Square Garden Support: Headliner | Headlined a performance at the Delancey, featuring Iain S. Forrest (Eyeglasses), cellist known for accompanying Josh Groban at Madison Square Garden

Mariah Carey / Star Wars / Avengers: Composer Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included Jonathan Bartz, composer with credits including Mariah Carey, Star Wars and Avengers.

Ed Sheeran Team: Talent Roster Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included Mark Pusey, drummer for Ed Sheeran.

Foo Fighters / Neil Young: Producer Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included Bradley Kohn, producer with credits including Foo Fighters and Neil Young.

The Recording Academy: Booking | Created Unity Fest, Femme Fatale Fest: NYC Edition, and The New York Music Awards (Rockwood Music Hall). Booked Recording Academy member Ryan Cassata to headline Unity Fest and booked Recording Academy member Apollo Flowerchild to co-headline Femme Fatale Fest: NYC Edition and The New York Music Awards.

American Idol: Talent Roster Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included Clark Beckham, American Idol runner-up.

The Voice: Collaborations | Collaborated with finalist Jamal Corrie (Season 18, Team Blake Shelton) at The Bowery Electric and headlined Queerchella, a festival founded by finalist Dan Kiernan (Season 27, Team Kelsea Ballerini).

Chaka Khan / Brandy / Todrick Hall: Producer Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included Kofi Agyei, producer with credits including Chaka Khan, Brandy, and Todrick Hall.

Logic: Featured Artist | My song "Nothing Lasts Forever" was highlighted and featured by Logic on his personal Discord server.

Met Gala / Gossip Girl / Coldplay: Co-Feature | Co-featured in NYC_Storytime media highlights as a recurring collaborator and featured artist within the NYC arts and culture scene.

Matty Beats: Collaboration | Studio collaboration at Rec Philly.

VIAL: Opening Act | Opened for VIAL at Femme Fatale Fest.

Maria Elisabeth von Trapp: Opening Act | Opened for Ms. von Trapp at the F.M. Kirby Center.

The Apollo Theater: Recurring Performer | Performed at The Apollo Theater three times.

Sinfonia Smith Square: Performer | Performed at London’s Sinfonia Smith Square.

Carnegie Hall: Coaching | Achieved placement for Voice Academy NYC student at Carnegie Hall.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Coaching | Coached contracted touring keyboardist for Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Voice Academy NYC.

Vans Warped Tour: Marketing | Represented Gypsy Warrior as a high-visibility brand ambassador and model during the Vans Warped Tour.

Beach Weather / A Rocket to the Moon: Marketing | Led street-team initiatives and grassroots marketing for former lead singer of A Rocket to the Moon and current lead singer of Beach Weather, Nick Santino, at the Vans Warped Tour.

Never Shout Never: Collaboration | Performed with Christofer Drew of Never Shout Never at a backstage performance at the Vans Warped Tour.

Kelly Osbourne: Talent Operations | Managed on-site logistics and talent flow during NYC World Pride.

BroadwayWorld: Featured Contributor | Featured three times in BroadwayWorld.

Digital Growth Architecture: 3,675% Viral Surge | Engineered a high-conversion digital marketing strategy that yielded a 1,361% increase in 24 hours and 3,675% growth within 7 days. Utilized advanced demographic and psychographic research to deploy a high-efficiency, low-spend ($20) ad campaign, proving the power of data-driven targeting over traditional high-budget spend.

Bloomsbury Arts Festival: Operations and Marketing | Contributed to logistics and promotion at London's Bloomsbury Arts Festival.

International Ambassador | Represented Klein College of Media and Communications at an international recruitment event while studying at Imperial College in London through Foundation for International Education.

Foundation House: Original Rhetorical Performance | Authored and premiered an original monologue at Foundation House in London.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Choir Director | Directed a specialized vocal ensemble focused on mental health advocacy and therapeutic music engagement. Developed choral programming to support community wellness and provided creative leadership for a national-tier advocacy organization.

Z Poetry Series: Internationally Published Poet | Featured in the Z-Poetry: An Anthology of International Indie Poetry.

VH1: Collaboration | Co-headlined Harrisburg's Stop The Violence Talent Festival with Yvng Swag from VH1's Wild N' Out.

FRIGID New York: Featured Playwright and Performer | Co-authored and co-starred in the original musical revue "Dead Superstars," featured in the FRIGID New York "Days of the Dead" Festival.

Founder & Executive Director: Unity Fest NYC | Conceptualized and executed a large-scale annual music festival in New York City, built from the ground up with zero initial capital. Leveraged strategic partnerships and community grassroots organizing to raise thousands of dollars for global and national charities, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), NAMI, and anti-gun violence initiatives.

Wolven: Executive Presence Coaching | Provided strategic performance and narrative coaching to the Founder of Wolven.

Founder & Executive Director: The Atlantis Movement | Engineered a bicoastal cultural movement and multi-week festival circuit (The Atlantis Movement) starting from grassroots DIY venues in Philadelphia to 10-day takeovers in New York City. Operating with $0 initial capital, generated thousands in philanthropic revenue for the ACLU, St. Baldrick’s, and local LGBTQ+ shelters. Featured in Rock the Pigeon for pioneering a sustainable, artist-led model of social advocacy and live production.

300+ Original Compositions | Executed a high-intensity creative sprint, authoring 300 original songs in a single year, resulting in the release of 24 EPs and 2 LPs. Achieved global distribution across 101 countries and secured international radio play.

David Guetta: Producer Management | Managed the professional roster at PIVODIO, which included James Grover (YCONN), producer with credits including David Guetta.

Cassandra Jenkins: Headliner | Headlined a Trans Day of Visibility Ball; opened for by Cassandra Jenkins

My educational background includes Imperial College London, Berklee College of Music, and Temple University.

I spent my 20s building things people said were impossible. I didn't have a trust fund or a traditional roadmap; I had a non-linear brain and a relentless obsession with how systems work. I’ve lived the full spectrum of influence. I have lived out... Show more

In 2017, Tom Sherman discovered the 5th season of the year after nearly a decade of studying timekeeping and measurement systems. He then spent the next 3 years deconstructing the Gregorian Calendar and re-engineering a New Calendar system using modern math, science and logic that divides time evenly, precisely, and accurately, for the first time in the history of time. With humor, philosophy, and curiosity, Tom is able to expand your perception of reality and uncover new systems and patterns that are currently hiding in plain sight.

In 2017, Tom Sherman discovered the 5th season of the year after nearly a decade of studying timekeeping and measurement systems. He then spent the next 3 years deconstructing the Gregorian Calendar and re-engineering a New Calendar system using mode... Show more

Etienne Jacquot is a SysAdmin-turned-DevOps engineer working professionally at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. In my free time I enjoy Running, DJ'ing (vinyl & Serato), Snowboarding, Vibe Coding, and all things Open Source! My career interests are in supporting scientific computing and open-source adoption at the intersection of Law, Ethics, and Technology.

Etienne Jacquot is a SysAdmin-turned-DevOps engineer working professionally at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. In my free time I enjoy Running, DJ'ing (vinyl & Serato), Snowboarding, Vibe Coding, and all thin... Show more

Après plusieurs années à œuvrer en tant que développeur, chef de projet, directeur de projet, j'accompagne depuis 10 ans des leaders, managers et organisations dans le changement.
Que ce soit des PME, ETI et grand groupe, les changements sont une nécessité et l'adaptabilité une aptitude tant personnelle qu'organisationnelle indispensable.
L'accompagnement des personnes n'est pas tout le temps au centre des préoccupations, pourtant c'est un facteur clé de succès ou d'échec. C'est pour cela que je continue de me former, d'échanger et de partager avec passion et conviction.
Le changement c'est tout le temps et connaître ses ressources et freins individuels et collectifs face à lui est un gage d'adaptabilité et de succès.

Après plusieurs années à œuvrer en tant que développeur, chef de projet, directeur de projet, j'accompagne depuis 10 ans des leaders, managers et organisations dans le changement. Que ce soit des PME, ETI et grand groupe, les changements sont une né... Show more

Fort de mon expérience en accompagnement de projets et d’équipes, j’ai décidé de m’engager dans le coaching et la formation, métiers tournés vers l’individu, le collectif, et le vivre ensemble.

J’agis pour une vie plus simple, plus humaine, plus respectueuse. Je suis profondément convaincu par le potentiel de chacun et que nous avons tous en nous la force de réaliser nos projets.

Fort de mon expérience en accompagnement de projets et d’équipes, j’ai décidé de m’engager dans le coaching et la formation, métiers tournés vers l’individu, le collectif, et le vivre ensemble. J’agis pour une vie plus simple, plus humaine, plus r... Show more

Consuelo Lollobrigida, Ph.D., is Professor of Art History at the University of Arkansas Rome Program. Her research focuses on early modern women artists and Baroque visual culture.
She is the curator of the Annual International Women in the Arts Conference (AIWAC) and author of Plautilla Bricci. Pictura et Architectura celebris. L’architettrice del Barocco Romano and Following Women Artists. A Guide to Rome; her forthcoming monograph is The Forgotten Brush: Virginia da Vezzo (1600–1638), The Hidden Muse (Brepols, 2025).
She co-convenes AIWAC (Annual International Women in the Arts Conference) and is series co-editor, with Adelina Modesti, of “Women and Gender in the Arts: New Horizons” (Brepols/https://www.brepols.net/series/wia - https://www.brepols.net/products/IS-9782503606828-1

Consuelo Lollobrigida, Ph.D., is Professor of Art History at the University of Arkansas Rome Program. Her research focuses on early modern women artists and Baroque visual culture. She is the curator of the Annual International Women in the Arts Co... Show more

Hey, I’m Dr. Wilma. I’m a psychologist and experiential designer. I intentionally curate human centered spaces that allow people to heal in community fostering vulnerability, connection, play, and creativity.

Hey, I’m Dr. Wilma. I’m a psychologist and experiential designer. I intentionally curate human centered spaces that allow people to heal in community fostering vulnerability, connection, play, and creativity. Show more

In Undergrad, public speaking was a huge part of my academia. Sharing biomedical knowledge obtained through research at R1 Institution was something I thoroughly enjoyed.
Today, I would like to share my testing of triumph over trauma. Abused by an undiagnosed schizophrenic mother, raped and molested by 14 individuals by the time I was 16, to enduring a financially abusive marriage to now being on the other side with joy. My goal is to tell my truth to inspire hope that healing is possible!

In Undergrad, public speaking was a huge part of my academia. Sharing biomedical knowledge obtained through research at R1 Institution was something I thoroughly enjoyed. Today, I would like to share my testing of triumph over trauma. Abused by an u... Show more

Ana Lydia Monaco is a U.S.-born, internationally raised bilingual storyteller, Producer, and Writer-Director championing culturally intelligent narratives across film, television, and branded content. Her work bridges global perspective, creative strategy, and authentic human experience to tell stories that resonate across cultures and industries.
With a career spanning studio, indie, and branded spaces, Ana Lydia brings a rare ability to translate lived experience into compelling, market-aware storytelling. Her creative voice is shaped not only by her international upbringing, but also by navigating chronic illness and cancer — experiences that have strengthened her leadership, empathy, and commitment to meaningful representation.
Ana Lydia speaks on storytelling, creative leadership, cross-cultural narrative development, resilience, and building inclusive creative ecosystems. She is passionate about mentorship, access, and empowering the next generation of culturally fluent storytellers.

Ana Lydia Monaco is a U.S.-born, internationally raised bilingual storyteller, Producer, and Writer-Director championing culturally intelligent narratives across film, television, and branded content. Her work bridges global perspective, creative str... Show more

Marley Blonsky is a nationally recognized speaker, fat adventure cyclist, and co-founder and Executive Director of All Bodies on Bikes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating access, representation, and belonging for people of all sizes in cycling and outdoor spaces. She is also the co-host of the All Bodies on Bikes podcast, where she shares stories that challenge who cycling is “for” and celebrates riders of all backgrounds and bodies.

Marley’s work sits at the intersection of advocacy, sport, and culture. Through keynotes, workshops, and consulting, she helps organizations, brands, and event producers better understand size inclusion and translate inclusive values into meaningful action. Her approach blends lived experience, practical tools, and humor, making conversations about access and equity both approachable and actionable.

An avid cyclist, Marley loves long gravel rides, overnight adventures, and cruising around town on her cargo bike with her dogs in the front box. She may not be the fastest rider—but she rides with determination, grit, and perseverance, proudly earning multiple last-place finishes along the way. Marley believes that everyone deserves full access to life—at work, in sport, and at home—and she is committed to helping create spaces where all bodies truly belong.

Marley Blonsky is a nationally recognized speaker, fat adventure cyclist, and co-founder and Executive Director of All Bodies on Bikes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating access, representation, and belonging for people of all sizes in cycling and out... Show more

Margaret Juhae Lee is the author of the award-winning Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History (Melville House), which was named a best book of 2024 by the San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets. A former editor at The Nation, she received a Bunting Fellowship from Harvard University and a Korean Studies Fellowship from the Korea Foundation. Her articles have been published in The Nation, Newsday, Elle, ARTnews, Writer's Digest and The Rumpus. A seasoned public speaker, she has lectured and taught workshops on searching for family history and how to talked to loved ones about the past, She lives in Oakland, California, with her family.

Margaret Juhae Lee is the author of the award-winning Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History (Melville House), which was named a best book of 2024 by the San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets. A former editor at The Nation, she received a Bunting... Show more

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clients. Previously a travelling consultant at Thoughtworks, a tribe master building a big data organisation, and a people development manager in a cloud-native startup, she brings over a decade of hands-on experience in delivery and organisational change. In recent years she has integrated systemic coaching and breathwork training into her practice, using simple, evidence-informed nervous system tools to help leaders and teams stay clear-headed, collaborative and sustainable in high-pressure environments.

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clie... Show more

Laxmi Vanam is a data and analytics professional with 16+ years of experience across multiple industries, from financial services to retail and beyond. She designs decision intelligence frameworks that merge analytics, predictive modeling, and human insight—driving innovation, trust, and ROI in high-stakes, regulated environments worldwide.

Laxmi Vanam is a data and analytics professional with 16+ years of experience across multiple industries, from financial services to retail and beyond. She designs decision intelligence frameworks that merge analytics, predictive modeling, and human ... Show more

Higher-order cognitive skills are required in businesses that want to thrive in the modern world but the reality is that those skills are in steep decline, The more we offload to technology, the greater the decline. Learn how to push back and prepare your business.

Higher-order cognitive skills are required in businesses that want to thrive in the modern world but the reality is that those skills are in steep decline, The more we offload to technology, the greater the decline. Learn how to push back and prepare... Show more

Bri Williams helps leaders speak confidently.

She ensures your voice is heard, your contributions are known, and your value is undeniable within your organization through public speaking and leadership development.

An international speaker, she has delivered talks worldwide to culturally diverse audiences in APAC, EMEA, and the Americas.

She brings 20 years of experience in talent, learning, and development within financial services and IT industries, from graduate programs to leadership development.

Her talks help emerging leaders develop unshakeable speaking confidence and skills for:
🟢 Internal and external meetings
🟢 Presentations and Training
🟢 Media
🟢 Events

Her clients are regularly featured in the media, including CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg, COP26, and Macy's, at top industry events or making waves internally with their teams and stakeholders.

Bri has been featured on Thrive Global, International Women's Day and is the in-house communication expert for the wellness app LiveMore.

✔️ 94% of hosts book Bri to speak again.
✔️ 93% of her audience rates her talks as Actionable, Engaging, Inspiring, and Relevant.

Australian-born 🇦🇺 and after a decade of living in London 🇬🇧 Bri is now based in the South of France 🇫🇷 (…if you can't pick the accent!) and loves living between the mountains and the sea, but is always happy to speak at your in-person event or deliver virtually.

Bri Williams helps leaders speak confidently. She ensures your voice is heard, your contributions are known, and your value is undeniable within your organization through public speaking and leadership development. An international speaker, sh... Show more

For over 20 years, Alena has built technical solutions that inform decisions and solve problems across diverse industries. She enjoys both the creativity of programming and the thrill of solving a puzzle. As a leader in the community, a technical trainer, and a mom, she is passionate about providing the tools and mindset required for everyone to learn and succeed.

For over 20 years, Alena has built technical solutions that inform decisions and solve problems across diverse industries. She enjoys both the creativity of programming and the thrill of solving a puzzle. As a leader in the community, a technical tra... Show more

Deborah A. Carroll is Director of the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on local government fiscal policy, specifically taxation, revenue diversification, and water pricing and affordability. Dr. Carroll has produced 75 scholarly publications and 25 white papers and technical reports reflecting more than $2.75 million in research funding. She has been invited to share her expertise with academic and practitioner audiences across the U.S. and in several other countries. Dr. Carroll began her career in public service as a budget and policy analyst for the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With a passion for applied research intended to inform public policy and improve public sector management, Dr. Carroll pursued her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which she completed in 2004 along with a Graduate Certificate in State and Local Taxation from the UWM Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business.

Deborah A. Carroll is Director of the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on local government fiscal policy, specifically taxation, revenue diversification, and water pricing and affordabilit... Show more

Ms. Thibodeaux has dedicated the past eight years to the field of higher education, excelling in both administrative and faculty roles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English from Lamar University. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of Academic Enrichment for Student Tutoring and Retention (STAR) services at her alma mater. Outside of her professional commitments, Ms. Thibodeaux is passionate about reading, traveling, and innovating new strategies to enhance student success.

Ms. Thibodeaux has dedicated the past eight years to the field of higher education, excelling in both administrative and faculty roles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English from Lamar University. Currently, she serves as the A... Show more

I believe that effective communication helps us all live our best work lives. With over 10 years of experience focused on communication between people and companies, I’m always happy to share my expertise with the tech community.

I believe that effective communication helps us all live our best work lives. With over 10 years of experience focused on communication between people and companies, I’m always happy to share my expertise with the tech community. Show more