Humanities & Social Sciences

Esteemed speakers contributing their insights into human culture, behavior, and societal development

Yvonne Fietz

Yvonne Fietz

Seit 2016 wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der HAW Hamburg
Seit 2018 Geschäftsführerin der Arbeitsstelle für Migrationsforschung und Integrationspraktiken an der HAW Hamburg

Seit 2016 wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der HAW Hamburg Seit 2018 Geschäftsführerin der Arbeitsstelle für Migrationsforschung und Integrationspraktiken an der HAW Hamburg Show more

Abrar Hussain

Abrar Hussain

Mr. Abrar Hussain is a young researcher in the field of probiotics and pursuing his Ph.D. degree from ICCBS, University of Karachi. Mr. Hussain, received his master degree in chemistry/ biochemistry from university of Peshawar, Pakistan. He also obtained C.T. (certified teacher), B.Ed. and M.Ed. degree in Science education from Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Recently he completed M.Phil./MS degree in biochemistry from HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, ICCBS, University of Karachi. He completed his M.Phil. thesis on the "Molecular assessment and validation of the selected enterococcal strains as probiotics". Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in the probiogenomics analysis of probiotic. So far his contribution in the field is the indication of bright future as he published articles in probiotics and delivered lecture and participating in conferences to explore the field of probiotics.
He is also a professional speaker and delivered numerous lectures on different topics. Attending seminars, conferences, and participation in scientific events are the marking agents of his enthusiasm. He is also writing blogs on both scientific and social or religious perspectives. He has more than 100 participation certificate, delivered more than a dozen lectures and present his views in different conferences.
His research skills are also shaping his personality. He has strong research skills and is able to work in a team and independently. He also trained many internships students in his laboratory and also guide multiple students across the country for their scientific writing.
In short, Mr. Hussain is a man of rule, has keen interest for science, have excellent research, writing, and presentation skills. He fell more than happy to helps other students and guide them in their careers.

Mr. Abrar Hussain is a young researcher in the field of probiotics and pursuing his Ph.D. degree from ICCBS, University of Karachi. Mr. Hussain, received his master degree in chemistry/ biochemistry from university of Peshawar, Pakistan. He also obta... Show more

Verónica Mota Galindo

Verónica Mota Galindo

Verónica Mota Galindo is a transdisciplinary researcher and epistemological activist at the Free University of Berlin, focusing on philosophy, gender studies, technoscience and decolonial theory. As a member of the international research project Human-Machine at the Inter, she is contributing to a forthcoming 2026 volume on artificial intelligence, representing Latin America with a focus on AI in Mexico. She is currently studying for a PhD in Philosophy at FU Berlin and a Master's degree in Technology at TU Berlin. She mentors students from minority backgrounds and has created the “Decolonising AI: Intersectional, Feminist and Ecological Literacy” prototype, which has been selected for integration into the Humboldt University's Gender MINT project this year. Drawing inspiration from Haraway's cyborg, her work blends critical AI pedagogy with inclusive, feminist, and decolonial perspectives.

Verónica Mota Galindo is a transdisciplinary researcher and epistemological activist at the Free University of Berlin, focusing on philosophy, gender studies, technoscience and decolonial theory. As a member of the international research project Huma... Show more

Hani Kafoury

Hani Kafoury

Hani Kafoury is more than a speaker—he is a rare bridge between the worlds of executive leadership and psychology. A former senior corporate executive turned licensed psychologist, Hani brings a unique and deeply credible perspective on leadership, resilience, change, and human potential.

His doctoral dissertation focused on the determinants of psychological resilience in business leaders during times of adversity and major change. Combined with advanced certifications in the people side of change and decades of leadership experience within multinational organizations, Hani offers audiences both evidence-based insights and practical strategies that can be applied immediately in real-world leadership contexts.

Hani’s presentations go beyond inspiration. They challenge leaders to rethink how they respond to uncertainty, adversity, pressure, and transformation. Blending psychology, leadership experience, research, and powerful storytelling, he equips audiences to lead with greater resilience, adaptability, confidence, and purpose—both professionally and personally.

What makes Hani especially compelling is that his message is grounded not only in professional expertise, but also in lived experience. His life reflects a continuous pursuit of growth through challenge: running marathons in his 20s, embarking on global adventures in his 30s, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and producing a documentary about the experience, and completing an IRONMAN competition in his 50s. These experiences reinforce the philosophy at the heart of his work: meaningful transformation happens when we step beyond comfort and become what we must.

Hani has delivered impactful seminars, keynote presentations, and workshops for organizations including the Association of Change Management Professionals, BDC Capital, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cascades Canada, EnsembleEQ, Ford of Canada, Genome Québec, Janssen Pharma, Kronos Canada, London Drugs, Merck Canada Inc., Otsuka Pharma, the Pharmaceutical Marketing Club of Quebec (PMCQ), Pharmacy-U, and Telus Health.

Recognized for his dynamic presence, authenticity, and practical approach, Hani has spoken internationally across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, connecting with audiences across industries and cultures. Fluent in both English and French, he delivers engaging presentations that resonate deeply and leave lasting impact.

Through his presentations, Hani shares the key determinants of psychological resilience identified through his doctoral research, while also drawing from advanced certifications and professional expertise in the areas of change, wellbeing, and mindfulness. He equips leaders and teams with practical, evidence-based strategies to build resilience, adapt successfully to change, and foster greater wellbeing in today’s demanding and rapidly evolving world.

Hani Kafoury is more than a speaker—he is a rare bridge between the worlds of executive leadership and psychology. A former senior corporate executive turned licensed psychologist, Hani brings a unique and deeply credible perspective on leadership, r... Show more

Claudia Graf-Pfohl

Claudia Graf-Pfohl

Claudia Graf-Pfohl, M.A., is a doctoral researcher in industrial sociology and an applied digital change manager. Since 2021, she has supported companies through complex development processes related to the introduction of new technologies and is a recipient of the Civic Innovation Award and the Marie-Pleißner Prize.

Claudia Graf-Pfohl, M.A., is a doctoral researcher in industrial sociology and an applied digital change manager. Since 2021, she has supported companies through complex development processes related to the introduction of new technologies and is a r... Show more

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian)

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian) Show more

Amy Fletcher

Amy Fletcher

Writer and Foresight Analyst,

Writer and Foresight Analyst, Show more

Camilo Zambrano

Camilo Zambrano

Camilo Zambrano is an author, TEDx speaker, founder of Self Disciplined and Adaptable Discipline, and a software engineer by background.

His work reframes discipline as the practice of return: the skill of coming back to what matters after stress, distraction, conflict, overwhelm, or drift. He draws from systems thinking, behavioral theory, neuroscience, and psychology to explain why people drift, what makes returning harder, and how to design conditions that make returning easier.

Camilo speaks about return as a meta-skill, comeback speed, burnout, focus, emotional regulation, neurodivergence, leadership, and the systems that help people and teams recover coherence when life or work pulls them off course.

His TEDx talk, "The Gentle Art of Finding Your Way Back," introduces the central idea behind his work: drift is the default; the return is the skill.

Camilo Zambrano is an author, TEDx speaker, founder of Self Disciplined and Adaptable Discipline, and a software engineer by background. His work reframes discipline as the practice of return: the skill of coming back to what matters after stress,... Show more

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a performance strategist, speaker, and PhD in Sport & Exercise Psychology who helps organizations improve leadership, retention, motivation, and human performance without burnout.

With more than 25 years of coaching high performers, from elite athletes to executives and growth-focused teams, she translates performance science into practical systems leaders can use immediately.

Her work focuses on leadership effectiveness, workplace well-being, communication, accountability, and unlocking the strengths of neurodivergent talent in modern organizations.

Saara has been featured in Forbes Health, Shape, Reader’s Digest, and other national media. Known for energetic, thought-provoking sessions, she helps audiences rethink what drives performance and what quietly destroys it.

Her sessions help leaders identify costly blind spots and the strategic initiatives worth funding next.

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a performance strategist, speaker, and PhD in Sport & Exercise Psychology who helps organizations improve leadership, retention, motivation, and human performance without burnout. With more than 25 years of coaching high perf... Show more

Michelle Storm

Michelle Storm

Michelle is a multipassionate portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she explores how people live, work, and thrive, translating complex insights into meaningful everyday practices and solutions. Her work as a Vision-to-Experience Curator connects ideas to real-world impact, helping individuals and organizations bring purposeful concepts to life.

She has led workshops, trainings, and sessions focused on leveraging creativity and technology to drive innovative thinking, collaborating with diverse teams to tackle complex challenges. Committed to building bridges between different perspectives, she thrives on turning bold ideas into actionable strategies that yield meaningful, sustainable impact in both the short and long term. Her aim is always to bring people together in ways that spark self-discovery, creative expression, and personal liberation—ultimately empowering every individual to step fully into their potential.

Alongside these roles, Michelle is an author, artist, and podcaster, using storytelling and creative expression to explore themes of purpose, resilience, and modern innovative work. Her multidisciplinary path reflects a commitment to curiosity, integrity, and designing a life that aligns with her values, vision of success, and purpose.

With experience across multiple sectors and creative fields, Michelle brings a grounded, integrated perspective to conversations about wellness, innovation, and entrepreneurship, offering insights shaped by both lived experience and intentional design.

Michelle is a multipassionate portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she e... Show more

Tammy Ho

Tammy Ho

Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies, UCR.
Sino-Burmese immigrant: born in Burma, raised in California.

Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies, UCR. Sino-Burmese immigrant: born in Burma, raised in California. Show more

Li Jiansheng

Li Jiansheng

TODO Group ambassador,LFAPAC open source evangelist .
kuosi(适兕)is an independent researcher, social hacker, and the lead author and manager of "The Way of Open Source" (开源之道). Focusing on the intersection of institutional economics and software collaboration, he applies the theories of Coase, North, and Williamson to decode the complex governance structures of open-source communities and tech ecosystems. As an objective observer of technological evolution, his current research explores the paradigm shift from traditional open source to "Open Skill" and Agentic AI models.

TODO Group ambassador,LFAPAC open source evangelist . kuosi(适兕)is an independent researcher, social hacker, and the lead author and manager of "The Way of Open Source" (开源之道). Focusing on the intersection of institutional economics and software col... Show more

Frank Malaba

Frank Malaba

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guided by a central question: How does the body remember, and what stories does it insist on carrying?

Drawing from Southern African oral traditions, queer lived experience, and a deep commitment to dignity and presence, Frank creates narrative spaces where memory becomes a form of knowledge. His solo works, including Stories of My Bones and The Chaos of Belonging, have toured internationally, inviting audiences into intimate encounters with ancestry, identity, and the quiet rituals that shape us.

As a photographer, Frank documents everyday rituals and marginalised lives with tenderness and clarity. His 2025 exhibition Rituals opened in Cape Town to critical acclaim, and his ongoing project I Met a Mermaid explores African water spirituality, homelessness, and the ocean as a site of survival and myth.

He is also the founder and curator of Uncovered: Stories in Oslo (Avdekket: Fortellinger i Oslo), a live storytelling platform centred on true, lived narratives. His facilitation practice blends embodiment, listening, and community building, creating spaces where people can speak from the truth of their lived experience.

Across all mediums, Frank works from the belief that storytelling is not performance, it is presence, witness, and a return to the body as archive.

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guide... Show more

Katelyn Jones

Katelyn Jones

Katelyn Jones, PhD, is the founder of Noetic, a decision strategy and AI advisory practice for C-suite and senior leaders. She works with executives who are making significant investments in strategic initiatives and AI but can't clearly connect those investments to outcomes their boards, investors, or funders care about — helping them build the decision infrastructure that closes that gap.

Her background spans academic research, executive leadership, and teaching. Trained as a political scientist, her doctoral work examined how decisions are made in international organizations and how those choices play out on the ground. A growing focus of her work is on supporting leaders in navigating AI adoption beyond efficiency and compliance, helping them deploy AI in ways that have meaningful outcomes, specific impact goals, and ultimately do more good than harm.

She teaches Decision Strategy to MBA students at Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business, serves as Board Chair of Joel Hall Dancers & Center, and has keynoted events including the PMI Chicagoland Leadership Forum and Compass Connect. Her work has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and Crain's Chicago Business.

Katelyn speaks on decision strategy and leveraging AI for maximum impact. Her recent talks include the keynote "Measuring What Matters: AI's Social Impact" and the workshop "Decision Strategy: Building a Toolkit for Your Leadership Team and Board."

Katelyn Jones, PhD, is the founder of Noetic, a decision strategy and AI advisory practice for C-suite and senior leaders. She works with executives who are making significant investments in strategic initiatives and AI but can't clearly connect thos... Show more

Juliane Rettschlag

Juliane Rettschlag

Juliane Rettschlag is a philosopher and social scientist, who works on topics such as collaborative research, ethics education, sustainable transformation and methods for responsible technology design.
She is a research associate at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg and a PhD candidate at the Berlin Ethics Lab at TU Berlin. Also being a founding member of the Berlin Ethics Lab, she coordinated and conceptualized the Berlin Ethics Certificate, which is offered as part of the Berlin University Alliance and the ENHANCE program of the European Universities of Technology Alliance.

Juliane Rettschlag is a philosopher and social scientist, who works on topics such as collaborative research, ethics education, sustainable transformation and methods for responsible technology design. She is a research associate at BTU Cottbus-Senf... Show more

Guido Samelnik

Guido Samelnik

Master Coach Profeaional, AACOP - FICOP
3 décadas en Transformación Humana.
26 años en el coaching profesional.
Formador de Coaches Profesionales.
Consultor & Disertante Internacional.
Comisión Directiva AACOP (2006 - 2014).
Facilitador en Negociación Ontológica.
Coach Municipalidad Maipú, Mendoza.
Autor de: “Coaching Ontológico, humanizando la educación” y “Coaching Integral del Siendo”.
Pionero en América en Coaching Deportivo.
Coach Selección Argentina de Softbol Sub20, Bicampeona mundial 2012 - 2014.
Coach Ministerio de Salud, Desarrollo Social y Deportes de Mendoza.
Coach Tesorería General, San Juan.
Coach en decenas de Empresas Fortune 500.
Coach en Vistage, ADEN, UIE, USFQ, GTRH, GM Advisors.
Más de 250.000 personas han participado de mis cursos de capacitación y programas de formación en las últimas 3 décadas en Iberoamérica.

Más de 250.000 personas han participado de mis cursos de capacitación y programas de formación en las últimas 3 décadas en Iberoamérica.

Master Coach Profeaional, AACOP - FICOP 3 décadas en Transformación Humana. 26 años en el coaching profesional. Formador de Coaches Profesionales. Consultor & Disertante Internacional. Comisión Directiva AACOP (2006 - 2014). Facilitador en Neg... Show more

Dr. Calynn Lawrence

Dr. Calynn Lawrence

Dr. Calynn Lawrence is a Chicago-based CEO, Founder, Social Scientist, and Trauma Specialist who advances equitable change by integrating trauma-informed, holistic wellness principles with corporate and civic leadership strategy. Across organizations and community systems, she helps leaders move from reactive culture to proactive, human-centered practices that support resilience, belonging, and long-term wellbeing.

In her work, Dr. Lawrence translates social science insight into actionable, values-driven leadership frameworks that strengthen decision-making, collaboration, and organizational effectiveness. She partners with executives, public sector leaders, and mission-driven teams to design programs and policies that reduce harm, improve relational trust, and create measurable pathways toward a more progressive, equitable world.

Dr. Calynn Lawrence is a Chicago-based CEO, Founder, Social Scientist, and Trauma Specialist who advances equitable change by integrating trauma-informed, holistic wellness principles with corporate and civic leadership strategy. Across organizations... Show more

Katrin Jäser

Katrin Jäser

Katrin Jäser ist akademische Mitarbeiterin und Stellvertreterin der Geschäftsführung am Zentrum für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZWW) der Brandenburgischen Technischen Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU CS). Aktuell arbeitet sie an ihrem eigenen Promotionsvorhaben an dem Institut für Wirtschaftswissenschaften, im Fachgebiet Personalmanagement der BTU CS und ist sowohl in der regulären Lehre als auch in der Weiterbildung aktiv. Sie studierte Sozial- und Organisationspädagogik (M.A.) an der Universität Hildesheim.

Katrin Jäser ist akademische Mitarbeiterin und Stellvertreterin der Geschäftsführung am Zentrum für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZWW) der Brandenburgischen Technischen Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU CS). Aktuell arbeitet sie an ihrem eigene... Show more

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is a Ghanaian individual known for his interest in education, communication, and social development. He is passionate about learning, personal growth, and contributing positively to society through knowledge-sharing and community engagement.

He demonstrates strong skills in written communication and critical thinking, with a keen interest in peacebuilding, leadership, and youth development initiatives. Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is committed to self-improvement and values integrity, discipline, and service to humanity.

Through continuous learning and active participation in meaningful initiatives, he aspires to make a lasting impact in his community and beyond.

Suhuyini Frank Nnyayam Bukari is a Ghanaian individual known for his interest in education, communication, and social development. He is passionate about learning, personal growth, and contributing positively to society through knowledge-sharing and ... Show more

Rocío Mieres

Rocío Mieres

Rocio Mieres socióloga especializada en videojuegos y en fenómenos digitales
MG en innovación y tecnología para la educación
Docente universidad Bernardo O'Higgins y UNIACC
Miembro de diferentes redes de investigadores en el área de videojuegos
Editora de la Revista Central de Sociología de la Universidad Central de Chile

Rocio Mieres socióloga especializada en videojuegos y en fenómenos digitales MG en innovación y tecnología para la educación Docente universidad Bernardo O'Higgins y UNIACC Miembro de diferentes redes de investigadores en el área de videojuegos ... Show more

Kody Hartlaub

Kody Hartlaub

Kody Hartlaub is an internationally recognized performance specialist in the mental architecture of champions. He works exclusively with elite athletes, Olympic contenders, world-class competitors,
and high-performing organizations—including professional athletes on the Philadelphia Phillies, world champions pursuing their next title, Olympic-stage athletes, Division 1 programs, and corporations like L'Oréal—to unlock performance at the highest level.
In less than a decade, Kody has executed a complete program turnaround at the college level, taking a Division 3 athletic program from last place to top-tier status in under a year. He's guided a two-
time world champion through his pursuit of a third championship. He's positioned Olympic-level athletes for international competition. He's embedded himself in locker rooms and boardrooms where the margin of error is zero, and results are the only currency that matters.
His work is about diagnosis and execution. Kody identifies the psychological architecture underneath performance: the belief systems, decision-making patterns, emotional regulation, and mental discipline that separate champions from competitors. He rebuilds that architecture from the foundation up, then ensures it performs under pressure, when it counts most.
Kody holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and is completing his master's in sport performance and psychology. More importantly, he is personally mentored by Ben Newman, one of the five most respected performance coaches in the world. He has been selected as a judge for the International Globee Awards for Excellence: a distinction reserved for the elite practitioners in his field.
As founder of KHP Coaching, creator of the Diamond Leadership Architecture framework, and architect of the KHP1 performance community, Kody doesn't build athletes. He builds champions who know exactly who they are, what they're capable of, and how to deliver it when the stakes are highest

Kody Hartlaub is an internationally recognized performance specialist in the mental architecture of champions. He works exclusively with elite athletes, Olympic contenders, world-class competitors, and high-performing organizations—including profess... Show more

Andrew Young Choi

Andrew Young Choi

Dr. Andrew Young Choi is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pace University, where he teaches and supervises in the Clinical Health Psychology Program.

His award-winning scholarship employs queer of color critique to illuminate the complexities of intersectionality, racism-related stress, and identity among Asian Americans. Leveraging psychoanalytic concepts, his interdisciplinary research explores the evolving nature of anti-Asian racialization and its theoretical and clinical implications. He brings advanced methodological expertise, including critical analysis, multivariate statistics, psychometrics, structural equation modeling, and qualitative content analysis. He has authored over 20 publications and received more than 30 awards, honors, and fellowships for his intellectual contributions.

Dr. Choi is board-certified in Counseling Psychology and specializes in culturally responsive psychodynamic psychotherapy for high-performing professionals from diverse backgrounds. He creatively integrates insight-oriented, goal-focused, and decolonial principles to support a broad range of mental health goals. He has provided effective care across diverse settings—including college counseling centers, community mental health clinics, and inpatient and outpatient hospitals—with extensive public sector experience serving clients from global majority and LGBTQ+ populations.

He earned his PhD in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology at the Counseling and Student Development Center of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology at Cambridge Health Alliance / Harvard Medical School. He is an alumnus APA Minority Fellow, Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC-12) Postgraduate Scholar, and University of California Regents Special Fellow.

Dr. Andrew Young Choi is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pace University, where he teaches and supervises in the Clinical Health Psychology Program. His award-winning scholarship employs queer of color critique to illuminate the complexit... Show more

Dr. Daniel Freeman

Dr. Daniel Freeman

What sets Dr. Freeman apart is not advice or frameworks, but the space he creates. His work is intentionally calm, confidential, and unhurried—a place where leaders can talk openly, explore ideas, and sort through complexity without performance or politics getting in the way. Conversations are relaxed, human, and grounded, even when the issues are serious. Clients often say they don’t feel “coached” or “consulted,” but genuinely heard. The result is clarity that feels earned, not imposed—and decisions that feel steadier because they were thought through in a space that was both rigorous and welcoming.

Dr. Daniel Freeman brings together an uncommon mix of training and lived experience. With a background in sociology and a doctorate in global leadership, a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, combined with years as a former professional athlete, nationally recognized track and field coach, consultant, and adjunct instructor, his work is shaped by both academic rigor and real-world pressure. Over the past decade, he has held thousands of one-on-one conversations with nonprofit executives, Fortune 500 CEOs, founders, athletes, and coaches. That experience has given him a deep understanding of how leaders actually think, decide, and carry responsibility.

What sets Dr. Freeman apart is not advice or frameworks, but the space he creates. His work is intentionally calm, confidential, and unhurried—a place where leaders can talk openly, explore ideas, and sort through complexity without performance or po... Show more

Joule Diaz

Joule Diaz

I’m Joule Diaz a founder, speaker, and builder of impact rooted in real life.

I created Her Impact because I know what it feels like to live in survival mode while still being responsible for everything and everyone around you. My work is centered on helping women and girls move from just getting through life to actually leading it with confidence, clarity, and self-worth.

I don’t speak from theory. I speak from lived experience. From navigating pressure, rebuilding, and figuring things out in real time while still showing up.

My message is about ownership, resilience, and becoming who you are even when life doesn’t feel stable or certain.

When I speak, I’m not there to perform. I’m there to connect. To create a moment where people feel seen, challenged, and reminded of their power.

Everything I do is rooted in truth, growth, and impact that lasts beyond the room.

I’m Joule Diaz a founder, speaker, and builder of impact rooted in real life. I created Her Impact because I know what it feels like to live in survival mode while still being responsible for everything and everyone around you. My work is centered... Show more

Thies Johannsen

Thies Johannsen

Thies Johannsen arbeitet an der Schnittstelle von Geistes-, Sozial- und Ingenieurwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt auf strategischem Wissenschaftsmanagement, Kompetenzarchitekturen und missionsorientierter Innovationssteuerung. Er verbindet evidenzbasierte Produkt- und Programmentwicklung mit Forschung und Lehre zur Gestaltung von Transferstrukturen, transdisziplinären Kooperationen und innovationsorientierten Ökosystemen.

Thies Johannsen arbeitet an der Schnittstelle von Geistes-, Sozial- und Ingenieurwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt auf strategischem Wissenschaftsmanagement, Kompetenzarchitekturen und missionsorientierter Innovationssteuerung. Er verbindet evidenzbasie... Show more

Tega Edwin

Tega Edwin

Dr. Tega Edwin helps companies reduce turnover and boost employee engagement through trauma-informed leadership and strategic career development.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor and former Associate Professor of Counseling, she bridges clinical psychology with business outcomes, teaching leaders how to retain top talent, navigate difficult conversations with confidence, and build cultures where people actually want to stay.

Dr. Edwin has delivered keynotes and trainings for Northwestern Mutual, Lockheed Martin, St. Louis Public Schools, and universities, including the University of Houston Clear Lake and New Jersey City University. Through her signature coaching program, Find Your Fulfilling Career, her clients have secured roles at KPMG, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Henkel, with salary increases averaging $35,000+.

Her award-winning research on career development has been published in Career Development Quarterly (2019 Article of the Year), Professional School Counselor, and other leading journals. As a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, she trained the next generation of career counselors in the evidence-based communication and relational skills that drive meaningful change.Dr. Edwin is the author of Helping Relationship Skills: Facilitative Skills that Foster Change (Cognella), which teaches the relational communication framework that transforms managers into leaders who inspire engagement, navigate difficult conversations, and drive measurable results.

She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Penn State and an M.A. in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. She's a National Certified Counselor and Certified Salary Negotiation Facilitator.

When she's not on stage or coaching clients, you'll find her on the pickleball court or diving into her Bible.

Dr. Tega Edwin helps companies reduce turnover and boost employee engagement through trauma-informed leadership and strategic career development. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and former Associate Professor of Counseling, she bridges clini... Show more

Chinenye Egbuna Ikwuemesi

Chinenye Egbuna Ikwuemesi

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences rethink AI ethics, itechnology transformation, nstitutional design, and “future of X” conversations by bringing in African civilisational logics that have been systematically excluded from Western narratives. Her work spans a 40+ volume Afrodeities Codex and The Shadow Storm, a 50‑chapter speculative epic that turns decolonial theory into vivid, accessible story. On stage, she translates complex histories and mythic systems into practical tools for leaders, technologists, and creatives who want to build futures answerable to more than markets alone.

Chinenye Ikwuemesi is the founder of the Afrodeities Institute and architect of Afromantasy™ — a framework that treats African mythologies as operating systems for history, governance, AI, and storytelling. She helps organisations and conferences ret... Show more

Renee Samantha

Renee Samantha

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, and digital identity.

Through her visual project “Lady Gorilla,” Hamilton experiments with AI-generated imagery to study audience reactions, symbolism, and the psychology of online engagement. She also incorporates these visuals into lectures to explore how emerging technologies influence cultural narratives and representation.

Her work sits between art, technology, and academic inquiry, examining how AI reshapes the way we construct and interpret identity in the digital era.

Renee Hamilton is a lecturer at Nagoya University of the Arts working at the intersection of AI, visual culture, and identity. Her work explores how artificial intelligence can be used as a creative and symbolic medium to examine race, perception, an... Show more

Ewa Tamar Lewandowska

Ewa Tamar Lewandowska

Ewa Tamar is a multidisciplinary researcher, curator, and builder leading experiential spaces for leadership, creativity, and community in an increasingly automated world. Following a decade in tech leadership, she pivoted to PhD research at GCAS to investigate the existential and somatic impacts of the automation transition.

Her work is anchored in three pillars:

• Reclaiming Authentic Intelligence: finding clarity and agency beyond algorithmic logic.
• Somatic Sovereignty: recognizing the body as a site of resistance against the nervous system activation of the ever-present logic of optimization.
• Imagining Alternatives: Creating ways of working and relating rooted in relational intelligence and care.

In addition to research and teaching, Ewa is currently establishing a multidisciplinary eco-cultural residency on her great-grandfather’s ancestral land in Masovia, Poland.

Ewa Tamar is a multidisciplinary researcher, curator, and builder leading experiential spaces for leadership, creativity, and community in an increasingly automated world. Following a decade in tech leadership, she pivoted to PhD research at GCAS to ... Show more

Girard Newkirk

Girard Newkirk

I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39.

My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and community through Genesis Block, Newkirklytics, the Neighborhood Economy Index, and Newkirk Enterprises. I’m not talking about hypothetical frameworks or abstract policy theory. I’m designing and deploying real systems that make local economic activity visible, measurable, and investable, especially the micro-entrepreneurs, creators, informal workers, and neighborhood-level producers who have always powered our communities but rarely show up in the data.

I believe the future of prosperity isn’t top-down theories based on outdated economic models but rooted in local ownership, inclusive entrepreneurship, and circular capital systems that keep value circulating where people live. My work turns that belief into infrastructure. The Neighborhood Economy Index and our sector tools quantify what has long been unseen: the economic power of microbusinesses, shared kitchens, creatives, disabled entrepreneurs, local manufacturing ecosystems, and underserved communities across the U.S., the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa.

As a speaker, I bring together data, story, spirit, and strategy. I’ve lived this work for years, building entrepreneurial ecosystems, supporting founders who’ve been overlooked, creating pathways to upward mobility, and designing new economic systems that honor dignity and human possibility. My goal on every stage is simple: help leaders see the Neighborhood Economy differently, not as charity work or an “equity initiative,” but as a powerful engine of growth, resilience, and wealth creation that deserves real investment and serious strategy. It’s actually market inefficiency that needs to be corrected.

I’m here to shift the conversation from wealth extraction to community circulation, from scarcity to abundance, from invisibility to proof, from disconnected programs to systems that actually work. And I’m building alongside institutions, cities, universities, DFIs, foundations, and community leaders who believe, as I do, that the people closest to the problem are also closest to the solution; they need better tools, better data, and better support.

That is the work. That is the calling. And that is the Neighborhood Economy.

I am building the operating system for the Neighborhood Economy. I started my entrepreneurial journey 10 years ago in Silicon Valley, turning from a retail exec to a founder at 39. My work sits at the intersection of economics, humanity, and comm... Show more

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