Are You Ready for the Future of Space Exploration?
Are You Ready for the Future of Space Exploration? (Convergence Keynote) – Jim Bridenstine serves as the 13th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He oversees NASA’s efforts to advance American aeronautic, science, and space exploration objectives. Under Bridenstine’s leadership, NASA launched its new human lunar exploration mission: the Artemis Program, which plans to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.
Jasmin Moghbeli is a NASA Astronaut and Marine Corps test pilot. Moghbeli is a member of the agency’s newest class of astronauts, joining the ranks of active astronauts in January 2020. She is now eligible for spaceflight assignments to the International Space Station, Artemis missions to the Moon, and ultimately, missions to Mars.
NASA Astronaut Tyler N. “Nick” Hague is back on Earth after a 203-day mission in space. Hague served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expeditions 59 and 60. He conducted three spacewalks during his mission, totaling 19 hours and 56 minutes in the vacuum of space.
Jackie Wattles is a writer for CNN Business covering the commercial spaceflight industry as the world of rockets, satellites, and space travel becomes increasingly privatized. Prior to joining CNN, Jackie held internships at CT News Junkie in Connecticut and KUT News in Austin, Texas. She was born and raised in the Austin area, and is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Connecticut.
Brent Anderson
Brent Anderson (Convergence Keynote) – Brent Anderson is Global Chief Creative Officer for TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the global network of agencies responsible for one of the world’s most iconic brands — Apple. A 13-year veteran of the TBWA collective, Brent was CCO of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles before taking the reins at Media Arts Lab in October, 2016. Brent focuses on disruptive, iconic campaigns that push the brand forward, including the launch of HomePod with the Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning, Spike Jonze-directed, “Welcome Home”; the multifaceted “Behind the Mac” campaign, including “Make Something Wonderful”; the launch of iPhone X and iPhone Xs; and the evolution of the famed, “Shot on iPhone” campaign into long-form content across the globe, and into social with @apple.
Gabo Arora
Gabo Arora (Convergence Keynote) – Gabo Arora is a world renowned award winning immersive artist, professor and former UN diplomat who works with the most cutting-edge emerging technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, to tell some of the most important stories of our time. His work has made measurable social impact as part of campaigns for the United Nations, USC Shoah foundation and the Nobel Peace Prize committee, amongst many others, and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has had the honor of being the UN’s first-ever creative director; a Davos World Economic Forum Arts and culture leader; a member of the Council of Foreign Relations; and is the Founding Director of a new academic department and lab dedicated to Immersive Storytelling and Emerging Technologies ( ISET ) at Johns Hopkins University.
Erin Lee Carr
Erin Lee Carr (Film Keynote) – Named one of the “30 Under 30” most influential people in media by Forbes, Erin Lee Carr is a director, producer, and writer. Her break-out film, Mommy Dead & Dearest was released in 2017 — since then, she has frequently been described as “prolific”. Carr’s latest projects include the USA gymnastics scandal documentary At the Heart of Gold, and SXSW Film Festival premiere I Love You: Now Die, on the Michelle Carter murder-by-texting trial, both made for HBO. In addition to releasing both these feature-length documentaries just last year, Erin spent much of 2019 directing an upcoming series for Netflix and debuting her memoir “All That You Leave Behind”. She is also a consulting producer on a Michelle Carter scripted adaptation with UCP and continues to collaborate with HBO. She has been described by Variety as “a young documentarian of unusual achievement”, and is known for must-see films that delve into the intersection of zeitgeist, media, femininity and society.
St. Vincent a/k/a Annie Clark & Carrie Brownstein
St. Vincent a/k/a Annie Clark & Carrie Brownstein (Convergence Keynote) – St. Vincent a/k/a Annie Clark has been hailed as one of the most innovative and enigmatic presences in modern music since the 2007 release of Marry Me. Her discography includes Actor (2009), Strange Mercy (2011), the GRAMMY-winning St. Vincent (2014) and MASSEDUCTION (2017), and MassEducation (2018). Her creative output also includes co-writing and starring in THE NOWHERE INN, designing her signature Ernie Ball Music Man guitar and more.
Carrie Brownstein is a writer, director, and musician. She is a founding member of the critically acclaimed rock band Sleater-Kinney and author of the New York Times best-seller, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl. She, along with Fred Armisen, was the co-creator and co-star of the sketch-comedy series, Portlandia. The show aired for eight seasons, winning both a Peabody and a WGA Award. Brownstein’s work on the show garnered her eight Primetime Emmy nominations in the categories of Outstanding Variety Sketch Series, Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series. Brownstein has directed television shows for HBO, NBC, Comedy Central, and Hulu.
Diplo
Diplo (Music Keynote) – Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, is one of the most dynamic forces in music today. A celebrated recording artist, producer, and DJ the world over, he has just this past year launched a new house-music focused label, Higher Ground, and a country music project, Thomas Wesley Presents, featuring collaborations with stars Morgan Wallen, Jonas Brothers and Cam. In addition, he is a founding member of the global trio Major Lazer, whose latest release is “Que Calor” featuring J Balvin & El Alfa; LSD with Sia and Labrinth, whose 2019 album has been streamed more than 1 billion times; and Silk City, his Grammy-winning duo with Mark Ronson. As the world’s most in-demand producer, Diplo has worked with artists including Beyoncé, Madonna, Justin Bieber, M.I.A. and many more.
Reggie Fils-Aimé
Reggie Fils-Aimé (Convergence Keynote) – As an award-winning innovator and disrupter, Reggie Fils-Aimé has helped bring Nintendo’s greatest successes to the global marketplace over the past 15 years. He retired as President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America Inc. in April 2019 with world-wide acclaim as an executive who loved leading his business and interacting with its employees, business associates and consumers. Before Nintendo, Fils-Aimé had a successful career spanning the consumer-packaged goods, restaurant, beverage, and media/entertainment industries. Since retiring, he has focused his energy to grow the next generation of business leaders. In August 2019, he was named Cornell University’s Dyson Undergraduate Business School Leader in Residence. Fils-Aimé also founded Brentwood Growth Partners to help emerging companies scale and enable leaders to create world-class cultures.
Kim Gordon
Kim Gordon (Music Keynote) – With a career spanning nearly four decades, Kim Gordon is one of the most prolific and elusive artists working today. A Co-Founder of the legendary Sonic Youth, Gordon has performed all over the world, collaborating with many of music’s most exciting figures including Tony Conrad, Ikue Mori, Julie Cafritz and Stephen Malkmus. Most recently, Gordon has been hitting the road with Body/Head, her spellbinding partnership with artist and musician Bill Nace and debuted her solo exhibition “She Bites Her Tender Mind” at IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art) in Dublin and “Lo-Fi Glamour” at Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. Despite her expansive and diverse résumé, the most consistent aspect of Gordon’s body of work may be its resistance to formula. Works discover themselves as they unspool, each one performing a test of the medium’s possibilities and limits. Her command is astonishing, but Gordon’s artistic curiosity remains the guiding force behind her music. Gordon continues this pursuit on No Home Record, her first-ever solo release, produced by Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Ariel Pink, Sky Ferreira) at Sphere Ranch in Los Angeles, along with contributions from Shawn Everett (Jim James, The Voidz, The War on Drugs) and composer/filmmaker Jake Meginsky (L’appel Du Vide).
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe (Convergence Keynote) – Janelle Monáe is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. An 8-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, performer, activist, and fashion icon, she is known worldwide for her inimitable style and visionary sound, which celebrates the spectrum of identity. Monáe’s album Dirty Computer was nominated for two Grammy awards in the categories of ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Music Video’. As a humanitarian, her position as a co-chair for When We All Vote, and her Fem the Future initiative, empowering other female filmmakers inspires and empowers not only fellow creatives but society as a whole.
As an actor, this April Janelle will headline the upcoming dramatic thriller ANTEBELLUM from the acclaimed writing and directing team, Gerard Bush & Christopher Renz. Lionsgate will release the film on April 24th, 2020. Premiering at Sundance, Janelle can next be seen in the upcoming Gloria Steinem biopic, THE GLORIAS: A LIFE ON THE ROAD, as Dorothy Pitman Hughes. This year, Janelle will also star in the second season of Amazon’s critically acclaimed series, HOMECOMING. Janelle was recently on the big screen in Kasi Lemmon’s HARRIET (Cynthia Erivo) for Focus Features, and Janelle voices the role of the wise-cracking pound dog “Peg” and performs two original songs in Disney’s remake of LADY AND THE TRAMP, in collaboration with her Wondaland Arts Society team.
Cat Packer & Kelly Perez
Cat Packer & Kelly Perez (Convergence Keynotes) – Cat Packer is the first, Executive Director and General Manager of the Department of Cannabis Regulation. Within this role, Packer leads the licensing and regulation of commercial cannabis activity within the City of Los Angeles and furthermore, manages the implementation of the City’s cannabis related policies and programs. Prior to joining the City of Los Angeles, Packer served as California Policy Coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance, where she worked to ensure the successful and equitable implementation of various cannabis policy reforms. Before this role, Packer served as Campaign Coordinator for Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reform, a social justice-centered campaign in support of the 2016 Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Packer advocated for cannabis policy reform in Ohio. There, she participated in a statewide policy reform effort and for a brief period of time served as the Deputy Director of Ohio National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML’s) Central Ohio Chapter. Packer is an alumna of The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor’s in Political Science, a Master’s in Public Policy & Management and a Juris Doctor.
Kelly Perez is the CEO/co-founder of kindColorado, and of President of Cannabis Doing Good, created to connect cannabis businesses to community, and to highlight the good that the sector is doing. kindColorado’s trademarked, Cannabis Social Responsibility (CSR), puts into action, purpose-driven cannabis partnerships to support equity/justice, community engagement impact, and environmental sustainability. CSR helps to shift the cannabis narrative—from the War on Drugs, to a cultural sea change where opportunities are equitable, policy is just, communities benefit, and cannabis is a circular economic practice.
Laurene Powell Jobs
Laurene Powell Jobs (Convergence Keynote) – Laurene Powell Jobs is founder and president of Emerson Collective. Based in Palo Alto with a strong presence in Oakland, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., Emerson Collective uses philanthropy, impact investing, and promoting policy solutions to reimagine some of society’s most calcified systems and create new possibilities for individuals, families, and communities. Emerson’s mission centers on advancing immigration policies, preserving the environment, re-envisioning the future of high school, and ending gun violence in Chicago.
Powell Jobs serves as board chair of The XQ Institute and College Track, a college completion program she founded in 1997 to combat the alarming achievement gap among students of color. She also serves on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and the boards of Chicago CRED, Conservation International, and The Council on Foreign Relations. She is co-owner of The Atlantic, Anonymous Content and Concordia Studio, and an investor in Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Powell Jobs earned her bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Lulu Wang
Lulu Wang (Film Keynote) – With the rare ability to captivate audiences with her sincere storytelling, Lulu Wang continues to establish herself as a writer and filmmaker to watch. In July 2019, Wang released her second feature The Farewell, which she both wrote and directed. After premiering at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, The Farewell has since been nominated for multiple awards including “Best Feature” and “Best Screenplay” at the 2019 Gotham Independent Film Awards, “Best Feature” at the 2020 Independent Film Spirit Awards, as well as “Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language” at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards. Wang will serve as executive producer and writer on the upcoming Amazon Original series, The Expatriates.
Roger Waters & Michael Moore
Roger Waters & Michael Moore (Music Keynote) – A founding member and the creative force behind Pink Floyd, Roger Waters composed their multi-platinum albums including The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. He has toured extensively, and with The Wall became the most successful touring solo artist ever. Waters produced, co-directed, and co-wrote Roger Waters: The Wall, an intensely personal road trip that deals with the loss that he has felt throughout his life due to war. In Amsterdam, June 2018, Waters filmed his US + THEM live show. US + THEM is a story of human rights, liberty, and love.
At SXSW, Roger Waters will be interviewed about his distinguished career in the music industry and his upcoming tour.
Michael Moore was born in Flint, Michigan. He became an Eagle Scout, attended the seminary for the Catholic priesthood, and at age 18 became the youngest elected official in the country. At 22, he founded the Flint Voice, a nationally-recognized alternative newspaper. In 1989, Michael made his first film, the ground-breaking “Roger & Me,” which gave birth to the modern-day documentary movement. Moore went on to break the documentary box office record two more times with his 2002 Oscar-winning film, “Bowling for Columbine” and the Palme d’Or-winning “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Other notable films include the Oscar-nominated “Sicko,” “Capitalism: A Love Story,” “Where To Invade Next” and “Fahrenheit 11/9.” Michael won the Emmy Award for his prime-time NBC series “TV Nation” and is one of America’s top-selling nonfiction authors, with such books as “Stupid White Men,” *”Dude, Where’s My Country?”, and “Here Comes Trouble”. Michael lives in Traverse City, Michigan, where he founded the Traverse City Film Festival and two art house movie palaces, the State Theatre and the Bijou by the Bay. He has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.
He is the host of the “RUMBLE with Michael Moore” podcast.
Whitney Wolfe Herd & Jon Korngold with Gayle King
Whitney Wolfe Herd & Jon Korngold in conversation with Gayle King (Interactive Keynote) – Founder and CEO of Bumble Whitney Wolfe Herd and Blackstone’s Global Head of Growth Equity Jon Korngold in conversation with CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King.
