Tina Sharkey

Keynote Speaker

Global Keynote Speaker, Moderator, Convener, and Professor at the USC Iovine and Young Academy

Tina Sharkey, who coined the term “social media,” is a magnetic storyteller, adviser, educator, and award-winning entrepreneur who sparks innovation at the intersection of AI, brand, and human connection. She guides both established leaders and next-gen innovators, drawing on decades of experience leading iconic brands, scaling startups, and shaping elite Gen Z classrooms. Known for her rare gift of connecting dots across industries and generations, Tina is a sought-after keynote speaker, panel moderator, and event host and curator who delivers actionable strategies with warmth, humor, and clarity. She leaves audiences energized, inspired, and equipped to navigate disruption with resilience.

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Tina Sharkey, who coined the term “social media,” is a business leader, educator, adviser, and award-winning entrepreneur driving innovation at the intersection of AI, brand, and human connection.

For more than three decades, she has built transformative platforms and communities across media, commerce, health, and consumer goods. A founder, C-suite executive, and global board director, Tina has pioneered resilient frameworks for growth in the relationship and experience economy.

As faculty and Lecturer in the Business of Innovation at the USC Iovine and Young Academy, she directs Innovation Quest, guiding student founders, and serves as Principal Investigator for a Generative AI grant advancing student-led ventures. She equips future leaders with the tools to build modern brands and sustainable business playbooks, bridging insights between Gen Z innovators and seasoned executives to shape the future of business. Her rare gift lies in connecting dots across industries, generations, and technologies, turning emerging trends into actionable strategies.

Tina led Sesame Street Digital, bringing the brand online for the first time, and scaled BabyCenter, part of Johnson & Johnson, into the world’s largest parenting community. She also led AOL Networks and co-founded Brandless and iVillage, two pioneering industry disrupters.

A Henry Crown fellow at the Aspen Institute, Tina was named Business Insider’s Top 100 People Transforming Business and Fast Company’s Top Women in Technology among other accolades. Tina has inspired audiences on global stages and is known for her warmth, humor, and clarity. She helps leaders navigate disruption with trust, empathy, and resilience, guided by her belief that “a brand isn’t what it says about itself; it’s what a friend tells a friend.”

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Tina Sharkey’s Speech Topics

Community is Serious Business

Community is the engine that turns loyal customers into champions. In an AI‑driven, creator‑powered market, knowing how to build the right community matters more than ever. This talk reveals why community is critical today, what “enough” looks like, and how to weave it into your business. It lays out a sustainable roadmap to turn community into lasting loyalty, innovation, and growth.
The Future of Work is Enlightened

AI can accelerate our potential, but it’s the soul that makes us uniquely human. This talk explores the power of enlightened leadership and how to nurture the soul as a critical sixth sense. Drawing from her experience following a recent health crisis, Tina shares how great leaders can balance machine acceleration with human intuition, ignite innovation, and foster empathy and courage in uncertain times.
The Innovation Imperative

Disruption and AI are not future threats. They are present realities dismantling outdated business models. This custom talk delivers the strategic frameworks, case studies, and operational tools I teach at USC and bring to global enterprises. In a world without fixed playbooks, learn how to institutionalize innovation, build adaptive advantage, and lead with foresight.
The DNA of Modern Brands

Success in the modern relationship economy hinges on how brands connect, adapt, and engage with Gen A, Gen Z, and Millennials. This disruptive playbook equips business leaders with strategies to leverage innovation, AI, and case studies to transform how we shop, discover, and co-create, ensuring your brands remain relevant, resilient, and ahead in the race for competitive advantage.
Experienced Moderator

Tina Sharkey, a skilled host and moderator, effortlessly covers a wide range of subjects, including disruptive technologies, brand dynamics, innovation, education, and emerging trends, showcasing her ability to delve into virtually any topic with thorough research. Whether moderating engaging discussions with best-selling authors and top CEOs at private dinners or commanding the stage at large conference halls, Tina excels in making her guests and audience feel at ease. Her approachable manner and insightful questioning encourage guests to share their best stories and insights. Tina’s sessions are not just informative but also interactive and comfortable, ensuring a memorable experience for all participants.

What other organizations say about Tina Sharkey

Tina Sharkey has a remarkable gift for turning complex, world-changing ideas into clear, actionable insights—without the fluff. She brings new depth to concepts like “purpose” and “community,” showing how they directly impact both operational efficiency and financial success. Tina’s ability to connect these ideas to real-world results is truly inspiring. Every time I have the privilege of listening to Tina Sharkey, I walk away wiser.
Retail

What other organizations say about Tina Sharkey

Having long been a fan of the genius of Tina Sharkey, I can say she was among the best speakers we’ve had. Her leadership, clear vision, exceptional investigative and distillation skills are incomparable. Tina adds expertise and a brilliant perspective to every conversation.
Association

What other organizations say about Tina Sharkey

Tina’s keynotes at major conferences educate and entertain thousands of our executives.
Marketing

What other organizations say about Tina Sharkey

Tina not only shares new, relevant uplifting ideas. She also has novel disruptive ones.
Universities & Colleges

What other organizations say about Tina Sharkey

Every now and again a single voice emerges and rises high above the cacophony of noise. Tina Sharkey’s is such a voice.
Non-Profit

Tina Sharkey Topics & Types

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