Meet Our Speakers
Meet the scientists, economists, artists, filmmakers, Olympic Medalists, entrepreneurs, CEOs, US Presidential and Congressional advisors and more.
Francois Melese
Ph.D., Economist
Dr. Melese is Professor Emeritus Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. He has served as advisor to NATO, Congressional Budget Office and U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Carolina Rodrigues
Marketing Executive
Ms. Fernandez has been in senior leadership positions in Fortune 500 hi-tech companies. She served as Director of Global Executive Marketing at VMware and an executive role in at Cisco.
C. Michael Hogan
Ph.D., Physicist
Dr. Hogan is a physicist who founded a USA based environmental science think tank. He has served on the National Academy of Sciences, advising the President and Congress on environmental issues.
Jennifer Permutter
Artist
Perlmutter’s paintings have been featured in LA’s Pacific Design Center and in homes of celebrities and art collectors internationally and shown in New York, Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles.
Tina M. Nieto
Monterey County, CA, Sheriff
Sheriff Nieto has over 33 years in law enforcement. She is the first elected Latina Sheriff in the history of California. Earlier she was Police Chief in Marina, CA.
James Ferguson
US Olympic Medalist
James Ferguson is a seasoned Business Executive and Olympian. He has managed Global Sales and Marketing in Mexico, Hungary, Japan, Germany, and France.
Ann Marie Sayers
Ohlone Tribal Chair
Ms. Sayers, a Mutsun/Ohlone; as a tribal leader she has extensive knowledge of Ohlone heritage including specialized skills in historic herbal medicine and art.
Stephen Altman
Filmmaker
Stephen Altman is a production designer and art director best known for Gosford Park, Ray and Gross Pointe Blank films. He is a Hollywood Academy Award nominee.
David R. Henderson
Ph.D. Economist
Dr. Henderson is a fellow with the Hoover Institution, and a senior fellow of the Fraser Institute. He served as a senior advisor to the US President in energy and health policy.
Vicki Nohrden
Public Service
Ms. Nohrden has spent 25 years as a family advocate and community leader. Her extensive public service has included family liaison in the juvenile justice system.
Gary W. Lopez
Ph.D., Marine Biologist
Gary W. Lopez is a scientist, filmmaker, author,and fine art astrophotographer.He collaborated with explorer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau as a writer and producer.
Bill Schramm
Ph.D., Meteorologist
Professor Schramm served at the World Meteorological Organization, a UN Agency. He also served at the UN and was the head of an office of the National Ocean Service.
Kanyon Sayers-Roods
Poet
Sayers-Roods is a Mutsun-Ohlone and Chumash California Native. Kanyon’s art has been featured at the De Young Museum, The Somarts Gallery and Gathering Tribes.
Mike Buffo
Filmmaker
Buffo produces educational videos, documentaries, and event videography; he is Carmel’s #1 ranked videographer as rated by Lens of the New Peninsula.
Dalila Epperson
Entrepreneur
Ms. Epperson has founded two small businesses. She is an expert in the US Constitution and was a U.S. Congressional California District 19 Candidate.
Thomas Lee
Meteorologist
Thomas Lee is a ret. scientist for the US Government; he has spoken in France, the UK and South Korea. He was chair of the Committee on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography.
Michael E. Gibbs
Ph.D., Youth Entrepreneurial Expert
Dr. Gibbs is an entrepreneur and internationally recognized speaker on international negotiation and process redesign. He taught at Penn State & the University of Texas.
Michele Altman
Luxury Real Estate
Michele specializes in luxury coastal properties. In Hollywood Hills, she is a part of the entertainment community of artists & filmmakers, and expert on power undergrounding.
Edward King
Radio Broadcaster
King is a senior executive experienced in computer systems and finance. His background includes work in France, Italy, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
Lawrence Samuels
Author
Samuels is an American author. He ran the Future of Freedom Conference series in Southern California, and was president of the Rampart Institute in Santa Ana, CA.
Elizabeth Murray
Painter
Murray’s passion for nature led her around the world. From Monet’s Gardens in France, African villages, the Amazon rainforest and Japan; works have been shown with Monet.
L. Dean Forman
Ph.D., Charter Schools
Forman founded John Adams Academy, a 4500+ scholar K-12 charter school in Roseville, CA and further schools in Lincoln, El Dorado Hills, and an online school.
Steve Snodgrass
CFO
Snodgrass has served as the CFO of Granite Rock; broad public service: President of Cabrillo College Foundation; Chair, Dominican Hospital Community Board.
David Quinnert
Pension Expert
Quinnert has served as President of Ad Compensation, Inc. San Francisco, CAd staff in accounting and information technology. He previously served at Arthur Andersen.
René Romero Schuler
Painter and Sculptor
René is an internationally noted painter and sculptor, known for powerful and emotive female figurative works that explore vulnerability, and human connection. Her figures often depict ballerinas, and express beauty extant in all beings.
Lillian Barbeito
Producer, Director, CEO
Artist, producer, and director, Founder and CEO of Carmel Dance Festival. Contemporary dance performer and co-founder of a world-renowned non-profit organization.
Ashley Bennett Stoddard
Sculptor and Painter
Sculptor and painter, notable for unique designs in bronze and steel media. Voted best sculpture gallery in Carmel, California..
Dr. Quinn Kennedy Ph.D.
Psychologist
Dr. Quinn Kennedy earned a PhD in Psychology, widely published in the field of Cognitive Aging; her work is featured in NPR, New York Times and Science.
Grant Barbeito
CEO. Director, Producer
Grant is the CEO of Earth Protect TV, where he is director and producer. He has shown at Sundance, Tribeca and Cannes. His forte is assembly of world-class teams.
Linda MacDonald Glenn .J.D.
Founding Director
Founding Director, Center for Applied Values and Ethics in Advanced Technologies, University of California Santa Cruz. Noted ethicist, attorney and program creator.
Robii Dotson Ph.D.
Psychologist
Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Dotson is a psychologist with a career as U.S. Air Force Officer, leadership instructor, human relations professor and radio broadcaster.
Winston Boyer
Photographer
Internationally noted photographer with dozens of one man exhibitions. In collections of Chicago Art Institute, Crocker Museum, Stanford Museum, Corcoran Gallery, Washington DC.