Event Speakers

Tina Brown

Renowned Magazine Editor, Best-Selling Author & Founder of TheDailyBeast.com

Tina Brown is the highest-profile, most talked-about magazine editor in the world. From a young writer for Punch magazine and the London Sunday Times, she quickly rose through the ranks of the magazine industry to become editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, and then publisher of Talk magazine. Her career has been spectacular, and she is now a news-making celebrity in her own right. Brown's latest project, TheDailyBeast.com, is quickly changing the way we consume news online A smart one-stop news shop with an effort to redefine news aggregation, TheDailyBeast.com shifts, sorts and curates news mixed with original content. Brown and her husband, Harold Evans, editorial director at U.S. News & World Report, have two children.

Frank Abagnale

Catch Me if You Can

Frank W. Abagnale will present an entertaining discussion of his life. By the age of 21, he had impersonated an international airline pilot, a pediatrician, a stockbroker, a college professor, and even an assistant attorney general, all while cashing $2.5 million dollars in forged checks. He will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride as he discusses his life and what's really important in life. His amazing story was made into a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, James Brolin, and Jennifer Garner.

Andre Agassi

Former Professional Tennis Player

Andre Agassi ended a 21-year tennis career with his retirement following the U.S. Open in the summer of 2006. His match against Marcos Baghdatis during the tournament is considered one of the most memorable of all time. Agassi has 60 career singles titles including eight Grand Slam titles. Off the court, he has established The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation (AACF) in 1994 to provide recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk boys and girls in Las Vegas. The AACF’s annual fund-raiser, the Grand Slam For Children, has raised more than $70 million over the past 12 years. Agassi also opened a public charter school in Las Vegas in 2001, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, to improve lives through education and recreation. The school will have its first senior graduating class in the spring of 2009. Since retiring, Agassi has been involved in several business endeavors with his wife, Stefanie Graf, whom he married in 2001.

Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie

Mitch Albom is the author of eight books, including The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie, the #1 selling non-fiction book in America in 1998 and a staple on the New York Times Bestsellers list for more than four years. Oprah Winfrey produced a major television movie for ABC based on Tuesdays with Morrie. A phenomenon in its own right, the movie was not only the most-watched on any network for that year, it also earned four Emmy Awards in 2000. With more than five million copies now in print, Tuesdays with Morrie is also in publication in 34 countries and 30 languages.

H.E. Mohamed Ali Alabbar

Director General of the Department of Economic Development (DED) Government of Dubai, and Chairman - Emaar Properties

Mohamed Ali Alabbar is also a member of the Dubai Executive Council and of the board of the UAE Stocks & Commodities Authority. He graduated from the University of Seattle, USA, with a Bachelor's degree in Finance and Business Administration.

David Allen

Best-selling author, “Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity” and “Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life”.

David Allen is founder and President of the David Allen Company, a management consulting, coaching, and training organization. He has developed and implemented productivity improvement programs for over a half million professionals in hundreds of organizations worldwide, including many Fortune 500 corporations and U.S. Government agencies.
Having worked with individual executives and senior professionals, David has developed a revolutionary, unique and highly practical system for improving personal and organizational productivity. With his experience, he has written two international best-selling books, Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity and Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life.

Jann Arden

Songwriter / Author, If I Knew, Don't You Think I'd Tell You?

A multiple Juno award winner, “Best Female Artist 2001” as well as “Best Songwriter 2002”, Jann Arden's tenacity and spirit have allowed her to overcome adversity and rise to become one of Canada’s best-known musical talents. You will be inspired and entertained by this truly unique woman.

Lance Armstrong

Every Second Counts Seven-time Tour de France Winner

National and world champion cyclist, three-time Olympian, renowned humanitarian, role model, cancer survivor, and now seven-time winner of the Tour De France, Lance Armstrong is clearly one of the most celebrated and charismatic contributors to the sport of cycling. He made world headlines in Paris on July 25, 1999 with the most stunning comeback ever in the history of sport. To say that he is an emotional athlete is an understatement; to say that he is a passionate and fearless competitor is evident. However, what may not be so readily apparent is the depth of character and generosity of spirit that is so much a part of the psychological blueprint of this modest and straightforward hero.

Linda Armstrong Kelly

Author

Linda Armstrong Kelly’s life story is captivating audiences everywhere. Her son, seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, credits her as the unsung hero who assisted him in reaching his spectacular cycling victories – and in his triumph over cancer. In her book NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH—Raising Lance, Raising Me, she writes about her early life as a teenage mother, living in poverty, trying her best to do the right thing while raising her son. A tireless advocate for children and survivors, she can also speak powerfully to timely and tough issues like teen pregnancy, single motherhood, domestic abuse and substance abuse. Linda believes that living with love and joy, maintaining focus, and risk-taking are the foundation for a life well lived.

John Assaraf

Living an Extraordinary Life

John Assaraf is an international best-selling author, speaker, and consummate entrepreneur. In his quest to overcome his challenges and fulfill his desire to live a purposeful and meaningful life, he discovered a unique passion for brain research and quantum physics as it related to achieving success in business and in life. His expertise in helping organizations and individuals achieve success has landed him on Larry King Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, ABC, CBS and NBC television worldwide. In addition, John recently made his cameo appearance in the new hit movie The Secret. John is now putting his experience and knowledge to use as the Founder of One Coach .

David Bach

The Automatic Millionaire

David Bach is the author of the instant bestseller, The Automatic Millionaire, as well as The New York Times bestsellers Smart Women Finish Rich and Smart Couples Finish Rich, and the national bestseller The Finish Rich Workbook, as well as the recently released Oxford Financial Dictionary 1001 Financial Words You Need To Know. The host of his own PBS special, Smart Women Finish Rich, Bach is an internationally recognized financial expert, author, educator, and radio host.

Joy Behar

Co-host of the ABC Television Network’s “The View”

Joy Behar, co-host of ABC’s “The View,” is among today’s leading comic talents. Whether performing standup comedy or interviewing politicians and artists, she is a leading woman both on stage and screen. “The View” has received 22 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Her film appearances include “Cookie,” with Peter Falk” “This Is My Life,” directed by Nora Ephron, and Woody Allen’s “Manhattan Murder Mystery.” In theater she earned rave reviews for her starring role in the off-Broadway hit “The Food Chain,” and also in the critically-acclaimed “The Vagina Monologues.”

Ms. Behar is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations and is a frequent contributor to a number of charitable foundations.

H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan

Minister of Education and Scientific Research, and Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology

H.E. assumed the position of Chancellor of the UAE University since its inception in 1976. He served as the first UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research upon establishment of the Ministry in 1990, then as the UAE Minister of Education after the merger of the two education-related ministries (Education and Higher Education & Scientific Research) in November 2004.

Jully Black

Singer-Songwriter

Jully Black, a four-time Juno & MuchMusic Video Award nominee, has been a consistent figure in Canada's music scene for years now and is one of the R&B pioneers to emerge out of Canada. Raised in the rough Jane and Finch neighborhood of Toronto, Jully discovered she could sing in church at a young age and over the years continued to develop and strengthen her powerful alto voice. Her signature rasp and soul-stirring voice captured the ears of rappers and R&B artists south of the border where Black has written songs for international superstars Destiny's Child and has opened concerts for Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Usher and the Black Eyed Peas. She has also shared the stage with R&B legend Patti Labelle and Aaron Neville at the 2005 Montreal Jazz Festival. The Brown Sugar Soundtrack featured her song You've Changed, her current hit I Travelled appeared on Women & Songs 7 and Black's song writing has appeared in the films The Fighting Temptations and You Got Served. Most recently, Black sharpened her emcee skills as the host of the 2006 JUNO Gala Awards and Dinner. In 2005, Jully Black's highly anticipated debut album This is Me was released. The singles released off the album include Stay The Night, 5x Love, I Travelled and Sweat Of Your Brow: which received significant radio airplay and was a certified club hit.

Jill Bolte Taylor

Trained and published neuroanatomist

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a trained and published neuroanatomist, who specializes in the postmortem investigation of the human brain. She served for 3 years on the board of directors of the national NAMI organization (National Alliance on Mental Illness) between 1994-1997. She travels extensively as the National Spokesperson for the Mentally Ill for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center (Harvard Brain Bank), bringing awareness to the severe shortage of brain tissue donations for postmortem research of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

In an unfortunate ironic twist, on December 10, 1996, Dr. Taylor woke up to discover that she was experiencing a rare form of stroke, an arterio-venous malformation (AVM). Three weeks later, she underwent major brain surgery to remove a golf ball size hemorrhage that was placing pressure on the language centers in the left hemisphere of her brain.

For the past ten years, Dr. Taylor has been successfully rebuilding her brain - from the inside out. As the “Singin' Scientist”, Dr. Taylor delivers this very popular keynote address titled: The Beauty and Resiliency of the Human Brain. Additionally, she published a book “My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey.” which recounts her challenges for recovery and the insights she gained. Dr. Taylor currently serves as President of the Greater Bloomington Affiliate of NAMI.

Cherie Booth

Noted British Attorney/Human Rights Advocate

Cherie Booth is a trailblazer in her professional life and a dedicated wife and mother in her private life. The New York Times wrote: “Cherie Booth is viewed as something of a wonder woman for her ability to balance her high-powered professional life, high-visibility public life and intensely consuming private life." Her husband, Prime Minister Tony Blair, has given his wife credit for being "…an enormous source of strength and an extraordinary person in her own right. I never know how she manages with all the different things she does - the work, the family." She married Tony Blair in 1980 and in 1995 she became a Queen’s Counsel, which is a title held by only 10 percent of English lawyers. Currently, she specializes in Public, Employment and European Community Law at Matrix Chambers law group in London. Ms. Booth is the Chancellor and Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University (JMU), Governor and Honorary Fellow of the London School of Economics and the Open University, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a Doctor of Laws (Westminster University) and a Fellow of the International Society of Lawyers for Public Service. She is a Bencher of Lincolns Inn London as well as honorary Bencher of Kings Inn Dublin.

Nicholas Boothman

How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less

Learn the secrets of body language, conversation-starting synchronicity, and sensory preferences in order to make fast, warm, meaningful connections with anyone, anywhere, any time. Along the way, Boothman covers attitude, nervousness, words that open a conversation and words that shut it down, compliments, eye cues, the magic of opposites attracting, and more.

Michele Borba, Ed.D.

Nobody Likes Me, Everybody Hates Me: Friendship Problems and How to Solve Them

Michele Borba, Ed.D., is an internationally renowned educator and award-winning author who is recognized for her practical, solution-based educator strategies to strengthen a child's behavior, self-esteem, and moral development. Borba shows educators how to teach children the 25 most essential friendship-building skills kids need to find, make and keep friends, as well as survive social pressure from peers. Dr. Borba is the author of 19 books, including No More Misbehavin': 38 Difficult Behaviors and How to Stop Them; and Building Moral Intelligence, cited by Publishers' Weekly as "among the most noteworthy of 2001".

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D.

The Power of the Mind to Heal

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. has a powerfully clear personal vision - to bring science, medicine, psychology, and spirituality together in the service of healing. Her brilliance as a scientist, clinician and teacher have placed her on the leading edge of the mind-body revolution, and she has become a world-renowned spokesperson for this new approach to health, sharing her pioneering work with a gentle graciousness, enthusiasm and humility. Dr. Borysenko is a spell-binding lecturer and workshop leader who blends science, psychology and spirituality in a unique and powerful way.

David Bouchard

The Gift Of Reading

David Bouchard is a former teacher, school administrator and literacy champion who has written a number of very popular and award-winning children's books, including If You're Not From the Prairie. Bouchard discusses ways to promote literature and recreational reading in the classroom and in the broader community. Bouchard's advice, from the perspective of a teacher and principal, is to "become more flexible, less focused on making our way through a mandated body of material and more focused on addressing the specific needs of each of our students." He encourages administrators to realize their power, reminding them that by not modeling reading throughout their groups of staff and students, they are misusing their power and positions.

Sir Richard Branson

CEO of the Virgin Group

Richard Branson was born in 1950, and educated at Stowe School, where he established a national magazine called Student at the age of sixteen. He started a Student Advisory Centre at age 17 to help young people. In 1970 he founded Virgin as a mail order record retailer and shortly thereafter opened a record shop in Oxford Street, London. During 1972 a recording studio was built in Oxfordshire where the first Virgin artist, Mike Oldfield, recorded "Tubular Bells" which was released in 1973.

The first album of the newly created Virgin Records went on to sell over 5 million copies and over the years many household names, including, Belinda Carlisle, Genesis, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson and The Rolling Stones helped make Virgin Music one of the top six record companies in the world. The equity of Virgin Music Group - record labels, music publishing, and recording studios was sold to THORN EMI in 1992 in a US$1Bn deal.

The interests of Virgin Group have now expanded into international "Megastore" music retailing, air travel, mobile, financial, retail, music, internet, drinks, rail, resorts and leisure, through around 200 companies in over 30 countries. In December 1999 Richard Branson was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's millennium New Years honours list for "services to entrepreneurship".

Erin Brockovich

Environmental activist, motivational speaker, television host and producer.

While working at a law firm, Erin Brockovich discovered odd medical records that caught her eye and began to research the matter. On further investigation Erin found the health of countless people who lived in and around Hinkley, California in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s had been exposed to toxic Chromium 6. The Chromium 6 had leaked into the groundwater from the nearby Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Compressor Station. In 1996, as a result of the largest direct action lawsuit of its kind, the giant utility paid the largest toxic tort injury settlement in U.S. history: $333 million in damages to more than 600 Hinkley residents. Her investigation led to the hit movie Erin Brockovich, which highlighted her legal triumph and personal challenges.

Po Bronson

What Should I Do with My Life? : The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question

How do we find our true calling, that place where we are emotionally fulfilled and our productivity explodes? In, What Should I Do with My Life?, Po Bronson crosses the American landscape to find people who have succeeded in finding their calling, many after great difficulty. He describes their resolve, sacrifice, introspection and courage in the face of the overwhelming fears and misconceptions that lead many to make poor choices in their lives and livelihoods. These amazing life stories are inspiring, illuminating and entertaining. Bronson is armed with an uncanny ability to capture the motivations, desires, and personalities that are defining their unique places in every aspect of modern culture. With wit, first-hand experience, and a journalistic appetite for the truth, Bronson delves into lives that are unique, fulfilling and inspirational; within his broad scope is everyone from a billion-dollar start-up venturist in Silicon Valley to a Cuban immigrant who quit her high-paying job in order to become a social-service worker in Miami.

Campbell Brown

Award Winning Journalist & CNN Anchor, Host of No Bull

Veteran broadcaster Campbell Brown is one of the most respected and recognizable faces in the news. She won an Emmy for her reporting during Hurricane Katrina; was on the trail during the last two presidential elections; and has made numerous trips to Iraq to reporton the Iraqi elections, abuses at Abu Graib prison and the trial of Saddam Hussein.,Brown has since joined CNN and is currently the host of Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull. Prior to joining CNN, Brown was with NBC News for eleven years. While there, Brown served as co-anchor of NBC’s TODAY Weekend Edition, the nation’s top rated weekend news program. Brown grew up in Louisiana, and graduated from Regis College in Denver, Colorado with a B.A. in Political Science.

Les Brown

Author “Live Your Dreams” and “It's Not Over Until You Win.”

Les Brown is one of the nation's leading authorities in understanding and stimulating human potential. As a renowned professional speaker, author and television personality, Les Brown has risen to national prominence by delivering a high energy message which tells people how to shake off mediocrity and live up to their greatness. In 1989, Les Brown was the recipient of the National Speakers Association's highest honor: The Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE). In addition, he was selected one of the World's Top Five Speakers for 1992 by Toastmasters international and recipient of the Golden Gavel Award. In 1990, Les recorded his first in a series of speech presentations entitled You Deserve, which was awarded a Chicago-area Emmy. Les is the former host of The Les Brown Show, a nationally syndicated daily television talk show which focused on solutions rather than problems. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed and successful books, “Live Your Dreams” and “It's Not Over Until You Win.”

Tina Brown

Magazine Editor Vanity Fair, Best-Selling Author & Founder of TheDailyBeast.com

Tina Brown is the highest-profile, most talked-about magazine editor in the world. From a young writer for Punch magazine and the London Sunday Times, she quickly rose through the ranks of the magazine industry to become editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, and then publisher of Talk magazine. Her career has been spectacular, and she is now a news-making celebrity in her own right. Brown’s latest project, TheDailyBeast.com, is quickly changing the way we consume news online A smart one-stop news shop with an effort to redefine news aggregation, TheDailyBeast.com shifts, sorts and curates news mixed with original content. Brown and her husband, Harold Evans, editorial director at U.S. News & World Report, have two children.

Dr. Robert Buckman

How to Become an Effective Communicator

Superior communication skills are one of the keys to a successful life - both personal and professional. No one teaches these skills more effectively than the remarkable Dr. Robert Buckman. Based on an in-depth five-step protocol for effective communication, he delivers rock-solid practical tips you can use immediately.

Mark Burnett

Dare to Succeed Producer of Survivor, The Apprentice

The genius behind the wildly popular Survivor series and a driving force behind reality television, Mark Burnett is the hottest producer in television. What most people don't know is that Burnett has his own survival story to tell, and it's every bit as riveting as the show. A decade ago, he was selling t-shirts on the beach in Southern California. But through a combination of inspiration, determination and sheer nerve, he transformed his life and went on to produce Emmy-winning programs. He reveals how to achieve business and personal success by embracing risk and leading with compassion.

President George W. Bush

43rd President of the United States

President George W. Bush served in the Oval Office for eight of the most consequential years in American history. Faced with challenges from a terrorist attack to a global financial crisis, he made difficult decisions that will shape the nation's course and world affairs for decades to come. His leadership after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, was an inspiration to millions of Americans. His policies, while controversial at times, kept the country safe for more than seven years and liberated more than 50 million people from tyranny. Working with leaders in Congress and elsewhere, President Bush also raised standards and accountability in public education, added a prescription drug benefit to Medicare that helped more than 40 million beneficiaries, improved air quality and made America’s energy supply more secure, designated more ocean area habitats for environmental protection than any predecessor, launched historic efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria in Africa, and strengthened America's relationships with strategically important nations like India, China and Japan. He shares with audiences candid insights on his eight years in the White House, his experiences with other world leaders, the nature of public leadership and decision making, and a wide variety of domestic and international issues.

Cassie Campbell

Olympic Gold Medalist

At age five, Cassie Campbell laced up her first pair of skates. Now, as the Captain of Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team and a heroine of Canadian sport, she has taken part in three Winter Olympic Games, seven International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s Championships, nine Four Nations Cups and the Torino Ice Tournament. Her teams have won 21 medals in total, including 17 gold medals and four silver medals. Bold, dynamic, and passionate, Cassie draws on her accomplishments to explore the themes of leadership, teamwork, motivation, and determination. A lively, passionate, and engaging speaker, she knows firsthand about the key roles that teamwork, determination, and great leadership play at the most challenging times. The result is a keynote speech that inspires, informs, and entertains.

Jack Canfield

The Success Principles: How To Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre - and watched it grow to a billion dollar market. As the driving force behind the development and delivery of over 100 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® franchise, Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success. He is also one of the driving forces behind the wildly popular, The Secret. Jack has also been a featured guest on more than 1,000 radio and television programs in nearly every major market worldwide - many of them on a repeat basis. A sample of these shows include Oprah, 20/20, Inside Edition, The Today Show, Larry King Live, Fox and Friends, The CBS Evening News, The NBC Nightly News, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live!, PBS, QVC and many others.

Ram Charan

Author of “Know How” and a highly acclaimed business advisor, speaker and author who has coached some of the world's most successful CEOs.

As a graduate of the Harvard Business School, Ram Charan is no stranger to success. He is a well-known author whose books include, Execution, written with Larry Bossidy, former CEO of Honeywell. The book reached number one on the Wall Street Journal list and has remained on the New York Times best-seller list for over fifty weeks. Charan’s other books include, What the CEO Wants You To Know, Boards At Work and Every Business Is a Growth Business. His dedication goes so far as to tailor his books for specific client companies such as Gateway, Ford and EDS. He has contributed articles for the Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Time and Information Week. Currently, Charan is the director of Austin Industries and The Six Sigma Academy.

Jean Chatzky

Best-selling Author of "You Don’t have to Be Rich, Pay It Down: From Debt to Wealth on a $10 A Day" and "Make Money, Not Excuses".

Jean Chatzky has created a global platform that is making signifigant strides to help millions battle the impact of debt. Chatzky is the financial editor for NBC’s Today Show, contributing editor for Money and Travel + Leisure Magazines, a columnist for The New York Daily News and is a featured money coach on Oprah’s “Debt Diet” series. Her best-selling books include, You Don’t have to Be Rich, Pay It Down: From Debt to Wealth on a $10 A Day and Make Money, Not Excuses. In addition to her books, Chatzky is a recognized journalist and was named one of the best magazine columnists by the Chicago Tribune in 2003.

Dr. Deepak Chopra

Ageless Body, Timeless Mind

Dr. Deepak Chopra is acknowledged as one of the world's greatest leaders in the field of mind body medicine. The author of more than 35 books, he has been published on every continent, and in dozens of languages. He is widely credited with melding modern theories of quantum physics with the timeless wisdom of ancient cultures. Through The Chopra Center, which offers training programs in mind body medicine, Dr. Chopra is revolutionizing common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing.

Chin-Ning Chu

Author of "Do Less, Achieve More"

Chin-Ning Chu is taking the international business community by storm. She presents the warrior philosophy as a premier vehicle for mastering strategic thinking in the corporate world. Chu weaves the diverse elements of strength, strategy, pragmatic enterprise and personal growth into every topic she addresses. Fusing timeless Eastern wisdom with Western practicality, Chu is able to produce tangible results for solving life’s ever-shifting challenges. Her thought provoking style can be found in her best-sellers "Do Less, Achieve More"; "Thick Face, Black Heart"; "The Asian Mind Game" and "Working Woman’s Art of War". She’s been featured on CNN’s “Crossfire” and “Larry King Live” and is known as 'the master strategist'.

Jamie Clarke

Achieving Your Goals

Canadian Jamie Clarke's pursuit of Mount Everest is a definitive example of human perseverance. Clarke reached Everest's peak in 1997, after two previous attempts, and this is only the beginning of his adventures. In 1999, he successfully crossed the Arabian Desert, the most dangerous in the world, becoming the first Westerner to do so in 50 years. He has explored over 40 countries and is the author of two books on his adventures, Everest to Arabia and The Power of Passion. Clarke's dynamic speeches challenge audiences to think differently about failure by interpreting it as a worthy pursuit. With his magnetic personality and sense of humour, audiences are glued to his stories and learn about casting fears aside to take the pursuit of their goals to the next level.

Kathy Cleveland Bull

Who Moved My Cheese?

Kathy Cleveland Bull enthuses audiences as a leading interpreter of the timeless truths embedded in Who Moved My Cheese?'s profound parable on change. Her passion is to help people win with confidence and purpose. Kathy has a unique perspective on the challenges executives face, and her insights give executives and managers the freedom they need to be able to develop amidst uncertain times.

President Bill Clinton

42nd President of the United States

William Jefferson Clinton was the first Democratic president in six decades to be elected twice – first in 1992 and then in 1996. Under his leadership, the country enjoyed the strongest economy in a generation and the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, including the creation of more than 22 million jobs.

After leaving the White House, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the mission to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. Today the Foundation has 1,400 staff and volunteers around the world working to improve lives through several initiatives, including the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative which is helping 2 million people living with HIV/AIDS access lifesaving drugs. Other initiatives -- including the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative, and the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative -- are applying a business-oriented approach worldwide to fight climate change and develop sustainable economic growth in Africa and Latin America. As a project of the Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative brings together global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. In the U.S., the Foundation is working to combat the alarming rise in childhood obesity, and is helping individuals and families succeed and small businesses grow.

In addition his Foundation work, President Clinton has joined with former President George H.W. Bush three times – after the 2004 tsunami in South Asia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and Hurricane Ike in 2008 – to help raise money for recovery efforts. He also served as the U.N. Envoy for Tsunami Recovery to help people “build back better.”

President Clinton was born on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas. He and his wife Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton have one daughter, Chelsea, and live in Chappaqua, New York.

Dr. Antonia Coello Novello

Paving the Way as a Leader in the Health Sector

Prior to being appointed as the New York State Health Commissioner, Dr. Antonia Coello Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H. served as the 14th Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on March 9, 1990. Dr. Novello became the first woman and the first Hispanic ever to hold this position. As Surgeon General, Dr. Novello advised the public on health matters, such as smoking, AIDS, diet and nutrition, environmental health hazards, and the importance of immunization and disease prevention. She also directed the activities of the 6,100 members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. On June 3, 1999 Dr. Novello was nominated by Governor George F. Pataki to be the thirteenth New York State Health Commissioner. As New York State Health Commissioner, Dr. Novello’s responsibilities included monitoring Medicaid, Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus programs; Youth Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention; regulation of hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies; Managed Care, Bio-terrorism Preparedness and professional medical conduct. Dr. Novello also serves as the President of Health Research, Inc.

Capt. Gerald Coffee

Beyond Survival

U.S. Navy (retired), Capt. Gerald Coffee was shot down while flying missions over North Vietnam. Much of his seven years as a POW was spent in solitary confinement. He is an inspiring example of the power of the human spirit to survive and triumph over the most adverse circumstances. Beyond Survival gives a moving account of his incredible experience from capture to release.

Herb Cohen

You Can Negotiate Anything

Considered the world's greatest dealmaker, Herb Cohen has been a practicing negotiator for the past four decades, intimately involved in some of the world’s headline dramas, from hostile corporate takeovers to hostage negotiations. As a result of his extensive experience and unique presentation style, Cohen is internationally renowned as someone who can articulate and explain the complexities of selling and negotiations. His book was on The New York Times bestseller list for 39 weeks, was translated into 21 languages and sold 2.5 million copies.

Kenneth Cole

Branding

As a renowned American designer and humanitarian, Kenneth Cole believes that it is great to be known for your shoes and even better to be recognized for your soul. Moving into the family business and spear heading the Candies shoe brand in the early seventies, Cole left his mark and soon branched out to create Kenneth Cole Productions. It is comprised by Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Tribeca and Unlisted. His philanthropic efforts include being Chairman to The Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR), which has allowed him to fuse fashion with social action.

Jesse Cook

Free Fall

With his eclectic and matchless rumba flamenco guitar style, Jesse Cook is quickly becoming one of the world's leading instrumental artists. His albums have dominated Billboard's world music charts and have achieved platinum and gold status in Canada. A spectacular live performer, he was proclaimed one of the four standout artists of the 1996 Montreal Jazz Festival, and his latest album, Free Fall, received a Juno Award for Best Instrumental Album. His single "Fall At Your Feet" also entered the Canadian Top Ten Pop charts.

Lynne Cox

Conquer Your Fears

Lynne Cox is a bold risk-taker who has explored the far territories of human endurance. She is the world’s most extraordinary long distance swimmer, and has repeatedly proved this in the coldest and most treacherous waterways of the world. Her natural exuberance and flair for the dramatic make her one of the most inspiring speakers to emerge in recent years. Audiences cheer Lynne’s heroic story and marvel at the vital lessons learned from it. Blessed with few of the standard tools of athletic prowess, Lynne has relied on gritty dedication and an indomitable spirit to accomplish feats that are nearly unimaginable.

Michael D. Eisner

CEO, Walt Disney Company (1984 – 2005)

Michael D. Eisner joined The Walt Disney Company as Chairman and CEO in 1984. In twenty-one years at its helm, he revitalized and reinvented Disney into a full spectrum entertainment enterprise. Under his leadership, the company began implementation of a continuing series of creative growth strategies that resulted in its annual revenues rising from $1.7 billion to more than $30 billion. During his stewardship, Disney animation experienced a renaissance with hits including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Disney also became a leader in live-action films with pictures such as Pretty Woman, Sixth Sense and Pirates of the Caribbean. Mr. Eisner has been a leader in the entertainment industry for nearly forty years helping to shape this key area of the American economy. Eisner is the author of two books, Work in Progress, which he co-authored with Tony Schwartz, about his involvement in the entertainment industry, and Camp about the life lessons that come from leading a canoe expedition or sitting around a campfire. Mr. Eisner graduated from The Lawrenceville School in 1960 and Denison University in 1964 with a Bachelor's of Arts in English literature and theater.

Steven D. Levitt

Freakonomics

When mild-mannered economist Steven D. Levitt published a paper linking a rise in abortion to a drop in crime, it set off a firestorm of controversy and had both the conservatives and liberals up in arms. But Levitt has no political agenda and is the last person to be called a moralist. He is a brilliant but uncomplicated man who uses simple questions to reach startling conclusions. Levitt has an enormous curiosity and is set on course by personal experiences and the incongruities he sees in everyday life. He is an intuitionist. He sifts through a pile of data to find a story that no one else has found and has shown other economists just how well their tools can make sense of the real world.

Lisa Daily

Relationship Expert, Best-Selling Author, Stop Getting Dumped!

Get advice from America’s most hilarious and relatable love guru. Lisa Daily can tell you why he didn’t call and the color you should never wear on a first date. Millions read her dating advice column or tune in to see her every week on Daytime , and the early buzz on her debut novel Fifteen Minutes of Shame says it pops with the same signature quirky humor and fresh, irreverent voice that made her dating advice book, Stop Getting Dumped! a bestseller. Lisa is a dating coach, speaker and popular media guest – she has done more than 2000 interviews on top radio and television shows, including iVillage Live, MTV Live, and Entertainment Tonight. Lisa has been quoted in hundreds of publications, from the New York Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune to Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Men’s Health, and US Weekly Magazine.

Dr. Laura D'Andrea Tyson

Former National Economic Advisor to President Clinton and first female Chairman of White House Council of Economic Advisors.

As former National Economic Advisor to President Clinton in his first term and Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, Dr. Laura D`Andrea Tyson has earned a reputation as an authority on U.S. economic competitiveness, global markets and high-tech industry. BusinessWeek magazine noted the addition of Tyson to the White House, claiming the administration gained an ``articulate economist`` who would be a ``frontline economic spokesperson`` for the Clinton economic agenda. As the nation`s top economic advisor, Dr. Tyson managed all economic policy making throughout the executive branch. Her expertise has also made its way into an acclaimed book, Who‘s Bashing Whom? Trade Conflict in High Technology Industries and regularly contributes to The Washington Post and The New York Times on domestic and economic policy matters.

William Danko

Best-selling author of "The Millionaire Next Door"

After 31 years on the marketing faculty – nine as chair – Bill Danko achieved emeritus status in 2007 at the School of Business, State University of New York at Albany. During his tenure, he studied consumer behavior, and in particular the topic of wealth formation. He is the co-author of The Millionaire Next Door, a research-based book about wealth in America that has been ranked as a bestseller by The New York Times for more than three years. His academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Advertising Research, and other leading journals.

Dr. Danko earned his Ph.D. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s (RPI) Lally School of Management and Technology. He resides in upstate New York with his wife, and is the father of three adult children, none of whom ask him for money.

Mimi Donaldson

Co-author of "Bless Your Stress - It Means You're Still Alive"

When Mimi Donaldson speaks, people listen. And they laugh...even if they weren't expecting to. And they learn...a lot! But mostly, they never forget the entirely new perspective Mimi Donaldson gives them. She has a flair for having her audiences feel that they've just unlocked the secrets to a truly authentic and rewarding communication method. Again and again, audiences light up when hearing Mimi Donaldson speak about - and provide some eye-opening techniques for - skillful communication. The results: they're much more productive in both their professional and personal relationships.

For over twenty years, Mimi Donaldson has captivated audiences, from the Fortune 100 to the just plain fortunate. She's won acclaim for her rousing keynote speeches, for her compelling workshops, and for her in-house training programs. Before starting her own consulting business Mimi Donaldson spent 10 years as a Human Resources Trainer at Northrop Aircraft, Rockwell International and Walt Disney Productions.

Mimi Donaldson is co-author of Negotiating for Dummies. It has been published in six languages including Chinese, Taiwanese, Russian, and German and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Mimi Donaldson is also the author of Bless Your Stress- It Means You're Still Alive.

John Edwards

2004 Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate, 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate, Former Senator from North Carolina

Senator John Edwards knows the value of hard work and perseverance. Working alongside his father at a mill in his hometown of Robbins, Senator Edwards developed the belief all Americans deserve an equal opportunity to succeed. In 1998, he took his commitment to politics giving a voice to those he had represented throughout his career. He ran for Senate and won. In Congress, Senator Edwards rose quickly as champion for issues such as: quality healthcare, better schools, environment and protecting civil liberties. Most recently in the 2008 Democratic nomination for President, Senator Edwards ran an energetic and visionary campaign which was committed to making a difference in Americans’ lives.

T. Harv Eker

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (Special Guest Speaker)

T. Harv Eker is the #1 NY Times Bestselling Author of Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind and President of Peak Potentials Training, one of the fastest growing success training companies in North America. Eker’s teachings of creating a “Success Blueprint” have touched the lives of more than a quarter million people. Eker will share the good news that you can actually reset your money blueprint to create natural and automatic success.

Gloria Estefan

Singer-Songwriter

Gloria Estefan, an international superstar, is one of the most recognized artists in the world. With five GRAMMY Awards and more than seventy million albums sold world-wide, Estefan is the single most successful crossover performer in the history of Latin music.

Estefan began her career as lead vocalist for the Miami Sound Machine, a then exclusively Spanish language group that was among the first pioneering Latino groups to break into the mainstream pop market. In 1987 they won the American Music Award for Best Pop Band. In 1989 she went solo with the worldwide success of Cut Both Ways. While touring for this album, a tractor trailer crashed into Estefan's tour bus, critically injuring her and breaking her back. After enduring almost a year of grueling physical therapy, Estefan made an astonishing full recovery from injuries that should have left her paralyzed and returned to the top of the charts with the release of the multi-platinum album Into the Light and a nine country world tour. Now, over a decade later, she continues to thrive and secure her status as one of pop music’s true and enduring originals.

She has won the Hispanic Heritage Award, an MTV Music Award, two cable television ACE awards and the 1993 National Music Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year award. She has been honored twice by the Songwriters Hall of Fame: in 1996 she won the Hitmaker Award; and along with her husband, Emilio, won the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. In 2003, she was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. She was also the recipient of the American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement and has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. She now writes about the value of individuality and the power of self-respect.

Jim Fannin

S.C.O.R.E. for Life: The Secret Formula for Thinking Like a Champion

Jim Fannin, known as the ZoneCoach, is an author, consultant, and mental coach for the world's top athletes and corporate executives. He is the founder and creator of the S.C.O.R.E.® Performance System, the leading peak performance program. Drawing from his 25 plus years of experience in sports, education, and business, Fannin helps people from all walks of life become more successful by showing them how to attract the Zone mindset.

Mia Farrow

Actress, Best Selling Author and Humanitarian

As a successful actress, best selling author and committed spokeswoman for children, Mia Farrow has done it all. Her movie classics include, Rosemary’s Baby, The Great Gatsby and her breakthrough television performance in Peyton Place. In addition to gracing movie and television screens, Farrow has added best selling author to her list of accomplishments. What Falls Away, presents a revealing memoir and candid account of her personal struggles, professional successes and her passionate and sincere commitment to the children of the world. As the mother of 14 children, Farrow has taken her nurturing and caring spirit and devoted her life to humanitarian efforts. With the goal of helping those who are less fortunate, she brings an unending source of courage, hope and spiritual strength to her role as mother and activist.

Keith Ferrazzi

Never Eat Alone And Other Secrets To Success One Relationship At A Time

Do you want to get ahead in life? Climb the ladder to Personal Success? The secret according to Keith Ferrazzi, Master networker, leading marketing innovator and best selling author, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships - so that everyone wins. Ferrazzi used his remarkable ability to connect with other to pave the way to Yale, a Harvard M.B.A., and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood's A-list, leading him to be named one of Crain’s 40 under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum. Ferazzi was a CMO for Deloitte Consulting and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and CEO of YaYa Media. He will share his timeless strategies and advice on becoming a "conference commando," and getting past gatekeepers and how to build a lifelong community of colleagues, contacts, friends, and mentors.

Steve Forbes

Chairman and CEO of Forbes Inc. and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine

As Chairman and CEO of Forbes Inc. and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine, Steve Forbes is front and center on the economic challenges that we all face. Making frequent appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and FoxNews, Mr. Forbes has become the voice of calm in these turbulent economic times.

Mr. Forbes outlines what needs to happen now for the immediate economic crisis to pass quickly. While shell-shocked businesses and consumers won't recover rapidly from the trauma of recent months, especially as a recession looms, he provides insights on why the downturn shouldn't be prolonged. The economy here and overseas should start to pick up no later than next spring - if the U.S. and other countries take the right steps.

Debbie Ford

The Secret of the Shadow

Debbie is an internationally recognized expert in the field of personal transformation. Her books have been translated into many languages and used as teaching tools in universities across the country. A graduate of JFK University with an emphasis in consciousness studies, Debbie received the Alumni Award of the Year for her outstanding contribution in the fields of psychology and spirituality.

Vicente and Marta de Fox

President of Mexico 2000 - 2006

When elected to the presidency of Mexico in 2000, Vicente Fox broke the stranglehold that the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party had held on the State for seven decades. A charismatic reformer, Fox played a vital role in Mexico’s democratization and strengthened the country’s economy. Vicente Fox studied at the Ibero-American University and soon after joined the Coca-Cola Company as a truck driver in 1964. Fox was promoted quickly and soon became the youngest executive to ever be appointed president of Coca-Cola for Mexico and Latin America. Under Fox, Coca-Cola surpassed Pepsi as Mexico’s top-selling soft drink.

Linda Francis

Best-selling author, “The Heart Of The Soul"

Linda Francis has co-authored with Gary Zukav two New York Times bestsellers (The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness and The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice) and co-founded the Seat of the Soul Institute, the premiere organization dedicated to assisting individuals in the creation of authentic power. She has been in the healing profession for three decades, first as a registered nurse and then as a chiropractor. At the present time, Linda is fully engaged in conducting events with Gary.

Roland Fryer

Assistant Professor of Economics at Harvard University

Economist Roland Fryer was first brought to the public eye when The New York Times ran a profile of him, entitled "Toward a Unified Theory of Black America" in March of 2005. This portrait etched out the struggles of Fryer's childhood, where he was exposed to drugs, crime and parental abandonment. Despite his birth into a life of poverty Fryer received an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas at Arlington and graduated in a mere 2.5 years. He then pursued his Ph.D. in economics from Penn State.

Now an Assistant Professor of Economics at Harvard University, Fryer has quickly become a major player in the study of applying economic theories to issues of race and discrimination.
Fryer's work has been profiled in The New York Times, Washington Post, the Boston Globe and Black Voices. In recent years, Fryer has noted that his rise to success happened "through the medium of education and through the idea of the mind."

Christopher Gardner

"The Pursuit of Happyness"

Christopher P. Gardner is the head of his own brokerage firm and lives in a Chicago townhouse-one of his three homes - with a collection of tailored suits, designer shoes, and Miles Davis albums. His path to this
extraordinary success took a series of extraordinary turns. Just 20 years ago, Gardner was homeless and living, on occasion, in a bathroom at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station in Oakland, California.

Gardner's first book, The Pursuit of Happyness, is an account of his life story and was released in June 2006. Columbia Pictures has also completed production on a feature film based on Gardner's rags-to-riches tale. It stars Will Smith as Gardner and was released in December 2006.

Gardner's extraordinary story illustrates the nurturing and sustaining power of positive role models. He proudly acknowledges those who guided him-a mother who kept him grounded and uncles who served in the military. Gardner's belief in himself and his dreams, along with his refusal to give in to self-doubt, inspires audiences.

Dan Gilbert

Author of the National best-seller “Stumbling on Happiness.” and Professor of Psychology at Harvard University.

Daniel Gilbert is a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. His research with Tim Wilson on "affective forecasting" investigates how well people can make predictions about the emotional impact of future events. Dan has won numerous awards for his teaching and research—from the Guggenheim Fellowship to the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Award for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology. However, he says that his greatest accomplishment is that he appears just before Dizzie Gillespie on the list of Most Famous High School Dropouts. Dan's research has been covered by The New York Times magazine, Forbes, Money, CNN, U.S. News & World Report, The New Yorker, Scientific American, Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today, and many others.

Malcolm Gladwell

Author of the New York Times best-seller “Blink” and “The Tipping Point”.

In 2005, Time Magazine named Malcolm one of its 100 Most Influential People. He is the author of two New York Times #1 best-sellers. With his first book, Malcolm embedded the concept of The Tipping Point in our everyday vocabulary and gave organizations new tools for understanding how and why change happens and how to create positive epidemics of ideas and behavior. In Blink, he analyzes first impressions—the judgments we make unconsciously and instinctively—and he explores how we can master this important aspect of successful decision-making. He is currently a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. His editor describes his work as a new genre of story, an idea-driven narrative that’s focused on the everyday and combines research with material that’s more personal, social and historical. He was previously a reporter for The Washington Post.

Amanda Gore

Effective Communication Strategies

Amanda Gore knows best about making connections that count, leading
with heart, motivating with laughter and bringing out the best in people. With 20 years experience, a degree in Physical Therapy, major in Psychology and expertise in group dynamics and neurolinguistics, Gore has distinguished herself as one of the world's most sought after experts in her field. Gore's intelligent assessment of what it takes to lead and inspire corporate teams has proven successful in a range of businesses from healthcare to technology, finance to real estate and insurance to retail. Her blend of expertise connects mind, body and spirit to uncover a way to rediscover joy at work and in life.

John Gray

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

John Gray, Ph.D., is the author of 15 bestselling books, including Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. In the past 10 years, 30 million plus Mars and Venus books have been sold in more than 40 languages throughout the world. An expert in the field of communication, Dr. Gray’s focus is to help men and women understand, respect and appreciate their differences in both personal and professional relationships. He provides practical tools and insights to effectively manage stress and improve relationships at all stages and ages by creating the brain chemistry of health, happiness and lasting romance.

Bob Greene

Best-selling author and regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show

Some of you may already know me from the books I’ve written. My first book, published in 1996 and co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, was Make the Connection: Ten Steps To A Better Body -- And A Better Life. It is about how to live a healthier life, and also about how I met Oprah and began working with her in her lifelong battle against weight.

Oprah and I were thrilled when the book became #1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list, and we went on to write another, A Journal of Daily Renewal: The Companion to Make the Connection. More recently, you may have seen my other books, among them Keep the Connection: Choices for a Better Body and a Healthier Life; Get With the Program!; and Get With the Program!: Guide to Good Eating. To my delight, both Get With the Program! books have been The New York Times and Amazon.com best sellers.

I am particularly happy about their successes because it means my message is getting out. It’s my goal to help as many people as possible commit to a healthier—and happier—lifestyle. I don’t want to say I’m a fanatic on the subject, but I do truly believe that exercising and eating healthfully can change your life for the better. I want you to know that making health-conscious choices can ultimately make you look and feel absolutely wonderful.

I studied health and physical education at the University of Delaware and then went on to get a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Arizona. Along with being an exercise physiologist, I am also a certified personal trainer.

After getting my master’s, I became the director of exercise physiology for a medical management company specializing in heart and pulmonary conditions. I later ran the Health & Fitness Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making people healthier through diet, exercise and lifestyle modification. I also worked at a spa in Telluride, Colorado, where I hired and trained the fitness staff. It was there that I met Oprah, and she first became my client.

Jerry Greenfield

Co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are the most infamous and unique success stories in American business. As co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., they have built a $200 million ice-cream empire by focusing on corporate social responsibility and creative management strengths. With their national bestseller, Ben & Jerry’s Double Dip: Lead with Your Values and Make Money, Too, they have created a nuts-and-bolts guidebook to promise and pitfalls of a “value-led”business, and a growing international influence of the “socially conscious” corporation. Their conscious efforts has earned them the James Beard Humanitarians of the Year Award in 1993 and the Peace Museum’s Community Peacemakers of the Year in 1997.

Peter Guber

Founder & Chairman of Mandalay Entertainment, and former CEO of Sony Entertainment

Founder and Chairman of the visionary multimedia venture, Mandalay Entertainment, Peter Guber is perhaps the most successful executive in the entertainment industry. As a producer, his films, including Rain Man, The Color Purple and Batman, have earned in excess of $3 billion dollars worldwide and garnered more than 50 Oscar nominations. Former Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, he revitalized the troubled company and more than doubled its market share and annual revenue.

Doug Hall

Jump Start Your Business Brain

Doug is the founder and CEO of the Eureka! Ranch. He's been named one of America's top business invention experts by Inc. Magazine, A&E Top 10, CIO Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, CNBC and Dateline NBC. Known for his plain talk, energetic style and bold approach, Doug has a pure passion for discovering, quantifying and communicating how to think faster, smarter and more creatively about business growth.

Gayle Hallgren-Rezac

Co-author of "WORK THE POND!"

Writer, speaker, entrepreneur (Founder, Cookies by George) and a YWCA Woman of Distinction. Gayle is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and has spent over two decades observing and writing on networking around the world. She is also an expert on the ‘art of conversation’, a subject she writes and speaks on frequently. Gayle is chief engagement officer of Shepa Learning Company, their training and development company.

Fredrik Härén

Awakening Creativity in The Workplace

Fredrik Härén is the Best Selling author of the Idea Book an enormously successful book on Creativity and the power of ideas. He is also founder of interesting.org a leading entrepreneurial think tank and leading European marketing solution business. Interesting.org was founded in 2000, and is a company whose business idea is "to do business from ideas". The company acts as an idea broker between creative people and companies in need of external help in order to solve their problems. Interesting.org has now become a role model for newly-established idea companies throughout Sweden, Europe and North America. Härén was nominated Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 by the well known European magazine Shortcut and Enterprise Leaders. He has written five books - including his latest The Idea Book: a combined book and notebook designed to awaken creativity which been translated to English with sales of over 35 000 in Sweden alone. Härén will offer his innovative solutions on awakening creativity in the workplace and celebrating vision and the process of taking an idea and making it a reality.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

One of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2005

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1969. As a young child, she was subjected to female genital mutilation, where she was “cleansed” with the aid of a pair of large scissors wielded by a local clansman. Unlike many children born at that time in Somalia, she had the good fortune to receive an education in local schools. As she grew into a young woman, she embraced Islam and strove to live as a devout Muslim. In 1992, Ayaan escaped an arranged marriage by fleeing to the Netherlands where she was given asylum, and in time citizenship. She also served as an elected member of the Dutch parliament from 2003 to 2006. Ayaan Hirsi Ali was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2005, has published a memoir Infidel (2007) and has written and delivered many speeches and articles addressing her subjects of interest, including the importance of freedom of speech and the rights of Muslim women.

Jessica Holmes

Comedian/Actress

Jessica Holmes, star of Royal Canadian Air Farce, has received Gemini and Canadian Comedy Award nominations for her performances at Just For Laughs and the Second City. She won the Platinum Award at Houston's International Comedy Festival for her comedy special Holmes Alone. She brought to life hilarious characters and edgy impressions on her sketch series The Holmes Show, and was thrilled to join the cast of CBC's Royal Canadian Air Farce two years ago. She has appeared in such films as Welcome to Mooseport and the upcoming Citizen Duane. She recently opened for her longtime comedy heroes; Jerry Seinfeld and Leslie Nielsen.

Arianna Huffington

Editor-In-Chief of the Huffington Post

One of the best-known commentators in the United States, Arianna Huffington is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, a news information and blog site. She is also co-host of “Left, Right and Center”, a popular political discussion show on National Public Radio in the United States. She is a leading critic on matters of political and social interest in the United States, having appeared on numerous television discussion shows, such as “Oprah”, “Larry King Live”, “The O’Reilly Factor”, and “Inside Politics”. In addition, she serves on several boards and organizations that deal with social problems, including “A Place Called Home”, which works with at-risk children in South Central Los Angeles. In recognition of her role in shaping public opinion, Time Magazine named her one of the World’s 100 Most Influential People.

Karen Hughes

The 5 C of successful Communications

Karen Hughes has been described as “the most powerful woman ever to serve in the White House” (Dallas Morning News), President George W. Bush's “most essential advisor” (ABC News) and “the most powerful public diplomacy czar in decades” (The Boston Globe). As Under Secretary of State, she traveled to more than 40 countries, meeting world leaders and reaching out to international audiences, work that she described as “waging peace.”

A longtime advisor to President Bush, Ambassador Hughes traveled at his side during both his presidential campaigns and served as Counselor to the President for his first 18 months in the White House.

As one of the highest ranking officials at the U.S. State Department, Karen Hughes led America’s efforts to communicate with foreign publics, confronted ideological support for terrorism and participated in foreign policy development.

Karen is married with a grown stepdaughter and a son, and tried to bring a “Mom’s perspective” to America’s public policy debate.

Michael Hutch

Delivering High Impact Presentations

Since the age of twenty-two, Michael has lived in the trenches and knows what it takes to succeed. He possesses a rare combination of inspirational and sales training talent.

He began his career as a corporate recruiter for Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems (EDS). He was the top recruiter in the country. He was "hand-picked" to lead the Central European Recruiting Division and became the youngest manager in all of EDS/GM International Operations.

He began his training career when he joined Robbins Research International (RRI), Tony Robbins' company, as a Regional Sales Manager and Trainer. Because of his success, he was promoted to the position of Vice President of Sales. Michael led the company to record growth for 7 consecutive years. While at RRI, he co-created Mastery University and personally conducted hundreds of trainings in North America, Europe and Australia.

Over the past decade, Michael has helped build several respected enterprises while continuing to model and study the lives of achievers who thrive on and off the job. In 1998, Hutch joined Interactive Telesis (OTC: TSIS) as its Vice President of Sales. In less than 2 years, sales multiplied six fold and he was recognized for helping the stock price increase from .50 to over $5 per share. In 2000 Michael became the Director of Sales for SpeechWorks International (NASDAQ: SPWX) where he was named to the President's Club. In 2002 Hutch joined software startup Vocalocity as Vice President of Sales and grew the company's revenues from scratch and helped the company raise $14.5 million in venture capital. Working with Cisco Systems, he has grown Spanlink's revenues from scratch into the most productive commercial territory in the country.

Michael received his BA degree from Georgetown University where he was also a varsity letterman in football and lacrosse. He is an alumni board member at Georgetown. He lives in Lake Murray SC and has four children: a daughter and three boys. He has coached all of his children's soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis and football teams.

Stephen J. Dubner

Freakonomics

In Freakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner set out to explore the hidden side of … well, everything. The inner workings of a crack gang. The truth about real estate agents. The myths of campaign finance, and the telltale marks of a cheating schoolteacher. From 1994 to 1999, Dubner was a writer and editor for The New York Times Magazine. Before coming to The Times, Dubner wrote for New York Magazine, covering crime, politics, the arts and New York City's urban oddities.

Bianca Jagger

One Person Can Make A Difference

For over 20 years she has campaigned  for human rights, social and economic justice and environmental protection throughout the world. Bianca Jagger is a strong advocate for women’s and children’s rights, she regards her commitment to justice and human rights issues inevitably  because she was born in Nicaragua, a country that endured almost 50 years of despotic dictatorship, foreign interventions and political upheaval. Nicaragua first taught her the meaning of social economic injustice. In 2004 Bianca Jagger received the Right Livelihood Award known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize” for “her long standing commitment and dedicated campaigning over a wide range of issues of human rights, social justice and environmental protection, including the abolition of the death penalty, the prevention of child abuse, the right of indigenous peoples to the environment that supports them and the prevention and healing of armed conflicts.”

Bianca Jagger is the Council Of Europe Goodwill Ambassador, a Member of the Executive Director’s Leadership Council of Amnesty International USA, a member of the Advisory Board of Human rights Watch- America and a Board member of People for the American Way.

Azim Jamal

Best-selling Author, The Corporate Sufi

Azim Jamal is a leading inspirational speaker and an international best-selling author. He was born in Tanzania and educated in Kenya, the U.K. and Canada. In addition to "The Power of Giving" which reached #1 on Canada's Amazon.com (outselling "Harry Potter" and "The Da Vinci Code") and # 4 on Amazon.com, Azim has authored several other books including "The Corporate Sufi" and "Seven Steps to Lasting Happiness". 100% of the profits from "The Power of Giving" go to The Tides Foundation, which furthers his humanitarian work. Azim holds three professional accounting and financial qualifications. He made his life-changing career switch from "accounting for business" to "accounting for life" during a soul-stirring experience while volunteering in the developing world. Overcome by the plight of homeless refugees in war-torn areas of the world, he vowed to make a difference in people's lives. Since then, Azim has become a sought-after speaker. Over one million people in 25 countries have heard his uplifting & inspiring message.

Mitch Joel

Six Pixels of Separation

Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image — an award-winning Digital Marketing and Communications agency. In 2008, Mitch was named Canada's Most Influential Male in Social Media, one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, and was awarded the highly-prestigious Canada's Top 40 Under 40 (recognizing individuals who have achieved a significant amount of success but have not yet reached the age of 40). His newspaper business column, New Business — Six Pixels of Separation, runs bi-monthly in both The Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun, and his monthly column, Ultraportable, is featured in enRoute Magazine. His first book, Six Pixels of Separation (Grand Central Publishing — Hachette Book Group), named after his successful Blog and Podcast is a best selling business and marketing book.

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

Quincy Jones

Musician, Composer, Producer, Arranger and Conductor

An impresario in the broadest and most creative sense of the word, Quincy Jones’ career has encompassed the roles of composer, record producer, artist, film producer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, TV producer, record company executive, magazine founder and multimedia entrepreneur. As a master inventor of musical hybrids, he has shuffled pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical, African and Brazilian music into many dazzling fusions, traversing virtually every medium, including records, live performance, movies and television. Celebrating more than 50 years performing and being involved in music, Quincy Jones stands as one of the most successful and admired creative artist/executives in the entertainment world.

Naomi Judd

Naomi's Breakthrough Guide: 20 Choices to Transform Your Life

Naomi first expressed her passion for communication as half of country music's most famous mother/daughter team, The Judds. Their popularity kept them undefeated for eight consecutive years at all three major country music awards shows. The Judds' reign came to an abrupt end when Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, a potentially fatal chronic liver disease that forced her retirement. With unwavering optimism and characteristic inner strength, Naomi stepped out of the spotlight to explore paths that have led to new successful endeavors. Today, Naomi uses the strength of her own experiences to empower thousands of women across North America.

Garry Kasparov

Innovation and Success

In a listing of top chess champions formed in 1988, Casablanca, Karpov and Fischer were named; however above all sat twenty-five year old Russian, Garry Kasparov. A World Champion until his retirement in 2005, Garry went on to open The Kasparov Chess Academy near the campus of Tel Aviv University. Also since retirement, he has devoted his time to politics and writing. In 2007, he entered the Russian Presidential race receiving 379 of 498 votes at a congress held in Moscow. In addition Kasparov has authored several books on chess and is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine and Forbes.

Salim Khoja

Entrepreneur and Author “A Passion for Life”

For the past 20 years, Salim Khoja has worked with some of North America’s top business, personal and leadership development experts like Anthony Robbins, Richard Branson, Peter Guber, President Clinton to name a few. With his personal and professional development events, Salim has helped to empower others and change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Author of A Passion for Life, Salim will inspire your organization to achieve levels of excellence during these difficult times. Having worked with many of North America’s fortune 500 Companies, Salim can deliver unique insights about achieving a competitive advantage on both a local and global scale.

Craig Kielburger

Me To We: Corporate Social Responsibility, Leadership and Social Change

World Children’s Prize winner Craig Kielburger is a internationally renowned social entrepreneur and visionary. Co-author of the best-selling book “Me to We” and co-founder of Free The Children and Leaders Today. Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, while Leaders Today is the top youth leadership training organization dedicated to empowering young people to become responsible global citizens. With three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and high-profile partnerships with organizations including the United Nations and Oprah's Angel Network as well as business groups, government bodies and educators, Craig Kielburger specializes in connecting people with the issues that matter.

Craig & Marc Kielburger

Me To We: Corporate Social Responsibility, Leadership and Social Change

World Children’s Prize winner Craig Kielburger and acclaimed leadership specialist Marc Kielburger are internationally renowned social entrepreneurs and visionaries. Authors of the best-selling book Me to We, they are the founders of Free The Children and Leaders Today. Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, while Leaders Today is the top youth leadership training organization dedicated to empowering young people to become responsible global citizens. With three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and high-profile partnerships with organizations including the United Nations and Oprah's Angel Network as well as business groups, government bodies and educators, the Kielburgers specialize in connecting people with the issues that matter.

Gene Kranz

Failure is not an Option (Apollo 13)

As the leader of the "Tiger Team" of flight directors who brought the Apollo 13 spaceship safely back to Earth on April 17, 1970, Gene Kranz demonstrated extraordinary courage and heroism. The hit film, Apollo 13, chronicles Kranz's struggle to devise the plan that would safely bring the ship and its crew of three astronauts home after its oxygen system failed. Actor Ed Harris portrays Kranz in the film, which was directed by Ron Howard.

Loretta LaRoche

Lighten Up with Loretta LaRoche!

This Author, Humorist, Acclaimed Stress Expert and Emmy nominated television star has been enlightening and entertaining the world with her unique vision of the absurdities of our evolved lifestyle. She has helped millions of people find ways to Lighten Up and overcome stress in their lives. She shows that for most of us life has become such a pressure cooker of unrealistic expectations, information overload, relentless marketing and workaholism that we spend our days stressed out over being stressed out. Loretta shares her secrets for reducing stress as she leads you down the path of learning to lighten up, move with joy, and live a more balanced life. Loretta’s techniques are a brilliant blend of common sense and the most contemporary research in brain chemistry, psychology and mind-body studies. With her contemporary wit and a hearty dose of old-world wisdom Loretta brings a breath of fresh air for everyone who’s suffocating in our techno crazed, germ-phobic, “ go-go-go” world.She has had six one-woman television specials air on 80 PBS stations across the country. Her 7th special, Juicy Living Juicy Aging is being aired on PBS August of 2009. She has been nominated for local and prime time Emmy Awards, has appeared on CNN, ABC and NBC affiliates. She has authored 7 books, The Joy Journal, Happy Talk, Relax: You May Only Have a Few Minutes Left, Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal and, Life Is Short- Wear Your Party Pants, Squeeze the Day and her latest book Kick Up Heels Before You're Too Short to Wear. Her newest book, Lighten Up is due out in summer 2009.

See this speaker at the following events: Loretta LaRoche - Ottawa, February 16, 2010 LORETTA LAROCHE Live in Montreal - Montreal, February 17, 2010

Patrick Lencioni

Author of the best-seller “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”.

Pat Lencioni is the founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to providing organizations with ideas, products and services that improve teamwork, clarity and employee engagement. The wide-spread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of speaking and consulting clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, schools and churches.

Lencioni is the author of eight best-selling books with over 2.5 million copies sold. After six years in print, his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team continues to be a fixture on national best-seller lists. His recent work, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job (2007), became an instant best-seller in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and BusinessWeek.

Pat has appeared as a featured guest on The Today Show, NBC, CNBC, Fox News and ESPN. In addition he’s been recognized in the Wall Street Journal, INC Magazine, USA TODAY and Harvard Business Review.

Prior to founding his firm, Pat worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. He also served on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America from 2000-2003.

Alison Levine

Founder of Climb High Foundation

Alison Levine is no stranger to risk-taking. She has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches, and a career on Wall Street – all without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Levine was born with a life-threatening heart condition that precluded most demanding physical activities. As a teenager, her health was so unstable that she was not even allowed to drive a car or walk up stairs. But 13 years after her diagnosis she had surgery that changed her life - and climbing stairs soon gave way to climbing mountains.

In between starting school and starting a job on Wall Street, Levine “accidentally” scaled the world’s highest mountains. Over the next several years, Levine pushed her limits on the world’s highest peaks and soon became one of the most experienced female mountaineers in the United States.She has made appearances on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, Fox, ABC News and other national programs.

In 2005, Levine founded the Climb High Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of jobless women in third-world countries by training them to be trekking guides and porters in their local mountains. Over the past few years she has conducted numerous speaking tours to raise awareness and money for girls' scholarships in third-world countries.

Lisa Ling

Journalist and former co-host of Barbara Walters' hit daytime talk show, "The View."

As the field correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show and contributor to ABCNews' Nightline and National Geographic’s Explorer, Lisa Ling has reported from dozens of countries; covering stories about gang rape in the Congo, bride burning in India and the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda, among other issues that are too often ignored. Ms. Ling got her start in journalism as a correspondent for Channel One News where she covered the civil war in Afghanistan at 21 years of age. She later went on to become a co-host of ABC's hit show The View, which won its first daytime Emmy during her time at the show. In 2010, Ms. Ling will have her own series on the new channel, OWN: the Oprah Winfrey Network.

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

Mike Lipkin

The Power to Persuade

Mike Lipkin believes the only investment that guarantees extraordinary returns is the investment in yourself. He believes that you are the most valuable asset you will ever own. You have all the power you need to attract all the wealth you want. But the questions are: Do you understand your power? How much of your power is going unused? How can you use all your power to build wealth, not just for yourself but for others as well? Mike Lipkin will help you answer these vital questions. As the President of Canada’s leading research & motivation company, Environics/Lipkin, Mike has spent the last 26 years studying the psychology of affluence and achievement. Since 1983, he has helped more than a million people in 29 countries achieve their life goals of wealth and success. He has discovered “The Five Laws of Prosperity” that will help you attract the wealth you desire and deserve. Mike will share these laws with you in his highly energetic and entertaining style. He will give you ways to apply them immediately so you get richer quicker, while you do the same for everyone you care about.

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

Patricia Lovett-Reid

Senior Vice President of TD Waterhouse Canada

Patricia Lovett-Reid, Senior Vice President of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., is one of Canada’s leading and respected authorities on personal
finance. Patricia is a regular commentator for Business News Network, Canada AM, CTV, National and CBC. Patricia is the host of MoneyTalk, a national prime-time television program on personal finance, airing every Monday at 8:00 pm (ET) on Business News Network and does daily market commentaries on AM 740. A sought-after speaker and commentator on wealth management, Patricia has co-authored the national best selling books, Get Real: 26 Canadian Women Share the Secret to Authentic Success, Live Well, Retire Well: Strategies for a Rich Life and a Richer Retirement and Retirement Strategies for Women.Other publications include Surprise! You’re Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Protecting Her Wealth, as well as Take Charge Now: A Woman’s Guide to Personal and Family Finance. For her commitment in educating the public on personal finance matters, Patricia has been recognized with the 2007 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ Award in the Trailblazers and
Trendsetters category. As well, The Women’s Post has named Patricia as one of Canada’s Top 25 Women To Watch on their 2008 Women of the Year list. In addition, Patricia has taken the role of Trusted Wealth Advisor, with Indigo Chapters, which includes reviewing financial publications and making book recommendations.

Tamara Lowe

Author, Educator and Businesswoman

Tamara is a respected author, educator and businesswoman. She is a highly sought-after speaker and has spoken live and in-person to more than three million people. Her work has been featured in TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, PEOPLE Magazine, and the New York Times. She is also the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Get Motivated Seminars, Inc., a business training company that produces America's largest business seminars.
A former drug addict and dropout, Tamara's message is dynamic, inspiring and motivational. She has served as an advisor-consultant to executives from hundreds of corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Tamara and her husband Peter live in Florida.

Jonathan M. Tisch

The Power of We: Succeeding Through Partnerships

One of the most successful chief executives in the multi-billion dollar travel and tourism industry, Jonathan Tisch embodies the type of innovation and partnership that are key to success in this challenging business environment. Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, he has engineered the highly profitable expansion of the luxury hotel chain by infusing all his hotels and resorts with a widely praised corporate culture that places high value on "partnerships" with his employees, customers and the communities where his hotels exist.

Wangari Maathai

2004 Nobel Peace Laureate and Founder, The Green Belt Movement

Wangari Maathai was born in 1940 in Kenya. The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, Professor Maathai pioneered the concept of mobilizing communities to protect their environment through tree planting in 1976, while an active member of the National Council of Women of Kenya. A year later she developed this idea into a grassroots organization, The Green Belt Movement. Dr. Maathai’s memoir, Unbowed, shows that she is a magnificent and courageous leader who stood up for the oppressed and provided hope for better tomorrows by demonstrating that if a person possesses a will to make change, change can and will occur. Over the years, she and the Green Belt Movement have received numerous awards, most notably the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

Harvey MacKay

Best-selling Author of "Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten" & "Beware The Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt".

Harvey MacKay is the author of the New York Times #1 best-sellers Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt. Both books are among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time, according to The New York Times. In addition to his books, Mackay is a nationally syndicated columnist for United Feature Syndicate with articles appearing in 52 newspapers around the country. He is the chairman and CEO of Mackay Envelope Corporation, an $85 million company he founded at age 26. He is currently a director on Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute and the Minnesota Orchestral Association.

Irshad Manji

Challenging Conventional Thinking

Irshad Manji is the best selling author of The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith. In this open letter, published in fourteen languages, Irshad unearths the troubling cornerstones of mainstream Islam today and ultimately presents a positive message. She offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Above all, Irshad’s goal is to work with young Muslims around the globe to launch a leadership center that will promote the liberal Islamic reformation. To achieve this goal she writes columns that are distributed worldwide by The New York Times Syndicate and is in the process of producing a PBS documentary about what there is to love about Islam.

Chuck Martin

Tough Management

Chuck Martin is a New York Times Business Bestselling Author, Researcher, Speaker, and Business Strategist. A former vice president of IBM responsible for a global division, Martin has helped identify successful corporate business strategies for some of the leading companies in the world. Prior to joining IBM, he was the founding publisher and Chief Operating Officer of Interactive Age, the magazine credited with helping to define the interactive marketplace, and the first publication to launch simultaneously in print and on the World Wide Web. Martin is the author of several books, including most recently, Tough Management and the business fable, Coffee at Luna's.

Peggy McColl

On Being...The Creator Of Your Destiny

Peggy McColl is a New York Times Best Selling Author (Your Destiny Switch) and an internationally recognized expert in the area of goal achievement. With her goal achievement seminars, speaking engagements, audio programs and best-selling books she has been inspiring individuals, professional athletes and organizations to realize their goals and reach their maximum potential for the past twenty-five years.  Her purpose is to make a positive contribution to the lives of millions and create an authentic life! Her work has been endorsed by some of the most renowned experts in the personal development field, including Neale Donald Walsch, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Jim Rohn, Mark Victor Hansen, Debbie Ford, Marianne Williamson, Caroline Myss, Gregg Braden and many others. 

Dr. Phil McGraw

Self Matters

Dr. Phil McGraw has galvanized millions of people to "get real" about their own behavior and create more positive lives. His nationally syndicated daily one-hour series, Dr. Phil, has been making headlines and breaking records since its September 2002 launch. Dr. Phil is a four-time New York Times bestselling author and Oprah Winfrey's resident expert on human behavior. As a professional psychologist, he has published numerous scholarly articles and has practiced in the many fields of clinical psychology and behavioral medicine. Dr. Phil McGraw brings his “tell it like it is” style, wit and wisdom to live audiences across the nation. This is your opportunity to experience live what millions have been raving about.

Justin Menkes, Ph.D.

Executive Intelligence

Justin Menkes, Ph.D. is an acclaimed author and the leading expert in the field of managerial assessment. His research led him to the discovery of Executive Intelligence and the creation of a methodology to measure it. As a co-founder of Executive Intelligence Group, he applies his deep understanding of leadership performance to his work with clients such as Texas Pacific Group, Dupont, British Sky Broadcasting, and InBev. Dr. Menkes has received international recognition for his expertise, authoring the Wall Street Journal best-seller Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have, as well as articles for Chief Executive Magazine and Harvard Business Review. He has chaired master tutorials to train other I/O psychologists in best practice assessment techniques and was inducted into the Sigma Xi Psychological Honors Society in recognition of his research contributions to the field of psychology. During his doctoral work at Claremont Graduate University, Dr. Menkes studied under the late Peter Drucker. He graduated with honors from Haverford College and received his M.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Menkes holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Claremont Graduate University.

Dan Millman

Living on Purpose

Dan Millman is an International Bestselling Author. His books, including Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Sacred Journey, The Life You Were Born to Live, Everyday Enlightenment, and The Laws of Spirit have inspired millions of readers in more than 20 languages. Dan will provide keys to the "12 gateways". As you join him on this journey through the wilderness, and experience each adventure, you absorb the essential lessons of living to make your life work better.

W Mitchell

It's Not What Happens To You, It's What You Do About It

W Mitchell knows about challenge, change and courage - all firsthand. He speaks to you about the battles and the victories of life. From his co-founding of a metal casting company that put thousands to work, from his election as mayor and congressional nominee, from a fiery motorcycle accident that left more than 65% of his body burned, and from the airplane crash that took away his ability to walk, Mitchell now soars above the rest with grace, good humor and gumption.

Tim Mulcahy

The 12 Fundamentals of Selling

Tim Mulcahy is one of the leading direct marketing entrepreneurs in North America. A rags-to-riches story, Tim has trained and developed thousands of sales people, many into millionaires themselves. His successful career in direct marketing and the development of motivational programs spans over 30 years.

Tim’s passion for high achievements in business, sales and health led him and a dream team of professionals to develop cutting-edge, personal health software - The Synergistic Personal Training System - available at www.truestarhealth.com. Using this software, millions of people have developed personal health and fitness programs utilizing the five key areas of health – Nutrition, Exercise, Vitamins, Sleep and Attitude.

Tim co-founded Ontario Energy Savings Corporation, developed the sales training and motivation program and played a significant role in organizing and growing the company from a start-up in 1997 to a TSX publicly-listed company, Energy Savings Income Fund, with a current market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion. This is a company that grew mainly from its outstanding and record-breaking success in direct selling and it is one of the most successful direct sales organizations in Northern American history.

U Weight Loss is Tim’s latest co-business venture with Dr. James Hyssen, co-founder of Herbal Magic. U Weight Loss is currently the fastest growing commercial weight loss company in North America and the Sales Superstar principles are implemented in the training program.

Caroline Myss

Invisible Acts of Power

Caroline Myss, Ph.D., is a pioneer in the field of energy medicine and human consciousness. With degrees in journalism, theology, intuition and energy medicine, she has worked since 1982 as a medical intuitive - one who "sees" illnesses in a patient's body by intuitive means. She is the founder and director of the Caroline Myss Education Instituteand director and teacher of The Language of Intuition Program; and co-founder and director of The Institute for the Science of Medical Intuition. She is the author of four best selling books: Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing; Why People Don't Heal and How They Can; Sacred Contracts; and Invisible Acts of Power. Caroline is dedicated to creating educational programs in the field of human consciousness, spirituality and mysticism, health, energy medicine, and advancing the science of medical intuition.

Petra Nemcova

International Supermodel, Tsunami Survivor

True beauty reveals itself in one who can find virtue in a life-shattering event. Sports Illustrated cover-girl Petra Nemcova was faced with such a challenge after enduring the tragic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed the life of her fiance and shattered her pelvis.

Proving beauty isn't skin deep, she has since rebounded to establish the Happy Hearts Fund for children victimized by natural, economic and health-related disasters. Her commitment to help others has been recognized by Glamour's "Women of the Year" and Vanity Fair's "Women in the Know."

Nemcova shares a passionate story of what the tsunami taught her about the importance of living in the moment. Through excerpts of her autobiography, "Love Always, Petra," Nemcova shares her belief that each of us can learn from hardship and use the experience to help make the most of every day.

Lisa Nichols

Living the Secret: Life Balance and Empowerment

Lisa Nichols is a dynamic international motivational speaker and powerful advocate of personal empowerment. Lisa Nichols is a proven Entrepreneur and since starting her company in her living room in May of 2000, she has taken it international while doing more than two million dollars in business along the way. She's appeared as an expert Life Coach on NBCs hit show, “Starting Over” as well as one of the 27 leading teachers featured on the international hit DVD, "The Secret." , and has authored 3 Chicken Soup for The Soul books. Her highly sought after no-holds-barred messages are delivered with powerful intensity.

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Creating a Legacy of Physical and Emotional Health

The mother-daughter relationship sets the stage for our state of health and well-being for our entire lives. Because our mothers are our first and most powerful female role models, our most deeply ingrained beliefs about ourselves as women come from them. And our behavior in relationships - with food, with our children, with our mates, and with ourselves - is a reflection of those beliefs. Once we understand our mother-daughter bonds, we can rebuild our own health, whatever our age, and create a lasting positive legacy for the next generation.

Andy Nulman

President and co-founder, Airborne Entertainment / former CEO, Just For Laughs Festival

While young in spirit, Andy Nulman has led major media companies for over 30 years. Andy used to be best known as CEO of the world-renowned Just For Laughs Festival, which he grew from a two-night affair to the top event of its kind on earth, producing its TV shows and working with talent like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carrey. Today, he’s celebrated as a pioneer in the burgeoning mobile media field. In 1999, Andy co-founded Airborne Entertainment and six years later sold 85% to Japan’s Cybird for $110 million. As Airborne’s President/CMO, Andy has been instrumental in taking superbrands like Maxim, Family Guy and the NHL into mobile. In his spare time, Andy is an engaging speaker (motivating companies like GM, Energizer and 3M), oft-published author, inventive stage director, half-decent snowboarder, hot-and-cold hockey goalie, and controversial pop artist. His major disappointment is he has only one life to live…but he’s working on a solution.

Suze Orman

Creating a Financial Blueprint

Suze Orman has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one woman financial advice powerhouse” by USA Today. A two-time Emmy Award winning television host, New York Times best-selling author, columnist and motivational speaker, Suze is undeniably America’s most recognized expert on personal finance.

Her six consecutive New York Times best-sellers have gone on to inspire PBS specials and has been honoured with a number of Gracie Allen Awards by the American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT).

Orman has lectured widely throughout the United States, South Africa and Asia to audiences up to 50,000 and regularly appears alongside speakers such as Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Steve Forbes and Donald Trump.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

Host of "Second Opinion with Dr. Oz" and a regular contributor on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"

Dr. Oz is best known for his many appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show as a health expert. He is the Vice-Chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University and directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital. His research extends from heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery to health care policy and has authored over 400 original publications. In addition, he performs over 350 heart operations annually. Dr. Oz was elected as a Global Leaders of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, won the prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery Gross Research Scholarship and has received a honourary doctorate from Istanbul University.

Sue Paish

CEO of Pharmasave Drugs

As the CEO of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd., Sue is responsible for the strategic leadership of Pharmasave’s over 400 community-based retail pharmacies and health centers coast to coast. Sue is a respected leader with a track record of success in a variety of roles. As Managing Partner of Fasken Martineau Dumoulin, Sue spearheaded the expansion of the law firm from one office in Vancouver, to its international status with nine offices on three continents. Sue has also played a key leadership role as Senior Vice Chair of The Vancouver Board of Trade and Director of various public and private companies. She is also Founding Chair of the Women’s Leadership Circle®. Sue has been recognized for her leadership and accomplishments in various contexts, and was named in 2005 to the list of “Canada’s Most Powerful Women – Top 100”.

Bob Proctor

Prosperity and Abundance Through the Laws of Attraction

Bob Proctor is widely regarded as one of the living masters and teachers of The Secret and has worked in the area of mind potential for over 40 years. He is the best-selling author of You Were Born Rich, and has transformed the lives of millions through his books, seminars, courses and personal coaching. Bob Proctor is a direct link to the modern science of success and The Law of Attraction, stretching back to Andrew Carnegie, the great financier and philanthropist. Carnegie's secrets inspired and enthused Napoleon Hill, whose book, Think and Grow Rich, in turn inspired a whole genre of success philosophy books. Napoleon Hill, in turn, passed the baton on to Earl Nightingale who has since placed it in Bob Proctor's capable hands. Hearing Bob Proctor speak about the Power Within will be a rich and rewarding experience for you.

Mary Lou Quinlan

How To Market To Women

In a fun and irreverent style, Mary Lou Quinlan breaks down the myths and exposes actionable ways to build business with women that will affect your bottom line. Her personal interviews with more than 5,000 women reveal how they judge brands and advertising, how they make buying decisions, their love/hate affair with technology, the effect of stress on their consumer behavior and their increasing demands for service. Included in her speeches are case studies about major companies who get it and those that don’t. She also shares excerpts from her TV talk show research with revealing insights from North America’s more important customers: WOMEN.

Neil Rackham

Chairman of the Sales Strategy Institute, and author of the bestsellers SPIN Selling and Rethinking the Sales Force

The best-known sales effectiveness strategist in the world today, Neil has consulted at executive levels to companies such as Oracle, Citicorp, UPS, Xerox, IBM, and Fidelity Investments. He is a member of McKinsey and Company's Sales and Channel Management Group. He is also on the editorial board of Sales and Marketing Management magazine.

James Redfield

The Celestine Prophecy

When author and therapist James Redfield self-published his first novel in 1993, the immediate ground swell of enthusiasm from booksellers and readers made The Celestine Prophecy one of the most successful self-published books of all time. In 1996, an eagerly awaited sequel, The Tenth Insight: Holding The Vision, also became an instant bestseller. James Redfield, through his writing, helps you to discover the secrets that are currently changing our world. You will learn how to make connections between the events happening in your own life right now and what is going to happen in the years to come.

Darcy Rezac

Chief engagement officer, The Vancouver Board of Trade and Author of Work the Pond! on The Art of Engaged Leadership.

Darcy Rezac writes, speaks and consults on public policy, social capital, leadership and networking and corporate and employee engagement. He is the best-selling author of, Work the Pond!, which features his trademarked ethos of positive networking. The book was dubbed “The Connector’s Handbook” by Town & Country magazine and The Financial Post credits Rezac with “taking networking to a new level” in its review. Rezac is the director of B.C. Bearing Engineers Ltd., The Pacific Basin Economic Council (Hong Kong) and The Vancouver Board of Trade. His client list of 200 includes: HSBC Bank (Hong Kong, Canada, UK), The International Chamber of Commerce, US Chamber of Commerce, US Government, Federal Executive Board Seattle, Gillette (Geneva), RBC Financial Group and many more.

Cheryl Richardson

Stand Up For Your Life

Cheryl Richardson is the author of The New York Times bestselling books Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers and Stand Up for Your Life. The first president of the International Coach Federation, she holds one of their first Master Certified Coach credentials, and her work has been covered widely in the media, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, New York Times, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, and O Magazine. Cheryl was the team leader for the Lifestyle Makeover Series on the Oprah Winfrey Show and she accompanied Ms. Winfrey on the Live Your Best Life nationwide tour during the summer of 2001.

Vivian Risi

Your Community Realty

When Vivian Risi, a single mother of three, discovered that the company she worked for had been sold, and she now faced a very uncertain future; she decided to risk everything in order to create her own destiny. With little business experience or money, Vivian bought the company and overcame many obstacles to succeed on her own terms.

In just 15 years, Vivian has turned a sales office of 18 people into Your Community Realty, with 10 offices and 650 realtors. Vivian is now the top Broker and #1 independently owned franchise for Royal LePage in Canada. For 10 consecutive years, her company has also owned the number one market share in their local market.

Vivian’s story is one of inspiration. When you hear it you will be struck by 3 attributes of her success. “People come first……and it shows !”, “Don’t wait for the miracle. The miracle is you.” “Smile. It’s your first positive step.”

Anthony Robbins

World Authority on Leadership Psychology

Highly respected as the nation’s foremost authority on the psychology of peak performance and personal, professional, and organizational turnaround, Robbins has advised and counseled Fortune 500 CEOs, world-renowned medical doctors, championship sports teams (including America’s Cup winner, America 3; Stanley Cup finalist, Los Angeles Kings; NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs; and other teams in the NHL, MLB, and NBA), elite athletes and coaches (including Andre Agassi; Greg Norman; and championship-winning athletes from the NFL, PGA, USTA and NASCAR) and legends in entertainment (such as Quincy Jones and Anthony Hopkins).

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

Luc Robitaille

Winning Through Teamwork

As a major player in the worlds of sports, philanthropy and business, Hockey Legend Luc Robitaille knows what it takes to be a successful leader. The highest-scoring left winger in NHL history shows audiences how to use the qualities of a champion athlete to overcome challenges and reach their goals. Outside of Luc's NHL career, one of his proudest moments was being the Team Captain of Canada at the 1994 World Championships in Italy, where they won the World Championship. Luc’s interests also include a major philanthropic role. Shelter for Serenity, a nationwide disaster relief project, was founded in 2005 by Luc and Stacia Robitaille to provide housing support following the Gulf Coast disasters. Luc is also on the board of Nemex Network Corp., NRG, Interex, and Power Play Fund. He is currently an executive at AEG and an executive consultant for Amp’d Mobile.

Tim Sanders

The New York Times and international bestseller Love Is the Killer App.

Tim Sanders is the author of The New York Times and international bestseller Love Is the Killer App. His sophomore book The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L Factor & Achieve Your Life’s Dreams published in April 2005, is the basis for PBS special and numerous national TV appearances including The Today Show. Tim is a former Yahoo! Executive and leadership coach and is a frequent guest on radio and television programs around the country. As an irrepressible advocate for good values in the business world, Tim is one of the most sought after speakers in America.

Terry Savage

Chicago Sun-Times Columnist

Terry Savage is a nationally known expert on personal finance and a regular television commentator on CNN, CNBC, PBS, and NBC on issues related to investing and financial markets. She is the nationally syndicated Chicago Sun-Times personal finance columnist. Terry offers advice ranging from investments to withdrawal calculations to long term care insurance -- to make sure your money lasts as long as you do! Her previous best-seller, The Savage Truth on Money, was named one of the ten best money books of the year by Amazon.com, and was made into an hour-long television special which aired on PBS. She's appeared several times on “Oprah” Terry started her career as a stockbroker and became a founding member - and the first woman trader, on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. She is a registered investment advisor for both stocks and futures.

Scott Schilling

BetterTrades™ faculty member

Scott Schilling, veteran trader and BetterTrades™ faculty member, brings more than thirty years of experience in speaking, training, sales, and marketing to his role at BetterTrades. Through his affiliations with Fortune 500 companies, innovative start-up companies and individual entrepreneurs, Scott brings a wealth of knowledge, implementation strategies, education and expertise to the podium for BetterTrades.

As an accomplished and inspiring presenter, Scott has spoken to thousands of students about the opportunities that exist in trading the stock market. Scott’s goal is to maximize the skills and potential of the individuals he encounters by teaching them to take control of their financial destiny by learning to trade their own accounts in the stock market. Delivering content in an “easy to understand and digest style”, Scott’s presentations can be quickly understood and implemented by his students.

Dr. Marla Shapiro

Medical Contributor, Columnist & Host

In 2003, Dr. Marla Shapiro started hosting Balance...television for living well, a 30 minute health and lifestyle program seen daily on CTV in Canada. In today's hectic environment, Dr. Shapiro brings you the latest health news along with practical tips you can use to keep you and your family healthy. She also is the Medical Contributor for Canada AM, hosts Canadian Health and Family and writes a health column for the Globe and Mail. She completed medical school at McGill University, has been published extensively and lectures frequently. She is a Certificate of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and a Specialist in Community Medicine. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine and continues a private practice in medicine.

Robin Sharma

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Robin Sharma started out as a lawyer but is now recognized as one of the nation's premier leadership thinkers and the author of the runaway #1 national bestseller, Leadership Wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Widely known as one of North America's most electrifying professional speakers, Robin has a simple mission: “to help people see the best and highest within themselves and add value to the world in the process”. Robin Sharma has been retained by clients, including Microsoft, General Motors, FedEx, and Kraft.

Peter Sheahan

Best-selling author “Generation Y: Thriving (and Surviving) with Generation Y at Work”

Peter Sheahan has established a globally recognized brand as a leading expert in workforce trends and generational change. In the space of three years he has built a multi-million dollar consulting practice attracting clients such as Newscorp, Google, Coca-Cola, L’Oreal and Ernst & Young.
Peter is a highly energetic entrepreneur with a respected reputation for transforming traditional business practices - bringing them into the present and launching them into the future. His outstanding achievements were first officially recognized in 2003 when Peter had the honor of being named New South Wales Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
The author of 4 books, including the bestseller Generation Y: Thriving (and Surviving) with Generation Y at Work, he clearly understands what it takes to be successful in the rapidly changing business world. His new book, FL!P (Random House, September 2007), focuses on how the power of creative and lateral thinking can be harnessed to revolutionize innovation in businesses.
Don’t miss your chance to engage with the leading edge of innovative and entrepreneurial thinking.

Martin Sheen

Philanthropist and Actor

Martin Sheen is one of the busiest, most conscientious actors in Hollywood. Born Ramon Estevez to immigrant parents, Sheen left his Dayton, Ohio home for the bright lights of NYC. His resume boasts a number of memorable films including, The Execution of Private Slovik, The Missiles of October, Apocalypse Now, and Wallstreet. One of the most prominent feature roles of the 90’s came as an advisor of The American President (1995) which introduced him to screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. So it perhaps came as no surprise when he surfaced as U.S. President Josiah Bartlet on the critically-acclaimed The West Wing. Sheen has recently appeared in The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, Bordertown, directed by Gregory Nava and Bobby, written and directed by his son, Emilio Estevez. Martin has been married to his wife Janet for over forty years and their four children Emilio, Renee and Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen are all involved in the entertainment business.

Rachel Simmons

Odd Girl Out - The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls

Why are girls becoming more aggressive in their everyday lives, and how is it affecting their overall self-esteem? Rachel Simmons, a Rhodes scholar who has painstakingly researched female bullying and the psychology of girls, feels that girls' aggressiveness is just as harmful as that of boys but is much harder to recognize. How can teachers and educators help with this growing problem? Rachel Simmons is the author of the New York Times bestseller Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, the first book to explore the phenomenon of bullying between girls. Rachel has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, Dateline NBC, and NPR's Diane Rehm Show and Talk of the Nation.

Amy Sky

Singer-Songwriter

Toronto native Amy Sky burst into the national limelight in 1996 with her debut Cd COOL RAIN. After being nominated for two Junos, for best songwriter and best new artist, she released BURNT BY THE SUN in 1998, which also earned her a nomination for best songwriter. In 2004 she was nominated as Favorite Pop Artist at the Canadian Independent Music Awards. In 2006, Amy will celebrate ten years of recording with the release of a LIFE LESSONS- THE BEST OF AMY SKY. As a songwriter, Amy honed her skills living in Nashville and Los Angeles, where she penned tunes for dozens of other artists including Diana Ross, Anne Murray, Aaron Neville, Heart, Cyndi Lauper, Roch Voisine and Sheena Easton . In addition to her concert career, Amy has starred on the stage in the musical Blood Brothers, with David Cassidy and Michael Burgess, and in the Vagina Monologues with Margo Kidder and Maggie Cassella. She currently lives in Toronto with husband, singer-songwriter Marc Jordan, and their two children, Zoe and Ezra.

Loren Slocum

Founder, CEO and President of Lobella and author of "Life Tuneups"

Loren Slocum is the founder, CEO and President of Lobella International, an organization inspired to help women “stay true to who they are” and realize their natural gifts. Recognizing the importance of helping to nurture the part in women that often times gets missed during their busy lives, Lobella has become a leading organization that women can depend on.

She is the author of three critically acclaimed books, No Greater Love, Being an Extraordinary Mom (October 1999, St. Martins Press), re-released as The Greatest Love (January 2008) and Life Tuneups (May 2009, Globe Pequot Press).

Loren conducts seminars all over the world, including regular stints in Australia and Europe and continues to be a keynote speaker at events such as The Amazing Woman’s Day; Mother’s and More; Creative Memories and more. She is the Creator of Reclaim Your Passion Events and Founder of The Millennium Mom Events.

Loren has been featured in over 30 business magazines and national media outlets such as; Oprah Radio, Fox News, Dr. Laura, Women’s World, First For Women, Working Mother, Martha Stewart Baby, Parenting, Becoming Family and much more. Loren lives in Henderson, NV, with her husband and with their three beautiful children.

Adrion Smith

CFL Football Player

Adrion “PeeWee” Smith brings his powerful personal message to life. Through his own special acronym of being R.A.R.E.

Adrion has spent twelve years in the CFL, while accomplishing great feats on the field it has been his exceptional off-field example that has made him a true “star”. He uses his own life to inspire, motivate and challenge people in their own life.

Adrion “Pee Wee” Smith, a native of Kansas City Missouri played 12 years in the CFL, and 10 years with the Toronto Argonauts. Adrion’s career has been highlighted by; 3 Grey Cup victories and the Grey Cup record for the longest kick off return for a touchdown in Grey Cup history. He was the 2003 Interception King leading the CFL with 8, and has made the All-Star team six times. His accomplishments both on and off the field is what has earned him the title of “FAN FAVOURITE".

James Smith

Real Estate Entrepreneur

James Smith, one of the best known real estate entrepreneurs in the North America, is a self-made success who put together his first real estate deal while still a teenager and over the past three decades has built an extensive portfolio of profitable properties from coast to coast. Specialty areas of seasoned, proven expertise include rental properties, foreclosures and commercial holdings—perfect for teaching future successful real estate investors to thrive during today’s turbulent times.

Suzanne Somers

Maximize Professional & Personal Goals

Suzanne Somers entered the American and Canadian conciousness in 1977 on "Three's Company" playing one of the most memorable characters ever seen on tv, Chrissy Snow.

Now almost 30 years later, Suzanne is still operating at full speed and has created one of the most interesting business empires in America; cosmetics, food, jewelry, fashion, audio/video publishing, fitness products, kitchen appliances.

She has authored 16 books, most New York Times bestsellers. "Ageless" published in October has struck a major cord with men and women's health and longevity and is published in 14 languages around the world.

This year, Suzanne Somers introduced the american public to three new unique business enterprises.
www.suzanneskitchen.com, www.suzanne.com, www.menopauseinstitute.com

Gloria Steinem

Writer, lecturer, editor, and feminist activist.

Gloria Steinem is a writer and feminist activist with particular interest in the shared origins of sex and race caste systems, gender roles and child abuse as roots of violence and non-violent conflict resolution. Her books include best-sellers like "Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem, Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" and "Moving Beyond Words". She is the co-founder of Ms. magazine helped to found New York Magazine. Her current freelance work can be found in Esquire and the New York Times. In recognition of her work she has received many awards which include, Ceres Medal from the United Nations and the first Doctorate of Human Justice awarded by Simmons College.

Martha Stewart

Founder and creator of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and host of Emmy award-winning TV series “The Martha Stewart Show”

From the award-winning magazine, Martha Stewart Living, to the bestselling product lines that bear her name, Martha Stewart shares the creative principles and practical ideas that have made her America's most trusted guide to stylish living. Millions of consumers rely on Martha Stewart as their arbiter of style and taste and their guide to all aspects of everyday living - from cooking and entertaining to decorating and home renovating, and much more.

Martha has always drawn inspiration from her surroundings. Raised in Nutley, New Jersey, in a family with six children, Martha developed her passion for cooking, gardening and homekeeping in her childhood home on Elm Place. Her mother, a schoolteacher and homemaker, taught her the basics of cooking, baking, canning, and sewing; her father, a pharmaceutical salesman and avid gardener, introduced her to gardening at the age of three in the family's small but orderly backyard plot.

While earning a bachelor's degree in history and architectural history at
Barnard College, Martha worked as a model to pay her tuition. She was
married in her sophomore year, and, upon graduating, became a stockbroker on Wall Street, where she gained her early business training. After moving to Westport, Connecticut, in 1972 with her husband and daughter, Alexis, she developed a catering business that showcased her remarkable talent and originality. Her unique visual presentation of food and the elegant recipes she created for her catered events were the basis for her first book, Entertaining, published in 1982. Martha's business sense and creative vision provided the framework for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and the expansive multimedia portfolio that includes award-winning properties such as the magazines Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings, as well as Martha Stewart Living Radio
on SIRIUS Satellite Radio, which delivers "how-to" guidance and advice 24 hours a day, seven days week. The Emmy Award-winning nationally syndicated, daily, "how-to" series, The Martha Stewart Show began its third season in September. MSLO also publishes Everyday Food and Body + Soul magazines. Everyday Food has a companion PBS television show and is also a book; Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, which is published by Clarkson Potter, became an instant bestseller when it was released in March 2007. The company recently launched Blueprint: Design Your Life, a magazine created for today's modern, multi-tasking woman, ages 25-45.

Martha is also the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking,
decorating, gardening and other domestic arts, including Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home, which was published in November 2006 by Clarkson Potter. In October 2005, Martha released her first business "how-to" book, The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Grow, or Manage a Business, published by Rodale. Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, Martha's first cookbook in six years, appeared the following month from Clarkson Potter. In 2007, Clarkson Potter published The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook Volume I: The Original Classics and The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook Volume II: The New Classics. Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes is due out in late December, 2007.

Belinda Stronach

Former President and CEO of Magna International Inc.

The Honourable Belinda Stronach is a community, business and public leader who cares deeply about Canada and the broader issues of quality of life. In 2004, TIME Magazine ranked Belinda as one of the world's 100 most influential. In 2005, the Women's Executive acclaimed Belinda a "trailblazer" and one of Canada's top 100 most powerful women. Belinda is the former President and CEO of Magna International Inc., one of the largest global suppliers of automotive systems and components in the world with 82,000 employees in 22 countries. Under her corporate leadership, Magna International had record sales and profits in each year and its stock price nearly doubled in value. Belinda jumped feet first into public life in 2004, ran for the leadership of a national political party, has been elected by her peers twice as a Member of Parliament, and has been a senior Cabinet minister in government. She is now a leading member of the Liberal Party of Canada and Chair of the national caucus of women Liberal MPs.

Trudie Styler

Actress, Director, Producer and Humanitarian

Trudie Styler’s dynamic personality and incredible determination have made her one of the most powerful women in today’s entertainment industry. Her passionate concerns for the environment and human rights motivate many of her career choices, and are reflected most clearly in her documentary films and fundraising activities.

With her production company, Xingu Films,Trudie has used her creative talents and expertise in the field of cinema to produce award-winning films.

In 1988, along with her husband Sting, Trudie started the Rainforest Foundation, an organization devoted to protecting rainforests and their indigenous peoples. Her efforts over the years have aided in expanding the project over three continents: South America, Africa and Asia.

As an actress, director, producer, and humanitarian, Trudie Styler continues to amaze us with her unique depth and range in the creative arts. Her ability to balance her artistic vision with her inspiring and revolutionary charitable campaigns allow us to recognize her as a true leader in making a difference in the world.

Hilary Swank

Two-Time Academy Award Winner

From high-school dropout to two-time Academy Award winner by the age of 30, Hilary Swank is a shining example of spectacular triumph against incredible odds. It is a story she draws on to motivate people in every field of endeavor to achieve their own dreams, regardless of the obstacles they face. A passionate activist, Hilary is also a captivating speaker on the causes closest to her heart: battling social injustice and empowering women of all ages. At the core of Hilary’s inspiring messages are the importance of dedication and hard work in accomplishing one’s goals. Hilary inspires audiences communicating her message of self-empowerment and succeeding against the odds—whether in the service of a social cause or a personal goal.

Teresa Tapp

Creator of T-Tapp Workout and Author of Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes

For over 30 years Teresa Tapp has been documenting her experience and collecting data from hundreds of thousands of clients, developing new insights on women’s health and fitness. With success helping everyone from models working in an industry that demands body perfection, to cancer or rehab patients rebuilding function, to the everyday person wanting to be the best they can be, Teresa cares about everyone. As a muscle activation specialist, Teresa’s passion for helping people understand how the body works as a machine for optimal health, beauty and fitness insures that everyone can be Fit and Fabulous at any age.
Teresa has been featured on Oprah & Friend’s radio show with Dr. Mehmet Oz and has appeared on Good Morning America and many local news and morning shows.

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

The Canadian Tenors

Musical Performance

Following an eight-month cross-Canada casting call, four beautiful voices have been united to bring their exciting and unique sound to the world. Accomplished soloists in their own right, their experiences include starring-roles in a Grammy Award-Winning vocal group, national musical theatre tours, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and The Canadian Opera Company, As a group, they are now poised to conquer the international stage and were recently selected as one of 12 acts from across the entire nation to perform with David Foster, Jann Arden and Natalie McMaster. In 2008, they will embark on their C.D-release tour with dates across Europe, Asia and North America.

Judy Thomson

Co-author of "WORK THE POND!"

Judy Thomson is a chartered accountant, trainer and team builder who has held executive positions in human resources and administration with global companies in Canada and Asia. She was also part of the start-up management team of the world-famous Rocky Mountaineer Railtours. In addition to her role as chief operating officer of Shepa Learning Company, Judy is a business consultant, vice-chair of The Vancouver Board of Trade’s Women’s Leadership Circle® advisory board, and sits on the board of directors of a publicly traded mining exploration company.

92/93 Toronto Blue Jays

Confirmed Players In Attendance

Roberto Alomar, Rob Butler ,Paul Beeston, Joe Carter ,Galen Cisco, Darnell Coles, David Cone, Danny Cox, Mark Eichhorn, Tony Fernandez, Cito Gaston, Pat Gillick, Kelly Gruber, Juan Guzman, Tom Henke, Pat Hentgen, Jimmy Key, Randy Knorr, Al Leiter, Nick Leyva, Candy Maldonado, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Rance Mulliniks, John Olerud, Jeff Ross, Ed Sprague, Dave Stieb, Dave Stewart, John Sullivan, Pat Tabler, Gene Tenace, Mike Timlin, Duane Ward, Devon White, Woody Williams, and Dave Winfield.

Phil Town

Successful Investing

With the exception of his brilliant trading successes in the stock market, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything “Wall Street” about investment pro Phil Town. After saving the lives of a group of trustees from Outward Bound on the Colorado River rapids, one grateful client returned the favour by offering to guide Phil to investment success in the stock market.
Phil then learned Warren Buffett’s cardinal rule of trading - don’t lose money. With an initial investment of 1000 dollars, Phil employed his mentor’s lessons and built a multi-million dollar stock portfolio. Coupled with his New York Times best seller, “Rule #1”, Phil Town has become America’s freshest and most exciting authority on self-directed investing.

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

Sean & Leigh Anne Tuohy

Behind The Blind Side: Overcoming Obstacles in the Face of Adversity

“When Sean Tuohy saw the new kid sitting in the high school gym, he saw a boy with nowhere to go but up. The question was how to take him there.” — from The Blind Side
“Sean was an American success story: he had come from nothing and made himself rich,” wrote Michael Lewis in The Blind Side, the best-selling book that inspired the major motion picture starring Golden Globe winner, Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. The Blind Side tells the story of Michael Oher, a homeless teenager turned first round draft pick NFL football player, with the support and love of an unlikely adoptive family: the Tuohys. Sean Tuohy, Michael’s adoptive father, was a record-breaking basketball player before becoming a successful entrepreneur and NBA broadcaster.
At the podium, Sean and Leigh Anne invite audiences to go behind-the-scenes of the Tuohy household with a heartwarming message: “In our house, we believe in miracles.” Sharing personal anecdotes, Sean and Leigh Anne bring The Blind Side to life by asking us all to consider a simple question: how many other kids just like Michael Oher are falling through the cracks every day? And how can we make an impact big enough to change a broken system?

See this speaker at the following event: The Power Within, Calgary - Calgary, AB, March 9, 2010

The Murray Twins

Two for the Money: The Sensible Plan for Making It All Work

Twenty-year veterans of the investment management business, and authors of
Two for the Money: The Sensible Plan for Making It All Work, this twin-duo
offers fun and factual advice on everything from managing your day-to-day
finances to securing a rock solid retirement. They have made frequent
appearances on NBC's Today Show and CNBC and are seen regularly on MSNBC and
Fox ews, and now they are sharing their compounded experience across the
nation with audiences of all ages - because when it comes to money, you are
never too young or too old to take control of your future.

Ali Velshi

CNN Chief Business Correspondent & Author of "Gimme My Money Back"

Ali Velshi is CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent and host of Your $$$$$, CNN’s weekend business roundtable program, as well as a regular contributor and anchor for Issue #1, the network’s in-depth coverage initiative on the single issue that matters most to CNN’s audience. Based in New York, Velshi is a veteran of financial news. He recently hosted The Turnaround, CNN’s small business improvement show. The Turnaround traveled across America, introducing troubled small business owners to high-profile mentors and then helped them develop a plan for success.

Before The Turnaround, Velshi was an anchor with CNNfn, where he hosted various shows, including Your Money, Business Unusual, Insights, Street Sweep and The Money Gang. Before joining CNNfn in 2001, he hosted The Business News, Canada’s first and only prime-time business news hour, airing nightly on Report on Business Television.

Born in Kenya and raised in Toronto, Velshi graduated from Queens University in Canada. Velshi recently released a book, Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis.

Mark Victor Hansen

Chicken Soup for the Soul

For more than 26 years, Mark Victor Hansen has focused solely on helping people from all walks of life to reshape their personal vision of what is possible. His presentations are full of insightful ideas and principles. When Mark's time with an audience is over, amazing things happen. Desire levels and inner drive increase, self-esteem and morale is raised, creativity is stimulated, challenging assignments and situations are approached with a new perspective and, most importantly, all these things effect your bottom line.

Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle: Facing Your Fears & Other Life Lessons

Author of The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls has fought the odds from a small town in West Virgina to the mean streets of New York. Her memoir spent more than 75 weeks on the best-seller list of The New York Times and has sold over 1.5 million copies. This riveting account describes her childhood with her three siblings and her unorthodox parents, who manage at once to neglect them, love them and teach them to face fears. Despite the hardships faced, Walls develops the determination to leave home at the age of sixteen, move to New York, enrol in Barnard College and become a well-known columnist for New York Magazine and MSNBC.com.

Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters has arguably interviewed more statesmen and stars than any other journalist in history. Through the years she has interviewed such world figures as Russia’s Boris Yeltsin, China’s Premier Jiang Zemin, Great Britain’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Iraq’s President Sadaam Hussein. She was also the first American journalist to interview Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the first interview with President and Mrs. Bush following September 11.

In September 2004, after 25 years as co-host and chief correspondent of ABC News’ “20/20,” Ms. Walters left the show to begin a new phase in her career at the network. She remains an active member of the news division and network, substantially increasing the number of primetime ABC News specials, in addition to her “Barbara Walters Specials.”

Ms. Walters’ is also co-owner, co-executive producer and co-host of “The View,” recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy award for “Outstanding Talk Show.” Over the years Ms. Walters has received national recognition for her work and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious honors and awards.

Jack Welch

Straight From The Gut

Former CEO of General Electric and bestselling author of Straight From The Gut, Jack Welch is the most admired CEO in the world. His 20-year reign as the head of General Electric brought the company from bureaucratic behemoth to dynamic and revered powerhouse. During his tenure, GE's market value grew from $13 billion to $500 billion. In the process, Welch's management innovations have made him the most influential CEO of his era.

Marianne Williamson

A Return to Love

Marianne is an internationally acclaimed author, lecturer and spiritual leader. As one of America's most inspirational commentators, she has established herself as somebody with the finger on the pulse of our culture. You have seen her on Larry King Live and The Oprah Winfrey Show. You will be amazed at the insight you will gain into our culture and your personal life.

Samantha Wilson

Founder of Kidproof Canada

Advantages in technology have significantly changed everyone’s lives—mostly for the better. However, technology has brought a wealth of problems for educators who care about keeping kids safe: the hazards are real, and they’re serious. Kids often know more about the online world than adults, but kids are not experts at detecting danger, nor do they know how to protect themselves completely. As a result, they can be lured, tricked, bullied and drawn into very dangerous situations. This informative, engaging session explains what kids are doing online, how their activities can affect their overall confidence and personal safety and what educators can do to effectively supervise them when they are in cyberspace. Samantha is a former police officer, internationally recognized expert in child and family safety, author Safe Kids Safe Families and numerous child safety programs taught to thousands of kids each year.

W. Brett Wilson

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and panelist on CBC Dragons’ Den

A Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and panelist on CBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den, in 1993 Wilson co-founded FirstEnergy Capital Corp., a brokerage firm that provides investment-banking services to Canada’s oil and gas sector. FirstEnergy is an industry leader, having participated in thousands of financing and M&A projects worth over $150 billion since inception. As Managing Director & Chairman of FirstEnergy, Brett helped set standards for both business excellence and community giving, and has received wide recognition for both. In late 2008, he was selected as Alberta Venture’s Business Person of the Year.

Wilson stepped down from active duty with FirstEnergy in 2007, and formerly retired as Managing Director and Chairman in December of 2008. He remains a director of the firm. He is also Managing Director and President of Prairie Merchant Corporation, a private merchant bank focused on business opportunities in the energy, agriculture, real estate, sports, and entertainment industries. In 2007, building on his MBA in Entrepreneurship (U of C ‘85), Brett established the Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence at his engineering (BSc Eng’79) alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan. He is continuing to focus his business and philanthropic ventures on finding more opportunities for innovation in his home provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Rosalind Wiseman

Queen Bees and Wannabes - The Secrets of Girls' Friendships, Gossip, Cliques & Other Realities of Adolescence

Who's in? Who's out? Who's cool? Who's not? Why is one girl elevated to royal status and another shunned? Rosalind Wiseman answers these unfathomable questions and so many more. Wiseman gives educators the insight, compassion, and skill needed to understand and support girls through the rocky terrain of the adolescent social world. Rosalind Wiseman is the bestselling author of Queen Bees and Wannabes (which was the basis of the movie Mean Girls) and is cofounder of the Empower program, a not-for-profit organization that works to empower girls and boys to stop violence. She is an advisor to Liz Claiborne's Women's Work program and has been featured on The Oprah Show and CNN and in publications such as USA Today, the Washington Post, and the New York Times.

Sandra Woitas

Poverty, Well Being & Inner Schools: Building a Community with Action

How do you build a learning community amongst inner city schools facing declining enrolment, limited programming choices, buildings in need of repair and challenging families? It can be done, and Sandra Woitas will look at what happens when a shift is made from “me” to “we” to better serve the students living in inner cities. Sandra B. Woitas was most recently honored as one of the 100 most influential Edmontonians of the century as part of the city of Edmonton's 100th birthday celebration. Woitas is a long-time educator and tireless advocate for the needs of Edmonton's most disadvantaged students.

John Wood

Room to Read

John Wood spent most of his career running significant parts of Microsoft’s international business, including the worldwide launch of the billion dollar Office 95 campaign. At age 35, he left his job as director of business development for Microsoft Corp.’s Greater China region to form Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy in impoverished parts of the world. Room to Read, founded in 2000, has sponsored the opening of a network of over 3,600 libraries and 280 schools across Asia and Africa, with a goal of increasing the network to 20,000 serving at least 10 million children. In 2006, the organization will expand into Africa, starting with Ethiopia. Wood’s many honors include being the only non-Asian chosen for Time Magazine’s Asian Heroes Award. He was selected for the inaugural group of Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum and is a four-time winner of the Fast Company magazine and Monitor Group Social Capitalist Award. A native of Connecticut, John Wood holds a B.S. from the University of Colorado, awarded magna cum laude, and a Masters in Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Winner of The Nobel Peace Prize

Professor Muhammad Yunus - Born in 1940 in the seaport city of Chittagong, Professor Yunus studied at Dhaka University in Bangladesh, then received a Fulbright scholarship to study economics at Vanderbilt University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt in 1969 and the following year became an assistant professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University. Returning to Bangladesh, Yunus headed the economics department at Chittagong University.

He established the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh in 1983, fueled by the belief that credit is a fundamental human right. His objective was to help poor people escape from poverty by providing loans on terms suitable to them and by teaching them a few sound financial principles so they could help themselves.

From Dr. Yunus’ personal loan of small amounts of money to destitute craftspeople in Bangladesh in the mid-70s, the Grameen Bank has advanced to the forefront of a burgeoning world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending. Replicas of the Grameen Bank model operate in more than 100 countries worldwide.

In October 2006, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced its decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Yunus and Grameen Bank “for their efforts to create economic and social development from below.” The Committee said, “Lasting peace can not be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Microcredit is one such means.”

Ray Zahab

Overcoming Adversity

Ray Zahab is motivated by challenge, distance and discovery. From bike racing to running, ultra-marathoning took him to the Sahara desert to push the limits of endurance. On November 1, 2006, Zahab and two other runners set out on an epic expedition to cross the Sahara desert on foot. One hundred and eleven days after leaving the coast of Senegal, running approximately 70km a day without a single day rest, they made history by dipping their toes into the Red Sea and raising the bar on what is considered possible. This extraordinary feat is documented in Running the Sahara and will be released to raise awareness of the water crisis in Africa.

Jeffrey Zaslow

International Best-seller "The Last Lecture"

Jeffrey Zaslow is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal and co-author of the current international bestseller “The Last Lecture.”

His column, "Moving On," focuses on life transitions and often attracts wide media interest. That was certainly the case in September 2007, after Zaslow attended the final lecture of dying Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch. Zaslow’s column about the talk sparked a worldwide phenomenon. Tens of millions of people have since viewed footage of the lecture on the Internet and on TV.

The new book by Pausch and Zaslow, now being translated into 27 languages, is a #1 New York Times best-seller and has topped best-seller lists around the world. Intense media coverage of the book included “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and an ABC prime-time special hosted by Diane Sawyer.

In his entertaining presentations, Zaslow delves into the recesses of our cultural psyche, with results that are surprising, funny and often extremely moving. Zaslow brings audiences unforgettable insights into a story that has captivated people worldwide.

Anthony Zuiker

Creator of CSI

A new breed of consumer who is technologically savvy with a short attention span is forcing companies to drastically alter the way they market their products. In today’s market a company needs to be armed with new weapons in the battle for consumers. No one is more adept at preparing corporations for that battle than Anthony Zuiker, the man who created the television phenomenon, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Cross Platform storytelling is the wave of the future in both Hollywood and Advertising. Anthony Zuiker is the leader of that platform with an innate ability to shift audiences from television to web to mobile and back. Cross platform storytelling is how Corporations and marketers will ride the wave of profitability. By creating unique content to deliver their products and messages they will win the battle for the consumer mind. Zuiker explains why creating a brand experience and making the consumer an active participant in the story will deepen the impact of the message. Zuiker also offers creative insight into multi-platform campaigns that are "non-television." His speeches guide Corporations on how to best adapt to the shifting behavior of their customer base. Guiding the Corporations, Zuiker creates imaginative campaigns that link the platforms and creates a unique experience for the consumer. Few have experienced the overnight success that Anthony E. Zuiker has encountered in Hollywood. Creator of the hit television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Zuiker has become one of the most coveted screen and television writers in the business. Just eight years ago, the aspiring writer worked as a tram driver at Las Vegas’ famed Mirage Hotel. Soon thereafter, he had a movie produced and is now famous for creating CSI. CBS has earned its spot as the number-one rated network due in large part to the series’ success. When he's not creating hit shows, Zuiker, with his creative team, does consulting for companies worldwide, advising on how to create more exciting advertising, cross-platform campaigns and on how to react and adapt to the ever changing consumer.

Gary Zukav

Best-selling author, “The Seat Of The Soul"

Gary Zukav is the author of four consecutive New York Times best sellers, including the monumental best seller, The Seat of the Soul. For years, he has taught many about the alignment of the personality with the soul, which is the creation of authentic power. His gentle presence, humor and wisdom have endeared him to millions through his frequent visits on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Gary grew up in the Midwest, graduated from Harvard, and became a Special Forces (Green Beret) officer with Vietnam service before writing his first book.