Reviews Write New Review
Location
Booking Fee
Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
Virtual Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
[email protected]
James Whittaker's career, starting in 1986, has crossed the domains of academia, start-ups, and top tech companies.
He was the first computer science graduate to be hired by the FBI. He then moved on to freelancing during his graduate school days at the University of Tennessee, working for major tech companies such as IBM, Ericsson, SAP, and Cisco. His next venture was joining the faculty at Florida Institute of Technology where he not only obtained promotion to full professor but also won over $12m in sponsored research and built a research startup that Raytheon later acquired.
Whittaker's tenure at Microsoft began as an individual contributor working on Windows and Trustworthy Computing, followed by Visual Studio. He later joined Google as an engineering director, leading teams working on Chrome, Chrome OS, Maps, and Google+. In 2012, Whittaker returned to Microsoft to lead machine learning efforts on Bing and Cortana. His abilities as a speaker and storyteller led him to become Microsoft’s first Distinguished Technical Evangelist.
Known for being a creative and passionate leader, Whittaker is also a sought-after speaker and author. He has written five technical books, two of which are best-sellers and two have been Jolt Award finalists. He regularly speaks to technical, marketing, and advertising audiences on subjects like the future of man and machine. Whittaker has been a speaker at events such as ANA Disrupt at CES, IAB Engage UK, Advertising Week Europe, Digital Life Design, Business Insider Ignite, Pitch @The Palace, the CIO Summit, and SXSW.
After retiring in 2019, he began focusing on in-person experiences through his brewery and taproom enterprise on the east side of Seattle. He still maintains his connection to the tech world by collaborating with young founders and serving on the boards of interesting companies.
Videos
Speech Topics
Thinking Strategically About The Future of Technology
AI, ML, Blockchain, Crypto, IoT, Web 3, the Metaverse ... Technology changes are coming fast and companies need to understand what is ahead so they aren't hampered by bad adoption decisions. This masterclass in understanding the future is based on James' experience at Google and Microsoft and teaching this material at top-rated MBA programs on two continents. Let James entertain and educate you in this funny, story-rich jaunt through how tech ate the world and continues to do so. You'll gain a new understanding of these technologies even if you aren't technical. You'll see how business and society is likely to change in the near and long-term. You'll understand what technologies are likely fads and which ones you need to plan for. The world is changing and this class will help you get ahead of those changes.
Supercharging Individual and Team Creativity
Creativity is the one universal ingredient of success. Creatives report higher job satisfaction and lead more fulfilling lives than any other class of people. And yet our school curriculum focuses on rote learning and test taking at the expense of creativity, problem-solving and higher-order thinking. Former Microsoft Distinguished Engineer James Whittaker shows you how to develop your creative mind and use it as the fulcrum of a lifestyle where creativity doesn’t just happen, it becomes the default case for everything you do in work and life. Come to this session and learn to supercharge your creativity to make your work more interesting and your life more exciting. Learn:
- How to learn faster and retain knowledge better.
- How to merge your passions with your day job.
- How to discover and nurture your creative biorhythms.
- How to become an expert in your field.
- How to turn your creativity on at will.
Public Speaking and the Art of Storytelling
Boredom. Nowhere does it manifest more aggressively than in corporate conference rooms where speakers struggle to get an idea across in an engaging way. That boredom is killing those ideas, sapping audience energy and slowing down progress. Former Microsoft Distinguished Engineer James Whittaker has decoded the solution to engaging stage presence and cast it as a set of spells to be woven into the fabric of a presentation. Like actual spells, these techniques are activated by 1) what you say, 2) how you say it and 3) what you do while you are saying it. James presents these concepts, not by lecturing them, but by demonstrating them. Expect to be thoroughly entertained with authentic stories while you learn how to command a stage and turn an audience into a room full of believers. Whether you want to improve the story of your company, product or yourself, this course will turn you into a storytelling wizard.
Learn:
- How to conceive and structure a presentation for proper flow and maximum impact.
- How to prepare for your presentation to conquer stage fright and ensure recall.
- How to make important points stick in the minds of your audience.
- How to weave story, voice modulation and movement to spellbind your audience.
- How to tell your own story to improve your career.
Books
Related Speakers View all
Erik Qualman
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation Exp...
|
|
R "Ray" Wang
Founder of Constellation Research, AI Expert, Author
|
|
Josh Linkner
Authority on Innovation & Leadership, Serial Entrepr...
|
|
Jason J. Sosa
Founder & CEO, Azara AI; Future of Work & Emerging T...
|
|
Joanna Peña-Bickley
Founder & CEO of Vibes Ai, Founder & Fellow of A.I. ...
|
|
Alex Salkever
Artificial Intelligence & Advanced Technology Futuri...
|
|
Babak Hodjat
Vice President of Evolutionary AI at Cognizant; Co-F...
|
|
Amy Jo Martin
NYT Best-Selling Author, Angel Investor, CEO of Rene...
|
|
Sharon Gai
E-commerce Expert; Artificial Intelligence in Busine...
|
|
John Baker
Senior Vice President of Business Development at Mav...
|
|
Leah MacMillan
SVP Global Marketing at Trend Micro
|
|
Lisa Seacat Deluca
Director & Distinguished Engineer of Emerging Soluti...
|
|
Jeff Dean
Chief Scientist focusing on AI Advances for Google D...
|
|
Jordan P. Evans
NASA Engineer, Leader of Europa Mission, Curiosity R...
|
|
Craig Newmark
Founder of Craigslist, Innovator in E-Commerce, Phil...
|
|
Simon Sinek
World-Renowned Leadership Expert, Best-Selling Autho...
|
|
Igor Beuker
Social Entrepreneur, Futurist & Activist
|
|
Ray Kurzweil
Chairman of Kurzweil Technologies, Inventor & Futuri...
|
|
Terry Jones
Digital Disruptor, Author & Venture Capitalist; Best...
|
|
Shegun Otulana
Serial Entrepreneur; Founder & CEO of Harmony Ventur...
|