About Aaron
Aaron Samson helps audiences understand how technology wins our attention, what earns our trust, and how the stories we tell can shape our future. A keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and Top 3 finisher in Toastmasters' 2026 World Championship of Public Speaking, he combines an insider's perspective with humor and stories that stay with people.
Aaron's career spans Meta, TikTok, CharacterAI, Mattel, and Hasbro. Most recently, he served as TikTok's Global Head of Trust & Safety Marketing. His experience across consumer AI, social media, brand marketing, and youth safety gives him a firsthand understanding of how companies compete for attention—and the tensions that arise when growth, engagement, and user protection pull in different directions.
For business audiences, Aaron explores how AI and social media are changing consumer behavior, how companies bring unfamiliar technology to market, and what it takes to build consumer trust. He makes complex issues accessible through real experiences, thought-provoking questions, and practical lessons.
His signature keynote, The Battle for Teen Attention: Navigating AI and Social Media at School and at Home, brings that industry perspective to educators, parents, and young people. As a father of three, including two teenagers, Aaron understands that navigating technology is also a daily family negotiation.
Aaron also helps audiences tell stories that open doors. A Northwestern University theater graduate, he began his career as an actor and playwright before moving into brand marketing and later technology. His career storytelling talks draw on those transitions to help students and job seekers recognize their strengths, explain an unconventional path, and connect their experiences to new opportunities.
A former Education Pioneers Fellow, Aaron brings curiosity, candor, and a talent for human connection to every stage.
Experience from inside the world's most influential companies
Speaking Topics
What Aaron Speaks On
Teen Attention & Social Media
The forces competing for young people's attention — and a practical, human-centered framework for parents, teens educators, and leaders.
AI & Consumer Trust
How companies bring unfamiliar technology to market — and what it takes to earn trust when the stakes are high.
Personal Growth & Resilience
Stories and insights that challenge audiences to embrace change, face adversity, and make choices that define who they become.
Storytelling & Career Growth
How to find the stories in your experience and use them to stand out in interviews, navigate career changes, and open new doors.
Signature Keynote
The Battle for Teen Attention
Drawing on firsthand experience inside the technology industry, Aaron helps teens, parents, educators, and leaders better understand the forces competing for young people's attention — and what we can do about it.
Book Aaron
Bring Aaron to Your Next Event
Whether you're planning a conference, corporate event, school assembly, or leadership summit, Aaron delivers talks that inform, challenge, and stay with your audience long after they leave the room.
