Microsoft - PRIDE
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About the event

PRIDE Celebration

To be determined based on speaker/content needs

Pinquelton Group
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Collaboration, Ideation and Storytelling with a Colorful Twist

Pinquelton Group was founded in 2018 by Andy Eninger and John Loos, two learning designers and facilitators who are partners in business, comedy, and life (yep, they’re married, which is why they often accidentally dress alike!)

What started 10 years ago as the critically acclaimed sketch and improv comedy duo Pinque Pony has evolved into a dynamic employee development business that marries decades of comedy performance, writing experience and sense of play with the duo’s 30+ years of combined corporate facilitation and storytelling experience. Eninger previously served as the head of the comedy writing program at the famed Second City theater in Chicago, while Loos was among their writing and improv faculty and helped put The Second City Network on the map with his viral comedy writing.

The Pinquelton Group specializes in workplace transformation, leadership, and DEI strategies, helping corporations build inclusive cultures where all employees feel seen and valued.

Los Angeles, CA

Speaker Highlights

Speaker Reel - https://vimeo.com/925199876

Highlights:

  • Experts in leadership development and DEI, with a focus on cultural transformation
  • Proven track record in corporate training and interactive workshops
  • Guides companies in creating inclusive policies and fostering allyship
  • Specializes in employee engagement, team-building, and workplace belonging

Why The Pinquelton Group?

The Pinquelton Group is an expert in creating inclusive leadership strategies that are both actionable and impactful. Their deep experience in facilitating interactive workshops and team-building sessions makes them a great fit for engaging employees in skills-building around LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship. The Pinquelton Group’s approach empowers employees to move from awareness to action when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Their practical, results-driven approach will foster a deeper sense of belonging at MIcrosoft. Pinquelton Group highly customizes their presentations. They could offer a skills building workshop no problem. We booked them in the past as entertainers, facilitating a storytelling workshop, providing a keynote. Every time it's different, interactive and leaves with lasting impact.

Topics - varies widely, depending on the need of the event.

Please see their speaker page, https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/pinquelton-group and also their personal website, http://pinqueltongroup.com/, for more information on their offerings. They could offer a skills building workshop no problem. We booked them in the past as keynote+entertainers for an annual conference, facilitating a storytelling workshop for a global manufacturer's train the trainer event, providing a keynote to a Fortune 100. Every time it's different, interactive and leaves with lasting impact. 

Dr. Paula Stone
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Gender Equity Advocate, Strategic Communications Expert; LGBTQ Ambassador and Transgender Minister

Dr. Paula Stone Williams is an internationally known speaker on gender equity, LGBTQ advocacy and religious tolerance. As a transgender woman, Paula brings a unique perspective to her work on gender equity. She says, "The differences between living as a man and a woman are massive. There is no way an educated white male can understand how much the culture is tilted in his favor, because it is all he has ever known and all he ever will know."

Paula, with decades of experience in strategic communications within partisan spaces, skillfully employs narrative communication—a storytelling approach that intimately connects the audience with the conveyed message, fostering enduring change. Whether a corporate meeting, women's conference, company retreat or national gathering, Paula’s unique perspective and skilled storytelling engages everyone as she humbly and effectively advocates for gender equity, LGBTQ rights and appreciation for the differences among us.

Speaker Highlights

I've lived as a man & a woman -- here's what I learned | Paula Stone Williams | TEDxMileHigh - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrYx7HaUlMY&t=167s

Paula Stone Williams Speaker Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN-ISpm4gAY

Highlights:

  • Renowned TED Speaker, with talks viewed over 6 million times
  • Expert on gender equity and workplace inclusion, advising corporations on best practices
  • Author of As a Woman: What I Learned About Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned
  • Former pastor and LGBTQ+ advocate, bridging diverse perspectives with empathy and insight

Why Paula Stone Williams?

Paula brings deep expertise in gender equity and corporate inclusion, sharing invaluable insights on how to create a workplace where all identities thrive. Her compelling storytelling and data-backed approach help organizations better understand the barriers faced by transgender and LGBTQ+ individuals while providing actionable strategies for fostering true equity. Paula’s engaging presence and transformative perspective on leadership and inclusion make her an ideal choice for Pride Month events. We have a great relationship with her agents and they give it to me straight, Paula is the real deal and can deliver a funny, but informative presentation for your group.

Dr. Kryss Shane
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Leading LGBT+ Inclusion Expert, Educator, Consultant, Advocate, Professor and Author

With over 25 years of experience guiding the world’s top leaders in business, education and community via individual, small group and full-staff trainings, Dr. Kryss Shane LSW, LMSW (she/her) has been featured as America’s go-to Leading LGBT+ Expert in The New York Times, ABC News, Yahoo!, and CNN. Her writing has also appeared in the Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership,  Huffington Post, International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership, The New Social Worker Magazine, and many more.

Dr. Kryss is known for helping businesses address their unique Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion needs in an approachable, manageable and actionable way. This includes alterations to physical spaces, updating hiring practices, re-drafting policies and procedures and more. In addition to her doctorate, she holds two master’s degrees, two licenses to practice mental healthcare, and she is currently serving as the Director of the Social Work Program and Assistant Professor at Thomas University, as well as being a Lecturer at Columbia University and an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University, National Louis University, and National University.

New York, NY

Speaker Highlights

Meet LGBTQ+ Inclusion Author and Speaker, Dr. Kryss Shane | TS Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ScxbMgshY

Highlights:

  • One of the most sought-after LGBTQ+ workplace consultants, helping Fortune 500s build inclusive policies
  • Author and educator on DEI, allyship, and leadership
  • Recognized as a thought leader in workplace belonging and LGBTQ+ advocacy
  • Offers a practical approach to fostering inclusion at every level of an organization

Why Dr. Kryss Shane?

Dr. Kryss Shane brings a wealth of expertise in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and policies that support diverse identities at every level. As a recognized thought leader, she brings valuable insights on how to create supportive, safe spaces for LGBTQ+ employees and advocates for inclusive leadership practices that are sustainable. Her hands-on approach will be invaluable to Microsoft's global workforce as they navigate DEI strategies for diverse employees across various cultures and backgrounds. Dr. Shane’s ability to foster real change at the organizational level makes her a perfect fit for PRIDE events. Really one of the leading experts here; Dr. Kryss can lead a very actionable talk and leave your audience with a deeper understanding of how they can support fostering these relationships in all areas of their business. Dr. Kryss can lead a skills building workshops as well.

Damian Pelliccione
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CEO, Innovator & LGBTQ+ Media Disruptor, CEO and Co-Founder of Revry, the World's First LGBTQ+ Global Content Streaming Network

Short Bio

Damian Pelliccione is the co-founder and CEO of Revry, the world’s first global LGBTQ+ streaming network. A true innovator in media and technology, Damian has transformed the entertainment industry by creating an inclusive space where LGBTQ+ voices are amplified. Damian was named one of Goldman Sachs ‘Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs‘, was featured on the ‘Out 100’ list, and is a proud recipient of the West Hollywood Rainbow Key Award. Damian also recently won a GLAAD Media Award for an original series Damian created "Drag Latina". Damian and their co-founders are all graduates of Goldman Sachs Black and Latinx 2020 accelerator program. Damian has acted as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago and has lectured at over 20 universities and colleges across the globe including the University of Southern California, Los Angeles Film School, and BAU University Istanbul Turkey amongst others. Damian is also a proud member of StartOut, Out in Tech, and Trans Tech Organizations. Damian also serves as a board member of The Trans-Chorus of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, CA

Speaker Highlights

Dubin Tech Summit: "Unapologetically Queer" with Damian Pelliccione of Revry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQxjIa0QSqA&t=74s

World Logic Day 2023 - Investing In Impact And Equality - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpzz28xFSxw&t=9s

Speaker Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/damian-pelliccione

Highlights:

  • CEO & Co-founder of Revry, the first global LGBTQ+ streaming platform
  • Expert in media, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship, shaping inclusive narratives
  • Recognized by Forbes, Variety, and Out100 for leadership in the LGBTQ+ business space
  • Advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in media and entertainment

Why Damian Pelliccione?

Damian is a disruptor in both media and tech, using his platform at Revry to showcase LGBTQ+ stories and bring inclusivity to the entertainment space. He’s a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ voices, and his expertise in media innovation provides a valuable perspective on how technology can amplify underrepresented communities. His experience in the intersection of tech and media will resonate with your employee base, showing how LGBTQ+ representation in the workplace and entertainment can fuel business growth and cultural transformation.

Lorenzo Thione - PRIDE
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AI Founder / Keynote Speaker & Investor / Broadway Producer / 🌈 Advocate

Short Bio

Lorenzo Thione is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and champion of LGBTQ+ representation in the corporate and venture capital spaces. He is an expert and practician at the intersection of AI and Technology, Storytelling, and Social Advocacy. He has a deep background in Artificial Intelligence (AI), and has gone from AI researcher and technologist at FXPal/Parc, to being the co-founder of Powerset, a pioneering AI company that developed one of the earliest AI-powered web search engines. Powerset was later acquired by Microsoft and became a part of the launch of Bing in 2009. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director of Gaingels, where he oversees AI, deep-tech and consumer tech investments. Gaingels is a leading investment syndicate dedicated to balancing minority representation in venture, and one of the most active private investors in North America. He is also a co-founding chairman of StartOut, which is dedicated to supporting and elevating LGBTQ+ founders in the venture startup ecosystem.

Chicago, IL

Speaker Highlights

Lorenzo Thione on How Gaingels is Reshaping Venture Capital - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej0QD1kOWx8

The Emerging DEI Opportunity in Entrepreneurship | DECODE Innovation Conference 2022 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8fkINTzKkM

Speaker Website - https://thione.me/

Highlights:

  • Managing Director of Gaingels, the leading LGBTQ+ venture capital network, investing in diverse founders
  • Co-founder of StartOut, a nonprofit empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through funding and mentorship
  • Expert in tech innovation and storytelling, helping businesses leverage diversity for success
  • Passionate advocate for inclusive leadership in corporate environments

Why Lorenzo Thione?

Lorenzo’s deep experience in both venture capital and technology makes him an ideal speaker for Pride Month events, especially given the Microsoft's commitment to both DEI and tech innovation. He has spent his career advocating for LGBTQ+ representation and is an influential voice in creating inclusive ecosystems for entrepreneurs, investors, and employees alike. His expertise in diversity-driven business success will resonate deeply with your global audience, while his passion for inclusive leadership and building allyship aligns perfectly for Pride Month.