Virtual LeaderCon 2025 - Speakers

Kevin Eikenberry

Host - Virtual LeaderCon

Kevin Eikenberry is a world expert on leadership development and learning. He is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, & co-founder of The Remote Leadership Institute. He has helped organizations across North America, and leaders from 43 countries on leadership, teamwork, communication and more. 

He has twice been named by Inc.com as one of the top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World and been included in other similar lists. He is the author, co-author or a contributing author to nearly 20 books, including best-sellers Remarkable Leadership and From Bud to Boss – Secrets of the Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership (with Guy Harris), The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership (with Wayne Turmel). His blog is ranked among the world’s best, most read and most shared on leadership, has been visited over 4 million times.

Margaret Andrews

Margaret Andrews is a seasoned executive, academic leader, and professional speaker with over 30 years of global experience in business and higher education. She teaches courses at Harvard including Managing Yourself and Leading Others and Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, and is the founder of The MYLO Center, a leadership development firm. Her forthcoming book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others, will be published by Basic Venture Books in September 2025. Margaret has held leadership roles at Harvard, MIT Sloan, and Hult International Business School, and previously worked as a CPA at Deloitte, a consultant at Mercer, and a VP of Marketing at Putnam Investments. She holds degrees from UC Berkeley and MIT Sloan, where she was named a Seley Scholar.

Bernie Banks

General Bernie Banks is the Director of Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders and a Professor in the Practice of Leadership within the university’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. Bernie retired from the United States Army in 2016 as a Brigadier General after having successfully led West Point's Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership in his final assignment. He has led multiple military units ranging in size from 10 to 3000+ people. Additionally, Bernie has engaged with organizations around the globe regarding their leader development efforts.

Steve Cadigan

Steve Cadigan is a globally recognized talent strategist, author, and advisor whose clients include Airbnb, Salesforce, Manchester United, the BBC, and the City of Lisbon. He is frequently retained by top VC and consulting firms like Deloitte and McKinsey for his expertise in workplace strategy. As LinkedIn’s first Chief Human Resources Officer, Steve helped scale the company from 400 employees to IPO, shaping a culture that inspired a Stanford GSB course. A dynamic speaker and educator, he presents worldwide and teaches at leading universities. His award-winning book Workquake explores the future of work and was an Amazon “Hot New Release.” Steve also serves on multiple boards and advises organizations globally.

Dana Caspersen

Dana Caspersen is a conflict engagement specialist, best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and award-winning performing artist. She works with individuals, organizations, and communities worldwide as a trainer, coach, consultant, and dialogue designer. Drawing on the knowledge and insight gained from her experience as a mediator and conflict analyst and her 40-year career as a performing arts innovator, Dana empowers people and organizations to navigate complex and challenging situations. Conflict Is an Opportunity is her newest book.

Stephanie Chung

Stephanie Chung, author of Ally Leadership, How To Lead People Who Are Not Like You is the first African-American president of a private aviation company. Under her leadership, her sales team consistently exceeded their nearly $1 billion annual quota– and with over 30 years of experience, Stephanie is a powerhouse in driving business growth and success.

Kimberly Danielle

Kimberly Danielle is a 2x TEDx speaker and a passionate leader with nearly 20 years of experience advocating for trauma-informed and healing-centered social justice. She uses creative and holistic approaches through her businesses and partnerships to address complex human problems in organizations and communities. Her subject matter expertise lies in building strong relationships with stakeholders, respectfully challenging norms, navigating complex political environments, and fostering understanding across diverse groups to create more inclusive systems. She has published five books including a reflection workbook series as well as her latest book, The Nine Asks, which examines psychological safety. Kimberly is a highly requested coach and speaker whose passion for healing is rooted in personal and family journeys through trauma to restoration.

Dave Garrison

Dave Garrison is a leadership strategist with more than 25 years of experience as a CEO, strategic advisor, and independent board member for public and private companies, such as Ameritrade, both in the United States and internationally. He cofounded Garrison Growth in 2013 to help organizations, ranging from new startups to major public corporations, get the best possible results from their teams. A Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) member since 1993, Dave has conducted workshops with thousands of YPO leaders and currently serves as chair of YPO's Leadership Development Network, which has 30,000 qualified CEOs as members. He's sought-after by media outlets such as CNBC, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal for his expertise as a CEO and as an industry pioneer in communications. A lifelong learner, Dave has an MBA from Harvard Business School and has been trained in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), neuro-linguistic programming, and DISC.

David Marquet

David Marquet graduated top of his class from the U.S. Naval Academy and commanded the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe. Since retiring from the Navy, he has worked with businesses globally as a leadership consultant and speaks about Intent-Based Leadership around the world. A highly sought-after speaker, his clients include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, professional sports teams, business schools, and governments. Captain Marquet charts a natural evolution of leadership: control leads to empowerment (Turn the Ship Around!), language enhances engagement (Leadership is Language), and distancing enables sound judgment (Distancing). He argues that giving authority isn’t enough—you must also equip people to use it wisely. His books have been translated into 15 languages.

Mark Murphy

Mark Murphy is a New York Times bestselling author, Senior Contributor to Forbes, and Founder of Leadership IQ, a research and training firm. His latest book is Team Players: The Five Critical Roles You Need to Build a Winning Team. He lives in Roswell, Georgia.

George Pesansky

George Pesansky is a seasoned expert in operational excellence, with a career spanning over three decades in leadership, executive coaching, and performance optimization. His passion lies in empowering individuals and organizations to reach their full potential through clarity, focus, and actionable strategies. George's commitment to improving outcomes and his strategic, action-oriented mindset have made him a sought-after consultant and thought leader in the field. As the author of Superperformance (Fast Company Press, Sept. 23, 2025), his work continues to inspire and guide those seeking to elevate their performance and achieve superperformance in their personal and professional lives. George is also the founder of Capacity2Care, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging superperformers to donate their talent not just their time to create better outcomes in their communities by driving deliberate improvement in charities.

Garry Ridge

Garry Ridge is a purpose-driven leader, executive coach, and global keynote speaker best known for his 25-year tenure as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company, where he built one of the world’s most trusted brands and was named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 CEOs. Under his leadership, WD-40 achieved over 90% employee engagement through a culture rooted in trust, respect, and belonging. Known as The Culture Coach, Garry is the founder of The Learning Moment and an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego. He is the bestselling author of Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It and co-author of Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard. Today, Garry helps leaders around the world create values-driven workplaces where love, learning, and purpose thrive.

Taylor Scott

Taylor Scott is a best-selling author, inspirational keynote speaker, and organizational development consultant. Through his books, workshops, keynotes, and licensed content, he inspires audiences at Fortune 500 companies, universities, and community organizations nationwide to become their best, deliver their best, and experience the best life possible. Taylor leverages his personal experiences and twenty years working in the hospitality industry for Disney Parks and Resorts, Gaylord Hotels and Resorts, Wynn Resorts, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to connect with and inspire leaders at all levels. He is the author of Give Hospitality, Lead with Hospitality, and Ballgames to Boardrooms.

Don Yaeger

Don Yaeger is a 12-time New York Times bestselling author, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and one of the most in-demand public speakers on the corporate circuit. Throughout his writing career, he has developed a reputation as a world-class storyteller and has been invited as a guest on numerous major talk and news shows – from The Oprah Winfrey Show to Nightline and Good Morning America. In addition to writing and speaking, Yaeger is the host of the highly rated Corporate Competitor Podcast.