Speakers / Types: Academics
Academic Speakers
Our award winning professors, who teach at some of the top universities and colleges in North America and around the world, apply academic rigour and cutting edge research to their presentations.
Shawn Achor
Harvard Researcher | Bestselling Author of The Happiness Advantage
Is there a connection between happiness and success? Shawn Achor is the world’s leading expert on the topic. His acclaimed TED Talk, The Happy Secret to Better Work, has been seen by over sixteen million people around the world, and his two books, The Happin...
Maydianne Andrade
Expert on Creating Equitable Workplaces
As the Vice-Dean of Faculty Affairs and Equity at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), Professor Maydianne Andrade shows the strength diversity brings to an organization through actively promoting the hiring, retention, and success of a diverse and in...
Dr. Lisa Bélanger
Behavioural Change Expert | Researcher
An organization’s greatest asset is its people. Award-winning CEO Dr. Lisa Bélanger shows leaders and teams how insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science can be applied in the workplace to optimize performance, productivity, and innova...
Dr. Nick Bontis
Leading Strategy and Management Expert
The “knowledge era” is here. Do you know how to survive? An internationally recognized intellectual-capital expert, Dr. Nick Bontis helps individuals and organizations navigate the new world of digital technology, industry disruption, and information bomba...
Timothy Caulfield
Professor of Health Law and Science Policy | Author of Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?
Professor Timothy Caulfield is an unrivalled communicator who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation in the health sector — from research on stem cells to diets to alternative medicine — for the benefit of the public and decision-makers. He is a Ca...
Ilona Dougherty
Leading Expert on Millennials and Generation Z | Social Entrepreneur
For businesses, organizations, and governments striving to succeed in the innovation economy, and anyone who hopes for a bright future, Ilona Dougherty’s perspective is what you have been waiting for. Ilona Dougherty is an award winning social innovator and ...
Dr. Linda Duxbury
Human Resources | Work–Life Balance
With Canadian corporations losing over $4 billion a year to absenteeism, the satisfaction and well-being of employees cannot be overlooked. Dr. Linda Duxbury is Canada’s most accomplished researcher, writer, and speaker on work–life balance. She has contr...
Niall Ferguson
Internationally Renowned Historian
Named by Time magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Niall Ferguson’s work impacts industry, finance, government, and academia. Controversial, expansive, and eloquent, Ferguson’s talks explore themes that have urgent relevan...
Richard Florida
Renowned Economist | Bestselling Author
Richard Florida is one of the world’s most sought after speakers on global trends, economics, prosperity, competitiveness, and growth. Combining in-depth analysis, a fascinating personal story, and a touch of self-deprecating humor, it’s no wonder he was n...
Suneel Gupta
Entrepreneur | Harvard University Visiting Scholar | Author of Backable
Suneel Gupta went from being the face of failure in the pages of the New York Times to being the “New Face of Innovation” for the New York Stock Exchange. In his new book, Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind What Makes People Take a Chance on You...
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
Expert on Resiliency and Workplace Wellness
Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. Described as transformational, engaging, and thought-provoking, Hanley-Daf...
Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon
Award-Winning Author | Public Intellectual
Bestselling author of The Ingenuity Gap, Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon shows audiences how to adapt and prosper in a world of ever-increasing complexity, speed, and surprise. Called “one of the best-informed and most brilliant writers on global affairs today...
Dr. Brian Little
Award-Winning Psychology Professor
Described as “a cross between Robin Williams and Einstein,” Dr. Brian Little employs equal doses of humour and intelligence to explain how our personal communication styles influence our experiences with colleagues and clients. A personality psychologist ...
Vikram Mansharamani
Harvard Lecturer | Global Equity Investor | Bestselling Author of Boombustology
Dr. Vikram Mansharamani is a global trend-watcher who shows people how to anticipate the future, manage risk, and spot opportunities. He gained widespread attention with the release of his first book, Boombustology, which provided a framework for spotting bubb...
Dr. Danielle Martin
Acclaimed Physician and Health Care Expert
Dr. Danielle Martin is on the frontlines of transforming the healthcare system. An internationally recognized health policy leader and executive, Martin is committed to revolutionizing healthcare to meet the demands of the 21st century. She speaks with passion...
Peter Ricchiuti
Wall Street Investment Visionary | Entertaining Finance Speaker
“If the majority of people were right, the majority of people would be rich!” So says Wall Street investment visionary Peter Ricchiuti, who teaches audiences why “follow the herd” mentality rarely delivers long-term success when it comes to the markets...
Janice Gross Stein
Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto
Whether it’s economics, geopolitics, or international security and terrorism, few people have a better understanding of global issues than Professor Janice Gross Stein. Her dynamic presentations provide a unique perspective into what’s really happe...
Dr. David Suzuki
Award-Winning Scientist, Environmentalist and Broadcaster
Dr. David Suzuki has made it his life’s work to help humanity understand, appreciate, respect and protect nature. A scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, he is a gifted interpreter of science and nature who prov...