Simone Stolzoff is an author, journalist, and workplace expert based in San Francisco. A former design lead at the global innovation firm IDEO, he has collaborated with leaders from organizations such as the U.S. Surgeon General’s office and Google to promote human-centered workplaces. His writings have appeared in prominent publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal. His debut book, The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work, became the #1 bestselling work-life balance book of 2023 and has been translated into over a dozen languages.  

From Simone: "I can draw on my innovation work at IDEO and future of work reporting from my book/my time at The Atlantic for the talk. Having grown up less than an hour from Menlo College, it would be great to give back to the community. I’ve learned lessons from my own entrepreneurial endeavors and through coaching hundreds of professionals on their next career step in Silicon Valley and beyond."

Speaking Topics

• ‍How to Keep Your Work from Taking Over Your Life‍
  • Stolzoff discusses strategies to navigate the modern work environment, inspiring the next generation of employees, and developing a sustainable approach to productivity.‍
• How to Prevent Burnout and Create a Culture of Sustainable Productivity‍
  • He addresses the root causes of burnout and offers insights into fostering a workplace culture that promotes sustainable productivity.‍
• From Quiet Quitting to Sustainable Productivity: Motivating and Engaging the Modern Workforce‍
  • Stolzoff explores contemporary workforce trends and provides guidance on how to motivate and engage employees effectively.
    

Why Simone Stolzoff is a Great Fit

• ‍Expertise in Work-Life Balance: His focus on maintaining a healthy work-life balance aligns with the well-being of Menlo College’s diverse student body.‍
• Innovative Perspective on Modern Work Culture: Stolzoff’s insights into sustainable productivity and workplace engagement offer valuable guidance for students entering the workforce.‍
• Local Engagement: Based in San Francisco, his proximity facilitates meaningful interactions with the Menlo College community, including campus visits and student engagement.

"A timely, compelling case for designing work around our lives instead of squeezing our lives into the space around work. It’s a wakeup call for people who feel overworked and leaders who have lost sight of their humanity." - Adam Grant, Wharton

Recommended Speaking Topics

• ‍Serial Maverick: Carving Your Own Path as a First-Gen Founder: Cheryl’s signature keynote tells her story of forging a nontraditional career path—from Wall Street to tech to impact entrepreneurship—empowering students to own their voice and pursue bold, values-aligned work.‍
• Democratizing Access to Capital: A powerful talk that demystifies venture funding, equity crowdfunding, and how students can become creators—not just consumers—of innovation.‍
• Building Wealth with Purpose: A deeply personal yet practical session on financial literacy, intentional wealth-building, and aligning money with mission.‍
• Representation in Tech & Venture: Cheryl reflects on her experiences as a Latina in Silicon Valley and the urgent need for inclusive leadership in high-growth industries.
  

Why Cheryl Campos is a Great Fit for Menlo College

• Academic Credibility: As a Stanford MBA and Harvard undergrad, Cheryl’s educational background mirrors the aspirations of high-achieving students.
• Relatable Leadership: Her Serial Maverick talk delivers both inspiration and tactical advice for first-gen and underrepresented students.
• Mission-Driven Expertise: Cheryl’s work at Republic and La Familia bridges the worlds of capital, entrepreneurship, and equity.
• Bay Area Relevance: With ties to Stanford and Silicon Valley, Cheryl is a familiar and aspirational figure for local students.

Recommended Speaking Topics

• ‍Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible: Based on his viral “100 Days of Rejection” experiment, Jia shares how intentionally seeking rejection transformed his life—and how students can do the same to build confidence, resilience, and fearlessness.‍
• The Power of Rejection: Using No to Fuel Your Success: A deeper dive into rejection as a tool for innovation, courage, and leadership. Jia teaches how to reframe “no” into opportunity, making it ideal for students preparing to launch careers or pursue bold goals.‍
• Rejection Training: A New Mindset for Growth: Jia walks students through actionable ways to desensitize themselves to rejection and rewire how they respond to setbacks. Highly relevant for student entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone navigating uncertainty.

Why Jia Jiang is a Great Fit for Menlo College

• Emotionally Relevant: Rejection and fear of failure are common hurdles for students—Jia addresses them with humor, vulnerability, and practical tools.
• Viral Influence, Human Approach: With millions of TED Talk views and a relatable message, Jia brings both inspiration and broad appeal to student audiences.
• Career Readiness Tie-In: His work helps students build the confidence to pursue ambitious goals, take risks, and navigate real-world challenges.
• Interactive & Memorable: Jia’s storytelling and examples invite participation and often become key takeaways long after the event ends.

"Not only did Jia share valuable lessons, he transformed these lessons into a message of empowerment. Jia’s talk was particularly successful because he took the time to learn about the audience and weaved in practical and relatable stories. His insightful talk struck a human chord and was truly inspiring." - CHARITY L., Director of Engineering, Google Search

"I love the positivity (learning) from the experiences. I never thought about how my fear has caused me to miss things in my life. This is life-changing." - DIANA, Dell Technologies

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Dia Bondi is a renowned leadership communications coach, speaker, and author with over two decades of experience empowering high-performance professionals to amplify their impact. She has collaborated with world-class brands such as Intel, Mozilla, Salesforce, and Dropbox, as well as with founders in portfolios of leading venture capital firms. Notably, Dia played a pivotal role in helping Rio de Janeiro secure the 2016 Summer Olympics and has coached changemakers backstage at the Clinton Global Initiative. Her book, Ask Like an Auctioneer: How to Ask for More and Get It, aims to inspire individuals, particularly women, to confidently pursue their ambitions.

From Dia: After looking at this brief, while I'd LOVE I can't say that these topics (future of work, AI etc) are totally in alignment with what my subject matter is. HOWEVER, I can see that there is potential for inspiring the audience to make big bold asks even and especially as they are at the beginning of their professional journeys. Asking will be one of the most important success strategies they'll use going forward. I can speak to my own journey and craft a narrative around how one ask can change everything. My talk would be more playful than buttoned up and I'd share stories from early career professionals in the Valley who are just months from where they are now.

Speaking Topics

• ‍Ask Like an Auctioneer: Learn How to Ask for More and Get It‍
  • In this energetic keynote, Dia introduces strategies from the world of fundraising auctioneering to empower audiences to make bold requests and maximize opportunities.  ‍
• Why the Word Yes Is Holding You Back‍
  • Dia explores how overcommitting can hinder personal growth and success, advocating for more selective, purposeful consent.  ‍

Why Dia Bondi is a Great Fit

• ‍Expertise in Leadership Communication: Dia’s extensive experience in coaching leaders aligns with Menlo College’s emphasis on developing strong business professionals.‍
• Empowerment Advocate: Her initiatives, such as Ask Like an Auctioneer, demonstrate a commitment to empowering individuals to pursue their goals, resonating with the aspirations of Menlo College’s diverse student body. ‍
• Local Engagement: Based in Northern California, Dia’s proximity facilitates meaningful interactions with the Menlo College community, including campus visits and student engagement.
  

"Do you want a speaker to take the room to the next level with her energy, insights, and influence? Dia transforms her audiences and her clients careers by teaching world class techniques for communicating for influence. Don't hesitate to book Dia now for a 10 return on a keynote speaking "experience!" -Jim Cook, BenchBoard Coaching & Exec. Advising. Founding Team: Netflix & Intuit.

Speaker Profile: https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/aniyia-williams

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Why Aniyia:

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Aniyia brings an interdisciplinary, future-forward lens to AVIXA’s audience—connecting emerging tech trends with real conversations about inclusion, growth, and agency. She offers a compelling example of how women in tech can lead with vision, ethics, and impact, while encouraging early- and mid-career professionals to define success on their own terms. With her background in audio tech, startups, and systemic change, she’s a natural bridge between AV’s creative roots and its future.

Suggested Topics:

• Designing Inclusive Innovation: Leading in Tech Without Losing Yourself
  
  • Some days it feels like we are doomed. Maybe we are. Either way, we should make the most of our lives while we’re here. The key is to NOT make it about winning or losing, but deftly playing an infinite game. That’s only possible when you are able to lead with the reason why you do what you do.  In this talk, Aniyia will share ways to search within to discover your WHY, distinguish what is necessary and real for YOU, and how to use this as a compass to navigate the world…. as long as it keeps turning.
• The Future is Cooperative: A New Model for Building Tech and Community
• From Voice to Vision: What a Nontraditional Career in Tech Can Teach Us About Leadership

Highlights:

• Director of Responsible Tech at Omidyar Network, leading the multistakeholder initiative The Tech We Want
• Founder of Black & Brown Founders and Co-Founder of Zebras Unite
• Angel investor and advisor shaping inclusive innovation in tech ecosystems
• Former opera singer turned startup CEO—bridging creativity, leadership, and systems change
• Featured in WIRED, Fast Company, and NPR’s Code Switch

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^{“Aniyia was great! She was professional, fun, relatable to the audience and had good ways of engaging with them throughout the presentation.” — Christina George, Education and Events Manager, League of CA Cities}

^{‍“Aniyia was fun to work with and gave a great talk.” — Barrett Clark, Ruby Central}

Teresa Goines is a visionary entrepreneur and social activist, renowned for founding Old Skool Cafe, a groundbreaking violence prevention program operating as a 1920s-style supper club in San Francisco. With a mission to provide at-risk youth with employment opportunities, mentorship, and hope, Teresa has dedicated her life to transforming lives and communities through innovative and compassionate initiatives. Her journey began as a juvenile corrections officer, where she recognized the systemic issues facing young people in the criminal justice system, inspiring her to create a solution that addresses the root causes of violence and recidivism.  

Speaking Topics

• ‍Having Grit: Persevering Through Challenges‍
  • Teresa shares her journey of launching Old Skool Cafe, highlighting the importance of resilience and determination in pursuing a vision despite obstacles and doubts.  ‍
  • Entrepreneurship – Risks and Rewards‍
    • She delves into the realities of entrepreneurship, discussing the inherent risks and immense rewards of pursuing a vision with passion and perseverance.  ‍
  • How to Take Small Steps Towards a Big Dream‍
    • Teresa provides a practical guide to turning dreams into reality, emphasizing the importance of taking actionable steps toward achieving big goals.‍

Why Teresa Goines is a Great Fit

• ‍Entrepreneurial Insight: Teresa’s experience in founding and leading a successful social enterprise aligns with Menlo College’s focus on business innovation and entrepreneurship.‍
• Commitment to Social Change: Her dedication to empowering at-risk youth and transforming communities resonates with values of diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility. ‍
• Local Engagement: Based in San Francisco, Teresa’s proximity facilitates meaningful interactions with the Menlo College community, including campus visits and student engagement.

“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  

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Kwame Anku is the Chairman and CEO of Black Star Fund, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in innovative companies across the United States and Africa. With over two decades of experience blending entrepreneurship, social impact, and corporate engagement, Anku has established himself as a visionary leader in the venture capital space. His career trajectory includes being personally recruited by the late legendary musician Prince to develop a mobile app, leading to his role as National Director of Strategic Development for the Prince-inspired #YesWeCode initiative, which aimed to empower youth of color in technology.  

Speaking Topics

• ‍For Entrepreneurs Only: Learning the Investor Language‍
  • Anku delves into his signature “5 Pillars of the Pitch,” guiding entrepreneurs to understand the language investors speak, enhancing their success in raising capital.
• ‍From The Brink of Death‍
  • A deeply personal narrative where Anku shares his miraculous recovery after a life-threatening health crisis, offering insights into resilience and the human spirit.  ‍
• True Power: Transcending Race, Transcending Politics‍
  • Anku challenges audiences to move beyond traditional frameworks of opposition, presenting a fresh, spiritually focused perspective on addressing societal challenges.  
    

Why Kwame Anku is a Great Fit

• ‍Entrepreneurial Expertise: As the leader of Black Star Fund, Anku possesses firsthand experience in entrepreneurship and venture capital, aligning with Menlo College’s emphasis on business and innovation.  ‍

• Inspirational Storytelling: His personal journey, including overcoming significant health challenges, offers a compelling narrative of resilience and determination, resonating with graduates embarking on their own paths.‍

• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Anku’s work with initiatives like #YesWeCode demonstrates his dedication to empowering underrepresented communities in technology, reflecting values of diversity and inclusion.  ‍

• Local Engagement: Based in California, Anku’s proximity facilitates potential engagements with the Menlo College community, including campus visits and student interactions.