Jamie Ryan spent nearly 15 years in Silicon Valley as an in vitro diagnostics innovator and technology scout, addressing the world’s most pressing problems.  Evaluating 100+ medical device startups as a subject matter expert in strategic business development, mentoring, and pitch judging showed her that many of  these “surprises” can be anticipated - and addressed - if you know where to look.

She started JL Ryan Consulting LLC to improve medical device startup success rates by identifying and addressing risks early, before costly pivots are needed.  She shares her feasibility-to-exit insights with early-stage entrepreneurs, empowering them to see the risks before investors do.  Audience members walk away ready to assess their product investment readiness, plan the most efficient next steps, and nail investor meetings.  

Michelle L Hoff is a Virtual Mindset Decluttering Coach. With 30 years of experience helping clients create a loved home - an owner of a cleaning business, landscape and interior designer, painter and Amazon Best Selling author. Her book “Compassionate Decluttering" and her proven framework, The A.L.I.G.N. Method™ empowers mid-life women to take control of clutter, get support, make lasting changes so she can have time and space to live with more ease and joy. 

Michelle Von Ruden is a speaker, burnout strategist, and host of the Why I Believe podcast. She helps high-achievers overcome burnout, perfectionism, and overwhelm so they can lead with greater resilience, clarity, and purpose.

Author of “3 Ways to Develop Your Resilience”, Michelle’s insights have been featured in Volume One – Women in Leadership 2024, the Maxwell Leadership Blog, and podcasts such as LeaderPass and Coachful Coaching. She holds a BS in Finance from Capella University and an MBA in Management & Leadership from the University of Kansas.

With more than 20 years of leadership, operations, finance, and entrepreneurial experience, Michelle combines practical strategies with real-world wisdom. She is a certified Maxwell Leadership Coach and a DISC Behavioral Analysis Consultant.

Sebastian Dziuk is an email marketing expert, entrepreneur, and U.S. Army veteran whose roots in military public affairs shaped a career built on strategic communication and organic growth. After navigating the fast-paced world of intrapreneurship at General Mills, Sebastian has built a reputation for turning complex ideas into messaging that moves people to buy.

As founder of Dziuk Studios LLC, Sebastian has helped dozens of experts and thought leaders turn online attention into sales using his signature AttractCycle™ framework.

With a career built on the intersection of creativity and strategy, Sebastian works with his clients to build a sustainable, organic lead generation system.

Steve Fredlund is an award-winning keynote speaker, two-time TEDx presenter, and bestselling author of Do the Unright Thing. After more than 30 years as an actuary, executive, entrepreneur, and nonprofit founder, including leading humanitarian efforts in East Africa, Steve gained a unique perspective on leadership in uncertain conditions.

Today, Steve helps leaders keep moving forward through change and uncertainty. Through engaging stories, humor, and practical tools drawn from African safaris, leadership research, and high-pressure decision environments, he equips audiences to build engagement, make confident decisions with limited information, and lead effectively when the path isn’t clear.

Dr. Theresa B. Skaar, also known as Dr. T, is a social psychologist, mindfulness-based speaker, and workplace facilitator who helps organizations reduce burnout and improve communication at work.

With a PhD in social psychology and certification in Mind-Body Medicine, she brings research-backed tools into high-stress, real-world environments. Drawing from 35+ years across healthcare, corporate, and academia, she teaches practical strategies for mindful communication, self-awareness, and navigating grief, change, and emotionally charged conversations.

Known for her humor, warmth, and no-nonsense approach, Dr. T helps leaders and teams move from reactive to intentional. Audiences leave with tools they can use immediately to listen better, speak more clearly, and build healthier workplace cultures.

Based in Minnesota, she works with healthcare teams, associations, and mission-driven organizations across the country.

Tom Hicks creates unforgettable learning experiences that help people reconnect with their growth mindset. 

After more than 25 years in higher education, including serving as a Dean of Students, Tom discovered that many people fear failure simply because they've never had a safe way to experience it. What began with a juggling kit from his grandmother became Embracing Failure & Growth Through Juggling, an interactive keynote experience that has helped thousands of students, educators, leaders, and teams embrace change, celebrate progress over perfection, and rediscover the joy of learning.