Joze Piranian’s journey began in Lebanon, where he spent more than 25 years reluctant to speak because of his stutter. Over time, Joze not only overcame his fear of public speaking but also became the subject of a movie, Words Left Unspoken, which premiered in New York City and Los Angeles.

Joze has shared his story through five TEDx talks and performed stand-up comedy across three continents, connecting with audiences in four languages. He has worked with organizations such as Google, Meta, BlackRock, and Netflix, using humor and personal experience to explore themes of inclusion and resilience.

Joze earned a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Psychology from McGill University and a Master’s in International Business from Queen’s University. His book, Stop Holding Back, was published with HarperCollins in January 2026.

Courage Through Challenge is an inspiring, interactive session
that helps participants move past hesitation in the moments that
matter most at work. Drawing on his lived experience as a
lifelong stutterer and global keynote speaker, Joze Piranian
introduces the idea of the “inner stutter” as the internal
hesitation that can keep us from speaking up, giving honest
feedback, asking for help or raising concerns early. He shares a
simple three-step framework for noticing where you hold back,
naming the self-limiting beliefs underneath and taking small
actions that reduce fear’s control over your behavior.

Through personal storytelling, live polls, case studies, guided
exercises and real-world workplace examples, participants will
explore the personal and team-level costs of holding back, from
missed ideas to delayed concerns and weaker trust. They will
practice “micro moments of bravery,” learn mental wellness
strategies that make courage sustainable and create a
personalized Fear to Action Map they can use right away, helping
everyday acts of courage become more frequent, more
intentional and more aligned with how they want to show up at
work.

Internal Stutter Speaker

An Interactive Workshop to Overcome Fear and Build Everyday Courage

Courage through Challenge

Tony Lee is a designer, dad, and unintentional advocate for accessibility in creative work. He is currently a designer at Google, where he decided on a whim to share a humble deck about his life as a CODA (“child of deaf adults”) in the hopes of sharing a perspective his team didn’t necessarily have. A few years later, Tony found himself both working on and being the subject of a major Google campaign that launched at the 2021 Academy Awards, telling the story of how he and his family stayed connected with the help of Google’s accessible technology. The universe truly works in mysterious ways.

Prior to Google, Tony was an art director at MoMA and designer at Pentagram and SYPartners, and taught part-time at Parsons. In 2016, he was named one of Print Magazine’s New Visual Artists: 15 Under 30. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife Stephanie, their two small kids, and an endless appreciation for good bubble tea.

At the 2021 Oscars, Google premiered a commercial telling the story of how my family and I stayed connected during a pandemic, through the lens of my life as a CODA, or “child of deaf adults.” It was, and still is, incredibly surreal. 

This Elective will share the journey and learnings about accessibility and personal identity that led to a global Google campaign — sharing baseline knowledge about the deaf community, talking about the small and actionable things anyone can do to make their work more accessible, reflecting on the challenges and rewards of articulating a story about an Asian-American family, and what it was like behind-the-scenes to work on a major brand campaign ... about yourself.

Designer + Accessibility Advocate

Why accessibility in creative work matters

Child of Deaf Adults: A Story

Thomas Smith is the first person in documented medical history to be paralyzed three times and recover. After his third accident, he co-founded The Thomas E.  Smith Foundation and began his journey on creating the change that he wanted to see. Over the last 15 years, Thomas has been a disruptor in industries that have been very reluctant to change. 
In 2013, he founded the Look-Up Line, ice hockey's first warning track and partnered with former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to launch his invention. To date, the Look-Up Line has been installed in hundreds of rinks in both the United States and in Canada. 
In 2014, he created The Thomas E. Smith Foundation Reality Ride Challenge, a 2,100+ cycling event from Boston, MA to Miami Florida. Leaving Boston on March 25, 2015 and arriving in Miami on May 1, 2015, he became the first person with paralysis to cycle the eastern seaboard without the use of a wheelchair. As a result, he raised $100,000 for medical research supporting individuals with paralysis. 
In 2017, Thomas decided to challenge himself with doing something Doctors said would be impossible after he was paralyzed; complete the Boston Marathon without the use of a wheelchair. On April 16, 2018, Thomas became the first person to be paralyzed multiple times to complete the Boston Marathon without the use of a wheelchair. Since then, he's completed seven Bostons and including the 129th on April 21, 2025. 
In 2021, he created Marathon Motivations, an Emmy nominated TV show that airs annually on NESN, (New England Sports Network) to inspire people to achieve their most ambitious personal and professional goals. 
To date, his foundation has donated over $2,200,000 to individuals with paralysis. However, his biggest endeavor is yet to come as he sets out to reform the care continuum in healthcare for individuals with disabilities. To do so, he and the Thomas E. Smith Foundation partnered with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis to develop the first of its kind healthcare portal for individuals, families, and caretakers living with paralysis.   

After suffering three separate paralyzing injuries in less than 18 months, Thomas was in uncharted waters as no person has ever sustained paralysis three times. He had to decide either to fight or flight through his challenges and after several misgivings, he committed to fight to gain his life back. In doing so, he has turned his hardships into opportunities and has inspired millions of people around the world. In this course, he shares his story of overcoming adversity when the odds are incalculable. The intent of this course is to provide the tools needed for one to overcome life’s most difficult challenges and help individuals take their adversities and turn them into opportunities. Thomas structures this session with breakout group discussions, storytelling, and q/a segments with the goal of having each participant realize that no challenge is too big to overcome.

Accessibility Advocate

Navigating life’s most difficult challenges.

Overcoming Adversity

Graham Hulbert is a Enginerd, Naturalist, Maker, and a Poet. He has made a career for himself leading large scale strategic transformations within a corporate environment. More recently his curious mind, passion for continuous improvement and experience in the field of change management have been aimed towards making the corporate environment more neuroinclusive. 

Graham was diagnosed with dylsexia at age 7, and wisked off to boarding school at age 9. What young Graham didnt know what that he was more than dyslexic. He was wonderful, autistic and had ADHD! The privilage of his education, combined with often feeling alone, misunderstood and broken (as young Graham learned to interperet his undiagnosed autism), has turned Graham into a compassionate/passionate advocate for Neuroinclusion. 

Whilst growing up Graham often turned to nature for a sense of belonging, his love of the natural world is still strong today and you will often see it pop up in the imagery and analogies he uses in his training. You can hear an example of this by following his youtube link to a video featured by the Biomimcry Institute.

In Portland Oregon, where Graham calls home, he fullfills his drive for multiple 'special interests' by serving on the board for a local community science non-profit, and by volunteering for the forest service as a predator tracker, plus a trail steward with the Pacific Crest Trail Association, leading teams into the cascade mountains to restore and maintain the Pacific Crest Trail and its many access routes. When he isn't in the mountains he can be found engaged with a client in his consulting work, or there is also his workshop where he spends time restoring classic cars, fabricating furniture, and/or crafting leather goods for his small Etsy shop.. oh boy where does it end?

Have you ever found yourself frustratingly typing “per my last email” in an office or family communication? Visual information processing isn’t everybody’s forte, a quick call could make a world of difference, or how about sending a video or voice message? We have the technology!!

In this class on Neurodiversity, Graham Hulbert will guide learners to reframe their definition of intelligence. Learners will develop a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, and dive into the development of our unique and wonderful brains through facts and personal stories. Learners will discover the strengths and challenges of being neurodivergent in the workplace, and how a neurodivergent brain works differently. Graham will propose a way to understand how a ‘difference in wiring’ can result in the vast diversity of thinking and feeling on the spectrum of neurodiversity.

This class will enable people not only to be better coworkers, managers, and leaders, but also better friends, parents, and community members. Learners will leave this Elective with the skills and understanding that will enable them to empathetically connect with, and bring out the best in, their inevitably neurodiverse teams and communities.

Enginerd, Naturalist, Maker + Poet

Explore the unique beauty of the human mind

Introduction to Neurodiversity

Abi Adamson, Founder of The Culture Partnership and creator of the SERN™ Framework, is recognised as one of the UK's Top Workplace Culture Experts (Favikon, #6) and a Thought Leader on LinkedIn by The New York Times. In 2025, Abi delivered her first TEDx talk, "Who Owns Culture?", and is the author of "Culture Blooming: Nurturing Workplaces Where People Grow" (Berrett-Koehler, 2026).

Having partnered with hundreds of organizations globally, including Spotify, Sony Music, and Match Group, Abi equips leaders with practical tools to navigate the challenging conversations that drive real cultural change.

Leaders love working with Abi for her rare combination of candor and warmth. She delivers uncomfortable truths with humour and humanity, making even the toughest conversations feel possible. Her lived experience as a Black woman navigating corporate spaces gives her insights that no textbook can teach, and her easy-going approach means people actually look forward to doing the hard work of culture change. The result? Workplaces that shift from cultures where people survive to cultures where people genuinely thrive.

This session explores hearing disability as an often invisible workplace reality affecting 1 in 6 people globally. It dispels common misconceptions about deafness and hearing loss while providing practical strategies for genuine inclusion. Participants will learn about different hearing disabilities, assistive technologies, and how workplace systems create unnecessary barriers. Through lived experience and interactive scenarios, the session reveals how accessible practices like captions and visual cues improve communication and productivity for everyone. You'll leave equipped with concrete tools to transform your workplace from one where some struggle to hear into one where everyone can truly be heard.

Global Diversity + Inclusion Leader

The hidden reality of hearing disability at work & how to stop losing talent

Deafness and Hearing Loss Burnout

Dan Cnossen was raised on a fifth-generation family farm in Topeka, Kansas. After successfully completing SEAL qualification training in 2003, he deployed numerous times in support of global special operations. As a SEAL platoon commander, he was severely injured in 2009 in Afghanistan, resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knees. Turning to sport for recovery, Cnossen began training full-time for the U.S. Paralympic ski team in 2011 as a cross-country skier and biathlete. He has since competed for Team USA in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games and is the first male athlete to win a gold medal for the United States in biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision shooting. Cnossen holds a bachelor of science degree in English from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a master’s in theological studies from the Harvard Divinity School.

In this course, Lieutenant Commander (retired) Navy SEAL Dan Cnossen shares his story of how he acquired a physical disability while in military service. He will discuss some of the challenges that he initially faced and continues to face in navigating often inaccessible or difficult physical environments. In addition, we will discuss how to create a welcoming, inclusive workplace environment for all; how to build a culture that welcomes diversity; tips on how you can interact with persons who have disabilities; how persons with disabilities can bring innovation to your workforce; and how to improve your physical and digital accessibility. 

Gold Medal Paralympian & Former  SEAL Platoon Commander

How to Improve Accessibility and Workplace Culture for Persons with Disabilities

Improving Workplace Accessibility

Chang Liu is an Inclusive Design and DEI leader with 15+ years of experience helping organizations build more equitable products, cultures, and teams.
She has held key roles at Google and Meta, where she led strategies that shaped both organizational culture and product direction. Currently, she serves as Senior Program Director at an ed tech company, where she continues to bring an equity lens to how technology is built and experienced.
Chang also teaches Inclusive Design and Product Equity at the University of Washington, where her work centers on responsible innovation, accessibility, and building with — not just for — the people most often left out of the design process.
Beyond her professional work, she serves on nonprofit boards including Lighthouse for the Blind, putting her commitment to accessibility and inclusion into practice in the community.
She believes that when we design with the most vulnerable in mind, we create better experiences for everyone.

We interact with disability every day – whether we realize it or not. And yet most of us have never been taught to see the barriers hiding in plain sight: in the spaces we design, the tools we choose, the systems we build, and the cultures we create.  

This session reframes disability not as a health condition or design edge case, but as a core part of the human diversity that shapes how people move through the world. Using a four-pillar framework for access – physical & environmental, digital & informational, social & interpersonal, and systemic & structural – we will explore where barriers are created, who is responsible for removing them, and what that actually looks like in practice. 

Expect honest conversation, real examples, and moments of reflection – along with concrete actions you can take immediately, regardless of your role. 

Inclusive Product Advocate

A human centered look at disability and how we can create access for all 

Make Accessibility Everyday 

Mark Sones is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, combining his 15 years of experience in the technology industry with a deep understanding of neurodivergent perspectives. As a Product Manager and Product Leader, Mark honed his skills in navigating complex systems, leading diverse teams, and delivering solutions that balance user needs with business goals.

His journey of personal reflection since mid-2023 has led him to align his professional expertise with his passion for neurodiversity education. Mark's commitment to integrity, curiosity, and personal growth drives his mission to create more inclusive work environments.

With his analytical mind and empathetic approach, Mark excels at translating complex concepts into actionable insights for organizations. His background in product management equips him with the business acumen to demonstrate the tangible benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace.

Mark's teaching style is characterized by his ability to blend real-world examples with theoretical frameworks, making his training sessions both engaging and practical. His love for storytelling, honed through his appreciation of science fiction and fantasy, allows him to create memorable learning experiences.

As an instructor, Mark is dedicated to helping employers understand, value, and leverage neurodiversity, ultimately fostering more innovative and inclusive corporate cultures.

Join us for a dynamic 60-minute class designed to empower autistic professionals and their allies with practical strategies for thriving in today’s workplace. Drawing from lived experience and the latest research, this session offers an honest, systems-level look at the challenges and opportunities faced by autistic employees—from navigating social expectations to building resilience against burnout.

What You’ll Learn:
* A brief overview of autism in society and at work, including personal stories that highlight both strengths and challenges.
* A “survival guide” for reducing burnout, setting boundaries, and advocating for your needs—whether that means requesting written instructions, using sensory aids, or negotiating flexible work arrangements.
* The art of personal advocacy: how to communicate what you need, navigate disclosure, and align your goals with those of your manager or organization.
* Building group advocacy and allyship: working with Employee Resource Groups, recruiting allies, and driving organizational change for broader neuroinclusion.
* Actionable tips for fostering healthy workplace relationships and leveraging your unique strengths.

The session concludes with an open Q&A, inviting participants to share experiences and ask questions in a supportive environment. Whether you’re an autistic professional, a manager, or an ally, you’ll leave with tools to create a more inclusive, productive, and human-centered workplace.


Neurodiversity Advocate

Going from surviving to thriving: succeeding at work as an autistic individual

Autistic at Work

Bradley Schurman is an expert on demographic change and how it disrupts social, cultural, political, and economic norms across the United States and around the world. His deep understanding of population shifts, coupled with his grasp of emerging trends, makes him an authoritative voice in the future of us.

He's the author of THE SUPER AGE: DECODING OUR DEMOGRAPHIC DESTINY and the founder and CEO of the strategic foresight and inclusive design firm, The Super Age, where he helps organizations navigate disruptive demographic change and the new demographic reality. He's written for Newsweek and been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USAToday. He's appeared on NBC's TODAY Show, CBS News Primetime with John Dickerson, and regularly appears as a guest on podcasts, radio, and television shows worldwide.

Schurman spent his first two decades working for LeadingAge, a community of nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations serving older adults, where he worked on assisted living and continuing care public policy, and AARP, America's leading organization for people aged fifty and older, where he led thought leadership in Asia and Europe and developed relationships with entities like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Economic Forum.

He holds undergraduate and master's degrees from The American University in Washington, D.C.

Over 61 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide have some form of disability. This hinders their ability to participate as workers and consumers in the economy. Schurman shares his organization's approach to creating inclusive spaces that consider the wide range of disabilities, from neurodiversity to acquired disabilities, that come with a long life. His approach can extend working lives and improve the customer experience in the built environment.

Authoritative voice on the future of humans 

Building a Better Tomorrow Today

Inclusive Design + Future of Place

With an award-winning wildlife photojournalism background, and over ten years as a Speaker and Workshop Instructor, I deliver hybrid workshops focused on Disability Awareness Training, Neurodiversity Support, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). My mission is to foster inclusive work environments and empower teams by creating meaningful learning experiences tailored to organizational needs. My work emphasizes actionable strategies that promote belonging and innovation. By leveraging my expertise in neurodiversity and AI, I help organizations unlock untapped potential within their teams, fostering resilience and collaboration in workplaces across industries.

I've had the privilege of delivering high-impact workshops for industry leaders like Amazon Robotics, Canon, and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

The results are measurable:
🔹 Inspired the creation of the first neurodivergent employee resource group at CareFirst. 
🔹 Developed ethical AI solutions that reduced administrative time by 80%. 
🔹 Trained over 5,000 employees across 16 industries to build more inclusive, high-performing teams.

As a Deafblind and neurodivergent expert, I bring a unique, human-centric perspective to the future of work.

Ready to build a more innovative and resilient workplace? Book an Electives session with me and let's get to work!

Unlock the power of assistive technology and AI to reclaim your time, reduce overwhelm, and create more inclusive workflows. In this interactive 60-minute session, you’ll learn how to diagnose your biggest productivity leaks, choose the right tools for the job, and apply proven frameworks to turn ideas into results.

Through personal stories, live demos, and hands-on reflection, you’ll explore:
1. How to identify and fix your “execution gap” using assistive tech as a bridge, not a crutch.
2. Practical ways to integrate AI tools like Copilot, Gemini, and Google AI Mode for planning, brainstorming, and research—without falling into tool overload.
3. Inclusive design habits and accessibility quick wins that benefit everyone, from captions to color contrast.

You’ll leave with actionable strategies, a repeatable framework for better AI prompts (CALM), and a 14-day plan to put what you’ve learned into practice. Whether you’re neurodivergent, managing a hybrid team, or simply looking to work smarter, this session will help you personalize your tech stack and thrive in the digital age.

Wildlife Photographer + Neurodiversity Advocate

Boost Productivity, Build Inclusion: Practical Tools and Strategies to Work Smarter

AI and Assistive Technology

Dec. 3 is Int'l Persons with Disabilities Day

Darlene is an expert at the intersection of lifestyle, wellness, and wellbeing.  With a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and certifications in  personal trainer, wellness coach, nutrition coach, yoga instructor, sleep coach, and meditation teacher.  Her workshops have impacted thousands through corporate partners including Blackrock, Reddit, Spotify, Capital One, Oscar, Raymond James, and more.

Darlene has spoken at some of the world's biggest fitness and positive psychology conferences and contributed to some of the most impactful certifications in wellness.  Now she helps individuals and groups build lifestyles of sustained wellbeing.  In 2021 Darlene was named America's Favorite Trainer by BurnAlong.com and she hosts the Better Than Fine podcast on the NASM Podcasting Network.  

**Savoring the Holidays**

The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of parties, gifts, and indulgence, but it can also stir up obligations, challenging emotions, and concerns for loved ones. If the "most wonderful time of the year" feels more overwhelming than joyful, this 50-minute virtual workshop offers a fresh perspective. Participants will explore ways to shift holiday stress into a season filled with peace, love, connection, and gratitude.

In "Savoring the Holidays," attendees will discover how to use personal storytelling to reframe their holiday experiences. They'll learn techniques for savoring positive moments while giving less power to the difficult ones. The workshop also emphasizes the importance of setting and maintaining healthy boundaries during holiday interactions. Through engaging discussions and reflective exercises, participants will gain practical tools to redefine their holiday narrative, fostering a more fulfilling and balanced festive season.

Join this workshop to equip yourself with strategies that help transform holiday stress into opportunities for deeper connection and appreciation.

Lifestyle + Wellbeing Expert 

Finding connection at the most wonderful time of the year

Savoring the Holidays

Dan Chan bills himself as “The Millionaires’ Mentalist.” Business Insider called him the magician to billionaires.’ He’s been featured in the Hustle, BuzzFeed, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC x2, and Business Insider x5 and during COVID elevated his show with a pivot to Zoom. He’s performed an estimated 7,000 live shows and 530 virtual shows. His pivot to performing over Zoom now allows him to wake up at 5 a.m. to perform shows for clients in Dubai and South Africa from the comfort of his home.  He’s performed for companies from A-Z: Airbnb, Amazon, and Apple to Zillow, Zynga, and the Zuckerberg Chan Initiative; Google alone has hired him over 65 times, and most recently, he performed for Elon Musk!

Magic of the Mind is an interactive, fast-paced virtual show interweaving suggestion, influence, and mind control. Using a combination of misdirection, theatrical trickery, and keen observation, Dan creates the illusion of telepathy and mind reading. Dan can reveal your innermost thoughts and other secrets no one else could know, like the name you are considering for your unborn child or your birthday. He will even perform a signature effect that reveals a prediction not only on your cell phone but on every phone in the audience. Dan’s goal is to provide a sophisticated and thought-provoking show that captivates even the most skeptical audience. Magic of the Mind includes Dan’s signature finale, “The Ultimate Prediction, “where an envelope hung in plain view or a time-stamped email sent before the start of the show details every decision that happened throughout the session.

Magician + known as the "Millionare's Mentalist"

A virtual magic and mindreading show, perfect for team building events

 Magic of the Mind

Kat McDowell is an award winning, chart topping singer songwriter who creates ocean pop music in a blend of Japanese and English. 2020 meant a lot of changes and pivoting for many people and that has been especially true for musicians.  All of Kat's tours were tragically cancelled, but Kat’s long time passion for Origami opened doors she could have never imagined.

Kat released her song “1000 Paper Cranes” as a tribute to her Japanese grandmother just as the pandemic hit and it sparked the idea to start zoom Origami workshops for her supporters as a way to connect and bring some comfort and therapy. The family friendly live music / origami zoom workshops have been a hit and have been picked up by corporate social events, colleges, summer camps and schools all over the US.

Does your team need an activity that will give your mind and eyes a rest from staring at screens all day?

Learn to fold 3-5 Origami figures with your team in a one hour interactive elective with Kat as she uses an overhead Camera to walk everybody through at YOUR pace, step by step. (This can also be done as a 30 minute or 45 minute workshop).

Origami paper can be easily made using copy paper if participants do not have origami paper handy.

Singer Songwriter + Origami Expert

Connect with yourself and others through art

Origami

Wine expert, educator, and entrepreneur Tanisha Townsend has cultivated an international community of wine enthusiasts through an unyielding enthusiasm for oenology. As Chief Wine Officer of her own lifestyle agency Girl Meets Glass, Tanisha leads wine appreciation classes and hosts virtual wine tours in Paris and the regions beyond.

Tanisha offers an enriching curriculum that gives students unique, multisensory experiences unrivaled in the field. Her mission is to empower individuals with an advanced knowledge of wine & spirits in order to build confidence in their tastes and make choices as a better informed consumer. To meet that end, Tanisha ensures that each student completes a course equipped with valuable information, while also holding fond and long-lasting memories of their experience.

Tanisha has further expanded the reach of Girl Meets Glass to include training programs designed for wine & spirits retailers, bartenders, and other professionals in the hospitality industry. Both Tanisha and Girl Meets Glass programs have been featured at high-profile events such as AFROPUNK, and are routinely featured in a variety of media including lifestyle, travel, and food & beverage publications such as Meiningers Wine Business International, The Coveteur, Financial Times, Paris Wine Cup, Black & Abroad and The New Paris Podcast.

Let's take a walk through a fun and engaging history of wine, providing stories and insights into each of the world's most beautiful wine regions! We'll explore the most important grape varieties and their basic characteristics from the places famous for making them. We will teach you the techniques that wine professionals use to distinguish these varieties from one another and help to identify the wines you prefer. 

By the end, you will feel well-armed when going to a wine shop or any restaurant and confidently choose a bottle of wine that you will enjoy. 

Wine Expert and Educator

Building Skill and Confidence by your Palate

Wine Around the World

Alejandro Jimenez has woven his life into poetry that transcends borders, earning him a distinct spot among contemporary Mexican culture-shapers as featured in TIME Magazine. From Colima, Mexico to global recognition, Alejandro's narrative and craft are showcased in a PBS series documentary, "American Masters: In The Making," spotlighting upcoming cultural figures. His prowess with words brought him to the cusp of global acclaim, securing second place at the 2023 World Poetry Slam Championships.

Alejandro's upcoming work promises to delve into the nuances of identity and experience. His first poetry collection, "There Will Be Days, Brown Boy," eagerly awaited by readers, is soon to be released by MouthFeel Press.

His deep-rooted connection to his heritage, combined with his wide-reaching impact on the arts, anchors his professional journey. Alejandro's formal credentials in literature and his acclaimed contributions to the poetic world make him a memorable presence in the realm of literary arts.

Poetry As The Means We Need, means our words, our stories; and the way we tell those stories, can lead to transformational change - collective and/or individually. It can also lead to a sense of power, a sense of belonging, and being enough, and that who we are, where we come from are not things that should confine us but rather can propel us forward. That is the intent of this class: to explore, examine, and elevate the power of our story through poetry.

In this Electives class, internationally recognized spoken-word poet, Alejandro, will share his personal immigration story to the United States through compelling poetry-storytelling filled with humor, power, and resilience. Participants will not merely be listeners but will also engage in writing their own story through carefully guided poetry prompts and exercises led by Alejandro. Participants will walk out with a “new” sense of their own story and the power of their own journey.

Mexican National Poetry Slam Champion

Storytelling As Power

Poetry As The Means We Need

Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer and author. His book, "The Reason For The Rhymes: Mastering The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs," encapsulates the principles of his corporate workshops where Cliff helps business teams develop their creative confidence and enhance their innovative skill sets by teaching them to write songs.

After graduating from Stanford with a degree in political science, Cliff, instead of heading to law school, chose to pursue a career in music. Fast forward thirty years and Cliff has written well over a thousand songs including chart toppers recorded by GRAMMY-winning and platinum-selling artists in genres ranging from Americana, country, pop, blues, jazz and classical crossover. Cliff has also given multiple TEDx presentations on songwriting. Cliff’s clients include Deloitte, Bank of America, IDEO and Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

This is a 90-minute workshop using songwriting to improve innovation skills, enhance creativity and problem-solve. Participants are guided through the process of writing the lyrics to a song based on a specific objective. At the workshop’s high point, Cliff composes the music to the completed lyric on the spot which, without exception, makes the workshop and its subject matter unforgettable.

By breaking down the process of songwriting into easily understood and manageable pieces, Cliff shows his workshop participants how to employ storytelling and emotion-rich language in service of a profound exploration of their chosen issue or objective.

In order to think differently and explore new ideas, it’s critical for high performing teams to develop their creativity and diversify their problem-solving and innovative approaches. Songwriting provides a unique and powerful new way to think about complicated issues and achieve improved solutions.

GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer + author

Mastering The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs

Improved Innovation via Songwriting

Chef Bruno was born and raised in the eastern French town of Besançon. At the age of sixteen, he entered an apprenticeship to become a Chef. Two years later Bruno graduated first of his region and after fulfilling his military obligations in the French Navy, he worked in Burgundy and London (Trader’s Vic’s) before returning to France to work at the world-famous Paul Bocuse Restaurant in Lyon, as a pastry chef.

After an externship at Gaston Lenôtre Patisserie in Paris, Chef Bruno did a summer season with Alain Ducasse on the French Riviera before heading to Orlando, Florida where he spend the next 23 years as a chef at acclaimed French restaurants such as Paul Bocuse's in Epcot Center, Le Coq Au Vin, Le Provence, opened his own bakery & café, Bruno’s Gourmet Kitchen, which he ran for 9 years before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bruno was hired to teach culinary and pastry at the International Culinary Center in Campbell, a cooking school for professionals. This taught him how to rethink his craft and how to make it accessible to novices. He now works as a private Chef for a high income family in Atherton CA, teaches classes at various locations and caters small dinners and parties.

Chef Bruno won a total of 12 medals in American Culinary Federation sanctioned cooking competitions: 3 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze. When he is not working, Chef Bruno enjoys gardening, playing guitar, tennis, or the famed French card game “ tarot".

Do you ever find yourself 'in over your head' in the kitchen? Do you easily get overwhelmed if you need to do more than one thing at once? Are you wasting money on gadgets that don't work? Are you cutting with dull knives? 

In this Elective, you will learn how to de-clutter your kitchen, set up for cooking properly, establish a routine that you will always use, and use correct techniques when cutting, heating, cleaning, and mixing. You will not only learn simple everyday strategies, but also eye opening tips that are interesting and enlightening! 

Award Winning French Chef + Culinary Teacher

Streamline the way you cook 

Efficiency in the kitchen

Sophia Koehler-Berkley (she/her) is a former educator & slam poetry coach turned Master Facilitator & Educational Consultant. She curates the conditions for Zoom-Rooms to be 'a whole vibe,' while remaining psychologically safe, to create inclusive & authentic engagement for all team members and their diverse backgrounds.

As a consultant, Sophia is passionate about positively impacting workplace communities and their internal cultures to become more inclusive & supportive for all. She brings her warmth, vibrant energy, and skill of creating high-levels of engagement to every room where she facilitates.

Sophia is a proud New York City transplant who is also Midwest Certified “Indiana-Nice.” She meditates (every-damn-day), drinks her whiskey neat (always), and is humbled by how her stubbornness is no match for that of her toddler son (most days).

Go beyond surface-level team building in this interactive, deeply engaging Elective.  Choose a team building experience that will create authentic connections between your team members and offer a warm, inviting environment where they can deepen co-working relationships, on their terms. 

Have your teams undergone a lot of recent changes? Perhaps you have been impacted by layoffs, or you are onboarding several new team members; and everyone needs a reset, recharge moment. Maybe your teams work in hybrid or remote environments and you are struggling to find meaningful team building opportunities.

In this Elective your teams will: be provided a psychologically safe space to share things big or small, have meaningful conversations that allow them to meet one another at the human level, experience team-building activities that are SELF-directed, and lean into the experience so deeply, they forget they are in a zoom-room, whether or not, they choose to turn their camera on.

Educational Consultant, and Social-Emotional Skills Expert

Inclusive & Authentic Team Building

Courageous Connections

Dani Klein Modisett is the comedian and author of the book L.A. Magazine picked as one of 7 must read books, “Take My Spouse, Please.” (Shambhala Press, 2015). Her first book, “Afterbirth…stories you won’t read in Parents magazine,” (St. Martin’s Press, 2009), was based on a live show she created by the same name. Dani taught Stand-Up at UCLA for 10 years and privately for 10 more. She has coached keynote speakers, business leaders, and Congressional candidates to use more humor in their interactions. Her writing has appeared in AARP, NY Times, LA Times, Parents Magazine and many websites. In 2018, after her mother became depressed facing Alzheimer's, Modisett had the idea to hire a comedian to work one-on-one with her to make her laugh. It worked and changed the quality of her end of life care. Modisett launched Laughter On Call (www.laughteroncall.com) to bring shared laughter to those who need it most. Since COVID, LOC has taken their programs virtually, now running workshops globally for Fortune 500 companies and healthcare staffs in need of comic relief and connection. She has teaches comedian's tools for creating connection and bringing vulnerability and humanity to the workplace at business schools including HBS, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Duke and UCLA. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons. Modisett is a graduate of Dartmouth College. She was recently added to Forbes 50 over 50 list!

Have you always wanted to do stand-up but never had the courage or the time…or the courage to try? Have you ever experienced the specific adrenaline rush of making a table full of people laugh at a point of view you had that you assumed everyone else did too? Have people told you throughout your life you’re funny and you thought, well...maybe, but so what? In a world where inclusion and connection are a top priority for companies, helping people laugh together has never been more valuable. 

This class is a unique opportunity to study with a seasoned professional comedian who spent 10 years teaching stand up at UCLA. Being able to bring comic relief to stressful moments, to lend perspective to a seemingly hopeless situation and to deliver the magic of shared laughter to people is, in fact, a business super-power.

In this session, Modisett distills her 12-week course down to the essentials to give you plenty of opportunity to share your funniest jokes and stories and leave with a visceral understanding of where and when it is appropriate to deliver them. You will be exposed to comedian’s tools like escalation, the rule of three’s and misdirection to keep people wanting more – of you, your authenticity, and whatever you are selling.

Comedian, Author, and Founder

Stand-Up Workshop for people serious about showing vulnerability & a sense of humor!

YOU… only funnier.  

Matt is the Head Coach for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. He began working with the team in 2006, and has coached it through four Olympics, where in 2018, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall won a gold medal. The team hadn't won a medal at the Olympics since 1976. The team picked up another two medals at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, when Jessie captured a bronze and a silver. 

While coaching cross country ski racers is about maximizing fitness, Matt attributes his team's focus on positive group dynamics as a key to its success. This method can be applied to any person and team in any line of work. If you're looking for new ways to strengthen your team, check out his classes. Matt is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he competed as a racer himself, and currently lives in East Burke, Vermont. 

The Winter and Summer Olympics hit America's mainstream media just once every four years. In a flash, they disappear from sight. It is in this out-of-sight world, when nobody is watching, where the winning teams are built and the champions are made.

In this motivating Elective about the power of a connected team, Matt discusses leadership methods on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team, and shares practices that are sure to stimiluate ideas for growth within the business world. The success of anything, he argues, relies on humans connecting. If you're looking to take your business and team to the next level, you'll need to look at yourself, first. Matt teaches simple concepts used by athletes and coaches on his teams as they strive to become a connected team. 

Gold Medal Winning Olympic US Cross Country Ski Coach

Lifting Physical and Emotional Limits through Positive Team Culture 

The Connected Team

Joyful Team Connections

As a former professional rugby player, Marc understands the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) with regards to both individual performance and building team culture, but more recently, Marc has come to realize just how essential EQ education and practice is when it comes to playing and succeeding at the game of life.

When a career ending injury forced him into retirement from top level sport, he was faced with the challenge of transitioning into the next phase without suffering the repercussions that so many athletes succumb to. This is when Marc's self development and EQ education journey really began.  After two decades of playing elite level sport, commentating, and extensive study in Leadership Mastery, Marc now educates and inspires people to better know themselves and achieve excellence in all aspects of life. 

Are you already preparing to make next year your "best year ever"? Are you subscribing to the 2027 version of "new year, new you" by setting new year's resolutions? Did you also know studies show that around 91% of us won't achieve them? This means that you will fall short of your goals, and your transformational mindset will likely fade quickly... unless you have the right game plan. 

In this Electives class, you will tap into the mindset and methodology of a professional athlete for effective goal setting, while being provided the framework to ensure continued success, in living your life with intention and balance.

The framework could also be applied to teams within the workplace to achieve performance goals.

Former Professional Rugby Player

The Goal Setting Game Plan That Sticks

Setting Up a Winning 2027

In 2018, I made Olympic history at the Winter Games, becoming the first African and Black woman to compete in Olympic skeleton. When I discovered that no African woman had ever competed in the Olympic skeleton, I saw an opportunity to take action.

I'm currently training for the next Winter Olympic Games and I also inspire audiences around the world. I've appeared in leading media outlets such as CNN, NBC, ESPN, USA Today, Essence, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated and the New York Times has hailed me as “a role model for Africa and beyond.”

Audiences have described my live experiences as being “captivating” and “highly actionable” with a "contagious energy and passion.” And now, I'm bringing my transformational tips directly to you with this online class through Electives!

Personal growth, business evolution and executing big ideas takes laser-sharp focus and tenacity. In this interactive virtual experience, barrier-breaking Olympian Simidele Adeagbo shares her best practices on building a 100-day road map to success. Through this interactive experience, Simidele leads a discussion with your team centered around five transformative leadership principles (Focus, Imagination, Risk-Taking, Start Now, Trust Your Instincts) to help you move toward new or improved goals and imagine limitless possibilities. Your team will leave the experience with practical guidance, inspiring personal stories and actionable takeaways to achieve big outcomes, accelerate your impact and jumpstart your next 100 days and beyond!

First Nigerian Winter Olympian. Advocate and Speaker. 

How to Achieve Big Outcomes through Personal Reinvention

Accelerate Your Impact

Sharon is the founder of Control Chaos and author of Super-Productive: 120 Strategies to Do More and Stress Less.

She helps clients improve their productivity, performance, and well-being through corporate training, executive, and group coaching. Her work focuses on empowering individuals to make small changes that have a big positive impact on their work performance and quality of life.

Sharon is an Assistant Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and has guest lectured for many years at Columbia University’s Executive MBA program. She is a certified professional coach and holds the PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation from the International Coach Federation. 

One of Sharon's top strengths is "love of learning." She is a Fearless Organization certified practitioner, a Trust at Work certified practitioner, and a Designing Your Life coach. She has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)  designation and a certificate from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation in Leadership and Negotiation.

She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in real estate finance from New York University, and a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Sharon raised her 4 kids in Northern NJ and now lives with her husband, Neil in South FL. She is an avid swimmer, loves reading fiction, and has recently discovered a love of snorkeling.

 In "Crushing Your Goals," participants will learn practical strategies for setting and reaching meaningful objectives, both personally and professionally. The course explores a variety of approaches, including building goal hierarchies, applying design thinking, and using established frameworks like SMART goals and the WOOP model. Attendees will also practice the skill of re-goaling—adapting plans when circumstances change.

This session is interactive and activity-based. Everyone will need post-it notes or blank index cards and a workspace such as a wall, large table, or open floor area. Through guided exercises, participants will break down larger ambitions into manageable steps, align daily actions to big-picture priorities, and create systems for revisiting and refining goals regularly. The course also covers ways to foster accountability within any framework, such as OKRs, for teams or individuals.

By the end, participants can expect to walk away with tools to create actionable goals, remain adaptable in the face of change, and support ongoing progress in any area they choose to focus on.

Lecturer at Columbia + University of Pennsylvania

A Systematic Approach to Great Achievement

Crushing Your Goals

In this course, Paralympic gold medalist Dan Cnossen shares some of the methods he uses to deliberately set goals to achieve personal success over the long run. Using an action plan as a template, the class will identify ways to subdivide aspects of job performance, each of which can be analyzed in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses, in order to set short, middle and long-term goals for the individual and the team. An important tool for both leaders and individuals looking to orient and structure performance, the purpose of this class is to highlight the inherent tension between long-term goals and the demands of the moment, recognizing the importance of being able to fluidly navigate between the two extremes. 

A structured approach to achieving your dreams

Goal Setting

A wife, mother, speaker, facilitator, business owner, and real estate investor.

Amanda brings an energetic approach to providing an upbeat, comprehensive service to corporate and consumer clients. Her expertise includes time management and sales training.

She founded and ran a digital platform from 2015-2021 called She Did It Her Way. The She Did It Her Way podcast grossed over 3 million downloads from across the globe.

She has been recognized by Forbes, Huffington Post, and Entrepreneur.com.

Clients she has worked with include; JP Morgan, Weight Watchers, att, HP Inc, Pimco, Google for Startups, Google, Bank Tech Ventures, IBM, KUMC, and Cisco.

There are so many goal setting resources out there that teach you the same thing over and over... set 10 different goals for each different category, check in on progress each week or month and voila, you've achieved your goal. Right?

Not quite. This class is completely different than other goal setting approaches.

Here is why... first you're not going to set multiple goals, you're going to set ONE. 

Second, Amanda is going to teach you a 7 step process on how to *actually* achieve that one extraordinary goal. Amanda's unique delivery style and contagious energy will lead you through a wealth of learnings, fun and emotions that will make you laugh, think and be engaged.

So are you ready?

Time Management + Sales Expert

The Steps to Actually Achieve Any Goal

Extraordinary Goals

Every self-help coach will tell you that goal setting is important for well-being and success.  

But do you or your team ever feel like you don’t know what goals to set? 
Like you’re not sure how, what, or  why to even try striving for something? 
You see others around you setting goals and reaching for them, and you want in on that? 
Or maybe you can feel that your own goal setting has gone flat the last few years.  

The "Setting Goals and Intentions" Elective focuses on a more holistic view of goal and intention setting.  Intention setting can be a powerful complementary practice that provides those who feel stuck a useful tool, and those with goals to attach more deeply to internal motivation.

Striving for aligned and integrated accomplishment

Setting Goals and Intentions

Cindy is known for racing around the world with her husband, Ernie, and taking first place on Season 19 of CBS’s “The Amazing Race.” Their journey through 9 countries and the experience of competing in high-pressure environments shaped her perspective on teamwork, resilience, and finding belonging in any setting.

At Google, Cindy works with digital media sellers, supporting them as they build confidence and overcome challenges. She draws on over a decade leading high-revenue growth sales teams and 11 years in corporate roles with large organizations. Her contributions have been recognized with industry awards, including AdWeek’s Media Plan of the Year.

Cindy holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern and a BS from the University of Cincinnati, where she graduated at the top of her class. At home in Chicagoland, she and her husband enjoy exploring new cultures with their three young sons.

In "Goal Setting Strategies for Winning," participants will learn how to define clear, achievable career goals and set objectives using a practical goal-setting framework inspired by the OKR method. Facilitator Cindy draws on her experience winning the Amazing Race, offering concrete examples of how she and her partner planned, adapted, and persevered through each stage of the competition. The class will examine how strategic planning and flexibility play a central role in reaching personal and professional milestones.

Cindy will guide the group through exercises designed to help participants identify their own goals and map out actionable objectives. Through stories from her time on the race, Cindy illustrates how careful preparation and a willingness to adjust strategies made a difference in high-pressure moments. Attendees will leave with a structured approach to goal setting and insights into cultivating adaptability—two skills that support progress in any career path. This class provides a direct, practical toolkit for anyone looking to clarify their aims and take concrete steps toward achieving them.


Winner of the Amazing Race, and Googler

Achieving Goals from winning the Amazing Race to achieving an Amazing Career

Goal Setting Strategies for Winning

In today’s fast-paced world, having a clear personal vision can help individuals stay focused, motivated, and fulfilled in both their personal and professional lives. This interactive workshop will guide participants through a structured process to identify their core values, visualize their ideal future, and craft a personal vision statement.

Managers will also gain insights into supporting their teams in aligning work with personal values, fostering engagement and motivation. Through reflection, guided visualization, and collaborative discussions, participants will leave with practical tools to enhance personal growth and workplace meaning.

Finding Meaning in Work and Life

Creating a Personal Vision

Kyle Shaffer is a dynamic educator who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to leadership development. He is passionate about supporting leaders to create an empowering and inclusive culture so that all stakeholders are engaged and working toward their mission and vision. By focusing on the intersection of adaptive and emotional leadership skills with technical ones, leaders will develop tangible strategies to enhance the effectiveness and inclusiveness of their teams. 

Kyle leads workshops, leadership development cohorts, and individual coaching clients with numerous organizations and companies across the country. Previously, he served as the Vice President of Schools for KIPP St. Louis Public Schools, where he coached and managed the principals of six schools and 3,000 students, as well as provided leadership training for aspiring leaders across the district.  Prior to that, Kyle worked alongside community members in Redwood City, California to found a PreK-8th grade school for over 700 families in the North Fair Oaks community, which was one of the highest performing schools for low income students in the Bay Area. Kyle received his Masters of Education in Leadership through National Louis University.  Outside of work, Kyle spends his time with his wife, two daughters, and one-year old son, is an avid reader, loves music, and enjoys anything active and sports related.

Everyone knows goal setting matters. We set goals in our personal lives, our classrooms, and our teams. But let’s be honest—goal setting is often broken. We write goals that sound good, but don’t guide action. We set them and forget them. Or we try to hold people accountable to goals that were never truly theirs to begin with. Instead of driving clarity and motivation, goal setting can sometimes lead to frustration and disengagement.

In this class, we’ll unpack the true purpose of goal setting and what it takes to do it well. Together, we’ll examine common pitfalls and explore a framework for designing goals that actually drive ownership, clarity, and momentum. You’ll learn how to launch goal-setting processes that align your team’s focus, build investment, and create a clear path to follow-up and reflection.

This Elective is designed for anyone who leads others and wants to make goal setting more meaningful and effective. It’s a dynamic and interactive session blending research-based content, discussion, and practice. You’ll leave ready to guide your team through a process that not only sets goals—but sustains them.

Educator, Leader, and Connector 

How to Do It Effectively with Those You Lead

Joanna Lohman is a force of nature in the world of women’s soccer and a subject-matter expert on impact leadership and performance. A 16-year professional athlete and one of only 270 women in history to have worn the coveted U.S. Women’s National Team jersey, Joanna has racked up 9 USWNT caps and led the U-21 USWNT to multiple international trophies as team captain. At Penn State, she made 101 appearances with 41 goals, garnered Big Ten Player of the Year honors, became a Herman Trophy finalist, and earned the distinction of Four-Time Academic All-American. Her professional club career saw her become the first player in Washington Spirit history to have her jersey retired, capturing fans’ hearts across 52 appearances and 6 goals.

Yet Joanna’s triumphs extend well beyond the pitch. Revered for her staunch advocacy of equal pay based on performance, she embodies the values of courage, fairness, and resilience—showing the world that true leadership demands both passion and principle. She now brings her hard-won insights to boardrooms, keynote stages, and classrooms alike, serving on the Yale School of Management’s Experience Leaders Initiative Advisory Board and empowering individuals to push boundaries, amplify their impact, build cohesive teams, and deliver elite results under pressure. From championing authenticity in sports to forging high-impact strategies for corporate team performance, Joanna Lohman exemplifies what it means to be a game-changer in every sense of the word.


In this interactive class, Joanna Lohman uses lessons from 16 years on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and her run on *The Amazing Race* to explore how people adapt when plans fail, cut through noise, and connect with the right people under pressure.

Rather than just hearing stories from the field, participants work through the same skills behind them. They look at what to do when a plan falls apart, using real examples from their own work. They practice identifying the one priority that matters most and letting go of the rest when time is short. They also map the kinds of partnerships that help teams move faster, with one person leading on instinct and another on strategy.

By the end of the class, participants leave with a practical reset for setbacks, a method for simplifying fast-moving decisions, and a clearer sense of who to rely on when the stakes are high.

US Women Soccer Athlete

How Elite Performers Adapt, Subtract, and Connect to Win

The Amazing (Human) Race

Start the Year with a Plan

Nigel Darius is a seasoned educator, storyteller, and creative professional who excels in making learning an engaging and transformative experience. With a career spanning over a decade, Nigel has dedicated his work to helping individuals and organizations flourish by delivering content that’s both educational and entertaining. His unique teaching style combines dynamic methods with powerful storytelling techniques, ensuring that information resonates deeply with audiences of all sizes. Whether speaking to a boardroom of executives or a large auditorium of individuals, Nigel’s ability to translate complex topics into digestible, captivating lessons is both exceptional and unique.

As an acclaimed author, keynote speaker, and adjunct professor, Nigel has taught across the U.S. and internationally. He specializes in fostering human connection, elevating empathy, and exploring the importance of identity. Nigel’s sessions are highly interactive, tapping into each participant’s unique learning style while encouraging critical thinking and dialogue.

Working with Nigel is more than just a learning experience—it’s an authentic connection. At his core, Nigel is someone who thrives on building genuine relationships and creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. His natural curiosity and love for deep conversations shape his approach to everything he does. Nigel desires to bring warmth, empathy, and a sense of playfulness into every environment, leaving a lasting sense of belonging.

In this immersive workshop, participants will explore how identity, heritage, and personal history influence and enrich leadership styles. Through interactive discussions, multimedia storytelling, and reflective exercises, Letters from My Lineage guides its audience on a journey into the “samples” of their past—those formative experiences, cultural touch-points, and family stories that uniquely shape their approach to leadership.

This session begins by exploring how music, cultural identity, and inherited family values impact our perceptions of success, influence, and interpersonal dynamics. Drawing on insights from musical sampling, participants will identify the parts of their lineage that influence their choices, interactions, and vision, equipping them to lead with heightened authenticity and purpose.

Educator and Storyteller

An exploration and appreciation of individual and collective culture. 

Letters from My Lineage

Curtis Smith stands out for co-founding a highly-regarded public middle school in Brooklyn, where he pioneered a mindfulness curriculum that has since become a cornerstone of the school's ethos. This program's effectiveness catapulted him onto the global stage, where he now partners with educational institutions to augment their cultures and practices.

Curtis extends his expertise in mindfulness as a consultant, where his strategies and workshops breathe life into initiatives like the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, helping to shape compassionate and mindful educational environments. His forward-thinking approach has made significant strides in integrating mindfulness across various school districts.

At the heart of Curtis's career is a commitment to social entrepreneurship, evidenced by his founding of Moment of Mindfulness LLC. Here, he has woven together evidence-based tools, utilizing music, movement, and meditation, to enhance mental health education. In addition to his real-world experience, Curtis holds a solid foundation in educational leadership, underpinning his innovative contributions to the field.

Join Curtis Smith for "Hip-Hop & Mindfulness Fusion," a lively 60-minute workshop combining the vibrant elements of hip-hop with mindfulness techniques designed to enhance well-being, focus, and team synergy in the workplace. Through engaging activities rooted in hip-hop culture—like DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti art—participants will delve into:

- **Mindful Listening and Focus**: Utilize music and rhythm to cultivate presence and flow.
- **Creative Self-Expression**: Develop personal affirmations and team rhymes to enhance confidence and communication.
- **Movement for Stress Relief**: Participate in energizing stretches and mindful movements inspired by breakdance.
- **Visual Reflection**: Employ graffiti-style art for goal-setting and creative exploration.
- **Building Connection**: Foster teamwork and shared creativity to enhance workplace community.

This workshop introduces a unique perspective on corporate wellness, providing tools for self-awareness, stress management, and creative collaboration. Curtis Smith, a co-founder of a pioneering mindfulness curriculum in Brooklyn, brings his expertise to the global stage by enhancing educational cultures worldwide. No experience in mindfulness or hip-hop is necessary—just bring an open mind, and be ready to move, create, and connect!

Mindfulness Expert + Entrepreneur, Educator, and Wellbeing Advocate

Integrating Creativity, Movement, and Mindfulness for Workplace Well-Being

Hip-Hop & Mindfulness Fusion

Kris Derek Hechevarria is a Cuban American teaching artist who was born and raised in Miami Florida.  He moved to Chicago to volunteer with Pritzker College Prep through AmeriCorps’ Project YES.  This experience led Hechevarria to receive his MA in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  In 2013 Hechevarria was invited to be the founding art teacher for Wolcott College Prep, an independent high school for college bound students with learning disabilities.  There he developed a conceptual art curriculum that promoted critical thinking and material exploration. Hechevarria has developed programming for The Chicago Architecture Biennale, The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art: Chicago, National Museum of Mexican Art, National Veterans Art Museum, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, CAPE, Arquetopia and the Smart Museum.  He is currently a lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.


This course invites participants to explore the richness and complexity of Black identity through the lens of contemporary art. Studying the work of Black contemporary artists allows viewers to participate in conversations surrounding race, culture, identity, resistance, and belonging in the United States. Participants will engage with contemporary artworks to deepen their understanding of the diverse perspectives that shape Black life today, while also reflecting on how histories, memories, and lived experiences inform artistic expression. Participants will gain a more nuanced appreciation of the diversity of Black stories and the vital role of art in expressing identity, challenging narratives, and envisioning new futures.

Artist and Educator

Narratives in Identity and Culture

Black Voices in Contemporary Art

Nicholas Buccola is the award-winning author of The Fire Is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate over Race in America. He has also written or edited books on Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. His essays have been published in numerous scholarly journals as well as popular outlets such as the New York Times, Salon, and Dissent. He is also an award-winning teacher at Linfield University, where he is the Elizabeth and Morris Glicksman Chair in Political Science. 

There was no idea more important to James Baldwin than love. In his novels, plays, essays, and activism, he grappled with the meaning of love and how to find it in our lives. Baldwin's understanding of love was not the sort you'd find in a greeting card. Instead, his understanding of love was tough, philosophical, and even confrontational. On the personal level, Baldwin described love as a virtue that forces us to "take off the masks we fear we cannot live without, but know we cannot live within." Baldwin believed that loving oneself requires us to engage in ruthless introspection about who we take ourselves to be and who we want to become. To love another person, Baldwin explained, one must be willing to reveal to the beloved what she might not see. Politically, Baldwin famously said that his love for America was at the root of his sense of responsibility to criticize her perpetually. 

In this Elective, Nick utilizes Baldwin's life and work as the basis for several opportunities to reflect on the meaning of love and how it might matter in our quest to create a world that is more equitable and inclusive. What can Baldwin's first novel, which he once called "love song" for his father, teach us about the relationship between love, authority, and identity? What did Baldwin learn about love while he was traveling the back roads of Mississippi with civil rights superhero Medgar Evers as Evers was investigating yet another act of racist violence in the state? What did the playwright Lorraine Hansberry teach Baldwin about love through her art and activism? Why might Baldwin's famous debate with conservative William F. Buckley Jr. be best understood as an argument about love? Through these and other examples, this interactive Elective will provide your team members with opportunities to think about their own identities, their relationships with others, and how they might draw on Baldwin's philosophy of love to make the world more just. 

Award Winning Author, & Black History Expert

What James Baldwin's Philosophy of Love Can Teach us about Equity & Inclusion

Love Letters from James Baldwin

Emmanuel Allen: Visionary Speaker and Catalyst for Change.

Emmanuel's roots run deep in his community. With a profound commitment to excellence, he has immersed himself within Boston Public Schools (BPS), fostering an environment of growth and resilience. Emmanuel serves as the Director of the BPS Re-Engagement Center, a center that helps high school dropouts re-enroll and find alternative pathways to graduation. The true essence of his work is demonstrated with the re-enrollment of over 3,000 students, altering the trajectories of their lives.  A 57% reduction in Boston's dropout rates is a testament to his transformative strategies.

He's collaborated with politicians, educators, and families, forging initiatives with real impact. His role in influential organizations such as the Massachusetts Dropout Commission and the Boston Mayor's Youth Council underscores his dedication to broader systemic change. 

Emmanuel has an MBA from Northeastern University, specializing in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. His distinctive approach lies in seamlessly blending business acumen with innovative educational methodologies. His sessions transcend traditional learning. They ignite a challenge to overcome limitations and a roadmap to an empowered future. 

This course, "Black History in America," delves into the profound narratives and contributions of Black individuals throughout American history while equipping participants with vital resilience-building strategies. Participants will engage in an exploration of historical events, figures, and movements that have shaped the landscape of America. In addition to understanding this rich history, the course emphasizes practical techniques for cultivating resilience in the face of personal and professional challenges.

Structured into dynamic modules, the course combines theoretical insights with actionable strategies, allowing participants to apply their learning immediately. Ideal for anyone looking to enhance their resilience, this course will empower individuals to navigate setbacks and transform them into opportunities for growth. Join us for an enriching experience that fosters personal development and cultivates a deeper appreciation for Black history and its relevance today.

Educator, Leader + Community Change Catalyst

How cultivating the skill of resilience led to freedom

Black History in America 

Wendy Carter is a seasoned Leadership Development Practitioner and Executive Coach with over 15 years of experience in designing and facilitating engaging learning programs that drive meaningful change. Having worked with Fortune 100 companies like The Walt Disney Company and AdventHealth, she has a proven track record of curating customized learning experiences that resonate across industries, including healthcare, entertainment, and leadership development. Wendy is known for her dynamic facilitation style, creating interactive and impactful sessions that leave participants feeling empowered and equipped to apply their newfound insights immediately.

As the Founder of Emerge Development Solutions, Wendy partners with organizations to develop tailored leadership programs that address specific challenges and foster growth. She leverages certified tools like the DiSC and MBTI assessments, alongside her deep expertise in emotional intelligence, to help individuals and teams unlock their full potential. Wendy’s ability to connect with diverse audiences and deliver practical, results-driven strategies has made her a trusted resource for leaders seeking transformative learning experiences.


This workshop offers participants an opportunity to delve into the experiences of historical and modern Black leaders who have faced and overcome significant challenges. By examining their strategies for resilience and leadership, the class provides insights that attendees can incorporate into their own professional lives. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of resilience as a key trait for effective leadership, especially for those from underrepresented backgrounds. The course encourages learners to identify common challenges and explore historical lessons to refine their leadership techniques. Through guided activities, attendees will build a personal strategy to enhance their resilience and perseverance in the workplace. This class is an engaging and thoughtful exploration that equips individuals with practical tools and perspectives drawn from Black history to navigate leadership challenges.

Founder and People Leader

Lessons on Resilience

Lessons from Black Trailblazers

Stephen Barr is the Vice President of Business Development at Univision Communications. Stephen has spent the last two decades in a variety of leadership roles in media predominantly based in New York City. 

Outside of media, Stephen teaches at the NYU Stern School of Business as an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor and was the 2020 recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award at MIT. Stephen serves on the Board of Advisors for True Diversity, a startup based in New York City. 

Stephen is a proud Morehouse College graduate (English and Political Science), earned his Masters of Science (Management and Media) from NYU Stern and most recently completed his MBA from MIT Sloan.

Stephen Barr leads employees in a conversation on race and power in America. The class will explore the precursors, facts and events that contributed to the origins of Black History Month. Employees will learn about current and past luminaries within the Black community, the history of HBCUs, movements of social and civil unrest, and share suggested readings and viewing materials to gain more insights.

Media Executive & Diversity Leader

A Conversation about Race and Power in America

Black History is American History

Jay is an award-winning speaker and consultant with over 25 years of experience in building high-performance organizations. Renowned for his dynamic storytelling and practical methodologies, Jay captivates audiences by sharing real-world experiences that inspire action and drive results.

Drawing from his background as a former US Army Intelligence Officer with global leadership roles and as a corporate executive, Jay brings deep expertise in behavioral science, team dynamics, and transformational leadership. He leverages his C.L.E.A.R.™ methodology to accelerate performance and maximize organizational impact by focusing on culture development, leadership empowerment, and employee engagement.

Jay’s insights and strategies are designed to equip leaders and teams with the tools they need to cultivate high-performing teams and achieve exceptional results in today’s competitive landscape.

This session explores the powerful story of Black history in America and the lessons it offers leaders, individuals, and organizations today. We will examine the resilience, brilliance, and influence of Black Americans throughout our history, from early movements for freedom to the achievements that continue to shape our society. The talk highlights key moments in history, the progress we have made, and the challenges that still exist.

We will connect these lessons to the modern workplace and discuss what it means to create a culture where everyone feels valued and supported. Drawing on historical insights, leadership examples, and practical steps, we will focus on how organizations can honor Black History Month meaningfully and carry that spirit forward throughout the year.

This conversation is designed to be reflective, educational, and action-oriented. The goal is to give participants a deeper understanding of why Black history matters and how they can use these lessons to strengthen their teams and communities. Participants will walk away with clear ideas they can apply right away to create a more inclusive environment.


Turn Around Leadership Expert

The Arch of Black History in America

From Struggle to Strength

Myrna Lainé-Hyppolite has had close to 30 years of experience in the world of finance ranging from corporate finance, private equity, to investment banking. She is an ivy-league graduate with BA and MBA degrees from Dartmouth College.  Ms. Lainé-Hyppolite has leveraged her finance knowledge over the years and is now the CEO of Empower Financial Wellness, a financial coaching company established with a mission to educate, encourage and empower individuals to reach their financial goals. As a financial coach, Ms. Lainé-Hyppolite helps individuals generate more money without working more, learn the basics of confident investing and how to build their own customized wealth management blueprint.

Uncover the complexities of the racial wealth gap in this enlightening elective designed to deepen your understanding of economic disparities rooted in race. In this class we will dive into some of the factors and contemporary challenges that contribute to wealth inequality. This class is intended to help equip learners with actionable insights to foster meaningful conversations and advocate for change.

CEO + Founder of Empower Financial Wellness

Wealth Inequality Unveiled

Understanding the Racial Wealth Gap

Creating an inclusive workplace is essential for growth and productivity, but it's not always easy to achieve – especially in today’s climate. In this inspiring and empowering workshop, you will discover the power of authenticity, learn how to overcome imposter syndrome, and find limitless possibilities, in place of bias and barriers. Olympian Simidele Adeagbo will share the transformational story of her journey to becoming both the first African woman and the first black woman to compete in Olympic skeleton (a sport she had no prior experience in and one in which athletes hurl themselves headfirst on a sled down an icy hill at 80 miles an hour). When we lift every voice, we unlock the real potential of our teams and change the game for all of us.

A fresh perspective on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through the power of sport

Being Black in White Spaces

Black History Month

Catie Hogan is Head of Curriculum and the Founding Coach at Parthean, a personal finance education company. Previously, she was an associate at Element Financial Group, and the founder of Hogan Financial Planning. With each role, her main objective is always to educate, empower, and do her part in closing the wealth gap.

Hogan is also an award-winning comedy writer and occasional performer. She’s written two humorous personal finance books, performed a TEDx Talk on using humor in financial education, and is a longtime writer with the theater group Sketchworks Comedy. She holds the record for the most popular piece ever featured on The Belladonna Comedy, and has had multiple viral pieces on McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and Funny or Die. She was awarded “Best New Work” in 2018 by the Broadway World Regional Awards for her hit parody Vape: The Musical, which is likely the closest she’ll ever get to a Tony. 

Hogan’s purpose in life is to spread the good word of financial literacy using humor.

In this course, Hogan will teach the foundations of financial literacy, how every woman has the tools to become financially independent, and why it's imperative. We'll go over everything from establishing an emergency fund, setting S.M.A.R.T. financial goals, the basics of saving and investing, retirement planning, and managing debt. We'll also touch on the psychology of money and how to become a more confident financial feminist. The course is taught using Hogan's trademark humor and inability to take anything too seriously. Learning to be a financially savvy woman can and should be fun!

Financial literacy advocate, comedy writer, & public speaker

How Women Can Take Control of Their Financial Future

Fantastic Financial Feminists

Jacqueline M. Baker is a leadership strategist, keynote speaker, author, modern etiquette expert, and founder of Scarlet. Through The Scarlet Institute, she helps leaders strengthen their leadership identity, visibility, connection, and legacy. Scarlet's modern etiquette work equips children, families, and professionals to navigate important moments with greater confidence.

Over the past 15 years, Jacqueline's keynotes, workshops, coaching, and facilitated experiences have reached more than 100,000 participants. Her clients have included Nike, the Department of Defense, AARP, The Coca-Cola Company, and numerous corporations, associations, nonprofit organizations, and community institutions.

Jacqueline is the author of The Unexpected Leader and Leader by Mistake and the host of the Just Start: Get Visible podcast, where she encourages people to start new things, take intentional action, and become more visible. She previously served as Vice President of Startup Programming at AARP Innovation Labs and currently serves on the corporate board of Plastipak Packaging and its Compensation Committee.

A proud Detroit native and avid dinner-party host, Jacqueline believes leadership is not reserved for a particular title or position. It begins with recognizing your ability to lead and becoming more intentional about how you show up, connect, and create impact.

On our journeys of growing and elevating, things can get messy and often confusing. It is our individual responsibility to check in to ensure that the career opportunities that we are entertaining are in alignment with how we actually want to live our lives and be remembered. 

This Leadership Legacy course provides a unique opportunity to create a foundational guide to help you face the head on challenges of growing as a leader in your career. Now more than ever, people just like you are entertaining new and innovative ways to work, so it's essential that we embrace tools to help us and elevate as a leader at all levels of our careers. 

You will walk away from this Elective with equal parts inspiration and actionable tools. Prepare to understand your leadership opportunities, make informed decisions about your career path, and arm yourself with the skills to create your own leadership legacy — all to ensure that you make the impact you want to make through your everyday actions and beyond.

Stress Awareness Month

RESET

Stress Less, Perform Better

More in This Collection

Filling Your Cup

Leading Teams through Stress

The Science of Resilience

Embrace Well-Being for your Team

Race Based Stress

Connection, Mindfulness and Burnout

Emotional Resilience in Daily Life

Sleep Well

Other Notable Collections

Dec. 3 is Int'l Persons with Disabilities Day

Joyful Team Connections

Start the Year with a Plan

Black History Month

Women's History Month

Human + AI: Building the Skills That Make the Difference

Growing Teams, Growing Leaders

The (Change) Saturation Point

The EPOCH Capabilities