Thursday Keynote Speakers
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM Pacific time, Thursday, October 30, 2025
The Blessings of Disaster
Are we doomed? As individuals, certainly, eventually, inevitably. But as a species? As a civilization? Perhaps not. This entertaining and often counter-intuitive presentation shows how we can think in better ways about disasters, to strengthen and extend our existence as both individuals and as a species.
When it comes to rare extreme events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornados, volcanic eruptions, technological accidents, terrorist attacks, pandemics, and even existential threats, it is in our nature to set ourselves up for disasters because the gamble may be worth it.
But only maybe. “The Blessing of Disaster” is the very real story of the relationship between humans and disasters – and it’s not a simple one. Bringing together observations from extreme events like Japan’s Kobe earthquake and category 5 hurricanes in the American South, along with thoughtful and practical solutions, this presentation provides a thorough examination of the structural challenges that face today’s (and tomorrow’s) world. How we cope with today’s threats is indicative of what the future holds. Contrary to popular forecasts, it is not all gloom and doom - but some of it definitely is.
Dr. Michel Bruneau, P.Eng. (Ontario), SUNY Distinguished Professor, University at Buffalo
Dr. Michel Bruneau is a SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo, a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and Emeritus Director of an NSF-funded Earthquake Engineering Center that focused on enhancing the disaster resilience of communities. He has spent more than three decades developing engineering strategies to enhance the resilience of infrastructure. His extensive body of research has been instrumental to the inclusion, in national and international standards, of specifications for multiple innovative structural systems, leading to implementation in countless structures worldwide.
He has received more than 20 prestigious awards for this innovative work, including a lifetime achievement award. Dr. Bruneau has conducted numerous reconnaissance visits to disaster-stricken areas, is a member of many professional and technical code-writing committees, and has served on many expert peer review panels. He is one of the most cited researchers in structural engineering and earthquake engineering. He is one of the most cited researcher in his discipline and was the lead author of the 2003 seminal paper that has formulated a concept and expression of disaster resilience that today is at the foundation of most research on this topic.
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Pacific time, Thursday, October 30, 2025
Beating Bias
We’ve all heard about the concept of “unconscious bias”, but what does it actually mean? In this engaging and informative talk, Yassmin Abdel-Magied uses personal experience backed up by research to illustrate the impacts of bias on our workplaces. She will also share what we can all do about it, so that we can build safer, fairer, and more productive workplaces for all.
Audiences will learn:
- Where do biases come from.
- How to identify your own biases, and those of your company.
- The impact of biases on those around you and your business.
- How to individually and structurally challenge these biases to improve your workplace and outcomes for your people.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied – Leadership and Diversity Expert | Social Advocate
Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese-born writer, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate. Her powerful TED talk, “What Does My Headscarf Mean to You” has more than 3 million views and was selected as one of TED’s top 10 ideas. With a unique ability to make complex ideas accessible to all, Abdel-Magied is an internationally renowned speaker on bias and transformative leadership and advocates for a safer, fairer world for all.
With over a decade of governance experience across sectors, Abdel-Magied’s work is informed by both theory and experience. She founded Youth Without Borders at the age of 16, leading it for nine years before founding Mumtaza, which focuses on serving and empowering women of colour. She is also a former mechanical engineer and one of the few female engineers who worked on oil and gas rigs around Australia.
An experienced broadcaster, Abdel-Magied has presented on television and podcasts in Australia, Britain, and the US, including the current affairs show, Australia Wide; the groundbreaking documentary, The Truth About Racism; and Hijabistas, a series exploring Australia’s modest fashion scene. She is currently a regular news and current affairs commentator on the BBC, Aljazeera, and Monocle 24, and hosts podcasts such as Motor Mouth, EY’s Better Questions, and The Guilty Feminist.
Named Queensland’s Young Australian of the Year and one of the LinkedIn’s Inaugural #Changemakers, Abdel-Magied is a globally sought-after speaker and advisor on social justice issues and inclusive leadership. She has delivered workshops and keynotes in 25 countries across five continents. She has also published five books, written two plays, and is currently developing several projects for screen. Her commentary and criticism have appeared in TIME, The Guardian, Australian Review of Books, The New York Times, Times Literary Supplement, Vogue, and more.
Abdel-Magied is a Trustee of the London Library and on the Executive Committee of the Black Writers Guild. She previously served on the boards of the Queensland Museum, ChildFund Australia, and the domestic violence prevention organization, OurWatch.
*Sessions and presentations are subject to changes.