Nita Farahany

Author of "The Battle for Your Brain", Legal Scholar & Ethicist, and Director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society | Duke University

Nita Farahany is a widely published scholar on the ethics of emerging technologies, and author of the book The Battle for Your Brain: Defending Your Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.

From 2010-2017, Nita served as a Commissioner on the U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. In 2022, she was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the NC Delegation for the Uniform Law Commission.

Nita also serves in a number of capacities for several organizations including the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke, the American Law Institute, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Scientific American, among others.

Nita is a co-editor-in-chief and co-founder of the Journal of Law and Biosciences, a frequent commentator for national media and radio, and keynote speaker at events including TED, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the World Economic Forum, and judicial conferences worldwide.

She received her AB in Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology from Dartmouth College, an ALM in biology from Harvard University, and a JD and MA from Duke University, as well as a Ph.D. in philosophy.

Sarain Fox

Activist, Storyteller & Entrepreneur

Sarain Fox is a Canadian Anishinaabe activist, broadcaster, and filmmaker. A storyteller at heart, Sarain combines various mediums to amplify the voices of her people in hopes of creating meaningful dialogue between Indigenous and settler communities.

Sarain has built her career at the cross-section of activism and media. Her mother and great aunt are the oral record keepers of the family. They have passed down ancient teachings from generations of knowledge-keepers and have raised her to be proud of her Indigenous roots. As a result, Sarain has become a powerful and vibrant voice for the Indigenous community.

In 2020, Sarain founded Land Back Studios, a production company focused on authentic storytelling in new-media, television, and film. She is most noted for her 2020 documentary film, Inendi, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Host or Interviewer in a News or Information Program, and which currently runs on CBC GEM.

You’ve also likely seen Sarain in the larger-than-life billboards and videos for Sephora’s ‘We Belong to Something Beautiful’ initiative, or as the host for APTN’s Future History & Viceland’s RISE. As an Indigenous Entrepreneur, AMEX Canada partnered with Sarain for the launch of their Blueprint campaign to support BIPOC businesses. As a brand ambassador, Sarain uses her platform to celebrate the immense knowledge and talent of Indigenous people, designers, and brands. She has leant her voice to international brands such as Sephora, Canada Goose, Nike N7, and Manitobah Mukluks. Sarain sees each partnership and campaign as an opportunity to highlight her culture in the mainstream, share the stage with up-and-coming Indigenous talent and change the world for her people.

Sarain is also an ambassador for TreadRight Foundation (a non-profit focused on sustainable travel and cultural preservation) and sits on the Board of Directors of the Center for Biological Diversity.

Shawn Kanungo

Innovation Strategist & Author of “The Bold Ones” | Queen & Rook

As a globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author, Shawn Kanungo works at the intersection of creativity, business, and technology. He spent 12 years at Deloitte working closely with leaders to help them better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation. In his high energy keynotes, Kanungo draws on his extensive experience to provide audiences with an optimistic roadmap for the future; one that embraces unexpected approaches to innovation to remain competitive and relevant.

Since leaving Deloitte, Kanungo has worked with hundreds of organizations on their journey to digital transformation. He’s led complex projects incorporating artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, behavioural economics, Web3, and more. Today, Kanungo is a Partner with Queen & Rook, where he advises leading organizations and executives on disruptive trends and invests in early-stage ventures.

Kanungo’s work has been featured in the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, CBC, and CTV. He’s been recognized by Edify Magazine as one of their “Top 40 Under 40” and the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen” by Forbes in 2021.

A prolific content creator, Kanungo’s content on innovation has garnered millions of views across LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. His bestselling debut book, The Bold Ones, is a playbook for individuals to become bolder and push their careers and companies forward. It has been touted as one of McKinsey’s top decision-making books for leaders.

Alireza Najafi-Yazdi

Founder, Anyon Systems & Adjunct Professor, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University

Alireza Yazdi is a deep-tech entrepreneur with an interest in cutting-edge technologies that hold great promise in making a positive impact on humanity.

Alireza founded Anyon Systems, a world-leading quantum computing company in 2014 after realizing that the computational power of semiconductor-based computers was not enough to tackle some of the world’s most important challenges. His goal since then has been to introduce revolutionary quantum computing platforms with applications in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, drug design, and cybersecurity.

Anyon Systems now delivers turn-key Noisy, Intermediate-Scale, Quantum (NISQ) computers to early adopters ranging from government agencies, high performance computing centers, and pharmaceutical and tech companies active in artificial intelligence and big data.

Alireza holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, where he is also an adjunct professor of Mechanical Engineering supervising doctoral students. Prior to founding Anyon Systems, Alireza was a postdoctoral research fellow at McGill University and RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

Besides his technical work, Alireza is an avid student of geopolitics, particularly the role of technology in shaping modern geopolitical events and world order.

Theresa Payton

First Female White House CIO, Technology Thought Leader and Cybersecurity Expert, & CEO | Fortalice Solutions

A visionary in the digital world and respected authority on cybersecurity, Theresa Payton is leading the way as an inventor of new security designs, in addition to helping organizations in both the public and private sectors protect their most valuable resources.

Theresa made history as the first woman to serve as White House Chief Information Officer for President George W. Bush and his administration, and later went on to co-found Dark3, a cybersecurity product company, and Fortalice Solutions, a world-class cybersecurity consulting firm.

Theresa has received numerous accolades for her work, including being named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People in Security” (Security Magazine), “Top 50 Cybersecurity Leaders” (Business Insider – 2020), and “Top 50 Women in Tech” (Awards Magazine – 2021), to name a few.

In addition to authoring multiple industry-leading books on IT strategy and cybersecurity, including Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth, which made The Guardian’s list of the “Top 10 Books About Cybercrime,” Theresa has been a frequent guest on numerous media outlets, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and MSNBC. She also starred on the reality TV series Hunted, where real people attempted to drop off the grid while highly trained investigators (including Payton) “hunted” to catch them.

Daniel Stach

Journalist & Science Communicator | Czech TV, Czech Republic

Daniel Stach is a journalist, science communicator, television professional, and the host of two popular Czech TV programs, “Hyde Park Civilisation” and “Veda24”, that captivate audiences with their exploration of scientific wonders.

Beyond his passion and commitment to promoting science through media, Daniel has delivered special broadcasts on critical current event topics like the COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and groundbreaking scientific discoveries. He has also interviewed countless distinguished guests, including 35 Nobel Prize laureates, and a live interview with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, showcasing his ability to connect with experts across many disciplines.

In fact, his exceptional contributions to the promotion of science have earned him recognition from the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Learned Society of the Czech Republic, in addition to a minor planet – 93256 Stach – being named in his honour.

Outside of the realm of science, Daniel is also an active host of various social and sporting events, including such prestigious competitions as the Prague International Marathon, and the World Championships and World Cups in slalom kayaking and mountain biking.

When not immersed in his professional pursuits, Daniel finds solace in the outdoors as an avid kayaker, runner, and snowboarder, with a passion for reading science fiction and fantasy. Daniel cherishes his roles as a loving husband and father to a son and a daughter, sharing their home with their beloved feline companion, Mr. Rozarka.

Dr. Tibor Turi

Project Lead, Pan-Canadian AI Compute Environment | Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)