Michael Smerconish
Stuck in the middle with you: How did we get where we are and what will it take to get out?

Michael Smerconish is an award-winning television and radio host and commentator, newspaper columnist and author. He is the host of The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM and CNN’s Smerconish. He has interviewed Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as Vice Presidents Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Joe Biden. Smerconish became the first radio host to interview President Obama live from the White House. He’s been a frequent guest-host of Hardball for Chris Matthews and a guest on virtually every television program where politics is discussed, including: the NBC Today Show, Colbert Report, O’Reilly Factor, Larry King Live, The View, and Real Time with Bill Maher. Smerconish has authored six books, two of them New York Times’ best sellers. His sixth book is his first novel – TALK!

Keynote Speaker - Mick Ebeling
The Fallacy of Impossible

All the modern conveniences we see around us were once considered “impossible” until inspiration met execution and the impossible became a reality. In his keynote address, Ebeling dives deeper into the “impossible” and the underlying psychological affects this concept has on an organization, and how to overcome the “impossible” so true innovation can take place. Honored as one of the Top 50 Most Creative People and a Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award winner, Ebeling is a producer, philanthropist, technology trailblazer, author, entrepreneur and public speaker. He is CEO of Not Impossible, an organization that develops creative solutions to address real-world problems.

Not Impossible Labs was founded on his firm belief that nothing is impossible. With no technical background in ocular recognition technology, Ebeling created Not Impossible’s first project: The Eyewriter, which enables individuals with paralysis to communicate and create art using only the movement of their eyes.

Not Impossible’s latest endeavor, Project Daniel, enabled Ebeling to fly to Sudan to 3-D-print prosthetic limbs and fit them for children of the war-torn region. He then left the equipment behind with trained locals to continue his work, creating the world’s first 3-D printing prosthetic lab and training facility. Arms are printed within hours and cost $100.

Mel Robbins
Influence: The New Rules of Coaching High Performance Teams

What does the rise of the “selfie” have to do with developing and managing teams? A lot. The world has changed profoundly and so has the psyche of your teams. To be an effective leader, you have to master and understand the powerful new drivers of human behavior. Mel Robbins is an inspirational force dedicated to helping people and organizations reach their highest potential. Armed with the most recent research in the field of human behavior and technological advancements, Robbins will explain how the “democratization of information” has changed the rules of influence. Her provocative and compelling views on leadership, risk and human potential have earned her international attention. She has trained and empowered executive teams for some of the world’s leading brands. Robbins will explore the difference between being the MVP and the coach, and introduce three behaviors every manager must eliminate. Attendees will learn the new rules of influence and the importance of “what” not “how.” You won’t want to miss this session, where we will discover the power of “being a fan” and practice peer-to-peer coaching exercises.

Scott Christopher
The Levity Effect: It Pays to Lighten Up

Fun at work is serious business. In a lively and hilarious presentation, humorist and corporate culture expert Scott Christopher establishes the case for levity leadership, using among other things, case studies and stories from Fortune 500 companies where levity has moved the needle. Christopher is a best-selling author, television personality, and occasional actor on prime time television. Attendees will receive proven tips, tools and ideas on how to lighten up a workplace NOW and take a high level look at all aspects of the levity effect, including the business relevance of humor and fun, energizing fun at work, building trust, creating dynamic presentations and holding more effective meetings Christopher is author of the People: Who They Are, Why They Win and How To Become One and The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up.                                                         

Jennifer Page
The Heart and Art of Patient/Family Centered Care

Jennifer Page, the inspirational and entertaining mother of Mini Darth Vader, describes her family’s journey through the health care system. Her son, best known for his role as Darth Vader in the Volkswagen Super Bowl ad, was born with a congenital heart defect requiring eight major surgeries before age 8. Her transformative health care journey has been heartfelt, eye-opening and sometimes harrowing. By sharing her experiences, Page will help attendees better understand and address many of the major challenges facing health care consumers today. The Mini Darth Vader video is on pace to become one of the most-watched viral ads of all time. With this kind of wide national recognition, Page is a frequently requested television guest and author.

Joint Session with Kansas Medical Society
General Stan McChrystal
Lessons in Leadership

General Stan McChrystal will share lessons based on leading and innovating one of the world’s largest organizations. Modern warfare and business demand the same no-nonsense leadership that drives change and implements it across large organizations. He reveals the power of culture, communication and relationships. McChrystal addresses key leadership principles like transparency and inclusion, leveraging the power of teams through relationships, leading by influence, relentless mission focus, and sharing a clear vision with everyone who must execute against it.

When old systems fall short, he believes true leaders must look for ways to innovate and change. Citing stories from his career, McChrystal reveals a four-star management strategy, concentrating on openness, teamwork and forward-thinking. He is known for developing and implementing the counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan and for creating a comprehensive counter-terrorism organization that revolutionized the way military agencies interact and operate.

A four-star general, McChrystal is the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which oversees the military’s most sensitive forces. His leadership of JSOC is credited with the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein and the 2006 location and killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. He is also the author of the best-selling leadership books, My Share of the Task: A Memoir and Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. General McChrystal co-founded the McChrystal Group in January 2011. Its mission is to deliver innovative leadership solutions to organizations which help them transform and succeed in challenging and dynamic environments.