THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2027
Aly Raisman
Team Captain, Gold Medal Winning U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team, 2012 and 2o16
Aly Raisman, team captain of the gold medal winning USA Women’s Gymnastics team in 2012 and 2016, is one of the most decorated American gymnasts of all time. Aly captured the hearts of millions as she became the first American to win gold on the floor exercise at the 2012 Games. She reinforced her status as an American gymnastics legend in 2016 when she helped guide the team to gold and she earned a silver medal in the All-Around competition.
A leader on and off the floor, Aly uses her platform to help normalize the conversation around mental health, encourage positive body image, and promote the importance of self-care. She is a two-time New York Times best-selling author of her memoir, Fierce, and her children’s book, From My Head to My Toes, an on-air analyst for ESPN’s college gymnastics broadcast, and a sought-after brand ambassador and keynote speaker.
Inspired by an army of survivors, Aly is a leading advocate for systemic change in the sport of gymnastics and the eradication of sexual abuse.
Elizabeth Smart
Abduction Survivor & Best Selling Author
The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. Elizabeth was abducted on June 5, 2002, and her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Fortunately, the police safely returned Elizabeth to her family on March 12, 2003, after being held a prisoner for nine grueling months. Through this traumatic experience, Elizabeth has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs, and national legislation.
Elizabeth triumphantly testified before her captor and the world about the very private nightmare she suffered during her abduction, which led to his conviction. The Founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, Elizabeth has also helped promote The National AMBER Alert, The Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act, and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions. Elizabeth has chronicled her experiences in the New York Times best-selling book, My Story. In addition, she and other abduction survivors worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivor’s guide, titled You’re Not Alone: The Journey from Abduction to Empowerment. This guide is meant to encourage children who have gone through similar experiences not to give up but to know that there is hope for a rewarding life.
Elizabeth has recently released a powerful and inspiring book about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one’s life. Where There’s Hope is the result of Elizabeth’s mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing process and a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.
Ross Szabo
CEO of the Human Power Project
Talking about emotions can be a challenge, but Ross’s brutally honest, relatable, and humorous approach puts audiences at ease as they confront a difficult topic. Ross was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 16 and was hospitalized for attempting to take his life during his senior year of high school. Like so many freshmen in college, Ross just wanted to fit in, so he tried hiding his challenges with mental health from the people in his life. But that only lasted for so long. He deferred his college education for about four years before returning to complete his degree.
Ross uses tasteful humor and insights to help participants understand common mental health conditions and individual differences. He also covers warning signs that students can look for in their friends and peers, as well as resources that can provide guidance in these sensitive situations.
Ross is the CEO of the Human Power Project. He is an award-winning mental health speaker, writer, trainer, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Ross has spoken to more than 1 million students about the importance of mental health and has provided a positive example to empower them to seek help. He received the 2010 Didi Hirsch Removing the Stigma Leadership Award and 2012 Changing Minds Award, and he had his advocacy work entered into the Congressional Record. He is the co-author of Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health and a blogger for The Huffington Post.