Mariela Shaker fled Syria in 2013 against the nightmarish backdrop of terror and destruction and arrived in the U.S. with her beloved violin a few months later. Through hard work, determination and luck, Shaker was able to obtain a student visa to study music at Monmouth College in Illinois, and subsequently won a full scholarship for graduate study at DePaul University in Chicago. She has become an advocate for peace and tolerance, wielding the power of music through her violin.
Rich’s presentations combine his 16 years of science teaching experience with his family’s story of overcoming the loss of his 22 month old son, Rees. Recounting the formation of The ReesSpecht Life Foundation, which has distributed almost 500,000 kindness cards worldwide, he inspires your students to look inward for their power to change the world; one little piece at a time.
Janet is an internationally known speaker and award-winning author who is recognized as a leading authority in the field of anger management and conflict resolution. Her warmth, sincerity, knowledge, and humor flavored with personal stories of trauma to triumph, evokes a profound awareness in her audiences.
Elaine Lowry Brye, Army brat turned ROTC candidate turned military wife, is the mother of four military officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Her book, Be Safe, Love Mom: A Military Moms Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Homefront, has been called a service manual for military moms. Elaine’s mantra is simple “We have to be braver than our kids.” She motivates Americans to remember their strong roots and band together. She speaks on raising patriots – brave children who can meet the challenges of life. Elaine believes that life in the empty nest can be filled with purpose and speaks to women about finding their passion in the later part of life.
Having performed for over a billion people, Mark incorporates unique and valuable content with blazing multimedia and drum performances to empower, inspire and elevate audiences to an evolved mindset and new level of peak performance. With Mark’s extremely high-energy speaking style, business relevant content, drumming and interactive activities, attendees get to express their own rhythms, fortify individual strengths and enhance emotional connections with their colleagues and families. What makes Mark different is that his presentation has the excitement of a rock show with the transformational aspects of a cutting-edge keynote. Think Tony Robbins meets Bono meets Ringo with live drumming, interactive performances, compelling and emotional stories of his intimate experiences with P!NK, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Cher and other world-class artists. Mark’s presentations inspire audiences to take immediate action toward increased performance.
For over two decades, Scott Greenberg has captivated audiences with his motivational presentations on leadership, resilience and peak performance. He’s spoken in all 50 U.S. states and throughout the world to clients such Nike, Allstate Insurance and the U.S. Air Force. He’s written three books on leadership and is a contributing author to “Chicken Soup for the College Soul.” Scott has also built two “Edible Arrangements” franchises, which have won the “Best Customer Service” and “Manager of the Year” awards out of more than 1000 franchisees worldwide.
Greg’s own “Get Involved!” presentations blend comedy, juggling, fun audience participation, and a powerful message about personal transformation. Greg’s clients include Fortune 1000 companies, associations, universities, and other groups worldwide.
Courage, Confidence, and Compassion allowed Antoinette, a school bookkeeper, to successfully talk down an armed gunman saving 870 lives at the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy on August 20, 2013.
Audiences of all ages are inspired and motivated by this story of one woman’s faith and raw courage – the only school active shooter situation in the nation which occurred without fatalities or injuries.
Eugenie is a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After moving to the U.S., Eugenie began to publicly share her experiences with students across the country to educate them about the dangers of hatred, inflammatory language, violence, and lack of concern for others. She uses her life story to inspire others to rise above personal setbacks and tragedies. Eugenie is available for Student Assemblies, Parent Workshops, and Staff Development Programs.
A former gang member who became a school administrator for more than 25 years. He delivers motivational lectures that help students re-evaluate themselves and their interaction with peers. He also lectures to school and community groups on the topic of cognitive & behavioral trends exhibited by today’s youth.
