Meet Robert Lucy, a critically acclaimed and classically trained artist who paints most every day with a focus on spreading love and creating peaceful, timeless and beautiful works of art. Ever conscious of the energy he brings to the world, he aims to capture the profound sense of connection we feel with the people, animals and the places we love. 

Robert Lucy studied under the painter Ed Paschke at Northwestern University and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA, 1988) and Masters (MFA, 1990) in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. And though, at a young age, he experienced success by all measures in the world of art — he chose instead to carve his own path.

Robert and his husband, Chris Wells, are co-founders of The Secret City, and live as artists-in-residence at the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock, New York.

Join us for a GET IGNITED! conversation with Ned Presnall — adjunct professor at Washington University, researcher and experienced addiction therapist. Ned is the President of the Board for a program that provides harm reduction and recovery support to people affected by opioid addiction. He has received press for being an "outspoken critic" of the way the country is approaching the opioid epidemic. 

Join us for a GET IGNITED! conversation with Noah Croom — the ultimate sports executive. Noah has represented elite NBA players, managed NBA teams and is now a partner at a global private equity fund that invests in professional sports teams globally. He will share stories from his incredible career and will talk about his commitment to developing young players and talent.  

Noah began his career serving as legal counsel in the NBA’s league offices in NYC. He then managed the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves. Noah also represented elite NBA players as VP and general counsel of Goodwin Sports Management. He is a true sports insider with a passion for the business and a love for the game.  

Whether you are a lifelong athlete, a sports lover, or a person who enjoys meeting dynamic new people — there is something exciting here for you. You will leave the conversation with a tap in your toe, and you might even want to shoot a few hoops!

Please join us for our GET IGNITED! Conversation this Thursday at 5 PM CDT with Grammy Award winner and musical theatre producer, Kurt Deutsch. Kurt is credited with reinventing the musical theatre recording landscape. He is the founder of Ghostlight Records and the SVP of Theatrical and Catalog Development for Warner Chappell Music. He is also the lead producer of the musical adaptation of The Notebook. At Warner Music Group, Kurt has been part of the producing team of the musicals Tina, The Cher Show, Beetlejuice, Ross Golan’s The Wrong Man and David Byrne’s American Utopia. American Utopia airs October 17th on HBO and is directed by Spike Lee.

Join our Get Ignited! conversation to meet one of the most dynamic and inspiring women in the world — Dr. Karambu Ringera. 
Dr. Ringera is internationally known for her work in peace, reconciliation, and for building a new generation of global leaders. Born and raised in Meru, Kenya, Dr. Ringera is a 2016 Cordes Social Entrepreneur Fellow and a 2015/2016 Next Generation Leader Fellow of the McCain Institute for International Leadership. She was the recipient of a 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2015 Master Scholar Award at Denver University. She also won the African Achievers Award in the United Kingdom for her cutting-edge work in innovative and sustainable models of development and peacebuilding, women's human rights and global leadership programs around the world.

Jill Farmer, a bestselling author and in-demand speaker, has been called a "brilliant time optimizer and life maximizer." Jill will bring us cutting-edge research, as well as tips and tools for managing stress and avoiding burnout during this challenging time.

Learn from a woman as wise as she is authentic! We will also hear a bit about Jill’s riveting journey from her hometown in Iowa (which was a frequent stop for early TM seekers like The Beach Boys), to celebrity anchorwoman, to coach and consultant for some of the country's sharpest minds.

Meet award-winning documentary producer and director Olivia Ahnemann who has garnered 70+ international awards for her documentary films such as Under The Gun, The Cove, and Racing Extinction. Never afraid to tackle a challenging issue, her film, The Cove, exposed annual dolphin drives in Japan as well as high levels of mercury in seafood — man’s primary source of protein. She has television credits for National Geographic, PBS, A&E and Discovery. Join us to hear more about Olivia’s story and genius.

Kylie Bearse is a Meteorologist  at 9NEWS in Denver, Colorado. On 9NEWS, she has a weekly segment called "The Feed," which explores all things food in Colorado. She also hosts the Unpretentious Theatre Review, where she gives lighthearted and straight-forward reviews of shows and she even has a hiking blog called "The Approachable Outdoors," where she encourages people of all skill levels to get out and explore beautiful Colorado.

Andre Norman has gone from top prison gang leader to Harvard Fellow to international speaker and facilitator with a track record for bringing people together to overcome previously insurmountable obstacles. He works in crisis situations in the U.S., Africa, Europe, Latin America and beyond.

We continue our Get Ignited! conversation with Dr. Phil Woodmore — acclaimed composer, music educator and expert in creating soul-stirring performances that ignite transformative discussions.

Phil Woodmore and his special guests who are members of the original cast of Antigone in Ferguson and traveled with the production from Ferguson to Harlem to Europe to and back to NYC again (with many stops along the way), share stories about life-altering moments that followed the performances as communities came together to listen, share and heal.