Mena is a certified Hello Seven Business and Mindset Coach and a proud graduate of the Goldman Sachs Black In Business Program. Based in St. Louis, she’s a branding photographer, strategist, content creator, and coach on a mission to help entrepreneurs grow their brands and show up like the experts they are.

After three years of teaching in the classroom, Mena made the bold leap into full-time entrepreneurship in 2017. These days, she blends her background in education with her creative skills to coach, photograph, and guide business owners as they build brands that actually sell.

With 8 years of experience as a branding and lifestyle photographer, Mena has worked with major names like Getty Images, Airbnb, Design Essentials, and the American Heart Association. She’s helped countless clients from boutique owners to political figures launch campaigns, boost their visibility, and confidently claim their space in their industries.

Her creative reach also extends into the education space, where she creates social media strategies and video content for institutions like Marian Middle School and Washington University, helping them tell authentic stories and stay connected with their communities online.

Mena’s work has been featured in Forbes, Black Enterprise, St. Louis Magazine, Ladue News, and many more. Whether she’s behind the lens or leading a branding strategy session, she brings energy, intention, and results.

Mena is a certified Hello Seven Business and Mindset Coach and a proud graduate of the Goldman Sachs Black In Business Program. Based in St. Louis, she’s a branding photographer, strategist, content creator, and coach on a mission to help entrepreneu... Show more

Rob is a TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and expert in Physical Intelligence, helping individuals and teams unlock peak performance by understanding and optimizing the body's natural chemistry—hormones, neurotransmitters, and biochemicals that drive success.
With a forty-year career as a global business leader, Rob has mastered leadership, resilience, and high-performance strategies. He teaches executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals how to leverage the science of the body to sharpen focus, increase energy, reduce stress, and build unstoppable confidence in high-stakes environments.
Rob’s signature methodology blends neuroscience, leadership principles, and real-world business experience to help people develop mental toughness, master emotional resilience, optimize energy and performance, and lead with empathy and impact. As a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, including Home Depot, Bank of America, Dell, Morgan Stanley, Macy’s, Equifax, and CSX, Rob has helped leaders and teams break through limitations, drive revenue growth, and create cultures of excellence.
His best-selling book, Surrender to Your Adversity, provides a playbook for turning setbacks into comebacks, teaching readers how to build resilience and thrive in both business and life. A frequent media contributor, Rob has been featured on Fox News, NewsNation, and CBS, sharing insights on leadership, peak performance, and overcoming adversity. Known for his high-energy presentations, Rob doesn’t just inspire—he activates audiences with practical tools they can apply immediately.
Rob’s mission is simple but powerful: to equip the next generation of leaders with the mindset, strategies, and physical intelligence to perform at a peak state—no matter the challenge.

Rob is a TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and expert in Physical Intelligence, helping individuals and teams unlock peak performance by understanding and optimizing the body's natural chemistry—hormones, neurotransmitters, and biochemicals that dri... Show more

Mark loves to code, teach and create transformational experiences for audiences all over the world. He's spoken at prestigious events, taught at world class institutions and worked for some of the best companies in the world.

Mark loves to code, teach and create transformational experiences for audiences all over the world. He's spoken at prestigious events, taught at world class institutions and worked for some of the best companies in the world. Show more

Arome is a Business Analyst, Immersive Technologist and the Executive Director of Immersive Tech Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to democratizing and increasing access to Extended Reality (XR) & Human -Centered AI technology across the African continent. Under his guidance, Immersive Tech Africa has leveraged education, training, and research initiatives to foster a thriving and inclusive XR community in Africa.

As the convener of the XR Innovation Summit, Africa's premier virtual XR conference, Arome and his team have played a pivotal role in bringing together thought leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts to explore the vast potential of XR technology. Additionally, he serves as the team lead for the XR Innovation Launchpad program, a platform empowering emerging talents in the XR space with the goal of training 2000 VR/AR creators by 2026.

Arome's exceptional expertise and innovative contributions have garnered widespread recognition, including prestigious accolades like the Next Economy Entrepreneurship Hero and the Next Economy Impact Award from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His commitment to advancing XR technology in Africa has been further acknowledged with awards like the Digital Lab Africa #5 XR award and selection for the New Dimensions Lab by Electric South.

Arome has been recognized as one of the ten emerging African creators by Garage Stories and New Images Festival Paris. His efforts in democratizing XR in Africa led to his inclusion among the Top 50 Voices in VR, AR, and 3D (2022/2023) by Threedium UK, a testament to his tireless dedication to the field.

Arome's extensive speaking engagements include the Augmented World Expo Europe, Laval Virtual Paris, New Images Festival Paris, Immersive Global Summit, Global XR Conference, Games for Change Festival, and the WebXR Education Summit, where he discussed XR technology's transformative potential in education, business and social development.

Beyond his speaking engagements, Arome has received numerous awards, including the Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship in Impact Entrepreneurship and the Oasis Innovation Challenge Winner in the AR/VR category. He is a proud recipient of the THINC Fellowship Program, Electric South New Dimensions Lab Artists, and the Opportunities Hub 100 Most Influential Young People.

As a dynamic leader and an impact-driven changemaker, Arome continues to shape the XR landscape in Africa, leaving an indelible mark through his innovative projects, impactful initiatives, and commitment to empowering the next generation of XR creatives.

Arome is a Business Analyst, Immersive Technologist and the Executive Director of Immersive Tech Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to democratizing and increasing access to Extended Reality (XR) & Human -Centered AI technology across the Af... Show more

Aleya Harris, CPCE is the founder and CEO of Flourish Marketing, an agency dedicated to helping empire-building entrepreneurs and executive teams differentiate themselves through radically authentic messaging strategy and copywriting. She believes that every leader has the potential to transform into a legend. She uses her proprietary Flourishing Empire Framework to help her clients and audience get real, get clear, and get connected so they can stand out from the crowd and stand in a league of their own.

Her framework combines energy alignment and business strategy to build a flourishing empire. Gone are the days of compartmentalization and cookie-cutter marketing. To reach the discerning audiences of today and the future, you and your business must dive more deeply to become radically authentic. Then, you need to infuse that radical authenticity into your
messaging platform and marketing assets.

Aleya combines her StoryBrand Guide and NES Health BioEnergetic Business Coach certifications to look at problems from a holistic perspective and work simultaneously on improving the wellness of her clients’ mindset, energy fields, and business strategy. Always with a keen eye on ROI, Aleya helps clients fast track their growth through intuition, science-based systems, and business savvy strategies that allow them to build their empire and establish a legacy for generations to come.

Aleya is a regular guest on the Marketing Made Simple podcast, a featured presenter in StoryBrand’s Business Made Simple course platform, and has been featured in Thrive Global, Authority Magazine, and Special Events. A recent “Speaker of the Year” award winner, Aleya has been a guest on over 125 podcasts and rocked over 100 stages where she edutained her audience with her business acumen and energetic personality.

Aleya Harris, CPCE is the founder and CEO of Flourish Marketing, an agency dedicated to helping empire-building entrepreneurs and executive teams differentiate themselves through radically authentic messaging strategy and copywriting. She believes ... Show more

In 2022, journalist and podcaster Karen Steward released the true crime podcast Burden, examining the mysterious 1991 death of Billie Jean Letterman. The case remained unresolved for more than three decades, leaving Billie Jean's family searching for justice.

As the limited series wrapped, she had no idea the story was far from over. In 2025, Michael Letterman was arrested and charged with Billie Jean’s murder, turning a decades-old mystery into a contemporary courtroom drama that will unfold this year.

Steward is an award-winning investigative journalist. She has worked as a reporter and anchor at the NPR affiliate in Little Rock and as Public Education Coordinator for the Arkansas Supreme Court.

In 2022, journalist and podcaster Karen Steward released the true crime podcast Burden, examining the mysterious 1991 death of Billie Jean Letterman. The case remained unresolved for more than three decades, leaving Billie Jean's family searching for... Show more

Alfredo Corchado is the Executive Editor and Correspondent for the award-winning Puente News Collaborative. He is formerly the Mexico Border correspondent for The Dallas Morning News and author of Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter’s Journey Through a Country’s Descent into Darkness (Penguin Press) and Homelands: Four Friends, Two Countries, and the Fate of the Great Mexican-American Migration (Bloomsbury).

Corchado began his career in journalism at the El Paso Herald-Post, before working for the Wall Street Journal in 1987. He is a 2009 Nieman Fellow at Harvard, Woodrow Wilson, Rockefeller, Lannan, USMEX, and IOP fellow. He’s also the winner of the Maria Moors Cabot Prize and Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for Courage in Journalism. In 2026, he received the I.F. Stone Award for independent journalism from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard.

Alfredo Corchado is the Executive Editor and Correspondent for the award-winning Puente News Collaborative. He is formerly the Mexico Border correspondent for The Dallas Morning News and author of Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter’s Journey Through a Co... Show more

Neringa Young is the Founder of Build Stuff conferences, which she personally manages – recruiting and working with the team, looking for the partners, creating marketing strategies and implementation of the conference promotion. She is also helping with logistics and creating the content of the event. For each year she invites 80 leading speakers from the Tech industry from around the world to come to the Baltics for this 5-day event.
The success of her leadership is seen through the results of the event which every year attracts more than 1400 software developers, with the same participants returning every year as the event grows.
Outside of the workplace, Neringa is involved with initiatives like Women Go Tech where she mentors young women, providing them with advice and direction for their careers in the tech sector.
She is the founder and manager of FIX.Events which runs meetings, training, conferences, private and public events for private & corporate clients.
During her university studies, she was simultaneous working as a Telemarketing sales representative. In just 2 years (2009), she was promoted on the basis of good results to become the Sales team lead at Lintel. At the age of 22, she was responsible for over 100 telemarketing sales managers. Her responsibilities included – hiring staff, training staff, coaching, organizing work across the wider team and implementing company sales strategies.
At AB TEO (now Telia), she initiated, formed and managed a team that is composed of both technical- and sales-personnel to boost sales in line with the company’s sales strategy. Her responsibilities included human resource management – hiring staff, training, coaching, organizing teamwork and working with sales strategies.
During the time she was working at AB TEO, she also published her Master thesis on an HR Topic: "Coaching for the Development of Organizational Personnel (Case of an X Organization, Lithuania)"; 2012 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION REFORM AND MANAGEMENT, INNOVATION (ERMI 2012), VOL 1 Pages: 54-60 Published: 2013; Conference: International, Conference on Education Reform and Management Innovation (ERMI 2012) Location: Shenzhen, PEOPLES R CHINA Date: DEC 04-05, 2012.

Neringa Young is the Founder of Build Stuff conferences, which she personally manages – recruiting and working with the team, looking for the partners, creating marketing strategies and implementation of the conference promotion. She is also helping ... Show more

Julie Watts is a national-award-winning investigative correspondent for CBS News California. Based in California’s State Capitol, Julie's reporting combines watchdog journalism with solutions-focused storytelling to expose systemic failures, hold the powerful accountable, spur legislative reforms, increase transparency and drive change.

Julie Watts is a national-award-winning investigative correspondent for CBS News California. Based in California’s State Capitol, Julie's reporting combines watchdog journalism with solutions-focused storytelling to expose systemic failures, hold the... Show more

Growth and platform executive with 15+ years across media and technology ecosystems, leading revenue growth, digital transformation, partnerships, and operating model design. Known for building scalable commercial engines, owning multi-market revenue outcomes, and advising cross-sector stakeholders. • Drove 77% year-over-year member subscription growth and 50% growth in one quarter by redesigning acquisition, partnership, and commercial operating models.• Built and scaled digital revenue divisions, generating $400K+ annual digital revenue and 250% monthly growth in competitive broadcast markets.• Delivered approximately $1.3M annually through consultative digital, video, and sponsorship solutions.• Designed and governed scalable CRM and prospect intelligence systems, expanding active pipelines by 700%.• Led and developed teams ranging from market operators to 80+ distributed contributors globally.• Appointed by the FCC to lead national policy work on innovation and access to capital.• Founded and led original platform and IP initiatives with long-term monetization and ecosystem strategy.• Worked with 100s of companies in diverse sectors such as Agencies, CPGs, QSRs, Government, Non-profits, Sports, Auto, Events, Health.

Growth and platform executive with 15+ years across media and technology ecosystems, leading revenue growth, digital transformation, partnerships, and operating model design. Known for building scalable commercial engines, owning multi-market revenue... Show more

Svenja Geißler (geissler@kit.edu) entwickelt am Zentrum für Mediales Lernen (KIT) innovative Lernformate sowie digitale Anreicherungskonzepte für Lehrveranstaltungen und betreibt digitale Wissenschaftskommunikation. Diese Konzepte vermittelt sie in Seminaren für das Institut für Schulpädagogik und Didaktik (KIT) und gibt Workshops u.a. für das HDZ, wobei sie ihre Lernveranstaltungen zugleich als Experimentierfeld für neue virtuelle und digitale Konzepte nutzt.

Svenja Geißler (geissler@kit.edu) entwickelt am Zentrum für Mediales Lernen (KIT) innovative Lernformate sowie digitale Anreicherungskonzepte für Lehrveranstaltungen und betreibt digitale Wissenschaftskommunikation. Diese Konzepte vermittelt sie in S... Show more

Adedire Abiodun Christopher, widely known as @oacthecreator, is a visual storyteller and global changemaker using the power of storytelling to inspire action and amplify unheard voices.

Via his storytelling abilities, he’s made unknown people celebrated across the world, he’s made some who had nothing, millionaires overnight.

With a digital footprint that has reached over 100 million people across social media, his work blends creativity with purpose, reminding people that storytelling can be more than just entertainment. Through powerful visual stories, he challenges people to look beyond virality and views, and instead, to create with intention.

His storytelling continues to motivate thousands to create not just for clout or money, but to create for something greater: change, impact, and legacy.

Adedire Abiodun Christopher, widely known as @oacthecreator, is a visual storyteller and global changemaker using the power of storytelling to inspire action and amplify unheard voices. Via his storytelling abilities, he’s made unknown people cele... Show more

As a linkbuilder, I have worked with many companies in the digital and gaming industry, but this company truly stands out in the market. They develop modern online games with high-quality graphics, well-designed gameplay, and a strong focus on player experience. The company is constantly evolving, implementing new technologies, and closely following industry trends.

I would also like to highlight their professional approach to work: fast communication, responsibility, and a high level of project execution. This is a team that not only creates games but also builds unique experiences for players around the world.

I highly recommend this company as a reliable and promising partner in the online gaming industry.

As a linkbuilder, I have worked with many companies in the digital and gaming industry, but this company truly stands out in the market. They develop modern online games with high-quality graphics, well-designed gameplay, and a strong focus on player... Show more

Chicago-based independent media consultant, publisher and educator.

Chicago-based independent media consultant, publisher and educator. Show more

Shane is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer who leads Open Source Strategy in Google's Open Source Program Office. Before joining OSPO, he led Google Cloud's Public Datasets Program and was a member of NOAA's Data Archive and Access Requirements Working Group for 6 years. Prior to joining Google, Shane was the project manager of NOAA’s Open Data Dissemination Program and an officer in the US Army specializing in both Air Defense Artillery and Public Affairs. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of South Carolina in Sports and Entertainment Management and has a Master's in Data Analytics from UMGC.

You can follow him on Bluesky for a comprehensive list of his work and dad jokes.

Shane is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer who leads Open Source Strategy in Google's Open Source Program Office. Before joining OSPO, he led Google Cloud's Public Datasets Program and was a member of NOAA's Data Archive and Access Requirements W... Show more

Suresh Kumar Palus is a Lead Software QA Engineer with over 18 years of experience across media, telecom, and banking domains. He specializes in building scalable automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines for web, mobile, OTT, smart TV, and API platforms, with a strong focus on accelerating quality delivery through innovative engineering practices.

Suresh Kumar Palus is a Lead Software QA Engineer with over 18 years of experience across media, telecom, and banking domains. He specializes in building scalable automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines for web, mobile, OTT, smart TV, and API platf... Show more

Cameron Magee is the Founder & CEO of avad3, a national production company known for helping planners deliver flawless, high-stakes events and conferences.
 
For more than 20 years, Cameron has been behind the scenes of some of the most visible events in the country—producing conferences, summits, and galas for Walmart, the White House, and major national associations. But he’s best known not just for delivering flawless productions, but for teaching planners how to navigate AV budgets, rehearsals, and technology with ease.
 
His company, avad3, specializes in high-stakes event production with a service-first approach. Under Cameron’s leadership, the company thrives by:
- Serving planners managing six-figure AV budgets with clarity and trust.
- Providing end-to-end solutions—audio, video, lighting, staging, and hybrid events.
- Sharing education and resources that empower planners to succeed.
- Building a people-first culture where production pros are cared for as much as clients
 
Cameron sees himself as a teacher at heart. He’s written over 100 articles and spoken at industry events, helping planners gain confidence with AV—budgeting, rehearsals, RFPs, and new tech like LED walls. His sessions are less about showmanship and more about clarity, storytelling, and practical tools planners can use right away.
 
Grounded in Bentonville, Arkansas—with his wife, two kids, and golden retriever—Cameron brings humility and authenticity to every stage.
 
Whether backstage with a headset, leading a workshop, or speaking on the future of AV, Cameron helps people cut through the noise, focus on what matters, and deliver events that shine.

Cameron Magee is the Founder & CEO of avad3, a national production company known for helping planners deliver flawless, high-stakes events and conferences.   For more than 20 years, Cameron has been behind the scenes of some of the most visible eve... Show more

With a team of experienced professionals, Ian Stewart supports local and national businesses in crafting branding, messaging strategies, and content to build client trust, demonstrate authority, and increase online visibility to generate leads and drive conversations. As the founder and CEO of Whole Brand Agency, a StoryBrand Certified Guide, and the host of the Whole Brand Podcast, he has helped organizations such as the PGA Tour, Specialty Food Association, The University of Colorado, New Hope Network, Source Four Commercial Furniture, Innosphere Ventures, The Outdoor Network, Ozo Foods, Best Nest Wellness, and many other brands in the manufacturing, design, food & beverage, and healthcare sector.
Ian and his team have successfully organized and helped raise over $23 million in private equity and venture capital funding for their clients. He and his team helped one of the nation’s top thirty largest landscape companies sell to private equity; boost exposure, and increased sales by 23% for a furniture manufacturing group; and produced content to assist in generating more than $1 million in sponsorships for a PGA tour event.
Whether serving his clients or interviewing business leaders on his podcast, Ian is known for capturing stories that reflect the heart and soul of a person’s goals and wishes for their company and personal lives. Each of these stories is a lesson for others in corporate messaging, creating a vibrant and meaningful workplace culture, and building lasting relationships. Ian Stewart’s background in marketing and branding, community building, and storytelling is the foundation of his professional achievements at work and personal passion as a singer-songwriter. Ian draws audiences in for inspiration and tried-and-true knowledge, helping them reach their desired outcomes. www.wholebrand.agency

With a team of experienced professionals, Ian Stewart supports local and national businesses in crafting branding, messaging strategies, and content to build client trust, demonstrate authority, and increase online visibility to generate leads and dr... Show more

A middle school teacher turned web developer, Nasser Abouelazm has always embraced the art of building epic and engaging experiences that delight, educate, and enchant a broad audience of users. As a senior full-stack engineer working to support Bloomberg Media, he is focused on developing solutions and features that support the Bloomberg.com subscriber experience. His first heavy production use of GraphQL was at his previous company, Voice - a startup building an NFT marketplace for creators.

A middle school teacher turned web developer, Nasser Abouelazm has always embraced the art of building epic and engaging experiences that delight, educate, and enchant a broad audience of users. As a senior full-stack engineer working to support Bloo... Show more

Diana Pelenur is a photographer and digital artist who is based in Toronto having grown up in Brazil and Uruguay. Diana has always been fascinated with technology and Web3 has provided
the perfect platform to explore her curiosity of what is possible on the blockchain. Her art is based on digital photographs that are then manipulated in photoshop to tell a story beyond the
photographic image. Diana likes to imagine what life would look like if we lived on the blockchain and her latest collection is a reflection of this imaginary world. Recently Diana has begun exploring art created with AI.

Diana is co-founder of XenosProject.io, an NFT pfp collection whose mission is to support schools in underrepresented regions. It is a project that is using Web3 to create a positive social impact.

Diana Pelenur is a photographer and digital artist who is based in Toronto having grown up in Brazil and Uruguay. Diana has always been fascinated with technology and Web3 has provided the perfect platform to explore her curiosity of what is possibl... Show more

Software engineer turned Site Reliability Engineer. Certified Data Engineer for GCP and Kubernetes Administrator. Has worked on performance critical microservices at a global scale. Helps companies scale up their infrastructure by mentoring, educating and building scalable software solutions. Focuses on information used and generated by services, basically data, which in turn is used to make informed, data-driven decisions about the future of the business. Has a Master in Computer Science and a broad experience in many layers from infrastructure to front-end. University guest lecturer and active in the Stockholm meetup community.

website:
https://bisconti.cloud

Software engineer turned Site Reliability Engineer. Certified Data Engineer for GCP and Kubernetes Administrator. Has worked on performance critical microservices at a global scale. Helps companies scale up their infrastructure by mentoring, educatin... Show more

I am is a seasoned User Experience Designer with a strong focus on automotive UX, human factors, and digital accessibility. With over 4 years of industry experience, I currently contribute to the UX team at Maruti Suzuki, where we craft intuitive and meaningful in-vehicle experiences that blend technology, human behavior, and design innovation. Their expertise lies in designing digital ecosystems that not only meet user needs but also drive broader business and societal impact.

In 2024, I delivered a well-received talk at UX India on enhancing user experience in automobiles, a session that sparked widespread discussions on the future of mobility design. Beyond professional projects, I am passionate about mentoring young designers, promoting accessibility in digital spaces, and pushing the boundaries of user-centered innovation in complex industries like automotive and connected mobility.
Outside of work, I am a photography enthusiast, an avid non-fiction reader, and a traveler who loves exploring diverse cultures and ideas. This unique blend of technical expertise, user empathy, and a visionary outlook positions me as a strong voice for how design can act as a transformational force for people, businesses, and the planet.

I am is a seasoned User Experience Designer with a strong focus on automotive UX, human factors, and digital accessibility. With over 4 years of industry experience, I currently contribute to the UX team at Maruti Suzuki, where we craft intuitive and... Show more

Seasoned professional with expertise in communication, PR, innovation, China and Italy

Seasoned professional with expertise in communication, PR, innovation, China and Italy Show more

Deepali is a passionate and highly accomplished media professional with over 20 years of rich experience in the TMT (Technology/Media/Telco) Sector. In her last assignment, she worked on a premium OTT Platform called HOOQ which was a joint venture between SingTel Telecommunications, Warner Brothers, and Sony Entertainment. She enjoys consulting startup companies to organize content, metadata, and distribution deals in a way where the company can grow rapidly by internationalizing the business through a global strategy.

Deepali is a passionate and highly accomplished media professional with over 20 years of rich experience in the TMT (Technology/Media/Telco) Sector. In her last assignment, she worked on a premium OTT Platform called HOOQ which was a joint venture be... Show more

Emily Riederer is a Senior Analytics Manager at Capital One where she leads a team dedicated to the development of sustainable data products (including datamarts, internal analysis toolkits, and self-service business intelligence capabilities) for business partners ranging from entry-level analysts to senior executives. She is particularly passionate about bringing open source tools and mindsets to industry and empowering communities of practice within organizations.

Emily is a contributing author to 97 Things Every Data Engineer Should Know (O’Reilly) and The R Markdown Cookbook (CRC Press), and frequently writes about all things data on here blog at https://emilyriederer.netlify.com/. In her spare time, she serves as an editor for rOpenSci and maintains the dbtplyr dbt package and the projmgr and convo R packages.

Emily Riederer is a Senior Analytics Manager at Capital One where she leads a team dedicated to the development of sustainable data products (including datamarts, internal analysis toolkits, and self-service business intelligence capabilities) for bu... Show more

Rachel Ann Mullis is a film maker turned public speaker known for leading conversations most people avoid—and doing so with precision, emotional intelligence, and earned authority. Recognized as a sensitive subject guru, she specializes in exposing the truths individuals, organizations, and industries can’t—or won’t—address on their own.
Her credibility is grounded in deep, hands-on experience at the center of high-stakes cultural moments. Rachel directed and produced Shame on You, a feature documentary examining sexuality shaming and gender-based violence around the world, starring Tiffany Haddish. The project placed her at the intersection of global conversations about power, harm, and cultural silence—work that continues to inform her speaking today.
She also hosted over 150 episodes of No Filter Friday on Public House Media, where she covered the #MeToo movement from inside Hollywood. Through candid, long-form conversations with artists, advocates, and industry insiders, Rachel became known for asking the questions others wouldn’t—and holding space for conversations others couldn’t.
In addition, Rachel has a book deal based on her involvement in the California v. David Pearce case, further grounding her work in real-world accountability, systemic failure, and the human cost of silence.
What distinguishes Rachel as a speaker is her ability to translate emotionally charged, high-risk issues into clarity and action. She doesn’t provoke for attention—she reveals for impact. Trusted for her depth, discretion, and insight, Rachel equips audiences to engage in the conversations that drive meaningful change.

Rachel Ann Mullis is a film maker turned public speaker known for leading conversations most people avoid—and doing so with precision, emotional intelligence, and earned authority. Recognized as a sensitive subject guru, she specializes in exposing t... Show more

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

Stefanie Magness is a visibility strategist, PR expert, and passionate educator with 28+ years of corporate leadership experience, including COO-level roles. She’s the creator of The Visibility Stack™ framework and founder of The Elevate Desk, a $49/month subscription platform that curates 130+ monthly visibility opportunities—awards, speaking gigs, podcasts, and media features—for service professionals like coaches, consultants, realtors, and attorneys.
After her own visibility win with the Pine-Sol Award for Women Making a Difference led to features in Essence and Ebony magazines and paid speaking opportunities, Stefanie realized that most professionals can’t afford $5K-$10K PR retainers. So she built an affordable alternative that teaches them how to elevate themselves.
With a background as a former lobbyist, political candidate, and SBDC counselor who’s trained over 1,500 entrepreneurs, Stefanie brings real-world expertise to every stage she steps on. She’s also an Expert Instructor & Advisor with NCRC, teaching digital identity, online visibility, public relations, and sales & marketing strategies.
Stefanie’s approach? Sassy, direct, and unapologetically authentic. She’s not here to gatekeep—she’s here to teach you how to get visible, get recognized, and get paid.

Stefanie Magness is a visibility strategist, PR expert, and passionate educator with 28+ years of corporate leadership experience, including COO-level roles. She’s the creator of The Visibility Stack™ framework and founder of The Elevate Desk, a $49/... Show more