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Palm Springs, California, November 13–16, 2024
Featured speakers
Murad Al-Katib
CEO and Founder, AGT Food and Ingredients
EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2017
Murad Al-Katib founded AGT Foods and Ingredients in 2001, building a Canadian startup into a global multibillion-dollar value-added, plant-based protein company supplying pulses, staple foods and ingredients to customers around the globe. Murad is a passionate advocate of global agriculture, food security and sustainability speaking extensively on the opportunities and challenges facing the world’s food system, compassionate entrepreneurism, and advocating the role of entrepreneurs in driving social change and innovation in the new global economy. His awards include the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2017. Murad lives in Canada with his wife, Michelle, and his twin children, Serra and Tariq.
Wayne Brady
Emmy-Winning Actor, Producer, Musician
Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Wayne Brady is an actor, producer, singer, dancer, songwriter and television personality. His aspirations have always gone beyond solely starring in various entertainment projects, and under his Makin’ It Up Productions banner, he’s set out to create new content that showcases innovation and inclusivity in fun and powerful ways. A five-time Emmy winner (the first to win Daytime and Primetime awards in two consecutive years), Wayne has an impressive TV resume, including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Masked Singer, Dancing with the Stars, Black Lightning, The Good Fight and American Gigolo.
Jasmine Crowe-Houston
Founder, Goodr
Entrepreneurial Winning Women 2021
Jasmine Crowe-Houston is an award-winning social entrepreneur, children’s book author and determined leader dedicated to making the world a better place. In 2017, after years of feeding people experiencing homelessness from her own kitchen, Jasmine launched Goodr, a sustainable waste management and hunger solutions company that leverages technology to reduce food waste and combat hunger. Goodr has provided over 34 million meals and counting to those in need and redirected more than 25 million pounds of materials from landfills, and it was named to Fortune Magazine’s Change the World list.
Gregory Daco
Chief Economist, EY-Parthenon
Gregory Daco is Chief Economist for the global EY organization — one of the world’s largest professional services organizations helping CEOs and business leaders design and deliver transformative strategies that help build long-term value. Greg leads global economic research and analysis for EY, providing insights and advice to clients, policymakers and the public on the most pressing economic issues and trends. Greg conducts frequent briefings for CEOs, corporate boards, trade associations and policymakers. He also acts as an internal advisor to the EY executive leadership team. His unique approach to macroeconomics makes him a frequent contributor to the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and he is a regular guest of Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Yahoo! Finance, Fox Business, BBC and NPR.
Eduardo della Maggiora
CEO, Betterfly
Entrepreneur Of The Year Chile 2022 winner
Eduardo della Maggiora is the founder and CEO of Betterfly, Latin America’s first social unicorn and a leading global InsurTech. He is a two-time runner-up in his age group at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and a three-time finisher of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Eduardo was named one of Latin America’s 10 most innovative founders by “CEOs Change Makers” in 2023, recognized by Bloomberg as one of the 500 most influential people in Latin America (2022, 2023), and awarded EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2022 by EY Chile.
Jon Dorenbos
Keynote Speaker, Best-Selling Author, World-Class Magician, Former NFL Pro Bowl Player
After graduating from the University of Texas, El Paso, Jon played 14 years in the NFL. He played two years for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans. He then played 12 years for the 2018 Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, where he was twice recognized as a Pro Bowler and earned a Super Bowl ring. During his NFL career, and since the age of 12, Jon was also honing his skills as a world-class magician. He officially unveiled his talent and passion on season 11 of America’s Got Talent and as a result he recently headlined a Cirque du Soleil production on the Las Vegas Strip. Jon travels the world sharing his inspirational and amazing life story. Jon’s book, Life Is Magic, is being made into a movie by acclaimed producer Mike Tollin, with the script written by an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter.
Harold Ford Jr.
Regional President, PNC Bank
Harold Ford Jr. is Executive Vice President and Regional President of PNC Bank, New York. In this role, he is responsible for new business development and deepening client and community relationships. Ford previously served as PNC’s Vice Chairman of Corporate & Institutional Banking. A congressman from 1997 to 2007, Ford represented Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District. He was a member of the House Financial Services, Budget and Education Committees as well as the Congressional Black Caucus. Ford received a BA in American History from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.
Michael Happe
President and CEO, Winnebago Industries
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Overall winner
Michael Happe is the President and CEO of Winnebago Industries. Since 2016, the organization has transformed into an outdoor lifestyle company with the strategic addition of Grand Design RV, Chris-Craft, Newmar, Barletta and Lithionics Battery joining the legacy Winnebago brand business to create a portfolio of premium outdoor products. In 2023, Michael was recognized as the Entrepreneur Of The Year® National Overall Award winner and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Executive of the Year for his professional accomplishments, community involvement and industry contributions. He is active in several community, academic and industry initiatives, and serves on several boards of directors.
David Heath
Co-Founder and CEO, Bombas
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022
David Heath is the Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of Bombas. Under David’s leadership over the last decade, the company has scaled to offer a wide range of high-quality products and has donated more than 100 million items to those experiencing homelessness across the US. David has been featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, NBC’s Today Show, The New York Times and more. David has founded three companies, with one successful exit, and has invested and consulted on a range of startup businesses, from concept through launch and continued growth.
Sofia Hernandez
Global Head of Business Marketing + Commercial Partnerships, TikTok
Sofia Hernandez is the Global Head of Business Marketing + Commercial Partnerships at TikTok, where she leads brands in harnessing the power of TikTok to authentically participate in culture and drive results for their businesses. She has played a pivotal role in TikTok’s evolution from a challenger brand to a multibillion-dollar advertising giant by overseeing its B2B marketing efforts and commercial partnerships and spearheading global product launches that have transformed the way CMOs, agencies and industry practitioners think about marketing. Sofia has more than 18 years of experience leading marketing campaigns for global brands like P&G, J&J, Netflix and Spotify. She also serves on the board of Suzy, a consumer insights platform, where she was previously Chief Client Officer and played a key role in guiding the company to its successful Series C funding round. As part of the 1% of Latina C-suite executives and an activist at her core, Sofia believes that embracing varied perspectives and backgrounds not only enriches our decision-making processes but also drives innovation and better aligns our solutions with the needs of a diverse customer base. Sofia co-founded Black on Black BK with her husband, Rodney White: an apparel line born from their dedication to social justice and inspired by their daughters, with a mission to champion equality and empowerment.
Rita Katona
Co-Founder, So Good So You
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023
Rita Katona is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand & Innovation Officer of So Good So You, one of the largest brands in the kombucha and functional beverage category and a five-time honoree of the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies. A reformed corporate leader, Rita took the leap with one goal: to do more good together. Rita is an innovation engine and knowledge bank for functional foods and ingredients. Her achievements include the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Heartland Award and the 2024 Inc. Female Founders 250, among many others.
Merrilee Kick
Founder and CEO, BuzzBallz/Southern Champion
Merrilee Kick is the Founder and CEO of BuzzBallz/Southern Champion, a Texas-based company that manufactures ready-to-drink cocktails sold in 30 countries. She recently sold the company to Sazerac, one of the world’s largest spirits suppliers. Merrilee has received the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Athena Award, Forbes’ “50 Over 50” Award, an Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award and Chase Bank’s “50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned Companies” Award. She was also a member of the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ cohort. She recently donated $30 million to Texas Woman’s University to build its College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Eva Longoria
Actor, Director, Producer, Activist & Entrepreneur
Having worked in Hollywood for over 20 years, Eva Longoria has cemented herself as an industry staple. Named by Variety as one of the most anticipated directors of 2023, Longoria continues to hone her craft and expand opportunities for minorities in Hollywood and beyond. Longoria co-founded Hyphenate Media Group, a media holding company and premium content studio, alongside Cris Abrego. Their first title was Land of Women for Apple TV+, which Longoria starred in and executive produced. She is a committed philanthropist, entrepreneur, investor, and holds a master's degree in Chicano Studies. A Texas native, Longoria resides in Los Angeles.
Jeff Maggioncalda
CEO, Coursera
Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera since June 2017, has expanded the company to over 100 million learners and more than 7,000 institutions. With content from over 300 leading universities and industry educators, Coursera is a key player in online education. Previously, Jeff was the founding CEO of Financial Engines Inc, a successful online investment advice firm cofounded with Nobel Laureate William Sharpe. He’s also served at McKinsey & Company, Cornerstone Research and SVB Financial Group. A Stanford Business School MBA holder, Jeff enjoys music theory and family time with his wife and three daughters in his leisure time.
Lynn Martin
President, New York Stock Exchange
Lynn Martin is President of NYSE Group, which includes the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the world’s largest stock market. Martin is the 68th president of the NYSE and the second woman to lead the exchange in its more than 230-year history. The NYSE, the premier venue for capital raising, is the listing home to 2,400 of the world’s most influential and innovative companies. Martin is also Chair of Fixed Income & Data Services at Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), the parent of NYSE Group.
John Nottingham
Co-CEO, Nottingham Spirk
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017
John Nottingham is Co-CEO of Nottingham Spirk, a world-class product innovation firm that has co-created over 1,500 patents — 95% of which have been commercialized. The Nottingham Spirk Vertical Innovation Process has helped client and partner companies innovate and commercialize products that have earned over $50 billion in combined sales. In 2017, Nottingham Spirk was an Entrepreneur Of The Year® regional winner. Shortly thereafter, the firm joined EY to open the EY-Nottingham Spirk Innovation Hub in Cleveland. Since its launch, over 1,000 client executives have visited the Hub to explore co-creating new physical and digital products and to further their organizations’ transformational journeys.
Erik Qualman
5x #1 best-selling author, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and futurist
Five-time No. 1 best-selling author and keynote speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 55 countries and reached 50 million people with the messaging of his business books. His “socialnomics” work on the implications of social media on business has been featured on 60 Minutes and in The Wall Street Journal and used by the US National Guard and NASA. What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube earned Qualman the ranking of a Top 100 Digital Influencer by Forbes and Fortune. His business books are used in over 200 universities and he has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the second Most Likeable Author in the World. His latest book, The Focus Project, is a guide to pursuing less in order to achieve more. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard and MIT’s edX labs.
Terry Rice
Author, Keynote Speaker
Terry Rice is an author, keynote speaker and contributor for Entrepreneur.com. Through his work, he uncovers practical yet often overlooked strategies that help individuals break through obstacles, ignite their creativity, and boldly chase their life goals with purpose and clarity. Prior to becoming a creator-entrepreneur, Terry’s worked in internal consulting roles at Adobe and Meta. Terry teaches at NYU; speaks at events for companies like Amazon and Google; and has been featured by Good Morning America, Fast Company and the Wall Street Journal. Based in Brooklyn, he is a husband, father of five children, and advocate for mental and physical fitness.
Laura Schwartz
Professional Speaker, Author and Commentator
Laura Schwartz, the youngest female presidential appointee in history, serving as the White House Director of Events, has shaped world stages with her expertise. Her book, Eat, Drink & Succeed, promotes positive, powerful networking and supports nonprofits. A top influencer in the event industry, she’s a dynamic speaker and emcee for major corporations. Laura appears as the American contributor to Australia’s Today show. Her career, marked by inspiring productions and empowering messages, continues to impact audiences worldwide.
Kerry Siggins
President and CEO, StoneAge
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023
Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, an employee-owned manufacturing company in Colorado. In 2023, Kerry was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® Mountain West Region Award winner and Colorado’s CEO of the Year by ColoradoBiz. Kerry has led StoneAge through three significant transitions while building a dynamic culture where employees think and act like owners. As a result, StoneAge is recognized as a top company to work for by Outside Magazine and Inc. Magazine. She is a dynamic speaker and host of the podcast “Reflect Forward,” as well as contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur. The Ownership Mindset: A Handbook for Transforming Your Life and Leadership is her first book.
Train
Multi-Grammy Award-Winning Band
Train is a multi-Grammy Award-winning, diamond-selling band from San Francisco that has had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and 13 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Since their formation in 1994, Train has sold more than 10 million albums and 30 million tracks worldwide, with multiple platinum/gold citations, including three Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, and dozens of other honors. The band’s Grammy Award-winning, global hit “Hey, Soul Sister” continues to reach new milestones — it was the No. 1 best-selling smash and most downloaded single of 2010, achieved RIAA Diamond status in 2021 and now 11x platinum, and in 2022 surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Most recently, Train released a new album, “Live at Royal Albert Hall,” recorded live from their sold-out, debut performance at the iconic and historic Royal Albert Hall in London.
DeeDee Trotter
Keynote Speaker, Olympic Champion, Chef
DeeDee Trotter is an SEC, NCAA, USA, World and Olympic track and field champion. She competed in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics, where she captured three Olympic medals. DeeDee has found great passion and purpose in sharing her life experiences as a professional keynote speaker. DeeDee believes strongly that her purpose in life is to use her story to inspire, motivate and help audiences from around the globe transform their lives, businesses and relationships.
Monica Turner
President, North America, Procter & Gamble
A transformative, visionary leader for one of the world’s leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, Monica Turner is a driving force for Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the CPG industry. As President of North America, which accounts for 50% of net sales, she propels sustainable growth and value creation by delighting 370 million consumers with leading brands, including Tide, Olay, Pampers and Crest. Her organization spans sales offices, technical centers, manufacturing plants and mixing centers. Turner is known for her game-changing approach to building coalitions and solving complex issues, and her unwavering commitment to organizational development creates workplaces and communities with opportunity for all. Turner serves on the boards of Allstate Corporation and the University of Cincinnati, where she is Vice Chair.
Kristin Valente
EY Americas Chief Client Officer
As Americas Chief Client Officer, Kristin and her teams provide clients with unique insights, cutting-edge tools and expertise. Kristin is a visionary leader with a proven track record of leading large-scale transformations and building high-performing teams. She is focused on connecting insights across sectors to create a powerful multiplier effect for companies, unlocking exponential value for stakeholders and paving the way for future transformation. Kristin is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusiveness, championing the idea that different perspectives lead to better, more powerful outcomes. Kristin is a licensed CPA with more than 30 years of experience.
Dwyane Wade
Three-time NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist and 13-time NBA All-Star
Dwyane Wade is an entrepreneur with partnerships including Way of Wade, Stance, Proudly, Versace, TMRW Sports, Wade Cellars, and Thorne. Wade has stakes in the Utah Jazz, Chicago Sky, Real Salt Lake, and Utah Royals ownership groups. Wade recently joined NBCUniversal’s team as commentator to call basketball games at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “The Why” podcast features Dwyane sitting down with pioneers in business and entertainment for an intimate conversation about their rise to success. Founder of 59th & Prairie Entertainment, he is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning documentary short The Dads (Netflix), and Academy Award-nominated short documentary The Barber of Little Rock. He is the New York Times best-selling author of A Father First. Through his foundation, Wade Family Foundation, and in creation with his daughter Zaya, Wade launched the Translatable digital platform and resource hub for LGBTQIA+ youth and their families. Wade played in the NBA from 2003 to 2019, primarily for the Miami Heat. Wade has won three NBA championships and was named 2006 NBA Finals MVP. Wade represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics and brought home the gold medal. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ariana Whitaker
Founder and CEO, DigiPlan Pro
Although she is a straight-A honors student, many of Ariana’s teachers don’t know her struggles behind the scenes: Both her mental and physical health have taken a toll due to procrastination. She created an app, DigiPlan Pro, to help alleviate procrastination and time-blindness among students by eliminating distractions and integrating AI to help accurately assess a student’s progress. Ariana’s goal is to positively impact the education industry by maximizing students’ academic abilities. She is currently ranked No. 1 in her junior class and was the 2024 Midwest Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Champion. Ariana plans to attend Columbia University.
Moderators
Julie Boland
EY US and Americas Managing Partner
As EY US and Americas Managing Partner, Julie leads more than 98,000 people in 33 countries, with annual revenue of $28.6 billion. She is committed to driving quality, upholding ethics and integrity, and championing EY values throughout the organization. Julie chairs the EY US Management Committee and Americas Operating Executive; serves on the Governing Board of Ernst & Young U.S. LLP and the Governing Board of Ernst & Young LLP, focused on oversight and accountability; and represents EY US and Americas in regulatory relationships. Her leadership portfolio includes membership on the EY organization’s Global Executive and Global Practice Group. Julie serves as Executive Sponsor for the US firm’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Previously, she served as US-Central Region Vice Chair and served as a Senior Advisory Partner on several of the US-Central Region’s largest accounts. Julie is a CPA with more than 30 years of experience. She began her career in the audit practice of another Big Four firm and worked for two global investment banks leading up to her CFO roles at publicly and privately held companies.
Cheryl Grise
EY Americas Industry and Solutions Leader
Cheryl Grise is the EY Americas Industry and Solutions Leader and Global Client Service Partner for The Walt Disney Company. She serves as the North America Executive Sponsor of EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program. Cheryl is an energetic and forward-thinking transformational leader who is passionate about helping clients navigate significant changes and grow their business in a connected, fast-paced and complex world. Previously Cheryl led the EY Global Advisory Strategy practice, where she launched the Purpose-Led Transformation™ team and capability in the marketplace for clients. She was the cofounder of the Beacon Institute, which she helped launch at the World Economic Forum in Davos. To drive Purpose-Led Transformation, she worked closely with an author and thought leader to help companies “discover and activate their why.” Cheryl introduced new research in collaboration with the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and HBR Analytic Services on using purpose to transform and drive new levels of growth and innovation. In addition to her role leading EY services at Disney, Cheryl also serves as the Global and Americas Women. Fast Forward Executive Sponsor and the Global Entrepreneurial Winning Women program Executive Sponsor.
Mark Jeffries
Forum Emcee
Author, keynote speaker and former Merrill Lynch stockbroker, Mark Jeffries has become a trusted advisor and communications consultant to some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations, agencies and partnerships. He has rapidly become the go-to person for facilitating, moderating and hosting multinational events for organizations around the world. In addition to running countless industry panels and chatting with more than 150 C-suite executives on stage, Mark has interviewed many luminaries from the realms of politics, business, entertainment and sports, including Sir Richard Branson, President Joe Biden, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Serena Williams, Kevin Bacon and many more.
Deborah Norville
Anchor, Inside Edition
Deborah Norville is a two-time Emmy winner and New York Times best-selling author. She is known to millions as anchor of Inside Edition, the nation’s top-rated syndicated newsmagazine. She is the author of Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You and The Power of Respect. In 2016, she was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. Deborah is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Women’s Forum of New York and Women Corporate Directors. She regularly addresses business and community groups and is active with the Broadcasters Foundation of America.
Cynithea (Nit) Reeder
EY Americas Markets Communications Leader;
EY Entrepreneurs Access Network Program Director
With over two decades of EY experience in strategic marketing and brand-building, Nit Reeder leads Americas Markets communications and enablement activities for the EY go-to-market function. She is responsible for developing and implementing strategies that empower 72,000+ people across the Americas to deliver exceptional client service while building a better working world. In addition to being a trusted business advisor, Nit is also the Director and co-founding architect of the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN), an executive business accelerator program helping Black- and Latino-led companies transcend barriers to scale their business. In the past 2.5 years, EAN has helped almost 300 CEOs and founders obtain more than 6,000 mentoring hours, connect with $26m in funding, and receive proposal support for over $600m in new contracts and services. As the granddaughter of the first Black business owner on Main Street in Greenville, South Carolina, Nit is passionate about helping diverse-owned companies succeed and drive change within communities. As a former entrepreneur and president of a boutique marketing firm, she is all too familiar with the common challenges minority business owners encounter. Nit encourages change-making through big thinking and inspiring others to do the same to help achieve equity for all.
Laura Schwartz
Professional Speaker, Author and Commentator
Laura Schwartz, the youngest female presidential appointee in history, serving as the White House Director of Events, has shaped world stages with her expertise. Her book, Eat, Drink & Succeed, promotes positive, powerful networking and supports nonprofits. A top influencer in the event industry, she’s a dynamic speaker and emcee for major corporations. Laura appears as the American contributor to Australia’s Today show. Her career, marked by inspiring productions and empowering messages, continues to impact audiences worldwide.