Keynotes

As a research professor at the University of Houston and a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and her TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world, with over 60 million views. Brené spends most of her time working in organizations around the world, helping develop braver leaders and more courageous cultures.

As SVP and CIO of the National Football League (NFL), Gary Brantley is responsible for ensuring NFL football is the greatest competitive sport in the world by implementing innovative advancements to move the game forward. With over two decades of technology leadership experience, Gary has streamlined NFL operations, created an AI council, and introduced the concept of “Football as a Service.”

Elizabeth Bryant’s people-first leadership style consistently puts Southwest Airlines on Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. The legendary hospitality and world-famous culture where People Come First drives business success and reflects Elizabeth’s commitment to fostering a positive employee culture.

Dr. David Cook, a peak performance coach specializing in Sport and Performance Psychology, served as the Mental Training Coach for the San Antonio Spurs from 1996–2004, contributing to two World Championships. He has coached peak performers in sports (PGA, NBA, NFL, MLB, Olympics) and business (Exxon Mobil, Sprint, USAA, Merill). 

Steven oversees PepsiCo’s $21 billion snack and convenient foods business in North America, managing over 65,000 associates and 500 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

On average, a Toyota Corolla is sold every 27 seconds globally, and Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is behind the financing. Toyota Financial Services has been the largest auto lender in the nation for the past seven years. Scott Cooke, president and CEO of TFS, oversees the company’s operational and financial activities.

Four-star admiral Mike Rogers led the largest intelligence organization in the free world and created the senior-most war-fighting organizations within the DoD as Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency. Currently, he sits on the Board of Directors for multiple companies in the private sector.

Peter High, a columnist on Forbes.com, writes on topics at the intersection between IT and business. His insights are derived from best practices of leading companies transforming people, processes, technologies, ecosystems, and strategies for the digital era.

Anne Chow was the first woman CEO in AT&T’s history and has been blazing trails for herself and others for over thirty years. As a former CEO, Anne is passionate about engaging with IT leaders to share her unique insight on the power of connection and culture with a future-forward lens.

Jeff Schloesser, a retired Major General with a distinguished 34-year military career, served as the Deputy Director of the National Counter Terrorism Center. Now, as Bell's EVP of Strategic Pursuits, he leads a team of teams pioneering the future of flight, most notably the HSVTOL—a game-changing blend of helicopter hover capability and jet-like speed.

Kate Johnson is a seasoned technology innovator with a successful track record of driving business transformation at several prominent Fortune 100 technology companies, including Microsoft U.S., GE Digital, Oracle, and Red Hat. At Lumen, Kate is responsible for connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly.

As founder and CEO of The Feld Group, based in Dallas, Texas, Charlie Feld built a team of IT executives, enabling dramatic results in Fortune 500 companies through the transformation of their own IT organizations. Currently, he is working with Fortune 50 companies, developing the next generation of Business and IT Leaders.

As VP of Marketing at Chick-fil-A, David Salyer was responsible for the now famous Cow Campaign, “Eat Mor Chikin.” David has authored “Remarkable!” and helps organizations gain an advantage by focusing on their unique differentiators.

One of the most recognizable public address voices in the game, Chuck Morgan, is in his 46th year in professional baseball. As the Texas Rangers’ public address announcer, he has announced the starting lineups for 3,244 consecutive Major League Baseball games and is credited with creating the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame.

John O’Leary, as a curious nine-year-old boy, created a massive explosion in his home, playing with fire and gasoline. He was burned on 100% of his body, and doctors gave him a 1% chance of surviving—yet he did. After enduring months in a hospital bed and years of physical therapy, John woke up to what really matters.

Tom Nealon, spending almost five years as President of Southwest Airlines, believes that leadership is working with others to create a compelling vision and then nurturing the environment to bring it to life.