From the beginnings of her career starring in the blockbuster hit Tender Mercies to her dazzling stage work in musicals such as Cats, 1776, Carrie, Song & Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Pippin, Tony Award winner Betty Buckley is one of a small handful of performers synonymous with Broadway. With her successes as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd... read full bio
David de Rothschild is the founder of Adventure Ecology, an organization that uses adventure and the arts to create stories which inform and inspire action via a global community. Created in 2005, Adventure Ecology not only creates a dialogue about the environment but allows for people to share and act on this knowledge as well.... read full bio
Dennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department. Ross was appointed Special Advisor for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During President Jimmy Carter's administration, Ross worked under Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. During the Reagan administration, Ross served as... read full bio
Bold, tenacious, solution-oriented and forward-looking, Phil Fontaine is an articulate advocate for the future of Canada and for their indigenous peoples. As the former three-term National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, he is a shining example of how strong leadership can work. Known for his calm and confident demeanor, he has a proven track record of opening the... read full bio
Kevin has not only put his extraordinary talents and determination to work in the music industry, he has also been a visionary, activist and philanthropist and an advocate for numerous social causes, including free speech, civil rights and voting rights. From an unpaid internship, Kevin Liles has had a meteoric rise through the ranks to become President and CEO of... read full bio
When Roscoe Orman joined the cast of Sesame Street as Gordon in 1974, he became part of one of the first African American families on television. Over three decades later, as a beloved actor, he remains an enduring inspiration to generations of children and adults of all races, ages, and social classes. Ormans real life isnt all that different from... read full bio
Judith Jamison - American dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - is a legendary icon in the world of the performing arts. Ms. Jamison, who as a dancer with the troupe, from 1965 to 1980, became the most stellar of modern dance's female performers, was appointed Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance... read full bio
A passionate environmentalist, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earles love of the oceans combined with her intellectual awareness of the fragile sustainability of the seas has compelled her to become a conscience for an often-shortsighted global business community. Earle has led more than 50 expeditions worldwide, and set the record for the deepest solo untethered dive at 3,000 feet into the Pacific.... read full bio
Laura Ling is a journalist who worked for Current TV as a correspondent and vice president of its Vanguard Journalism Unit, which produced the Vanguard TV series. There, she reported on issues regarding Cuba, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, the West Bank, and the Amazon River, as well as about shantytowns in Sao Paulo, Brazil, gangs and homeless teens in Los... read full bio
Cedric Jennings was a bright and ferociously determined honor student at Ballou, a high school in one of Washington, D.C.'s most dangerous neighborhoods, where the dropout rate was well into double digits and just 80 students out of more than 1,350 boast an average of B or better. At Ballou, Cedric had few friends. Cedric Jennings's driving ambition - which... read full bio
Liz Smith is a syndicated columnist read by approximately 70 million readers across the U.S. in more than 70 newspapers, including Daily Variety. She is also the bestselling author of Natural Blonde, Jottings and Dishing: Great Dish and Dishes. The Landmarks Conservancy of New York City named her a Living Landmark" in 2000."... read full bio
Jim Stanway, Senior Director - Global Supplier Initiatives, has recently assumed responsibility for Wal-Mart's climate change strategy. This involves business development activities aimed at profitable greenhouse-gas measures for customers and the supply chain. Stanway also serves on the board of Texas Retail Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-Mart that buys wholesale power for use at its stores and distribution... read full bio
Lenedra Carroll is an accomplished businesswoman, visionary, singer, artist and author who grew up on a homestead in rural Alaska in the 1950s. Of Ms. Carrolls achievements, three that stand out are her successes as an author and as a successful music manager, and her work as a humanitarian. Her unique management style and business intuitions led her to enjoy... read full bio
David Shenk is an American writer, lecturer, and filmmaker. He is author of six books, including The Genius in All of Us. With his signature blend of facts, reason, and great storytelling, Shenk presents dazzling new scientific research showing how the potential for greatness is not restricted to an elite few, but is instead a universal part of human code.... read full bio
Drs. Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt and George Jenkins, fondly known as The Three Doctors serve as an extraordinary model of leadership for anyone whos been through any kind of life challenge or major hardship. As teenage boys growing up on the tough inner-city streets of Newark, New Jersey these three kindred spirits made a pact: they would stick together-go to... read full bio
Valentino Achak Deng's life has been described by The New York Times as a testament to human resilience over tragedy and disaster." Born in the village of Marial Bai, in Southern Sudan, he was forced to flee in the 1980s, at the age of seven, when civil war erupted. As one of the so-called Lost Boys, he trekked hundreds of... read full bio
Shaun Tomson is a World Surfing Champion, best selling author, inspirational speaker, environmentalist, filmmaker and successful entrepreneur. A native of South Africa, he spent fourteen years on the Professional Tour, winning surfing competitions all over the world while also developing international apparel brands. Surfer Magazine ranked Shaun Tomson in the top ten of its 50 Greatest Surfers of All Time,"... read full bio
A prolific writer and former actress, Judith Sachs entertains as she instructs, hence her popularity as a speaker and spokesperson. Coming from a long line of physicians, she is well versed in the healthcare topics she addresses. Her many books include: Natures Prozac, What Women Should Knows About Menopause, What You can Do About Osteoporosis, When Someone You Love had... read full bio
Michael Eric Dyson is considered one of the nations most inspiring African Americans. He is an author, radio host, and a professor of Sociology at Georgetown University. Michael Eric Dyson has authored and edited 18 books that deal with many influential African Americans in history including, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur and Marvin Gaye. He focuses most... read full bio
A successful artist and activist, Peter Yarrow's talent is legendary. His gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs that Peter, Paul & Mary have recorded, including Puff, The Magic Dragon," "Day Is Done," and "Light One Candle." This musical creativity has always gone hand-in-hand with Yarrow's commitment to social change. Though only in her twenties, Bethany... read full bio
