We are thrilled to announce that Tarana J. Burke, the trailblazing activist, advocate, and founder of the groundbreaking ‘me too.’ Movement will be joining us as a keynote speaker for NOVA’s 51st Annual Training Event in San Francisco! For over 25 years, Tarana has been a champion for survivors, a voice for marginalized communities, and a driving force behind a global reckoning with sexual violence and systemic inequities. Her profound work at the intersection of racial justice, gender equity, and anti-violence advocacy has inspired millions and continues to empower survivors worldwide.

Through her New York Times bestsellers Unbound and You Are Your Best Thing, Tarana has illuminated the transformative power of healing, storytelling, and empathy. Her message—centered on survivor-led solutions and the importance of community—perfectly aligns with this year’s theme: Why We Advocate: Celebrating Community. This is your opportunity to hear from a visionary leader whose resilience and compassion have redefined advocacy on a global scale. Join us in San Francisco to hear Tarana and fellow keynote speakers share insights and their vision for building a world where justice and healing are accessible to all.

Katharine Manning is the author of The Empathetic Workplace: Five Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job (HarperCollins Leadership 2021) and the President of Blackbird DC. She has worked on issues of trauma and victimization for more than 25 years. As a Senior Attorney Advisor with the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, for fifteen years Manning guided the Justice Department through its response to victims in cases ranging from terrorism to large-scale financial fraud to child exploitation. Some of the cases she advised on include the Boston Marathon bombing, the Pulse nightclub and South Carolina AME church shootings, the uprising in Charlottesville, the Madoff investment fraud, and the federal case against Larry Nassar, doctor for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team. Manning now uses her expertise to help organizations prepare for and respond to the challenges they face involving employees and clients who may be in trauma. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Newsweek, CNBC, Business Insider, Thrive Global, and CEOWorld. Prior to her government service, Manning served as an attorney with the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop in San Francisco, where she represented Fortune 500 companies in class actions, insurance, and media cases. She is a graduate of Smith College and the University of Virginia School of Law and teaches at American University and in the Master’s in Trauma-Informed Leadership Program at Dominican University.