Over 40 Years:
Our Experience Helps Create Yours

As Owner and CEO, 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.

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. Over 40 years later, we have grown Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau to be one of the most trusted bureaus in the events industry.

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. 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.

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 joined Eagles Talent in 2008 and in 2019, he became the President of Eagles Talent, helping to shape the vision of the company created by Gil and Esther Eagles. His primary focus includes running both the speakers bureau and the speaker management division. Everyday he works with an amazing team filled with experience and knowledge to ensure every event is smooth and successful. He served as President of IASB (International Association of Speakers Bureaus) and was the recipient of three IASB awards: The Dottie Walters "Helping Hands Award," "Pace Setter," and "The President's Award."

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.

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.

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.

Meet Jo Borello, your go-to expert for crafting unforgettable events and programs that leave a lasting impact. With over two decades of experience at Eagles Talent, Jo's passion and professionalism shine through in every project she tackles. From corporations to non-profit groups, Jo has a knack for bringing together the perfect speakers and entertainers to fit any budget.

But Jo's expertise goes beyond just logistics; she's all about building meaningful connections. Her caring personality and commitment to excellence have earned her the trust of clients, speakers, and entertainers alike, leading to long-term relationships that stand the test of time.

Before joining Eagles Talent, Jo honed her skills in the fast-paced world of finance in New York City, managing corporate meetings, travel, and events for top-tier institutions. Her worldly experiences, including living abroad and earning her business degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, have shaped her adventurous spirit and love for cultural exploration.

When she's not busy crafting unforgettable events, you can find Jo indulging in her passions for dancing, cooking, and travel. Born in Italy and raised in New Jersey, Jo's multicultural background adds a unique flair to everything she does. And with three amazing daughters and five wonderful grandchildren, Jo's family is the heart of her joy, alongside her loving husband, Tom. Get ready to be inspired by Jo's energy and expertise as she helps you bring your event dreams to life.

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Lisa Campbell hails from the sunny shores of Florida, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management. Beginning her professional journey in Florida, Lisa later relocated with her family to New Jersey. In 2022, she joined the Eagles Talent team as an Event Manager and Speaker Liaison, bringing with her a passion for delivering exceptional client experiences.

Lisa thrives on meticulously handling every detail of events to guarantee their success. Her greatest satisfaction comes from reassuring clients that they are well taken care of throughout the entire process. Lisa works closely with Esther Eagles and Steve Ruskin, leveraging her expertise to ensure seamless event execution and client satisfaction.

Michelle is a Long Island native that now resides in Northern New Jersey. She started her hospitality career while attending Johnson & Wales University in Providence Rhode Island. Working as a waitress and bartender to make ends meet is when she realized her passion for people and the hospitality industry. After college she moved to Colorado where she continued in the restaurant business at Keystone Resorts then moved on to take on the position of Bar and FOH manager at Rock Bottom Restaurant Company. After Colorado she lived in Vermont where she applied her energetic personality for the largest radio station in the state, filling many hats from sales, marketing, running live events, as well as getting on the mic every now and then. Once landing back on the east coast she held positions as a catering event manager, restaurant manager, and  started up an ice carving company with her husband.

Michelles career has taken many different avenues, but she has always remained true to her love and passion in the hospitality and event planning industry. She knows first hand the importance of the attention to details, and going the extra mile in order to ensure a successful event. Michelle is so excited to be a part of the Eagles Talent family,  primarily working with Kristi Wilson, Bill Lee and Jo Borello.

Bio coming soon.

After graduating from Miami University with a BA in Marketing, Annie moved from the Mid-West to Los Angeles.  With a dynamic career spanning over a decade, she immersed herself in freelance film, television and commercial production and gained invaluable experience in working for all of the industry’s top studios.

Seeking new challenges and opportunities, she transitioned to the East Coast, where she pivoted into the realm of event management. Based in New Jersey, she specialized in hotel sourcing and site selection for a range of events & conferences. Her role involved researching venue/locations, coordinating logistics, negotiating contracts and ensuring client satisfaction

Throughout her career, she has cultivated a reputation for paying close attention to detail, anticipating and creatively problem solving and effectively communicating with clients.  Annie joined Eagles Talent in 2024 and is excited to be a part of the team.   She works primarily with Sheldon Senek and the keynote speakers in the Eagles Talent Management division.

Brianna is a marketing professional with a diverse background in education and event management. With a passion for creating impactful experiences, Brianna began their career in education, where they developed a deep understanding of communication and engagement. Transitioning into event management, they honed their skills in organizing and executing seamless events that brought people together and left lasting impressions.

Now in the marketing field, her unique blend of skills allows her to craft engaging strategies that resonate with target audiences. With a passion for creating impactful experiences, Brianna is adept at developing creative content, managing effective marketing campaigns, and organizing seamless events. Her ability to think critically, problem-solve, and collaborate with cross-functional teams makes her a valuable asset to any organization.

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 successfully delivering on clients' specific talent needs. Bill is a trusted advisor to a varied list of clients across all sectors, 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 firm providing strategic and creative consulting services for various clients in the music and entertainment industry.

Prior to forming Jade Luck Entertainment, Bill served as Manager, New Media for BMG Entertainment, one of the world's largest music companies, whose labels include Arista Records, RCA Records and J Records and is home to such worldwide superstars as Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Christina Aguilera, Santana, Sarah McLachlan and the Dave Matthews Band, 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 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 digital groups.

Before joining 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 music and 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 children.