Rachel Adams is a writer and Professor of English at Columbia University. She is the author of numerous academic articles and book reviews, as well as three books. Her most recent book is Love, Money, Duty. She is also the author of Raising Henry: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability, and Discovery, published by Yale University Press, Sideshow U.S.A.: Freaks and the American Cultural Imagination and Continental Divides: Remapping the Cultures of North America (both published by the University of Chicago Press). Rachel is co-editor, with Benjamin Reiss and David Serlin, of Keywords for Disability Studies, published by New York University Press.  Her writing has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Washington Post, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Salon, and the Times of London. She also blogs for Huffington Post. www.racheladams.net

Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir is an Icelandic thought leader, author, award-winning serial entrepreneur, advisor and public speaker. She is the co-director and scriptwriter of the documentary film InnSæi: The Power of Intuition.  

Hrund brings a unique perspective to how we lead, live, innovate and make better choices in times of uncertainty, transition and noise. A firm believer that the change we now need in the world starts from within us, she draws on her experience having leading roles in the areas of development and post-conflict reconstruction with the UN in Europe and Asia, innovation, investments, sustainable and circular business transition, the arts and education. She was the first woman to chair Iceland's largest public innovation fund, she was the managing director of Iceland’s sustainability centre Festa, programme director of UNIFEM in post-war Kosovo, and designed and directed Prisma, a diploma university program, recognised by the Nordic Council for best responding to 21st century work place challenges. 

Hrund is an Advisory Council member at Yale’s International Leadership Centre and has been recognised for her work as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and Cultural Leader and Yale World Fellow. She has qualifications from Yale, Harvard Kennedy School, the London School of Economics and Political Sciences, Oxford Said Business School and the University of Iceland. www.hrundgunnsteinsdottir.com

Charles Rosin is an Emmy-nominated writer-producer for television series such as Beverly Hills, 90210, Northern Exposure, and Dawson's Creek. Charles has taught writing and the art of pitching a television series at UCLA and USC, as well as Stand-Up Comedy for at-risk Middle School kids in Los Angeles. He is the creator of the “Rosin Report,” a monthly newsletter that offers readers an eclectic, personalized and somewhat nostalgic look at the people and places of Los Angeles where he resides.  [email protected]

Elizabeth Rosner is an author and teacher whose work focuses on the redemptive power of storytelling and deep listening. Her six books have been translated into twelve languages and have received literary prizes in the US and abroad. Her most recent book, THIRD EAR: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening, blends personal stories of growing up in a multilingual household with multidisciplinary research about sound and silence in the natural world. Her previous book, SURVIVOR CAFÉ: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory, was a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award, and her first novel, THE SPEED OF LIGHT, won Hadassah Magazine’s Ribalow Prize in 2002, judged by Elie Wiesel. Elizabeth leads writing workshops internationally; her teaching carries forward a message of perseverance and tenacious optimism. www.elizabethrosner.com

Morton Sherman, PhD, is the retired Senior Associate Executive Director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and a long-time educator who is dedicated to assuring learning at the highest possible levels for all students. An educator for 40 years, Sherman has served as a superintendent at schools across the country. He is a founding member of Public Schools for Tomorrow and currently serves on The Executive Committee of the board for the Goldie Hawn Foundation. In the past, he has served as a member of the board of directors with the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, the Minority Student Achievement Network, Jason Learning, the National Superintendents Roundtable, and the Education Research and Development Institute. Sherman has received numerous awards throughout his career including a national community service award, Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals’ Pathfinder Award (2012), the American School Board Journal’s Magna Award (2012) and the Outstanding School Administrator Award (2003) by the New Jersey Music Educators Association. Sherman earned his doctorate in educational administration from Lehigh University, his master’s degree in English education from the University of Delaware, and his bachelor’s degree in English from Pennsylvania State University. He is the co-author of the book Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, One Note at a Time (foreword by Goldie Hawn; Bloomsbury) www.resonantminds.com

MICHAEL VORENBERG is the author of Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment, which was a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize and was used as the basis for the screenplay of Stephen Spielberg’s 2012 film, Lincoln. His newest book is Lincoln’s Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War. He is also the author of The Emancipation Proclamation: A Brief History with Documents, as well as a number of essays on legal and constitutional history. His writings have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Politico, and the Washington Post. He teaches at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. https://michaelvorenberg.com

Garry Ridge served as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company for 25 years. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. His newest book is “Any Dumbass Can Do It.”

Garry’s philosophy on company culture is based on Aristotle’s quote – “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Turning that into action, he believes that all leaders can create a workplace where you go to work each day, make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, learn something new, feel safe, are protected, and are provided freedom by a set of values and go home happy!

He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled “Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A.” A native of Australia, Mr. Ridge holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego. www.thelearningmoment.net

Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, Globe and Mail, and USA Today bestselling author of seventeen novels, including her newest, The Story She Left Behind. She’s also a podcast host of original content for her novels, Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

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Her books have been translated into over 20 languages and have been the Barnes and Noble Book Club Pick, Amazon Editor Pick, Goodreads Book of the Year finalist, People Magazine Choice, Book of the Month Selection, and more. She is the recipient of The Christy Award “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for Becoming Mrs. Lewis. 

She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti also was a contributor to the monthly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. She’s published in numerous anthologies, articles, and short story collections, including an Audible Original about Florence Nightingale, titled Wild Swan narrated by the Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo. 

Growing up in Philadelphia as the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, she’s lived up and down the East Coast from Philadelphia, to Florida, to Atlanta. She now lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama. 

Patti attended Auburn University for her undergraduate work and Georgia State University for her graduate degree. Once a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she now writes full-time. Married to Pat Henry, the mother of three and grandmother of two. Here website is www.patticallahanhenry.com

You can find more here on her substack: https://patticallahanhenry.substack.com

Joel Salinas, MD is a behavioral neurologist and clinician scientist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, founder and Chief Medical Officer at Isaac Health, and former Harvard Medical School faculty. He is the author of Mirror Touch: A Memoir of Synesthesia and the Secret Life of the Brain and co-author of CONFLICT RESILIENCE: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In. For more details, visit www.conflictresiliencebook.com.