Luca Manfè grew up in Italy and spent years working front of house in some of New York City’s top restaurants, managing teams and learning the business of hospitality. In 2013, his life changed when he entered and won MasterChef USA, discovering his true passion for cooking in the process. Since then, Luca has built a thriving catering company, developed a strong social media presence, launched Italy food and wine tours, created his own line of kitchen knives, and opened a butcher and sandwich shop. His journey has been driven by hard work, gratitude, and the desire to share his love for food and family. Above all, Luca credits his wife and children for keeping him grounded and reminding him what truly matters in life.

In “When in Doubt, Toss the Butter: Why Finding Purpose is More Important Than Your Success,” Luca Manfè shares his journey from growing up in Italy to building a life in the United States and spending years in the restaurant industry. After winning MasterChef Season 4, he believed he was on track to become a superstar chef. However, life quickly taught him that true success isn’t defined by fame, but by family, presence, and partnership. With the support of his wife, Luca has built a life that blends passion with purpose—launching a catering company, a successful social media brand, Italy food tours, a knife line, and a butcher shop. Today, he is dedicated to showing his children that what matters most is family, hard work, and helping others whenever possible.

Stephen Nilsen is a relentless brand architect and visionary connector of brands, athletes, creators, and consumers—turning bold ideas into explosive brand loyalty and multi-million-dollar growth. During his career, he has specialized in Lifestyle Marketing, Sports Marketing, and Global Brand Expansion, from disruptive startups to Fortune 500 giants.

In “Building Brands From the Street,” Stephen Nilsen shares his journey from growing up in Minnesota to shaping some of the most iconic modern beverage brands. After realizing during college internships that he couldn’t spend his life behind a desk, Stephen moved to Australia, where, while surfing, he discovered his passion for action sports and brand storytelling. That moment set him on an unconventional path that began with developing snowboard boots and spending weeks at a time in Asia.

When one of his snowboard athletes became one of the first Red Bull-sponsored riders, Stephen saw an opportunity to merge his love for culture, sport, and branding. He went on to become one of Red Bull’s first Sports Marketing Managers in North America, later helping to revive the legendary beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon and joining the early team at Liquid Death, one of the most disruptive brands in the beverage world.

Through his talk, Stephen explores how authentic, grassroots connections built from the street up can turn ideas into cultural movements. As a single father raising identical twin boys who are now Division I scholarship athletes, he emphasizes that real success isn’t just about creating brands that stand out, but about living with purpose, perseverance, and passion.

ananya pradhan

What’s with the Program?: The Evolution of Women in Computer Science

Ananya Pradhan is a senior at The Harker School. She is passionate about sharing untold stories to craft the present. Ananya travels across the nation for debate tournaments and is passionate about computer science research, especially using high-dimensional data to create interpretable tools. As a Near Scholar, she is researching the factors that contributed to the decline of women's participation in computer science in America in the 1980s. 

History is not shaped just by the stories that are told -- oftentimes, it's transformed by the ones that aren't. Diving into the untold stories of women in computer science spanning decades from the 1960s to the 1980s, we will look at first-person testimonials, stories, and even advertisements to understand how women were excluded from the field of computer science. However, the talk won't just focus on the past. Following these women's stories, Ananya will craft a framework to approach how each of us can craft an inclusive future today.