Health and Wellness
The Sweeney Agency will help you find the perfect Health, Nutrition, or Stress Management Speaker for your event by providing you with all the information you need to make the right decision. We take into account your conference objectives and provide you with Health Speaker bios, video clips, topic outlines, and independent perspectives on the best Health and Wellness speakers available. Working closely with the professional speaker you choose, we will ensure he or she delivers a customized presentation that informs, inspires and entertains.
Book Your Next Great Speaker in 5 Easy Steps
5 Tips to Book your Next Great Speaker
About
Did last year's speaker knock your socks off? Not sure where to go next? Let our team of experienced professionals help you find your next great speaker.
Here's a quick guide to help you get started:
Find A Theme
Decide on a theme or topic for your event.
Going through a period of transition? Looking to shake up your creative? Building trust within your teams? We have great speakers on all of those topics.
Having trouble? Check out our IDEA GENERATOR for inspiration.
Get in Touch
Get in touch with your Event Date & Theme.
We will ask you some key questions to find the perfect speaker for your live or virtual event.
We pride ourselves on our personal touch. We are small team of dedicated professionals with over 20 years experience. When you call us, you speak to us directly... and quickly.
Shortlist
By now, we have a great idea of what you are looking for and will send you a shortlist of exceptional speakers.
Each speaker will be vetted with YOUR event in mind, along with our personal thoughts on how that speaker can inspire your attendees.
Let's talk
From the shortlist, you've narrowed it down to two great speakers. Let's discuss your needs to help make the final decision.
With over 20 years experience, you can trust us to provide all of the information you need to choose the right speaker.
We work with you to find the best format for your presentation, including live streams, Q&A sessions and even follow up programs to ensure maximum engagement for your key stakeholders.
The Details
We will facilitate a call with your leadership team & our speaker to do a deep dive into your business to make sure their presentation really hits home.
As trusted experts, you can rest easy knowing our experience will guide you every step of the way.
get in touch
Get in touch to book your next great speaker.
Dan Buettner
Internationally Recognized Researcher, Explorer, National Geographic Fellow, and New York Times Best-selling Author on Longevity
About
Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow, an inspirational speaker, and multiple New York Times best-selling author. He has discovered, through multiple expeditions with teams of research scientists specializing in population studies, the five places in the world - dubbed Blue Zones - where people live the longest, and are healthiest and happiest. His New York Times Sunday Magazine article about these places, “The Island Where People Forget to Die,” was one of the Times’ most popular - as was his National Geographic cover story on longevity, “The Secrets of Living Longer.” A chord was struck, and thus subsequent books and a company which seeks to share the distilled wisdom of Blue Zones cultures with American cities and corporations were born.
Blue Zones, LLC, puts the world’s best practices of longevity and well-being to work in people’s lives at the community level. Buettner works in partnership with Healthways, municipal governments, and various insurance companies to implement the program in more than 20 cities so far - and has dramatically improved the health of more than 5 million Americans to date. Their strategy focuses on optimizing the local environment: walkability for citizens and kids, availability of healthy food options, social connectivity, pursuit of life purpose - and ongoing coaching and support for creating homes which effortlessly bring forth wellness and happiness.
Writing in Newsweek, Harvard University’s Walter Willet called the results “stunning.” In one project alone, Buettner and his then partner, AARP - applied principles of Blue Zones to Albert Lea, Minnesota, and lowered health care costs by 40%.
His books The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest and Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way - have remained best-sellers, along with The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People. Be sure to mark 03-December on your calendars - the release date of Dan's latest book The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Reach 100. Likely to be his next best-seller, The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. It captures the way of eating that yielded the statistically longest-lived people - and explains, in some detail, why that food has enabled populations to elude the chronic disease scourge that has befallen Americans.
Dan has appeared on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz, NPR, and Oprah. Voted a Top 50 Influencer in Aging by PBS, Dan also holds three Guinness Book of world records in distance cycling (and is possibly the only person to have cycled through the Sahara desert without sunscreen!) - and has won an Emmy Award for television production. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is particularly proud to be the father of three (nearly) grown children.
About
Click Here to Receive Your Customized List of Speaker Ideas
Virtual Events can:
- Reach a wider audience
- Offer a great experience at a much lower cost
- Create long term impact with recorded elements that allow for content to be watched over a period of time
- Have an increased impact over time, as viewers re-watch, discuss and connect over social media and other channels
And, most importantly: offer the ability for inspiring and impactful presentations to connect in a one-on-one way, directly to the attendee.
WHO is your audience?
Who are your virtual event attendees? Are they across a specific group within your organization, or are you serving clients across a wide range of levels? Determining who you are speaking to will help you determine a format for your event that will captivate your audience.
WHAT is your key message?
Are you focusing on change? Innovation? Leadership?
Creating a single focus or mission will allow you to hone in on the type of speaker(s) you need to engage your audience and help event producers to format the event into a dynamic program that balances inspiration with information and audience interaction.
WHAT type of event suits your audience?
- Virtual Conference
- Webinar
- Hybrid Event
Virtual event technology has come a long way over the last few months, offering a huge range of different options from pre-recorded webinars, to multi-day virtual conferences, to hybrid events with some attendees in the audience while the event is live streamed.
OUR ADVICE
A COMBINATION of live and pre-recorded elements will allow your virtual event to run smoothly and stay on time.
Many of our clients are also opting for multi-day virtual conferences with shorter segments spaced over a few days.
This allows some flexibility for attendees in different time zones and accommodates different teleworking situations for attendees, allowing them to tune in when it is convenient.
WHERE? It’s all about Tech.
Virtual meeting technology has exploded over the last few months as teleworking became the norm.
Consider your needs:
- Interactive elements like breakout rooms, polls & Q&A
- Seamless blend of live & pre-recorded elements
- Ability to replay segments
- Live tech support
If you plan for rain, it’s likely the sun will shine…
Tech isn’t perfect so don’t forget to test, rehearse and have a back up plan ready to go for your virtual event.
Pro Tip: Think of a virtual presentation like a podcast. Viewers can view the content multiple times and refer back to it.
WHEN? A Date… or Dates?
As we have all noticed, our attention spans for meeting in real life versus meeting online are a lot longer.
When deciding on a date, consider spreading your virtual event out over a few days, with a variety of speakers, interactive elements and information.
The benefits of a multi-day format:
- Viewers watch content fresh for a short period every day
- Allows attendees in different time zones to stay on top of the content
- Attendees can review & re-engage with content
Virtual Event Checklist:
Is your event?
- Interactive?
- Informative?
- Able to be rewatched?
WHY? Pandemic 2020
Just because you are online instead of in person, it doesn’t mean you are missing out on connection.
Using the technology that we have become so accustomed to over the last few months, our keynote speakers have the ability to connect to your viewers one-on-one, in a way that was impossible in live events.
FIND YOUR WHY…
What do you want the audience to leave thinking at the end of the presentation?
Apply this question to all the presentations and segments in your event to create a cohesive, impactful virtual event.
HOW? Virtual Event Checklist
To wrap it all up
- TECH: Find the right tech platform & don’t forget to test drive before your event
- AGENDA: Use a mix of live and pre-recorded segments, mixed with interactive elements, to ensure a smooth flow of events & audience engagement
- ANTICIPATION: Build up your event with emails, teasers and sneak peeks into what content will be offered
- NETWORKING: Create and encourage online chat functions, an event specific hashtag or even a dedicated event page to allow attendees to network virtually. Maximize the networking opportunities offered by your tech platform.
- EXTEND YOUR IMPACT: A dedicated social media page is a great place for attendees to connect after an event to discuss ideas and implement some of the learnings from the event.
Offer a password protected, limited time recording of keynote presentations to continue the conversation long after the virtual event has ended.
Continue the conversation with post-event touch points like emails or questions based on the key presentations.
To find a GREAT Speaker for your Virtual event, get in touch.
Andy Core
Speaker and Author on Work-Life Balance, Productivity & Well-being
About
Andy Core is a credentialed, award-winning thought leader on increasing employee engagement, productivity, and wellness motivation. His talent lies in helping hard-working, conscientious adults thrive at work and in their personal lives.
He has a master’s degree in the science of human performance and has spent the past 15 years researching ways to become better equipped to thrive in today’s hectic society. Thus helping organizations build teams that cost less, have better attitudes, and accomplish more.
Author of several books including Change Your Day, Not Your Life, Healthy Motivation, and Master Your Body, Andy has also received numerous awards and recognition on his work. He was also the Co-host of the PBS affiliate television show “Fighting Fat”.
About
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Jenny talks about the connection between the daily grind of life and the chemistry of the brain and body and how to build resilience every day.
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Audiences leave with actionable micro-strategies that individuals and teams can implement immediately to start building their resilience and stress-proof their brains.
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Jenny Evans is a speaker, author, and on-air expert on physiology and chemistry, as it relates to resiliency, confidence and performance. She is also the author of The Resiliency rEvolution, TEDx speaker and regular contributor to The Huffington Post.
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Past clients include: Microsoft, Cisco, Nestle Purina, Johnson & Johnson, Blue Shield, US Bank, Aveda, Clinique, Estee Lauder and MGM Resorts.
Jenny Evans is a speaker, author, and on-air expert on physiology and chemistry, as it relates to resiliency, confidence and performance. She is highly experienced, having worked with thousands of C-suite executives, leaders, and employees — from corporations, associations, and universities across the globe.
Her dynamic presentations and training sessions both educate and inspire audiences by linking the stressful challenges of everyday life to the body’s own chemistry and physiology. Jenny brings to life the art of optimizing your own chemistry to boost your performance and productivity, all while enhancing your health and energy.
Jenny’s events are active, engaging, high-energy, and life-changing – leaving audiences inspired, informed and on their way to leading a more productive life in increasingly demanding business environments.
Her award-winning book – The Resiliency rEvolution — has been hailed as a “smart, clever read and super-practical guide to leading a more full and resilient life.” She is also the creator of Hit the Deck – the ultimate tool for combating stress and increasing productivity and fitness.
Jenny has spoken on the TEDx stage, is the resiliency subject matter expert for Optum and The Big Know’s digital courses, writes as a blogger for The Huffington Post and was NBC KARE 11’s Health & Fitness expert for over four years. She has been quoted on National Public Radio, in Health Magazine and Women’s Health, while being showcased on FastCompany.com, Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com, Shape.com and Elle.com. Jenny has a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in psychology from the University of Minnesota and has been an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor for over twenty years.
About
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It's that simple.
Amanda Gore
CEO of The Joy Project, Communication & Performance Expert, Author and Huffington Post Columnist
About
Amanda Gore is an Australian living in the USA. An author, USA Hall of Fame speaker, business woman, CEO of The Joy Project and a Huffington Post Columnist, she has won many awards, including Educator of the Year and Keynote Speaker of the Year from the National Speakers Association.
She works with organizations of different sizes to help boost engagement of teams, create cultures of joy and joyful people, manage change fatigue and bring humanity back into leadership and work.
With the rise of mental health issues, Amanda believes that joy is the antidote to burnout and has been shown to increase productivity, sales, and well-being. In her presentations, she blends humor, science, and life experience to teach practical tools and skills for personal and organizational growth. She focuses on helping people feel good about themselves which leads to positive changes in all areas.
Originally a physical therapist with a major in psychology, Amanda blends research in neuroscience, epigenetics, positive psychology, quantum physics and emotional intelligence with funny stories to help organizations achieve better performance by aligning with values and mission and creating joyful workplaces and people. Through her funny, interactive and engaging presentations, Amanda breaks down barriers, opens hearts and minds, and inspires people to action.
Her presentations are funny, energetic, entertaining, and engaging, and she is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating lasting change while people laugh and learn.
Click Here to Watch Amanda's Virtual Presentation
Dr. Heidi Hanna
Expert on nutrition and exercise in energy management for increased productivity, engagement and performance.
About
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Dr. Heidi Hanna talks about redefining how we perceive stress using a new framework built upon recent neuroscience research.
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Audiences leave understanding the different types of stress and stress reactions, and the techniques needed to train whole-brain skill sets that transform experiences of stress.
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Best-selling author on stress mastery and brain-based health and performance.
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Past clients include: Google, Starbucks, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, WD40, the PGA Tour, the National Football League
Dr. Heidi Hanna is the Chief Energy Officer of Synergy Brain Fitness, a company providing brain-based health and performance programs to individuals and organizations, a former instructor at Harvard Extension, and a Fellow and Advisory Board Member for the American Institute of Stress. She is a NY Times bestselling author who has written seven books, including The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic, Recharge and What’s So Funny About Stress?
Dr. Heidi has been featured at many global conferences including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Leadership Summit and the Million Dollar Round Table. Her clients have included Google, Starbucks, Microsoft, Principal Insurance, Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise, and WD40 as well as the PGA Tour, and the National Football League. Dr. Heidi is also a Certified Humor Professional with the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor although she won’t admit she’s funny.
About
Chris Johnson is the leading authority on small steps to healthy living. As Founder/CEO of On Target Living, Chris is a highly respected expert and accomplished executive, who has spent over 30 years researching and building optimal health and performance programs for individuals and corporations. He is the architect of the Food Target® that shifts from counting calories to concentrating on the nutrient values of foods that guide healthy choices.
Chris likes to say he was 'raised by wolves'. Growing up struggling with terrible skin and chronic health issues, he had no idea how his lifestyle affected his health. The doctors couldn't help him, and despite all the medications they prescribed, his health did not improve. By his mid-20's, deeply frustrated and feeling hopeless, Chris set out to heal himself. On his quest, he learned how food affects the body, the importance of sleep, and why people need to move. These discoveries transformed his life. Conditions which plagued him for years disappeared, and his energy and attitude reached new heights. Amazed at how good he felt, Chris knew he’d found his calling, and needed to share his discoveries.
Today, Chris works with organizations to transform their performance from the inside out. He applies the principles of REST-EAT-MOVE to educate, engage and motivate teams around the world. Chris graduated from Michigan State University with a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology, and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics from Western Michigan University. He holds certifications from The American College of Sports Medicine, The National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise and Certified Natural Health Professional. Chris earned and maintains a reputation of providing groundbreaking lifestyle modification strategies with integrity, humor and passion.
Dr. Daniel Kraft
Stanford and Harvard Trained Physician-Scientist, Inventor and Entrepreneur
About
Daniel Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, and innovator and is serving as the Chair of the XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance Task Force. With over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, biomedical research and healthcare innovation, Kraft has chaired the Medicine for Singularity University since its inception in 2008, and is founder and chair of Exponential Medicine, a program that explores convergent, rapidly developing technologies and their potential in biomedicine and healthcare. Following undergraduate degrees from Brown University and medical school at Stanford, Daniel was Board Certified in both Internal Medicine & Pediatrics after completing a Harvard residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital & Boston Children's Hospital, and fellowships in hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplantation at Stanford.
He is often called upon to speak to the future of health, medicine and technology and has given 5 TED and TEDMED Talks.
He has multiple scientific publications and medical device, immunology and stem cell related patents through faculty positions with Stanford University School of Medicine and as clinical faculty for the pediatric bone marrow transplantation service at University of California San Francisco.
Daniel is a member of the Kaufman Fellows Society (Class 13) and member of the Inaugural (2015) class of the Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellowship.
Daniel's academic research has focused on: stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, stem cell derived immunotherapies for cancer, bioengineering human T-cell differentiation, and humanized animal models. His research has been published in journals that include Nature and Science. His clinical work has focuses on: bone marrow / hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for malignant and non-malignant diseases in adults and children, medical devices to enable stem cell based regenerative medicine, including marrow derived stem cell harvesting, processing and delivery. He also implemented the first text-paging system at Stanford Hospital.
He is heavily involved in digital health, founded Digital.Health, and is on the board of Healthy.io and advises several digital health related startups. Daniel recently founded IntelliMedicine, focused on personalized, data driven, precision medicine. He is also the inventor of the MarrowMiner, an FDA approved device for the minimally invasive harvest of bone marrow, and founded RegenMed Systems, a company developing technologies to enable adult stem cell based regenerative therapies.
Daniel is an avid pilot and has served in the Massachusetts and California Air National Guard as an officer and flight surgeon with F-15 & F-16 fighter Squadrons. He has conducted research on aerospace medicine that was published with NASA, with whom he was a finalist for astronaut selection.
Click Here to Watch Dr. Kraft's Virtual Presentation
Dr. Janet Lapp
Author, psychologist, internationally known speaker. Very entertaining. Speaks on Change, Communication, Motivation and Teamwork.
About
Dr. Janet Lapp: Keynote Speaker on Change, Leadership & Resilience | Psychologist | Author | Workplace Transformation Expert
Change Your Thinking. Change What's Possible: When change is constant, how do you keep people positive, adaptable and focused on moving forward?
Combining behavioral science, powerful storytelling, humor and practical strategies, Janet helps people rethink how they respond to uncertainty. Her high-energy presentations show audiences how to move beyond resistance, take ownership of their response and approach change with greater confidence and optimism.
Why Book Dr. Janet Lapp?
Janet understands that successful change isn't just about strategy. It's about people.
Even the best transformation plan can struggle when employees feel overwhelmed, uncertain or resistant to what's happening around them. Janet helps audiences understand the attitudes and behaviors that can hold them back—and what they can do differently.
Her presentations are positive, energetic and practical, giving audiences tools to shift their thinking, increase adaptability and become active participants in creating what's next.
What Makes Janet Lapp Different?
- Psychology-based approach — helps audiences understand the human response to change
- Change expertise — extensive experience helping organizations navigate transformation
- High-energy delivery — engaging, optimistic and entertaining on stage
- Immediately actionable — practical strategies audiences can use right away
- Personal accountability — encourages people to focus on what they can influence
- Broad audience appeal — relevant to leaders, managers and employees
- Global perspective — a message designed to connect across industries and cultures
Why Is Janet Right for Your Audience?
Janet is an excellent choice when your organization needs people to move beyond resistance, become more adaptable and take greater ownership of change.
She is particularly effective for leadership conferences, corporate meetings, association events and organizations experiencing transformation, restructuring, growth or cultural change.
Book Janet when your audience needs to:
- Adapt more positively to organizational change
- Build resilience during uncertainty
- Move beyond negativity and resistance
- Take greater ownership of their response to change
- Maintain energy and performance during disruption
- Develop a more adaptable mindset
- Improve attitudes toward new initiatives
- See opportunities within changing circumstances
Audience Takeaways
Attendees will leave:
- Better prepared to respond positively to change
- More aware of how mindset influences behavior and performance
- Equipped with practical strategies for navigating uncertainty
- Ready to focus energy on what they can control and influence
- More resilient when circumstances don't go according to plan
- Motivated to take greater personal responsibility
- Prepared to become active participants in organizational change
Dr. Janet Lapp Keynote Programs
Dancing With Tigers: How to Embrace Change and Thrive. Change can feel threatening—but it can also create extraordinary opportunities for growth.
Janet helps audiences understand why people resist change and how they can consciously choose a more productive response.
Using psychology, humor and practical strategies, she shows people how to move beyond fear and uncertainty, become more adaptable and approach changing circumstances with greater confidence.
Ideal for: Organizational transformation, corporate meetings, leadership conferences and organizations navigating significant change.
The Psychology of Change: Organizations don't change until people do.
Janet explores the attitudes, behaviors and thought patterns that influence how individuals respond to disruption.
Audiences learn how to recognize unproductive reactions, shift their mindset and take greater ownership of their role in creating successful change.
Ideal for: Leadership, culture, transformation and employee-engagement events.
Leading Positively Through Change: During uncertainty, people look to their leaders for more than information—they look for confidence, clarity and direction.
Janet gives leaders practical strategies for helping teams remain focused, optimistic and productive when circumstances are changing.
Leaders learn how their own attitudes and behaviors can influence engagement, resilience and the willingness of others to move forward.
Ideal for: Executive meetings, leadership development and organizations undergoing transformation.
Why Book Dr. Janet Lapp Through The Sweeney Agency?
Janet Lapp's combination of psychology, energy and practical change strategies makes her particularly effective for organizations navigating transformation—but the right fit depends on what your people are experiencing and what you need them to do differently.
The Sweeney Agency can help you:
- Confirm Dr. Janet Lapp's availability and current speaking fee
- Determine which Janet Lapp keynote best fits your audience
- Discuss customization around your organization's change initiative
- Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
- Compare Janet with other leading change, leadership and resilience speakers
Is Janet Lapp Right for Your Event?
Tell us what's changing in your organization—and how you want your people to respond.
We'll help you determine whether Janet is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.
Planning a leadership conference, transformation event or corporate meeting? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Dr. Janet Lapp as your keynote speaker.
Brant Menswar
Speaker on Values Based Leadership, Rock Musician & Expert on Connection
About
Brant Menswar is a best-selling author, named one of the country's top speakers, and has helped more than 10,000 people discover their non-negotiable values. His keynotes transcend mere speaking and information-sharing to a powerful, moving conversation designed to re-engage even the most apathetic of employees. His books and podcast expand on his ground-breaking work around values-based leadership described as “disarmingly simple and incredibly powerful.”
Brant has helped to change what’s possible for industry-leading companies like Netflix, Verizon, Anthem, Microsoft, ESPN, Hilton, and dozens more. He is certified in the Psychology of Leadership from Cornell University and is on a mission to help organizations create a high-performing connected culture.
Passionate and engaging, Brant encourages audiences to discover their Black Sheep Values® and move forward with deliberate intention. His interactive and entertaining ways of defining what matters most enable audiences to develop the skills necessary to perform at the highest level.
Dr. Howard Rocket
Inspiring speaker with remarkable story of overcoming adversity. Author of A Stroke of Luck.
About
In the last 2 years Dr. Howard Rocket has started four new businesses. That is an amazing accomplishment in itself but even more amazing when you realize that a few years ago a stroke nearly killed him. For Dr. Rocket passionately believes that your attitude is everything especially in these challenging times. Howard was a successful dentist-turned-entrepreneur when he suffered a massive stroke on the morning of October 27, 1995. By that evening Howard was a dying man, a blood clot lodged deep in his brain, his body barely responding to medical intervention. There had been warning signs for days prior, but he did not understand their cause, nor the crisis that they foreshadowed.
With valiant medical attention and good fortune Howard survived and made a stunning recovery, but the experience changed his life forever both in body and in attitude. He has since co-authored A Stroke of Luck, his personal story of how recovery from a stroke changed his life and his outlook. A powerful speaker, Dr. Rocket helps people understand that they can overcome any obstacle.
Dr. Joel Selanikio
Consultant in technology, healthcare, AI, entrepreneurship, social innovation, big data, and disaster response.
About
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Joel talks about the future of healthcare using a long range perspective: 100 years of information technology and its impact on health and healthcare.
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Dr. Selanikio helps the audience navigate the possible futures of the industry, and how it will be affected by AI and technology.
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Dr. Joel Selanikio bridges the worlds of healthcare, global health and technology to illustrate opportunities in the application of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing, and mobile technology to health, healthcare, and social challenges. He is a recognized innovator in global health, technology, and social enterprise, as well as a former CDC outbreak investigator and Ebola clinic director.
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Past clients include: Royal Society of Medicine, Harvard, Stanford School of Business, DARPA, the World Economic Forum at Davos, and Google.
Dr. Joel Selanikio bridges the worlds of healthcare, global health and technology to illustrate opportunities in the application of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing, and mobile technology to health, healthcare, and social challenges. A former CDC outbreak investigator and Ebola clinic director, he also frequently speaks about the challenges of providing clinical services in “the hot zone”, and the role that technology (and humanity) can play in emergencies.
A recognized innovator in global health, technology, and social enterprise, his broad career has allowed him to observe and leverage the great technological changes of our time – including the worldwide shift from personal computers to mobile, the adoption of cloud technologies, and the growing application of big data to healthcare – as few others have done. Named in 2009 as one of Forbes’ “most powerful innovators”, he is a recipient of both the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainable Innovation and the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for Healthcare for his work in healthcare technology. A TED speaker, he has spoken at or provided consultation to organizations including the Royal Society of Medicine, Harvard, Stanford School of Business, DARPA, the World Economic Forum at Davos, and Google – and been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Economist, CNN, Fox News, and the BBC, among others.
Dr. Selanikio is a graduate of Haverford College and the Brown University School of Medicine, and he continues to practice pediatrics at Georgetown University.
Meg Soper
Corporate Entertainer and Motivational Humorist who Speaks on Resilience and Teamwork
About
Meg Soper is a professional speaker and comedienne who combines a remarkable sense of humour with her unique perspective of life - to captivate her audience and provide them with a presentation filled with inspiration and entertainment. Across North America, Meg is highly sought after to energize events and inspire employees through keynote presentations, as an M.C., or through interactive workshops.
Meg has appeared as a keynote speaker and featured entertainer at conferences and corporate functions across North America and internationally. A veteran performer, she got her start at various comedy clubs across Canada, and over the years shared the stage with many leading comedy acts including Ray Romano and Ellen Degeneres.
With over 30 years experience in the health care industry and as a Registered Nurse in the Operating Room, she understands how your attitude affects those around you at home and in the workplace environment. Meg is co-author of the book, From the Stage to the Page - Life Lessons from Four Funny Ladies. She has appeared on the CBC Television Network, Women’s Television Network and Prime TV, as well as being featured in many radio programs and comedy festivals. Meg has a tremendous ability to connect with her audience and take every event to a higher level.
Her experiences as a staff nurse and operating room nurse - in major urban teaching hospitals and regional healthcare facilities - shaped her perspective. It taught her how humor can help us effectively deal with stressful situations in our personal and professional lives. Out of the pressure-packed environment of the hospital operating room and balancing two careers, Meg realized humor is extremely effective for dealing with stress and managing change.
And how better to motivate and entertain her audiences than through humor and inspiration? That’s why her unique brand of motivational comedy is referred to as “Humor with a Heart”. She inspires people to improve communication, deal with stress, and achieve better balance in their lives while establishing a healthy workplace and home life.
It all comes down to choices. We always have a choice about how we do our work, even if we don’t have a choice about the work itself. We choose the attitude we bring with us to work and to life, and the ability to decide whether any given day will be good or bad. If we have the ability to step back from a situation and see the humor in it, we quickly realize that life can be less stressful.
Click Here to Watch Meg's Virtual Presentation
Dr. Natalie Stavas
Harvard Physician, Mentor, Runner, International Humanitarian; Runner Turned First Responder in the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing
About
Dr. Natalie Stavas serves as the Program Director for Child Protection Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. She specializes in work with vulnerable children, victims of abuse, and decreasing youth violence. Described as a healer, educator, and Boston community leader she received the 2012 Change Maker award from The Boston Foundation.
On April 15, 2013, Dr. Stavas approached the finish line of her fifth Boston marathon. Just blocks away, she heard explosions and ran towards them. Arriving at the scene she went to work administering CPR, applying tourniquets, and triaging the wounded.
Following this event, President Barack Obama, Katie Couric, and Anderson Cooper honored her for her actions. Improper Bostonian magazine named Dr. Stavas one of “Boston’s Best” and The Boston Globe awarded her with “2013 Bostonian of the Year” – an honor bestowed upon those that shape the biggest story of the year in a remarkable way.
After the bombings, Dr. Stavas increased her efforts in preventing childhood violence. She became a weekly medical contributor for Boston’s Fox 25- discussing issues affecting children and young adults, a mentor for Sole Train- a non-profit guiding inner-city youth on a path towards their full potential through running. In early 2014 she helped partner Prescription for the Outdoors with Boston Medical Center’s pediatric team.
This advocacy goes beyond borders- traveling to Haiti throughout the year Dr. Stavas provided medical care to children and helped strengthen their fragile medical infrastructure. A documentary featuring this work as a medical pioneer premiered at the 2014 South by Southwest film festival.
Dr. Stavas is currently a leader in education and research. She serves as the Program Director for Child Protection Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. In this role she mentors medical students, residents, and fellows towards a path of fulfillment in medicine. Her research on caring for vulnerable children has won awards and been highlighted on multiple media outlets.
Dr. Stavas has been featured in Runner’s World, The New York Times, LA Times, The Boston Globe, The New Yorker, Time, and People magazine.