• Kevin Allen

    Renowned Business Development Guru & Advertising’s Legendary Billion Dollar Man

    An expert in business development, masterful pitchman Kevin Allen is recognized as one of the advertising industry’s most accomplished growth professionals. Allen is the author of The Hidden Agenda: A Proven Way to Win Business and Create a Following, a Wall Street Journal bestseller and the e-book, The Buoyant Leader: A Leadership Course for the […]

  • Mary Kay Andrews

    New York Times Best-selling Author

    “The queen of the beach reads.” —Writer’s Digest Mary Kay Andrews is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Savannah Breeze, Blue Christmas and Hissy Fit. Her latest beach read is Ladies’ Night. A former reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she writes funny, […]

  • Amanda Bennett

    Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Author

    Amanda Bennett is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, editor, and author of several books including The Cost of Hope: The Story of a Marriage, a Family and a Quest for Life (Random House), her memoir of the battle she and Foley, her late husband, fought against his kidney cancer. The book chronicles the extraordinary measures […]

  • Patricia Bosworth

    Award-winning Journalist, Best-selling Biographer, Vanity Fair Contributing Editor

    Patricia Bosworth, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair for over two decades, is an award-winning journalist and best-selling biographer and memoirist. She was awarded the Front Page Award and was a Senior Fellow in Columbia’s National Arts Journalism Program, where she received a grant to research her most recent book, Jane Fonda: The Private Life […]

  • Jennifer Finney Boylan

    Transgender & Civil Rights Pioneer, Bestselling author & New York Times Columnist; GLAAD National Co-chair

    Jennifer Finney Boylan is the author of the critically acclaimed breakthrough bestseller She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders, one of the first bestselling works by a transgender American. An activist for LGBTQ people, and transgender men and women in particular, she is a sought-after speaker on a wide range of topics including LGBTQ issues, […]

  • Jamie Brickhouse

    Critically-acclaimed memoirist & champion storyteller; speaker on alcoholism, suicide prevention, Lewy body dementia, memoir

    “Jamie Brickhouse has lived an amazing life—in and out of publishing—and he provides audiences with a vivid and insightful talk that will be sure to provoke and inspire.” —Shaye Areheart, Director of the Columbia Publishing Course Jamie Brickhouse is the author of the critically-acclaimed Dangerous When Wet: A Memoir of Booze, Sex, and My Mother whose […]

  • David Dosa, MD, MPH

    Specialist in Geriatric Care, Alzheimer’s & End-of-Life Care

    David Dosa, MD, MPH is a practicing geriatrician and health services researcher at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and the author of the New York Times Bestseller Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat. One of just 7,000 geriatricians in the United States, he is currently a practicing physician in […]

  • Dorothea Benton Frank

    New York Times Best-selling Author

    South Carolina native Dorothea Benton Frank is a best-selling author, public keynote speaker, and nonprofit fundraiser. She is the New York Times best-selling author of Folly Beach, Pawleys Island, Shem Creek, Isle of Palms, Plantation, Sullivan’s Island, Full of Grace, The Christmas Pearl, Bulls Island, Return to Sullivan’s Island and Lowcountry Summer. Her latest novel […]

  • Charles Gasparino

    Fox Business Network Senior Correspondent, Wall Street Insider, Award-winning Journalist

    Charles Gasparino is senior correspondent for FOX Business Network (FBN), an award-winning business journalist, and New York Times best-selling author of Bought and Paid For: The Hidden Relationship between Wall Street and Washington, Circle of Friends: The Massive Federal Crackdown on Insider Trading – and Why the Markets Always Work Against the Little Guy, The […]

  • David Gelles

    Expert on Mindfulness in the Workplace & New York Times Business Reporter

    David Gelles is a business reporter for the New York Times and the author of Mindful Work: How Meditation is Changing Business from the Inside Out (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). He has practiced meditation for 15 years since studying it in India and spent two years traveling the U.S. unearthing stories of the uses of mediation in […]

  • Sara Goldrick-Rab, Ph.D.

    Award-Winning Higher Education Expert

    Sara Goldrick-Rab, Ph.D. is Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology at Temple University, and Founder of the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, the nation’s only action research laboratory seeking ways to make college more affordable. She is best known for her innovative research on food and housing insecurity in higher education, having led the three largest national studies on the subject, […]

  • Jane Green

    International Best-selling Author; Speaker on Cancer Care, Lyme Disease & Addiction in the Family

    Jane Green is the internationally best-selling author of 15 novels. She is renowned for capturing in the fiction of her books the reality of women’s lives at all stages: from single thirty-somethings (Straight Talking); to marriage (The Other Woman), motherhood (Another Piece of My Heart), and divorce, stepchildren, and affairs; to midlife crises (Family Pictures […]

  • Erica Jong

    Cultural Icon & Legendary Author of Fear of Flying; Award-winning Poet, Essayist, and Best-selling Novelist; Specialist in Women’s Issues

    Erica Jong is a poet, novelist, essayist, and cultural icon best known for her ground-breaking novel Fear of Flying. The internationally best-selling story of Isadora Wing coined a new phrase for a sex act and liberated a generation with a new way of thinking about gender, sexuality, and freedom in our society. 2013 marked the 40th […]

  • John Joseph

    Inspirational Speaker, Advocate of Plant-based Living, Frontman for the Legendary Punk Band the Cro-Mags

    John Joseph is the frontman for the legendary punk band, the Cro-Mags, author of The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon, his inspirational memoir, and Meat Is for Pussies: A How-To Guide for Dudes Who Want to Get Fit, Kick Ass, and Take Names, an in-your-face look at guys’ health which has become an underground success and has […]

  • Charles Kaiser

    Award-winning Author & Journalist; Expert on the Media, Politics, the 1960s, and Gay Life in America

    Charles Kaiser is an expert on the media, politics, the 1960s, and gay life in America through his three-decade career as a journalist and author. He is a former reporter for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and was the press critic at Newsweek. He is the author of The Gay Metropolis, […]

  • Mary Karr, Ph.D.

    Award-Winning, Bestselling Memoirist & Poet

    “Karr is a national treasure.” —George Saunders “Mary Karr is a pistol. She brings firepower to the podium with great style and a contagious Texas twang . . . our audience is still talking about her memorable performance.” —Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures “Mary Karr captivates and befriends her audience with her understated intelligence, her adroit use […]

  • Mollie Katzen

    James Beard Hall of Fame Inductee & Legendary Cookbook Author

    Mollie Katzen, with over six million books in print, is listed by the New York Times as one of the best-selling cookbook authors of all time. A 2007 inductee into the prestigious James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, and largely credited with moving healthful food from the fringe to the center of the American dinner […]

  • Wally Lamb

    Award-winning, New York Times Best-selling Author

    HBO is producing an eight-episode mini-series based on I Know This Much is True, starring Mark Ruffalo as twins from the novel, directed by Derek Cianfrance and developed by Ruffalo and Lamb. Wally Lamb is the author of six New York Times best-selling novels: I’ll Take You There, We Are Water, Wishin’ and Hopin’, The Hour I First Believed, I Know This […]

  • Tom Leopold

    TV Comedy Writer, Co-host of Sirius XM’s “Entertaining Truth” & Unlikely Catholic Convert

    Tom Leopold, veteran comedy writer of such hit TV shows as Seinfeld, Cheers, and Will and Grace, has been making audiences laugh for over four decades. As Christopher Guest says, “When it comes to comedy, Tom Leopold has an extra gene. You may not know it, but he has probably made you laugh.” Now he’s keeping […]

  • Madeline Levine, M.A., Ph.D.

    Renowned Psychologist & Parenting Expert on Child & Adolescent Issues

    Madeline Levine, Ph.D. is a psychologist with close to 30 years of experience as a clinician, consultant, educator, and author of the New York Times bestsellers, The Price of Privilege and Teach Your Children Well. She is highly sought after as a lecturer and keynote speaker for parents, educators, and business leaders both nationally and […]

  • Lawrence H. Levy

    Award-winning TV Writer and Novelist

    Lawrence H. Levy is a novelist, an award-winning film and TV writer, a Writers Guild Award winner for Seinfeld, and a two-time Emmy nominee. He has written for various hit TV shows such as Seinfeld, Roseanne, Family Ties, Who’s the Boss, Facts of Life, Seventh Heaven, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Charlie’s Angels, and Saved by […]

  • Junheng Li

    Financial Expert on Investing with China in Age of Trump

    “The profound implications for China’s investing environment can be summarized into two words: ‘buyer beware,’ writes Junheng Li … This book … is a treasury of her knowledge on how to exploit rampant market inefficiencies to make a profit in China.” – Forbes “We can learn a lot about finance and investing from Tiger Woman […]

  • Seth Lipsky

    Legendary Figure in Contemporary Journalism; Authority on the Constitution and the Gold Standard

    Seth Lipsky has been described in the Boston Globe as “a legendary figure in contemporary journalism,” in the Atlantic.com as having “the most interesting mind in journalism,” and in the New Criterion as “one of our age’s great journalists.” Steve Forbes has called his editorials on monetary reform “brilliant” — “the Federalist Papers for a […]

  • Gregory Maguire

    Award-winning, Best-selling Author of the Wicked Years Novels

    Gregory Maguire is the author of the best-selling Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the basis for the Tony Award-winning Broadway and international hit musical of the same name. He is also the author of the best-sellers After Alice, a novel based on Lewis Carroll’s 150-year-old classic, Alice’s Adventures in […]

  • Barbara McClintock

    Internationally Acclaimed & Multiple Award-winning Author and Illustrator of Books for Children

    “Barbara McClintock was one of those rare presenters that can entertain an audience of both adults and children. Her varied presentation style kept the audience engaged. Kids seemed to enjoy the candid snapshots of the author at home working in her bathrobe and the silly interactive drawing session while adults seemed to appreciate the story […]

  • Danny Meyer

    A Time 100 Most Influential People in the World; Award-winning Restaurateur

    Danny Meyer is the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and the founder of Shake Shack. Union Square Hospitality Group includes Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Smoke, Jazz Standard, The Modern, Maialino, Untitled, North End Grill, Marta, Porchlight, Union Square Events, and Hospitality Quotient, a learning and consulting business. Meyer, his restaurants and chefs […]

  • Ben Michaelis, Ph.D.

    Clinical Psychologist, Blogger for Huffington Post and Psychology Today, Expert on Unlocking Creativity for a Life of Purpose

    Ben Michaelis, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, popular blogger for Huffington Post and Psychology Today, and the author of Your Next Big Thing: Ten Small Steps to Get Moving and Get Happy. He has worked with hundreds of patients, including New York Times best-selling authors, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, business professionals, and students to help them realize […]

  • David Mixner

    Internationally Known Human Rights Activist, Gay Rights Advocate & Bestselling Author

      “The presentation by David Mixner was moving and heartfelt. Our audience really enjoyed it and was so pleased to have the opportunity to meet this great man of the world who is a stellar example to our students on how much a single human being can have an impact and make real change in […]

  • Bill Persky

    Five-time Emmy Award-winning Writer, Director and Producer

    Bill Persky is a  five-time Emmy Award-winning writer, director, and producer for such hit TV shows as the Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, Sid Caesar, Bill Cosby, and Kate & Allie. As funny as the comedy scripts he has written for over four decades, he is a sought after keynote and after dinner speaker. […]

  • Mary Pilon

    Award-winning Journalist; Speaker on the Business of Games, Sports, and Innovation

    Mary Pilon is the author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game (Bloomsbury, February 2015), a former sports reporter for the New York Times, and past business reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Her work has been featured in The Best American Sports Writing and garnered awards from […]

  • Barbara Reich

    Nationally Recognized Professional Organizer; Author of Secrets of an Organized Mom

    Barbara Reich is the go-to guru of organization.  For Reich, Professional Organizer of Resourceful Consultants, eliminating clutter is a way of life. She tackles organization with a 360- degree approach, streamlining the homes, offices, schedules, and daily lives of discerning clients to help them find the elusive work/life balance we all seek. Equal parts affable […]

  • Cal Ripken, Jr.

    Baseball Legend & “Iron Man”

    Baseball’s “Iron Man,” Cal Ripken Jr. broke several professional baseball records during his 21 seasons, but none is as sacred as his consecutive-games-played record. Shattering Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2,131 games by more than 500, Ripken displayed perseverance, endurance, and an everyday work ethic that endeared him to fans, transformed him into a national icon—and […]

  • Kim Rossi

    Award-winning Autism Advocate; Mother of Three Autistic Daughters

    “Kim has a unique way of speaking about a heavy topic (raising children with autism) and making it enjoyable. . . I highly and enthusiastically recommend Kim Stagliano as a speaker – her inspiring words will positively touch the lives of all who have an opportunity to attend one of her presentations.” — Amy McCoy, […]

  • Leslie Sbrocco

    Wine Expert & Consultant, Award-winning Author and Television Host

    An award-winning author, speaker, wine consultant, and television host, Leslie Sbrocco is known for her educational and entertaining approach to wine.  Voted as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the American wine business by IntoWine.com, Sbrocco’s engaging personality, humor, and in-depth knowledge are her trademarks whether appearing on screen or in person. Sbrocco’s […]

  • Charles R. Scott

    National Geographic-featured Family Adventurer and United Nations Climate Hero

    Charles R. Scott worked at Intel Corporation for 14 years including five years in Intel’s venture investing group, where he developed the corporation’s clean technology software investment strategy. In 2011, he left Intel to focus his energy full-time on writing, speaking, and completing endurance challenges with his family linked to environmental causes. In the summer of 2009, […]

  • John Searles

    Best-selling Novelist, Today Show Literary Commentator, Editor-at-Large at Cosmopolitan

      “John Searles gave a fabulous keynote address at the 2008 Backspace Writers Conference. Not only did he charm the audience with his enthusiasm and humor, but many said John’s keynote was the highlight of the conference, and worth the cost of the registration fee alone.” —Karen Dionne, Administrator, Backspace LLC John Searles is the author […]

  • Nic Sheff

    New York Times Best-selling Author and Expert on Addiction & Recovery

    “Here is a young man who talks about very real issues of drug use and abuse without glamorizing them for a single second. As someone who’s been through so much and come out the other side – with the scars and ongoing challenges to show for it – he has so much to offer students […]

  • Amity Shlaes

    Renowned Economic Thinker & Leading Presidential Historian

    “Amity Shlaes was an excellent speaker for the Women’s Global Leadership Conference, the largest conference for women in the energy industries.  She was able to speak to the economic issues confronting the industry.  But more impressive was her ability to give business cases and tell personal anecdotes that related to the professional women in attendance.  […]

  • Kenneth J. Sufka

    Award-winning Teacher and Researcher, College “A-Grade” Expert

    Kenneth J. Sufka, Ph.D. is an award-winning teacher and researcher – and a highly sought-after speaker on college and high school campuses. His smart and accessible book, The A Game: Nine Steps To Better Grades is a must-read for all college First Year Experience students and for junior and senior high school students (and their […]

  • Adriana Trigiani

    New York Times Best-selling Author & Award-winning Playwright, Television Writer, and Documentary Filmmaker

    Adriana Trigiani is the powerhouse New York Times best-selling author who is beloved by millions of readers around the world for her hilarious and heartwarming novels. Perhaps one popular book critic said it best: “Trigiani defies categorization. She is more than a one-hit wonder, more than a Southern writer, more than a woman’s novelist. She is […]

  • Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve

    Award-winning Criminal Justice Professor; Legal Commentator

    Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve is an Assistant Professor at Temple University in the Department of Criminal Justice with courtesy appointments in the Department of Sociology and the Beasley School of Law. She is the recipient of the 2014-2015 Ford Foundation Fellowship Postdoctoral Award and the 2015 New Scholar Award (co-winner) awarded by American Society of […]

  • Aaron Weinstein

    Award-winning Master Jazz Violinist & Humorist

    Called “the Groucho of the violin” by Tony Bennett and “a perfect musician” by jazz guitar legend, Bucky Pizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein “is rapidly establishing himself as one of his instrument’s rare jazz masters.” (Don Heckman, International Review of Music). He’s also a sought-after keynote speaker, lecturer and performer for music, film, and lecture series. His […]

  • Kate White

    Internationally Known Expert on Leadership, Success & Women in Business; New York Times Best-selling Novelist

    Kate White is an internationally known expert on leadership and success and a New York Times best-selling author of several influential books on work and careers, including, most recently, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: How to Ask for the Money, Snag the Promotion and Create the Career You Deserve and Why Good Girls Don’t Get […]

  • Marion Winik

    Award-Winning Author, Humorist, and NPR Commentator

    Marion Winik is an award-winning columnist, renowned humorist, longtime All Things Considered commentator (1991 – 2006), and the author of seven books of creative nonfiction. Her latest book is The Baltimore Book of the Dead (October, 2018; Counterpoint), a sequel to The Glen Rock Book of the Dead, for which Cheryl Strayed raved: “Winik has many […]

  • Tobias Wolff

    Multi-Award-Winning Author

    Tobias Wolff is a novelist, short story writer, and memoirist and the recipient of the 1985  for The Barracks Thief, the 1989 Whiting Award for Fiction and Nonfiction, the 2006 PEN/Malamud Award (co-winner), the 2008 The Story Prize for his collection of short stories, Our Story Begins, the 2014 Stone Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement, Oregon State University, the 2015 National […]

  • Mitchell Zuckoff

    Award-winning, New York Times Best-selling Historian & Journalist

    Mitchell Zuckoff is a professor of journalism at Boston University where he is the inaugural Sumner N. Redstone Professor in Narrative Studies. He is the New York Times best-selling author of Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II and Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of […]