ICF Conference Keynote Speakers

Vandana Shiva, Ph.D.
November 13 Super Session Keynote
CCEU:  1.0 PD

Dr. Vandana Shiva of India, who has been named “one of the five most powerful communicators in Asia,” will be the first Super Session keynote on Thursday, November 13. Shiva is globally recognized for her contributions to the fields of women and environment, biodiversity, biotechnology and intellectual property rights and ecological issues related to agriculture. She has founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in Dehra Dun; Navdanya, a national movement to protect the diversity and integrity of living resources; and Bija Vidyapeeth, an international college for sustainable living in collaboration with Schumacher College in the UK. Additionally, she has authored 14 books and over 300 papers, and is a visiting professor at universities around the world.

Peter Senge, Ph.D.
November 14 Super Session Keynote
CCEU:  1.0 PD

American Peter Senge, Ph.D. is a widely acclaimed author and founding chairperson of Society of Organizational Learning (SoL). Senge is a senior lecturer at Massachusetts Institue of Technology. His most famous book, The Fifth Discipline, is a groundbreaking book that draws on science, spiritual wisdom, psychology, and the cutting-edge of management thought to show how businesses can overcome their "learning disabilities" and beat the odds of failure. Since its publication, more than a million copies have been sold worldwide. Senge consistently makes the top-20 list of world thought leaders.

Matthieu Ricard
November 15 Super Session Keynote
CCEU:  .25 CC/ .75 PD

France native Matthieu Ricard is frequently described as “the happiest man in the world.” A Buddhist monk who left France and a career in cellular genetics for the Himalayas more than three decades ago, Ricard is actively involved in scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain. Ricard dedicates much of his time to the preservation of Tibetan literature and culture and to various humanitarian projects in Tibet, India and Nepal. Additionally, Ricard serves as the French interpreter and right-hand man for the Dalai Lama. He has authored three books, including: Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill; The Monk and the Philosopher; Tibet: An Inner Journey; and most recently, Motionless Journey.