Farzad Aref is the CEO of Farlinium, a leading customer experience consulting firm. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Farzad has developed a deep understanding of customer-centric strategies and emerging technologies. He has worked extensively with Fortune 500 companies, guiding them in their journey to become customer-obsessed organizations. Farzad’s expertise lies in leveraging customer feedback and conversations to drive actionable insights and improve overall customer experience. His visionary approach has earned him recognition as a thought leader in the industry. Farzad is a proven leader with a successful track record of transforming organizations and delivering impactful results. He is a certified CX practitioner. 

With over 40 years of experience in hospitality and luxury lodging, Michael Scioscia is the General Manager of JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. Since 2021, he has led the resort’s guest experience, operations, and service excellence, ensuring a world-class stay for visitors. His expertise spans food & beverage, general management, and luxury hospitality, making him a key leader in the industry.

A luminary in the world of inspirational keynote speakers, Molly Bloom is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, former member of the U.S. Ski Team, one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and host of the two-time Gold Signal award-winning podcast, “Torched,” featuring the inspiring stories of world-class competitive athletes. She achieved fame as the subject of Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated film, Molly’s Game, based on her bestselling memoir. Molly’s Game chronicles Bloom’s journey from college student and former Olympic skiing hopeful to LA waitress to head of the most exclusive high-stakes poker game in the world. With no-limit stakes that could top $100 million and celebrity players such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, A-Rod and Tobey Maguire, “Molly’s Game,” was a Hollywood-worthy achievement for a 25-year-old small town Colorado girl.

Bloom’s first career was as a world-class skier, an achievement that defied the dire prognosis of medical experts. At age 12, she had been diagnosed with severe scoliosis, undergoing spinal fusion surgery that doctors said would prevent her from ever competing again. Defiant and determined, Bloom was back on the slopes in a year. At 19, she made the U.S. Ski Team. At 20, she was ranked #3 in North America in the moguls. At 21, Bloom was firmly on the path to the Olympics. In her qualifying run, a frozen pine bough caused one of her skis to release, leading to a devastating crash and a forced retirement from the sport she loved.

Bloom finished her political science degree at the University of Colorado and was applying to elite law schools when she decided to take a year-long sabbatical and move to LA. She found work as a waitress and personal assistant to a man who ran a high-stakes poker game frequented by celebrities. Teaching herself the business and forging important relationships, Bloom took the risk of going out on her own. “Molly’s Game” was born. Over the next six years, she went from running a multi-million-dollar business to being raided by the FBI. Even in the face of extreme adversity, she always maintained her integrity.

With her millions gone and life in ruins, Bloom set her mind to writing a book. Publishers were interested, but only if she named names. Keeping to her promise to never again compromise her integrity or lower her moral standards, Bloom persevered until she found a publisher that would work with her on her terms. Molly’s Game became a bestselling memoir, one that she convinced Oscar-winning screenwriter and director, Aaron Sorkin, to turn into an Academy Award-winning movie.

Today, Molly Bloom is a top-booked speaker, podcast host, mother, mentor to other women, and advocate. She has appeared on Ellen, Vice, NPR, Vulture and in The Los Angeles Times and Forbes. In 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, she founded the One World Group with her husband, neuroscientist Devin Effinger. The online group seeks to connect people around the world, especially women facing challenges. In 2022, Bloom launched, “Torched,” a podcast exploring Olympic controversies and the heat of competition. As host, she shares stories about the cost of greatness, both on and off the Olympic stage—from the Tour de France to Title IX to the World Cup.

More Speakers Coming Soon!

We’re adding even more CX & XM leaders to the Horizons Summit lineup—stay tuned for upcoming announcements!

Interested in speaking? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at marketing@farlinium.com to learn more about sharing your insights on stage.