MEET OUR SPEAKERS

John Burnham serves as Mission Command Integration lead for the Defense & Intel portfolio of Accenture Federal Services, serving clients across the DoD and Intelligence Communities. John Served as Naval Officer in Special Warfare for 28 years; 

deploying around the world in tactical, operational and command levels. After retiring from active duty in 2014 he was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and served for three years in the Obama administration.  

Tony Brock is a former Navy Commander and Intelligence Officer -- with experience leading high-performance teams in support of our U.S. Navy SEALs; Today, he helps business executives gain a better understanding of human behavior and organizational dynamics for them to become exceptional leaders and gain a competitive advantage.  

and serves as the Executive Director, National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute; volunteers as a military veteran career transition coach with The Honor Foundation.

Herb Thompson is currently the Co-Founder of Liberty Speaks and a Government Affairs and Relations Advisor for a top tech, Fortune 500 company. Herb is the only person in the US Army that has been awarded the Drill Sergeant of the Year award and earned his Green Beret. Herb served as a Special Operations Team Sergeant in 5th Group; using his own tactical knowledge of his own transition experience, he authored, "The Transition Mission".  He now focuses on working with others on finding and fulfilling their purpose, personal development, and advising others in Government Affairs.

Shawn Dawley is a former Director and Vice President at a Fortune 100 company and nationwide firm, Shawn first spent 25 years in the United States Air Force, serving as a combat pilot, commander, and inspector general; with enriching experiences in over 80 countries across 6 continents. Drawing on decades of cockpit, combat, command, and corporate leadership experience to bring the principles of neuropsychology to life, helping leaders become the people that others want to follow!

Dr. Eric Fretz  is currently a Teaching Professor at the University of Michigan in the College of LSA and College of Engineering. Dr. Fretz served as a Naval Warfare Officer and as a Commander in the Naval Reserve Unit; Dr. Fretz also co-owns and co-manages multiple businesses and non-profits. He is Governor appointed as the GS-15 Michigan State Director of the Selective Service System and now serves on numerous boards. 

Mick Hunt, host of the top podcast Mick Unplugged, is a leading voice in Modern Leadership. His framework, The Mick Factor, helps leaders grow through mindset, empathy, and resilience.

A Forbes Council member and mentee of icons like Les Brown, he blends story and strategy to build inclusive, high-performing teams.

His upcoming book, How to Be a Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One, offers a clear path for emerging leaders. Mick inspires audiences to “lead loud” and leave a lasting legacy.

Dr. Chantel Prat is a 

Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics at the University of Washington; Author of The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain is Different and How to Understand Yours

Dr. Gino Collura is a behavioral scientist with a PhD in Neuroanthropology, a field that uniquely blends neuroscience and applied anthropology to study human behavior and an author of Seven Layers of Successful Relationships 

Dr. Chris Freuh is a 

 clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii; Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center;  Adjunct Professor, Psychiatry in Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Academic Institute and Author of Operator Syndrome

Pasha Palanker is a double Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V recipient, Veteran, Mental Health Advocate soars to unimaginable heights as a professional skydiver to enter stadiums around the world with the American flag

Riley Tejeck is a Marine Corps Captain, Team USA Bobsled Pilot, Ms. Military 2024, and published author of the children's book, If You Can Dream It, Be It! 

Caleb Campbell is a West Point Graduate, Former NFL Player, Military Veteran; Mental Health advocate about the Journey of overcoming fear and finding success

 Shannon Rowbury is a 3x Olympian Athlete, Co-founder of Imagining More, promoting arts & athletics for youth.  U.S. Department of State, Sports Envoy to Morocco on the topic of "Women's Empowerment Through Sport"

Mike Steadman is a three-time national boxing champion, Marine Corps Infantry Officer, and Naval Academy graduate; Mike has spent his life defying the odds, breaking barriers, and rewriting the rules.

Hannah Betts is a police officer, world champion skydiver, and award-winning hollywood stuntwoman — but don’t let the bold résumé fool you. She’s not fearless. In fact, she proudly calls herself a “professional scaredy cat”

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Danny Alvarez is a U.S. Army veteran, business attorney, and Florida State Representative, Danny has dedicated his life to serving others and making a lasting impact in the lives of those around him. Elected in 2022 to the Florida House of Representatives for District 69, and re-elected in 2024, Danny serves as the Chair of the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee and as a member of several key committees, including State Affairs, Judiciary, Civil Justice, and Infrastructure Strategies. 

Honorable Patrick Murphy is a decorated combat veteran, became the nation’s first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 1st district; Secretary Murphy is a historic enterprise-level leader passionate about instilling a ‘growth mentality’ culture, inclusive talent management, and world-class communication. Served as the 32nd Army Under Secretary. Professor at the Wharton Business School and has invested over $120 million in dozens of veteran-owned companies. 

Nic Adams is an advisor to frontier tech companies to elevate their work and advance the national interest. A former Professional Staff Member on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and served as an intelligence, defense, foreign affairs, and technology issues advisor to several members of Congress; Prior to his time on the Hill, Nic was an intelligence officer in the United States Army, with the majority of his career in special operations.

Monica Fullerton is an ambitious technology

entrepreneur, twin mom, Air Force spouse, and all around trail blazer in technology; focusing on highlighting businesses and re-imagining what is possible, Monica created "Spousely" a shopping platform to highlight goods directly from the military community. In addition, Monica develops branding and content to help others successfully and esthetically launch their own companies!

KaLea Lehman is the Executive Director and Founder of the Military Special Operations Family Collaborative (MSOFC); KaLea has been a longtime advocate for health education, research, and policy, tackling topics on rare disease research and care, innovations, flourishing in special operations, and the importance of collaborating on hard problems and policy. 

Award-winning singer and Army veteran Daniel Erbe is a world-class stage performer and elite communications coach who has captivated audiences of over 25,000, performing for U.S. Presidents and global dignitaries and at high-profile events;  Daniel understands what it takes to command the stage and engage a crowd. Daniel performed twice at CPAC D.C, at the 2024 Republican National Convention, and again at CPAC 2025. Daniel now works with others through personal development coaching, to help other with their ability to own a stage 

Holly Higgins-Staudacher,  a Goldstar mom, worked as a healthcare professional as an RN and as a Social Worker and worked as a Forensic Specialist for the State Department of Health Services for WI.: Holly served many Veterans connected to symptomatic behaviors of PTSD. Holly served as the Supervisor for Drug Court for Women in Dane County WI and the Director for a Homeless Shelter for Women in Madison, WI.  Using her traumatic experience  of loosing her son and her professional experience, she was able to develop workshops to lead others through healing through grief. 

Larry Jent has worn many hats throughout his life: community organizer, teacher, musician, storyteller, and passionate advocate for Native American communities. Since 2023, he has served as Deputy Director of the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, where he champions the region’s resilient forests, sustainable tourism, and rich cultural heritage.

A gifted storyteller, Larry is known for illuminating the voices of marginalized and underrepresented communities, weaving their histories into the broader narrative of Appalachia. 

Teeg Stouffer a filmmaker, founder, and executive producer at Fascination Film Studio. He is a storyteller who began his broadcasting career at the age of 14!  Today, Teeg and his film studio produce documentaries that help people create and preserve their legacies, and he speaks on creating a documentary-worthy life.