James Blake Speaking Fee:

Vince Gilligan

Creator, Head Writer, and Executive Producer of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul'

Vince Gilligan is the creator of the acclaimed drama Breaking Bad and co-creator of its prequel series, Better Call Saul. Widely praised by fans and critics alike, the intertwined shows have been named as “TV Programs of the Year” eight times by the American Film Institute. They have garnered three Peabody Awards and 16 Emmy® Awards (as well as 74 nominations). Vince directed both pilots on location in New Mexico and received a Writers Guild Award for each—sharing the credit on Better Call Saul with series co-creator Peter Gould.

Tim Burton

Director of "Beetlejuice" and "Corpse Bride"; Cinema’s Most Imaginative and Visual Filmmaker

With a style so distinct the adjective ‘Burtonesque’ was coined, Tim Burton has written, directed, and produced numerous iconic films - encompassing cult favorites, box office smashes and inventive adaptations. Credited with kickstarting the juggernaut of superhero films (Batman, 1989; Batman Returns, 1992), reinvigorating stop-motion animation (Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993; Corpse Bride, 2005), putting a macabre twist on grand scale musicals and creating some of cinema’s most iconic antiheroes (Beetlejuice, 1988; Edward Scissorhands, 1990) Burton’s films span numerous genres but all retain his inimitable aesthetic.

Steve Martin

Iconic Actor and Comedian, New York Times Bestselling Author and Playwright

Beloved entertainer Steve Martin is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. The multi-hyphenate creative rose to prominence on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969). He has since delighted audience on screens through his standup on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and NBC’s Saturday Night Live alongside his iconic films: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Roxanne, Parenthood, L.A. Story, Father of the Bride, Pink Panther, and many more. Audiences flock to Martin’s melodic performances, warm stage presence, and indelible humor.

Danelle Umstead

Three-Time Paralympic Bronze Medalist

Danelle Umstead is an alpine skier and Paralympian. At the age of 13, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that results in total blindness. She is part of the US Paralympics team and competed at the women's slalom, giant slalom, downhill, Super-G and combined at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, with her husband Rob Umstead as her sighted guide. She took home two bronze medals at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games and was awarded the 2010 Athlete of the Year by the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

Kevin Harrington

Inventor of the Infomercial | Original Shark on Shark Tank | Fortune 100 Investor | Philanthropist | Author

Kevin Harrington has been a successful entrepreneur for over 40 years. He’s an original “Shark” on the Emmy-winning TV show, Shark Tank. He is also the Inventor of the Infomercial, As Seen On TV Pioneer, Co-Founder of the Electronic Retailers Association (ERA) and Co-Founding board member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). With his impeccable track record, Harrington became internationally known for his entrepreneurial prowess and penchant for product development and sales. As such his business was used as a class case study for 12 years at Harvard/MIT, illustrating the essential principles of grass-roots entrepreneurship.

Sheree J. Wilson

Actress Known For 'Dallas' and 'Walker, Texas Ranger'

Sheree Julienne Wilson is an American actress, producer, businesswoman, and model. She is best known for her roles as April Stevens Ewing on the American primetime television series Dallas and as Alex Cahill-Walker on the television series Walker, Texas Ranger. Sheree is also the president of Sandalphon Entertainment, a production company that has a slate of films ranging from award season dramas, action thrillers, comedies and a faith-based division.

Emily Calandrelli

Host of Netflix's Emily's Wonder Lab

Emily Calandrelli is an MIT-engineer turned Emmy-nominated science TV host. She’s the host and co-executive producer of Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix, she's featured as a correspondent on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World and an executive producer and host of FOX's Xploration Outer Space. Emily is also a professional speaker and 3-time TEDx speaker who has spoken at venues like Google, Pixar, MIT, Texas Instruments, CERN, and dozens of K-12 schools and Universities around the country. She focuses her talks on the topics of science communication, space exploration, and women in STEM.

Emily Jaenson

Keynote Speaker, Sports Executive, Passion Point Marketer and Podcast Host

Emily Jaenson is a top-ranked motivational speaker, bestselling author, and trailblazing leader in the sports industry. Her TEDx talk on building confidence has garnered over 4 million views and was ranked #12 out of 16,000 TEDx talks in 2022. A former Triple-A baseball GM and DE&I advocate, Emily empowers Fortune 500 companies and teams to cultivate confidence, resilience, and authentic leadership. Her podcast Leadership is Female ranks in the top 2.5% globally. Her bestselling book, Let’s Go!, and high-impact keynotes help professionals everywhere unleash their full potential.

Masha Gessen

National Book Award Winner, Bestselling Author, Journalist

One of the most trenchant observers of democracy and autocracy, Moscow-born Gessen is an award-winning journalist, long-time staff writer for The New Yorker, and the bestselling author of numerous books, including the National Book Award-winning The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia. Gessen’s latest, Surviving Autocracy, is a bracing overview of the calamitous trajectory of American democracy in the last decade.

Frances Haugen

American Data Engineer | Scientist | Whistleblower

Frances Haugen is a data scientist and engineer who specializes in algorithmic product management. She was the lead Product Manager on the Civic Misinformation team at Facebook, which dealt with issues related to democracy and misinformation, and later also worked on counter-espionage. During her time at Facebook, Frances became increasingly alarmed by the company prioritizing profits over public safety. At great personal risk, Frances made the courageous decision to blow the whistle on Facebook. As an advocate for public oversight of social media, Frances fundamentally believes that the problems we face today with social media are solvable.

Dinesh D'Souza

Bestselling Author & Filmmaker

Dinesh D’Souza is a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, and influential conservative voice. Known for hit political documentaries like 2016: Obama’s America and America: Imagine a World Without Her, he’s one of the most successful political filmmakers in U.S. history. Born in Mumbai, he came to the U.S. as an exchange student and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth. A former Reagan White House policy analyst and think tank scholar, D’Souza has written nearly 20 books and launched a popular daily podcast with his wife, Debbie.

Jennette McCurdy

Author, Director, Podcast Host, Actress

Jennette McCurdy is an author, director, podcaster, and former actress best known for her role as Sam Puckett on the hit Nickelodeon show, iCarly. McCurdy has written/directed a TV pilot and four short films as well as launched her own self-improvement podcast “Empty Inside” and starred in a one-woman comedy show called “I’m Glad My Mom Died”. Her widely anticipated memoir shocked audiences by pulling back the curtain on her time at Nickelodeon and unveiling the insidious side of Hollywood.

Gaten Matarazzo

Actor, Star of Netflix’s Stranger Things

Gaten Matarazzo is best known for his breakout role as Dustin Henderson on Netflix’s Stranger Things, but his career began on Broadway with standout performances in Les Misérables and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. A proud advocate for those with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic condition he shares, Matarazzo uses his platform to raise awareness and funds through the nonprofit CCD Smiles. Also the lead singer of the band Work in Progress, he brings heart, humor, and talent to every stage—whether it’s for music, TV, or making a difference.

John Smoltz

Former Atlanta Braves Pitcher, National Baseball Hall of Famer, World Series Champion & 8-Time MLB All-Star

John Smoltz is one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history. From 1988 to 2009 he enjoyed a successful 21-year big league career with the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. He is best known for his time with the Braves from 1988 to 2008, where he earned eight All-Star selections, the NL Cy Young Award in 1996, a Silver Slugger Award in 1997, and the NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award in 2002.

Dreamer Isioma

Platon

World-Renowned, Award-Winning Photographer | Founder, The People's Portfolio

A master photographer with a penchant for getting the world’s most powerful people to showcase their humanity, Platon proves that an image is just the beginning of the story. Platon is a gifted storyteller and master photographer, having photographed more world leaders than anyone else in history, including six American presidents. His evocative portraits showcase the stories of both the privileged and the deprived – to break down personal barriers and capture people’s truth.