Stern Speakers

Danny Stern

Strategy requires disruption.

From advising individuals on their career paths to representing book authors to consulting for large corporations, Danny helps clients find and project the distinct voice needed to build thought leadership and disrupt industries. With deep roots in the lecture business, he has collaborated with leading visionaries and change agents shaping the future of business and welfare of the world. As managing director, Danny leads the firm’s work with speakers and authorities, and provides high-level strategy and counsel. Of all his accomplishments, he is most proud of his two daughters, Joanna and Julia, though he is quick not to take credit for their accomplishments. He is constantly amazed by how they’ve grown through determination and risk-taking – two attributes he values.

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Mel Blake

Relationships are your most important asset.

Mel’s career is built on strong relationships – those he’s forged and those he helps manage for his clients. With more than 35 years of experience, he manages key client relationships and corporate programs for Stern Strategy Group’s speaking and advisory services. He also provides strategic counsel to corporations through Maywood Advisors, where he is founder and principal. Mel co-founded and led Monitor Talent – a full-service agency representing authors, speakers and advisory experts on business, science and public policy – before it merged with Stern in 2013. Mel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Yale University School of Management, where he currently sits on the advisory board of Yale Center for Customer Insights.

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Kristen Soehngen Karp

Synergies are invaluable.

Kristen’s role spans the entire agency, giving her a unique opportunity to collaborate with multiple teams and clients on business and legal affairs. As in-house counsel, she provides legal advice regarding commercial contracts, marketing, intellectual property, and more. She also drafts and negotiates contracts, including advisory, publishing, talent, confidentiality and new clients. Beyond legal issues, Kristen is intimately involved in client relations, and leverages synergies between their expertise and our agency’s connections with leading global organizations, corporations, publishing houses and the like.

Ania Trzepizur

Passion is a secret to success.

It’s what drives Ania to do the best possible job for her clients every day. She doesn’t see her work as transactions, but as relationships and connections. As Vice President, Ania focuses on client relations, business development and agency operations. She is also adept at building collaborative relations amongst client organizations, competitor agencies and speakers across the public, private, non-profit and academic sectors. Ania leverages more than eight years of related expertise, including having launched and managed a boutique speakers’ bureau in Spain. Tri-lingual, she loves traveling around the world and translates her global experiences to her work.

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Whitney Jennings

Learning is constant.

A former educator, Whitney is intimately familiar with the ever-changing education landscape. She specializes in connecting our education experts with audiences who are helping shift the global conversation about how and where learning happens. Whitney also translates her business experience to our full roster of speaker clients, providing strategic support for sales efforts, website content and social media. Originally from El Paso, Texas, she holds a Bachelor of Science from New Mexico State University and an MBA from the University of the District of Columbia.

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Dan Masi

Innovation distinguishes leaders from followers.

A licensed attorney, Dan enjoys making deals and pairing customers with the perfect speaker to fit their needs. As an account executive, Dan partners with customers to think outside the box to increase the effectiveness of planned events and maximize value for all parties involved. He has a background in the baseball industry where he worked as a salary arbitration specialist determining player values based on relevant statistics. Dan graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and earned a J.D. from Pace Law School in White Plains, NY. An avid globetrotter, Dan enjoys traveling and immersing himself in new cultures and cuisines.

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Dave Schneider

Curiosity fuels deeper understanding.

Dave is by nature a curious learner and draws actionable insights from his discoveries. Understanding the why of a problem allows him to connect customers with the right speaker to find answers to pressing challenges. Dave’s experience includes several years as a researcher and trainer for a national civil-rights organization, and three years in the solar industry. He has two young children, and loves to SCUBA dive. He holds a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from the University of Rochester, and a master’s degree in international relations from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Paige Russell

Deeper conversations, deeper connections.

Paige has over a decade of experience in the lecture business prior to joining Stern. With a background in a wide variety of industries including colleges and universities, healthcare, technology and finance, she has seen firsthand the lasting impact that connecting the right audience with the right speaker can create. Stimulating deeper conversations on today’s ever-evolving platforms and topics is and has been the highlight of her work in this industry. Change is rapid and staying on the cusp of new trends and topics is a driver in her work. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Virginia Wesleyan University, and in her spare time, enjoys any variety of live music and time at the beach.

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Brian Sherry

The first step toward solving the problem is telling the story.

Brian is passionate about two things: world-changing ideas and storytelling. A communications professional with an interest in global business and public policy, he is adept at crafting compelling narratives out of theories and frameworks. As the staff writer for Stern Strategy Group, Brian works on behalf of clients in academia, business and technology. With a holistic, “big picture” approach, he identifies the challenges which clients aim to solve as well as target audiences, putting often complex ideas into language that is accessible, understandable and relevant. As a member of Stern Speakers’ marketing team, Brian drafts copy for speaker biographies and email content, while contributing to ideation for agency blog topics. He previously worked as a freelance writer. Brian has a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s in international relations and a master’s in strategic communication, all from Seton Hall University.

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Katie Balogh

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

Katie brings over 25 years of executive level support experience to the table and takes pride in our commitment to clients. Katie combines a meticulous focus on the details of supporting Stern’s team, clients and customers alike with a “big picture” appreciation of the vital ways our speakers are impacting their industries and the world. Katie holds a degree in business administration and is a certified administrative professional through Rutgers University. During her leisure time, you’ll find her taking photos and catching sunsets with her family.

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Jill Howard

Progress takes place outside the comfort zone.

With more than 10 years of experience in the administrative, finance and customer service industries, Jill has a proven track record of executive level support, client service, and training. Jill’s attention to detail and excellent time management skills means every task is completed efficiently and to the highest possible standard. She is committed to excellence in communication and organization when tracking contracts from beginning to end. Jill earned a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University and enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends down the shore.