Danny Brassell is a globally recognized speaker, bestselling author, communication strategist, and storytelling expert who has spent decades helping leaders transform the way they connect, communicate, and inspire. Known by many as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.” for his high energy delivery and unforgettable stage presence, Danny has spoken to more than 3,500 audiences around the world and continues to deliver over 100 keynote presentations every year.

A former inner city teacher turned internationally sought after business communicator, Danny built his career around one core belief: stories change people. Whether speaking to entrepreneurs, executives, educators, or organizations, he teaches audiences how to turn personal experiences into powerful narratives that build trust, create influence, and drive meaningful action.

Danny is the author of 21 books, including Leadership Begins with Motivation and Misfits and Crackpots, blending humor, wisdom, and Paul Harvey style storytelling into lessons that audiences remember long after the presentation ends. His ability to merge entertainment with actionable insight has made him one of the most dynamic voices in leadership communication today.

Chip Scholz is an executive coach, author, and storyteller who writes about how people grow, change, and eventually let go.

For nearly 30 years, he has worked with leaders and organizations navigating transition, uncertainty, and growth. Earlier in his career, he worked in sales, management, and public affairs, where he saw firsthand how easily identity becomes tied to roles, titles, and recognition.

A layoff later in life gave him an unexpected reset. He moved across the country with his family, started his own coaching practice, and began building a life centered less on status and more on usefulness.

Over time, his work and writing have come to focus on a simple progression. First, we learn to lead ourselves. Then life forces us to live what we know. Eventually, leadership asks something harder—letting go of control, identity, or the need to be needed.

That arc shows up across his books: Small Decisions, Big Shifts explores how change actually happens; Every Dog Has Its Day reflects what it looks like to live those changes; Handoffs examines what it means to release control and pass something on

Across all three, Chip returns to the same idea: the moments that shape us are usually quiet, and the work of a life is learning how to respond to them.

Russell Van Brocklen is known as the Dyslexia Professor. He shifts daily reading frustrations into confident academic wins for students facing dyslexia.
Russell is on a mission to change how families and educators approach reading struggles. While dyslexia affects up to 15–20% of learners, many parents still hear the disheartening phrase: “wait and see.” Russell flips that script.

Drawing from structured literacy methods backed by science, he breaks down proven strategies into simple, actionable steps parents can use right away.

With a gift for clarity and empowerment, he shows audiences why multisensory routines outperform generic worksheets—and how to spark real progress before the next report card arrives.