Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, U-M School of Public Health

Victor Strecher, Ph.D., MPH Professor, University of Michigan School of Public Health Founder and CEO, Kumanu, Inc. Vic Strecher (pronounced Streker) is a visionary leader and expert in the fields of behavior change, digital communication, and wellbeing. Vic is a professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health and Founder of Kumanu, Inc., a next generation wellbeing company. His latest neuroscience, behavioral, and epidemiologic research; his two books, Life On Purpose and the graphic novel On Purpose; his free massive open online course Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life, which in its first seven months has over 90,000 enrollees; and the Purposeful application his business (Kumanu) created are all focused on the importance of developing and maintaining a strong purpose in life.

New York Times Bestselling Author, Public Speaker, and Sports Commentator

University of Michigan alum, John U. Bacon has worked nearly three decades as a writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor, winning awards for all three. Author of 12 books, five of them New York Times bestsellers, he is this year’s featured storyteller. The love story Bacon will share at the event focuses on the endearing, and enduring, relationship between a boy and his dad.

Frank Dixon was born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania, a small town 13 miles southwest of Philadelphia. He moved to a Chicago suburb in the early ‘70s and to Michigan in 1989, where he resides today. A retired salesman, Frank attributes his career to sharpening his persuasion and deal-making skills. Frank also served in the United States Air Force, where he was assigned top-secret jobs and served as a Ditty Bopper (morse code intercept operator). Frank enjoys quiet time and also golfing with his buddies, though that doesn’t compare to the satisfaction he gets from tending to his own yard.

Yi Keep grew up in China and came to the United States in 1984 to study. She received a Ph.D. in engineering at Brown University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan (U-M). Retired from Ford, Yi volunteers at U-M and in the Ann Arbor area. She loves cats and treasures life in her current homeland.

Josie Ann Lee is an award-winning, positive, business entrepreneur, keynote speaker and corporate trainer. Her love of business was born dusting the shelves of her family’s store, Hickory Market. After graduating from the University of Michigan, she moved to Chicago to study improv at The Second City. Learning “Yes, and..” taught her the gift of acceptance and to find positive ways to explore and heighten her life. She has spent the past 15 years creating businesses built on the foundation that everyone is someone’s most important person in the world.

Robin Shear is a TEDx and international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and joy coach. She helps depleted givers feel good again so they can give and lead from a place of fullness. She has provided presentations for TEDxDetroit, Meeting Professionals International, DisruptHR, The National Organization for Human Services, and many others. In the months to come, Robin will keynote two Michigan Bankers Association Conferences, share her message at The Purpose Summit in North Carolina, and speak at a nonprofit conference in South Africa. She’s been interviewed by TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Psychology Today. Her top-selling book, ”Messy Joy: How Joy Can Begin Before Your Difficulties End,” helps readers know how they can find joy in their lives despite their circumstances. An ICF-certified life coach, Robin has served as a registered dietitian, youth pastor, and activity director for seniors with dementia. She’s also a board member of the National Speakers Association of Michigan.

Steve is happily retired after a more than 40-year career as a social worker, both as a clinician and in administration. He fulfilled a lifelong dream and is now living on Walmpers Lake in the Irish Hills. Steve has three grown sons, a grown stepson, and five grandsons. He enjoys reading, writing, live theater, and going to movies. Today, he will learn whether he can add storytelling to his list of things he enjoys doing.

Breeda Kelly Miller is a professional speaker, playwright, and actor. Her award-winning, one-woman show, “Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home,” premiered in Ann Arbor in 2021. Since then, she’s performed the show about her parents’ emigration from Ireland in 18 cities around the United States. Breeda also performed the show for enthusiastic audiences in Ireland. Videos of her stories have gone viral on social media and her “Ticket to Heaven” story was featured on National Public Radio’s “The Moth Story Hour” show. In July, “Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home” will have a limited run at The Tipping Point Theater in Northville, Michigan. When Breeda is not on stage, she enjoys spending time at her farmhouse in Manchester with her husband Jim, her sons Dan and Evan, two dogs, and two ginormous cats.

Brian Cox is a newspaper editor in Detroit. He’s received a variety of journalism awards and has published short fiction. His mystery short story “The Surrogate Initiative” was selected for Houghton Mifflin’s “The Best American Mystery Stories 2020” anthology. He is also a New York Times crossword constructor and the founder and artistic director of Pencilpoint Theatreworks. Additionally, he produces "Snapshots: Stories of Life," a live local storytelling event in which people share true stories from their lives based on personal photographs. His full-length play "Clutter" received the 2017 Wilde Award for Best New Script. His children's play "Stone Dragon Stew" has been performed around the country and internationally. Brian and his wife Dana have two children, Elijah and Annie.