About Dr. Frank Murtha - Keynote Speaker & Expert on Investor Psychology and Behavioral Finance:

Dr. Murtha has been featured in numerous news and print media outlets, including The New York Times, CNBC, Fox Business, National Public Radio, Nightly Business Report, and World Business Review. He works as a consultant, speaker, and writer based out of the New York City area. His award-winning book, MarketPsych: How to Overcome Fear and Build Your Investor Identity was honored by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of “Three Best Financial Books of 2010”.

Keynote speaker Chandran Nair leads what he believes is a first - an organisation focused on the relationship of Asian society and values with those of the rest of the world. He is the founder of the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT), an independent social venture think-tank dedicated to advancing an understanding of the impacts of globalisation through thought leadership and positive action to effect change. Nair is a renowned international speaker, writer and facilitator and leading expert on globalisation and development in Asia.

Since 2004 Chandran has led GIFT to becoming a leading provider of experiential learning for the private, public and academic sectors. His role as Chairman of the Asia-Pacific region of Environmental Resource Management Consultancy, a position he held for over a decade, and his reputation as a provocative speaker, has attracted corporations and governments to seek his advice on a variety of leadership and business challenges in Asia. He has addressed many of these issues at forums around the world, and is a popular panelist on economic policy and sustainability platforms such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, APEC Summit and the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society.

He has served as an adjunct professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he taught MBA students and continues to provide strategic management advice and coaching to business leaders. In addition, he is co-founder and Chair of Avantage Ventures, a boutique social investment advisory firm based in Hong Kong and author of Consumptionomics: Asia's role in reshaping capitalism and saving the planet.

Gaby Natale is a triple Emmy® Award-winning journalist, top motivational speaker, bestselling author, and television host. Known for her high-energy, approachable style, Gaby inspires audiences to embrace the pioneer spirit, break barriers, and drive meaningful change in their personal and professional lives.

As the first Latina to win three Daytime Emmys® back-to-back, Gaby has consistently demonstrated her ability to innovate and lead across industries. Her proprietary frameworks equip individuals and teams with actionable takeaways that foster innovation, build resilience, and cultivate a sense of belonging.

Gaby delivers customized keynotes, talent development programs, leadership content, and consulting for corporate events both in-person and virtually. Her clients include global organizations such as Google, Microsoft, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Estee Lauder, Dell, and the United Nations.

A bestselling author, her book The Virtuous Circle, published by HarperCollins Leadership, topped Amazon’s New Releases in Business, Inspiration, and Self-Help. It reflects her commitment to empowering indiv iduals to achieve personal and professional growth.

Gaby’s entrepreneurial ventures include founding AGANARmedia, a marketing company that has served Fortune 500 companies like Hilton Worldwide, Sprint, and Amazon. Her global perspective is shaped by her triple citizenship (United States, Argentina, and Italy) and her experience living in London, Mexico, Washington D.C., and Buenos Aires.

Recognized by media outlets such as Forbes, CNN, NBC, and Univision, Gaby has received numerous accolades, including being named one of the “25 Most Powerful Latinas” by People, a “Woman of Influence” by SUCCESS Magazine, and an “Exceptional Woman of Excellence” by the Women Economic Forum. Her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights earned her a GLAAD Media Award nomination.

In 2024, after surviving breast cancer, Gaby became an official Susan G. Komen ambassador, sharing her story to raise awareness about the importance of early detection.

With a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in journalism, Gaby began her career teaching at the University of Texas. Today, with over 52 million YouTube views, she continues to inspire global audiences with her message of innovation, resilience, and leadership.

Ben Nemtin: Keynote Speaker on Purpose, Leadership & Human Potential | #1 New York Times Bestselling Author | Co-Founder of The Buried Life

Stop Putting Off the Things That Matter Most.  What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

Ben's journey began with a simple question: “What do you want to do before you die?” What started as a list of 100 dreams became a global movement—and a powerful lesson in what happens when people identify what truly matters, overcome the barriers holding them back and start taking action.

Why Book Ben Nemtin?

Ben doesn't just inspire audiences to dream bigger. He gives them a framework for turning those dreams into action.

Through extraordinary stories, humor and practical strategies, Ben explores why people often postpone the goals that matter most and what they can do to change that.

His keynote connects personal purpose with workplace performance, showing how helping people pursue meaningful goals can strengthen motivation, engagement, resilience and connection.

The result is a keynote that is high-energy, emotional, entertaining and actionable—and one audiences continue talking about long after the event.

What Makes Ben Nemtin Different?

• Co-founder of The Buried Life — turned a list of 100 dreams into a global movement
• #1 New York Times bestselling author — author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?
• Extraordinary storytelling — combines adventure, humor and deeply human moments
• Purpose meets performance — connects meaningful goals with motivation and engagement
• Highly actionable — gives audiences a process for turning goals into reality
• Powerful human connection — demonstrates what can happen when people help others achieve their dreams
• Broad audience appeal — connects across generations, roles and industries
• Memorable event experience — creates the kind of emotional impact audiences remember

Why Is Ben Right for Your Audience?

Ben is an outstanding choice when you want your audience to think bigger, reconnect with what matters and take action on goals they've been putting off.

He is particularly effective for leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, corporate meetings, association conferences and employee-engagement events.

Book Ben when your audience needs to:

• Reconnect with personal and professional purpose
• Turn ambitious goals into action
• Break through fear and limiting beliefs
• Build greater resilience when setbacks occur
• Increase motivation and engagement
• Create stronger connections with colleagues
• Think bigger about what's possible
• Take greater ownership of their future

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Thinking differently about the goals they've been postponing
• Equipped with practical strategies for turning intentions into action
• More willing to pursue ambitious goals despite uncertainty
• Understanding how purpose can strengthen motivation
• Better prepared to overcome obstacles and setbacks
• Inspired to help other people achieve meaningful goals
• Energized to take the first step toward something that matters

Ben Nemtin Keynote Programs

5 Steps to Make the Impossible Possible: What separates a dream people talk about from a goal they actually accomplish?

Drawing from his experiences with The Buried Life, Ben shares practical lessons for identifying meaningful goals, overcoming obstacles and taking action.

Through remarkable stories and an actionable framework, he shows audiences how seemingly impossible goals can become achievable when people create accountability, take incremental steps and refuse to let fear make their decisions.

Ideal for: Leadership conferences, sales kickoffs, corporate meetings and organizations pursuing ambitious goals.

Mental Wealth: Prioritizing the Things That Matter. Success means very little if achieving it requires sacrificing everything that makes life meaningful.

Ben challenges audiences to think more intentionally about their priorities and the relationship between achievement, purpose, relationships and wellbeing.

He demonstrates how reconnecting with the things that matter can create greater energy, resilience and motivation—both personally and professionally.

Ideal for: Leadership, employee engagement, workplace culture and wellbeing events.

Building a Culture Where People Thrive. What happens when organizations care about their people's goals—not just the organization's goals?

Ben explores how leaders can create deeper engagement by helping employees connect their work with their personal ambitions, purpose and potential.

Audiences discover how supporting one another's goals can strengthen trust, connection and a sense of belonging.

Ideal for: Leadership conferences, culture initiatives, employee meetings and organizations focused on engagement and retention.

Why Book Ben Nemtin Through The Sweeney Agency?

Ben Nemtin delivers an extraordinary combination of inspiration, entertainment and practical action—but the real value comes from connecting his message to what you want your audience to accomplish after the event.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Ben Nemtin's availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Ben Nemtin keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your event objectives
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Ben with other leading motivational, purpose and leadership speakers

Is Ben Nemtin Right for Your Event?

Tell us what you want your audience to stop putting off—and what you want them inspired to do next.

We'll help you determine whether Ben is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning a leadership conference, sales kickoff or corporate event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Ben Nemtin as your keynote speaker.

At 16 years old, Richard Newman was a shy introvert with a fear of speaking, who struggled to join conversations, let alone inspire people.

Today, he stands on stages from LA to Paris and Bangkok, empowering audiences like yours to turn their ideas into impact through storytelling and communication.

He’s the author of two books, You Were Born to Speak and Lift Your Impact, and the Founder and CEO of BodyTalk, a multimillion-dollar global coaching consultancy that has trained over 150,000 people. His scientific research on communication is published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychology.

His journey to becoming a communication expert and keynote speaker has taken him through living in a Tibetan monastery where he and the monks could only communicate non-verbally, studying 200+ books on communication, and training at the leading drama school in the UK. He then founded BodyTalk, leading his expert coaching team for over 25 years.

Natalie Nixon, PhD is "the creativity whisperer to the C-Suite". She is a creativity strategist who advises leaders on achieving transformative business results by applying wonder & rigor. She is a highly sought after global keynote speaker, valued for her accessible expertise on creativity, the future of work and innovation.

Natalie was selected for Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2024; Real Leaders' "Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World for 2022" list; and has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company and INC. She is the author of the award-winning The Creativity Leap—an honoree in the creativity category of Fast Company's 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. Her firm, Figure 8 Thinking, was named among the top 20 women-led innovation firms in 2021 by Core 77. Clients have included Microsoft, Salesforce, Comcast, Citrix, Morrison & Foerster, Living Cities, VaynerMedia and Bloomberg.

A hybrid thinker, Natalie consistently applies her background in cultural anthropology, fashion, design thinking and dance. She is an early-stage investor at two social impact ventures, valued for her ability to work at the intersection of commercial value and stakeholder equity.

Natalie is a trustee of the Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt Design Museum; and a former trustee of Vassar College and Leadership+Design. She has lived in Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Israel, and Sri Lanka and is proficient in Portuguese and Spanish. She is certified as a Foresight Practitioner by the Institute for the Future. She received her BA (honors) from Vassar College, and her PhD from the University of Westminster in London.

When she's not dancing up a storm in hip-hop class, Natalie is fine-tuning her salsa, foxtrot and tango on the ballroom floor. She lives in her hometown of Philadelphia with her husband, John Nixon, and is the proud stepmother of Sydney.

David Nour is a growth strategist, thought leader and internationally recognized as the leading expert on strategic business relationships. Through his best-selling books, compelling speeches and valuable consulting - Nour demonstrates how relationships are the greatest balance-sheet asset any organization possesses, large or small, public or private. He is a popular speaker and delivers over 50 global keynotes a year explaining the hidden assets of relationships, and the art and science of investing in them.

He is CEO of The Nour Group, Inc., a consulting firm that advises top global leaders and boards of corporations, associations and academic forums - on disruptive innovations to fuel their growth. The Nour Group, Inc., has worked with leading global companies such as Disney, Cisco Systems, Deloitte Consulting, Hilton Worldwide, HP, IBM and more.

Nour is the author of 10 books, including best-sellers CO-CREATE (St. Martin’s Press) and Relationship Economics® (Wiley) - as well as the upcoming Curve Benders.

In addition to speaking and writing, Nour serves as a trusted advisor to global clients - and coaches corporate leaders and rising entrepreneurs. He is an adjunct professor at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management, was named to the Global Gurus Top 30 Leadership Professionals list and is honoured to be one of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Global Coaches.

A Forbes Leadership contributor on the Future of Work, Nour’s unique insights have been featured in a variety of prominent publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fast Company, Huffington Post Business, Entrepreneur, and Knowledge@Wharton.

Born in Iran, Nour immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager with $100, limited family ties - and no fluency in English. He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and went on to earn an Executive MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He resides in Atlanta, GA, with his family.

• Kevin shares lessons from his life as an entrepreneur, Shark and business leader.

• Audiences learn the O'Leary Fundamentals that have been instrumental in Kevin's success in business and life taking him from modest beginnings to incredible success.

• Kevin O'Leary is an entrepeneur in a variety of industries, beginning with his first software business. As a Shark and television personality, he is uniquely suited to share how to turn challenges into triumphs.

• Past clients include: Pitney Bowes, Straumann, and SME Entertainment Group.

Kevin O’Leary was born to a middle class family in 1954. The combination of Kevin’s mother’s family heritage as merchants and his father’s Irish charisma truly meant that O’Leary was born for business. Kevin learned most of his business intuition from his mother. She taught him key business and financial insights from an early age. These became Kevin’s core philosophies, and the pillars upon which he would one day build his empire.

Kevin’s approach to business went through major changes as a teenager. During his second day on the job at a local ice cream shop, his boss came into the front of the store where Kevin was scooping ice cream. She looked at Kevin and asked him to perform a task that he wasn’t expecting. What happened next had a profound effect on Kevin – one that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

As a university student, Kevin’s innate business sense led him along several different paths – including some very unusual, very entrepreneurial ways of making a profit.

Not long after he finished his MBA, Kevin had a meeting that changed his life forever. He met a man who had a strange idea for a software product – an idea with huge, high-profit potential that Kevin immediately recognized.

After years of ups, downs, sacrifices, challenges, and lessons learned — not to mention a critical phone call that nearly cost him everything — the opportunity that Kevin saw eventually turned into a computer software giant that was acquired for more than $4 billion dollars.

After his extraordinary success at the software company he founded – and a difficult period of obstacles and legal disputes – Kevin eventually found himself on television, quickly becoming a sought-after host and personality on a range of shows – including Discovery’s Project Earth, CBC’s Dragons’ Den, and ABC’s Shark Tank.

Kevin has since launched O’Leary Funds, an investment fund company; O’Leary Fine Wines; and a best-selling book series on financial literacy.

In 2014, Kevin founded O’Leary Financial Group – a group of brands and services that share Kevin’s guiding principles of honesty, directness, convenience, and above all, great value.

In 2001, Eric O’Neill helped capture the most notorious spy in United States history: Robert Hanssen, a 25-year veteran of the FBI. The remarkable true events of his life are the inspiration behind the critically acclaimed dramatic thriller Breach, starring Ryan Philippe as O’Neill, and his bestselling novel Gray Day. The film set inside the FBI- the gatekeeper of the nation’s most sensitive and potentially volatile secrets – is the story of the greatest security breach in US history.

Preceding Hanssen’s arrest, O’Neill worked with the spy within the information assurance division that protected all classified FBI intelligence. O’Neill gained Hanssen’s trust and used that relationship to slowly draw the traitor out of deep cover.

O’Neill began his career in the FBI as a graduate of the FBI’s Intelligence Program. He spent the first five years of his career as a special surveillance group field operative tasked to surveil and monitor foreign, national, and domestic terrorists and spies. He transitioned from field operative to direct undercover work focusing on Hanssen. Although his prior training had focused on “ghosting” targets from the shadows, he engaged his target in conversation in order to elicit information needed to catch Hanssen in the act of espionage. The singular nature of the assignment, one with little backup or support, required O’Neill to draw from deep reserves of courage and confidence within himself to battle Hanssen’s mind games and aggressive probing and learn to “stop reacting to Hanssen and begin acting.”

Currently, Eric O’Neill runs The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security consultancy, where he specializes in counterintelligence operations, investigations into economic espionage, cybersecurity penetrations, internal investigations, catching the trusted insider and security risk assessment consulting out of Washington, DC. Eric is also the National Security Strategist for Carbon Black, the leader in next-generation endpoint protection, where he provides insight and advice on strategic cyber-security issues and will work to ensure Carbon Black is an active participant in the conversation about the national strategy for cybersecurity.

O’Neill’s story is one of patriotism, of decisive action in the face of fear, and of learning to maintain confidence in ability even if it looks like success is impossible. He has told his story in national media, in print, on radio, and on television including 20/20, Nightline, Hardball with Chris Mathews, Fox News Power Player of the Week with Chris Wallace, CNN, CSPAN’s Washington Journal, NPR’s “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” World News Now, MTV, and Access Hollywood.

A talented motivational speaker who weaves real-life experiences into a presentation that is both entertaining and rewarding, Eric O’Neill provides practical insights into real work situations relevant to many industries. In addition to his experience in the Hanssen case, he also addresses the issues of

Named a Future Innovator by the United Nations, Angela Oguntala is a futurist and global authority on foresight and innovation.

She is a founding partner at Greyspace, a foresight consultancy. Across the globe, she helps organizations understand and innovate for a world in transition. Her clients have included IKEA, Hermès, Philips, Sky, Deloitte, The World Economic Forum, The World Trade Organization, Microsoft, Bayer and Swiss Life.

Over the past decade, Angela has been asked to speak on a wide range of future-facing topics. She has delivered hundreds of keynotes worldwide on themes including: innovating through uncertainty, emerging technology impacts, purpose driven innovation, leadership & organizational foresight, creativity, sustainability, as well as on specific domains from the future of work to futures of healthcare.

Angela leaves audiences with insights, inspiration, and actionable tactics to engage with significant shifts ahead, and to critically question what needs to shift to meet future demands. She is a Salzburg Global Fellow for leaders challenged to shape a better worldand has been featured as an expert on futures thinking on outlets including Sky, TED, and NPR.

Angela is an American who shares her time between the US (Atlanta, Georgia) and Copenhagen, Denmark.

• Erica talks about new and emerging trends in the global economy and what these mean for your business.

• Audiences leave understanding the trends affecting their organization and how to leverage those changes for growth.

• Erica is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of The Future Hunters, one of the world’s leading futurist consulting firms and TEDx Speaker.

• Past clients include: Human x Design Conference, L’Oreal, Mastercard, Razor Technologies, BNP Paribas

Erica Orange is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of The Future Hunters, one of the world’s leading futurist consulting firms. She evaluates emerging social, technological, economic, political, demographic and environmental trends – and identifies the strategic implications (the “So what?”) of those trends for several of the most influential Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and public sector clients. Erica’s ability to think critically and translate that into actionable and tangible strategies is what has made her an invaluable asset to clients.

Erica speaks to a wide range of global audiences about the macro trends that are shaping and impacting today’s landscape. She has spoken at TEDx and keynoted over 250 conferences around the world, including across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. She has authored numerous articles and industry white papers, and has been featured in news outlets including Wired, NPR, Time, Bloomberg, and CBS This Morning. In 2020, she was named by Forbes as one of the world's 50 Top Female Futurists.

In 1987, John O’Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given less than a 1% chance to live.

This epic story of survival was first showcased in Overwhelming Odds, the book his parents wrote in 2006. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world.

Today, John inspires tens of thousands of people at more than 100 live and virtual events each year. He partners with companies and organizations across fields, such as: sales, healthcare, safety, marketing, finance, faith, education and insurance. Consistently described as “the best speaker we’ve ever had,” John’s tireless schedule is a testament to the power of his message. His emotional storytelling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each presentation unforgettable.

John is a two-time bestselling author of On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life and In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy. John’s award-winning Live Inspired Podcast has more than seven million downloads and enjoys world-class guests such as Brené Brown, Mitch Albom, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Bob Costas.

Amazingly, John’s story is taking on a new form: a full-length feature film starring Joel Courtney, John Corbett, and William H. Macy. SOUL ON FIRE will be release in theaters nationwide on October 10, 2025.

Regardless of his professional accomplishments, John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.

Dr. Roch Parayre is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Philadelphia office and a member of Heidrick Consulting. He was previously a senior partner at Decision Strategies International, a global strategy and leadership development advisory firm acquired by Heidrick & Struggles in 2016, where he also led the Blue Ocean Strategy Practice.

A strategist and master teacher, Dr. Parayre has advised organizations on five continents across a broad spectrum of industries, helping them grow and transform their businesses. He is an expert and conducts executive education seminars on the topics of decision-making, scenario planning, innovation, and strategy. Roch teaches in executive education programs at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, at CEDEP and INSEAD in France, for Duke Corporate Education, and at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Dr. Parayre was previously a senior fellow at the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School and a faculty member at the Cox School of Business at SMU, where he won numerous MBA teaching awards. His published works are in a variety of academic journals, industry reports, and trade publications.

Neil Pasricha helps people live happy lives.

He is a top-rated leadership keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and positive psychology researcher focused on the relationship between happiness and leadership in business.

Neil is one of the most popular TED speakers in the world with his first TED Talk “The 3 A’s of Awesome” (2010) ranked as one of the ten most inspiring of all time and his second “How will you maximize your tiny, short life?” (2016) the world’s first ever TED Listen, composed entirely of questions. 

Neil has written ten New York Times and #1 International Bestsellers including: The Happiness Equation, a nine-step guidebook to happiness based on new research, Two-Minute Mornings, his research-backed morning habit, You Are Awesome, his manual on building resilience, and The Book of Awesome, his original catalog of simple pleasures based on his 100-million hit, award-winning blog, His books have been on bestseller lists for over 200 weeks and sold millions of copies.

After graduating from Harvard Business School, Neil spent a decade running Leadership Development and working directly for two CEOs at Walmart, the world’s largest company. He was responsible for CEO onboarding, executive development, and talent management across all levels of the organization.  

His work has been featured by CNN, BBC, The Today Show, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Mel Robbins, and Oprah Winfrey.

Neil has degrees from Queen’s University and Harvard Business School.

The Passing Zone is a renowned comedy act featuring Jon Wee and Owen Morse, who are experts on what it takes to be a high-performance team. Their partnership literally demonstrates trust, innovation, collaboration, communication and execution all with big laughs, wild stunts, and hilarious audience participation. After meeting at a juggling convention, and finishing college (Jon in economics and Owen in psychology) they began their professional journey, quickly winning the Silver and Gold Medals at the International Jugglers' Association Teams Competition. This success led to their debut on “The Tonight Show”, followed by another appearance due to Johnny Carson’s enthusiasm. Their film debut was in The Addams Family Movie, doubling for Raul Julia and Christopher Lloyd.

Showcasing innovation, leadership development, and teamwork through their presentations, they gained further acclaim performing at the Royal Variety Performance in London for then Prince Charles, on the Miss America Pageant and at The White House. They were finalists on “America’s Got Talent” in Seasons 1 and 11, showcasing their comedic and juggling prowess. Their television appearances include “The Tonight Show", "Penn & Teller: Fool Us” “MADtv,” “Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular,” “Steve Harvey’s Big Time,” and regular slots on NBC’s “Today.” They also provided commentary for ESPN’s World Juggling Federation competitions.

Jon & Owen hold four Guinness World Records, have received the IJA’s Award of Excellence and are in the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame. Performing at corporate and association events, they are known for their clean, versatile act that appeals to diverse audiences. They customize performances to include company products and slogans, inspiring collaboration and creativity.

Theresa Payton is a trailblazer in technology and cybersecurity, making history as the first female White House Chief Information Officer under President George W. Bush. Known as one of the nation's top advisors on secured digital transformation, she works with Fortune 500 Boards, CEOs, and technology executives to safeguard critical assets and navigate complex digital challenges.

Theresa Payton is a trailblazer in technology and cybersecurity, making history as the first female White House Chief Information Officer, under President George W. Bush. She’s recognized as one of the world’s top advisors on secured digital transformation, AI and privacy, consulting Fortune 500 boards, CEOs, and technology executives to safeguard critical assets and navigate complex digital challenges. Theresa is the go-to expert among network television news programs and other major media outlets for her broad cybercrime-fighting knowledge, relatable persona and ability to make complex technology understandable, and recently starred as Deputy Commander of Intelligence on the CBS TV reality hide-and-seek show, “Hunted.” She’s also CEO and chief advisor of a leading digital security firm, Fortalice.

Theresa’s career began in banking, where she quickly rose through the ranks to brief the Board of her institution at just 23 years old. She led a variety of portfolios of work including M&A technology integration teams, spearheading customer-focused digital transformation efforts, and delivered significant cost savings and revenue growth through innovative technology rollouts.

• Deborah talks about  every organization can develop new mindsets, organizational structures, and product development/problem-solving processes – that will maximize opportunities in the future.

• Audiences leave inspired by her pragmatic presentation on harnessing the energy in every organization.

• Deborah Perry Piscione is a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, national bestselling author, media commentator and public speaker.

• Past clients include: Google, McKinsey, TED Talks, Cadence Design, London School of Economics, Microsoft, McDonald's, NetApp, Princeton University, KPMG, Innotown, Qualcomm, Stanford University, and Accenture.

As one of the world's leading thought leaders on the future, a Silicon Valley-based serial entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author of Secrets of Silicon Valley, Deborah Perry Piscione is the go-to authority on AI transformation, the future of work, and innovation leadership. Currently serving as Chief Future Officer at Work3 Institute and General Partner at Sterling Capital, her latest book Employment is Dead: How Disruptive Technologies Are Revolutionizing the Way We Work was named a Top 25 Business Book of 2025 by DisruptTV.

A former legislative aide on Capitol Hill and the White House, Deborah brings a unique perspective spanning Washington power dynamics and Silicon Valley innovation. A Thinkers50 nominee and Senior Advisor for Global Peter Drucker Futures 2050, she speaks at over 100 global events annually on behalf of Harvard Business Review and has advised Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Oracle, Qualcomm, McKinsey & Co, Accenture, Pfizer and Nike.

Deborah Perry Piscione: Recent Recognition:

• Thinkers50 Nominee (2026)
• Harvard Business Review: Regular contributor on AI strategy and future of work
• New York Times Bestselling Author, Secrets of Silicon Valley
• Former Television Commentator: CNN, MSNBC, Fox News
• LinkedIn Learning Author with two flagship courses, “Executing on Innovation” and “Risk-taking for Leaders” reaching thousands of leaders globally (now translated into Mandarin, German, and French)

About Dr. Richard Peterson - Behavioral Finance Speaker, Coaching and Strategy for Traders and Investors:

Dr. Richard L. Peterson is an American behavioral economist and psychiatrist. He has developed behavioral finance-based quantitative models, imaged the brains of subjects play-trading, and is a frequent writer about social media sentiment. Peterson developed text mining software to identify and quantify economically predictive sentiments, and speaks widely in the areas of behavioral finance and social media analytics.

Dr. Peterson graduated from the University of Texas, with a BS cum laude in Electrical Engineering, a BA, and Doctor of Medicine degrees (M.D.). He performed postdoctoral neuroeconomics research at Stanford University, and is Board-certified in Psychiatry.

He founded and runs the sentiment analysis firm MarketPsych Data and ran the psychology-based quantitative asset management firm MarketPsy Capital. In the educational field he developed financial personality tests, published in academic journals and textbooks, and is an associate editor of the Journal of Behavioral Finance. In 2007, Peterson wrote the book Inside the Investor's Brain (Wiley), which translated behavioral finance concepts from academia to a lay audience. The book aggregated and reviewed research indicating that innate neurological influences predictably bias individual investor behavior. In 2016 he published Trading on Sentiment (Wiley), which explained quantitative research on media themes and sentiments that appear to drive asset prices in predictable patterns.

Matt Phillips: Keynote Speaker on Mental Toughness, Leadership & High Performance | Former Professional Baseball Player | Executive Coach

Build the Mental Toughness to Perform at Your Best. What separates people who perform consistently under pressure from those who let pressure determine their performance?

Drawing on lessons from professional athletics and the corporate world, Matt helps leaders and teams strengthen the mental side of performance so they can become more confident, focused, emotionally controlled and energized when it matters most.

Why Book Matt Phillips?

Matt's message addresses a challenge almost every organization faces: knowing what to do isn't the same as consistently doing it at a high level.

Strategy, skills and experience matter. But when pressure rises, setbacks occur or confidence drops, mindset can determine whether people execute effectively.

Matt gives audiences practical strategies for developing greater mental toughness, improving their leadership and showing up more consistently—both professionally and personally.

His combination of professional sports experience, corporate leadership and executive coaching makes his message particularly relevant to leaders and sales teams focused on improving performance.

What Makes Matt Phillips Different?

• Mental toughness specialist — focuses on confidence, focus, emotional control and energy
• Former professional baseball player — competed in Austria's Bundesliga
• Division I athlete — understands performance from an elite sports perspective
• Corporate experience — worked in operations, finance and accounting with Fortune 500 organizations
• Leadership coach — works directly with executives and corporate leaders
• Sales leadership expertise — helps sales leaders strengthen both mindset and leadership skills
• Practical approach — gives audiences tools they can immediately apply
• High-energy delivery — combines motivation with actionable performance strategies

Why Is Matt Right for Your Audience?

Matt is an outstanding choice when you want your audience to strengthen their mindset, perform more consistently and become better leaders under pressure.

He is particularly effective for sales kickoffs, leadership conferences, management meetings, corporate events and high-performance teams.

Book Matt when your audience needs to:

• Strengthen confidence and self-belief
• Maintain focus when distractions increase
• Manage emotions more effectively under pressure
• Build greater resilience when setbacks occur
• Improve consistency and execution
• Develop stronger leadership habits
• Raise the performance of their teams
• Bring greater energy and intention to their work

Audience Takeaways

Attendees will leave:

• Understanding how mindset influences performance
• Better equipped to build confidence
• More capable of maintaining focus under pressure
• Better prepared to manage their emotional response to challenges
• Understanding how leaders influence the performance of others
• Equipped with practical strategies they can apply immediately
• More accountable for how they show up every day
• Ready to elevate their performance from good to great

Matt Phillips Keynote Programs

3 Secrets to High-Performance Leadership. How do you consistently show up as the leader your team needs—especially when the pressure is on?

Matt reveals three critical principles that help leaders strengthen their mindset, improve performance and become more effective at leading others.

Drawing from professional athletics, corporate leadership and coaching, he challenges audiences to rethink how they approach confidence, focus and performance.

The goal is straightforward: help leaders show up at their best more consistently so their teams can do the same.

Ideal for: Leadership conferences, management meetings, corporate events and high-potential leadership programs.

Mental Toughness for High Performance. Your biggest performance challenge may not be what's happening around you—but what's happening between your ears.

Matt shows audiences how to strengthen the mental skills required to perform consistently when expectations, competition and pressure increase.

His approach focuses on key elements of mental toughness including confidence, focus, emotional control and energy, helping people develop a stronger internal foundation for sustained performance.

Ideal for: Sales kickoffs, high-performance teams, leadership events and organizations navigating demanding environments.

Mental Toughness for Sales. Sales performance isn't determined only by knowing what to say. It's also determined by how you respond when you hear “no.”

Matt helps sales professionals develop the mindset required to remain confident, focused and consistent despite rejection, changing targets and competitive pressure.

Rather than simply adding another sales technique, he focuses on strengthening the person responsible for executing those techniques.

Ideal for: Sales kickoffs, national sales meetings, sales leadership conferences and revenue teams.

Why Book Matt Phillips Through The Sweeney Agency?

Matt Phillips combines professional athletics, corporate experience and mental toughness coaching to help audiences improve how they perform when the pressure is on.

The Sweeney Agency can help you:

• Confirm Matt Phillips' availability and current speaking fee
• Determine which Matt Phillips keynote best fits your audience
• Discuss customization around your leadership or sales objectives
• Coordinate format, timing and event logistics
• Compare Matt with other leading mental toughness, leadership and high-performance speakers

Is Matt Phillips Right for Your Event?

Tell us where your people need greater confidence, focus, resilience or consistency.

We'll help you determine whether Matt is the right fit, confirm availability and fees, and make the booking process simple.

Planning a sales kickoff, leadership conference or corporate event? Contact The Sweeney Agency today [email protected] to discuss booking Matt Phillips as your keynote speaker.

B. Joseph Pine II is a leading authority on business innovation, customer experience, and economic value creation. He is the coauthor of the landmark bestseller The Experience Economy, which redefined how companies engage customers and create economic value. His latest book, The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations (February 2026), introduces a bold new set of ideas for helping people become who they want to become — the ultimate competitive advantage for businesses in today’s evolving marketplace.

Pine speaks at and consults with leading companies around the world. He is a Lecturer in the Strategic Technology Leadership program at Northeastern University’s School of Business and co-founded both the World Experience Organization (WXO) and the European Centre for the Experience & Transformation Economies.

Since 1994 and in over 1000 presentations worldwide, he has been the leading voice on how businesses win in today’s economy by mass customizing, staging experiences, guiding transformation offerings, and creating value beyond goods and services.

After 35 years at CNBC, Bob Pisani stepped away from his as Senior Markets Correspondent on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, and started a new chapter:  one focused on speaking, consulting and sharing the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime covering the intersection of markets and media. Bob is still planning to continue to collaborate with CNBC PRO as a Contributor and to help build out their content and conference business.  

For 28 years, Bob reported live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as CNBC’s Senior Markets Correspondent.  Surrounded by traders on the floor, he covered the movement of major indices, corporate earnings, IPOs, the SEC, market structure, the impact of global economic and political developments on investor behavior, the growth of indexing/passive investing and the remarkable rise of ETFs. He witnessed the remarkable transition from traders shouting on the floor of the NYSE to nearly all-electronic trading.

When Bob started in this role, it was still possible to talk about the U.S. stock market in isolation. Not anymore. Bob has been praised for his ability to explain how interconnected the world has become, from China to Europe to emerging markets, and how financial data and political change influence market performance.

Connie Podesta is a game-changing, idea-generating ball of fire whose rare blend of humour, substance, style and personality have made her one of the most memorable, in-demand speakers in the world today. Topics on sales, leadership, change, life balance and success. And (what we all probably could use now and then) - a Comedienne.

Twenty-five years. Two million people. 1,000 organizations. Hall of Fame speaker. Award-winning author. Seven books. Former Radio/TV personality. Comedienne. Human Relations Expert. Therapist for 30 years - all of this wrapped up in one amazing woman, Connie Podesta!

Jeremy Poincenot is an extraordinary figure, not just as a renowned keynote speaker but also as a world champion in blind golf. Jeremy’s speaking topics often revolve around turning trauma into triumph, the power of interdependence, and seeing challenges as opportunities for growth.

At the age of 19, Jeremy’s life took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare genetic disorder that led to the loss of his central vision. Initially viewing this as a life-limiting setback, Jeremy soon realized that every challenge comes with an opportunity for growth. With determination and the support of his family and friends, he not only adapted to his new reality but also excelled in it.

Jeremy’s prowess in golf, a sport he loved, took on a new dimension as he began to compete as a blind golfer. With his father as his guide, he won the 2010 World Blind Golf Championship, a victory that marked the beginning of an illustrious career in the sport. He has since won three World Championships, nine National Championships, an Australian Blind Open, and an Italian Blind Open. His remarkable achievements in golf led CNN to call him the World’s best blind golfer. In 2011, he was honored as the San Diego Hall of Champions Challenged Athlete of the Year.

As a speaker, Jeremy Poincenot travels the world sharing his story, encouraging audiences to take control of their lives and view obstacles as opportunities. His approach is not just about promoting independence but highlighting the greater power of interdependence. His personal narrative, combined with wit and a strong inspirational message, has resonated with many.

Jeremy’s impact has been recognized widely. He has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, ESPN.com, CNN’s “Great Big Story,” and MTV’s True Life. His ability to connect with people has led him to speak for prestigious companies such as Aflac, Honda, John Hancock, Kaiser Permanente, and Wells Fargo.

• Michelle talks about her journey towards overcoming her fears over the course of 100 days and challenges audience members to do the same by stepping outside of their comfort zones to tap into their true potential.

• Audiences leave inspired by Michelle's story of dealing with the unknown, seeking growth, embracing authenticity and daring to fail.

• Michelle is the Founder of Hello Fears, a social movement empowering millions to step outside of the comfort zone and tap into their full potential. She has spoken at TEDx, Google, INBOUND, Facebook, ESPN, Netflix, Procter and Gamble, Microsoft, Toyota, World Domination Summit, Festival of Media Global, and many more.

• Past clients include: Netflix, Amazon, Coca Cola, Whirlpool, YouTube, P&G and Yum!

Born and raised in Caracas-Venezuela, Michelle Poler is a creative and passionate social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, fear facer, and branding strategist.

She is the Founder of Hello Fears, a social movement empowering millions to step outside of the comfort zone and tap into their full potential. She has spoken at TEDx, Google, INBOUND, Facebook, ESPN, Netflix, Procter and Gamble, Microsoft, Toyota, World Domination Summit, Festival of Media Global, and many more.

In April 2015, Michelle embarked on a 100-day project that would change the course of her life. Born to a family of Holocaust survivors, Michelle was accustomed to living with fear. But when she moved to New York, she quickly realized that the “big apple” was not for the fearful. In order to rewrite her definition of fear and change her approach to life, Michelle decided to face 100 of her fears in a period of 100 days, uploading every experience to YouTube sharing them with the world.

At around day 40, the project was discovered by the media, becoming a viral phenomenon. Her work has been featured on CBS, CNN, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Fox News, Telemundo, Glamour, Elle, The Rachael Ray Show, Refinery29, and Daily Mail among many others. Celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara, Zoey Deschanel, Lil Wayne and George Takei also shared Michelle’s project, generating millions of views.

In 2017 Michelle started speaking to the younger generation. Since then, she has empowered over 20,000 students at schools and universities around the world to live with courage, find their authenticity and embrace their growth paths.

As a speaker and consultant for more than 350 of the world’s top corporations, law firms and universities, Lindsey is the leading global expert on succeeding in the multigenerational workplace.

Currently a visiting fellow at NYU Stern School of Business, Lindsey is the author of four career and workplace advice books, including The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace.

Her audiences and clients have included leading organizations across industries, such as: Aetna, Google, Goldman Sachs, Estee Lauder Companies, MIT, The National Association of Law Placement (NALP), Stanford and Wharton.

Her insights have appeared in numerous media outlets including the TODAY Show, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and the Harvard Business Review. In 2020, Lindsey was named to the Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors the top global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led.

She previously served as an Official Ambassador for LinkedIn. Currently based in New York City, Lindsey is a graduate of Yale University and a proud member of Generation X.

Vince Poscente, one of the most in-demand speakers today, is an expert on resiliency - the ability to overcome challenges and motivate to bounce back even stronger than ever before. His client list includes top organizations with one thing in common: they understand that success is not just about reaching your goals and getting what you want. There also has to be an intent to handle set-backs and overcome obstacles and end up smarter, stronger and more focused than ever before, Vince knows first-hand the power that attitude, determination and innovation play in your future success -- especially when life doesn’t go as planned.

Vince has two signature keynotes where the first half of his life he went downhill. The second half he goes up. First, Full Speed Ahead reveals the formula for big goals in short order with his story of recreational skier to Olympics in just four short years. Second, Become a Local Hero, outlines the qualities of everyday heroes using the backdrop of ten years of leading Heroes Climb expeditions in the Himalayas. In both cases audiences experience the way to bounce back and find another path. Another solution. Another way to achieve extraordinary outcomes. Vince is a New York Times Best Selling author. Hall of Fame Speaker in the USA and Canada.  Award winning business owner. Expedition leader.

So, what are your teams’ obstacles? The economy?  Competition?  Negative attitudes?  Lower productivity? And the list goes on.

Vince is the #1 go-to guy for taking a team and teaching them how to lead better.  Produce more.  Sell more. And move past the obstacles and into a mental space that creates the kind of success you and your team want and deserve.

This is NOT Vince just telling his story. Because everybody has a story. This is about Vince sharing strategies and solutions that will definitely change how your team handles crisis. Problems.  Competition. And change.   Without understanding resiliency and the absolute importance it plays on everything and everyone - your team will not have the skills they need to overcome the things that will inevitably stand in their way.

When companies want to drive culture transformation and increase trust, belonging, human connection, and team engagement, they call ADAM “SMILEY” POSWOLSKY. Smiley is one of the world’s leading keynote speakers on building a culture of human connection in the age of AI.

Smiley is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of four books that have been translated into multiple languages, including The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, and The Workplace Belonging Toolkit.

Smiley shares industry-shaping insights and practical tools to lead through uncertainty, attract and retain top talent across generations, create a culture of belonging, and engage high-performing teams at world-class organizations like Apple, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Mayo Clinic, the Indiana Pacers, and the U.S. Navy. Smiley’s TED talk has been viewed 2 million times, and he has delivered 700 keynotes in front of 500,000 people in 25 countries.

Smiley’s work has been featured in 100 media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, the Wall St. Journal, Fast Company, the New York Times, the New Yorker, and the World Economic Forum.

Cheryl Pounder brings her high energy and effervescent personality to each and every event, large or small. With her warmth and friendliness, Cheryl immediately makes guests feel like they have a new friend. For fundraising events, Cheryl encourages giving and supports the cause with inspirational personal stories. With galas and award presentations, Cheryl is professional, yet down to earth. There’s never a dull moment with Cheryl. With her experience as a sports commentator, radio host and motivational keynote speaker, Cheryl keeps the energy moving while focusing on the goal of the event she’s at.

Success in one field doesn’t necessarily translate to another area. In the case of former Canadian Women’s hockey player, Cheryl Pounder, who has made the transition from ice to stage, the move has been a triumph.

In the sports world where accomplishments are measured by medals and titles, there aren’t many who can claim a list of achievements as glowing as Cheryl’s.

Her run of success began early in the 1990s when her ice hockey team won the Under-18 Canadian National championship. In 1994, she won Gold for the first time at the 1994 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship, and during her illustrious career with the National Women’s team, Cheryl won two Olympic Gold medals (2002 and 2006) and was crowned IIHF World Champion six times.

The shining on-ice achievements aside, it’s been Cheryl’s varied experiences on international stages that have made her an in-demand speaker, with keynote clients such as Tim Hortons, Maple Leaf Foods, CIBC, TD Bank, Manulife, Women in Leadership Groups, Girl Guides of Canada, Western-Ivey-Executive MBA and the City of Toronto, to name a few. She believes that her approach, one that is interactive, passionate and positive, has a lot to do with her ability to cross over to diverse audiences.

“When I speak to people, I want them to connect with material that they can identify with, that stimulates a thought process,” she says.

For Cheryl, everything is rooted in self-confidence, something that was instilled in her as a child. ”My family had a huge impact on my personal goals as an athlete. My grandfather was the GM of the Montreal Junior Canadiens and my grandmother was a prominent softball player in the 1940’s. Along with my parents, they taught me to ‘believe’, ‘finish something you start’, and persevere through adversity.” Adversity can be a learning experience and according to Cheryl, “It is important that we learn not only from our successes but also from our failures. Change is the key to ultimately staying on the path toward excellence.”

It is all part of a journey that we must be willing to take – a journey that must be inspired to take for ourselves and those we work with...our TEAM. To this point, she adds, “When the team goal is met, the individual goals take care of themselves. Seize the opportunities, get outside your comfort zone, trust yourself, and engage in your life, don’t just participate. Most importantly, listen to your strong side, even when your weak side is louder.”

The journey continues for Cheryl – her varied background and knowledge were major factors for TSN & CBC choosing her as a colour commentator for the coverage of the women's hockey tournament at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. In her sporting life and in her life off the ice, Cheryl continues to motivate with a passion that comes across in all her worlds.

Cheryl’s keynotes are perfect for: non-profits, corporations, youth, women.

Dr. Sian Leo Proctor is a Visionary Artist, Futurist, and Explorer who made history as the first artist officially selected to go to space with the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, also becoming the first African-American woman to pilot a spaceship.​​

Born on Guam to a father who worked at NASA's tracking station during the Apollo missions, Proctor's artistic vision has been shaped by a lifelong connection to space and Earth sciences. Today, her work bridges the worlds of science, space exploration, humanity, and creative expression. With advanced degrees in Environmental Science, Geology, and Science Education, Proctor's art is deeply informed by her scientific background. As a geoscience professor at Maricopa Community College, she honed her ability to communicate complex ideas through creative expression, laying the groundwork for her unique artistic style.

Proctor's journey as a space artist gained momentum through her experiences as an analog astronaut, participating in multiple simulated space missions, including a NASA-funded four-month Mars simulation. These experiences profoundly influenced her artistic themes, exploring human adaptation, isolation, and discovery.

In 2021, Proctor made history as the mission pilot for SpaceX Inspiration4, becoming the first African-American woman to pilot a spacecraft and the first Black commercial astronaut. More significantly for her art, this mission allowed Proctor to experience the Overview Effect firsthand, transforming her perspective and artistic vision.

As the first African-American to paint in space, Proctor's post-Inspiration4 work offers a rare blend of scientific accuracy and cosmic inspiration. Her art captures the fragility and interconnectedness of Earth as seen from orbit, inviting viewers to experience our planet from this unique vantage point.

Through her company Space2inspire, Proctor creates Afrofuturist art that not only celebrates space exploration but also advocates for a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive (J.E.D.I.) approach to space and STEM fields. Her work challenges us to consider humanity's future among the stars while also addressing humanity’s most pressing issues on Earth, from ecological stewardship to inclusion and diversity.

Proctor's contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including being named one of The Explorer's Club 50: Fifty People Changing the World. She serves on the National Space Council Users' Advisory Group under Vice President Harris, where she brings her artistic perspective to discussions on STEM workforce development and climate change.

As an international speaker and educator, Proctor uses her art to inspire global audiences, encouraging people to view our planet and our future from a truly cosmic perspective. Her unique combination of scientific expertise, space experience, and artistic acumen makes her a powerful voice in both the art world and the space exploration community.

Dr. Proctor's journey from a child of the Space Age to a pioneering space artist and astronaut embodies the intersection of science, exploration, and creativity. Her work continues to push boundaries, offering a visionary artistic lens through which to view our planet and humanity's relationship with the cosmos.

Clint Pulver is an Emmy Award winner, Hall of Fame Speaker, Pro Drummer and one of the world’s leading voices on employee retention and organizational culture. He’s the bestselling author of the book titled I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave and was named one of Business Q Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 for his groundbreaking research as the Undercover Millennial.

As founder and president of The Center for Employee Retention, he has helped organizations like the NBA, Microsoft, Red Bull, and NASA create engaged, loyal, and thriving workplaces. He’s also appeared on America’s Got Talent, acted in feature films alongside stars like Jack Black and Jon Heder, is an avid helicopter pilot, and—fun fact—is a proud member of the R2D2 Builders Club. He is also the president and founder of Dream Machines, a foundation that gives children with disabilities the gift and magic of flight.

Clint strongly believes that a single moment in time can change a person’s life. He has traveled the world speaking to a wide spectrum of diverse audiences, challenging them to dream, excel, connect, and believe--both in themselves and in the power of others. His mantra? “It’s not about being the best in the world…it's about being the best FOR the world.”

Click Here to Watch Clint's Virtual Presentation