Our Speakers

Dr. Diane Shannon, MD(she/her)

Riding the Waves: Lessons from Surfing to Beat Burnout

is a physician writer, advocate, and certified coach who left clinical practice after experiencing early-career burnout to dedicate herself to addressing clinician wellness, system inefficiencies, and patient safety. For over 20 years, she has championed solutions to physician burnout, co-authoring Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Chaos and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine (2016). Since becoming a certified coach in 2019, she has supported hundreds of clinicians in building sustainable, fulfilling careers. She launched her podcast, Vital Signs: Thriving as a Woman in Medicine, in January 2024 and continues to speak and write on clinician wellness. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three young adult children, traveling with her husband, and surfing.

Chris Ryan(he/him)

Third Places: Reimagining Architecture to Encourage Connection

is an architect, developer, builder, and lifelong athlete whose 20+ years of experience and passion for activity-driven environments fuel his work transforming bold ideas into award-winning Third Places. Chris's work has been featured in Forbes and Fast Company, and he was a former professor at the NU School of Architecture. He has a Master of Architecture from the Harvard GSD.

Kelly Cervantes(she/her)

There are No Winners at the Grief Olympics

is an award-winning writer, speaker, and advocate best known for her books, USA Today Bestselling Normal Broken: The Grief Companion for When it’s Time to Heal But You’re Not Sure You Want to and The Luckiest: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood, and the Pursuit of Self. She has been published in The Chicago Tribune, Fortune, and Cosmopolitan, as well as quoted in the New York Times, CNN, and People. Born and raised in the Midwest, Kelly currently resides in Maplewood, NJ, with her family.

Dr. Tiffany Joseph, PhD(he/him)

Imagining a Better Healthcare System in the Face of Shifting Paradigms

is an author, professor, and researcher of sociology and anthropology who examines race, immigration, and healthcare access. She is known for her award winning research publications and her books: Race on the Move: Brazilian Migrants and the Global Reconstruction and Not All In: Race, Immigration, and Healthcare Exclusion in the Age of Obamacare. Dr. Joseph is an associate professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Northeastern University and continues to conduct ground-breaking research in intersections between accessibility and healthcare. Joseph currently lives with her husband and two children in Massachusetts.

Dr. Darin Detwiler, PhD(he/him)

Why Didn’t Someone Stop This? How Leaders Fall into the Certainty Gap

is an internationally recognized author and expert in food policy, risk communication, and leadership ethics. A former nuclear submariner and federal advisor, he brings over 30 years of experience working with industry, government, and academia to strengthen systems of public health and safety. As an Associate Teaching Professor at Northeastern University, Dr. Detwiler educates future leaders on the critical importance of ethical decision-making and action in high-risk environments. His work has influenced major reforms in food safety and earned him recognition as a leading voice for accountability - especially when the cost of inaction is measured in lives.

Khushi Shah(she/her)

Girls Like Me: Why Empowerment Isn’t Enough

is a third-year undergraduate Computer Science and Business Administration student at Northeastern University, concentrating in entrepreneurial startups and corporate innovation. She is the founder and CEO of Drizzl, a patent-pending smart irrigation system recognized by NASA, Google, Forbes Ignite, and the U.S. Navy for its innovative approach to reducing water waste. A UN speaker, published author, reality TV-featured entrepreneur, e.l.f. Cosmetics x Her Campus 22 Under 22 honoree, content creator, and active leader in Northeastern’s entrepreneurial community, Khushi uses her platform to explore the intersection of confidence and opportunity as girls grow - and why redesigning systems, not just empowering individuals, is the key to changing the narrative of female excellence globally.

Rohan Venkatesh(he/him)

When Life Doesn’t Go Back to Normal

is a graduate of Northeastern University. He began his career in investment banking and private equity, following a carefully planned path after college. In 2021, shortly before relocating to New York City for his next role, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Today, Rohan is a brain cancer survivor who is exploring how people respond to adversity and how those responses can lead to growth. This talk marks his first time sharing that journey on a public stage.