Education
Facing Adversity
Facing Adversity:
Entrepreneur, Author & Philanthropist
Chris Gardner is an entrepreneur whose autobiography, the Pursuit of Happyness, became a best seller and the inspiration for the movie of the same name. His talks aim to help others achieve their full potential.
Co-Founder of the Community Responsive Education (CRE) Group
As a classroom teacher in East Oakland for the past 24 years, Jeff Duncan-Andrade's pedagogy has been widely studied and acclaimed for producing uncommon levels of social and academic success for students.
Inspirational Educator & Author
Erin Gruwell helped students "written off" by the system harness the power of education to graduate high school. Her dedication to her students resulted in the publication of The Freedom Writers Diary.
Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor
Abbott’s life changed forever when she was struck by bomb shrapnel and lost her left leg. She captivates audiences with her inspirational story of pain, anger, optimism and resilience.
Inner-City Youth & Education Advocate
Founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone, Canada addresses inner city poverty and violence. His model was featured in Waiting for Superman and has been replicated across the U.S.
US Army Lieutenant Colonel / Education Advocate
Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch is the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the Combat Support Field in the US Army. She is recognized for her work on teen pregnancy, gang violence and parenting education.
Former NFL Athlete, Transformative Executive Coach & Award Winning Author
Robert Jackson is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Jackson Consulting, LLC. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, executive leader, relationship coach, and award-winning author, he is known for his guiding philosophy: “For every problem, there is a solution.”
Former NBA Player / Addiction Recovery Advocate
A hometown basketball legend, Chris Herren realized his dream of playing for the Celtics only to lose it all to addiction. He shares his story in Basketball Junkie & the ESPN documentary Unguarded.