Meet Our Team

About

Results Are Our Best Credentials

We sincerely appreciate the speaker suggestions and the services rendered.

 -  Region 8 Superintendent Study Group

Eagles Talent did a great job sending me talented speakers to choose from as well as making the process easy and seamless.

 -  CalPERS

Dedicated to Excellence

Our team at Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau is an extraordinarily group of dedicated experts who work together to help meeting and event planners select and book the best (and most appropriate) speakers and entertainers to make every event a soaring success. When you work with us, you’ll find that we are passionate, efficient, and provide a personalized touch for every client from first contact and continues to well after the event. Click a name to learn a little more about each of us. If you need us to research, recommend or check availability on keynote speaker or entertainer, Call us at 1-800-345-5607.

Executive Leadership

Esther Eagles, President and Cofounder
Esther Eagles

 

As president my responsibilities and obligation of operating a business are many and varied. In addition to charting our future and keeping us fiscally sound, I take special care of my own roster of clients. I thoroughly enjoy staying abreast of trends in the meeting and convention industry, as well as having an eye out for the next impacting speaker. 

My job as president is made easier because our Eagles Talent team members are among the most knowledgeable and consummate professionals in the industry. I feel strongly that the bedrock and success of our business is attributed to the quality of our team, and I am so grateful for, and proud of each of them.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, by an extremely close-knit, loving family. I graduated Wingate High School and I am still working on my undergraduate degree from the University of Life. I originally cut my professional teeth in the corporate world working as buyer for a chain department store.

After several years of exclusively representing my husband Gil’s entertainment and speaking career, I began to acquire other talent to represent, and then, in 1979 Gil and I launched Eagles Talent. When we first began, we operated our business out of a Manhattan apartment with just one assistant. In 2002, after continuous growth, we purchased an office building in South Orange, New Jersey, where we are currently thriving.

With any leisure time I can manage away from the business, I love socializing with family and friends, participating in lively conversations, reading and discussing a good book, dining at fine restaurants, attending theater, and our once a year vacation abroad exploring different countries and cultures.

I feel extremely blessed to be married to my best friend and partner of thirty-five years. We are tremendously proud of the exemplary man our son Jordan has become and the contribution he is making in and to the art world.
Gil Eagles, Chairman Emeritus & Cofounder
Gil Eagles
In 1979, my spouse Esther was managing and marketing my stage shows and motivational speaking career. Because of our knowledge and connection to the many popular entertainers and speakers, we decided to foray into the speaker bureau industry. We began to acquire other platform attractions, thus Eagles Talent Connection was created (Now Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau). While Esther continued as the client contact and speaker liaison, I took charge of the marketing and behind-the-scene projects of building a business. The compliment of our different strengths and responsibilities has allowed us to flourish and function harmoniously, both professionally and personally, for thirty-five years and still going strong.

With our company’s continuing development and the advent of extraordinary people joining our team, I have relinquished many of my duties to younger minds and energy. I continue my involvement strictly in an advisory capacity.


A few acknowledgments of my 40 year platform career:

1973. The Golden Mike: The Academy of Variety Artist’s highest awarded for Variety Entertainment.
 
1978. The Outstanding College Guest Lecture Program Award: from the National Association for Campus Activities.
 
1993. CPAE Award: The highest honor for professional Speaking from the National Speakers Association.

1994. Inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame: Joining the likes of Ronald Reagan and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

2001. The Dunninger Award: The Psychic Entertainers Association’s equivalent of the Academy Awards.

2010. Inducted into the Veteran Speaker’s Hall of Fame.
Sheldon Senek, Executive Vice President
Sheldon Senek

 

Sheldon Senek joined Eagles Talent in 2008 after spending over ten years in the publishing/entertainment industry. In 2010, he became the Executive Vice President Eagles Talent, helping to shape the vision of the company with Gil and Esther Eagles. His primary focus includes building relationships with speakers and continuously finding better ways to connect with clients. Everyday he works with an amazing team filled with experience and knowledge to ensure every event is smooth and successful.

Prior to Eagles Talent, he spent a decade working at Dramatists Play Service, Inc., a leading theatrical publishing company. During his time at Dramatists, he worked with an exclusive list of playwrights including Edward Albee, Terrence McNally, and Arthur Miller. He also served as the managing director for a Jersey City cultural arts center, handling events and entertainment.

In addition to his passion for the speakers bureau industry, Sheldon is a published and produced playwright. He has won numerous awards and has traveled to some of the best theatres and states in the country as a result.

Sheldon is originally from Ohio and still roots for his Cleveland teams. He loves cooking, playing piano, and theatre. He is married to his wife Krysta, and they have two wonderful children, Josephine and Sheldon. 

Sales Team

Jo Borello, Vice President, Business Development
Jo Borello

 

Jo Borello works with corporations, associations, non-profit groups and individuals to achieve success for their events and programs. She is a caring, consummate professional who has been with Eagles Talent for fifteen years. Jo has developed the expertise that brings together the right speaker and entertainers for her clients with their budgets in mind.

Jo has a history of building trusting, long-term relationships with her clients, as well as speakers and entertainers through her caring personality and passionate pursuit of excellence.

Prior to Eagles Talent, Jo spent over a decade working in New York City with financial and investment institutions. Her experience includes corporate meetings and travel, and planning events.

After living and working abroad in a multi-cultural environment, Jo returned to the United States to work and pursue her business degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University.  

Jo has an adventurous spirit; she loves dancing, cooking, and enjoys international and domestic travel, as well as theatre and music. She was born in Italy, and grew up in New Jersey. Jo is a very proud mother of three intelligent and beautiful daughters. She is happily married to Tom.

Bill Lee, Vice President, Client Development
Bill Lee

 

Bill Lee joined Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau in 2005 and is Vice President of Client Development. Bill is responsible for developing and retaining long-term clients by understanding and delivering on clients' specific talent needs. Bill is a trusted advisor to a long list of clients, including many Global 1000 companies, various national associations, non-profit organizations and educational institutions. 

Before joining Eagles Talent, Bill was founder and principal of Jade Luck Entertainment, a diversified entertainment company providing strategic and creative consulting services for clients in the media and entertainment industry.

Prior to forming Jade Luck Entertainment, Bill served as Manager, New Media for BMG Entertainment, now Sony Music Entertainment, a global music and entertainment company with over 200 record labels in 54 countries, including Arista Records, RCA Records and J Records and his home to such worldwide superstars as Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Dave Matthews Band, Sarah McLachlan, Whitney Houston and Santana, among many others. In this position, he was responsible for developing BMG's commercial digital distribution initiatives and new business models for the sale and syndication of online content as well as managing strategic relationships with major technology providers and media companies. Bill joined BMG in 1999 and worked in television development, assisting the Vice President of BMG Television with projects from development through pre-production for multi-window and multi-territory distribution as well as coordinated new media initiatives with BMG’s Marketing and Online divisions.

Prior to BMG, Bill worked for Michael Bacon Music with Emmy award-winning composer, Michael Bacon and the Bacon Brothers band, and also for Independent Pictures, Cary Wood's development and production company. Prior to working in the entertainment industry, Bill held positions in sales and marketing at Aetna and Publicis Selling Solutions.

Bill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Arcadia University and is married with two young children.
Steve Ruskin, Vice President, Sales
Steve Ruskin

 

Steve works hand in hand with his clients to book speakers and entertainment for a variety of corporate, association, government, educational and general-public events. He always has a pulse on the best speakers and entertainers, and enjoys working with clients to create the perfect match. Hearing how wonderful everything went is one of his biggest joys of the business. It is also the result of his experience and caring.

Steve joined Eagles Talent in 1999. Driving to work as opposed to taking the train in to the big city has added years to his life and widened his smile considerably.

Prior to Eagles Talent, Steve worked with a major agency in New York City representing an elite group of celebrity talent for speeches, national-entertainment tours, commercials and film. His careful planning and continual communication helps events to happen with no surprises. In addition, Steve's ability to problem solve at a moment’s notice is always close at hand.

Steve has an extensive background in film and theatre production which enables him to review and negotiate riders. He is comfortable explaining what is necessary to the show, and identifying what may be excessive. It’s all about representing the client's best interest and while providing the artist everything they need to give the best show possible. 

Steve has worked production on movies, television and commercials. He spent a good deal of time creating special effects, notably stop-motion animation for a variety of well known commercials. Steve has also worked in film distribution pioneering the use of movie “clip rights” in television shows and the emerging music-video market.

Steve is a Sifu, martial arts teacher with over thirty-five years experience. He holds classes in Tai Chi Chuan and Wing Chun Kung-Fu. He won gold and bronze medals in the New York Open Wu-Shu Championships at an age that he should have been in the stands proudly watching his students compete.

Steve is active in theatre and has seen several of his plays produced. He has also directed, done sound design and fight choreography on many shows.

Steve is a huge soccer fan. He's a supporter of Red Bulls, Major League Soccer, US. and Manchester United, and English Premier League. His favorite movies include: Film Noir, Fifties Westerns, Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, and Alfred Hitchcock. His love for music includes: Stax, Chicago Blues, The Grateful Dead, and Thelonious Monk.
 
Steve was born and raised in New York City. He has a BA from New York University. Steve is married with three lovely children.
Kristi Wilson, Vice President, Sales
Kristi Wilson

 

Kristi has been with Eagles Talent since 2004. She works with clients to find best talent for their events, whether they are corporate, non profit, association, government or educational institutions. Kristi brings to her position a passion to help her clients and years of experience to help her understand any type of speaker and event needs. 

Raised in Saratoga Springs, New York, Kristi graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in communications. She later pursued her true passion, cooking, and completed the Culinary Program at the French Culinary Institute in New York. After working in hotel catering and cooking in Manhattan, she decided to combine her cooking and communications background in the events world and moved into sales. When the opportunity to explore another aspect of events, world-class speakers and entertainers, she jumped on it and joined Eagles Talent.

Kristi married a wonderful man in Maui and soon after decided to start a family. Kristi and her husband now call New York State home where they raise two young, beautiful sons.  

Event Support

Ann Rubin, Event Manager
Ann Rubin

 

Ann Rubin is the go-to person once an event is scheduled. She makes sure that every question is answered and that both the client and the speaker are on the same page. Ann joined Eagles Talent in 2008 and works primarily with Esther Eagles and Kristi Wilson.

Prior to joining Eagles Talent, Ann spent 10 years working in public television on public affairs and entertainment programming. She graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

Ann is married and has two sons. They help keep her up-to-date on everything music, sports and technology-related.

Tami Thetford, Event Manager
Tami Thetford

 

Once an event is booked, Tami acts as the liaison between the client and the speaker to ensure that each and every event runs smoothly and is a great success. Tami has been a proud part of Eagles Talent since 2007. She brings organization and a little comic relief to the team.

Tami studied English at Kent State University and spent a few years in the publishing industry prior to finding her niche at Eagles Talent.

Tami has three daughters and hails from Ohio, but now considers herself a Jersey girl.

Marketing and Communications

Sarah Eshiwani, Chief Marketing Officer
Sarah Eshiwani

 

Sarah Eshiwani strategizes, plans, executes and evaluates all online marketing initiatives for Eagles Talent. She is a results oriented and creative analyst whose main focus in the company is search engine marketing. Sarah has been with Eagles Talent since 2005 working in various capacities.

Sarah graduated from Seton Hall University with a background in strategic communications and international relations and enjoys political and cross-cultural discourse. Sarah hails from the 'south', as she puts it and considers herself a citizen of the world.

Alexis Washington, Marketing Campaign Manager
Alexis Washington

Alexis Washington is a recent addition to the team. She joined Eagles Talent in June 2011. Prior to Eagles Talent, she graduated from Seton Hall University in 2007 with a Bachelors degree in Communications and a Minor in African American Studies. Post graduation, she worked in marketing for over 3 years.

Alexis is primarily responsible for updating and maintaining multimedia applications for the website, blog and social media platforms. She also assists in the direction of any social media and marketing campaigns.

Alexis is originally from Pittsburgh and is a diehard fan the best team in football, the Steelers!

Operations

Jessica Wysocki, Speaker Relations Manager
Jessica Wysocki

 

Jessica works closely with our valued speakers to ensure their materials are up to date on our internal database as well our Eagles Talent website. Jessica also plays an integral role researching new speakers and talent for our sales team to evaluate.

Jessica began her career with Eagles Talent in 2003 as an intern. After graduating from Montclair State University with a degree in Commercial Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality Management in 2004, Jessica became a full-time associate with Eagles Talent. Since that time Jessica has taken on an active role growing the pool of talent available for our clients as well as assisting in the development of multimedia content on the Eagles Talent website.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, friends and family.  She also enjoys downhill skiing, the beach and baking.
Our entire Speakers Bureau team is passionate about helping corporate meeting planners shine. With over 30 years of hands-on experience and worldwide contacts, we give you access to acclaimed motivational speakers, celebrities and entertainers. We’re dedicated to helping you make the right choice and earning the right to serve you.