Top Keynote Speakers

Top Keynote Speakers
Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin is a graduate of New York University (BFA-Tisch, 94) and was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from NYU in 2010. He last appeared on stage in the 2010 Guild Hall (East Hampton) production of Peter Shaffer’s EQUUS, directed by Tony Walton. Other stage includes the Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2006 production of Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr. Sloane, directed by Scott...
Andre Agassi
After turning pro at the age of 16, tennis prodigy ANDRE AGASSI rose to international fame, earning 60 men’s singles titles, including eight Grand Slam singles championships, over a 20-year career. A former World No. 1 player, Agassi is the only male player ever to win all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. He was also a member of three winning Davis Cup...
Bill Maher
Whether skewering Republicans, Democrats, the mass media or Hollywood, Bill Maher is one of the most perceptive and hilarious satirists at work today. From the podium he delivers his trademark blend of devastating social commentary and politically incorrect humor that always leaves audiences begging for more.
Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal is a Golden Globe Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. Originally, Crystal studied film and television direction under Martin Scorsese at New York University before he starred in his first prominent role as “Jodie Dallas,” one of the first gay characters portrayed on American television on the hit series Soap.
Cedric 'The Entertainer'
Cedric ‘The Entertainer’ is best known for his crowd-pleasing roles in the recent hit films Barbershop with Ice Cube, Be Cool with John Travolta, Madagascar (animated feature), Intolerable Cruelty with George Clooney, and The Original Kings of Comedy, MTV’S documentary feature directed by Spike Lee. Additionally, in April 2004, Cedric was star and producer of the box office hit Johnson Family...
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate has endeared herself to audiences and received accolades for her strength and versatility in theatre, film and television. With her recent People’s Choice nomination for “Favorite TV Female,” and her recent Emmy Award nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy" for Samantha Who?...
Cindy Crawford
Cindy Crawford is one of the most recognizable faces in the world, having appeared on over 600 magazine covers worldwide. Crawford’s reputation as being both a smart and savvy businesswoman has allowed her the opportunity to foray into many different aspects of commerce. Crawford’s name and face have been responsible for launching numerous new brands, as well as repositioning such classic...
Connie Chung
An award-winning investigative reporter/anchor and one of the most recognizable faces on American television, Connie Chung has been a powerful force in the news industry for more than 35 years. On the lecture stage she draws on her unique experiences as a working mother in addressing the challenges today’s women face, advocating diversity in the workplace, and inspiring younger journalists...
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba Gooding Jr. is best known for his Oscar winning portrayal of the charmingly arrogant professional football player, Rod Tidwell, in Jerry Maguire. Starring opposite Tom Cruise in the Cameron Crowe directed film, Cuba solidified his position as one of Hollywood's most talented actors. In addition to the Academy Award, Gooding was also honored with the Screen Actors Guild Award...
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward Aykroyd is an Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winning actor, comedian, screenwriter, and most recently business entrepreneur. He attended Carleton University in Canada, but dropped out before receiving his degree. He veered away from his study of criminology in college in order to pursue his interest in acting. He began as a comedian in various Canadian nightclubs and went...
Diana Ross
In a remarkable career spanning over 30 years, Diana Ross has proven herself the consummate music artist as well as the most successful female singer of all time. In the 1960s as lead singer of the pop group The Supremes, she achieved the unprecedented feat of fourteen consecutive number one hit records, rivaling The Beatles for the position of most successful recording act of that generation.
Donald Trump
Real estate magnate, best selling author, philanthropist and most recently executive producer of the smash television hit The Apprentice, Donald J. Trump has epitomized success in America for more than three decades. To the lectern he brings his unquenchable entrepreneurial spirit, legendary financial acumen and signature charismatic flair, in sharing the secrets behind his many achievements in...
Earvin Magic Johnson
Earvin Johnson, Jr. may best be known for his winning ways during his illustrious 13-year NBA career, but today the basketball legend directs his efforts toward his growing business and philanthropic empire, Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE).
Geena Davis
Academy Award winner Geena Davis is one of Hollywood's most respected actors, appearing in several roles that became cultural landmarks. Earning the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama, Davis broke ground in her portrayal of the first female President of the United States in ABC's hit show "Commander in Chief...
Hilary Swank
Two-time Academy Award winning actress, Hilary Swank has graced some of this decade's most fascinating films. An actress as well as a producer, Swank is involved with several highly anticipated projects. Hilary can currently be seen in Fox Searchlight's "CONVICTION", which she also executive produced and is based on the true story of a working mother that puts herself through law school to free...
Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah was born in Sierra Leone on November 23, 1980. When he was eleven, Ishmael’s life, along with the lives of millions of other Sierra Leoneans, was derailed by the outbreak of a brutal civil war. After his parents and two brothers were killed, Ishmael was recruited to fight as a child soldier. He was thirteen..jpg)
James Franco
James Franco’s metamorphosis into the title role of the TNT biopic James Dean earned him career-making reviews, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture made for Television. He also received nominations for an Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award for this memorable performance. Franco earned an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead as well as nominations for an Academy...
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an actress with starring roles in such acclaimed films as Freaky Friday, True Lies, Trading Places and A Fish Called Wanda. In television, Ms. Curtis co-starred opposite Richard Lewis in the sitcom Anything But Love, as well as the title role in TNT’s adaptation of Wendy Wasserstein’s play, The Heidi Chronicles, and the CBS telefilm Nicholas’ Gift for which she earned...
Jay Sean
Jay Sean is the international superstar behind songs such as "Down," featuring Lil Wayne, and "Do You Remember," chart-topping hits from his U.S. debut album All or Nothing, which helped catapult him into a league reserved for just a few. Now, he is gearing up for the release of his fourth album, the highly anticipated Cash Money/Universal Republic follow-up Freeze Time, with music, including...
John Calipari
Head Coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats and 2012 NCAA National Champion, John Calipari has added an 8th Championship banner to the rafters by leading his team to a victory over the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Following a Final Four appearance in 2011, he has become only the second coach in NCAA history to bring three different teams to the Final Four and is the winningest coach of...
John Cleese
John Cleese is both a versatile comedic actor and a leading business motivator. With the legendary Monty Python's Flying Circus, Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda, he created a unique comedic style that has inspired countless writers and comedians. John Cleese's influence is also felt in the corporate world as the founder of Video Arts, the world's largest provider of business training...
Katie Couric
Katie Couric (@katiecouric) is an award-winning journalist and TV personality, well-known cancer advocate, and New York Times best-selling author of The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives. Couric joined the Disney/ABC Television Group in Summer 2011 and serves as special correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America...
Ken Burns
An award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns has directed film projects such as The Civil War, Baseball, The West, and 2005's hit Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, all of which were developed for PBS. His highly anticipated new series, World War II, will air in September 2007. The late historian Stephen Ambrose said "more Americans get their history from Ken...
Kevin Spacey
Perhaps no one in Hollywood works harder to defend the value and integrity of the arts quite like KEVIN SPACEY. A lifelong artist, Kevin began his acting career performing comedy at local bowling alleys before refining his abilities in live theater and propelling his career in film where he has won two Academy Awards. In his latest project, Kevin serves as both star and executive producer to...
Muhummad Yunus
What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is doing exactly that. As founder of Grameen Bank, Yunus pioneered microcredit, the innovative banking program that provides the poor - mainly women - with small loans they use to launch businesses and...
Peter Guber
Peter Guber is Chairman and CEO of the multimedia Mandalay Entertainment Group. Prior to Mandalay, Guber was Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman and CEO of Polygram Entertainment, Co-Founder of Casablanca Record & Filmworks and President of Columbia Pictures. Guber produced or executive produced (personally or through his companies) films that garnered five Best Picture...
More Speakers
- Andre Agassi
- Christina Applegate
- Dan Aykroyd
- Alec Baldwin
- Ishmael Beah
- Ken Burns
- John Calipari
- Connie Chung
- John Cleese
- Katie Couric
- Cindy Crawford
- Billy Crystal
- Jamie Lee Curtis
- Geena Davis
- Cedric 'The Entertainer'
- James Franco
- Cuba Gooding, Jr.
- Peter Guber
- Earvin Magic Johnson
- Bill Maher
- Diana Ross
- Jay Sean
- Kevin Spacey
- Hilary Swank
- Donald Trump
- Muhummad Yunus