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Distinguished Innovator Speaker Series

Distinguished Innovator Speaker Series

Inspiring Innovative Thinking and Thought-Provoking Discussions

The Westcliff University Distinguished Innovator Speaker Series connects thought leaders from various professional fields with Westcliff students and with members of the greater community interested in learning more about creative approaches to problem-solving in the modern world. The series uses the Westcliff platform to initiate and facilitate informative, thought-provoking discussions as the University continues to solidify its position as a leading global academic resource.

The series is designed to inspire innovative thinking and stimulate solution-oriented conversations. It provides the greater community an opportunity to hear from and connect with nationally and internationally renowned leaders who have shaped their industry.  Attendees are able to interact and ask questions of the featured speakers after each presentation.

When is the next Distinguished Innovative Speaker Series event?

Distinguished Innovative Speaker Series guests are announced in spring and fall.

Spring 2025


Derek Sivers: The Philosopher-Entrepreneur on Breaking Rules, Building Empires, and Living Freely
What happens when a musician turns entrepreneur, sells a $22M company, gives it all away to a charitable trust dedicated to music education, and then reinvents his life on his own terms? Derek Sivers—founder of CD Baby, bestselling author, and global thinker—shares his unconventional journey from indie music pioneer to philosophical explorer. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, artist, or dreamer, this conversation will ignite your imagination and inspire you to rewrite your own rules.

Date: Mar 27, 2025 at 11:00am PST

RSVP

You can watch all of the event recordings from past speakers below.

Past Speakers

In case you missed or wanted to revisit any of our past speakers, all of our Distinguished Innovator Speaker Series events are recorded and can be rewatched at any time.

Though all of our events are recorded, we encourage you to RSVP for our upcoming speakers. You will have the opportunity to ask the guest speaker questions about their topic of discussion and your questions could be answered live!