Distinguished Speakers

Rami Malek won an Oscar for his ground-breaking performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Multi-talented actress/producer/writer and singer Rita Wilson first donned her producers cap for the record breaking box-office hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is one of this generation’s most popular directors.

Robert De Niro is an Italian-American actor, producer, and director. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award.

Actor, comedian, writer, producer, director Rob Riggle has been a staple in comedic films and television for more than 15 years.

With his contagious enthusiasm and indomitable athletic talent, Rob Gronkowski has transcended NFL superstardom to become a fixture of the modern pop culture lexicon.

Dr. Ron Paul delivers a candid look at the dysfunctional American political system. Using anecdotes from his 23 years in Congress, he highlights the need for a limited government and…

Richard Dreyfuss has been acting in theatre and films for 45 years and is one of America’s most versatile and individualistic actors. Early in his career, he appeared in television…

Rachel Nichols returned to ESPN in 2016, as a Los Angeles-based host. Highly respected for her work as a reporter, Nichols had previously worked for ESPN from 2004-2013 while based…

Roy Choi is widely known as the godfather of the food truck movement thanks to his success with the much-celebrated Kogi Truck. At a time when chefs and food trucks…

Rigoberta Menchu-Tum was born on January 9, 1959 to a poor Indian peasant family and raised in the Quiche branch of the Mayan culture. In her early years she helped…

Dr. Richard Besser, M.D., is ABC News' Chief Health and Medical Editor. In this role, he provides medical analysis and commentary for all ABC News broadcasts and platforms, including World…

Rosanne Cash is a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter. Her 16 albums, released over the last 25 years, have charted 11 No. 1 singles. She has earned numerous accolades for songwriting…

Acknowledged as the Godfather of Hip-Hop, Russell Simmons is the visionary behind Def Jam, the legendary label that launched the careers of such artists as Run DMC, the Beastie Boys,…

Keynotes by Ricky Van Veen provide insightful information about the relationship of people and the type of content they consume online. Van Veen's interest in comedy led him to co-found…

A successful actress, Robin Givens long oscillated between a glamorous movie star life and the domestic abuse she suffered at home. Today, she speaks out about the abuse she suffered,…

Randi Zuckerberg believes in being a three-dimensional woman of many titles. After all, life is too short to pick just one! She is the Founder & CEO of Zuckerberg Media,…

Raven-Symone, actress, comedian, model, singer, songwriter, dancer, television producer and talk show host. She first appeared on television in 1989 on The Cosby Show as Olivia Kendall. She released her…

Robert Siegel is senior host of NPR's award-winning evening newsmagazine All Things Considered. With 40 years of experience working in radio news, Siegel is still at it hosting the country's…

Ray Romano, The star from one of the most respected comedy sitcoms in television history, Everybody Loves Raymond, will have you rolling with laughter. This actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter and…

Roger Rosenblatt is a journalist, author, playwright, and teacher. William Safire of the New York Times wrote that his work represents "some of the most profound and stylish writing in…

Robin Roberts has been the anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America since 2005. She began contributing to the morning program in 1995

Rachael Ray is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty cookbooks, including “Week in a Day,” “My Year in Meals” and “The Book of Burger.” Her latest…

Robert Redford, the iconic independent filmmaker who founded the Sundance Film Festiva. Redford, who was recently labeled the “Godfather of Indie Film” by TIME magazine, best known for his career…

Dr. Randal Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author and scholar, and as a leading voice for his generation in business and technology.  He is the founder, chairman…

Rosie Perez, a actress, community activist, talk show host, author, dancer, and choreographer. Her film breakthrough was in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). She followed this with White…

For more than forty years, Robert Klein has entertained audiences, and he continues to have an acclaimed career in comedy, on Broadway, on television, and in film. Born in the…

Rita Cosby is one of the most recognized and respected broadcasters in America and has been quoted and profiled by hundreds of media outlets across the country and overseas. Born…