Biography

Over the last 20 years, Kai has been the host and senior editor of Marketplace, the most popular program on business and the economy – radio or television, commercial or public broadcasting – in the country. He also co-hosts the podcast Make Me Smart.

Kai won an Emmy Award in 2012 for Outstanding Investigative Journalism on a PBS Frontline documentary about money in politics entitled Big Sky, Big Money. His written work has been featured in The New York Times and The Atlantic. He is frequently called on as an event and panel moderator at such conferences as the Aspen Ideas Festival, Atlantic Ideas, Fortune Brainstorm, and Fast Company Innovation. Kai also speaks regularly with policymakers, including the Federal Reserve Chair, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of the White House National Economic Council. He interviewed President Obama twice in the Oval Office and once on a folding chair in the middle of the Nevada desert. 

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Videos

Kai Ryssdal explains the Bond Market

Stronger Together: Expanding Worker Voice to Expand Economic Opportunity

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Blog Posts

Women’s History Month Keynote Speakers Who Change What Happens Next in 2026

Women's History Month demands more than applause; discover keynote speakers who create recognition that drives real change.

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Keynote Speakers Who Tell Great Stories Get Booked More in 2026

Keynote speakers need more than craft to get booked. Learn the mindset shift that builds sustainable speaking careers.

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Happiness at Work Is the Performance Strategy You Need, with Jessica Weiss

Happiness at work is a performance strategy, not a perk. Learn how Jessica Weiss helps teams build real, sustainable happiness.

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Emotional Intelligence Skills That Hold Up Under Pressure

Emotional intelligence is more than a buzzword. Here's what real EQ looks like under pressure, and the keynote speaking voices building it on stages in 2026.

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Confidence Without Vulnerability Creates Teams That Never Improve

Learn how confidence and vulnerability coexist in high-performing teams from decorated Navy fighter pilot Jack Becker's proven debrief strategies.

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Optimism as a Strategy to Turn Setbacks into Triumphs, with Jess Ekstrom

Keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom reframes optimism as a strategy for resilience, success, and making it without burning out.

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