Meet our Keynote Speakers

Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Paramount Pictures’ Children of a Lesser God, for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and only one of four actresses to receive the honor for her film debut. And in 2022, her Apple TV+ film CODA swept every category it was nominated in at the 2022 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In 2021, Marlee was nominated once again as Executive Producer for the Live Action Short, Feeling Through.

Marlee has also starred in numerous television projects, including Seinfeld, The West Wing, Law and Order SVU, The L Word, Switched At Birth, The Magicians and Quantico, garnering four Emmy nominations along the way. In 2022, Marlee made her first foray into directing, being the first network television director who is Deaf for the Fox TV anthology drama, Accused.

In addition to her film, TV and stage work, Marlee broke barriers when she starred on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and in 2012, Marlee released her first app, appropriately titled Marlee Signs, teaching American Sign Language to millions of smart phone users. She has also penned three novels for children, as well as her New York Times best-selling autobiography, I’ll Scream Later.

In 1994, Marlee was appointed by President Clinton to the Corporation for National Service and in 2010, Marlee joined President Barack Obama at the White House in ceremonies celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In June 2022, Marlee was elected to the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, representing the Actors Branch.

Despite the odds, Marlee’s journey is an inspiration to everyone, regardless of the barriers they face and she has refused to let the naysayers get in the way of her dreams of success. As she so aptly stated, “The only thing I can’t do is hear. The rest is there for the taking.”

Tara Roberts spent the last seven years following, diving with, and telling stories about Black scuba divers as they search for and help document slave shipwrecks around the world. Her journey was turned into an award-winning National Geographic-produced podcast called “null” and featured in the March 2022 issue of National Geographic magazine. Tara became the first Black female explorer ever to be featured on the cover of the magazine. That same year, she was also named the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Currently, Tara is an Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society. Her book “Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home and Belonging” hit stands in January 2025.
Tara is also a former magazine editor and indie publisher, a nonprofit communications director and editor of several non-fiction books for girls. 
She calls Atlanta home but loves to hit the road ... Her motto is - have suitcase, will travel.

Steve Young is a former NFL quarterback best known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers, where he earned three Super Bowl titles and was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIX. He was a 7-time Pro-Bowl selection, 2-time NFL league MVP, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Steve’s #8 jersey was retired by both the 49ers and the BYU Cougars and he remains one of the most celebrated figures in football history.

Beyond the field, Young is an accomplished author, broadcaster, and businessman. His book, The Law of Love, offers a heartfelt exploration of how unconditional love can transform relationships and communities. He is passionate about philanthropy through his Forever Young Foundation and is active in business as managing partner of HGGC.

Young and his wife, Barbara, are the proud parents of four children.

Naʻe loto e tangata ʻenisinia ʻa e NASA ko José M. Hernández ke ne puna ʻi he vavaá talu mei heʻene fanongo kuo fili ʻa e fuofua ʻAmelika Mekisikou ke ʻalu ki he vavaá. ʻOku pehē ʻe Henanitesi, ʻa ia ko ha tokotaha matuʻotuʻa ʻi he ako māʻolungá he taimi ko iá, "naʻá ku huo ha ʻotu suka piiti ʻi ha ngoueʻanga ofi ki Sitokitoni, Kalefōnia, pea naʻá ku fanongo ʻi he letioó kuo fili ʻa Felengikilini Sengi-Tiasi ki he kau tangata puna vavaá." Naʻe manatu ʻa Henanitesi, "naʻá ku ʻosi manako ʻi he saienisí mo e meʻa fakaʻenisiniá, ka ko e momeniti ia naʻá ku pehē ai, ʻʻOku ou fie puna ʻi he vavaáʼ. Pea ko ha meʻa ia naʻá ku feinga ki ai he ʻaho takitaha talu mei ai." Pea ko ʻeni kuo ʻaonga ʻa e ngāue lahi ko iá. Naʻe fili ia ke kamata ako ko ha mataotao ʻi he misioná ko ha konga ʻo e kalasi ako puna vavā ʻo e 2004.

Ko e Henanitesi ko e taha ia ʻo e fānau ʻe toko fā ʻi ha fāmili faama naʻe hikifonua mei Mekisikou — ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ke ne ako lea faka-Pilitania kae ʻoua kuó ne taʻu 12 — ngāueʻaki e taimi lahi ʻo ʻene kei siʻí ʻi ha meʻa ʻokú ne ui ko e "fonongaʻia ʻo Kalefōniá," ʻo fononga mo hono fāmilí mei Mekisikou ki he fakatonga ʻo Kalefōniá ʻi he Māʻasi kotoa pē, pea ngāue fakatokelau ki he ʻēlia Sitokitoní ʻi Nōvema, ʻo toli situloapeuli mo e kiukamipā ʻi he ngaahi faama ʻi he halá. Pea te nau foki leva ki Mekisikou ki he Kilisimasí, pea toe kamata ʻenau fonongá ʻi he faʻahitaʻu failau hokó.

Naʻe kata ʻa Henanitesi, "Mahalo ʻe fakakaukau ha fānau ʻe niʻihi ʻe fakafiefia ke fononga pehē, ka naʻe pau ke mau ngāue." "Naʻe ʻikai ko ha taimi ʻeveʻeva ia."

Hili e ʻosi ʻa Henanitesi mei he ako māʻolunga ʻi Sitokitoní, naʻá ne hū ki he ʻUnivēsiti ʻo e Pasifikí ʻi Sitokitoní, ʻa ia naʻá ne maʻu ai hono mataʻitohi ʻi he ʻenisinia fakaʻuhilá pea naʻe fakapaleʻi ʻaki ia ha sikolasipi kakato ki he polokalama ako ʻi he ʻUnivēsiti ʻo Kalefōniá ʻi Sanitā Papulā, ʻa ia naʻe hoko atu ai ʻene ako ʻenisiniá. ʻI he 1987, naʻá ne tali ai ha ngāue taimi kakato ʻi he Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ʻa ia naʻá ne ngāue ai ko ha tokoni makehe ʻi he kolisí.

Lolotonga e ʻi Lawrence Livermore ʻa Henanitesí, naʻá ne ngāue ʻi ha polokalama ki hono ngāueʻi e fakaʻilongá mo e ʻīmisí (fakakomipiuta) ʻi he mīsini faʻu ʻata (radar imaging), computed tomography, mo e acoustic imaging. ʻI he konga kimui ʻo e ngāue maʻuʻanga moʻui ʻa Henanitesí, naʻá ne ngāue ke faʻu ha ngaahi tekiniki faʻu ʻata ʻaki e filimi x-ray ki he polokalama x-ray leisá. Naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe Henanitesi ʻa e ngaahi founga ko ʻeni ʻi he malaʻe ʻo e fīsiki fakafaitoʻó peá ne kaungā faʻu ʻa e fuofua polokalama faʻu ʻata fakaʻilekitulōnika kakato ki he mammography. Kuo fakamoʻoniʻi ʻa e ʻaonga e polokalama ko ʻení ki hono ʻiloʻi vave ʻo e kanisā huhú ʻo vave ange ʻi he ngaahi founga fakaʻata filimi/mammogram lolotongá. Kuo maʻu ʻe Henanitesi ha ngaahi pale fakalangilangi ki heʻene ngāue ʻi he ngāue ni. Kuó ne ngāue foki ʻi he tuʻunga fakavahaʻapuleʻanga ʻa ia naʻá ne fakafofongaʻi ai ʻa e Lawrence Livermore mo e U.S. Department of Energy ke taʻofi hono tufaki ʻa e meʻatau fakaʻātomi Lūsiá.

Lolotonga e ngāue ki he tohi kole ke hoko ko ha tangata puna vavaá, naʻe pau ke fakataha ʻa Henanitesi mo ha poate ke toe vakaiʻi ʻene tohi kolé. Ko e feituʻu ia naʻá ne feʻiloaki mata ki he mata ai mo e tokotaha naʻá ne fuofua fakaʻaiʻai iá: Felengilini Sengi-Tiasi.

ʻOku pehē ʻe Henanitesi, "Ko ha feituʻu ngali kehe ia ke u ʻi ai, ʻo sivisiviʻi au ʻe he tokotaha naʻá ne fuofua ʻomi e fakalotolahi ke u feinga ki aí." "Ka naʻá ku ʻiloʻi naʻá ma maʻu ha aʻusia tatau — faitatau hono ohi hake kimauá, ko e palopalema tatau ʻi he lea fakafonuá. Naʻe tokoni ia ke langaki hake ʻeku loto-falalá. Ko ha faʻahinga ʻa vahevahe pē naʻe ʻi ai, kuó ne ʻosi ikunaʻi ʻe ia."

ʻOku malimali ʻa Henanitesi. Ko hoku taimí ʻeni!

Ko e ongo tautehina Katinaá kuó na ikuna tuʻo nima ʻi Māmani kotoa ʻi he hulohula fakaʻAilaní, faʻu vitiō ki he ʻinitanetí, mo ha ongo tangata tauʻolunga fakaholomamata kuo na tohoakiʻi e tokanga ʻa e tokolahi ʻi māmani. ʻOku laka hake ʻi he kau muimui ʻe toko 8 miliona mo e kau mamata ʻe toko 1 piliona ʻi he mītia fakasōsialé, ʻokú na tuifio e tauʻolunga faka-ʻAilaní mo e mūsika fakaeonopōní pea mo e talanoa mohu foungá, ʻo na maʻu ai e fakalangilangi mei ha ngaahi kautaha fakamāmani lahi, ngaahi kautaha mītia, mo e kakai ʻiloa.

Makatuʻunga ʻi heʻena fakaʻaliʻali longomoʻuí, ngaahi aʻusia mahuʻingá, mo e fengāueʻaki mo ha niʻihi kehé, ʻokú na fakaʻaiʻai e niʻihi fakafoʻituituí mo e ngaahi pisinisí ke nau manako ki ha ngaahi fakakaukau foʻou, ngāue fakatahá, mo e mālohi ʻo e mītia fakasōsialé. ʻI heʻena hoko ko ha ongo tauʻolunga tefito kimuʻa ʻi he Riverdance mo e ongo tangata ʻiloʻi ʻi heʻena fakaʻaliʻalí, ʻokú na ʻomi ha fakaʻaliʻali tuʻukimuʻa mo foʻou ki he siteisi kotoa pē—ʻi he ʻinitanetí mo e lele fakahangatonú fakatouʻosi.

Ko Sesikā Soho ko e tokotaha faiongoongo fakalangilangiʻi mo ongoongoa taha ia ʻi he ʻOtu Filipainí. Naʻe fanauʻi ʻi he ʻaho 27 ʻo Māʻasi, 1964 pea ʻi heʻene laukauʻaki hono konga ʻIlokanó, kuó ne fokotuʻu ha tukufakaholo tuʻuloa ʻi he malaʻe ʻo e faiongoongó.

ʻI hono fakamanatua hono taʻu 40 ʻi he ngaahi kautaha fakamafola ʻi Filipaini, kuo fokotuʻu ai ʻe Soho ha ngāue maʻuʻanga moʻui fakaʻofoʻofa kuo fakaʻilongaʻi ʻe ha ngaahi lavameʻa taʻe-hano-tatau mo mafola hono fakalangilangiʻi fakafonua mo fakavahaʻapuleʻangá fakatouʻosi. Naʻá ne fokotuʻu ha hisitōlia ʻi heʻene hoko ko e fuofua tokotaha Filipaini ke ne ikuna ʻa e pale George Foster Peabody pea ko e tuʻo ua ia ʻene maʻu ʻa e pale fakalangilangi ko iá—ko e ʻuluakí ʻi he 1999 ki heʻene filimi fakamatala Kamao mo e Kidneys for Sale (Kofuua Fakatau) peá ne toe maʻu ʻi he 2014 ʻi heʻene muimuiʻi fakaʻauliliki ʻa e haʻahaʻa ʻo e Matangi Haiyan ʻi Takalopaní.

Naʻá ne hoko foki ko e fuofua Filipaini ke fili ki ai—pea ke ne ikuna ʻi he New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, pea ke fokotuʻu ia ki he Readerʻs Digest Trusted Brands Awards Hall of Fame, hili hono fakahingoa ia ko e "Tokotaha Faipolokalama TV Falalaʻanga Taha ki he Ongoongó mo e Ngaahi Ngāue Lolotongá" ʻi he taʻu hokohoko ʻe 13.

ʻOku maʻu ʻe Soho ʻa e fakalangilangi ko e fuofua kolisi tutuku ʻo e ʻUnivēsiti ʻo Filipainí College of Mass Communication ke ne maʻu ʻa e pale fakalangilangi Gawad Plaride Award ki he Faiongoongó.

Ko ha tokotaha ongoongoa ʻa Soho ʻi he televīsoné ʻi Filipaini, naʻe kamata ʻene ngāue fakafaiongoongó ʻi he 1988, ko ha tokotaha ke ne lipooti ʻa e ngaahi ongoongó. Naʻá ne hiki hake ʻo hoko ko e Fuofua Tokoni Palesiteni ki he Polokalama Faiongoongó ʻi he GMA News, ʻo ne hoko ai ki ha fatongia mahuʻinga ʻi hono hikiʻi hake ʻa e netiueká ki he tuʻunga ko e kautaha faiongoongo falalaʻanga taha mo lahi taha ʻi Filipainí, ʻo ngata ki heʻene maʻu vāhenga mālōlō ʻi he GMA News ʻi he 2014.

Naʻe ʻiloa ʻa Soho ʻi heʻene talēniti talanoá pea mo ʻene tuʻumaʻu ʻi he tukupā ki he faitotonu fakaefaiongoongó, naʻá ne hoko atu ko ha leʻo makehe ʻi he mītia Filipainí. ʻOkú ne lolotonga fakalele ʻa e Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho – tokotaha māʻolunga, fakalangilangiʻi taha ʻi he GMA Network, pea mo e polokalama TV fika 1 ʻi he polokalama televīsone ʻoFilipainí ʻi he 2024.

Kuo ope atu ʻene ngāué ki he lipooti fakatotoló, ngaahi konga ongoongo ʻoku tokanga taha ki he meʻa ʻoku manako ki ai ʻa e tangatá, mo vahevahe kau ki ha ngaahi polokalama ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu mahuʻingá. ʻI he ongo moʻoni, fakakaukaua, mo e ngāue mateaki taʻetūkua ki he moʻoní, ʻoku kei hoko ai ʻa Sesikā Soho ko ha maama falalaʻanga mo e lelei taha ʻi he faiongoongó.

Naʻe fāʻeleʻi ʻa ʻAfa ʻAnitunisi Koimipalela, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻiloa fakamāmani lahi ko Saiko, ʻi he ʻaho 3 ʻo Māʻasi 1953, ʻi Lio ti Sinelo, Palāsila. ʻOku taku ko e tokotaha vaʻinga ʻakapulu maʻongoʻonga taha ʻo e kuongá, naʻe maʻu ʻe Saiko hono hingoa fakatenetene ko e "Pele Hinehiná" ʻi heʻene ngaahi taukei, vīsone, mo e malava ʻo tataʻo mālié. Naʻe hoko ʻene ngāue maʻuʻanga moʻui ko ha tokotaha vaʻinga fakaholomamatá ʻi he taʻu ʻe uofulu tupu, ʻa ia naʻá ne hoko ai ko ha fakaʻilonga ʻo e lelei taha mo e mohu founga ʻi he ʻakapulú.

Naʻe kamata ʻa e vaʻinga fakapalofesinale ʻa Saikó ʻi he Flamengo ʻi he 1971, ʻa ia naʻe vave ai ʻene ʻiloá. Naʻá ne taki ʻa e kalapú ki ha ngaahi feʻauhi fakalotofonua mo fakavahaʻapuleʻanga, kau ai ʻa e Copa Libertadores mo e Ipu Fakavahaʻa Konitinēnití ʻi he 1981. Naʻe kau foki ʻi heʻene fakalakalaka ʻi he ʻū kalapú, ʻi he Udinese ʻi ʻĪtali mo e Kashima Antlers ʻi Siapani, ʻa ia naʻá ne hoko ko ha tokotaha naʻe fakaʻapaʻapaʻi pea naʻá ne maʻu ai ʻa e hingoa fakatenetene ko e "ʻOtua ʻo e ʻAkapulú" ʻi heʻene kau poupou Siapaní.

ʻI he fakavahaʻapuleʻangá, naʻe fakafofongaʻi ʻe Saiko ʻa Palāsila ʻi ha Feʻauhi Ipu ʻa Māmaní mo e FIFA (1978, 1982, mo e 1986), ʻo maʻu ʻa e kai ko e 48 ʻi he foʻi feinga ʻe 71, ʻo ne hoko ai ko e fika nima māʻolunga taha ʻi he hisitōlia ʻo e timi fakafonua Palāsilá. Neongo naʻe ʻikai ke ikuna ʻe Palāsila ʻa e Ipu ʻa Māmaní lolotonga ʻene ʻi aí, ka naʻe kei hoko pē ʻa e timi ʻo e 1982 ʻa ia naʻá ne tatakí, ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi timi ʻiloa taha ʻi he hisitōlia ʻo e ʻakapulú.

ʻOku ʻiloa ʻa Saiko ʻi heʻene taukei ʻi he ʻaka ʻo e pulú, pea ʻoku tui naʻe aʻusia ʻe Saiko ʻa e tataʻo naʻe laka hake ʻi he tuʻo 100 mei he fanga foʻi ʻaka fakahangatonu, pea ko e 62 naʻe ʻosi fakapapauʻi mai ʻi he ngaahi feʻauhi fakaʻofisialé. ʻOku ʻikai hano tatau ʻo ʻene malava ke ofeʻi ʻa e pulú ʻaki ʻa e mālohi mo e fakafuofua tonu, pea ʻoku faʻa lave ki ai ʻa e kau mataotao tokolahi ʻi he hisitōlia ʻo e ʻakapulú.

Hili ʻene maʻu vāhenga mālōlō mei he vaʻingá ʻi he 1994, naʻe liliu ai ʻa Saiko ʻo fakamaau mo puleʻi ʻa e vaʻinga ʻakapulú. Naʻá ne faiakoʻi ʻa e timi fakafonua ʻa Siapaní, ʻo ne ʻave ai kinautolu ke nau mālohi ʻi he Asian Cup ʻi he 2004, pea nau ʻasi mālohi ʻi he Ipu ʻa Māmani 2006 ʻa e FIFA. Naʻe kau foki ʻi heʻene ngāue fakatakí ha ngaahi lakanga ʻi he Fenerbahçe, CSKA Mosikou, Olympiacos, mo ʻIulaki, mo ha niʻihi kehe.

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu kimuí ni mai, kuo hokohoko atu ʻa e tokoni ʻa Saiko ki he ʻakapulú ko ha ʻetivaisa fakatekinekale ki he Kashima Antlers pea mo ha ʻamipasitoa fakaemāmani lahi ki he sipotí. Naʻá ne fakahoko ha fatongia mahuʻinga ʻi hono fokotuʻu e soka matātahi ʻi Palāsila lolotonga e 1990 tupú, ʻo tokoni ki hono fokotuʻu ʻa e sipotí mo ueʻi ha kau vaʻinga foʻou.

ʻOku ʻiloa e tukufakaholo ʻo Saikó ʻo ʻikai ngata pē ʻi heʻene ngaahi lavameʻá, ka ʻi heʻene lotomaʻulaló foki, vaʻinga mokomoko, mo e takiekina mālohi ʻi he komiunitī fakamāmani lahi ki he ʻakapulú. ʻOku kei hoko pē ʻene talanoá ko ha fakalotolahi ki hono ueʻi e kau vaʻinga mo e kau poupou ʻi he funga ʻo māmaní.

Stephen T. Rockwood is the president and CEO of FamilySearch International, a global nonprofit sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Prior to joining FamilySearch, Rockwood specialized in creating unique service offerings for worldwide customers of such brands as MasterCard International, AT&T, Disney, Office Depot, and Citibank among others. He also started two companies that were later acquired by larger companies. Most recently Steve served as director of the international division at FamilySearch.