2025 Speakers

Born to a poor immigrant family in New York City, Richard Carmona experienced homelessness, hunger, and health disparities during his youth. The experiences greatly sensitized him to the relationships among culture, health, education and economic status and ultimately shaped his future.

After dropping out of high school, Dr. Carmona enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967 where he received a GED. By the time he left active duty, he was a Special Forces, combat-decorated Vietnam veteran. He then pursued a college degree and entered medical school at the University of California – San Francisco where he won the prestigious Gold Cane award as the top graduate.

Dr. Carmona became a surgeon with a sub-specialty in trauma, burns and critical care and was recruited to Tucson to establish the first trauma system in southern Arizona which he did successfully. Later, while working full time as a hospital and health system CEO, he earned a master’s degree in public health policy and administration at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Carmona served for over 35 years with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Tucson, including as deputy sheriff, detective, SWAT team leader and department surgeon. He is one of the most highly decorated police officers in Arizona, and his numerous awards include the National Top Cop Award, the National SWAT Officer of the Year, and the National Tactical EMS Award. Dr. Carmona is a nationally recognized SWAT expert and has published extensively on SWAT training and tactics, forensics, and tactical emergency medical support. Dr. Carmona has also served as a medical director of police and fire departments and is a fully qualified peace officer with expertise in special operations and emergency preparedness, including weapons of mass destruction.

In 2006 Vice Admiral Carmona successfully completed the statutory four-year term as Surgeon General and was named vice chairman of Canyon Ranch, CEO of the health division and president of the Canyon Ranch Institute. Dr. Carmona continues his Canyon Ranch leadership role as the Chief of Health Innovations. He also serves on several community and public corporate boards and works with private equity and venture capital firms to identify emerging science and technology to translate to market for economic and public benefit.

Dr. Michelle A. Williams stands as one of the most influential epidemiologists of her generation, combining rigorous scientific research with transformative academic leadership to advance global public health. Currently serving as Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University's School of Medicine, she brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective shaped by her background in biology, engineering, and epidemiology.

Dr. Williams' distinguished career includes her tenure as Dean of the Faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she provided strategic leadership for one of the world's premier public health institutions. Prior to this role, she served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan School and led the Population Health and Health Disparities Research Programs at Harvard's Clinical and Translational Sciences Center. Her research portfolio, encompassing more than 550 scientific publications, focuses on reproductive, perinatal, pediatric, and molecular epidemiology with particular emphasis on addressing health disparities. This work has positioned her as a leading voice in understanding how social determinants and biological factors intersect to influence population health outcomes.

Dr. Williams' contributions to science and education have earned her election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2016, marking her as one of the most respected voices in her field. Her commitment to mentoring the next generation of public health leaders has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from the White House in 2012, Harvard Chan School's Outstanding Mentor Award in 2015, and the American Public Health Association Abraham Lilienfeld Award for education in epidemiology in 2007.

Dr. Williams maintains active membership in several prestigious professional organizations, including the National Academy of Medicine, the Society for Epidemiologic Research, and the American Epidemiological Society. Her academic credentials include an undergraduate degree in biology and genetics from Princeton University, a master's degree in civil engineering from Tufts University, and both master's and doctoral degrees in epidemiology from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Gloria Caulfield holds multiple leadership roles, including Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Tavistock Development, President of the Lake Nona Institute, and Founder & Executive Director of the Lake Nona Impact Forum. She is responsible for developing corporate partnerships and collaborating with stakeholders in the Lake Nona community that advance medical innovation, technology, and leading-edge strategies for health & wellbeing in the built environment. Gloria is the chief architect and creative force for the Lake Nona Impact Forum, a revered global health innovation summit which is comprised of some of the world’s most pre-eminent thought leaders.

Having left the basketball court for the boardroom, Earvin “Magic” Johnson has successfully parlayed his skills and tenacity from the court into the business world as Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE). MJE provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities.

With a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson recently made history in 2023 when he became co-owner of the National Football League’s Washington Commanders. He also co-owns MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, eSports franchise Team Liquid, and recently joined the ownership group for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit. He continues to support community initiatives and expand his influence through many of his businesses including EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company, and JLC Infrastructure, a firm that invests in billion-dollar infrastructure improvement projects across the United States.

In January 2025, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, from 46th United States President Joe Biden for his exemplary contributions and impact in business, sports, and philanthropy across the world. With his unique positioning as a businessman spanning multiple industries and generations, he aims to help companies expand and foster a positive impact domestically and globally.

George W. Bush served as 43rd President of the United States of America from 2001 to 2009. As Commander in Chief, President Bush worked to expand freedom, opportunity, and security at home and abroad. His Administration reformed America’s education system, restored robust private-sector economic growth and job creation, protected our environment, and pursued a comprehensive strategy to keep America safe after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

After the Presidency, President Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush founded the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, a nonpartisan organization advancing the timeless values of freedom, opportunity, accountability, and compassion. The Bush Center comprises the George W. Bush Presidential Library, which is operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, as well as the George W. Bush Presidential Museum and the George W. Bush Institute, a nonpartisan public policy and leadership development center.

President Bush is the author of four bestselling books: Decision Points (2010), 41: A Portrait of My Father (2014), Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors (2017), and Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants (2021). He and Laura are the parents of twin daughters: Barbara, married to Craig Coyne, and Jenna, married to Henry Hager. The Bushes also are the proud grandparents of Margaret Laura “Mila”, Poppy Louise, Henry Harold “Hal” Hager, and Cora Georgia and Edward Finn Coyne.

Barbara Bush is the NBA’s Head of Social Responsibility where she leads the league’s social impact efforts. In this role, she works with NBA offices across the globe to utilize the convening power of basketball to execute thoughtful, community-driven strategies focused on sustainability, health equity and wellness, civic engagement, and social justice.

Prior to joining the NBA, Barbara was Executive-in-Residence at Schmidt Futures, a venture firm and foundation focused on technology & society, shared prosperity, and scientific benefit. In this role, she supported racial justice, global health, and COVID-19 investments and programs, along with some of the world’s most talented tech and policy problem solvers by leading the International Strategy Forum.

Barbara is co-founder and board member of Global Health Corps (GHC), an organization that mobilizes young leaders to solve the world’s most pressing health issues. Barbara served as GHC’s CEO for its first 9 years. Bush and her co-founders are united by the belief that health is a human right and that their generation must build the world where this is realized. Since 2009, GHC has placed thousands of young leaders on the front lines of health equity in East Africa, Southern Africa, and the United States, developing a cadre of creative, effective, and compassionate change makers.

Previously, Barbara worked for the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum and Red Cross Children’s Hospital in South Africa.

Bush is a member of the board of directors of Partners In Health and Friends of the Global Fight for AIDS, TB, and Malaria. She is a Skoll Foundation Social Entrepreneur, a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Social Entrepreneur, and a fellow of the Echoing Green Foundation.

In 2011, Barbara was named one of Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year, in 2013 she was recognized as one of Newsweek’s Women of Impact, and in 2015 she was named to Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business list. In October 2017, Barbara released the number one NYTimes best seller Sisters First, a memoir she co-authored with her twin. In November 2019, Barbara and her sister released the children’s version of Sisters First, also a number one NYTimes best seller followed by The Superpower Sisterhood in 2022.

Barbara graduated from Harvard Kennedy School with a Master in Public Administration as a fellow with the Center for Public Leadership and Yale University with a BA in Humanities.

Joaquin Duato is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. Under his leadership, J&J is now exclusively focused on tackling the toughest health challenges by developing innovative medicines and medtech solutions.

The company’s 138,000 employees work to transform health by building a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured—and where solutions are smarter, less invasive, and more personalized. Under Joaquin’s leadership, Johnson & Johnson is accelerating healthcare innovation using data science and the latest technology to create breakthroughs in care, from cell therapy to robotic-assisted surgery.

Before becoming CEO in January 2022 and Chairman in January 2023, Joaquin served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee, where he led the company’s pharmaceutical and consumer health businesses, as well as technology and global supply chain teams. Over three decades with the company, working across multiple geographies, functions, and business segments, Joaquin developed a deep understanding of the unique role J&J serves in solving patients’ health challenges.

A dual citizen of the U.S. and Spain, Joaquin earned an MBA from ESADE in Barcelona, Spain, and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2023 King Felipe VI of Spain bestowed upon him the Order of Civil Merit, Commander by Number.

Safra A. Catz is the Chief Executive Officer of Oracle Corporation and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. At Oracle, she previously served as President, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, and Senior Vice President. She is also a lecturer on the faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Oracle Education Foundation since its founding in 2000 and has served as Chair since 2004. Safra is on the Board of Trustees of In-Q-Tel. Previous to Oracle, she held various positions at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette including Managing Director in Investment Banking. Safra also served on the Board of Directors for HSBC Holdings and The Walt Disney Company.

Dr. David B. Agus is one of the world's leading doctors and pioneering biomedical researchers. He is the Founding CEO of the Ellison Medical Institute and a professor of medicine and engineering at the University of Southern California. A medical oncologist, Dr. Agus leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers dedicated to the development and use of technologies to guide doctors in making health-care decisions tailored to individual needs. An international leader in global health and approaches for personalized healthcare, Dr. Agus serves in leadership roles at the World Economic Forum and is co-chair of the Global Health Security Consortium. He is also a CBS News contributor. Dr. Agus’ three books, The End of Illness, A Short Guide to a Long Life, and The Lucky Years: How to Thrive in the Brave New World of Health, are all New York Times and international bestsellers. His latest book, The Book of Animal Secrets: Nature’s Lessons for a Long and Happy Life, was released in December 2023. He is a 2017 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Anousheh Ansari is the CEO of XPRIZE, the world’s leader in designing and operating incentive competitions to solve humanity’s grand challenges. The first female private space explorer and first Muslim woman in space, she is a global presence in future-positive tech markets and a resonant voice for women within STEM, business, and the entrepreneurial industries.

Ansari and her family sponsored XPRIZE’s first venture in 1994: the $10 million Ansari XPRIZE that ignited a new era for commercial spaceflight. She began serving on its Board of Directors and became CEO of XPRIZE in 2018, leading and scaling the foundation to its highest impact period in its history. To date, XPRIZE has launched 30 prizes offering over $500 million in prize purses, hosting over 35,000 innovators from around the world to participate in its competitions.

Danielle Antelope-Gervais, a member of the Blackfeet Nation and Eastern Shoshone Nation, has made significant contributions to Native American communities through her work with a Native-led non-profit organization, FAST Blackfeet. Raised on the Blackfeet Reservation, she overcame adversity to pursue higher education and advocate for Native children and families.

Danielle’s work with FAST Blackfeet has significantly impacted food security in the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. As a nonprofit focused on food sovereignty, FAST Blackfeet operates essential programs such as the ?y?•? Food Pantry, distributing 40,000 pounds of food monthly to families facing high food insecurity. Their Growing Health Program and Nutrition Education Program promote traditional food practices and nutrition, improving health outcomes for community members.

Danielle's leadership empowers Native youth to create positive change, blending her personal experiences with a commitment to public service and policy reform. Her leadership fosters sustainable agricultural practices and empowers the community to embrace both health and cultural heritage.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton is the founder and CEO of Ajenda, a multimedia company centered around Weight management, Women’s Health and Nutrition. She is the former Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News where she was the first woman and only the third physician to hold this position in the history of the network. Since joining ABC in 2012, she reported on a full range of medical topics including the maternal mortality crisis, mental illness and suicide, and heart disease. When the Coronavirus Pandemic began, Dr. Ashton became fully immersed in the world of Infectious Diseases, public health and epidemiology and began her daily communications with the leading experts in these fields to provide analysis on Covid-19 for the American public. Dr. Ashton visited the CDC headquarters to meet with the Director, was invited to the Vaccine Development Lab at the NIH by Dr. Anthony Fauci, and visited The White House to meet with members of the Coronavirus Task Force, including the Vice President.

Dr. Ashton is a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University and Columbia Medical School, where she was served as President of her class for all four years and was awarded the prestigious Bartlestone Prize in Pharmacology. She did her residency training in Ob-Gyn (Women’s Health and Surgery) in NYC, and in 2016, received a Master’s of Science degree in Nutrition also from Columbia University. She is board-certified in Ob-Gyn and Obesity Medicine. Dr. Ashton is a 4-time Emmy Award winner for her work in medical reporting and has also received the Columbia Alfred DuPont Award for Excellence in Journalism for her work in television covering medical topics. She is a mother of 2 children, and the author of SIX books, including the national bestseller, The Self Care Solution, as well as Life After Suicide and The New Normal. In 2023, she launched her own national magazine, Dr. Jen, which was the highest-selling new magazine debut from the publisher in the past 3 years, and in 2024, launched a free weekly newsletter which has grown to 160k subscribers in less than 3 months. Dr. Ashton lives in NYC, Los Angeles and Boston with her husband, Tom Werner.

Known as "The Father of Biohacking” Dave Asprey is an award-winning entrepreneur and innovator in the health science space. He’s the creator of Bulletproof Coffee and mineralized, mold-free Danger Coffee, the host of the Webby Award-winning #1 rated health podcast, The Human Upgrade (formerly Bulletproof Radio), and a multi-New York Times bestselling author of Game Changers, Head Strong, The Bulletproof Diet, and Smarter Not Harder.

Over the last two decades Dave has worked with world-renowned doctors, researchers, and global mavericks to discover and put into practice the latest, most innovative methods, techniques, and products for enhancing mental and physical performance. Dave has personally spent millions taking control of his own biology – pushing the bounds of what’s humanly possible all in the name of scientific evolution and revolution. As the creator of The Bulletproof Diet and Bulletproof Coffee, collagen protein supplements, and many more commercial wellness products, Dave’s mission is to empower people not only with information and knowledge, but also the tools and techniques that unlock individual potential for the greater global good. To bring his knowledge to the public, Dave created the Biohacking Conference, the largest, longest-running Biohacking Conference in the world, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024.

Most recently, Dave created 40 Years of Zen, an intensive 5-day master program for
unlocking and upgrading the brain. This powerful program combines neurofeedback and nutrition with the expertise of top neuroscientists, meditators, and executive trainers in an exclusive retreat setting outside of Seattle, WA. He also is the creator of Upgrade Labs, the first franchise of biohacking gyms to bring his successful biohacking practices to its members.

Secretary Alex Azar is an advisor to Foresite Capital, sits on several corporate boards and advisory boards, is a part-time Adjunct Professor of Business and Senior Executive-in-Residence at the University of Miami Herbert Business School, is represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Institute, the Aspen Institute’s Health Strategy Group, the Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Health Policy Advisory Board, the American Task Force On Lebanon’s Policy Advisory Board, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Future of Health Care Advisory Group, the advisory board of the National Institute for Healthcare Management Foundation, the Healthcare Leadership Council, and the Lake Nona Impact Forum Advisory Board.

Azar served as the 24th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018-2021), leading over 85,000 employees with a budget of over $1.4 trillion. He was the architect of Operation Warp Speed, delivering COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics in record time. He led the historic transformation of the healthcare system in the United States and HHS’s response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

Azar previously served as president of Lilly USA, LLC, the largest affiliate of global biopharmaceutical leader Eli Lilly and Company. Before his tenure at Lilly, Azar was the Deputy Secretary of HHS and its General Counsel.

Azar earned an A.B. summa cum laude in government and economics from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Yale University. He clerked for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.

Charlie Baker became the NCAA’s sixth president in March of 2023 and has pursued a mission to improve the student-athlete experience, increase national office efficiency and advocate for college sports. In less than two years, he expanded support for student-athletes by launching a post-eligibility insurance program for all three divisions and worked with membership to enact Division I core guarantees — mandatory health and wellness benefits for student-athletes and new academic protections such as guaranteed scholarships if a student-athlete stops competing. He led the negotiation of a landmark media rights agreement with ESPN, increasing visibility for college athletes as they compete for a national championship. Additionally, Baker initiated the development of a fan database that will enhance the championship experience for all.

Baker and college sports leaders continue to enact an array of policy changes enhancing collegiate athletics oversight – including Baker’s leadership in advocating for the banning of prop bets on college sports to protect the health, safety and well-being of over 500,000 student-athletes and the integrity of NCAA competition. On his first day in the position, Baker committed to meet with individuals from every conference office annually — a first for any NCAA president — and he has been intentional about soliciting feedback from student-athletes, coaches, administrators, athletics directors and conference commissioners. Baker thinks college sports are a uniquely American treasure, provide unmatched opportunity for young people to access higher education and in turn serve as one of the greatest human development programs in the world.

Before assuming his current role, Baker served as governor of Massachusetts — winning reelection in a landslide — and was consistently ranked as the most popular governor in America. He led the commonwealth out of a billion-dollar budget deficit and into a surplus while cutting taxes and boosting investments in education and infrastructure. In addition to his two terms as governor, he has decades of experience spearheading transformations at high-profile institutions in the private and public sectors. During this time, he also co-authored “Results: Getting Beyond Politics To Get Important Work Done.”

Baker is a graduate of Harvard, where he was a member of the men’s varsity basketball team. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.

Michele Bratcher Goodwin is the Linda D. & Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Constitutional Law and Global Health Policy. She is also Co-Faculty Director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Previously, she served as a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine where she was the founding director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy. She is the 2022 recipient of the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Award as well as the 2022 Trailblazer Award from the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. In 2020-21, she received the Distinguished Senior Faculty Award for Research, the highest honor bestowed by the University of California. She was also the first law professor at the University of California, Irvine to receive this award. In 2021-22, she was named the Provost’s Distinguished Visiting Faculty Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute as well as an elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Hastings Center.

Professor Goodwin is the author of Policing The Womb: Invisible Women and The Criminalization of Motherhood. She is also host of the popular podcast On The Issues at Ms. Magazine.

Dr. Larry Brilliant is a physician, epidemiologist, technologist, and former Professor of Health Planning and Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. He played a key role in eradicating smallpox in India and worked on WHO programs in health metrics, blindness, and polio eradication. He also received a master’s degree in health planning and economic development and did his residency in Preventive Medicine at CDC and University of Michigan.

In 1974 in India, he met Steve Jobs who introduced him to technology. Steve provided an early Apple computer for Larry to plan and run a national blindness survey in Nepal. That system led to Larry founding Network Technologies which he took public in 1984. One of its products was The Well, an early social network which he co-founded with Stewart Brand. Larry was CEO of another public company, Softnet, and several venture-backed startups. In 2005 he was appointed the first head of Google.org and VP of Google. He became CEO of Skoll Global Threats Fund working on pandemics, climate, and other
Threats.

Larry and his wife Girija co-founded the Seva Foundation which has treated over 60 million people for blinding eye conditions in more than two dozen countries. Larry was a director of Salesforce.org, Skoll and Google Foundations. In 2010 President Bush appointed him Chair of the White House National Biosurveillance Advisory Subcommittee.

He is a CNN Medical Analyst, wrote for Foreign Affairs and The Wall Street Journal, and advised WHO and several governments and foundations during the height of COVID-19. His books Sometimes Brilliant and The Management of Smallpox Eradication chronicle how a group of physicians were able to help eradicate the first disease in history.

Today he is Senior Counselor of the Skoll Foundation and CEO of Evity Technologies, a venture backed start up at the intersection of epidemiology, healthspan, and AI. Its mission is to combine the best medical science and technology to create products that increase years of healthy longevity.

His awards include the TED Prize, TIME 100, Public Health Hero (UC Berkeley), Public Health Champion (UCLA), UN Global Leadership award, UCLA Gold Medal, and several honorary doctorates.

Sylvia M. Burwell is a Senior Professorial Lecturer and Distinguished Fellow in Residence at American University. She serves on the Boards of Kimberly-Clark, GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation, the Harvard Board of Overseers, and the Council on Foreign Relations. She served as the 22nd Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2014 to 2017. In this role, she managed a $1 trillion department that included oversight of the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and the Medicaid and Medicare programs. At HHS she led the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act, progress on healthcare affordability and quality through value-based care and led the efforts to fight Ebola and Zika. Ms. Burwell most recently served as the President of American University from 2017 - 2024. While navigating the Covid pandemic, economic headwinds, and political unrest, she launched and exceeded a $500 million campaign that named four new research centers, eight endowed faculty chairs and more than 155 scholarships. Under her leadership AU became the first University in the United States to become carbon neutral and more than doubled research funding from external organizations. She served as the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget in the President’s Cabinet from 2013 to 2014 leading the executive branch’s participation in the bipartisan negotiations that reopened the government and relieved the sequester of the US budget. Prior to this service in Washington, Ms. Burwell was President of Walmart’s charitable foundation and led Walmart’s Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiatives which included building to $20 billion in sourcing from women owned businesses. At the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for 11 years, she served as the first Chief Operating Officer and went on to lead the creation of the Foundation’s Global Development work that focused on combating poverty through agricultural development, financial services for the poor, and improved water sanitation and hygiene. She served eight years in the federal executive branch including Chief of Staff to the US Treasury Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, and Deputy Director of OMB during the only period in the last 50 years when the federal budget was balanced. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Rhodes Scholar. She and her husband, Stephen, reside in Washington DC with their two children.

Timothy Caulfield is a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. He was the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy for over 20 years (2002 - 2023). His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy has allowed him to publish almost 400 academic articles.

He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness (Penguin 2012) and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash (Penguin 2015), and Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety (Penguin Random House, 2020). His most recent book is The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters (Penguin Random House, 2025).

Caulfield is also the co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and has hosted and produced documentaries, including the award-winning TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America.

Juju Chang is an Emmy® Award-winning co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline.” She also reports regularly for “Good Morning America” and “20/20.”

Chang has been recognized for her in-depth personal narratives set against the backdrop of pressing national and international news. From mass shootings to the Opioid Epidemic, Chang is a veteran journalist with a wide-ranging body of work. Chang reported on the recent rise of hate crimes toward the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community as anchor of the ABC News Live special “Stop The Hate: The Rise In Violence Against Asian Americans” and the “20/20” special “Murder In Atlanta” following the Atlanta mass shooting.

Chang’s decades-long career has been recognized with numerous awards, including multiple Emmy’s, Gracie’s, a DuPont, a Murrow and Peabody awards. In 2017, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Front Page Awards.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Northern California, Chang graduated with honors from Stanford University. A former news anchor for “Good Morning America,” Chang joined ABC News just after college. Chang is a co-founder of the Korean American Community Foundation and a recipient of the Justice in Action Award from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. She is a pandemic gardener, devoted wife and mother to 3 sons who identify as “50% Korean and 100% Jewish.”

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, FRCP, is a Consciousness Explorer and a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is co-founder of DeepakChopra.ai, his AI twin and well-being advisor. He also co-founded Cyberhuman, a transformative suite of personalized health and well-being solutions. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is also an Honorary Fellow in Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is the author of over 95 books, translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.

For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution. His mission is to create a more balanced, peaceful, joyful and healthier world. Through his teachings, he guides individuals to embrace their inherent strength, wisdom, and potential for personal and societal transformation.

In his latest book, *Digital Dharma* (Harmony/Rodale, 09/17/24), Chopra navigates the balance between technology and expanded awareness, explaining that while AI cannot duplicate human intelligence, it can vastly enhance personal and spiritual growth. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of their top 100 most influential people”.

Dr. Elizabeth Comen, M.D., has dedicated her medical career to saving the lives of women. An award-winning, internationally sought-after clinician and physician-scientist, Dr. Comen is a Medical Oncologist specializing in breast cancer and Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone. She earned her BA in the History of Science from Harvard College and her MD from Harvard Medical School, then completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and her fellowship in oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Comen is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the Department of Defense Breakthrough Award for Breast Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award, and multiple grants from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Chosen as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in New York since 2017, she has also been featured as a New York Magazine Top Doctor multiple years in a row.

Recognized for her compassion and easy-to-comprehend communication with patients, Dr. Comen is routinely tapped by the media, appearing frequently on Good Morning America, CNN, Oprah Daily, The Today Show, The View, and ABC News. A tireless advocate for women’s healthcare, she is the author of the National Bestseller: All In Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women’s Bodies and Why It Matters Today.

Nathan Copeland is a neurotechnology consultant, speaker, and artist who, in 2004, was left paralyzed from the chest down after a car accident. Now self-professed “cyborg,” Nathan is a pioneering participant in a brain computer interface study that has enabled him to operate robotic arms, regain the sense of touch, play video games, and even make art -- with just his mind. A self-professed
“Cyborg,” Nathan has been featured in numerous publications including Wired, MIT Tech Review, NPR, Fortune, and the Atlantic. Nathan loves Japanese pop culture, created the very first BCI NFT, and holds the world record for longest chronic BCI implant (August of 2022).

John F. Crowley is the President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the world’s largest biotechnology advocacy organization. Crowley, a longtime BIO board member, was most recently the Founder and Executive Chairman of Amicus Therapeutics, a global biotechnology company focusing on developing treatments for rare genetic diseases. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Amicus from 2005 to 2022.

John’s decades of biotech experience and deep passion for the field have made him a strong supporter of policies that empower innovation, enable entrepreneurship, and put people and patients first. His involvement with biotechnology stems from the 1998 diagnosis of two of his children with Pompe disease—a severe and often fatal neuromuscular disorder.

John and his family have been profiled numerous times by The Wall Street Journal. The 2010 major motion picture, Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, and Keri Russell, is inspired by the Crowley family journey. John also served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2005-2016. He is a veteran of the global war on terrorism, and his assignments included service with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

John attended the U.S. Naval Academy and went on to earn a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School, and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

Mark Cuban has been a natural businessman since age 12, when he sold garbage bags door to door. He went on to found MicroSolutions right out of college, selling it to H&R Block. From there he became an active stock trader, building a track record, starting a hedge fund and selling it a year later.

In 1995, he and Todd Wagner started the first commercial streaming company, AudioNet, which became Broadcast.com. They later sold the company in 2000 for 5.7B dollars.

Mark acquired the Dallas Mavericks in 2000. The Mavs competed in their first NBA Finals in 2006, won their first League title in 2011. Mark sold majority ownership in 2023 but still retains a significant stake. During his time as majority owner, the Mavs had the second-best record in the NBA.

Mark first appeared as a “Shark” on the ABC hit show Shark Tank in 2011.

Among his other accomplishments; his company HDNet, was the first all High-Definition TV network. He later sold the company in 2019. His film “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” was nominated for an Academy Award. As was the 2929 Production movie “Good Night, and Good Luck”.

He is the holder of multiple patents. He is married and the father of 3 almost always amazing children.

Linsey Davis is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, ABC News and ABC World News Tonight Radio correspondent, and bestselling author whose timely and balanced reporting have earned her many honors including two Emmy Awards and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award.

Davis is renowned for her tough but fair moderating skills in the arena of political debate, as well as insightful interviews with major influential figures, including Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence, and Dr. Anthony Fauci. She is a sought-after moderator, having led the first roundtable discussion with Black female mayors of Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Baton Rouge, and Tacoma, as well as a series of interviews with the spouses of presidential candidates in a series called Running Mates.

In addition to her wave-making reporting, Davis is the bestselling author of books for children: The World is Awake, One Big Heart, Stay This Way Forever, The Smallest Spot of a Dot, Girls of the World, and How High is Heaven. As a speaker and moderator, Davis’ voice is in-demand on a dynamic array of subjects and audiences are energized by her presence.

Joe DeRisi is an interdisciplinary scientist whose work combines genomics, bioinformatics, biochemistry, and bioengineering to study autoimmune, parasitic, and viral diseases in a wide range of organisms.

One of the early pioneers of DNA microarray technology and whole-genome expression profiling, he was chosen for a MacArthur Fellowship in 2004 for his work with microarrays, particularly as a member of a team that identified and characterized the virus (now known as SARS-CoV-1) that caused the original SARS outbreak in 2003.

DeRisi has been a leading advocate of unbiased methods for pathogen discovery, disease tracking, and clinical diagnosis using metagenomic sequencing. Over the past two decades his work has increased the power, versatility, and clinical utility of metagenomic tools, laying the groundwork for pathogen surveillance and diagnostics in low- and middle-income countries around the world. More recently, together with colleagues at UC San Francisco (UCSF), he has increasingly focused on the use of programmable phage display technologies for investigating previously unknown autoimmune diseases.

DeRisi graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, before earning his Ph.D. in Biochemistry with Patrick O. Brown at Stanford University. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Medicine, DeRisi is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UCSF. He was previously a Searle Scholar, a Packard Fellow, and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute before launching the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco in 2016 along with Steve Quake.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, DeRisi and his teams at the Biohub and at UCSF worked together to rapidly launch a clinically certified testing facility, which ultimately offered free clinical tests and SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing to all 58 California Departments of Public Health, as chronicled in Michael Lewis’s 2021 book, The Premonition: A Pandemic Story.

Named by Fortune as one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” Peter Diamandis is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation, which leads the world in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions. He is also the Executive Founder of Singularity University.

As an entrepreneur, Diamandis has started over 25 companies in the areas of health-tech, space, venture capital and education. He is Co-founder and Vice-Chairman of two public companies, Celularity and Vaxxinity. Dr. Diamandis is Co-founder & Chairman of Fountain Life, a fully-integrated platform delivering predictive, preventative, personalized and data-driven health. Finally, he also serves as Co-founder of BOLD Capital Partners, a venture fund with a half-billion dollars under management investing in exponential technologies and longevity companies.

Diamandis is a New York Times Bestselling author of three books: Abundance – The Future Is Better Than You Think, BOLD – How to go Big, Create Wealth & Impact the World and The Future is Faster Than You Think. Most recently he co-Authored the #1 best seller LIFE FORCE with Tony Robbins which chronicles the extraordinary healthcare and biotech revolution unfolding before our eyes.

He earned degrees in molecular genetics and aerospace engineering from MIT and holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Diamandis’ favorite saying is “The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.”

As Cerner’s president and CEO, David Feinberg, M.D., focuses on delivering tools and technology that help caregivers optimize the health of their patients and communities. As a pediatric psychiatrist, David built his early career around helping children and families.

He served as president and CEO of both UCLA Health and Geisinger Health prior to assuming leadership of Google Health in early 2019. His work at UCLA provided David with a clear view of how patient satisfaction translates to clinical success. His focus on the patient experience increased UCLA’s patient satisfaction scores from the 28th to the 99th percentile.

At Geisinger, David led a complex turnaround that made Geisinger one of the nation’s most innovative healthcare providers, including a first-of-its kind clinical program that made DNA sequencing a routine part of patient care. David also guided Geisinger’s transition to value-based care using Cerner’s population health platform, HealtheIntent, integrated with a non-Cerner EMR.

At Google, David leveraged Google’s technology, talent and search capabilities to tackle healthcare’s most important challenges. Under David’s leadership, Google was at the forefront of using Artificial Intelligence and mobile platforms to improve healthcare and – in partnership with Ascension Health – produced Care Studio, a tool that organizes patient records for healthcare clinicians at the point of care.

David began his career at UCLA, researching and publishing in the areas of addiction and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He took on additional leadership responsibilities, including becoming the Medical Director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. By implementing rigorous service metrics and patient satisfaction measures and completing a financial turnaround, UCLA’s neuropsychiatric hospital is now considered the premier psychiatric hospital in the western United States.

David earned his M.D. from Chicago Medical School in 1989, finishing at the top of his class and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He also holds an economics degree from the University of California-Berkeley and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

World-class neuroscientist and neurologist, Dr. Adam Gazzaley is working to turn video games and other technology into medical treatments for conditions like dementia, depression, and pediatric ADHD. He teaches neurology, physiology and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and is the Founder and Executive Director of Neuroscape, a UCSF state-of-the-art neuroscience center where he and his team are pioneering an entirely new field of medicine – digital medicine.

Dr. Gazzaley collaborated with Lucas Arts to build a video game that would target players’ cognitive abilities. In 2013, he and his team were featured on the cover of Nature magazine when they published a study showing that playing such games could significantly turn around age-related cognitive decline. He is cofounder and Chief Science Advisor of Akili, a prescription digital medicine company that has advanced this game though clinical trials to become the first FDA-cleared digital treatment for ADHD, and the first and only video game approved to treat any clinical condition.

Dr. Gazzaley’s research and teaching has earned him numerous awards, including the 2015 Society for Neuroscience – Science Educator Award. His MIT Press book, The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, co-authored with Dr. Larry Rosen, was the recipient of the 2017 PROSE Award. Additionally, Dr. Gazzaley wrote and hosted the nationally televised PBS special, The Distracted Mind with Dr. Adam Gazzaley which examines how multitasking influences our safety, our memory, our education, our careers and our personal lives. He is the author of over 180 scientific articles and has presented at over 750 events.

Pat Geraghty is President and CEO of GuideWell, a $30 billion not-for-profit mutual insurance holding company headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., serving 38.5 million people across 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

GuideWell comprises Florida’s Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, Florida Blue, the leading health insurer in Florida; Triple-S Management, Puerto Rico’s Blue Cross Blue Shield plan and a leading health care services company on the island; GuideWell Health, a portfolio of clinical delivery organizations; PopHealthCare and its value-based national medical group Emcara Health; GuideWell Source, which provides administrative services to federal health care programs; and WebTPA, a market leading administrator of self-funded employer health plans. The company holds majority or significant interests in a range of health solutions companies including Lucet, a behavioral health care company that provides technology-enabled support to payers, providers, and health plan members. Through a joint venture with Keralty, a multinational health business group with more than 40 years of global experience, GuideWell is expanding care delivery across Florida through more than 40 Sanitas direct care delivery locations.

A dynamic speaker, Geraghty is considered an expert voice on a range of health care topics including U.S. health care reform, next-generation payment strategies, health care innovation and the benefits of wellness and prevention programming. He is frequently sought for his insights on important health care policy matters in Washington, D.C. and Tallahassee, Fla.

Geraghty is a member and past chair of the Florida Council of 100 and a member of the board of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, including chair of its Health Policy & Advocacy Committee; National Institute of Health Care Management; America’s Health Insurance Plans; and Tampa Electric Co.

Geraghty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University and a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Florida Southern College. He also has completed executive education programs at Harvard University School of Public Health and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Julie Louise Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., is the President and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), a non-profit organization that builds large public-private-patient biomedical research partnerships in support of the NIH mission. She directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2002-2009 and led the agency through more than 40 public health emergencies, including SARS, avian influenza, and numerous natural disasters. She is a globally recognized infectious diseases expert whose multi-sector career trajectory spans senior leadership roles in academia as a tenured faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco, government service, President of Merck Vaccines, and Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer at Merck & Co., Inc. She currently co-chairs the Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security. Her board service includes Mayo Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, Research!America, National Health Council, Cerner Corporation, and several biotech companies. Dr. Gerberding is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the adjunct faculties of the University of California, San Francisco, and Case Western Reserve University. She is the recipient of many honorary degrees, most recently at Baylor College of Medicine, and has received many accolades including recognition by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people in America and by Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women listing.

Marcus Gerhardt is the CEO of Blackrock Neurotech, a pioneering leader in brain- computer interface (BCI) technology dedicated to unlocking the potential of the human brain and improving lives. With over two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and advisor, Marcus has focused on driving innovation across disruptive technologies and alternative investment markets.

Marcus’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1999 when he co-founded Mondus, a groundbreaking e-commerce platform. He later established BBI, a consultancy advising technology companies on funding, commercialization, and growth strategies. In 2003, he co-founded one of the leading frontier market asset management firms in the Middle East, further cementing his reputation for navigating complex, high-growth Environments.

As CEO of Blackrock Neurotech, Marcus is committed to advancing neurotechnology to address some of humanity's most challenging medical and technological frontiers. His work is deeply driven by the goal of improving the quality of life for patients through cutting-edge BCI solutions.

Marcus holds an MPhil from Oxford University and an MA from the University of St. Andrews. In addition to his leadership at Blackrock, he serves on the advisory boards of various disruptive technology companies, including Deposit Solutions (US), a prominent player in the fintech space.

Kathy Giusti is a two-time cancer survivor, business leader, and healthcare disrupter. Named as one of Timemagazine's 100 Most Influential People and FortuneMagazine’s World's 50 Greatest Leaders, Giusti is recognized as a pioneer in precision medicine. Most recently, she is the author of Fatal to Fearless: 12 Steps to Beating Cancer in a Broken Medical System published by Harper Collins.

Kathy founded the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) in 1998 and led the organization for decades driving the development of innovative models in tissue banking, genomics, big data, clinical trials, and venture philanthropy. Today, myeloma has seen over 15 drugs approved and a doubling of patients’ five-year survival. Kathy supports the organization as a member of the Board of Directors.

Kathy also co-chaired the Harvard Business School (HBS) Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator which she helped found as a senior fellow at HBS. The Accelerator, funded by Robert Kraft, brought together best-in-class leaders from the entire healthcare ecosystem to share best practices in driving toward cures. The Accelerator provides an entire playbook for trusted third parties to advance their mission in any disease.

Giusti has worked under three U.S. presidents to fight and cure cancer including the National Cancer Advisory Board under President Bush, the Obama Precision Medicine Initiative and the Biden Moonshot. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and Bloomberg.

The luscious, deep voice of American mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves has graced nearly all the major world opera house stages and concert halls during her three-decades-long career. Her top-label recordings are numerous, and she has been a featured artist on national public television in everything from Great Performances to Sesame Street. A champion of new works, Ms. Graves has premiered operas and song cycles, won competitions, and countless awards. Her signature opera roles include Carmen and Dalila and the more contemporary Margaret Garner.

In addition to her singing career, Denyce Graves is a much sought-after teacher at The Juilliard School, Peabody Conservatory, and University of Toronto. The Emmy and Grammy award winner has also received many honorary Doctorates of Musical Arts. She has served as a cultural ambassador, and arts advocate on behalf of this country, which she dearly loves. A stunning portrait of Ms. Graves can be seen as part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute's National Portrait Gallery and her image is also represented in the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The opera star was inspired to form The Denyce Graves Foundation at the beginning of 2021 to elevate the lives and work of singers at all stages of their careers while honoring the history and contributions of those who have gone before. Born as a bright light during a dark year, the Foundation is cultivating unique programs aimed at encouraging exceptionally talented vocal artists of all backgrounds to fulfill their potential. Thanks to the inspiring energy and vision of Ms. Graves, the philanthropic arm of this new organization has in just two short years, seen remarkable success in raising awareness and funds to save the National Opera House in Pittsburgh, an essential but neglected piece of American history.

While Ms. Graves still enjoys an active performing career, she sees her legacy extending far beyond her recordings through her work with the Foundation, empowering the next generation of outstanding singers and re-introducing the world to the critical but forgotten musical heroes of our past. With its slogan,

"The soul of a nation is reflected in its commitment to the arts," The Denyce Graves Foundation - and its luminous founder - are on their way to lifting the soul of America.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is the award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, host of the CNN podcast Chasing Life, and a practicing neurosurgeon.

Since 2001, Dr. Gupta has covered some of the most important health stories around the world. On March 9, 2020, Dr. Gupta penned an op-ed announcing the network would refer to the novel coronavirus outbreak as a “pandemic,” ahead of the WHO and the CDC. Throughout 2020 into 2021, Dr. Gupta reaffirmed his role as a trusted guide to viewers worldwide navigating between facts and fiction surrounding Covid-19 and the pandemic.

Dr. Gupta is an associate professor of neurosurgery at Emory University Hospital and associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. He serves as a diplomat of the American Board of Neurosurgery. In 2019, Dr. Gupta was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, considered one of the highest honors in the medical field. He is a best-selling author, including It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Your Smart Guide to a Pain-Free Life, published in 2025.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School.

MindTravel is an immersive experience where music and mindfulness meet. Through music, the language of emotion, creator and composer Murray Hidary seeks to open the heart to healing and transformation with his evocative, live-piano compositions. Recently, the music of MindTravel has also served to bring awareness and a call to action on issues like social justice and climate change.

Hidary has brought MindTravel to iconic theaters and spectacular outdoor venues in over 100 cities the world over. From the deserts of the Middle East to the first-ever piano concert on the continent of Antarctica, Hidary seeks to bridge gaps in understanding through the universal language of music.

Murray Hidary is also an entrepreneur and tech pioneer and in the early days of the Internet co-founded and built companies including EarthWeb, Dice Inc, Vista Research and eBillity. Today, he is focused on the human experience and, through MindTravel, helps people better connect with themselves and one another.

An entrepreneur in every sense of the word, Daymond John has come a long way from taking out a $100,000 mortgage on his mother’s house and moving his business operation into its basement. John is CEO and Founder of FUBU, a much-celebrated global lifestyle brand, and a pioneer in the fashion industry with billions in product sales world-wide. Former President Barack Obama appointed Daymond John a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) to harness his energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad.

John is an award-winning entrepreneur and has received 100s of awards including the Brand Week Marketer of the Year, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was named #2 on LinkedIn’s Top 20 Voices. Most recently, Real Leaders Magazine ranked Daymond John one of the Top 20 Keynote Speakers in the World for 2024!

His marketing strategies and ability to build successful brands has made him a highly influential consultant and motivational speaker today. His marketing firm, The Shark Group, offers advice on how to effectively communicate to consumers through innovative means and connects brands with the world’s top celebrities for everything from endorsements to product extensions.

John is also an author of 6 best-selling books including his New York Times best-sellers, The Power of Broke (2016) and Rise and Grind (2018). He released his fifth book, Powershift in 2020 that walks through his tried-and-true process of how to transform any situation, close any deal and achieve any outcome.

John's most recent book, Little Daymond Learns to Earn (2023) is his first for kids, reached the New York Times and Amazon best-seller list the first week of its release. The book addresses the current void of educating our children about money in a fun and engaging story for parents and kids to connect.

John’s mission is to continue challenging the status quo and leave a lasting legacy of inspiring other leaders to do the same.

Finally, John is celebrating his 15th season on ABC TV’s critically acclaimed business reality show Shark Tank by renowned producer Mark Burnett, which has reinvigorated entrepreneurship around the world. Shark Tank has now gone on to win five Emmy® in the US and millions of weekly viewers world-wide tune into the show as John demonstrates his marketing prowess and entrepreneurial insights.

Patrik Jonsson (he/him/his) is executive vice president of Eli Lilly and Company, president of Lilly Diabetes and Obesity, and president of Lilly USA.

Patrik previously served as executive vice president and president of Lilly Immunology, Lilly Bio-Medicines and general manager of Lilly Sweden, Scandinavia, Italy and Japan. Since joining Lilly in 1990 as a sales representative, Patrik has held a number of positions in sales, marketing and general management. He served as European marketing director for Zyprexa and the neuroscience customer group, as managing director of Sweden and later of Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway and Denmark), and as president and general manager of Eli Lilly Italia, adding responsibilities for countries in central and southeastern Europe in 2012. In 2014, he became president and general manager of Lilly Japan.

Patrik is a business graduate from Lund University School of Economics and Management in Sweden.

He is the past chair of the Japan-based executive committee of PhRMA and served on the board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

Jamie is dedicated to Geroscience research that advances the hypothesis that by targeting the basic biology of aging the incidence of multiple age-related diseases can be delayed or prevented. Her training background at University of Colorado Boulder and WFUSM allowed her to lead translational research and clinical trials networks to test the Geroscience hypothesis in humans. At WFUSM, Jamie was director of the Biogerontology Lab, and co-leader of the Integrative Biology Core (IBC) of the WF Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) and was a Principal Investigator of the National Institute of Aging-supported Geroscience Education and Training Network, an engaged member of the Translational Geroscience Network, Gerontological Society of America’s ESPO scientific section officer and executive committee member from 2018-2021. She is the recipient of the Jarrahi Research Scholars Fund in Geroscience Innovation, the 2022 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star in Aging Research, and the 2022 NIA Nathan W Shock Awardee.

Dean Kamen is an inventor, an entrepreneur, and a tireless advocate for science and technology. His roles as inventor and advocate are intertwined—his own passion for technology and its practical uses has driven his personal determination to spread the word about technology's virtues and by so doing to change the culture of the United States.

Dean Kamen is the founder and president of DEKA Research & Development Corporation. Examples of technologies developed by DEKA include the HomeChoice™ portable dialysis machine, the iBOT™ Mobility System, the Segway™ Human Transporter, a DARPA-funded robotic arm, a new and improved Stirling engine, and the Slingshot water purifier.

In addition to DEKA, one of Dean's proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to become science and technology leaders and build a better world. Founded in 1989, FIRST robotics programs have served more than 3.2 million young people, ages 4 to 18, in more than 100 countries around the globe. Alumni of life-changing FIRST programs gain access to exclusive scholarships, internships and other opportunities that create connections and open pathways to a wide variety of careers.

Kamen has received many awards for his efforts. Notably, Kamen was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000. Presented by President Clinton, this award was in recognition for inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide, and for innovative and imaginative leadership in awakening America to the excitement of science and technology. Kamen was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1997. He was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, as well as many other national and international engineering organizations.

Matt Kaplan has been retained by The Economist as a science correspondent for nearly two decades and contributed over half a million words to the newspaper during that time. Fascinated by the weird and often less well respected members of the animal kingdom, he has made a habit of writing about how these species make life better for humanity.

He has explored how the humble jellyfish made it possible for glowing proteins to track the behaviours of cancer cells. He has described how the saliva of the sandcastle worm (which builds the structures that its name implies) made it possible for researchers to develop a glue that can hold bits of bone together in salty environments (like those found on bloody operating room tables). He has written about how biological batteries are being modelled after the cells found in electric eels. Over the years, he has also written extensively for National Geographic, The New York Times, Scientific American, Nature and New Scientist.

Shortly after writing Time To See The Blight, a lead story published in The Economist in 2019 that explored the interaction between plant diseases and climate change, Matt started collaborating with the United Nations Environmental Program to help the organisation better craft the executive summaries and speeches that it delivers at important climate and biodiversity meetings. Aware of the threat that climate change and biodiversity loss present to human health, he has continued that collaboration to the present day.

Long intrigued by the ways in which ancient people tried to explain mysterious aspects of the natural world with mythology, he is the author of two books on the subject: Science of the Magical and Science of Monsters. He was awarded a Knight Fellowship in 2014 and used the opportunity to study immunology at MIT and folklore at Harvard. His next book, I Told You So: Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled and Imprisoned For Being Right, is currently being edited by Macmillan and will publish later this year.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, he has hacked his way through the Alaskan bush, fended off tiger snakes in Tasmanian bogs, nearly fallen into a crevasse and got his scuba respirator hose snagged on the sunken wreck of a British minesweeper.

Dr. Hans Keirstead is CEO of the Human Immunome Project, a global nonprofit scientific initiative decoding and modeling the immune system. He is additionally the Founder and Chairman of Immunis, Inc. and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AIVITA Biomedical. Dr. Keirstead is an internationally recognized stem cell expert and serial entrepreneur that has led the development of a treatment that restored movement and sensory function to people with quadriplegic spinal cord injury and a treatment for cancer that has saved the lives of people with melanoma, brain cancer, and ovarian cancer. He has also led therapy development for immune disorders, motor neuron diseases, and retinal diseases as well as a vaccine for COVID-19.

He has founded four successful biotechnology companies, each returning significant value to investors and treatments to patients. Dr. Keirstead received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of British Columbia, Canada and received the Cameron Award for the outstanding Ph.D. thesis in the country. He has been named one of 100 top scientists of the year by Discover Magazine, has been featured on 60 Minutes as well as in the New York Times, Time Magazine, Wired, Newsweek, and Science, among others. He holds Board positions at several prominent biotechnology companies.

As a former educator and mother of five, Amy Kennedy’s advocacy in youth mental health is driven by her interest in social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, social media safeguards, school-based treatment options, screenings, and more.

In addition to her work with The Kennedy Forum, a mental health nonprofit, Amy ran for office on a mental health platform in New Jersey’s 2nd congressional district. A respected thought leader and public speaker, Amy also serves on the boards of several national organizations.

During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy was the lead author of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he founded The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and addiction. In 2015, Kennedy co-authored the New York Times Bestseller, “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction,” which details a bold plan for the future of mental health care in America. In 2023, The Kennedy Forum launched the Alignment for Progress, a movement to align leaders from across industry and across the aisle to achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals will be screened for mental health and substance use disorders; 90% of those screened will be able to receive evidence-based treatment; 90% of those receiving treatment will be able to manage their symptoms in recovery. Kennedy’s second co-authored book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage” available April 2024 will delve into the compelling stories of a diverse group of Americans who have struggled with their mental health – many of whom are sharing their stories for the first time.

Kennedy is also the founder of DontDenyMe.org, an educational campaign that empowers consumers and providers to understand parity rights and connects them to essential appeals guidance and resources; co-founder of One Mind, an organization that pushes for greater global investment in brain research; co-chair of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response); and co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force.

Dr. Mehmood Khan’s distinguished career has included several senior corporate roles, including Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Global Research and Development at PepsiCo, and President of Global R&D Center at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

Before moving into the private sector Dr. Khan was a faculty member in endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School where he served as Director of the Diabetes, Endocrine and Nutritional Trials Unit. He also led programs in diabetes, endocrinology, metabolism, and nutrition in Minneapolis.

Dr. Khan is a member of the Board of Directors of Reckitt Benckiser and of the Saudi Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA), Executive Chairman of Life Biosciences, a member of the Saudi National Biotechnology Strategy Steering Committee, and past Chairman of the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology of the United States’ National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Dr. Khan earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool School of Medicine, England, and completed a fellowship in clinical endocrinology and nutrition in the Department of Medicine and Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in London, a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology, and an Elected Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at University of Oxford.

Paul Knopp is Chair and Chief Executive Officer at KPMG LLP – one of the world’s leading professional services firms, providing innovative business solutions and audit, tax, and advisory services to many of the world’s largest and most prestigious organizations. He also serves as Chair of the Americas region and is a member of both KPMG’s Global Board and Executive Committee.

Leading more than 36,000 partners and professionals across the United States, Paul is further strengthening KPMG’s inclusive and values-driven culture. He has extensive experience serving large, multinational clients in a wide variety of complex industries and is recognized for his commitment to excellence and quality and for leading KPMG teams with ethics and integrity.

Paul joined KPMG’s San Antonio office in 1983. Paul has also served in KPMG’s New York, Norfolk, Stamford, Chicago, and St. Louis offices.

Prior to becoming Chair and CEO, Paul’s career as an audit partner focused on serving leading global companies in the manufacturing, life sciences, transportation, professional services, and technology industries. He served as the global lead audit engagement partner and Engagement Quality Control Review Partner for KPMG audits of numerous Fortune 500 companies.

He was elected to serve a five-year term on KPMG’s U.S. Board of Directors in 2012 and served as Lead Director of the Board of Directors.

In recognition of his professional accomplishments, Paul has received numerous accolades including Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People, the National Association of Corporate Directors’ 100 most influential leaders in the boardroom, and Glassdoor’s list of Top CEOs.

Additionally, he lends his time and expertise to many civic and charitable organizations. He is Chair of the Governing Board for the Center for Audit Quality as well as a board member of Catalyst, Partnership for New York City and Project Healthy Minds. Paul also serves on the Development Board of The University of Texas at Austin and on the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee of The University of Texas System.

He holds B.B.A. and M.B.A degrees from The University of Texas at Austin; is a licensed CPA in New York and Texas; and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Mary Langowski serves as executive vice president and president of Walgreens Health at Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.

In this role, she oversees the Company’s portfolio of healthcare businesses, health and biopharma services, drug procurement and supply chain, reimbursement and contracting and commercialization. She also leads operations for Walgreens’ $27 billion specialty pharmacy business, which focuses on the treatment of complex or rare conditions. A member of the WBA Executive Committee, Langowski also chairs Walgreens’ operating committee and is responsible for enterprise strategy, corporate development and M&A.

A nationally recognized healthcare leader, Langowski has decades of experience in leadership roles across health plans, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies, retail healthcare services, and provider organizations, as well as senior roles in federal and state government.
Before joining WBA, Langowski served as chief executive officer of Solera Health, a leading technology company that she successfully transformed to create the first of its kind fully integrated, value-based digital-first delivery system serving payers and employers to drive cost savings and care in lower cost settings.

Langowski previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer at CVS Health, where she helped shape the organization’s transformation as a healthcare company, spearheading the foundational work for its healthcare services strategy, and contributing to key aspects of CVS’s acquisition of Aetna.

She has held senior positions in state and federal government, leveraging her extensive policy expertise to develop new healthcare payment models and champion several legislative and regulatory reforms that have enabled better healthcare innovation and value-based care.
As a partner in one of the largest law firms in the world, Langowski chaired the U.S. Health team and Global Food Sector, advising multinational, Fortune 50, and emerging growth companies on M&A, IPOs, and global government strategies. Her work included leading multiple high-profile healthcare services and pharmaceutical transactions.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Public Administration degree from Drake University, as well as a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Clifton Leaf is a visiting member of the Ellison Medical Institute in Los Angeles and an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Previously, from 2017 to 2021, he served as the Editor-in-Chief of Fortune, a tenure during which the publication won more than 70 top journalism prizes and substantially expanded its website, newsletter, premium subscription, podcast, and virtual conference businesses. Prior to that he was Fortune’s deputy editor, overseeing the acclaimed print magazine. In earlier years, he was a guest editor for the New York Times op-ed page and held senior positions at the Wall Street Journal’s SmartMoney magazine and at Fortune.

Cliff is also the author of the book, The Truth in Small Doses: Why We’re Losing the War on Cancer—and How to Win It, which was named by Newsweek as one of “the Best Books About Cancer,” and which earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award for cancer reporting from the European School of Oncology. The founder of Fortune Brainstorm Health and a member of the Board of Fellows at Stanford University School of Medicine, Cliff currently serves on advisory boards for Harvard Public Health, the Lake Nona Impact Forum, and the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University. He is also the long-time chair of the American Academy for Cancer Research’s Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism. Previously, he served on the national board of directors for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation.

He has won numerous awards for his journalism and leadership in the anticancer effort, including the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism, the NIHCM’s Health Care Journalism Award, the Henry Luce Award for Public Service Reporting, the Friends of Cancer Research Leadership Award, and the Ribbon of Hope from the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, and he was twice named a finalist for the National Magazine Award. Cliff has presented testimony to the President’s Cancer Panel three times and been a keynote speaker at more than three dozen scientific conferences around the world. In 2006, Cliff delivered “Grand Rounds” at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, becoming the first and only journalist to receive that honor.

Carolee Lee is an innovative trailblazer dedicated to transforming the health of women. In 2020, she founded WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters), a non-profit organization committed to accelerating research and investment in women’s health. WHAM is implementing strategies to eliminate the inequities and bias in research and enterprise, while accelerating scientific discovery and economic impact. Carolee assembled a board of 25 leading businesswomen to launch this initiative and commissioned the RAND Corporation to create The WHAM Report, which quantified the economic benefits of investing in woman’s health research.

As a well-recognized, highly respected leader, she has shifted the dialogue on women’s health by looking at the ethics, empirical data and economic impact of women’s health while coalescing others to spearhead effective change.

As an entrepreneurial thinker, Carolee believes that convening and motivating thought leaders from all parts of the ecosystem will be key in creating the needed sustainable and lasting change to drive innovation and action while addressing the inequities which still exist today.

Prior to founding WHAM, as a creative force and visionary leader in the fashion world, Carolee built a preeminent global brand and successfully sold it to Luxottica in 2001
Carolee has served on numerous public and private boards and currently serves on the boards of: The La Jolla Institute for Immunology; The Women’s Health Advisory Board, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and The Women’s Leadership Board at The John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is a past president of the Committee of 200 and served as the Chair of its Foundation Board. Carolee also was a director on the board of DSW, Inc., the Museum of Arts and Design, NY, and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation where she played several board leadership roles.

Peter Lee is President, Microsoft Research, leading research across 14 worldwide laboratories. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the boards of several institutions in AI and medicine, including the Board of Trustees of the Mayo Clinic and the Board of Directors of the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. Under President Obama, he was a Commissioner on Enhancing National Cybersecurity. In 2023, he coauthored “The AI Revolution in Medicine, GPT-4 and Beyond” and hosted the podcast series “The AI Revolution in Medicine, Revisited.” a follow-up to the book. He was named by Time magazine in 2024 as one of the 100 most influential people in health and life sciences.

Shelley Lyford is CEO and Chair of the West Health Institute and CEO, Chair and Trustee of the Gary and Mary West Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded more than $550 million in grants for aging and healthcare programs and initiatives since its inception in 2006. Lyford has been with the organization for nearly two decades and has been serving as its CEO since 2012.

Key initiatives under Lyford’s leadership include the creation of the West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham, a $16.4 million, multi-year effort to help transform care for older adults in the hospital and the West Health Accelerator at Northwestern Medicine, which integrates behavioral health services into primary care settings to promote earlier intervention and increase access to care. The West Health Accelerator is creating scalable blueprints for adoption by other health systems and hospitals throughout the nation to transform the future of healthcare.

In 2019, Lyford was appointed as a commissioner on the California Commission on Aging, advising the state’s governor and legislature, along with federal, state and local agencies, on issues, policies and regulations that affect California’s seniors. Subsequently, she was appointed to California’s Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Prior to these appointments, Lyford played a critical role in launching a statewide public awareness campaign called “We Stand With Seniors,” which brought aging to the forefront of the 2018 California gubernatorial race and led to the creation of California’s first Master Plan for Aging. West Health continues to support the development of multi-sector plans for aging in more than 20 other states. In 2022, Lyford received the prestigious American Society on Aging Award for outstanding contributions to aging-related research, administration and advocacy.

Lyford is vice-chair of the board of directors of CivicaRx, the nation’s first not-for-profit generic drug company and serves as a director on several boards including the San Diego Economic Development Corporation Board and the Community Board of UC San Diego Health.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is an accomplished physician and the New York Times Best-Selling author of FOREVER STRONG: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well. Also a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller, Forever Strong will soon be available in seventeen languages (and counting) and is inspiring readers worldwide on their journey towards optimal health and vitality.

At the forefront of modern medicine, Dr. Lyon is leading a revolutionary movement focusing on the body's largest organ—skeletal muscle. Her mission is to promote longevity and combat the pervasive threats of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes by supporting muscle health.

Dr. Lyon's educational and research background includes dual clinical fellowships in geriatrics and nutritional sciences at Washington University, along with undergraduate training in nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois. A highly sought-after educator and consultant, she is an authority in the practical application of protein types and levels for health, performance, aging, and disease prevention. Dr. Lyon also works closely with members of the United States Special Operations Forces.

Through her thriving private practice, TEDx Talk, YouTube channel, podcast, online community, and bestselling book, Dr. Lyon is dedicated to empowering people to foster strength and well-being in the weight room and in their daily lives and communities.

Poonacha Machaiah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cyberhuman.ai, a pioneering agentic AI platform focused on personalized well-being, merging cutting-edge technology with integrative and lifestyle medicine. He is also the co-founder of Peak Living, a longevity and vitality services initiative and Chief of AI and technology at the ‘House of Epigenetics’ – ABChopra venture. These initiatives have been in collaboration with world-renowned integrative medicine expert Deepak Chopra, MD.

Previously, Poonacha served as the CEO of The Chopra Foundation, where he led global initiatives to advance mental health, societal well-being, and environmental sustainability and continues to server as the strategic advisor. He is the founding member of the Global Mental Health Task Force, focused on UN SDGs. Poonacha’s leadership has driven powerful initiatives such as NeverAlone, which addresses mental health and suicide prevention.

His career spans key roles as a technology leader at Nortel, Iridium, Motorola, and Sasken, where he contributed to pioneering innovations across global markets. He holds an MBA from the College of William and Mary, Bachelor of Science in
Computer Science and Engineering and pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Public Health at Claremont graduate University.

With a deep commitment to human potential and conscious innovation, Poonacha continues to shape the future of wellness through visionary leadership at the intersection of science, technology, and purpose.

Yossi Matias is Vice President at Google, and the Head of Google Research.

Under Yossi’s leadership, world-class global teams are leading breakthrough research on Foundational Machine Learning & Algorithms, Computing Systems, Quantum Computing, and Science, with a distinct focus on AI for Societal Impact in Health, Climate, Sustainability, Education, Socio-Cultural and behavioral alignment research, and frontier advancements in Generative AI.

Yossi is the architect of the “magic cycle” of research, a systematic approach that connects foundational scientific breakthroughs directly to real-world impact. His teams have pioneered transformative Health AI advancements, from the seminal work on diabetic retinopathy screening, which is making eyesight-saving care more accessible globally, to cutting-edge AI models like AMIE, designed to empower clinicians and improve diagnostic dialogue, and MedGemma, an open-weights model enabling developers to transform healthcare delivery at scale.

Beyond healthcare, Yossi helps shape the future of technology through advancements in computing systems and generative AI. He was previously on Google Search leadership for over a decade, driving strategic features and technologies, and pioneered Conversational AI innovations to help transform the phone experience through removing barriers of modality and languages. He was also the founding lead of the Google center in Israel. During his tenure, Yossi spearheaded initiatives such as Google's AI for Social Good, Crisis Resilience, including Flood Forecasting, Google for Startups Accelerator, and programs fostering STEM and AI literacy for youth.
Prior to Google Yossi was on the Computer Science faculty at Tel Aviv University, a visiting professor at Stanford, and a Research Scientist at Bell Labs. He’s published over 200 papers, is the inventor of over 80 patents, and has pioneered some of the early technologies for internet privacy, contextual search, and the effective analysis of Big Data. He is a recipient of the Gödel Prize, an ACM Fellow, and the ACM Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award for seminal work on streaming algorithms, data sketches, and large-scale data analytics.

Yossi has a track record of impact-driven breakthrough research, aiming to make AI an amplifier of human ingenuity and capacity, accelerate scientific discovery and address global challenges.

I earned my chops the old-fashioned way—by shooting feature-length assignments around the world for National Geographic Magazine. The stories varied, but the mandate was always the same: work with every kind of person, under any kind of condition, and create timeless yet contemporary images for a client with the highest visual standards on earth. My assignments took me to six continents and often required 200 days on the road each year.

People often think the best part of being a National Geographic photographer is the exotic travel, and I get that. But what I’ve always valued most is the time spent with people whose lives are completely unlike my own. A lifetime in other people’s worlds continues to be my greatest professional gift—it keeps me curious and continually strengthens the empathy that defines my work. Because I genuinely care, people sense that I deserve their trust. That trust allows them to open up and be vulnerable, and that vulnerability creates the authenticity at the heart of all my work. You can’t fake this or learn it quickly—true authenticity isn’t a goal; it’s a byproduct of these things.

I’m interested in original reporting that explores complex issues in the context of real people and their everyday lives. My work spans seven National Geographic Magazine features, the #1 New York Times best-selling Blue Zones Kitchen (now a top-20 best-selling cookbook of the century), campaigns for major brands like Sony, and the SXSW-premiered documentary Bounce and a 10-part series on health equity in America. At the core of it all is attentiveness—to others, my craft, and my clients.

I live with my wife, artist Anne McLain, in a 220-year-old Maine farmhouse with a post-and-beam barn where we share studio space. Our children, Finn and Myla, grew up here—one builds post and beam barns in Maine, the other a teacher in San Francisco. My family, my home, and Maine ground me and fuel the boundless sense of possibility and hope I bring to my work. I continually marvel at how endless the opportunities are. Now is the time to start exploring them.

Dr. Helen Messier has devoted most of her career to harnessing data to close the translational gap in medicine. Dr. Messier received a Bachelor of Science (Honors in Genetics) and a PhD in Molecular Immunology from the University of Alberta. She completed post-doctoral studies at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in San Diego, CA and received her MD from the University of Calgary. Dr. Messier is board certified in family medicine. Dr. Messier founded a national network of concierge medical practices in Canada, served as Medical Director of Genomics at Human Longevity Inc, and was the founding Chief Medical Officer of Viome. In addition to leading the company's clinical and scientific programs, Dr. Messier will establish Fountain Life University to train Fountain Life certified practitioners and lead the effort to gain insights and publish findings from Fountain Life's vast amount of data.

Jamie Metzl is one of the world’s leading technology and healthcare futurists and strategists, Founder and Chair of the global social movement OneShared.World, a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council, a faculty member of NextMed Health, and a Singularity University expert. He appears regularly on national and international media and his syndicated columns, podcasts, and interviews on AI, science, technology, and global affairs have reached hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Jamie is the author of six books, including the newly-released Superconvergence: How the Genetics, Biotech and AI Revolutions Will Transform Our Lives, Work, and World, the international bestseller, Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity, and the sci-fi thrillers Genesis Code and Eternal Sonata. His new books, The AI Ten Commandments and Virtuosa, will both be released in 2026. In 2025, Jamie was appointed as a Commissioner of The Lancet Commission on Precision Medicine, which will over the next four years develop a definitive report on the future of technology-enhanced healthcare. Jamie previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with the United Nations in Cambodia, and on the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. A former partner in a global private equity firm, he sits on advisory boards for multiple biotechnology and other companies and co-established the WisdomTree BioRevolution Exchange Traded Fund (ticker: WDNA). Jamie holds a Ph.D. from Oxford, a law degree from Harvard, and an undergraduate degree from Brown and is an avid ironman triathlete and ultramarathon runner.

Dr. Robert A. Montgomery is the Chairman and Professor of Surgery at NYU Langone Health and the Director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. He received his Doctor of Medicine with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He received his Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Oxford in Molecular Immunology. Montgomery completed his general surgical training, multi-organ transplantation fellowship, and postdoctoral fellowship in Human Molecular Genetics at Johns Hopkins. For over a decade he served as the Chief of Transplant Surgery and the Director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Montgomery was part of the team that developed the laparoscopic procedure for live kidney donation, a procedure that has become the standard throughout the world. He and the Hopkins team conceived the idea of the Domino Paired Donation (kidney swaps), the Hopkins protocol for desensitization of incompatible kidney transplant patients, and performed the first chain of transplants started by an altruistic donor. He led the team that performed the first 2-way domino paired donation, 3-way paired donation, 3-way domino paired donation. He is credited in the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records with the most kidney transplants performed in 1 day.

Dr. Montgomery is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. He has authored over 325 peer reviewed articles, cited more than 36,000 times and has an h-index of 103. He has received important awards and distinctions including a Fulbright Scholarship and a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and memberships in the Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha academic honor societies.

Newsweek Magazine featured him as one of America’s Greatest Disruptors in December 2021. He received the Liberty Science Center’s 2022 Genius Award. Modern Healthcare named him one of the Top 25 Innovators in Healthcare for 2022. He received the Profile in Courage Award from the Greater New York Hospital Association and the 2022 American Association of Kidney Patients Medal of Excellence Award. He is the recipient of The Transplantation Society’s Starzl Innovation Award, The Hutchison Medal (the Highest Alumni Recognition Award of the University of Rochester Award) and Jacobson Innovation Award of the American College of Surgeons.

Montgomery is a Chevalier of the Order of Merit (Ukraine) awarded by Volodymyr Zelenskyy on September 21, 2023 for his surgical care of Ukrainian patients during the war.

Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., FACOG, is President and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), where she advances health equity through education, research, clinical care, and community engagement. A renowned infertility specialist and researcher, she became the first woman to lead MSM in 2014 after joining as Dean and Executive Vice President in 2011.

Under her leadership, MSM has expanded degree programs, strengthened research capacity, and secured record philanthropic support, including a $175 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies. She has forged national partnerships, enhanced enrollment, and launched initiatives with lasting impact on health equity.

Dr. Montgomery Rice serves on the boards of UnitedHealth Group, Nemours Health Foundation, Georgia Power, and previously on the boards of 23andMe, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Wellpath. An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, she advises nationally on health policy, diversity in the biomedical workforce, and innovation in medical education.

She earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School, completed her OB/GYN residency at Emory University, and her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Hutzel Hospital in Detroit. She holds honorary degrees from multiple institutions and is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, workforce development, and health equity.

Siddhartha Mukherjee is the author of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction, and The Laws of Medicine. He is the editor of Best Science Writing 2013.

Siddhartha Mukherjee’s THE GENE: An Intimate History is his latest work – the story of the quest to decipher the master-code of instructions that makes and defines humans, that governs our form, function, and fate and determines the future of our children.

Mukherjee is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer physician and researcher. A Rhodes scholar, he graduated from Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Harvard Medical School. He has published articles in Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, The New York Times, and Cell. He lives in New York with his wife and daughters.

Dr. Chetan Nayak is a Technical Fellow at Microsoft. He is a pioneer of the study of quantum matter, including topological and non-equilibrium phases, and of applications of novel states of matter to quantum computation. He was born and raised in New York City, where he attended Stuyvesant High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and a PhD in physics from Princeton. He was professor of physics at UCLA, a visiting professor at Nihon University in Tokyo, and is a professor of physics at UCSB. Chetan was a trustee of the Aspen Center for Physics and an editor of Annals of Physics. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship and a National Science Foundation CAREER award. He has published more than 150 refereed articles with more than 20,000 citations and has been granted more than 20 patents.

Senator Bill Nelson served as the 14th NASA Administrator, beginning his tenure on May 3, 2021. A distinguished statesman and longtime advocate for space exploration, Nelson played a pivotal role in advancing groundbreaking initiatives that reinforced American leadership in air, space, and on Earth.

Bill has devoted almost five decades of his life to public service, representing Florida for 18 years in the United States Senate and 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and before that in the Florida state legislature. He served on key committees, including as ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee and chairman of the Subcommittees on Science and Space in both the Senate and the House.

In Congress, Nelson was considered the congressional leader for our nation’s space program, a strong advocate to combat climate change, and a proponent for career training and education programs in science and technology to create more good-paying American jobs.

In 1986, he trained and flew with the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, mission STS-61C, the 24th flight of the Space Shuttle. They orbited Earth 98 times over six days and Bill conducted 12 medical experiments, including the first American stress test in space on a treadmill and a cancer research experiment sponsored by university researchers.

Nelson graduated from Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association and served on active duty for two years in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Captain.

Elisa New is the Director and Host of Poetry in America, director of the Educational Media Innovation Center at Arizona State University, director of Verse Video Education, and Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Emerita, at Harvard University. New created Poetry in America, a PBS series, to bring poetry into living rooms and onto screens of all kinds. The show can be seen on public television and streaming platforms, in schools and libraries, and on airlines. Guests include Joe Biden, Herbie Hancock, Gloria Estefan, Shaquille O’Neal, Elena Kagan, Nas, John McCain, Sonia Sanchez, Tony Kushner, Bill Clinton, Julia Alvarez, Bono, Cynthia Nixon, John Kerry, LisaGay Hamilton, Caroline Kennedy, Katie Couric, Al Gore, and David Strathairn. Along with the series, New produces educational materials on American poetry for all ages—from middle- and high-school students, to K-12 teachers, to lifelong learners—distributed by Harvard University, Amplify Education, and Arizona State University.

Laura Newinski is the Deputy Chair of the board of directors and the Chief Operating Officer of KPMG, LLP. Laura chairs the U.S. Management Committee and is responsible for the development and execution of the U.S. firm’s strategy and priorities. Laura is also a member of both KPMG’s global Board of Directors and global Executive Committee.

Laura is recognized for her insights on business strategy, operations, talent, culture and tax, as well as her unwavering commitment to quality and integrity and focus on building strong, diverse and inclusive teams.

Laura has been instrumental in shaping KPMG’s investments in cutting-edge technologies, including generative AI and the establishment of the firm’s AI and Disruptive Technology unit which has positioned KPMG as a leader in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Her leadership has led advancements to how we service our clients, the capital markets and in KPMG’s digital transformation, data strategy, and technology operations. Overall, this has resulted in significant gains in client and employee experience, productivity, and cost-efficiency.

Laura led the development of KPMG’s Lakehouse, a $450M state-of-the-art training facility and cultural home located in the heart of the Lake Nona region. Lakehouse serves as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and education, underscoring her vision for creating impactful investments that foster growth and connectivity. Laura’s passion for health and wellness is reflected in her role as executive sponsor for key healthcare clients and in her sponsorship of KPMG’s initial engagement in the Lake Nona Impact Forum in 2017.

Laura’s client service roles have focused on both publicly held and large private companies. Her account leadership roles have focused on many of the firm’s largest accounts across all sectors.

Laura is a frequent speaker on cultivating an inclusive culture and has championed inclusion and equity in education and health care through her board and philanthropic activities.

Laura holds a B.B.A. degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and a M.B.T. degree from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. She is a licensed CPA in Florida, New York and Minnesota and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of CPAs and the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants

Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., MBA, is the President and CEO, as well as a professor at La Jolla Institute for Immunology. Throughout her career, Dr. Saphire had her sights firmly trained on research areas with the greatest global scientific and public health impact. She is one of the world’s leading experts in pandemic and emerging viruses and has been a pioneer in structural immunology with many previously considered impossible “firsts” to her name. These firsts are, of course, seminal discoveries in understanding deadly viruses at the molecular level but, more importantly, her successful efforts to build truly global, multidisciplinary consortia that had tremendous impact on global human health and propelled the entire field forward. Capitalizing on her unique ability to bring together researchers from academia, industry and government to bridge the gulf between results obtained in the lab and treatments urgently needed in the field, Dr. Saphire is leading several international consortia that successfully addressed the urgent need for effective vaccines and antibody therapeutics against viral threats such as COVID-19, Ebola, and Lassa. Recognizing the need to close the research gap in women’s health, Dr. Saphire recently launched an institute-wide initiative to uncover sex-based differences in the immune system and how these foundational differences can be applied to improve the lives of both women and men. Among many other awards and honors, Dr. Saphire’s work has been recognized at the White House with the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, the Pantheon Award for Academia, Non-Profit and Research from the California Life Sciences and Marion Spencer Fay Award.

Venki Ramakrishnan was born and grew up in India where he obtained a degree in physics. At the age of 19, he left for the United States to pursue a PhD in physics, but his interests soon turned to biology. He spent almost three decades in the USA before moving to England in 1999 to work in the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge where he is now a Group Leader. Most of his work has been on central problems in molecular biology, including how genetic information in our DNA is “read” to make the proteins they specify. This process is carried out by the ribosome, an enormous molecular complex of about half a million atoms. He and others determined the precise atomic structure of the ribosome which helped us to understand how it worked. The work also showed how many antibiotics work by blocking bacterial ribosomes, which could help us to design better antibiotics. For this work, he shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. From 2015-2020, Ramakrishnan was president of the Royal Society, one of the oldest scientific organizations in the world. During his term, he developed an interest in broader issues such as science policy and public engagement.

Ramakrishnan is the author of two books. The first, Gene Machine (2018), is a popular memoir about the quest for the structure of the ribosome. It describes what it was like to be an outsider who found himself in the middle of a race for an important problem, and talks about how science is done, with its mixture of insights and persistence as well as blunders and dead ends. It also takes a very frank look at how scientists behave, with their mixture of competition and collaboration, their egos, insecurities and jealousies, but also their kindness and generosity. His most recent book, Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality (2024) is about the biology of aging and death. It tries to look beyond the incessant hype to take an unvarnished look at current efforts to attack aging and at the culture and social consequences of efforts to extend lifespan.

Dr. Megan L. Ranney is an emergency physician, researcher, and leading advocate for innovative approaches to public health. She is the Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, the C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health, and a Professor of Emergency Medicine at Yale University. Dr. Ranney is the first Dean to lead the school since its independence in 2024. Under her leadership, the school is pursuing a bold new strategic vision of linking science and society, making public health foundational to communities everywhere.

Dr. Ranney’s career has been driven by her front-row seat to preventable public health crises from her formative years in the Peace Corps to her 20+ years as a practicing emergency medicine physician. Whether addressing road traffic injuries and firearm violence, HIV and COVID-19, or the importance of healthcare access, her first-hand experiences have fueled her commitment to high-quality science but also to making sure the science is used and understood by communities across the globe.

She has been a national leader in restarting the science of firearm injury prevention as a health issue after a 24-year pause in federal funding. Her work on violence prevention, the use of technology to augment prevention, and the role of systems-level change in enhancing care has been published over 200 times in journals such as NEJM, JAMA, and Nature. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, in recognition of her scientific impact.

In addition to her scholarly work, she has harnessed social media to spark large public health movements, such as securing and distributing over 17 million units of donated PPE for those who needed it most at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She started two successful non-profits and serves as a board member on national and international organizations that work to use science to reduce firearm injury, improve science communication, and enhance emergency care, among other leadership roles. Dr. Ranney has also shaped bipartisan policy and public opinion. She has provided Congressional testimonies and other expertise to the U.S. Surgeon General and the White House across multiple presidential administrations. She is a sought-after media presence as well, with over 1,000 national and international appearances that translate public health messages and science for the public.

Before her Deanship at Yale, Dr. Ranney was previously the Warren Alpert Endowed Professor of Emergency Medicine, Deputy Dean of the School of Public Health, and Founding Director of the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health at Brown University.

Dr. Ranney earned her bachelor's degree in history of science, graduating summa cum laude from Harvard University; her medical doctorate, graduating Alpha Omega Alpha from Columbia University; and her master’s degree in public health from Brown University. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine and a fellowship in Injury Prevention Research at Brown University.

Vardit Ravitsky is President and CEO of the Hastings Center, an independent, nonpartisan bioethics research institute that is among the most prestigious bioethics and health policy institutes in the world. She is Senior Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and was a Full Professor at the Bioethics Program, School of Public Health, University of Montreal. She is Past-President of the International Association of Bioethics, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and of The Hastings Center.

Ravitsky’s research focuses on the ethics of genomics and reproduction, as well as AI in health. It has been funded by Canada’s leading funding agencies and the NIH. She published over 250 articles and commentaries on bioethical issues and has given over 300 talks world-wide and over 400 media interviews.

Her research covers a variety of topics such as public funding of In-Vitro Fertilization; pre-implantation and prenatal genetic testing; sperm and egg donation; epigenetics; germline and somatic gene editing; and the use of Artificial Intelligence in biomedical research. She has been involved in research and policy regarding pandemic ethics and was invested in public outreach during COVID-19.

Ravitsky is a Principal Investigator on two Bridge2AI research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health that expand the use of AI in biomedical and behavioral research. She served on the steering committee of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) to develop an Artificial Intelligence Code of Conduct (AICC).

Ravitsky holds a BA from the Sorbonne University in Paris, an MA from the University of New Mexico in the US, and a PhD from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Previously, she was Fellow at the Department of Bioethics at the NIH, and faculty at the Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, at the University of Pennsylvania. She was also a Senior Policy Advisor at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in Canada.

Lou Reese, alongside his wife Mei Mei Hu, are a “biotechnology power couple” committed to making a global impact, and are recognized as visionary leaders
striving to revolutionize healthcare with innovative and accessible solutions. They’re dedicated to a unique lifestyle and spend four months of the year living in
a teepee, underscoring their commitment to a unique and intentional life, prioritizing service, impact and meaning.

Lou and Mei Mei have been featured in publications including The Lancet and Nature Medicine. They are now working to eradicate the multi-trillion dollar
Alzheimer’s pandemic with their groundbreaking Active Immunotherapy Medicine (AIM) technology, and challenging the status quo of Big Pharma.

Axxium's approach shifts healthcare from expensive reactive treatments to affordable preventative solutions. Their work harnesses the body's immune system to create personalized medicines for chronic diseases. Axxium's Alzheimer’s vaccine candidate, UB-311, has completed Phase 2a clinical trials
and will soon enter Phase 3 trials. Axxium has developed a monoclonal antibody treatment to address the growing threat of multi-drug resistant HIV. Their vaccine programs are designed to be more affordable, convenient, and accessible, using a novel vaccine platform that essentially turns the body into its own monoclonal antibody manufacturer.

Lou is also a member of the executive committee of United Biomedical, Inc. As a co-founder of an investment and advisory firm, Lou focuses on achieving global impact through innovative models in real estate, energy, hospitality, and life Sciences.

In the life sciences sector, Lou’s portfolio includes companies managing over 2
million square feet of facilities, producing more than 500 million doses annually,
and vaccinating 25% of the world’s pigs. One of these companies is pioneering
an immunotherapy treatment for drug-resistant HIV. In real estate, Lou played a
pivotal role in creating and building the LEED certification criteria and introduced
the Green Demolition Accord in Oshkosh, diverting 95% of demolition materials
from landfills.

In energy, Lou founded Hawaii’s first solar fund and launched the fourth-fastest
solar integrator, reducing local energy costs by 11x. Previously, Lou was an
investment banker at JP Morgan. He holds a BA from the University of
Pennsylvania and attended Columbia Business School.

Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director and producer who has spent his notable career providing breathtaking imagery using his time-lapse, high- speed and macro cinematography techniques. Schwartzberg is a visual artist who breaks barriers, connects with audiences, and tells stories that celebrate life and reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, people, and places.

Louie’s theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker; the documentary, Wings of Life for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep, and America’s Heart and Soul for Walt Disney Studios. His feature film, Fantastic Fungi, narrated by Brie Larson received a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and was the #1 documentary on iTunes for 4 weeks. His latest feature, Gratitude Revealed, takes us on a transformational, cinematic experience of how to live a more meaningful life.

Schwartzberg’s Visual Healing is an offering of unique high- definition, immersive films that seamlessly bring nature and technology together to deliver positive physical, emotional and psychological benefits. The Visual Healing program is used to transform spaces in spas, lobbies, private suites, conference spaces, hospitals, and sports and recreation facilities into life-like natural environments. Visual Healing programs are currently being used in healthcare at UCSD, The Center for Brain Health at The University of Texas at Dallas, as well as numerous luxury hotels, spas, and galleries. For Schwartzberg, the greatest satisfaction is creating works that inspire audiences to celebrate Life and protect what we love.

Wielding one of the most identifiable voices of all-time, Seal has left an indelible imprint on pop, R&B, soul, and dance music. Along the way, he has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, generated in excess of 1 billion streams, and garnered four GRAMMY® Awards, three BRIT Awards, Two Ivor Novello Awards, and one MTV VMA.

As a versatile and vital force throughout popular culture, his catalog encompasses ubiquitous anthems such as “Killer,” “Crazy,” and “Kiss From A Rose,” which toppled the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, scored GRAMMY® Awards for “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year” and adorned his quadruple-platinum 1994 epic, Seal II. In retrospect, Stereogum likened it to a “radio wave sent out across the universe from a much, much prettier planet.” In addition to appearing in films by iconic directors such as Spike Lee and the late Joel Schumacher, his music has been celebrated with covers by Alanis Morissette, Bastille, and George Michael, to name a few.

Speaking to his enduring influence, Seal notably appeared in The Lonely Island’s cult classic Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping, Tyler Perry’s The Passion, America’s Got Talent, and The Masked Singer. Most recently, he earned a GRAMMY® Award nod in the category of “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” for Standards in 2019.

Along the way, he has collaborated with everyone from Jeff Beck, Joni Mitchell, and Santana to P!nk, John Legend, and Gallant. However, Seal’s voice resounds louder than ever with more music in 2024 and beyond.

A distinguished educator, Donna E. Shalala is Trustee Professor of Political Science and Health Policy at the University of Miami. She was President of the University of Miami (2001-2015), Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1987-1993), and President of Hunter College of the City University of New York (1980-1987). One of the most honored academics of her generation, she has been elected to seven national academies including the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Education, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. She has more than five dozen honorary degrees from American and International Universities. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

One of the country’s first Peace Corps Volunteers (Iran), her public service also includes serving as Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration for eight years. In 2008 President George W. Bush selected her as the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. She was named “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News & World Report (2005), received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights (2010), the Radcliffe Medal (2008), and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame (2011).

Professor Shalala received her A.B. from Western College for Women and her PhD from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Ash is a Principal at KPMG serving as the National Healthcare Industry Leader. He leads KPMG’s work in healthcare across the Audit, Tax, and Advisory functions for the U.S. market and the Americas region. Ash also supports several Audit Committees across the industry and advises senior leaders and Boards on industry trends and strategies.

Ash is a highly experienced healthcare professional at the cutting edge of information technology (IT) advances in the sector. In a career spanning over 35 years, he has worked for some of the world’s leading IT and consulting firms, using technology to drive improvements such as telemedicine, e-commerce, membership systems, customer service and healthcare management.

Ash has a proven track record in leading teams to develop long-term client relationships and deliver innovative, compelling, and transformational solutions across the healthcare ecosystem. He builds strong and collaborative teams with an aligned mission to deliver customer excellence and sustainable growth.

As Senior Executive Director Healthcare for Americas with Cisco, he was responsible for payers, providers and life sciences accounts including the Mayo Clinic, WellPoint, Cigna, Wellcare, Medtronic and Kaiser. He led the development and deployment of telemedicine solutions with key clients and government agencies.

Prior to this, Ash was Vice President Health Solutions for Wellpoint, supporting over 32 million members (one in 10 Americans) in enterprise applications. He also held senior positions with KGT Global Technologies, IBM and Accenture, leading executive teams in the U.S. and around the world through major change programs in hospitals, medical service providers, physician group practices and managed care organizations.

Ash’s breadth of experience is typified by his first two roles: first as owner of his own consulting and medical management business, and then with The University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the U.S., where he was a hospital administrator leading several departments including Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Lab Medicine, Managed Care, Cancer and Pharmacy.

Robin L. Smith, MD, MBA is a global business leader, medical doctor, author and entrepreneur in the healthcare industry. She is a trailblazer in regenerative medicine and predictive analytics and has focused on turnarounds, M&A and disruptive innovations driving interest and growth. Dr. Smith received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine. She holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, completed the Stanford University Directors Program and received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. A thought leader in health, Dr. Smith addressed diverse audiences in interviews and talks at prestigious venues such as the Future Investment Initiative, the Lake Nona Impact Forum and the Vatican, and participated in numerous scientific conferences.

Dr. Smith is also active in many nonprofit organizations. She founded the Cura Foundation in 2007, a nonsectarian public charity dedicated to improving human health and well-being and increasing quality of life globally. As president and chairman of the board, Dr. Smith led the Cura Foundation through successful events and partnerships, having worked with amazing individuals and institutions, including the Vatican to educate, accelerate innovation and create the #UniteToPrevent and #UniteToCure movement.

Alison Snyder is a managing editor at Axios, where she oversees coverage of science, space, and transportation, among other topics. Previously, she was executive producer at The Washington Post, overseeing the editorial team for “Washington Post Live.”

Snyder’s work has also appeared in The Daily Beast, Scientific American, The Scientist, and The Lancet. She graduated from MIT with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and received master’s degrees in botany from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and in journalism from New York University.

Nicholas St. Fleur is an award-winning science and health journalist who previously worked for STAT, The New York Times, and The Atlantic. At STAT, he reported on the intersection of race, medicine, and the life sciences, hosted the health equity podcast Color Code, and emceed and moderated summits and other live events. He has conducted interviews onstage with notable figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, pop star Nick Jonas, 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki, Admiral Rachel Levine, and former surgeon general Dr. Jerome Adams.

A feature he wrote about “hot spots of death” in the U.S., where young men are dying at higher rates from colorectal cancer, won the 2023 June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism. As part of the story, St. Fleur documented his own colonoscopy, which was featured on Good Morning America. St. Fleur has also won the 2021 Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award for Young Science Journalists and the 2024 Lazarex Cancer Foundation’s Disruptor Award for his reporting on diversity in clinical trials.

Before joining STAT in 2020 as a Knight-Wallace Fellow to report on racial health inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Fleur was a freelance journalist covering archaeology, paleontology, space, and other curiosities of the cosmos. His reporting on Lithuanian mummies earned him the 2018 Gene S. Stuart Award from the Society for American Archaeology. At The New York Times, he was a lead reporter covering the 2017 Great American Eclipse. He is also the author of the children’s book Did You Know? Dinosaur (DK Publishing and the Smithsonian).

St. Fleur holds a B.S. in biology from Cornell University and is a graduate of the Science Communication Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He lives with his wife in the Washington, D.C., area.

Lawrence H. Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus of Harvard University. During the past three decades, he has served in a series of senior policy positions in Washington, D.C., including the 71st Secretary of the Treasury for President Clinton, Director of the National Economic Council for President Obama and Vice President of Development Economics and Chief Economist of the World Bank.

He received a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1975 and was awarded a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1982. In 1983, he became one of the youngest individuals in recent history to be named as a tenured member of the Harvard University faculty. In 1987, Mr. Summers became the first social scientist ever to receive the annual Alan T. Waterman Award of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and in 1993 he was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, given every two years to the outstanding American economist under the age of 40.

He is currently the Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard University and the Weil Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at Harvard’s Kennedy School. He and his wife Elisa New, Host and Director of PBS’s Poetry in America, reside in Brookline and have six children.

Jonathan Swerdlin is the co-founder and CEO of Function, the fastest growing personal health platform. Driven by a life mission to empower everyone to live 100 healthy years, he is a leader in leveraging technology for human health and a fierce advocate for privacy and transparency in medicine. Jonathan lives in Austin, and enjoys making music and the great outdoors.

Mr. Rasesh “Sesh” Thakkar serves as Senior Managing Director of Tavistock Group and has been with the Group for 25+ years. Mr. Thakkar’s areas of experience ranges across industries such as life sciences, financial services, real estate, and leisure services as well as corporate finance and structures, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and operations. He’s also known for being one of the main visionaries behind Lake Nona.

Currently, he serves on the Board and Governors Council of the Orlando Economic Partnership. He is also on the Board of Directors of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation and TECO Energy and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tavistock Foundation and the Florida Governor’s Council of 100.

Dr. Tara Thiagarajan is the Founder and Chief Scientist of global non-profit Sapien Labs that is dedicated to understanding how our changing environment impacts the human brain and mind. Sapien Labs runs the Global Mind Program, the largest ongoing study of our evolving mental wellbeing across 70 countries in 17 languages, as well as Human Brain/Mind research centers embedded within Universities. These programs have documented the globally diminishing mental wellbeing or mind health of younger generations and uncovered crucial insights into the chemical and cultural factors driving this decline.

Sapien Labs’ work now informs governments and nonprofits around the world as well as provides opportunities for schools and organizations to gain data-driven insights into the mental wellbeing of their student body and/or workforce, and their specific risk factors that can guide the development of preventative strategies, policies, and solutions.

Previously Dr. Thiagarajan was Founder and Chairman of Madura Microfinance, a company that provided microloans to millions of small-scale entrepreneurs across India and was ranked by Forbes as one of the most cost-efficient microfinance companies worldwide. She has also founded or managed several other companies, worked in the pharma industry in strategic scientific management, and as an academic neuroscientist. She has published scientifically across multiple disciplines from cellular and network physiology of neural systems to analytical methodologies and mental health and psychiatry.

Dr. Thiagarajan has a broad interdisciplinary background spanning entrepreneurship, mathematics, neuroscience, and complex systems. She has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University, a B.A. in Mathematics from Brandeis University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Previously a Senior Vice President and General Manager at Oracle, and a recent addition to MERGE’s board in 2024, Trunzo is poised to drive the company's growth at the crucial nexus of consumerism and health and wellness.

With more than 20 years of leadership spanning technology, marketing, health, and storytelling, Stephanie's visionary approach is set to scale MERGE’s impact where consumer trends, innovative technology, and health audiences converge.

Throughout her tenure at Oracle, Trunzo launched the Oracle Health global business unit and oversaw the strategic acquisition of Cerner, enhancing digital capabilities for healthcare systems. Her leadership extended across various sectors, including life science, retail, and financial services, as well as leading digital transformation for Oracle’s most strategic cloud customers.

Before Oracle, her roles included executive positions at IBM, where she was integral in the development of the IBM Garage, a global network of collaboration hubs that fuse industry best practices with startup speed, and President and COO at PointSource, which she guided to significant growth and a successful public acquisition.

A staunch advocate for inclusivity in technology, Trunzo mentors emerging female leaders and supports diverse community and nonprofit organizations, including WomenNC and Transplants.org. She holds a degree in psychology, is a certified yoga instructor, and is recognized as a leading technology executive and member of the FCV Collective, committed to healthcare innovation.

Gordon, a former ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) world-ranked player both in singles and doubles, is the visionary behind the CourtSense program.

Gordon was honored by the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Tennis Association for his outstanding contributions to using sports science in the game of tennis in 2013. At a young age, Gordon excelled in multiple sports which helped prepare him for his true passion for tennis. Gordon believes deeply in developing children to be fit, agile, responsible, and in their earlier pre-teen years to be trained in a variety of sports. He had long dreamed of developing a top-quality multi-faceted instructional program that integrates all of these values, a program he had often wished was available to him as a junior player.

During his last three years on the tour, Gordon trained under Jose Higueras, one of the most accomplished coaches in tennis, and traveled with Coach Carlos Cano, currently Director of Player Development and Coaches at CourtSense. He also worked with Dr. James Loehr, recognized as the most influential sports psychologist in tennis, and later was a student of his work. While on tour, Gordon trained with top world-ranked players such as Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, and Todd Martin.

Through these extraordinary experiences, Gordon gained extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of the game of tennis. He has been an advisor/consultant to Novak Djokovic for many years and continues to be one and was part of Christina McHale’s coaching team from 12 years old to her early 20’s (highest ranking 22 in the world WTA and the United States Olympian at the 2012 London games). In the past Gordon has worked with world-class players, Vince Spadea (formerly #19 in the world), Dmitry Tursunov (formerly #21 in the world), and Luis Flores (formerly #9 in the world in ITF Juniors), among many others. Gordon, along with GM Ogi Nikolovski and Director of Coaches Carlos Cano has worked tirelessly developing and handpicking the best coaches from around the world.

The CourtSense program that Gordon, Carlos, and the rest of a tremendously committed team has developed, is a dream that has come to fruition.

19-year-old singer-songwriter Zia Victoria is celebrated for her evocative voice and deeply introspective songwriting. She gained international acclaim after opening for Grammy-winning artist Seal during his 2023 European tour, captivating audiences with her powerful performances and cross-generational appeal.

Zia’s journey began at a young age when she wrote the anthem for the Novak Djokovic Foundation at just 11 years old and performed on The Today Show, moving audiences with her original songs “Taking Flight” and “High School Wake.”

At 16, Zia signed with Warner Chappell Music, marking the start of her professional career. She is also a graduate of the Los Angeles Academy for Artists & Music Production (LAAMP), where she collaborated with Stargate on her debut EP, 05 BABY. Zia’s music, which blends rock, pop, and alternative influences, often explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, and human connection. Seal has praised her extraordinary talent, noting her courage and potential to heal the next generation through her art.

Committed to giving back, Zia serves as Head of the Junior Board of the Youth Performance Institute (YPI), an organization focused on providing mentorship and development opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds.

With new releases on the horizon, Zia Victoria continues to push boundaries and inspire listeners with her authentic, heartfelt music.

A mother, an actress, an activist, a speaker, and a meditation teacher with a long-standing humanitarian engagement. A co-founder of the Never Alone, suicide prevention and mental wellbeing initiative of The Chopra Foundation. A movement that reduces mental health stigma and democratizes access to mental health hygiene tools. A Global Goodwill Ambassador to Skypower and the Honorary President of a grassroots charity in Myanmar. Wright lent her voice to UN Women and the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Wright is the innovator of the Mental Hygiene Toolkit, a collection of mind cleansing and self-awareness tools to help individuals nurture their bodies, minds, and spirits, and develop inner guidance to consciously choose the best path for their lives. She has been a long-life student of Tibetan Buddhism and Vedanta.

Wright's acting and humanitarian projects bring her closer to understanding human nature and what binds consciousness to reality. She is the founder of the production company Conscious Intent, which supports different media formats to promote the human story. Her recent projects include "I Am Never Alone," which is the impetus for the Never Alone campaign with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Michael Beckwith, Temple Hayes directed by Michel Pascal.

As a motivational speaker, Wright has participated in numerous events, talk shows, podcasts, and social media outlets. Her recent engagements include UN Women conventions in London and Los Angeles, the First UN Trust Fund Grantee Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Difficult Dialogues forum in India, a suicide prevention seminar, and the Lake Nona Impact Forum. She is the annual host and co-founder of the Never Alone Summit, which features over 100+ speakers who share their strength and resilience tools in the mental health space.

As executive vice president for Strategic Missions and Technologies at Microsoft, Jason Zander leads a global engineering organization incubating technical products and support with transformative potential for the future of cloud computing and continued company growth, such as quantum computing and advanced AI for science.

Zander joined Microsoft as a software developer in 1992 from IBM and advanced into engineering leadership roles with increasing scope and business responsibilities. He was one of the original members of the .NET Common Language Runtime team in 1996. By 2010, Zander advanced to become corporate vice president of the Visual Studio team, where he led the product in its growth to over a billion dollars in annual revenue and incubated several efforts, including projects that would evolve into Visual Studio Code.

Due to the growing importance of the cloud for Microsoft’s future growth, Satya Nadella named Zander to lead Azure development in 2012. In 2014, after Nadella became CEO, Zander’s responsibilities expanded to encompass the entire Azure business, which led to his promotion in 2018 to executive vice president and joining Microsoft’s Senior Leadership Team. In 2021, he formed the Strategic Missions and Technologies division reporting directly to the CEO to incubate next-generation infrastructure technology.

Zander is also the Chief Technology Advisor of TitletownTech in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is a joint venture between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, to support and invest in early stage, high-growth businesses in the region. He is a board member of Cotiviti, a leading solutions and analytics company that is reshaping the economics of healthcare. He was also previously a board member of atheneahealth, which provides network-enabled services and mobile apps for healthcare systems and medical groups.

Zander holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Minnesota State University and lives in the Seattle area with his family.

Widely recognized as one of the leading collaborative pianists of the day, Brian Zeger has performed with many of the world’s greatest singers including Marilyn Horne, Deborah Voigt, Anna Netrebko, Susan Graham, René Pape, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Piotr Beczala, Bryn Terfel, Joyce DiDonato, Denyce Graves and Adrianne Pieczonka in an extensive concert career has taken him to the premiere concert halls throughout the United States and abroad.

He has recorded extensively for the EMI, Koch, Naxos and New World labels, with his most recent recordings for the Delos label, including Gathering: Songs by Ben Moore, featuring an exceptional array of opera and Broadway stars; A Lost World - Schubert Songs and Duets with Susanna Phillips and Shenyang; All Who Wander, a recital disc with Jamie Barton; Preludios - Spanish songs with Isabel Leonard; a recording of Strauss and Wagner lieder with Adrianne Pieczonka, and Dear Theo: 3 Song Cycles by Ben Moore with Paul Appleby, Susanna Phillips and Brett Polegato.

In addition to his distinguished concert career, he also serves as Artistic Director of the Marcus Vocal Arts Department at The Juilliard School and previously served for eight years as the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artists Development Program. Previously he had served for many seasons as the director of the vocal program at the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival as well as on the faculties of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, the Chautauqua Institute, the Mannes College of Music and the Peabody Conservatory. He has given master classes for numerous institutions, including The Guildhall School of Music in London, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Tanglewood Music Center, the Marilyn Horne Foundation and Stanford University.

Born in upstate New York, Mr. Zeger is now a resident of Manhattan. He holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Harvard College, a master's degree from The Juilliard School and a doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music. His important teachers have included Morris Borenstein, Sascha Gorodnitzki and Nina Svetlanova.