DICK COSTOLO

Board of Directors for Patreon
Mentor at Index Ventures

CEO of Twitter (2010-2015)
Named by TIME as one of the "10 Most Influential U.S. Tech CEOs," DICK COSTOLO is a management expert who in his five years at the helm of Twitter led the social media platform through explosive change, taking it from a private company with 300 staff valued at $3.7bn to a public company with 3,600 employees valued at $23.5bn. Sought-out by cutting-edge platform Patreon, which embodies the future of work by connecting freelancers and creatives with supporters and funding, Costolo's appointment to the board made headlines in Inc., TechCrunch, recode, and more. Costolo also serves as a mentor at Index Ventures, just as it's funding exploded. Costolo’s dynamic keynotes are chock-full of actionable insights on what it’s like to lead “the fastest growing, most disruptive communications platform in the world” and what it takes to survive in tomorrow’s tech future. Selected to deliver the opening keynote address for hundreds of executives at the Project Management Institute's PMO Symposium, Costolo was recently sought-out for an in-depth interview with Bloomberg and made headlines thanks to his game-changing remarks on how companies can navigate the evolving tech landscape at ICNY 18. 

"[H]e was a huge success! He was very interesting and spoke to our requested topic of what was the future of technology. He kept our audience very engaged throughout his talk. We, in fact, had attendees lined up at the microphones for Q&A from the start. He interacted well with the attendees asking the questions. I could not have been happier with his day-of performance..."

- Multinational Financial Services Company

"It went really well... His presentation was very good and then the Q&A went really well. The feedback has been great overall. The topic of technology was  a great fit as technology, managing millennials and social media in all aspects is a huge focus for all companies and he spoke to it all very well." 

- CIBC Annual Institutional Investor Conference
JACK LEW

Board of Directors for Financial Services Volunteer Corps
Advisor for fintech startup Blend

Secretary of the Treasury (2013-2016); Partner, Lindsay Goldberg LLC; White House Chief of Staff (2012-2013), Director Office Management & Budget (2010-2012)
Having served as the most senior economic official in the U.S. government, JACK LEW helped shape policies that drove the longest economic recovery in American history and oversaw all aspects of international and domestic fiscal policy. Since leaving the White House, Lew has been in-demand by elite organizations. He was named a partner at private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg, and to the Board of Directors of non-profit FSVC, which helps build financial sectors in emerging market countries. As the FSVC Chairman said: "[Lew's] vast experience working at the most senior levels of government will be invaluable... Moreover, his extensive understanding of complex diplomatic and policy issues will help inform FSVC’s global technical assistance programs.” Lew also recently made headlines in CNBC, thanks to his appointment as an advisor to fintech startup Blend. Having attracted $160 million in private funding, Blend handles online mortgage applications for major players from Freddie Mac to Wells Fargo.  As a speaker, Lew brings the freshest insights and an insider's knowledge of the individual people and policies affecting the direction of the global economy. He recently delivered a keynote at the 2018 Seoul Global Financial Conference and was interviewed by NPR on the effectiveness of sanctions,  and on escalating trade conflicts with China.

Thank you so much for all your help to secure the Secretary as our opening speaker and with your help through the planning process! It was a huge success! We received such great feedback on his remarks, interview and the panel! One of the best we’ve had. He is just the nicest man!

- Pershing LLC
JULIA GILLARD

Chair of the Board of Directors for Global Partnership for Education and beyondblue

27th Prime Minister of Australia (2010-2013); Inaugural Chair, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at Kings College, London
A world leader with fresh insights on geopolitics, the global economy, ad women's rights, JULIA GILLARD is at the helm of two world-renowned organizations-- The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the world’s only global fund solely dedicated to education in developing countries, and beyondblue, a non-profit focused on mental health. Regularly making headlines thanks to her work with GPE, which enjoys the impressive backing of mega-star Rihanna, Gillard is heralded for keynotes that are equal parts inspiring and informative. She is set to deliver a keynote on "Engagement in the Asian Century" for an audience of 2,000 at the upcoming San Joaquin Valley Town Hall, and recently delivered a keynote on "A New Vision for Global Prosperity" for an audience of 4,000 high-ranking officials, CEOs, industry leaders and more at the prestigious Global HR Forum in Seoul. 

"Geneva was a tremendous success. [PM Gillard] was fantastic. Very well received - amazing really - and wonderful to be around - an incredibly generous woman."

-Simmons Leadership Conference

"Yes, she was fantastic and wonderfully well received! She was great to work with. I have absolutely zero criticism (constructive or otherwise) to provide, and that’s a rare thing. The bar is very high here at The Richmond Forum, and she just sailed right over with ease. If I could book her five times for next season, I would...!"

-The Richmond Forum
BEN RHODES

Board of Directors for Ploughshares Fund

Political Contributor, NBC News & MSNBC; New York Times Bestselling Author, The World As It Is; Deputy National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama (2009-2017)
Leading international advisor and close confidante of President Obama BEN RHODES is in-demand by organization's worldwide thanks to his sharp commentary and candid insights on today's political and media landscape, and engaging anecdotes from his decade working alongside Obama in the White House. Recently named a board advisor for Ploughshares Fund, an organization that works to  reduce and eventually eliminate the dangers posed by nuclear weapons worldwide, Rhodes is on the front lines of a major global issue. As the Chair of the board stated: “Ben Rhodes is a skillful communicator and deeply knowledgeable foreign policy expert - a truly rare combination... Ben’s dedication to advancing American national security through diplomacy is inspiring...”  Starting out at just 29 years-old as a senior speechwriter and foreign policy advisor on Obama's campaign to walking out of the White House on the President's last day in office, Rhodes saw almost everything that happened at the center of the Obama administration, starting every morning in the Oval Office with the President’s Daily Briefing. Having just-released his New York Times bestselling memoir The World as It Is, which The New Yorker described in its exceptional book review: "More than any other White House memoirist, Rhodes is a creature of the man he served... This is the closest view of Obama we’re likely to get until he publishes his own memoir."

"Everything went smooth as silk. Ben talked with many, many people and generated lots of follow-up conversations and thinking by faculty and students — that’s just what we want."

-Stanford University

"Ben was wonderful and generous with the students. Everybody appreciated his acute and thoughtful answers to the many questions asked... The students who attended the Q & A were enthusiastic and the public clearly enjoyed his open presentation."

- Indiana University
KEVIN WARSH

Board of Directors for United Parcel Service, Inc.

Member of the Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System (2006-2011); Executive Secretary of the National Economic Council (2002-2006); Member, Group of Thirty (G30)

A monetary policy expert and economist who served the U.S. in the Federal Reserve and the White House, KEVIN WARSH's and insights are sought by Central Banks around the world. Named to UPS' board in 2012, Warsh was also hired by the Bank of England, where he issued an independent report proposing reforms in the conduct of monetary policy in the UK, parliament adopted the report's recommendations. He brings the same transformative and actionable insights to each of his engagements. He's been selected to address an audience of over 1,000 CEOs and CFOs at the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation's upcoming Forum,and just delivered a keynote at the American Hotel and Lodging Association's Forum, providing a macro view of the global economic outlook. 

"Kevin was awesome. So smart, very impressive. Thanks for everything."

-Retail Industry Leaders Association

"Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh did a great job. Our Board and senior executives found him to be very insightful and engaging. We were very pleased. "

-The Hartford Financial Services Group
CECILE RICHARDS

Board of Trustees for The Ford Foundation
Board of Advisors for Let America Vote 

President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America & Planned Parenthood Action Fund (2006-2018); New York Times Bestselling Author, Make Trouble
Named to TIME’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” former Planned Parenthood President CECILE RICHARDS is also a longtime Trustee at the prestigious Ford Foundation thanks, in part, to, "her grasp of the complexities of social change, her achievements in building grassroots movement, and her commitment to working for the marginalized..."  A powerful speaker, Richards is n-demand for several high-profile upcoming events including the Comnet Annual Conference, and the Connecticut Forum on Women Rising: redefining Power in 2018 for 2,800 attendees. Richard's new book Make Trouble--a powerful story about learning to lead and making change-- was an instant New York Times and Amazon Bestseller earning stellar reviews.Celebrated for her passionate, informative, and naturally engaging style as a speaker, Richards has addressed audiences everywhere from Talks at Google to Harvard University. 

"Cecile Richards was a fascinating, engaging, and charming speaker. With humor, grace and first-rate storytelling, she kept an audience of 800 New Yorkers - women and men, old and young - engaged and excited during an important and stimulating conversation. Her appearance was one of the “hits” of our season."

- Temple Emanu-el Streicker Center
LAURA TYSON

Board of Directors for Lexmark and CBRE
Advisory Board for Afiniti, Rock Creek Group, and McKinsey Global Institute

First Female Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors (1993-1995); Director, National Economic Council (1995-1996); First Female Dean of London Business School (2002-2006); Dean of Haas Business School (1998-2001)
As an economist, policy-maker, professor, and former business school dean, LAURA TYSON has long been a leading champion of ways to re-think the economy and role of business in society. Frequently sought our for her economic insight from the highest levels of government, Tyson was a member of the US Department of State Foreign Affairs Policy Board (2011-2013) and served as a member of President Barack Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (2011-2012). With tremendous experience and insight into global trade and trace policy, as she helped usher China into the WTO and was instrumental in the creation of NAFTA and other trade legislation, Tyson was sought out to deliver analysis on Brexit's impact on global trade at this year's World Economic Forum, and was recently selected for UBS' Signature Series to discuss the economic future. 

"Your speech was a terrific kick-off for our program year, setting the standards and raising the bar for future programs and speakers... It was such a pleasure to listen to you engage our audience in laying out a thoroughly documented case for a continuation of this period of economic prosperity. Our executives reported exceptionally favorable remarks on your talk, and your interaction with us."

-Siemens Corporation

"Laura has been extremely brilliant and the audience both adored her and listened with much interest (and some fear?) to her excellent presentation. She was even better in the dialogue with moderator Mr. Buerk. A real pleasure and honor to have her at our conference. What a charming and bright lady."

-European PetroChemical Association
Sought-after by high-level and forward-looking organizations worldwide, these HWA Speakers offer unparalleled hands-on experience, tangible business insights, and shrewd policy guidance. Having worked in both the public and private sectors, they are uniquely qualified to guide companies through both political uncertainty and unprecedented change.