2026 SPEAKERS
Odell Bizell II
The Most Dangerous Sentence in America: “I Would Never Do That"
Odell Bizzell II is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programming for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. NC State as a communication major and former law enforcement officer, he studies how people discover meaningful work and build careers.
Rufus Edmisten
I finally got a few things right: Bring back Civility
Rufus L. Edmisten is a North Carolina attorney, former Attorney General and Secretary of State, Watergate Committee counsel, and dedicated community leader known for his legal, political, and charitable contribution.
Dr. Arif Kamal
The Cancer Healing Power We All Carry
Dr. Arif Kamal is the inaugural chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society, a practicing oncologist and palliative care physician in North Carolina, and an associate professor of medicine and population health at the Duke University School of Medicine. He has published more than 225 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is recognized as an international expert in supportive oncology and palliative care.
John Cooper
Find the Thing that Breaks your Heart and Refuse to Look Away
John Cooper is the Founder and CEO of Cooper Tacia General Contracting Company, a multimillion-dollar commercial, industrial, and municipal construction firm based in Raleigh. After moving to North Carolina to attend NC State University, he grew the business from performing small kitchen and bathroom remodels to exceeding $100M in revenue.
Dr. Michelle Chambers Rollins
The Unplanned YES!
Dr. Michelle Chambers-Rollins is a trauma-informed mental health clinician and professor at UNC–Chapel Hill whose work examines how anxiety quietly governs the choices we make. Drawing on civic training, public systems work, and her book Faith to Win, she challenges people to reclaim agency and move forward even when certainty is unavailable.
Michael W. Allison, MBA
Adversity Doesn’t Shape Us—The Meaning We Give It Does
Michael W. Allison is a leadership theorist, advisor, and best-selling author whose work focuses on identity, meaning, and decision-making under pressure. A U.S. Marine Corps Purple Heart veteran, he studies how individuals interpret adversity and how those interpretations shape long-term behavior, resilience, and well-being.
Anthony Rapillo
The Long Game of Short-Term Wins
Anthony Rapillo started cooking as a way to honor his mother after she passed away nearly 20 years ago. He's doing just that with Layla's Son Hospitality, a burgeoning company specializing in experience-driven restaurants, bars, catering and hospitality consulting.
Dr. Kristen Wynns
The Healing Power of Humor
Dr. Kristen Wynns is a child and adolescent psychologist, founder of Wynns Family Psychology, and author of The No Wimpy Parenting Handbook, whose work has shaped parenting and youth mental health for over 25 years. A sought-after media expert, speaker, and stand-up comedian, she blends psychology and humor to help people build resilience, confidence, and meaningful connection.
Celeste Belle
You Are Not Your Job
Celeste Bell is a former C-suite HR executive turned professor and researcher whose work focuses on identity, work, and resilience. She’s also a 70-time marathoner who has run on every continent and uses serious leisure as a live experiment in what it means to build a self that’s bigger than a job title.
Gina Casazza
From Fear to Fascination: How Curiosity Builds Resilience
Gina Casazza is the founder of EmpowerLit, a nonprofit dedicated to building literacy and confidence in children through storytelling and author visits. After completing a Navy SEAL-inspired training program, she now shares lessons on mental toughness, resilience, and curiosity through her podcast and speaking.
Mark Agnew
The Lost Art of Showing Up in Person
Mark Agnew builds businesses and personal performance by mastering the art of showing up — using partnership, relationship, and narrative to help teams, leaders and individuals unlock creativity and perform at their best.
Michael D. Cooper
Why Breakthrough Happens Long Before Anyone Notices
Michael D. Cooper (“Coop”) is a media personality and host of The Big Scoop with Coop, now in its 12th season. After a decade of interviewing high performers across industries, he identified recurring patterns in how breakthrough and long-term success quietly develop.
