Gautam Jain  (addressed as Gautamji), is a senior protege of world renowned philosopher and author A. Parthasarathy. Earlier in life he completed a brilliant academic career in the United States, where he received awards for academic and athletic excellence and was recognized for exceptional impact on college life. Upon graduation, he declined lucrative offers from leading U.S. Corporations and returned to India to study at the Vedanta Academy. 

Gautamji has dedicated three decades to full time study, research and propagation of Vedanta and its practical application in life. He is currently in the US to head the efforts of the Vedanta Cultural Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to Vedanta and Self management education programs. 

Gautamji has also presented seminars on Self management to premier corporations, institutions and universities, including the YPO (the world’s largest CEO organization), Amazon, Apple, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Columbia, Princeton, and MIT.  He has been featured on ABC and PBS for his work on the subject.

Norman Buckley is a prolific director whose work spans various networks, genres, and styles. Most recently, he executive produced and edited the short film STORAGE FEES. He is currently the co-executive producer/producing director on the Netflix show SWEET MAGNOLIAS. His previous credits include NCIS: HAWAII, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, CHARMED, IN THE DARK, ZOO, QUANTICO, RIZZOLI AND ISLES, CHUCK, GOSSIP GIRL, AND THE OC. He was co-executive producer/producing director on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: THE PERFECTIONISTS.

After editing the pilot episode of THE OC in 2003, he began his directing career by helming six episodes of that series. He has gone on to direct over 140 episodes of television since then. His television movie THE PREGNANCY PROJECT won Best Primetime Program (Special or Movie of the Week) and Best Actress (Alexa Vega) at the 2012 Imagen Awards. His episode of THE OC “The Metamorphosis” was chosen by Entertainment Weekly magazine as one of the five best episodes of the series. His episode of GOSSIP GIRL “The Handmaiden’s Tale” was chosen by Newsweek Magazine as one of the top ten television episodes of 2007.

Buckley began working in the industry as an assistant editor on the Oscar-nominated films TENDER MERCIES, SILKWOOD, and PLACES IN THE HEART. He continued editing for a number of years on many films, television series, and TV movies. He worked with many outstanding directors, including Bruce Beresford, Robert Benton, Mike Nichols, Rob Reiner, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Richard Donner, J.S. Cardone, McG, Doug Liman, and Robert M. Young. He also learned the editing craft from some of the best film editors in the business, including Carol Littleton, Sam O'Steen, William Anderson, and Bob Leighton.

He worked as an editor on many independent films at the Sundance, Toronto, and Telluride film festivals, including HAPPY, TEXAS, which he also associate-produced. Beginning in 2000, Buckley edited several television pilots, all of which were picked up to series, which led to his regular work in television.

He has been nominated twice for an American Cinema Editors award: in 2003 for JOE AND MAX, for best-edited motion picture for non-commercial television, and he won the award in 2008 for the pilot of CHUCK, for best-edited one-hour series for commercial television.

Buckley grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and studied history at the University of Texas at Arlington, before moving to Los Angeles where he would later graduate from the University of Southern California with a degree in Cinema/Television.

He was an adjunct professor at the University of California Los Angeles film school, teaching both graduates and undergraduates.

Norman Buckley was married to the late artist Davyd Whaley and he established The Davyd Whaley Foundation (davydwhaleyfoundation.org) to carry on Davyd’s legacy by supporting emerging artists with annual grants. Most recently the Foundation has funded scholarships at the Art Students League in New York and the film school at UCLA, as well as providing funding for Art Division, Art of Elysium, and the Brentwood Art Center in Los Angeles. 

Head of Human Rights and Development and Deputy Head of UN Women Geneva Office, Adriana Quinones Adriana Quiñones is the Head of Human Rights and Development and Deputy Head of UN Women Geneva

Office. She leads UN Women´s work at the Human Rights

Council and all high-level actions in trade, labor, climate

and other development topics. For the last 17 years at UNIFEM and UN Women, she has held posts as Country Representative, Policy Advisor in Asia and Latin America and Manager of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and Girls in New York. She has more than 20 years of experience leading efforts in the areas of Gender Equality,

Elimination of Gender Based Violence, Access to Justice

and Women´s Economic Empowerment. She has supported the creation of youth development programs, access to trade and credit for the benefit of indigenous and afro-descendant women, as well as programs to combat stigma and discrimination. She supervised for the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations portfolios of more 70 million in 50 countries around the world. She advised the High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia on issues of human rights violations in the context of the internal armed conflict and to address the needs of the displaced populations.

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Adriana has a master's degree from the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and a second master’s degree in economics and international Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Vincent Paterson is a renowned director and choreographer with a career spanning film, theater, Broadway, opera, music videos, and television. He directed Berlin’s longest-running play,CABARET, andEVITA in Vienna. His work includes Cirque du Soleil’sVIVA! ELVIS, the award-winningGANGSTA LOVE, and the operaMANON with Anna Netrebko.

A longtime collaborator with Madonna and Michael Jackson, Vincent choreographedBlond Ambition Tour,Vogue,Smooth Criminal, and theBAD Tour, among others. His film work includesDancer in the Dark,The Birdcage,Evita,Hook, andCloser. He received a Tony nomination forKiss of the Spider Woman and directed the Emmy-nominatedIn Search of Dr. Seuss.

Vincent has choreographed over 150 commercials, directed major charity events, and worked with icons like Barbra Streisand, Elton John, and Whitney Houston. A global lecturer, he is featured inMasters of Movement and the documentaryThe Man Behind the Throne.

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ADAM PEARSON is an award-winning disability rights campaigner, actor, presenter and speaker. Adam was nominated as UK Documentary Presenter of the Year at the 2016 Grierson Awards. As an actor, Adam appeared in the BAFTA-nominated film, UNDER THE SKIN, directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Scarlett Johansson. He also played himself in the independent feature, DRIB, which premiered at SXSW in 2017. Adam plays the lead role in CHAINED FOR LIFE which has been released theatrically in the UK and and US as well as being shown at film festivals around the world. Of his performance, The New York Times described him as "an actor of great charm." His latest film, A DIFFERENT MAN, in which he co stars with Sebastian Stan will be distributed by A24 in 2024. Adam has presented the critically-acclaimed documentaries HORIZON: MY AMAZING TWIN (BBC Two), ADAM PEARSON: FREAK SHOW (BBC Three), THE UGLY FACE OF DISABILITY HATE CRIME  (BBC Three) and EUGENICS: SCIENCES GREATEST SCANDAL (BBC Four).  Adam has spoken at a number of events for companies and organisations such as the World Health Innovation Summit, Public Service & Criminology Conference and British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. He has also given a TEDx talk. He is also an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, Changing Faces and Us In A Bus. He also won a RADAR Award and a Diana Award for his campaigning work. Adam was named in The Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 List of 2020, a list of the UK's most influential disabled people.

Warren Carlyle is a Tony Award-winning director and choreographer. His recent Broadway credits include Harmony (Director/Choreographer), The Music Man (Tony nomination for Choreography), and Hugh Jackman's The Man. The Music. The Show. world tour. He directed and choreographed After Midnight (Tony Award for Choreography, Tony nominations for Best Director and Best Musical), Chaplin, and Finian’s Rainbow.

Other Broadway choreography includes Hello, Dolly! (starring Bette Midler), Kiss Me, Kate (Tony nomination), She Loves Me, Follies, and A Christmas Story. Off-Broadway, he worked on Harmony, Cotton Club Parade, and Me & My Girl (City Center Encores!).

In television, Warren has choreographed for The Tony Awards, So You Think You Can Dance, She Loves Me (BroadwayHD), and PBS's Great Performances. He has also directed and choreographed acclaimed productions for the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall.

Warren has been recognized with a Tony Award, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and the Astaire Award for Choreography.

Kelly Valentine Hendry CDG, CSA  is lead casting director at KVH Casting. Based in London they cast for Film and Television worldwide. Recent credits include RIVALS (Disney+ ) KAOS, BRIDGERTON (Netflix) MARY & GEORGE, TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ, GANGS OF LONDON (SKY). Other shows of note are BROADCHURCH (ITV), FLEABAG (BBC) and THE WHEEL OF TIME.(Amazon). Originally from Elgin in the north east of Scotland , Kelly started out as as an assistant with Hubbard Casting and Gail Stevens after several years as a stage manager.She has an MA (Hons) English degree from the University of St Andrews and a Diploma in Stage Management and Technical Theatre from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

As we step into 2025, there's a sense of fresh possibility in the air. It’s a time to reflect on the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the achievements earned in the past year. The new year invites us to set intentions, to dream big, and to build upon what we’ve started.

For many, 2025 is a year of growth, both personally and professionally. It offers a blank canvas to paint new stories, start new chapters, and push past any boundaries that might have held us back in the past. Whether it’s a creative project, a career milestone, or a personal development goal, this year presents an opportunity to take that first step toward something greater.

This year could be the one where innovation thrives, where new partnerships are formed, and where we embrace the changes that come our way with open arms. Challenges may arise, but with each challenge, there is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and evolve.

So, here’s to 2025: a year to embrace the unknown, chase your dreams, and create memories that will last a lifetime. What are you hoping to achieve this year?

SISTER WIVES, directed and written by Louisa Connolly-Burnham, tells the poignant story of two women finding love in a restrictive polygamous society. Kaidence (Connolly-Burnham) and Galilee (Mia McKenna-Bruce) are sister wives who develop unexpected feelings for each other. The short film, acquired by Film4 and streaming on Channel 4, has won Best British Film and Best Actress at the Iris Prize and is Oscar® and BAFTA-qualified for 2025. A feature adaptation, set to film next summer, will see McKenna-Bruce reprise her role.

Connolly-Burnham, founder of Thimble Films, is an award-winning filmmaker whose shorts, including THE CALL CENTRE (2M+ views on Omeleto), have earned BIFA and festival accolades. Producer Augusta Woods, of Track Films, has produced multiple award-winning shorts such as RAMBLER MAN and FLEETING.

Mia McKenna-Bruce, known for HOW TO HAVE SEX (BIFA winner, BAFTA Rising Star), will also lead Netflix’s THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY in 2025 alongside Helena Bonham-Carter and Martin Freeman.