Theme: Unconventional Journeys

We aim to showcase the broadest spectrum of voices. We welcome great thinkers and doers, creators and visionaries from all areas of thought and work and life.

We believe in the beauty of our city and its many diverse voices. Our goal is to ensure that those voices are heard and shared to a special audience.

Our goal is to present talks on issues that matter to our community–free from corporate, political and religious agendas–and to spark a real dialogue about how to make a difference.

Improv Asylum
307 W 26th St
New York, New York, 10001
United States

Christine (Faerie) Lam

Singer

Born and raised in New York, Faerie emerged from the depths of Christine Lam’s soothing/fluttering vocals and metaphorical songwriting. Her passion for performing began early, deciding at a young age to take voice lessons and pursue theatre. She wanted the world to hear her voice, so she posted covers of popular music on YouTube and SoundCloud. This lead to exploring songwriting in high school and college, and collaborating with fellow musicians. Lam’s influence of pop, jazz, and folk has guided her through her songwriting. Under Faerie, Lam will be working on releasing new music focused on love, lust, and fantasy.

Donna Korren

Entrepreneur, Consultant, Blogger and Keynote Speaker

A 30 year veteran of publishing and advertising sales for companies including Vogue, Time Inc. and her own regional, lifestyle magazine, Donna is the founder of Empty Quester, a movement including a website and video blog for empty nest parents who are crafting a bold next chapter. She recently co-founded Blue-prynt, a digital resource for college bound students and their parents. Donna speaks and writes frequently about the growing influence of the 50+ demographic and works with companies and brands looking to reach this market.

Elaine Montilla

IT Executive, Diversity and Inclusiveness Expert and Blogger

Elaine Montilla is an accomplished senior executive with almost two decades as an IT Leader in Higher Education. Skilled in Educational Technology, IT Strategy, Management, System Deployment, and Project Portfolio Management. Recognized for staff professional development, change leadership, and talent for communicating with diverse groups of people. Originally from The Dominican Republic, Elaine lives in New York and earned a Bachelor Degree in Computer Information Systems from Baruch College (CUNY), and a Master in Business Management and Leadership from The CUNY School of Professional Studies. She is also the founder of @5xminority, a blog and social media brand dedicated to empower women and minorities to love themselves unconditionally, and was recently featured in the Soul & Stories Podcast. She is currently working on her first book by the same title “5xminority” and when she is not working, she enjoys photography, dancing, and traveling around the world with her wife.

Heather “Lucky” Penney

Fighter Pilot

Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Heather “Lucky” Penney is a renowned speaker on topics ranging from personal courage; decision-making under stress; leadership; organizational transformation; inclusivity; high performance teams; national defense issues; and aviation. Heather was part of the first wave of women who went directly into fighters from pilot training. over ten years, Heather was a Director of various Air Force programs for Lockheed Martin. She now is a Senior Resident Fellow for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies at the Air Force Association, where she researches and advises on defense policy issues related to airpower and the Air Force. She has been a regular lecturer at the Air Force’s Squadron Officer School; is a Director of the Board for the Experimental Aviation Association; and is the Beideman Visiting Scholar at the Oskin Leadership Institute for Weideman University.

Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler

Organizational Psychologist

This Talk was presented on June 22nd,2019 in New York City.

Kevin Curry

Writer, Blogger and Public Speaker

In 2012 Kevin started a Tumblr blog called “FitMenCook” to share his meals online in order to build a community around healthy food ideas, as well as to keep himself accountable and motivated. His message is simple: “Our bodies are built in the kitchen, Sculpted in the gym.” Fit Men Cook is about all of us, both men and women. It’s taking our individual success stories and fitness and nutrition philosophies and sharing those ideas with the each other to grow and improve together. It’s all about everyday people—no matter the fitness level or athletic ability—aiming to live the best life possible through fitness and healthy eating. Hard work and remaining active are vital; but in the end, it all comes down to diet.

Leslie Zane

Marketing Guru, Founder and President of Triggers®

Leslie Zane is one of the world’s top experts in influencing the decisions people make, whether in business, politics, or social campaigns. Her discoveries and unique insights have been published by Wharton, MIT, Ad Age, Forbes, and more. Always challenging the status quo, Zane found early in her career that her ideas about marketing differed from the conventional wisdom and weren't always met with open arms. So she launched her own company, Triggers Growth Strategy, and turned it into a powerhouse, raising revenues for household name brands by more than $2 billion. Zane has been named a Trendsetter by the Association of National Advertisers’ International division. A widely sought-after speaker, she has spoken at numerous events including ANA Conferences and The Girls Lounge at Advertising Week. Zane is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School.

Louis Boria

Craftavist, Keynote Speaker and Founder and Creator of Brooklyn Boy Knits

Louis Boria wants everyone to be able to pursue their passions. After going viral for knitting during his daily subway commute from Brooklyn to Manhattan late 2017, he’s turned his passion for fiber arts into a platform for an anti-bully campaign. Boria, also known as Brooklyn Boy Knits, has been featured on media as varied as New York 1, CBS News and Telemundo. He uses his platform to break down gender norms and tackle issues related to diversity and inclusion. Throughout his journey from novice knitter to designer to motivational speaker and influencer, he has focused on helping others. After learning that he inspired a young boy to embrace his own passion for knitting, despite being bullied for it, Boria set out to share a message of acceptance. He believes that creativity can help heal wounds, both our own and society’s. Boria has provided an interactive, engaging and fun program that teaches young students to value differences with communities across the US.

Michelle Penelope King

Author and Leading Expert in Gender and Organizations

Michelle King is a leading global expert in gender and organizations. She is a keynote speaker, researcher, writer and advocate. She has significant international experience advancing women in innovation and technology, leading global diversity and inclusion programs and advocating for women at work. King has over 16 years’ experience working in diverse, global environments. King is a published, award winning academic with a Masters in Psychology and an MBA. In addition, she is pursuing a PhD through Cranfield University on the topic of office politics, networks and gender in organizations. As a thought leader, King currently contributes to Forbes Women and Huffington Post on the topic of women’s advancement at work and she been published in Harvard Business Review and TIME

Robin Joy Meyers

International Speaker, Fear Strategist, Author, Radio Host, and Molecular Geneticist.

Robin Joy Meyers is an international speaker, fear strategist, author, radio host, and molecular geneticist. Robin Joy specializes in science-based strategies and techniques for self- awareness, mindset, leadership, balance/boundaries and the positive power of fear to empower women with tools to be put into action immediately. An expert in transitions, Robin Joy founded Navigate2Empower to educate and empower women through executive coaching, workshops, and speak- ing engagements. As a molecular geneticist, Robin discovered the TUB36 gene, a gene that affects the wing formation of fruit flies. She is also the host of the popular radio show, Activate Bold Choices, and is best-selling author of “Alone but Not Lonely” and “The Art of Unlearning: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone.”

Teddy Quinlivan

International Top Model and Transgender Activist

Since coming out as transgender in September 2017, Teddy Quinlivan has become an outspoken advocate for the transgender community and the struggles of models in the industry. She has used her status to lobby for more inclusion in fashion, while working with the world’s most renowned designers. Her modelling career took off after being discovered by Louis Vuitton creative director Nicolas Ghesquière in 2015, when she made her debut as an exclusive for the Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2016 show. Since then, she has walked in shows for Saint Laurent , Dior, Gucci, Prada and Chanel, and appeared in editorials for American Vogue, Vogue Japan, Love Magazine and Teen Vogue. Quinlivan came out as transgender in a CNN Style interview in September 2017, during New York Fashion Week.

Todd Cherches

Business Consultant, Executive Coach, Adjunct Professor, Blogger and Keynote Speaker

Todd Cherches is the CEO & CoFounder of BigBlueGumball, an Todd Cherches is the CEO & Co-founder of BigBlueGumball, an innovative NYC-based leadership consulting, training, and executive coaching firm, as well as an adjunct professor of leadership at NYU and Columbia. A popular blogger and keynote speaker, Todd is the author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster).