Each year brings new opportunities to elevate the impact of your events. Securing the perfect speaker is a crucial part of hosting a truly unforgettable experience for your audience. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas to consider in the 2026 planning cycle, we’ve got you covered.
Take a look at 26 top keynote speakers who are poised to have a big year on the speaking circuit. These athletes, AI experts, entrepreneurs, scholars, and authors are great options to consider for your 2026 events.
1. Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland is a trailblazing artist and cultural icon, best known as the first Black woman to become a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Drawing from a historic career in dance, media, and advocacy, she inspires audiences with powerful stories of perseverance, representation, and redefining what’s possible.
2. Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award–winning performer whose work spans film, television, music, and Broadway. Known for powerful roles in “The Color Purple,” “Harriet,” and “Wicked,” she brings a compelling voice to conversations on creativity, storytelling, and breaking barriers across the arts.
3. Will Guidara
Will Guidara is the author of the national bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality and the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, named the #1 restaurant in the world. Drawing from his award-winning hospitality career, Guidara shares powerful insights on leadership, service, and how exceeding expectations can transform organizations and cultures.
4. Jia Jiang
Jia Jiang is the founder of Rejection Therapy and a bestselling author who helps individuals and organizations overcome fear through rejection training. Best known for his viral TED Talk and Rejection Proof, Jiang delivers engaging, practical insights that reframe rejection as a powerful tool for confidence, resilience, and achieving ambitious goals.
5. Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann is a Super Bowl–winning quarterback, Emmy Award–winning broadcaster, and entrepreneur who brings decades of leadership experience to the stage. Drawing from his NFL career and broadcasting tenure, he shares powerful lessons on resilience, adaptability, and handling unforeseen change, inspiring audiences to perform like champions every day.
6. Kindra Hall
Kindra Hall is a bestselling author and the leading expert on storytelling in business. Known for “Stories That Stick,” she helps leaders and teams communicate with clarity, influence, and authenticity. Through engaging keynotes, Hall shows how strategic storytelling can transform connection, inspire action, and elevate both brands and individuals.
7. Allie K. Miller
Allie K. Miller is a leading AI advisor, investor, and former Global Head of Machine Learning for Startups at Amazon (AWS). With deep experience across enterprise AI, policy, and innovation, she helps organizations understand and apply artificial intelligence through practical, future-focused insights that drive real-world impact.
8. Sol Rashidi
Sol Rashidi is a globally recognized data and AI executive who played a pivotal role in launching IBM’s Watson and has led AI initiatives across Fortune 100 companies. A prolific innovator and bestselling author, she helps leaders cut through complexity to unlock the real business value of data, AI, and technology-driven transformation.
9. Jason Redman
Jason Redman is a retired Navy SEAL lieutenant and high-energy leadership speaker who brings real-world lessons from combat, catastrophic injury, and redemption. Drawing on his “Overcome Mindset” and “Get Off the X” methodology, Redman delivers powerful insights on resilience, elite team performance, and leading through adversity under the toughest conditions.
10. Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an acclaimed actor best known for iconic roles in “The Lord of the Rings,” “Rudy,” “The Goonies,” and “Stranger Things.” An Academy Award nominee and SAG Award winner, Astin brings four decades of film, television, and leadership experience to the stage, sharing stories of perseverance, teamwork, and enduring impact.
11. Lisa Bodell
Lisa Bodell is a globally recognized expert on simplification, collaboration, and innovation who helps organizations redesign work to focus on what matters most. Author of “Why Simple Wins” and “Kill the Company,” she delivers high-energy keynotes that challenge complexity, spark creativity, and inspire leaders to drive meaningful, lasting change.
12. Damola Adamolekun
Damola Adamolekun is the CEO of Red Lobster and one of Fortune’s 100 Most Powerful People in Business. A proven hospitality and investment leader, he brings sharp insight into brand transformation, strategic growth, and modern leadership, drawing on executive experience across global restaurant brands, private equity, and finance.
13. Kevin O’Leary
Kevin O’Leary is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, and star of “Shark Tank,” known for building and selling multiple billion-dollar companies. Drawing on decades of business experience, he delivers candid insights on entrepreneurship, investing, leadership, and financial discipline—challenging audiences to think boldly, act decisively, and pursue long-term value.
14. David Fajgenbaum
Dr. David Fajgenbaum is a physician-scientist, bestselling author, and rare disease advocate who transformed his own battle with Castleman disease into a mission-driven career. As a leader at the University of Pennsylvania and co-founder of Every Cure, he shares powerful insights on resilience, innovation, and turning hope into life-saving action.
15. Suneel Gupta
Suneel Gupta is a bestselling author, former CEO of RISE, and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar focused on resilience, well-being, and meaningful work. Drawing from entrepreneurship, research, and leadership, he equips organizations with science-based tools to prevent burnout, sustain energy, and align purpose with performance for lasting innovation and fulfillment.
16. Zack Kass
Zack Kass is a leading voice in applied AI and a former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI, where he helped translate breakthrough research into real-world business solutions. Today, he advises Fortune 1,000 leaders on deploying AI at scale, making complex technology practical, actionable, and future-ready.
17. Inky Johnson
Inky Johnson is a former collegiate athlete, author, and one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the world. After a career-ending injury, he transformed adversity into purpose, delivering powerful messages on leadership, resilience, and perseverance that resonate with executives, professional teams, and organizations across industries.
18. Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, global education advocate, and bestselling author who began speaking out for girls’ education at just 11 years old. Her extraordinary journey — from surviving a Taliban attack to founding Malala Fund — offers a powerful message on courage, purpose, and the transformative power of education.
19. Ayesha Khanna
Dr. Ayesha Khanna is a global AI strategist and the co-founder and CEO of Addo, advising leading corporations and governments on artificial intelligence, smart cities, and emerging technologies. With deep experience across finance, technology, and public policy, she delivers forward-looking insights on how AI is shaping the future of business and society.
20. Mel Robbins
Mel Robbins is a New York Times bestselling author, globally followed podcast host, and one of the most influential voices in personal development today. Known for “The 5 Second Rule” and “The High 5 Habit,” she delivers science-backed, highly relatable insights that help audiences build confidence, take action, and create lasting change.
21. Rohit Bhargava
Rohit Bhargava is a bestselling author and globally sought-after keynote speaker known for championing non-obvious thinking. Drawing on decades of experience in brand strategy, innovation, and trends, he delivers highly engaging presentations that challenge leaders and teams to think differently, spot what others miss, and turn insight into action.
22. Mimi Nicklin
Mimi Nicklin is an internationally bestselling author and award-winning expert in empathy, emotional intelligence, and leadership. Founder of Empathy Everywhere, she delivers immersive, neuroscience-backed keynotes that help leaders reconnect, lead with humanity, and build more empathetic, high-performing cultures in an increasingly complex world.
23. Joan Lunden
Joan Lunden is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and longtime Good Morning America host whose career spans more than five decades. A powerful advocate for health, aging, and resilience, she delivers inspiring keynotes rooted in reinvention, caregiving, and navigating life’s most meaningful transitions with strength and purpose.
24. Cassie Kozyrkov
Cassie Kozyrkov is a globally recognized AI leader and the founder of Decision Intelligence, best known as Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist. A dynamic and highly engaging speaker, she helps organizations turn complex AI concepts into clear, responsible strategies that elevate human potential and drive smarter decision-making.
25. Jonathan Turley
Professor Jonathan Turley is a nationally recognized legal scholar and Fox News analyst, called the “dean of legal analysts” by the Washington Post. A chaired professor at George Washington University, he has authored best-selling books and articles for top law journals, testifying over 100 times before Congress, including three presidential impeachment inquiries. He offers expert insights on constitutional law and free speech.
26. Jay Shetty
Jay Shetty is a global bestselling author, former monk, and one of the most influential voices in purpose and well-being today. Host of the award-winning “On Purpose” podcast and Chief Purpose Officer at Calm, Shetty inspires audiences with actionable insights on mindfulness, purpose, and building a more meaningful life.
As you look ahead to your upcoming 2026 events, these keynote speakers are sure to leave a lasting impact and inspire your audience. When you’re ready to start the booking process or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to AAE’s dedicated team of experts. We’re here to help you create unforgettable experiences for your attendees.
