Presenters & Speakers - United Conference

Stephen Kuusisto, who has been blind since birth, is an acclaimed poet who has written extensively about his experience of blindness, most recently in the bestselling Have Dog, Will Travel (Simon & Schuster, 2018). His other books include the poetry collections Close Escapes (2025), Letters to Borges (2013), and Only Bread, Only Light (2000), all published by Copper Canyon Press; and the memoirs Eavesdropping: A Memoir of Blindness and Listening (W.W. Norton & Co., 2006) and Planet of the Blind (Dial Press, 1997), which was a New York Times Notable Book.

A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a Fulbright Scholar, he has taught at the University of Iowa, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and The Ohio State University. He currently teaches at Syracuse University, where he holds a University Professorship in Disability Studies. He is a frequent speaker in the US and abroad.

Appearing in Person | UNITED Conference Keynote | Wednesday, March 25 from 4:30 - 5:30 pm - Reading and Q&A | Thursday, March 26 from 11:50 - 1:00 pm - Keynote & Lunch and from 4:00 - 5:00 pm - Workshop on Disability Aesthetics, Guide Dog Culture and Access-Centered Storytelling

Tourmaline (born 1983 in Roxbury, Massachusetts) is an artist, filmmaker, writer, and activist whose work reimagines queer history and centers the lives of Black, queer, and trans communities. Her films and photographs honor key LGBTQIA+ figures, especially Marsha P. Johnson, the influential Black trans activist who helped spark the 1969 Stonewall Uprisings and co-founded STAR with Sylvia Rivera.

As part of the exhibition Andy Warhol & Keith Haring. Party of Life, Museum Brandhorst is presenting two of Tourmaline’s works: Pollinator (2022), shown in Germany for the first time, and Happy Birthday, Marsha! (2018), created with Sasha Wortzel. Pollinator blends scenes of the artist moving through Brooklyn with archival footage, personal memories, and images from Johnson’s 1992 memorial, portraying Johnson and other queer trailblazers as “pollinators” whose stories sustain community growth.

Tourmaline’s practice reshapes dominant cultural narratives, offering new ways to understand the past and imagine more liberatory futures. Her work has been featured in major exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and MoMA, and is held in significant public collections such as the Brooklyn Museum, LACMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Tate Modern.

Appearing Virtually | Common Reader Program Keynote | Date and Times TBD 

Thought leader, author, and trusted advisor, Dr. Kathleen Allen helps organizations and
individuals create meaningful change using Nature as a model for regenerative leadership
practices and systems. In recent years, her time has been spent writing, speaking, and
consulting on ways to incorporate the concepts of living systems and Nature’s adaptive cycle
into leadership, human, and organizational development. Dr. Allen’s clients include renowned
nonprofits and foundations, individual leaders, and collaborative networks around the world.

Dr. Allen is the author of the book Leading from the Roots: Nature-Inspired Leadership Lessons
for Today’s World. The long-term popularity of Leading from the Roots speaks to a worldwide
desire for regenerative organizations that contribute to the greater good of their communities
and future generations.

Dr. Allen’s work offers a unique living system framework that challenges traditional views and
creates a new paradigm for regenerative, purpose-filled leadership firmly anchored in the
foundation of Nature. She provides new insights each week at www.KathleenAllen.net, her
personal Substack, and contributes to a host of forward-thinking print and online publications.

Dr. Allen holds a Doctorate in Education in Leadership from the University of San Diego, and a
master’s degree in counseling from the University of New Hampshire.

Appearing In Person | Sustainability Summit Keynote | Wednesday, March 25 from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm - Keynote & Lunch | Thursday, March 26 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am - Deans and Department Heads Circle as Moderator