ASU+GSV Summit’s History of World-Class Speakers

Since 2010, the ASU+GSV Summit has brought together the leaders transforming learning, work and society. Each year, 800+ speakers take the stage, from founders and investors to educators, policymakers, and enterprise executives. Past speakers include Reed Hastings, Sam Altman, Sal Khan, Condoleezza Rice, and every U.S. Secretary of Education since 2005.

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Who has spoken at the ASU+GSV Summit?

Each year, the Summit hosts 800+ speakers on its stages, including major marquee names on its keynote stage, StageX. Here’s a look back at a few of the extraordinary speakers who have been in the Summit spotlight:

Founders & Entrepreneurs

Innovation is the heartbeat of the ASU+GSV Summit. The convening has hosted many founders and entrepreneurs over the years, from the stars of tomorrow to captains of industry like:

• Reed Hastings, founder of Netflix 
• Luis von Ahn, co-inventor of CAPTCHA; co-founder and CEO of Duolingo
• Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy
• Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach For America and co-founder & CEO of Teach For All
• Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group 
• Scott Cook, co-founder of Intuit
• Rachel Romer, founder of Guild
• Larry Berger, co-founder & CEO of Amplify
• Connor Zwick & Andrew Hsu, co-founders of Speak

AI Leaders

The ASU+GSV Summit has been tracking AI from its onset, long before chatbots and buzzy headlines. StageX has seen brilliant AI experts including:  

• Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI
• Andrew Ng, co-founder & chairman of Coursera and founder of DeepLearning.AI
• Amjad Masad, co-founder & CEO of Replit
• Anton Osika, co-founder & CEO of Lovable
• Lila Ibrahim, Google DeepMind’s first COO who was named to the 2026 TIME100 AI list
• Ethan Mollick, AI researcher & associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
• Sarah Friar, CFO of OpenAI
• Victor Riparbelli, founder of Synthesia
• Arvind Jain, founder and CEO of Glean
• will.i.am, founder of FYI.AI, multiplatinum artist, and STEAM education advocate

CEOs & Business Leaders

ASU+GSV is home to big ideas and bold action, elevating the CEOs and operators who take impactful innovation to new heights, such as:  

• Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks
• Steve Case, former CEO & Chairman of AOL
• Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta
• Greg Hart, CEO of Coursera
• Laura Ipsen, President & CEO of Ellucian
• Jonathan Grayer, CEO of Imagine Learning & former CEO of Kaplan
• Omar Abbosh, CEO of Pearson
• Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President & CEO of SHRM

Secretaries of Education & Policymakers

Every U.S. Secretary of Education from the past six administrations has spoken at ASU+GSV Summit:

• Margaret Spellings, 8th U.S. Secretary of Education (2005-2009)
• Arne Duncan, 9th U.S. Secretary of Education (2009-2016)
• John B. King, Jr., 10th U.S. Secretary of Education (2016-2017)
• Betsy DeVos, 11th U.S. Secretary of Education (2017-2021)
• Miguel Cardona, 12th U.S. Secretary of Education (2021-2025)
• Linda McMahon, 13th U.S. Secretary of Education (2025-present)

The Summit has also hosted many other cabinet members and policy leaders, including:

• George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States
• Dr. Condoleezza Rice, 66th U.S. Secretary of State
• Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State
• Gina Raimondo, 75th Governor of Rhode Island & 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce
• Rahm Emanuel, 55th Mayor of Chicago & former U.S. Congressman, White House Chief of Staff, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan
• Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court
• Penny Pritzker, 38th U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Funders & Philanthropists

In addition to the innovators building new solutions, the ASU+GSV Summit platforms the voices of those helping scale transformation, including:

• Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures
• Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of Emerson Collective
• Priscilla Chan of the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative
• Freada Kapor Klein of Kapor Capital
• Mitchell Kapor, personal computing pioneer and founding partner of Kapor Capital
• George Gilder, investor and supply-side economics pioneer
• John Doerr, venture capitalist and chair of Kleiner Perkins
• Jim Shelton of Blue Meridian Partners and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education
• Geoffrey Canada, founder and president of innovative nonprofit organization Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ)

Civil Rights, Culture, & Society Leaders

Learning happens in more than just the classroom or the workplace; it happens in our homes, streets, communities, and cultures. ASU+GSV Summit stages have been graced by extraordinary leaders who move the world forward in meaningful ways: 

• Ruby Bridges, iconic Civil Rights activist
• Gloria Steinem, seminal feminist
• Margaret Atwood, best-selling author of The Handmaid’s Tale
• Emily Oster, economist and best-selling parenting author 
• Greg Lukianoff, First Amendment rights expert and attorney
• Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers
• Yeonmi Park, North Korean defector and author
• Chanel Miller, author and artist 
• Alice Waters, chef, restaurateur, and author who pioneered the farm-to-table movement

University Presidents & Academic Thought Leaders

Higher education’s most innovative presidents, chancellors, and sector leaders step into the spotlight at ASU+GSV Summit, including:

• Michael M. Crow, President of Arizona State University (ASU), widely regarded as higher education’s most visionary institutional leader and innovator
• Scott Pulsipher, President of the nation’s first and largest competency-based university, Western Governors University (WGU)
• Sian Beilock, President of Dartmouth, distinguished cognitive scientist, and key voice in ongoing campus free speech debates
• Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, president emeritus of The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
• Rick Levin, former President of Yale University who spurred massive growth before moving on to lead Coursera as CEO
• Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President & CEO of UNCF and former President of Dillard University
• Angela Duckworth, academic, psychologist, and author of Grit
• Linda Darling-Hammond, prolific scholar, educator, and author on teacher preparation
• Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and bestselling author

Artists & Entertainers

Whether for a fireside chat, a performance, or an incredible combination of the two, ASU+GSV has been lucky to host household names like:

• Jane Fonda, Academy Award-winning actor, author, producer, political activist, and fitness guru
• Goldie Hawn, Academy Award-winning actress, producer, director, and author; founder of The Goldie Hawn Foundation | MindUP
• John Legend, EGOT-winning recording artist, producer, songwriter, and philanthropist
• Paula Abdul, award-winning singer, dancer, choreographer, TV personality, and global superstar
• Jimmy Jam, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter and producer
• Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award-winning actor and bestselling author
• Common, Emmy-, Grammy-, and Academy Award-winning artist, actor, author, and advocate
• Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, hip hop legend of RUN-DMC fame, philanthropist, and author
• Bill Nye, TV’s favorite Emmy-winning Science Guy  
• Frank Gehry, legendary Pritzker-winning architect
• W. Kamau Bell, Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning stand-up comedian, TV host, and filmmaker

Sports Legends

Drive and determination are inspiring, no matter the arena. The ASU+GSV Summit stage has hosted many pro athletes (and athletes-turned-innovators or philanthropists), including:

• Colin Kaepernick, former Super Bowl quarterback
• Earvin “Magic” Johnson, twelve-time NBA All Star
• John McEnroe, decorated tennis legend
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, six-time NBA MVP
• Ronnie Lott, Pro Football Hall of Famer 
• Candace Parker, iconic WNBA champion
• Baron Davis, two-time NBA All Star
• Terron Armstead, five-time NFL Pro Bowler 
• Jeremy Lin, first Asian American player to win an NBA championship

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Who will speak at the ASU+GSV Summit this year? Check the Speakers page for more information!

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