EMERGE 2027 KEYNOTES
Kevin Brown
WEDNESDAY BREAKFAST KEYNOTE
Kevin Brown worked his way from the front lines of business to the executive boardroom. Raised in Muskegon, Michigan, his blue-collar roots taught him the value of hard work, determination and looking at challenges from a fresh angle. Those lessons continue to shape his work as a business leader, best-selling author and keynote speaker.
Over more than 30 years in franchise development, Kevin learned what builds strong cultures, earns customer loyalty and helps organizations grow. During the final 20 years of his corporate career, he served on the leadership team that grew a little-known family business into the #1 franchise in its industry, with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion.
Since 2016, Kevin has traveled the world sharing The HERO Effect, a practical philosophy that helps people recognize their gifts, expand their potential and use their abilities to serve others. His message draws from his business experience and from his life as the father of a child with autism.
Kevin is the best-selling author of The Hero Effect and Unleashing Your Hero. He has spoken for organizations including American Express, Delta Air Lines, PayPal, ExxonMobil and Ernst & Young. At EMERGE, Kevin will bring humor, energy and heart to a message about showing up, serving others and making a positive difference at work and in life.
Stephanie Chung
WEDNESDAY LUNCH KEYNOTE
Stephanie Chung is the #1 international best-selling author of ALLY Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You, a speaker and business leader with more than 30 years of experience in growth strategy and human capital management. She helps leaders navigate change, strengthen organizations and build cultures where people can thrive.
As former chief growth officer of Wheels Up, Stephanie led strategies that increased revenue, expanded the company’s market and attracted a more diverse membership. Earlier, she became the first African American to lead a private jet company as president of JetSuite. Her career also includes leadership roles at American Airlines, Flexjet and Bombardier Aerospace.
Stephanie serves on the Make-A-Wish board, the National Business Aviation Association Advisory Council and the advisory board for XTI Aerospace. Her achievements have earned recognition from Adweek, Ebony and Robb Report. She has appeared on ABC, CNBC and CBS, and her insights have been featured in Forbes, Barron’s, Inc. and Black Enterprise.
As a keynote speaker, Stephanie draws on her real-world experience to share practical insights about leadership, innovation and organizational growth. Her work has been translated into 60 languages, extending her reach to audiences around the world.
Carlos Whittaker
THURSDAY LUNCH KEYNOTE
Carlos Whittaker is a best-selling author, expert storyteller, and impactful speaker to all kinds of audiences– from foster parents to pastors to non-profit leaders to conference-goers. No matter who you are, his message is for you.
Carlos uses his vast and varied personal life experience to captivate and engage audiences in ways that few else can. Whether your community is suffering from conflict, distraction, or disengagement, Carlos is sure to reinvigorate them with insight, humor, and biblical inspiration.
Carlos’s books, including How to Human, Reconnected, and Kill the Spider, explore connection, hope and personal growth. He invites his audiences to consider how deeper connections with ourselves and one another can shape the way we lead, serve and build community. Through stories, humor and practical insight, he will explore how caring for the whole person expands our capacity for relationships, ministry, work, creativity and patience.
Carlos and his wife Heather live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their three amazing children, where you can find them working on the family farm, planning trips around the world, and dancing to Single Ladies (seriously, Google it).