DreamBank’s mission to inspire possibility, offer support, and celebrate community through intentional programming deeply aligns with the values of the speakers we represent. Below, we’ve curated a selection of speakers categorized by key themes relevant to your audience. Each speaker brings a distinct voice, lived experience, and actionable insight, helping DreamBank attendees feel seen, motivated, and empowered through transformative storytelling and professional expertise.
Dona Sarkar leads accessibility tech at Microsoft and previously served as Chief Troublemaker for the Windows Insider Program. She’s also a fashion entrepreneur, author, and first-gen American. Dona champions responsible, ethical innovation—particularly in AI—and speaks with urgency, humor, and vision.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR-Q6cPiCvI
Recommended Speaking Topic -
Any minute now, someone is going to point at me and say YOU ARE SO NOT QUALIFIED TO BE HERE.
Have you ever felt like this? You're not alone!
According to research, about 70% of the people around you get this sense of being a fraud, this Imposter Syndrome at some point or another. I used to feel this way all the time--until one day, I got sick and tired of feeling like a fraud and decided to DO something about it. I've spent the last decade running a series of experiments to banish Imposter Syndrome for myself and the people in my life.
Let me walk you through a 9 step banishing spell that has worked for me and for hundreds of others who have confessed their impostering to me. By the end of the 9 steps, you'll not only have banished your imposter syndrome, but you'll have the tools to keep banishing it shall it ever dare to return.
Who's heard of ChatGPT and DallE?
These exist to be your copilot. They start stuff for you. They finish stuff for you. They’re here to make your life easier, NOT harder.
BUT they can very easily not represent what you believe and value. How can organizations and individuals make the best use of this amazing new technology when they're NOT AI experts and don't have the time or resources to become one?
Learn 5 techniques that your company can be doing today to maximize the usableness and usefulness of Generative AI and the 3 different roles everyone in your company can and should play a part in the AI revolution.
Highlights:
Why Dona:
Dona’s energy is contagious and her message is powerful: innovation without inclusion is incomplete. She helps DreamBank audiences understand how to build and apply technology that reflects our values and serves everyone.
Neil Redding helps organizations understand what’s next in tech, with a focus on blended realities and ethical innovation. As the founder of Redding Futures and former lead of tech strategy at companies like Proximity Lab, he brings deep experience in consumer behavior, data, and responsible design. A sought-after keynote speaker on stages like SXSW, Dubai Future Forum, and Building the Future, and corporate events for Meta, Microsoft, and more, Neil guides audiences towards a paradigm-shifting realization: Our realities are wholly co-created. By integrating technologies like AI and spatial computing with our physical, digital, and natural ecosystems, we can unlock new innovations, evolved business models, sustainable growth, and deeper connectedness across all aspects of work and life.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Reel - https://vimeo.com/1052840561
Recommended Speaker Topic -
The future is arriving so fast that traditional foresight and creative practices can't keep up. AI and spatial computing are building a tsunami of change that will profoundly impact every brand. How will yours ride this 100-foot wave?
This convergence lets us conjure dreams into reality, and unlocks a new creative mode: the orchestration of evolving brand realities with both technology and consumers as participants. In this transformative talk, Near Futurist Neil Redding reveals the mindset and tools for practical co-creation of the future, starting with the near and even the now.
Key Outcomes:
Highlights:
Why Neil:
Neil guides audiences through the fog of buzzwords and into meaningful applications of AI and tech. His talks are perfect for DreamBank attendees looking to demystify data and take agency over their digital futures.
Ugwem Eneyo is co-founder and CEO of SHYFT Power Solutions, specializing in the use of IoT software and big data to improve access to clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions in markets that struggle with grid resiliency. Ms. Eneyo explores how we use tech to create ‘grids of the future’ but particularly in emerging markets. She’s given talks on the nexus of energy and sustainable development to global thought leaders, including the World Bank.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emB9HMDMb2s&t=54s
Recommended Speaking Topics -
Highlights:
Why Ugwem:
Ugwem brings a critical voice to climate innovation—one grounded in justice, community, and ingenuity. Her lived experience and technical background make her the perfect speaker to connect the dots between innovation, equity, and sustainability in a way that feels both visionary and practical.
Léonie is the founder of Kinetik, a venture dedicated to deep-tech solutions that unlock human knowledge within the bioeconomy, a $4-$7T market. Recently, she launched Kinetik Impact (NGO) to protect island biodiversity and cultures, which are key to advancing the bioeconomy—an industry that underpins 60% of global GDP. This initiative honors and preserves their ecological and cultural heritage, recognizing their significant economic value.Combining expertise in science, design, conservation, innovation, and finance, Léonie bridges gaps between scientific research and commercial innovation. Her ability to unite corporate executives, artists, scientists, and Indigenous communities in both traditional and unconventional settings has resulted in diverse collaborations that tackle global challenges.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Highlights:
Why Leonie:
Leonie speaks to the heart of sustainability as both a personal and collective commitment. Her talks activate DreamBank audiences to think globally while acting locally—empowering them to take practical steps toward environmental change that also uplifts underrepresented communities.
Madison Butler is a fierce advocate for equity, inclusion, and mental health in the workplace. As a queer Black woman and trauma survivor, Madison shares raw, powerful stories of resilience and rebirth. Her viral content has built a global following of people who see themselves in her journey—from masking and burnout to unapologetically taking up space.
In her keynote, Madison explores the power of authenticity, encouraging audiences to embrace their lived experiences as strengths, not shame. Her style is bold, vulnerable, and deeply human. She speaks directly to those who have felt unseen and unheard—and helps them rediscover their worth.
Virtual Speaking Fee: Negotiable
Austin, TX
Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeuq-kaxUHM&t=200s
Recommended Speaker Topic -
Leaders are often expected to project confidence and certainty, but in today’s workplace, authenticity has become the defining characteristic of impactful leadership. Vulnerability is no longer a liability—it’s a strength that fosters trust, deepens relationships, and drives real connection.
Yet, many leaders hesitate to embrace vulnerability, fearing it may make them seem weak. The truth? Your authenticity is your strength. Being open and authentic makes you human, and will allow your teams to feel human too. If you want teams who feel safe, we must be willing to put down your own walls first.
This keynote will provide the insights and tools leaders need to make vulnerability and safety a cornerstone of their leadership style. By honoring their own humanity, leaders will empower themselves and their teams to tackle challenges with trust, safety and humanity.
Leave this session inspired to lead from the heart and embrace the power of who you really are, not who you think you have to be.
Key Learnings:
Madison’s honesty is magnetic. She gives people permission to feel, to speak up, and to rebuild their self-worth. Her story of rising through trauma and exclusion is exactly the kind of inspiration audiences crave in today’s world.
Highlights:
Courtney Caldwell is an award-winning tech founder, marketing strategist, and industry disruptor dedicated to empowering corporate intrapreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners. As the post-exit co-founder and former CEO of ShearShare, the largest salon and barbershop space rental marketplace, she helped transform the beauty and barbering industry by introducing flexible, on-demand workspace solutions. Under her leadership, ShearShare scaled to over 1,017 cities, matching licensed professionals with unused salon space and creating new revenue opportunities for business owners.
Courtney was named a 2024 EY Women in Innovation, a 2023 Cosmopolitan + Digital Undivided “New C-Suite” Honoree, a 2022 Hype Hair magazine 30 for 30, first African-American female to be inducted into the 2021 Texas Military Institute Hall of Fame, Inc. magazine 2019 Female Founders 100 list, is the first African-American female to be named the SMU Cox School of Business Outstanding Young Alumna, the 2019 Ada Lovelace Female Tech Founder of the Year, is a 2018 Dallas Business Journal Women in Technology, and the 2017 L’Oreal Women in Digital NEXT Generation Award winner.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckevQD0QC4A
Recommended Speaking Topic
Fear is universal—whether you’re scaling a business, raising a family, or climbing a literal mountain. In this powerful keynote, Courtney and Dr. Tye Caldwell share how fear has been a constant companion on their journey—from navigating the build, scale, and successful exit of an award-winning startup to parenting with purpose an NFL athlete to pushing past physical and mental limits on the world’s toughest climbs as they summited Mount Kilimanjaro. Through real-life stories and hard-earned insights, they challenge the idea that fear is something to avoid. Instead, they show how embracing fear can be the key to achieving audacious goals. Whether you’re launching a startup, stepping into leadership, making a career pivot or life-changing decision, raising the next generation, or tackling a personal challenge that seems insurmountable, the lesson is clear: the greatest breakthroughs happen when you do it scared.
Audiences will rethink fear, reframe risk, and take bold steps toward their biggest goals.
Three Key Objectives:
Why Courtney?
Courtney is real, empowering, and deeply inspiring. She connects with anyone working to silence doubt and step into purpose.
Highlights:
Dr. Samantha Harte is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, author, speaker, and wellness expert focused on helping individuals overcome imposter syndrome, emotional fatigue, and self-doubt. Drawing from both her personal story and professional background, Samantha equips audiences with practical strategies to foster emotional resilience and inner alignment.
Her sessions offer empowering tools for breaking cycles of self-sabotage and building confidence—tailored for professionals navigating stress, burnout, or personal reinvention. With a blend of science, storytelling, and heart, she creates a warm and engaging experience.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKoAauBmDZE&t=1s
Recommended Speaking Topic
In this inspiring keynote, Samantha shares her personal evolution from dancer to Doctor of Physical Therapy, revealing how her battle with perfectionism and imposter syndrome nearly killed her first physically, then spiritually. Through her story, she illustrates the gifts of imperfection and the importance of aligning oneʼs hardwired ambition for success with a deep practice of surrender.
Audiences will learn:
Why Samantha?
Dr. Harte’s work resonates with audiences seeking mindset clarity and sustainable self-care. Her approach helps people shift internal narratives and reconnect with purpose, energy, and self-trust.
Highlights:
Mark Ostach helps people find the courage to connect. A globally recognized speaker on Digital Wellness and frequently featured in the USA Today, Mark has done two TED talks, written 2 books, and spoken to thousands of people encouraging them to embrace a spirit of courage through vulnerability. Mark has degrees in psychology, technology, and an interest in behavioral neuroscience. His mission is to remind the world that human connection is the most powerful connection we have. So please check your phones one last time and get ready to be inspired by Mark Ostach!
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD1luFxAXU4
Recommended Speaker Topic -
Demonstrating empathy for the changes we are all going through and understanding ways to restore energy and human interaction are critical – especially when navigating an ever changing world. In Mark’s message, he will provide ways to reignite human connection leaving you filled with a newfound courage to connect.
Key Takeaways
Why Mark?
Mark helps audiences rediscover what matters. Whether it's digital burnout, emotional disconnection, or creative stagnation, his insights provide the spark to recharge.
Highlights:
Aaron has a single motivation in life and at work. To bring curious humans into a physical space that opens their minds and challenges their assumptions to create fiction-free environments for communication, innovation, and whatever the 21st century has in store for "work."
Aaron started Spaces Of explicitly to answer one question: what is the office after Covid? He and his partners developed a method of corporate cultural understanding that looks at space through an analytical lens of volume, density, flow, and performance but also uncovers and honors its emotional aspects: Why people go to work, not just where they go to work.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Speaker Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaMAbbg-bWg
Recommended Speaker Topic -
I spent seven years leading the design of Airbnb's offices. Two million square feet of space across five continents. The company doubled yearly for half a decade, which meant that no matter how fast we built, we were always running out of space. We managed the practical issue of maintaining function with varying degrees of density but always kept sight of the conceptual dictum that our spaces communicate the brand and its promise in ways that could be felt and experienced, not just read or seen. This combination of elements created intensely stimulating spaces that invited exploration, leveraged human energy, and stimulated the imagination.
We had a lot of visitors. They marveled at the freedom of movement, the conviviality, and the novel structures that contained all this social action. They said, "my company could never have an office like this." That was true then but isn't now.
The pandemic threw the typical office environment into stark relief. And the digital fluency / remote productivity of employees threatened its entire existence. Hybrid is the answer, but no one wants to work in a new way in the old space; they need something compelling to return to: they need a Destinations, that's what we created at airbnb, and this talk explores the elements of these spaces that can be recreated and reinterpreted to create the post-covid office all employees deserve.
Highlights:
Why Aaron:
Aaron’s insights are a perfect fit for DreamBank’s mission of supporting whole-person growth. His unique perspective on the physical environment as a driver of emotional wellness and productivity offers practical takeaways for anyone looking to rethink their workspace—whether at home or in the office. Aaron helps attendees see their spaces not just as backdrops, but as tools for intentional living.
Teresa Goines is the founder of Old Skool Cafe, a youth-run supper club that trains and employs formerly incarcerated and at-risk youth in San Francisco. A former juvenile corrections officer, Teresa believed in creating second chances through love, opportunity, and dignity. Her work is a living testimony to what’s possible when we bet on people.
Virtual Speaking Fee - Negotiable
Old Skool Cafe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m3QN-z47bA
CNN Hero: Teresa Goines - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6FKmqi2P98
Speaker Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/teresa-goines
Teresa Goines is a former juvenile corrections officer turned nonprofit founder who knows firsthand how small actions can create massive change. Her story resonates deeply with civic audiences because she’s lived on both sides of the system—enforcing policies and then rewriting the future through second chances. Her voice is ideal for leaders committed to community building, restorative justice, and human-centered leadership.
"Teresa’s story alongside Old Skool Café is inspiring... Our team left with a positive call to action to give back and contribute to the community." - Mark Perez, Founding Partner, Virgo Investment Group
"Teresa Goines is a powerful and authentic speaker. She has a unique story to tell - of inspiration, innovation and impact - one that engenders feelings of connection, hope, and solidarity." - Julia Novy, Professor of the Practice, Stanford University
Highlights:
Cheryl Campos is not just a founder or investor—she’s a first-generation Latina who turned systemic exclusion into a platform for empowerment. Born to immigrant parents and the first in her family to graduate from college, Cheryl’s path to becoming the Co-Founder and CEO of La Familia was anything but conventional. Her career began in traditional finance, took a bold pivot into venture capital, and ultimately led her to launch a nonprofit dedicated to closing the wealth gap in underserved communities.
Along the way, she earned degrees from Harvard University and Stanford’s MBA program, but more importantly, she built a voice that speaks authentically to those navigating identity, ambition, and impact. Whether she’s helping startups raise millions at Republic, mentoring student founders, or challenging who gets to lead in tech and finance, Cheryl brings an electric combination of empathy, intellect, and urgency. She is especially resonant with students forging their own paths and looking for real-world insight into purpose-driven leadership.
Highlights:
Why Cheryl:
Cheryl’s journey reflects the American Dream reimagined—where purpose meets persistence. For DreamBank audiences, she offers a roadmap to overcoming systemic challenges while remaining grounded in values and service.