Kristen Kavanaugh is the cofounder and CEO of The Agency Initiative, an Austin, Texas-based organizational effectiveness and leadership development consulting firm dedicated to creating a world with more leaders and organizations choosing courage in their most critical moments. She served as the vice chair of the Department of Defense's inaugural Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion until it was disbanded by the Trump administration in 2024. Previously, she served as the senior director of inclusion, talent, and learning at Tesla, where she led the diversity, equity, and inclusion, talent management, and learning and development functions for the global organization, formulating many of the ideas around courage and leadership during her nearly six-year tenure. Kristen holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, and a bachelor's degree from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Michael Randolph is the cofounder and COO of The Agency Initiative, where he helps leaders step into their agency and build values-driven organizations. Before launching The Agency Initiative, Mike led talent experience at YETI and shaped leadership development and talent management at Tesla, integrating courageous leadership practices into the fabric of organizational growth. With over a decade of experience coaching senior leaders, he specializes in building resilient, people- centered cultures that thrive in uncertainty. Mike holds a master's degree in education from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree in international business and Asian studies from Augustana College. He has served on multiple professional development boards of directors for HR, talent development, and higher education. He believes leadership isn't about having all the answers--it's about having the courage to navigate the Moments That Matter.