Theme: The Future of Kansas City

Over the past decade, Kansas City has received international attention, particularly in the realms of sports and infrastructure. Most recently, Kansas City has welcomed new sports teams, won championships, and hosted national sports events. Additionally, the city is preparing to host international sports fans, which will undoubtedly engender rapid and unprecedented growth in the city. Moreover, KC has been in the news in recent years for being an up-and-coming “green city,” with expanding infrastructure and technological resources. Being the first city ever to receive Google fiber to now being the first US metro to have free public transit, Kansas City is demonstrating its commitment to building a city of the future.
Furthermore, we want to make sure that this growth occurs in a manner that is mindful of the most vulnerable in our community, as marginalized groups are often overlooked, undermined, or directly harmed by large industrial undertakings. Kansas City is one of the most segregated cities in the nation, and we want to ensure that the new growth of the city–as exciting as it is–does not exacerbate our pre-existing ills.
The growth of Kansas City is rushing towards us, and we want to make sure our community is ready to meet it. We believe all of these developments are interconnected in shaping how KC will grow into being a major city of the Midwest, and we want to inspire our community of students–and future leaders–to build on this momentum.

National WWI Museum and Memorial
2 Memorial Dr
Kansas City, Missouri, 64108
United States

Craig Siegel

Speaker & Author

Craig Siegel is a value-based and high-energy Global Keynote Speaker and rising thought leader, and Author of “The Reinvention Formula” that comes out in August 2023 with Wiley (foreword by Best-Selling Author Jon Gordon). He’s been featured in Entrepreneur and endorsed by some of the world’s most well-known celebrities, entertainers, athletes, and entrepreneurs, such as Dr. Shefali, Bethany Hamilton, Alicia Silverstone, and NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins. Craig’s unique combination of energy, motivation, inspiration, charisma, and business success has led to the meteoric rise of Cultivate Lasting Symphony (CLS) that has impacted millions of lives worldwide. He is a proud New Yorker through and through.

Lauren Dreher

Speaker & Author

Lauren Dreher is a mindset speaker, the author of Go With Your Gut: Then Keep Going, and the host of the podcast Go With Your Gut. Her God given passion is to help others shift perspective, grow through fear, and find the opportunity in difficulty no matter where they are in life. She is part of the Activate Your Power Now and Becoming The Best You movement, and she is determined to spread her message of belief around the world.

Osama Azam

Data Intelligence Analyst

Osama Azam is a Data Intelligence Analyst at Centralized Supply Chain Services. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 2020 with a degree in Data Analytics. He currently lives in his hometown of Overland Park, KS; he grew up in the Blue Valley District, a part of the greater Johnson County area. He loves continuous learning and is very grateful that he gets to do that with cutting edge tools on a daily basis with his work. Outside of work, he loves playing sports, specifically pickleball and football, and spending time with family and friends.

Samiya Sajid

Medical Student

Samiya Sajid is a 20-year-old student studying medicine at UMKC. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and hopes to pursue her passion in advocacy alongside medicine. She has previously worked with other nonprofits such as the Council of American Islamic Relations, the Muslim Youth League, and the Academy of Science to help amplify her and other children's voices. She is a strong advocate for mental health and sees herself in a mentorship position for future young Muslim girls to help them find their voice.

Sariya Saabye

Speaker, Strategist, and Coach

Dr. Sariya Saabye is an expert in minimalist mindset and strategy. As a coach, speaker, licensed physical therapist, and barefoot ultramarathoner she has used her eclectic background and 30 years of experience working with people from all backgrounds to hone her approach. Today she uses her expertise in eliminating overwhelm and distraction to help Flying Wallendas do handstands on the high wire, acrobats achieve careers with Cirque du Soleil and the WWE, and entrepreneurs decrease work hours while increasing their bottom line. Her message is clear: with strategic elimination and the power of less, anything is possible.

Sasha Hamdani

Psychiatrist and ADHD Specialist

Dr. Sasha Hamdani is a board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD clinical specialist. She has a robust social media following on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (@thepsychdoctormd) where she breaks down stigmas and provides accessible information about mental health. She is the author of Self-Care for People with ADHD (released through Simon and Schuster in January 2023) and the CEO of FocusGenie, the company behind the mobile app for focus, productivity, and ADHD education. She has worked closely with the White House and Surgeon General’s team to speak out about mental health awareness.