Congressman Joseph Kennedy III has dedicated his career to social and economic justice, fighting for the basic needs of every American family and a political system that is inclusive, representative, and fair. The U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district from 2013-2021, he ran for office to tackle the systemic inequities – from health care and housing to climate and education – that have left countless American families locked out and left behind. Kennedy’s presentations address the latest in politics and what’s next for the political landscape. Well-versed on the most pressing issues of the day, he provides an insider’s look at current events and takes a thoughtful approach on how they may impact the country’s future. With a constant focus on the most vulnerable among us, Kennedy brings a uniquely empathetic voice to our nation’s most vexing challenges.

A pioneer in medicine and leadership, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall has been on the frontlines of healthcare for more than four decades as a clinician, researcher, and leader in the biopharmaceuticals and life sciences industries. Dr. Lewis-Hall is an incredible storyteller with a flair for well-timed humor who shares with audiences her powerful story and inspiring path to becoming a leader in the healthcare industry. Her talks motivate audience members to embrace pressure and determine their own destinations, just as she did on her path to being the first in her family to attend college, becoming a physician and, subsequently, a biopharmaceutical executive. Dr. Lewis-Hall’s message of perseverance, tenacity, equity, inclusion, and transparency is one that resonates with all audiences and diverse backgrounds.

Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker. Maurice is well known for providing dynamic live tournament coverage of world-class chess competitions and matches.

Barrier-breaker, transformational leader, a force to be reckoned with — these are just some of the words to describe Daphne E. Jones, an accomplished and seasoned Fortune 50 executive whose forward-looking vision played a key role in unlocking growth within various multinational corporations. Through the course of her illustrious 30-year career, she held executive roles at IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Hospira, Inc. (now Pfizer) — where she shattered the ‘concrete’ ceiling by becoming the first woman and first person of color to report to the Chairman of the Board and CEO, and General Electric, where she became the highest-ranking African American woman in GE IT. Jones is widely regarded as a power player in her field and draws upon her extensive experience using digital technologies strategically, entrepreneurially, and globally to advise organizations in every industry on the way forward for their businesses.

As a young man, Dr. Rolle hopes to be an inspirer of dreams, an educator of purpose, a patient centered healer and a leader for many. Sports enthusiasts and intellectuals alike know Dr. Myron Laurent Rolle as a gifted athlete, scholar and philanthropist. As a graduate medical student at the FSU College of Medicine and neurosurgery resident at Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Rolle is achieving his dream of becoming a doctor and hoping to inspire others as well.

A political powerhouse with a reputation for building consensus where it was deemed impossible, The Honorable Stephanie Murphy is widely regarded as an impactful legislator who cuts through the partisan gridlock to create meaningful results for our nation. In 2017, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 7th congressional district in a remarkable tenure that concluded in 2023. A leader among the moderate Democrats, during her three terms in the House, she was consistently named one of the most effective and bipartisan members of Congress — working across both sides of the aisle to address key issues ranging from trade to national security policy. Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed her to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, and she co-led the Select Committee’s seventh hearing alongside Representative Jamie Raskin. With extensive public service and private sector experience under her belt, Murphy is a widely respected strategic advisor to government officials and senior business leaders alike.

Bakari Sellers made history in 2006 when, at just 22 years old, he defeated a 26-year incumbent State Representative to become the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. Sellers represented South Carolina's 90th district in the lower house of the state legislature from 2006 to 2014 and was also the first vice chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party. Sellers has been an attorney with the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. since 2007 and is an analyst on CNN. In 2010, Time magazine featured Sellers on its 40 Under 40 list, in 2012, Politico named Sellers on its "50 politicos to watch" list and in 2014 was named HBCU Top 30 Under 30.

Simon T. Bailey believes you are meant to share your brilliance. His passion and purpose is unlocking that ability in a way that ignites sustainable transformation. He understands the pressure leaders and high performers are facing in the midst of uncertainty and equips them with simple, easy-to-implement strategies to accelerate results. Simon knows how to challenge an audience and provide them with tangible takeaways and sustainable action steps. LinkedIn Learning features three of his online courses that reach professionals in 100 countries. Simon has more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry, including serving as sales director for Disney Institute, and has worked with more than 1,800 organizations in 50 countries. He has been named one of the top 25 people who will help you reach your business and life goals by SUCCESS magazine, joining a list that includes Brene Brown, Tony Robbins, and Oprah Winfrey. His Goalcast video, released on Facebook, has over 90 million views worldwide. When he is not working, Simon serves as a board member for the U.S. Dream Academy and Orlando Health Foundation Board.

Greg Gumbel is a television sportscaster and current host of CBS’s Inside The NFL. Throughout 40+ years in the business, he has become one of the most outstanding and best known announcers in sports television. He has covered everything from Major League Baseball and the NBA to the Summer and Winter Olympic games and the Daytona 500. In 2001, he became the first African-American (and Creole) announcer to call play-by-play of a major sports championship in the United States.

In 2018, Joe Cunningham became the first Democrat to be elected to South Carolina's First Congressional District in over 40 years. The Charleston Post and Courier called his victory the "biggest upset in modern South Carolina history." During his two-year term in office, Cunningham was widely recognized for his “people-first” approach to legislating. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked him the 4th most bipartisan member of Congress and endorsed him in his re-election effort. The bipartisan Lugar Center ranked him as the most bipartisan freshman in the House in 2019. Delivering on a campaign promise to put “people over politics,” he made constituent services a bedrock of his tenure in Congress and his Congressional office closed more cases than any other freshman House Democrat. Cunningham served on the Veterans Affairs and Natural Resources Committees where he passed two bills into law in his first term, including the Veterans Tele-hearing Modernization Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. In 2019, Joe delivered on another signature campaign promise when the House passed his bipartisan bill banning offshore drilling. Cunningham was unafraid to make legislative points in creative ways. In 2019, he blew an airhorn in a Natural Resources subcommittee hearing to highlight the dangers of seismic airgun blasting to sea life. In his farewell speech in December of 2020, he became the first known member in Congressional history to crack a beer on the House floor in a toast to bipartisanship and cooperation. The video of Cunningham's farewell speech has been viewed over 1 million times. Even in defeat, Cunningham still enjoyed significant crossover support in his district. He lost his reelection bid by only 1% of the vote in a district that Joe Biden lost by 6%.

Shaquem Griffin became the first one-handed player to be drafted and to play in the NFL. When he was just 4 years old, he had his left hand amputated due to a painful condition called amniotic band syndrome, which prevented his hand from developing normally. He has never used his lack of two hands as a reason to feel sorry for himself or to give up when he was faced with a challenge. It actually fueled his desire to prove skeptics and haters wrong, pursue his dream of playing football at the highest level and inspire millions along the way. Shaquem was born just minutes after his twin, Shaquill. At an early age, they made a pact to always stay together, to be inseparable. Both boys went on to become standout athletes at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg and college at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where Shaquem was Conference Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead UCF to an undefeated, national championship season. He even received a vote for the Heisman Trophy given to the most outstanding college football player in the country. After college, Shaquem and Shaquill were remarkably both drafted by the same NFL team, the Seattle Seahawks, where they played together for three memorable seasons (2018 - 2020). Shaquem's most memorable on-the-field highlight was sacking current NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers during the playoffs in 2020. He signed with the Miami Dolphins for the 2021 season and then retired in 2022 to pursue his "Plan A" of making a positive impact in the world full-time.

Mark Esper has led a distinguished career as a visionary leader, innovator, reformer, and change agent with a proven record of accomplishment in a wide range of roles and organizations. He attributes his success to the importance he places on character and values, coupled with boundless energy and a can-do spirit that puts the organization and its people first, and treating everyone with dignity and respect. A graduate of some of the nation’s top schools, Esper has led military organizations as small as platoons and companies, and as large as the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. His private sector experience includes service as a senior executive in a Fortune 100 company and as a leader in major trade associations that represent a range of businesses and industries. He has an intimate understanding of the Executive Branch, Congress, and American politics, and has built a broad network of relationships globally. Mark Esper will offer any audience an array of insights, ideas, forecasts, and strategies that can help them improve as individuals and teams.