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provocateur
noun pro·vo·ca·teur \ prō-ˌvä-kə-ˈtər \ an artist or activist whose work suggests ideas that are threatening to accepted values or practices. 
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Instead of traditional “Speakers,” we prefer the notion of the “Provocateur”.
This year, our Provocateurs are attending to enhance your experience, push you out of your comfort zone, and break down your mental models. Much like the first year of the Leadership Forum in 1918, we are at a turning point in society – one which requires courageous and creative thinkers willing to learn and challenge traditional ways. Our Provocateurs will be an integral part of the Forum and its outcomes. |
2020 Provocateurs
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Howard Kraft
Health care leader with 25+ yrs of experience in leading & consulting on health care strategy, design & implementation. Specialties include: Total health related change management focused on organizational redesign; facilitation of staff transition of roles and responsibilities; leadership engagement; and demonstration of results. Howard has been a member of the Leadership Forum Community since 1996, having served as Conference Chairperson in both 2015 and 2016, and currently Co-Chairperson of the Board of Directors. |
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LaTonya Wilkins
As a global culture leader, credentialed coach, and speaker, LaTonya helps people, organizations and entrepreneurs thrive. She also helps organizations better connect with their employees. LaTonya has worked with Fortune 500 companies, higher education entities, technology and consulting firms, and executive leadership teams. Her career has been shaped by roles she has held working with highly admired companies in progressive, newly created, talent management roles. She has built leadership development programs from the ground up. |
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Joel F. Wright
Joel is a social entrepreneur, innovator, and facilitator of leadership and organizational development focused on the question, what would the world look like if all young people had access to leadership development? This question began incubating while serving the YMCA in Sri Lanka where he witnessed how leadership training empowered people to respond to the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Upon returning to the US, Joel spent twelve years with the Center for Creative Leadership innovating ways to democratize leadership development. Joel’s experience enables him to span Board rooms to camp “classrooms” cultivating collaborations that cut across many socioeconomic and cultural barriers. |
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Lyndon Rego
Lyndon Rego is the founder of CoMetta, which imagines a new way to build a vibrant and thriving community. CoMetta provides space, facilitation, and tools to enhance individual wellbeing, develop more effective organizations, and nurture a more connected and caring community. Lyndon spent 14 years leading innovation and global leadership development at the Center for Creative Leadership, where he was the catalyst for the Innovation Incubator, Leadership Beyond Boundaries initiative, and the Future Leadership Lab. He was the founder of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the African Leadership University, which was named as one of the 50 most innovative organizations in 2019 by Fast Company. |
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Tricia Naddaff
Tricia Naddaff is the President at Management Research Group (www.mrg.com), an international leader in creating transformational developmental assessments and conducting extensive research in the areas of Leadership, Sales and Career Development/Personal Growth. Tricia works extensively with MRG’s consultants and clients providing thought leadership and coaching. Tricia speaks globally to audiences who want to increase the positive impact they have in their organizations and the world around them. A contributing author to the book “Enlightened Power” and a TEDx speaker, Tricia has a particular interest in engaging in the exploration of gender in leadership, and leading authentically and cultivating wisdom, courage and compassion in organizations. |
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Christopher J. Rehm, PhD
Chris began his career in a school IT department performing software upgrades and hardware repairs while teaching technology classes and eventually became a Head of School at an independent school. Through various leadership and consulting roles, he developed deep experience with project creation and management while working with varying constituents to achieve lasting change. Specifically, he has extensive consulting experience with curricular and organizational alignment, intentional learning outcome design, strategic planning, program evaluation, and technology implementation. This summer, Chris and his family will be moving to China where he will return to school administration while scaling leader development across an international school network. |
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Rachel Nyaradzo Adams
Rachel is a leadership specialist, coach and speaker who works from the conviction that a leader's greatest work is their own self mastery before they can proceed to lead others and systems. She therefore creates a safe space for clients to explore both their light and shadow and integrate the two towards authentic power. Rachel trained as an anthropologist and sharpened her skill in leadership development at Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, McKinsey and Yale University before founding Narachi Leadership. She is a graduate of the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town. Rachel has spoken and presented on various platforms including TEDx, Obama Leaders, UN, World Bank and EVE Africa and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans of 2019. |
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Robert Schott
Robert Schott has more than 35 years of employee rewards, benefits and retirement plans communication consulting experience. He currently specializes in people engagement strategies to prepare employees for future retirement income needs with a leading financial services firm. During his career, he led high-profile, integrated benefits communication projects, nationwide 401(k) education programs, and executive compensation and equity awards communication initiatives for several Fortune 100 companies. In 2005, Robert founded a business to launch an invention. Perhaps you’ve seen the scary house at Halloween with giant yellow cat eyes staring at you from the upstairs windows. These are WOWindow Posters® by Bopt Inc. |
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Todd Cherches
Todd Cherches, a long-time member of the Leadership Forum community (since 2008), is the CEO & cofounder of the innovative, NYC-based, leadership consulting, training, and executive coaching firm BigBlueGumball, as well as a three-time award winning Adjunct Professor of leadership at NYU, and a Lecturer on leadership at Columbia University. He is also a TEDx speaker (“The Power of Visual Thinking”), and the author of VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster; May 2020). |
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Helena Escalante
Helena is a certified copywriter and marketing strategy expert. She curates programs for the business community in New York and is a frequent keynote speaker on topics about copywriting, content strategy, leadership, and marketing. Smart Hustle Magazine gave her the 2018-2019 “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” and Hibox.co named her as a "Top 10 Leadership Influencer." She’s the author and "Chief Bookworm Officer" of EntreGurus.com, a blog with readers in 150+ countries that provides ideas and actions from the best business books that anyone can read in under 5 minutes. |
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Kelli Bruno Kelli Bruno is the one-woman band you don't want to miss. From her original indie/folk tunes or a classic cover song, Kelli combines her soulful voice with live instrumental looping on guitar, piano and ukulele to deliver powerful moments on stage. Originating from Cranford NJ, Kelli now lives in Hoboken, NJ and is a regular at venues like Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), Crossroads (NJ) and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Kelli released her debut album Nomahegan in 2018, and her first single Fatass in 2019. You can find her music on all digital streaming services, CD & vinyl. kellibruno.com |
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Steven S. Gardiner
Steven S. Gardiner is President of Gardiner Associates, a third-generation management development firm. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, he carries on the ninety-year family tradition of assisting individuals and organizations in building their capabilities. As a pharmaceuticals Senior Director of Management and Organizational Development, he created and conducted leadership programs for every level of the organization. With conflict resolution credentials from Harvard, Cornell and Eckerd College and an M.A. in Conflict Resolution, Steve has extensive experience in teaching mutual gains problem solving and mediating interpersonal/interdepartmental disputes. |
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Chuck Firlotte
Charles "Chuck" Firlotte has honed his expertise in corporate leadership over the course of three decades, including more than 15 years as President and CEO of the seventh largest private water utility in the U.S.. Chuck has lived and worked professionally in three countries: his native Canada, the U.S, and the United Kingdom. His commitment to excellence and high-energy execution have contributed to several organizations through board memberships. He currently serves on the board of NB Power, an electric utility in eastern Canada, and he is Vice Chair of the board of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. He also holds the ICD (Institute of Corporate Directors) designation from the University of Toronto. |
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Faith Hassell Faith is passionate about the utility industry, handbell choirs, and chai tea lattes! Faith is currently a Community and Customer Manager at National Grid where she develops and maintains relationships with major accounts, key stakeholders, community and municipal leaders. She has a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Georgetown University (Go Hoyas!). Faith joined the Leadership Forum Community three years ago as a scholarship recipient and is very grateful to this community for all of the investment they have poured into her. Last year Faith took on the leadership of one of the Leadership Forum’s first incubation projects to put ideas into action. |