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Derrick N. Ashong

Derrick N. Ashong

Broadcaster, Musician & Social Entrepreneur

“We’re counting on that one,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Derrick N. Ashong (DNA).

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Bio

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We’re counting on that one,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Derrick N. Ashong (DNA), who was born in a house with no running water in Accra, Ghana, and rose to become an international thought leader at the nexus of Media, Tech, and Social Enterprise.

An Emmy-nominated TV host and producer, Derrick has pioneered meaningful, innovative content across all platforms over the past twenty years. He is the founder of amp.it, a tech startup that drives and measures engagement for digital content, and is the creator of two-time Interactive Emmy finalist, The World Cup of Hip Hop: Take Back the Mic, which gives a voice to young artists and fans around the world.

While still an undergraduate at Harvard, Derrick made his Hollywood debut as a supporting actor in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. He went back to Harvard to do Ph.D. research on how Open Source software concepts could influence the content industries, attracting the attention of multi-platinum record producer, Dave Stewart, who recruited him to consult for major brands like Nokia and Visa.

Derrick has spoken about issues of Tech, Media and Society on five continents at venues that include UK Parliament, the United Nations, Stanford, Harvard and Wharton Business Schools, and MIT. He has hosted and moderated events for world leaders, including Nobel Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. He has also moderated events featuring Gilberto Gil, Ted Turner, Tommy Hilfiger, Bob Geldof, Queen Rania of Jordan, and former President Bill Clinton at the Club de Madrid.

His interviews have ranged from celebrities like John Legend, Jimmi Cliff, Zoe Zaldana, and Alek Wek, to Jane Goodall, David Axelrod, Jeb Bush, and Kofi Annan. He has been a TED Fellow, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, a member of the African Leadership Network, and a fellow of the Americas Business Council.

DNA hosted Oprah Radio’s interactive The Derrick Ashong Experience on SIRIUS XM and helmed the inaugural year of Al Jazeera English’s cutting-edge, social media TV show The Stream, which was nominated for an Emmy Award and won a Royal Television Society Award. He also hosted the eponymous interactive television show DNA TV for Fusion.

He is the leader of the critically acclaimed Afropolitan band Soulfège, which has charted on both sides of the Atlantic and won the Billboard Songwriting Contest for Best Hip-Hop Song. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Los Angeles.

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Making Peace Cool: Igniting the Soul of Society

The Voice of a New Generation

How Music & Technology are Bridging the Gap

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Being a Master Communicator - Derrick N. Ashong
Voice of a New Generation - Derrick N. Ashong

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The American Psychological Association was thrilled to have Dr. Antonia Novello as our speaker for the 2024 APA Convention. Dr. Novello was fantastic, and her presentation was a tremendous success. Thank you, Peter, for all your hard work in making this event such a resounding success.

American Psychological Association

For our annual Native American Heritage Month celebration, PDA Group arranged for John Echohawk to join us for a virtual moderated discussion. The program was thoughtful, engaging, and highly impactful for our audience of lawyers and professional staff. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to working with them again.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

We have partnered with PDA Group on multiple successful events, including our charity luncheon with Lisa Edelstein and our Women’s Philanthropy Kickoff Event featuring Allegra Goodman. Their professionalism, expertise, and commitment to excellence make them an outstanding partner. Thank you for your exceptional work and continued support.

UJA-Federation

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U.S. Bank

Kurt Warner was spectacular—he completely wowed the audience and solidified major leadership points. He was an amazing partner, and we will be talking about this experience for years to come. We will definitely leverage the PDA team for all of our speaking needs!”

Sysco Corporation

The events over the past two years went very well — everyone had a great time with Dr. Mark Esper in 2025, and Sam Hinkie led a very engaging Q&A with our Principal, Jean Reynolds, in 2024. Thank you for working with us these last two years; your support has been instrumental to the success of our programs!

Investcorp Strategic Capital Group

It was an absolute privilege to have Dr. Sanjay Gupta as our keynote speaker for the 2026 GME Leadership Conference. He delivered an outstanding address that resonated deeply and left a lasting impression on everyone in the room. The entire planning process was seamless and collaborative. It was a pleasure working together, brainstorming suggestions, and ultimately selecting the perfect fit for our event. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

HCA Healthcare

We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!

Salt Lake Community College

It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).

Western Michigan University

On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can’t wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.

Ferris State University

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