Rebecca Costa
American Sociobiologist; Author; Host of The Costa Report
SPEAKER FEE RANGE: Please Inquire
TRAVELS FROM: California
RELATED TOPICS: Broadcast & Media, Tech Futurist
Rebecca Costa is an American sociobiologist who offers a genetic explanation for current events, emerging trends and individual behavior. A thought-leader and provocative new voice in the mold of Thomas Friedman, Malcolm Gladwell and Jared Diamond, Costa traces everything from terrorism, debt, epidemic obesity, and upheaval in the Middle East to evolutionary imperatives. Retiring at the zenith of her career in Silicon Valley, Costa spent six years researching and writing The Watchman’s Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse. In her book, Costa explains how the principles governing evolution cause and provide a solution for global gridlock. The success of Costa’s first book led to a weekly radio program in 2010 called The Costa Report™. The Costa Report is nationally syndicated by the Business TalkRadio Network and VoiceAmerica and is currently one of the fastest growing radio programs on the West Coast.
Rebecca Costa is an American sociobiologist who offers a genetic explanation for current events, emerging trends and individual behavior. A thought-leader and provocative new voice in the mold of Thomas Friedman, Malcolm Gladwell and Jared Diamond, Costa traces everything from terrorism, debt, epidemic obesity, and upheaval in the Middle East to evolutionary imperatives.
Retiring at the zenith of her career in Silicon Valley, Costa spent six years researching and writing The Watchman’s Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse. In her book, Costa explains how the principles governing evolution cause and provide a solution for global gridlock. When asked why the book has special significance today, Costa claims, “Every person I know, rich or poor, educated or not, wants to know why our government gets more in debt, our air and water more polluted, our jails more crowded, our security more tenuous and our children more violent. We appear to have lost our ability to solve our problems. The Watchman’s Rattle offers a genetic explanation for paralysis, and prescribes a way out.”
The success of Costa’s first book led to a weekly radio program in 2010 called The Costa Report™. The Costa Report is nationally syndicated by the Business TalkRadio Network and VoiceAmerica and is currently one of the fastest growing radio programs on the West Coast.
A former CEO and founder of one of the largest marketing firms in Silicon Valley (sold in 1999 to J. Walter Thompson), Costa developed an extensive track record of introducing new technologies. Her clients included industry giants such as Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, Oracle Corporation, Seibel Systems, 3M, Amdahl, and General Electric Corporation. Costa is known for her marketing work on the world’s first computer-aided design and manufacturing systems (CAD/CAM), computer networking, and first multimedia microprocessors.
Raised in Tokyo, Japan, Costa lived during the Vietnam conflict in Vientiane, Laos, where her father worked in covert CIA operations. She attributes her ability to see the “big picture” to her cross-cultural education and upbringing. She graduated from The University of California at Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences.
Costa lives on the Central Coast of California with her beloved dog, Tonka.
Retiring at the zenith of her career in Silicon Valley, Costa spent six years researching and writing The Watchman’s Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse. In her book, Costa explains how the principles governing evolution cause and provide a solution for global gridlock. When asked why the book has special significance today, Costa claims, “Every person I know, rich or poor, educated or not, wants to know why our government gets more in debt, our air and water more polluted, our jails more crowded, our security more tenuous and our children more violent. We appear to have lost our ability to solve our problems. The Watchman’s Rattle offers a genetic explanation for paralysis, and prescribes a way out.”
The success of Costa’s first book led to a weekly radio program in 2010 called The Costa Report™. The Costa Report is nationally syndicated by the Business TalkRadio Network and VoiceAmerica and is currently one of the fastest growing radio programs on the West Coast.
A former CEO and founder of one of the largest marketing firms in Silicon Valley (sold in 1999 to J. Walter Thompson), Costa developed an extensive track record of introducing new technologies. Her clients included industry giants such as Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, Oracle Corporation, Seibel Systems, 3M, Amdahl, and General Electric Corporation. Costa is known for her marketing work on the world’s first computer-aided design and manufacturing systems (CAD/CAM), computer networking, and first multimedia microprocessors.
Raised in Tokyo, Japan, Costa lived during the Vietnam conflict in Vientiane, Laos, where her father worked in covert CIA operations. She attributes her ability to see the “big picture” to her cross-cultural education and upbringing. She graduated from The University of California at Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences.
Costa lives on the Central Coast of California with her beloved dog, Tonka.
- Passion, Plan, Purpose, Persistence, Preparation
- Predictive Analytics: Where Compassionate Care and Efficiency Meet
What if technology could help you predict the future and accurately determine risk factors for the people and communities that you serve? What if this knowledge could help you to provide more effective, individualized service and avert and even prevent crises? This isn’t science fiction. Today, a myriad of technologies from predictive analytics and nano-sensors, to virtual reality, Big Data, mobile phone diagnostics and other applications make this possible. For example, we can now identify individuals who are predisposed to opioid addiction, violent behavior, specific cancers, diabetes, binge drinking, and more. Our ability to predict where a hurricane will make landfall and when food, water and medicine shortages are likely to occur is almost clairvoyant. We can even predict the effect a jump in oil prices will have on the number of homeless, enabling us to take measures before-the-fact with greater confidence than ever before. Rebecca Costa calls this phenomenon predaptation. In this presentation tailored for nonprofit and human services professionals and their stakeholders, she shares the 12 principles proven to turn reactive organizations into forward-focused leaders. - On the Verge: The Future of Everything
What if you could avoid failure and other negative outcomes? Or take advantage of trends and events which haven’t yet occurred? In a fast-changing world, there is no greater advantage than the ability to accurately assess and adapt to the future before-the-fact. Technology and predictive analytics have ushered in a new era in which leaders can now foresee what is headed their way with unprecedented accuracy—and actually capitalize on opportunity in advance. It’s a power that sociobiologist Rebecca Costa calls predaptation. Drawing from two blockbuster bestsellers, Costa reveals 12 adaptive and predaptive principles leaders use to succeed in fast-changing environments.
No matter what your organization does, this game-changing presentation will help you to predict the future. Costa covers the bold new world of technologies that empower predaptation, including: Big Data, quantum computing, predictive analytics and algorithms, artificial intelligence, 3-D printing, robotics, facial recognition software, virtual reality, genomic sciences, mobile phone diagnostics, nano-sensors, and whatever’s on the verge. Her customized presentations provide a general outlook for all businesses, envisioning the future for these industries and many more:
•Finance & Investing
•Technology
•Healthcare
•Insurance
•Environment & Energy
•Retail
•Legal & Government
•Manufacturing - Why Fast Adapters Win
In an increasingly complex environment, decision-makers must constantly confront “more wrong choices than right ones, as the number of wrong ones grow.” According to Rebecca Costa, the increasing complexity of processes, information, technology, and policies cause errors to become more prevalent and oversight to become more difficult, making unanticipated collapse more dangerous. Weaving cutting-edge science with memorable, anecdotal stories, Costa shows how leaders can prevail over complexity by mastering techniques and technologies aimed at “Fast Adaptation.”
We can help ideate, source and book speakers that aren't on our website, too. Leave an inquiry or call us at