As an Olympic figure skater, Debi Thomas won a bronze medal in 1988, was crowned skating’s World Champion in 1986 and won the U.S. National Championship title in 1986 and 1988. She went on to capture three World Professional skating titles and become a frequent headliner in shows and tours, skating for four years with the Discover Card “Stars on Ice” cast. Thomas was the first and only African American… Read More

“I have three messages. One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.” These were the words of Diana Nyad as she reached the Florida shore after swimming 110 miles from Cuba in 2013. Her inspiring and motivational story of how she overcame the odds to… Read More

One of the strongest voices for women in the workplace, Susan Packard grew cable channel HGTV into a multimillion dollar business. Honored numerous times as one of "The Most Influential Women in Cable", she provides coveted insights on entrepreneurship, brand building, leadership, and strategies for women who want to advance their career. After helping build up HBO and CNBC, Susan and her talents became hot assets in the media industry.… Read More

Business strategist Connie Duckworth transferred her skill set from Wall Street to war-torn Afghanistan. The retired Partner and Managing Director of Goldman, Sachs, & Co. set up Arzu Hope Studios, a rug-weaving co-op, to give Afghan women a fair price and global market for their products in order to lift their villages out of poverty. After decades of smashing glass ceilings in corporate America, Ms. Duckworth, the first woman sales… Read More

Throughout her entire career, Tyra Banks has broken barriers and smashed glass ceilings. Despite hearing the words “You can’t” time and time again, she became an iconic model, television star, and accomplished entrepreneur who now urges young women to seize control of their destinies and work fearlessly towards their dreams. When Tyra began to pursue modeling, numerous agencies and designers turned her done for the color of her skin. Nevertheless,… Read More

Screen legend, political activist, and fitness guru, Jane Fonda has inspired people around the world promoting a greater understanding of our common humanity through her acting and philanthropy. The Academy award-winning actress is recognized for her relentless advocacy for women and girls. In addition to starring in over 40 films including Julia, The Morning After, and On Golden Pond, Fonda was one of the first women in Hollywood to start… Read More

Michelle Stacy has been the driving force behind the international multi-million dollar growth of Proctor & Gamble, Gillette, and Keurig. An influential leader in product development, P&L, and sales and marketing, Michelle has spurred innovation and long-term business success through asking “Is it possible?” rather than “Is it profitable?” During her 25 years at Gillette, including its acquisition by P&G, her smart planning and wise management helped expand markets worldwide.… Read More

Gifted and eloquent, actress Angela Bassett has captivated audiences with her strong performances for decades, building a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses for her portrayals of assertive female characters often based on real-life figures. Her talent and high criteria for choosing roles has garnered her more than 50 award nominations from various entertainment organizations. Bassett began to contemplate acting as a career choice after seeing James Earl… Read More

Liz Wiseman is president and founder of the leadership research and development firm, Wiseman Group, which operates out of Silicon Valley. Her services have been employed by some of the true global giants in business such as Apple, Nike, PayPal and Twitter. On the Thinkers50 rankings she is recognized as being one of the ten most significant leadership thinkers on the planet. Liz, the holder of a Bachelor's degree in… Read More

Sallie L. Krawcheck has grown and rescued a number of troubled financial services businesses by eliminating Wall Street conflicts of interests and making it a priority to re-focus on client needs and customer service. She is currently an industry commentator and “twit-lebrity” focusing on her passions: regulatory reform, the analysis of big banks and women in business. She is also a key advisor to many successful start-ups in various industries.… Read More

The first woman ever to head a television network, Kay Koplovitz is the founder of the USA Network as well as the Sci-Fi Channel (now the SyFy Channel.) The adventurous broadcasting pioneer created the business model for cable networks by introducing the concept of two revenue streams – licensing and advertising. Since 2000, she has been the co-founder and chairman of Springboard Enterprises, where she works to bring women entrepreneurs… Read More

Ranked among the “Top 50 Business Thinkers" by Forbes Magazine, Barbara Kellerman is an acknowledged expert in leadership, management and women's issues. She is currently James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, having previously been Research Director and Founding Executive Director of the Centre for Public Leadership at the same school. Kellermann's distinguished academic career began with her BA from Sarah… Read More

Martina Navratilova dominated tennis in the 1980s and has been called the greatest all-round player in the sport’s history. Admired for her integrity and persona both on and off the court, the sports heroine is also a respected human rights activist and high profile ambassador for gay and lesbian rights. Born and raised in communist Czechoslovakia, Navratilova succeeded in receiving permission from the government to play in the 1975 U.S.… Read More

Martha Stewart has always drawn inspiration from her surroundings. Raised in Nutley, New Jersey, in a family with six children, she developed a passion for cooking, gardening, and homekeeping in her childhood home on Elm Place. Her mother, a schoolteacher and homemaker, taught her the basics of cooking, baking, canning, and sewing; her father, a pharmaceutical salesman and avid gardener, introduced her to gardening in the family′s small but orderly… Read More

Award-winning journalist and breast cancer survivor, Joan Lunden has been one of the nation’s most trusted voices and personalities for over 30 years. The author of 8 books, the former Good Morning America anchor has used her visible career to raise awareness and build supportive networks for cancer patients and working women balancing their careers with family. Through her speaking, online presence, and advocacy she continues to bring the latest… Read More

Throughout her career, Lisa Ling has reported from some of the most dangerous locations from the world in an attempt to bring attention, aid, and change to those who need it the most. A former television co-host on ABC’s The View as well as OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network, she currently hosts the investigative documentary series This is Life with Lisa Ling on CNN. Ling’s desire to become a journalist… Read More

Lily Tomlin is an actress, writer, producer and one of America’s most well known comedians. She has appeared in countless films and TV shows, as well as theater and animation. She has won six Emmys, two Tonys, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics’ Circle Award, a CableAce Award, a Grammy, two Peabody Awards and a Mark Twain Prize. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Detroit, Tomlin says she… Read More

Libby Gill demonstrates how to achieve peak performance through personal development to an impressive roster of blue-chip clients. She is also a passionate speaker on women's issues and brings her expertise in leadership development and life balance to her speeches. Libby's clients have included ABC-Disney, AMC Networks, Avery Dennison, CA Technologies, Cisco, Comcast, Deloitte, Eli Lilly, GoDaddy, Kellogg’s, Microsoft, Nike, Oracle, PayPal, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Safeway, The Conference Board,… Read More

Oscar award-winning actress, Geena Davis is best known for her roles in Thelma and Louise, Beetlejuice, and the ABC series Commander in Chief, which featured her in the first-ever media portrayal of a female U.S. president. Off screen Geena has used her genius and celebrity to make a difference in the lives of women, children, and minorities by advocating equal and more realistic representation of genders and minorities in the… Read More

A recent presidential candidate once remarked to Gail Blanke, “What a difference you made… if I'd met you 10 years earlier, I'd be President by now." You may not have presidential ambitions, but if you want to know how to change yourself for the better, you need to listen to this motivational speaker. Ms. Blanke has been an adviser to CEOs, presidential candidates and college presidents. She has spoken to… Read More

New York City Commissioner on Women's Issues for more than a decade after her appointment by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Joanna Barsh is dedicated to helping more women achieve leadership positions. She is the creator of the McKinsey Centered Leadership Project, which includes over 125 in-depth interviews with global female leaders. In addition to her public service work, Joanna is a leader of both the Consumer Package Goods and Organization Practices.… Read More