speakers

Michael & Liz Symon

Michael Symon is an Emmy-winning television personality, James Beard Award-winning chef, bestselling author, and proud son of Cleveland. From Lola and Mabel’s BBQ to The Chew and Iron Chef America, Michael has built a hospitality and media career rooted in this city. Liz Symon is his longtime business partner, co-owner of their restaurant group, and the creative force behind much of their brand and storytelling. Together, they share the lessons of building, scaling, and sustaining a family-run hospitality business across three decades.

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Paul Roetzer

Paul Roetzer is the founder and CEO of Marketing AI Institute and co-host of The Artificial Intelligence Show, one of the most listened-to podcasts on AI in business. He is the co-author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business and the founder of the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON). Earlier in his career, Paul founded PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based digital marketing agency, which he sold in 2021. He is on a mission to help leaders understand, pilot, and scale AI.

Colin O’Brady

Colin O’Brady is an 11-time world-record-holding explorer, two-time Everest summiteer, and New York Times bestselling author. From becoming the first person to cross Antarctica solo and unsupported to rowing across the Drake Passage, Colin’s extreme adventures reveal the power of mindset and human potential. His books, TED Talk, and nonprofit work continue to inspire millions to conquer self-doubt and live their best lives.

Debbie Millman

Debbie Millman is an author, educator, designer, and one of the most influential creative voices in business. She is the host of Design Matters, one of the world’s first and longest-running podcasts, and Chair of the first-ever Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts. An award-winning leader in design and branding, Debbie’s work spans education, publishing, and culture, shaping how creatives and business leaders think about identity, meaning, and impact.

Omani Carson

Omani Carson is the founder and chairman of Carson Group, the financial services firm he started from a college dorm room and grew into one of the country’s fastest-growing RIAs, with more than $35 billion in assets under management. A New York Times bestselling author and Barron’s Hall of Fame inductee, Omani now leads Omya, his platform helping entrepreneurs align purpose, legacy, and impact.

Finnian Kelly

Finnian Kelly is a high-performance coach, sought-after speaker, and founder of Intentionality Inc. Known as ‘The Business Mystic,’ he helps world-changing leaders awaken consciousness in business and life through his Intentionality methodology. A former Australian military officer turned entrepreneur, Finnian awakens consciousness in business and inspires CEOs and leadership teams to have a more expansive human experience.

Lauren Regula

Lauren Regula is a 3x Olympian, Olympic Bronze Medalist, entrepreneur, and mom of three. After the birth of her third child, she faced deep personal struggles before working her way back to the Olympic stage and the podium at age 39. Today, she shares the mindset, systems, and resilience that helped her achieve big goals in sport, business, and family life, inspiring others to do the same.

David Spero

David Spero is a Cleveland music industry legend who has spent more than five decades at the intersection of rock and roll, radio, and artist management. A Personal Managers Hall of Fame inductee, he broke into Cleveland radio at age 16, became a key voice at WMMS in the 1970s, and went on to manage the Michael Stanley Band and Joe Walsh. He brokered the reconciliation between Walsh and Glenn Frey that led to the Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over reunion tour, which Spero himself calls the coolest thing he ever did. A Shaker Heights native, he owns the Cleveland office of Alliance Artists Ltd. and continues to shape the careers of legacy artists and emerging talent.

Azizi Marshall

Azizi Marshall is an award-winning film and theatre director, licensed clinical psychotherapist, international keynote speaker, and CEO of Content Studio Lab. She helps leaders and organizations translate their expertise into clear, compelling communication that builds trust, influence, and long-term visibility. Blending psychology, performance training, and storytelling, Azizi equips high-pressure leaders to communicate with grounded presence, emotional intelligence, and credibility on the world’s biggest stages.

Tom Zeller Jr.

Tom Zeller Jr. is an American journalist, former New York Times reporter and columnist, and current editor in chief of the digital science magazine Undark. His debut book is The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Condition, published by HarperCollins/Mariner in July, 2025. Part memoir, part scientific whodunnit, the search for the origins of his own headaches becomes a journey into the inner workings of the human nervous system, and a journalistic exploration of physical pain and our capacity for resilience when science and medicine fall short. Tom is also a co-editor and contributing author of the 2022 book A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism, published by Oxford University Press. He lives in western Montana.

Jason Henkel

Jason Henkel is the Founder and Chief Balance Engineer at Focus to Evolve, widely known as the “Productivity Whisperer.” Drawing on brain-based productivity science and his own years rising through a Fortune 100 company, he helps professionals escape the trance of busyness and work in a calmer, more deliberate, more effective way. His talks produce an immediate shift in how people work, deepening focus on what matters, cutting distraction, and strengthening wellbeing for individuals and teams alike. His mission is simple: help people and organizations make their highest contribution with greater clarity, fewer distractions, and a sustainable rhythm where both performance and wellbeing thrive.