James K. Boyce is professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and director of the environment program at the Political Economy Research Institute. His latest book is Economics, the Environment, and Our Common Wealth (Edward Elgar, 2013). His previous books include Africa’s Odious Debts (2011); Reclaiming Nature: Environmental Justice and Ecological Restoration (2007); [...]
Jenifer Fox’s first book, Your Child’s Strengths (Viking 2008; Penguin, 2009), helped change the educational conversation by providing parents and educators an insight in to how far young people can go in life when the focus is on engaging their strengths. According to Jenifer, “The one thing we are absolutely sure young people will need [...]
Jim Garvin was born in a blizzard and educated at Brown and Stanford Universities. He received his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Brown University in 1984 and his dissertation emphasized the scientific exploration of the surfaces of Mars and Venus. For the past 29 years he has served NASA as a scientist in various capacities, [...]
Paul Gasek is an Emmy Award-Winning Producer and a former Senior Science Editor for The Discovery Channel. Gasek has written, produced, or overseen hundreds of hours of Specials and series, including, Raging Planet, Mysteries of the Dinosaur Mummy, Parklife: Africa, Eyes in the Sky, Discovering Ardi, Treasure Quest, How the Universe Works, Ultimate Air Jaws, [...]
Deirdre Greene Groves is the founding executive director of The Collaborative Group, an organization bringing together the intellectual capital of the area’s top talent to foster entrepreneurship and collaborate on initiatives that aim to spur business and philanthropic efforts, economic growth, job creation, and overall prosperity in the region. Deirdre also champions The Collaborative Group’s [...]
Peter Hamilton is the founder, editor and publisher of the ‘indispensable’ weekly newsletter DocumentaryTelevision.com, covering the world’s booming documentary and non-scripted television business. Peter is a former executive with CBS Enterprises. He is a senior consultant to nonfiction television industry leaders, governments and foundations. His clients since 1987 have included: Discovery Networks, A+E Networks, Smithsonian [...]
Twesigye Jackson Kaguri was born and raised in Uganda in the small village of Nyakagyezi. At a very young age he demonstrated an unquenchable desire to learn, which led him to study at and graduate from Makerere University in Kampala. During this time he co-founded the human rights organization, Human Rights Concerns, to help victims [...]
Glennon Doyle Melton is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, CARRY ON, WARRIOR, founder of http://www.momastery.com, and creator of http://www.monkeeseemonkeedo.org. Glennon believes that life is equal parts beautiful and brutal, and writes about the “brutiful” she finds in marriage, motherhood, faith, addiction and recovery. Glennon unleashes her wit, courage and irreverence to call [...]
Patrick Meier (PhD) is an internationally recognized thought leader on the application of new technologies for crisis early warning, humanitarian response and resilience. He presently serves as Director of Social Innovation at the Qatar Foundation’s Computing Research Institute (QCRI) where he develops next-generation humanitarian technologies by leveraging Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and [...]
Thomas candidly shares his own personal journey and understanding of complex social epidemics such as homelessness, youth incarceration, abuse and neglect, as well as his life-changing decisions to use his talents to share the stories of real people facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Morgan’s films and words have garnered the support of Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon [...]
My story is not unlike millions of students who become lost in the traditional education system. I was labeled as a Special Education student at the age of six. I repeated first grade and was put into the Special Education system through twelfth grade. I was a “normal”, “happy” and “excited” about school student when [...]
Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx teacher/administrator who believes that students shouldn’t have to leave their community to live, learn and earn in a better one. Moving generations of students into successes they never imagined while reclaiming and rebuilding the Bronx, Stephen’s extended student and community family have grown over 30,000 pounds of vegetables while [...]
Steven Tomlinson is a Founding Master Teacher at the Acton School of Business. He taught finance and economics at The University of Texas at Austin where he designed and directed the professional development program for MBA students at the McCombs School of Business. He is an adjunct professor of pastoral ministry at the Seminary of [...]
Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed spiritual teacher and New York Times bestselling author. Her first book, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course In Miracles, is considered a must-read for spiritual seekers. A paragraph from that book beginning, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear [...]
Terry Wohlers is principal consultant and president of Wohlers Associates, Inc., an independent consulting firm he founded 27 years ago. Through this company, Wohlers has provided consulting assistance to more than 190 organizations in 23 countries. He has authored nearly 400 books, articles, and technical papers and has given 100 keynote presentations on five continents. [...]
Sonya Shoup, 11, was born in Northern Michigan into a family that has been musical on both sides for generations. From the time she was small, she has listened to people singing around her. Some of her favorite early memories include her father and grandfather playing guitar and singing old tunes around the summer campfire, [...]
Blake Elliott was recently described as leading “a new generation of singer-songwriters in Northern Michigan” with her “…style that’s as hard to pin down as liquid mercury” (Northern Express Nov. 2012) With funked-up folk and bluesy ballads, the her original material can range from a country style tune to a bossa nova lounge number, touching [...]
Billy Strings & Don Julin play traditional American string band music with energy levels usually associated with extreme sports. A typical set includes haunting Appalachian songs, righteous gospel standards, and blazing bluegrass instrumentals. Honoring the musical traditions of Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, and Jimmy Martin, these boys will take you back to that [...]