As a child, Mawi fled civil war in Ethiopia and survived a Sudanese refugee camp for three years. After being resettled in The United States, Mawi overcame welfare, language barriers and personal tragedy to graduate from Harvard University, where he delivered the commencement address to an audience of 30,000.

   Bob Ash created Life Lessons to ensure that companies, professional associations, businesses, organizations and schools would have a chance to offer their employees the type of presentation that would be helpful and memorable. Each Life Lessons event is tailored to meet the needs of the client.

Murray Banks is one of the nation's foremost speakers in the areas of stress, wellness and lifestyle. He has a unique ability to make the topics of stress and wellness both humorous and inspiring.

Inspirational Diversity and Education Speaker

No one defies stereotypes, generalizations or cliches more than Dr. Bertice Berry. Growing up poor in Wilmington, Delaware, the sixth of seven children, Bertice was told by a high school teacher that she was "not college material". Fortunately, there was another teacher who believed that she was destined for more. Berry applied to several schools without any idea how she would pay the tuition if she were accepted. The day her application arrived at Jacksonville University in Florida, a wealthy benefactor called the Admissions Department looking for a potential student "who could swim if they had the right backing," and might sink without it.

Adolph Brown is one of the most sought after speaker on the circuit today. He has been described as the most motivating, inspiring, exciting and dynamic speaker most have ever heard. He is an original thinker, an engaging presenter, a unique practitioner, and most importantly an affirming individual.

Dr. Lowell Catlett is a Regent’s Professor/Dean and Chief Administrative Officer at New Mexico State University's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. An exciting futurist, his knowledge of technologies and their implications on the way we will live and work is addressed in his varied and upbeat presentations. Dr. Catlett works on behalf of corporate and association audiences internationally, presenting his take on trends in healthcare, agriculture, the environment, education and more. His latest talk addresses the current state of the economy- and what's in store for businesses down the road.

 

Terrence E. Deal is an internationally known expert on leadership and specializes in the study of organizations.

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, has served as President of UMBC (The University of Maryland, Baltimore County) since May, 1992.  His research and publications focus on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority and gender participation and performance.

Ray Kurzweil, one of the leading inventors and entrepreneurs of our time, has been described as “the restless genius” by the Wall Street Journal, and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes.  Inc. magazine ranked him #8 among entrepreneurs in the United States, calling him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison,” and PBS included Ray as one of 16 “revolutionaries who made America,” along with other inventors of the past two centuries.

Dr. Crystal Arlene Kuykendall is considered one of the most dynamic individuals of our time. A critical thinker, analyst, motivator, and mentor. Dr. Kuykendall has astounded audiences and individuals through the power of her observations and the warmth of her words. A highly sought after and savvy speaking sensation, she is an engaging educator, human relations expert, legal analyst/litigator, endearing author and loving mother.

Keynote speaker Sonia Manzano is a first-generation American of Latino descent who has affected the lives of millions of parents and children since the 1970s, when she was offered an opportunity play "Maria" on Sesame Street.

John Merrow is a Peabody Award-winning education correspondent for the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, a former teacher and executive producer of Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk. 

Outstanding Education and Leadership Consultant

Dr. Lorraine Monroe is a consultant who founded and served as principal of the Frederick Douglass Academy, a highly effective middle school and high school located in Central Harlem.

The Cinderella story of Jim "the Rookie" Morris is testimony to the power of dreams and their ability to inspire and transform human life. His story is the subject of the blockbuster film from Walt Disney, "The Rookie," starring Dennis Quaid which won the ESPY for "Sports Film of the Year."

Billy Riggs has been called "The Dr. Phil of Magic," and is America’s source for all things attitude!  Through television, radio, books, videos, and live keynote speeches Billy Riggs has used an unusual blend of comedy, music, magic, and motivation to spread his positive attitude to more than a million people on five continents.

Greg Risberg is a keynote speaker who helps people learn useful ideas for handling stress better, communicating better, and finding more balance in their lives. He does this with wit and humor that leave meeting planners saying "your unique blend of humor, inspiration and message was perfect!"

Patricia Russell-McCloud is a "visual speaking experience". Her over 20-years on the lecture circuit has catapulted her into being one of the nation's best.  Her speaking style is engaging, highly substantive, well researched, pertinent, entertaining, and applicable to her audiences whether public or private sector. She is distinguished and distinct. Her style is classified as "big, broad and animated” leaving her audiences anxious for more.

Mark Salisbury has over 20 years of experience in designing and developing human performance solutions. Mark has published many articles related to knowledge management in engineering, business, and education journals such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Journal of Knowledge Management, and Performance Improvement Quarterly (PIQ).

Author of "How To Soar Like An Eagle in a World Full Of Turkeys," Robert Stevenson is a man who knows how to deal with the risks, competition, and the ever-changing technology in the business arena. In short, he understands what it takes to be successful. He brings over 25 years of extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experience to his programs.

Inspiring and warmly human, Salome Thomas-EL is a true hero. His lecture, “I Choose to Stay: A Teacher’s Fight for America’s Inner City Schools” is moving and full of hope, and proves beyond a doubt that a commitment to teaching in the public schools can result in excellence and success for children most of society has abandoned.

Dubbed "the explainer" by Wired magazine, Michael Wesch is a cultural anthropologist exploring the impact of new media on society and culture- digital ethnography.

Few individuals choose to walk away at the height of their corporate career to dedicate their life to a social cause. At age 35, John Wood did just that, quitting his position as Microsoft's Director of Business Development for the Greater China Region in order to found Room to Read. He has never looked back.