Corporations & Associations

Forget your worries about the rise of AI, robotics, blockchains, IoT and other technologies “botsourcing” our jobs. Instead, get ready for a golden age when humans are empowered to flourish, emotional connections are paramount, and authenticity is essential. According to Dr. Nada Sanders, futurist, AI expert, keynote speaker and distinguished professor at Northeastern’s D’Amore McKim School of Business, we are at the dawn of the Human Era. In the Human Era, machines are just tools doing automated, repetitive, and standardized tasks. Our uniquely human qualities will reign supreme, advancing our enterprises, society and economy.

APB speaker Vaclav Smil, a renowned scientist, professor and thought leader has released his much-anticipated new book Growth: From Microorganisms to Megacities via the MIT Press. Smil’s expertise in the realms of climate, energy and consumption have made him a larger-than-life figure in the scientific discussions around our society’s response to climate change, especially the potential of energy transitions.

Technology and science expert David Pogue put himself and his fellow CBS Sunday Morning correspondents to the test in an escape room! Escape rooms, explosively trendy since they came on the scene in the U.S. in 2012, are immersive experiences during which you get locked in a room and have to look for clues to escape – all while trying to beat the clock. In the segment, Pogue interviews superfans and unpacks what is behind the love for escape rooms. The overwhelming answer seemed to be that it is an immersive, tangible experience to share with family and friends, away from the daily grind of stress, screens and reality.

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, marked most famously by Veterans Day. The sacrifices of veterans and their families are the bedrock of our country’s identity, and here at APB, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the contributions of our speakers that have served our country. We express our gratitude to APB speakers and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

A groundbreaking leader during her 35-year career in the U.S. Navy, Admiral Michelle Howard was the first woman to achieve the rank of four-star admiral and the first woman to be appointed to the position of vice chief of naval operations. Now retired, she will be appearing on CNBC’s Halftime Report for their annual Veteran’s Day Special. This year’s Halftime Report Veteran’s Day show will be a live taping at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on November 8^th.

CEO of Belfor, a disaster recovery company, APB speaker Sheldon Yellen has been making headlines for the gratitude he shows towards his 9,200 employees. Yellen recently shared that he personally writes birthday cards to each of his staff members. In an interview with Business Insider, Yellen explained that he has been handwriting birthday cards to his friends and employees at Belfor since 1985, when he was hired by the company. He went on to say, “It got people talking, we started to communicate more."

Currently the director of Duke University’s Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, as well as their Robotics program, professor and APB speaker Mary “Missy” Cummings is appearing in the PBS show Nova to share her expertise on the hot topic of automated, driverless vehicles.   

Founder of the mega-popular dietary program The Whole30, APB speaker Melissa Hartwig Urban is releasing a new cookbook on October 15^th entitled The Whole30 Friends & Family: 150 Recipes for Every Social Occasion. The idea for the 30-day elimination diet program that became the Whole30 was born through a friendly post-workout dare to cut out sugar, alcohol, and processed food. Melissa had no idea it would completely change her life, and the lives of so many others. Today, the Whole30 is one of the most established and influential nutrition programs in the U.S.

Less than two weeks after stepping down as president at Combs Enterprises, APB speaker Dia Simms has made a solo move into the cannabis industry. Her distribution firm, called BRN Group, will be a “first of its kind, privately-held, global brand development, management and distribution company that licenses, manages and distributes superior cannabis brands worldwide.”

Former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, APB speaker Gina McCarthy, recently sat with WBUR to discuss climate change with youth activists. McCarthy, who is currently Professor of the Practice of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health and the Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) at Harvard, revealed that an inability to make climate change a part of everyday discussion will lead to irreversible consequences. When asked how she stays positive despite not holding “the keys” to running environmental health, McCarthy said, “You can’t be unrealistic about the challenge, but you have to be hopeful for the future...” She went on to say, “I want to make sure that anybody your age recognizes that when an administration like this may not be paying attention, it’s not the end of the discussion. It’s not the end of your opportunity to make progress...”