College & Independent Schools
Culture & Belonging
Culture & Belonging:
Domestic Violence Activist, Actor & Author
Born in Cuba, Rivers came to the US at the age of two, endured horrific child abuse and witnessed domestic violence at the hands of his father, which he chronicles in his bestseller, A Private Family Matter.
One of the "Little Rock Nine"
Dr. Roberts was one of the first to integrate the Little Rock Public Schools. In his presentations, he guides participants through the lessons to be learned from the chaotic episode at Central High School.
The “TikTok Pastor,” Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church, Author, Activist & Public Theologian
Rev. Brandan Robertson is a public theologian working at the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal. Robertson is as the “TikTok Pastor”, creating videos which have garnered over 215k followers and 5 million views.
33-Year Veteran of NASA & TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People of 2022
A 33-year veteran of NASA, Gregory Robinson is the former director of the $10 billion dollar James Webb Space Telescope (Webb). With 100 times more power than its predecessor, the Hubble Telescope, Webb is considered one of NASA’s greatest achievements of the 21st century.
Award-Winning Producer, Transgender Fashion Model & Activist
Geena Rocero, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, is an Award Winning Producer, Writer, Director, Model, Public Speaker, Trans Rights Advocate and co-host of the Webby Awards honoree TV Show ASPIREist, broadcasted on HLN/CNN.
Host, Voiceover Artist & Content Creator
Attorney, educator, journalist, producer, host, moderator, voiceover artist and author, Angélique Roché believes in the power of story and the impact that fiction and non-fiction narratives can have.
"Culture Vulture" on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
Most recognized for his role in Bravo’s culturally groundbreaking series Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, Jai created a niche role on the Emmy Award-winning series as the ‘Culture Vulture,’ a youthfully savvy addition to the show’s dynamic cast.
Award-Winning Scholar & Professor of Political Science at Brown University.
Melvin Rogers is an award-winning scholar and stands as a distinguished academic renowned for his insightful contributions to the discourse on race and democracy within the realms of American culture and politics.
Founder of Money Mindset Wealth Management & a Trailblazer Reshaping the Finance Landscape
Meet Scarlette Joyce Rojas, a trailblazer reshaping the finance landscape with her unparalleled mix of financial acumen and behavioral science expertise.
Star of Little People, Big World
The star of TLC's Little People, Big World, Matt Roloff inspires audiences around the country through his determination to succeed in life despite being born with a rare form of physically debilitating dwarfism.
Executive Director of the ACLU
The first Latino and openly gay head of the ACLU, Romero has transformed the ACLU into an organizational powerhouse championing civil liberties, individual freedom and human rights.
Beauty Boss, TV Personality & Positivity Preacher
Celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal has dedicated her life to helping people feel like the best version of themselves by mirroring their outward appearance with their inner beauty.
ESPN Analyst & Former NBA Player
Current ESPN/ABC studio analyst and former 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose is one of the select professional athletes to maintain a high profile post-retirement as a philanthropist and entertainer.
Award-Winning Actress & Producer: American Fiction, Black-ish, Girlfriends
A Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actress, Ross stars in “Black-ish” and starred in Girlfriends. She encourages audiences to tap into their own creativity and inner joy.
Diversity, Inclusion, Social Justice Advocate
A seminal thought leader on addressing unconscious bias, best-selling author Howard Ross is one of the nation’s most influential diversity consultants and workplace experts, specializing in corporate culture change and leadership development.
Emmy-Nominated Actor, Star of Pose & American Horror Story on FX, Producer & Writer, Human Rights Advocate, Singer & Songwriter
From the board room, to film and TV sets to Capitol Hill to the music studio, Angelica Ross is a leading figure of success and strength in the movement for human rights advocacy focused on Transgender and racial equality.
Bestselling Author & Screenwriter
Steven Rowley is the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016, The Editor, named by NPR and Esquire magazine as one of the Best Books of 2019.
Award-Winning Gender Economist, Data Scientist & CEO of Pipeline
Katica Roy is an award-winning gender economist, former Global 500 global executive, programmer, data scientist, and the CEO and founder of an award-winning SaaS company, Pipeline.
Real Life Hero of Hotel Rwanda
Known as the "Rwandan Schindler," speaker Paul Rusesabagina saved countless lives during the Rwandan genocide. His story is chronicled in the film Hotel Rwanda.
Principal & CEO of IMPACT Strategies
Angela Rye is Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies. Featured as an influential politico, lawyer, and advocate by several media outlets, Rye has an unwavering commitment to ensuring positive change in politics.
World Renowned Multicultural Visual Artist
Saint James is a multicultural visual artist, an award winning author and/or illustrator of 17 children’s books. She designed the first Kwanzaa Stamp for the USPS and the cover art for the book Waiting to Exhale.
CEO at REVOLT Media & TV
Detavio Samuels serves as CEO of REVOLT, America’s fastest growing Black-owned media company.
Executive Editor/Founder of The Diversity Council at America's Test Kitchen
If you could only use one word to describe Elle Simone Scott, it would be warrior. The Executive Editor and Founder of The Diversity Council at America’s Test Kitchen fought for herself—navigating a career and life full of extreme highs and lows.
Organizational Psychologist & Belonging Expert
Dr. Jessica Sharp, who uses she/her pronouns, is on a mission to change the world through love and belonging. Jessica is a social entrepreneur and sought-after leadership development consultant and speaker.
Political & Social Activist
A leading voice in civil rights, speaker Al Sharpton is founder and president of the National Action Network, which supports community businesses and combats corporate racism.
Founder of LiberatED
Dr. Dena Simmons is the founder of LiberatED, a liberatory approach to social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing. She is also the inaugural scholar-in-residence at the Institute for Racial Justice at Loyola University of Chicago.
Former Senior White House Official, CNN Political Contributor & Co-Host of the Trailblaze Podcast
Jamal Simmons has been at the nexus of politics and media for three decades. He is currently a Political Commentator on CNN and Co-Host of the TralBlaze Podcast on Politicon.
CEO of Lobos 1707, Brand Building & Leadership Expert, Market Disruptor
One of the country’s few female and African American CEOs, Dia Simms is renowned for her expertise in leading brand strategies and launching brands, as well as being a trailblazing leader.
Founder of Pacific Educational Group, Inc.
A product of public elementary and independent secondary school, Singleton founded Pacific Educational Group, Inc. (PEG) to support families in their transitions within and between K–12 and higher education.
Africa’s First Elected Female President
Known as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” Nobel Peace Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won international acclaim for leading Liberia through the Ebola Crisis and through reconciliation and recovery following her nation’s decade-long civil war.
Award-Winning Journalist at NBC News & Author of The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice
Dan Slepian is an Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist at NBC News, a leading authority on the criminal justice system, and a seasoned public speaker.
Political Commentator & TV Personality
From his conversations with world figures to his work to inspire the next generation, Tavis Smiley—broadcaster, author, publisher, advocate, and philanthropist—has emerged as an outstanding voice for change.