Browse by Keynote Topic Browse by Speaker Speaker News Virtual Events About Lavin FAQ Contact
Trending / New Speakers
  • speakers-new

New Speakers 

 

At Lavin, we are serious about which keynote speakers we put up on our site. That said, we are always adding select new voices. This next wave of business speakers is tackling tomorrow’s challenges, starting today.

 

14
New Speakers
Speakers
Sort By:
Michelle Coles

Civil Rights Attorney | Award-Winning Author of Black Was the Ink

How can we use the stories of unsung Black heroes to inspire the next generation of leaders? Michelle Coles is uniquely suited to answer this question. She bridges our past and our hoped-for future: a civil rights attorney with a focus on social justice, she’s also written an award-winning YA novel that sheds light on the heroic but forgotten contributions of Black people in American history. Named a Good Troublemaker by the John Lewis Foundation, Michelle helps young people find their voice so they can build the world they want to see.
 
 
Cassie Holmes

Expert in Behavioral Decision-Making | Author of Happier Hour | UCLA Professor

How do we increase our creativity, happiness, and ability to pay attention? We never seem to have enough time to do it all, but Cassie Holmes says that time isn’t only a challenge—it’s the solution. Cassie—professor of Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA and one of the Best 40 Business Professors Under 40—is the author of Happier Hour. This highly-anticipated book, which New York Times bestselling author Angela Duckworth called “terrific advice from one of my favorite scientists”, is a practical and enlightening guide to how we can take control of time and wisely use this precious resource to make our lives brighter and happier. 
 
Todd Kashdan

Author of The Art of Insubordination | Award-Winning Psychology Professor

If companies want to innovate and get fresh ideas, they need to hear from the rebels who challenge conventional wisdom. But Todd Kashdan says that not any rebellion will do—what really makes a difference is principled dissent, when a rebel speaks up with courage for a greater good. Todd is an award-winning psychology expert, and he shares practical scientific recipes from his book The Art of Insubordination so that you can make principled dissent a vital part of your culture: you’ll learn how to express unpopular—but important—ideas, how to help principled rebels express their contrary opinions, and how to ensure the best ideas win, even if they are unexpected.  

 

Neil Hoyne

Author of Converted | Chief Measurement Strategist at Google | Senior Fellow at Wharton

Too many companies have a short-term strategy when it comes to data: focusing on the point-of-purchase moment with a customer, rather than building their business around long-term relationships. A Senior Fellow at Wharton and Google’s Chief Measurement Strategist, Neil Hoyne has led over 2,500 engagements with the world’s biggest advertisers—helping them acquire millions of customers, improve conversion rates by over 400 percent, and generate billions in incremental revenue. In his debut book Converted, he shows us how to sharpen our long-term marketing strategy and unleash true value. 
Deepa Purushothaman

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leader | Former Senior Partner at Deloitte | Author of The First, the Few, the Only

Despite being one of the fastest-growing segments in the corporate workforce, women of color remain underrepresented—often among the first, few, or only ones in a department or The first Indian-American woman to make partner at Deloitte, Deepa Purushothaman knows this first-hand. Today, she uses her experience as a senior executive specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion, to provide disruptive solutions for businesses that need to evolve. Her empowering talks, as well as her upcoming book, help us redefine power and profitability in corporate America.
Greg Hoffman

Nike's Former Chief Marketing Officer | Author of Emotion by Design

As the former Chief Marketing Officer at Nike, Greg Hoffman stood at the helm of one of the world’s most innovative companies as they redefined the meaning of brand authenticity. Under his creative leadership, Nike drove themes of equality, sustainability, and empowerment through sport—inspired, in part, by Hoffman’s role as a leader of the Nike Black Employee network. In timely and engaging talks, Hoffman reveals how we can cultivate a diverse and creative culture in our organizations; build an enduring brand legacy through the power of storytelling; and leave a positive cultural impact.

 

John List

Chief Economist at Walmart | Economics Professor at the University of Chicago | Author of The Voltage Effect

Why do some great ideas make it big while others fail to take off? John List—a leading economist at The University of Chicago and Chief Economist at Lyft—demystifies one of today’s trickiest questions in his upcoming book The Voltage Effect. Whether you’re growing a small business, rolling out a diversity and inclusion program, or delivering billions of doses of a vaccine—to achieve success, you need to be able to replicate your ideas at scale, explains List. In his high-impact talks, he reveals the qualities of a scalable idea, and how to best engineer them to drive change in our workplaces, schools, and communities. 
Jessica Nordell

Author of The End of Bias | Award-Winning Science and Culture Journalist

One of the biggest dilemmas of our time? Eradicating unconscious bias—the persistent, unintentional, prejudiced behavior that clashes with our consciously held beliefs. Thankfully, science journalist Jessica Nordell is up for the challenge: in her debut book The End of Bias, she offers us a nuanced, compassionate perspective for how we can change biased behavior and radically remake our world. Those in need of hope or motivation as they embark on the necessary work of building more equitable organizations will benefit greatly from her science-driven talks.
Stephen Marche

Novelist and Culture Writer | Author of The Next Civil War

No matter your political leaning, most of us can see America is barreling toward a catastrophe of one kind or another. In The Next Civil War, acclaimed author and journalist Stephen Marche takes a divided nation and vividly breaks down the many threats looming before it—so that we may ensure they never happen. A stunning piece of speculative non-fiction, this book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of its people, its land, and its democracy.
Jonathan Metzl

Physician | Director, Department of Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University | Author of Dying of Whiteness

Can racial resentment have an impact on public health? In his explosive book Dying of Whiteness, psychiatrist, sociologist, and award-winning author Jonathan Metzl revealed how right-wing policies, rooted in white supremacy, have had destructive, often fatal consequences on our well-being. As the lopsided effects of the pandemic once again illuminate our inequities, he steers us toward a path of empathy, cooperation, and better health for all. Insightful and provocative, Metzl’s talks are a sorely needed intervention for a society confronting its biases and rebuilding anew.  
Nic Stone

#1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Dear Justyce

Acclaimed YA author Nic Stone is inspiring the next generation of social activists with her vivid and painfully timely novels. Her debut Dear Martin—a #1 New York Times bestseller taught in classrooms across the country—and its stunning sequel Dear Justyce, deftly explore themes of oppression, liberation, and race relations in America. With similar parallels in their work, Stone counts The Hate U Give author Angie Thomas among her many fans, calling Dear Martin a “must-read” and Stone’s writing “honest and gut-wrenching.” Stone’s oeuvre, which includes a Marvel series, enlightens her down-to-earth talks—leaving audiences empowered with the tools they’ll need in the fight for an antiracist society.

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy

Founder of theBoardlist | Former President of StubHub | Author of Choose Possibility

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is one of the most well-respected female tech executives in Silicon Valley. She’s served as president of StubHub, helped scale companies like Google and Amazon, and founded theBoardlist: a premium talent marketplace for diverse leaders. But despite her success, her path hasn’t always been linear. In her new book Choose Possibility, Singh Cassidy reveals the poor choices, misfires, and unexpected headwinds she’s encountered along her path—providing a thoughtful new perspective on risk-taking: what it is, what it isn’t, and how to master it to achieve lasting success.
John Kaag

Chair of Philosophy, University of Massachusetts, Lowell | Award-winning author of Sick Souls, Healthy Minds

John Kaag believes philosophy is the “stuff of everyday life.” The Chair of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and an award-winning author of several books, he explores topics important to all of us: our mental and physical health, our happiness and emotional wellbeing, and how we can find our deeper purpose. In the aftermath of a pandemic that brought the world great suffering and collective trauma, Kaag’s work is especially timely, revealing how we can consciously respond to grief and move forward with hope and pragmatism. His talks—intimate, soulful, and wise—teach us how to develop a personal philosophy that will ultimately help us lead better, more fulfilling lives.

 

Loran Nordgren

Behavioral Science Expert | Renowned Management Professor | Author of The Human Element

Most marketers, innovators, and executives assume that the best way to convince people to embrace change is to heighten the appeal or value of their idea—often leading them to add extra features, benefits, and marketing sizzle. This belief is what award-winning behavioral scientist Loran Nordgren, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management, calls a “fuel-based mindset.” Fuel is what incites our desire to change, explains Nordgren. Yet focusing exclusively on fuel neglects the other half of the marketing equation—the psychological “frictions” that oppose change. In his Wall Street Journal bestseller The Human Element, as well as in his engaging talks, Nordgren reveals how to overcome these barriers and bring our best ideas to life.