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Sunday, August 10
8:45 - 10:00 AM
Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment conglomerate that provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Having left the basketball court for the boardroom, Johnson parlayed the skills and tenacity he acquired on the court into a winning formula for his successful business ventures.
Still a commanding presence in the sports world, he made history in 2023 when he became co-owner of the Washington Commanders, a National Football League franchise that was purchased for $6.05 billion dollars. The Commanders acquisition marks the highest purchase price for any U.S. professional sports team to date. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, eSports franchise Team Liquid and most recently joined the ownership group for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit in September 2024.
The Lansing native is constantly evolving and remaining relevant in a dynamic digital age by broadening his scope into infrastructure and technology. In 2015, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Loop Capital formed an alliance to create MJE-Loop Capital Partners. The firm raised a fund committed to investing millions of dollars on infrastructure improvement in the United States. Current projects include the John F. Kennedy Airport New Terminal One, LaGuardia Airport Terminal B, and Los Angeles World Airports Cargo Modernization Program. He is also one of the leading investors in a number of technology companies that include Skydio, the first U.S. drone manufacturer to exceed $1 billion in value.
Johnson continues to expand his influence through a number of other companies including controlling interests in EquiTrust, a multi-billion dollar financial services company, and SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company.
The accomplishments and global impact of Earvin “Magic” Johnson are on display in They Call Me Magic, the only first-person account of Johnson’s life from childhood to business. The AppleTV+ project was the top selling documentary series per episode when released in 2022.
In January 2025, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, from 46th United States President Joe Biden for his exemplary contributions and impact in business, sports, and philanthropy across the world. With his unique positioning as a businessman spanning multiple industries and generations, he aims to help companies expand and foster a positive impact domestically and globally.
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Monday, August 11
8:30 - 9:45 AM
Susan Cain is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and BITTERSWEET: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, which was also an Oprah Book Club selection. She has spent the last twenty years exploring a particular realm of human nature: the quiet, the sensitive, the thoughtful, the bittersweet. It has always seemed clear to her - and to her millions of readers - that this way of being can lead to a richer, deeper form of happiness. Susan’s books have been translated into 40+ languages, and her record-smashing TED talks have been viewed over 50 million times on TED and YouTube combined. Susan is the host of the bestselling Audible series, A QUIET LIFE IN SEVEN STEPS, and the QUIET LIFE online community.
LinkedIn named Susan the Top 6th Influencer in the World, just behind Richard Branson and Melinda French Gates. Susan has also been named one of Watkins’ Most Spiritually Influential Living People in the World. She partners with Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant and Dan Pink to curate the Next Big Idea Book Club. They donate all their proceeds to children’s literacy programs.
Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.
Cain has also spoken at Google, PIXAR, the U.S. Treasury, P&G, Harvard, and West Point. She received Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership, the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership and was named one of the world’s top 50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc. Magazine. She is an honors graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School.
Holly Ransom will conduct a can't-miss interview with Monday's keynote, Susan Cain.
Holly is recognized globally for her unique ability to take complex ideas and problems, grind them down, and restructure them in a way that everyone can understand. She is the founder and CEO of the consulting firm, Emergent; author of The Leading Edge; co-founder, chief curator, and catalyst at Energy Disruptors, winning ‘Best Conference’ in Canada.
As a renowned speaker and master interviewer, Holly has led discussions with influential figures such as Barack Obama, Malcolm Gladwell, Billie Jean King, Condoleezza Rice, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus, and the world's first humanoid robot, Sophia. She even delivered a Peace Charter to the Dalai Lama.
Holly was named one of Australia's 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review and was awarded the US Embassy's Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Leadership Excellence in 2019. To top it off, Sir Richard Branson nominated her for Wired magazine's 'Smart List' of Future Game Changers to watch.
Holly’s book, The Leading Edge, is democratizing leadership learning by igniting individuals ability to accelerate change through asking better questions, thinking beyond biased answers, and establishing a groundswell for advancement.
An accomplished company director in her own right, Holly has compressed a power-packed career into a decade, spanning corporate, non-profit, and public sectors. Working with big-name clients such as P&G, Microsoft, Virgin, Cisco, and KPMG to effect and inspire actual change. On occasion, Holly will grace Australian screens commentating for Reuters, CBS, and Australia’s ABC. Holly's fierce dedication to inclusivity and equity drives her work as Chair of Pride Cup Australia, a non-profit organization and movement devoted to eradicating LGBTQI+ discrimination within sporting clubs, while making them secure and welcoming for players and fans.
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Tuesday, August 12
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of the Forward Party, an independent political movement dedicated to breaking through partisan gridlock and restoring the promise of American democracy. As a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Yang's campaign outlasted over a dozen mainstream political officeholders and attracted support from hundreds of thousands of everyday Americans, dubbed the "Yang Gang.”
His bestselling books The War on Normal People and Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy helped introduce universal basic income and ranked-choice voting into the mainstream, while his novel The Last Election explored the future of American politics in gripping detail. Named a Presidential Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship by President Obama, Yang is also the founder of Humanity Forward and Venture for America.
Sunday, August 10
2:00 - 3:00 PM
Since becoming Disabled in her teens, Keely has worked to advance disability rights. She is the CEO of Making Space, a talent and learning platform that equips Disabled professionals with resources and opportunities to build meaningful careers. Under her leadership, Making Space partnered with NBCUniversal to place the first-ever Disabled hosts on NBC Sports’ Paralympics broadcast for Paris 2024. Other partners include Indeed, Netflix, and Visa. Keely also co-founded Making Space Media, a division producing film and TV content centering Disabled voices, securing a first-look deal with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. Notably, their recent documentary “Fight To Fly” exposed the inequalities that Disabled travelers face, triggering policy reform. Previously, Keely founded C Talent, a talent agency that increased disability representation in media and built a roster with a reach of over 50 million. Acquired in 2022, C Talent became the largest acquisition of a company specializing in Disabled talent. Keely is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Adweek Young Influential, Diana Award recipient, and has served on the advisory board of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. She sits on the Los Angeles City Major Event Advisory Council and holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever Presidential Leadership Scholar. Additionally, she is a Storyteller in Residence at the Clinton Global Initiative, a White House Mental Health Youth Action Forum Leader, and one of only two Gloria Steinem fellows.
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Monday, August 11
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Dr. Britt Andreatta is an internationally recognized thought leader who uses her background in leadership, neuroscience, psychology, and education to create science-based solutions for today’s workplace challenges. Britt is the CEO of Brain Aware Training and former CLO for Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning). She has over 10 million views worldwide of her online courses and is the author of several best-selling books on the brain science of success including Wired to Grow, Wired to Resist, Wired to Connect, and Wired to Become. She recently won the 2024 Thought Leader of the Year by the Association for Talent Development. She is frequently named a “Top 10 Influencer” and regularly consults with organizations on leadership development and learning strategy.
Thank you to our Catalyst Theater Sponsor & Global Partner
Tuesday, Aug 12
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Senior Fellow, McKinsey Global Institute
Navigating an Evolving Global Landscape
The pace of change in global affairs continues to accelerate, and the international order is undergoing transformation. Long considered relatively stable since the mid-20th century, recent years have signaled the emergence of a more fragmented and complex world. Media reports highlight a shift away from seamless global integration. Trade in transition, demographic shifts and some regions showing signs of slower economic growth add to the nuanced landscape. At the same time, technology races ever faster ahead with implications for who benefits and what jobs and skills will be more in demand. Amidst these dynamics, international associations must still fulfill their missions. They play a vital role in maintaining cooperation, setting global standards, and equipping industries and professions to operate across borders. Join this session for expert insights into macro global trends and micro drivers from Kevin Russell, senior fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), followed by a panel of association executives from diverse regions who will discuss how these trends influence their work within the association sector.
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Tuesday, August 12
10:15 - 11:15 AM
Phil Bell interviews Gary Shapiro as they dive into his book Pivot or Die: How Leaders Thrive When Everything Changes. In his book, Shapiro covers how leaders can change mindsets through 4 types frameworks: (1) The startup; (2) The forced; (3) The failure; (4) The success.
In his 30-years plus heading CTA, Gary Shapiro expanded the association’s influence and impact alongside the growth of the technology industry. Drawing big global brands and innovative new startups alike, CES is one of the world’s most transparent innovation shows, adhering to rigorous auditing standards and making attendance data publicly available. He also transformed CES, expanding its reach globally to attract top-line exhibitors and attendees from almost every country whose products and services improve humanity. At CTA's request, the United Nations added access to technology as a fundamental "human security" with the securities technology enhances like access to food, clean air and water, and health care.
Shapiro’s legal experience and a passion for advancing policies that empower entrepreneurs and unlock technology innovation has earned him annual recognition in The Hill; Washingtonian’s Tech Titans; and Washington Life’s most influential people. He has received several recognitions for his focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Shapiro focuses policymakers and executives on why innovation is vital. He has also testified before Congress over 20 times, advancing the US technology industry’s perspective on cutting-edge issues including intellectual property, artificial intelligence and self-driving vehicles.
Shapiro is active in policy, thought leadership, government, and community development alongside his position at CTA. He sits on numerous boards and advisory councils, including the Northern Virginia Technology Council, CEO Update Roundtable, Council of Manufacturing Associations board, and Focused Ultrasound Foundation board.
Philip K. Bell is president of the Washington, DC-based Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) , the largest steel industry association in North America. Before joining SMA as president in 2013, Phil served as director of external communications and public affairs for Gerdau North America, based in Tampa, Florida. He has held executive-level positions with the SGL Carbon Group and Qualitech Steel Corp.
Bell serves on the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Advisory Committee on Steel (ITAC 11), advising the Secretary of Commerce and United States Trade Representative on trade policy, trade agreements, and other trade related matters that benefit U.S. businesses, workers, and the economy.
He is a member of the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM) Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) and the Association of Iron & Steel Technology.
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