Sarah Ciavarri

As co-host of the weekly It All* podcast, Sarah brings real conversations about leadership, resilience, and workplace well-being to women navigating the complexities of career and life. With 20 years in healthcare, she understands firsthand the pressures leaders face—yet while national trends show record-breaking burnout, Sarah’s clients are rewriting the story. A sought-after executive coach, author, and Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation, she equips professionals with practical tools to lead with confidence, clarity, and ease.

Trained in all of Dr. Brené Brown’s research, Sarah is an expert Dare to Lead™ facilitator who has helped thousands of leaders build cultures of trust, courage, and connection. She held a leadership role in Dr. Brown’s nonprofit, where she supervised and trained future facilitators, ensuring the next generation of leaders is prepared to navigate complexity with resilience. As a Certified Reinvention Associate, Sarah also brings proven strategies to help organizations adapt and thrive during disruption, turning uncertainty into opportunity. Her work doesn’t just inspire—it transforms. Organizations that implement her strategies see measurable increases in job satisfaction, retention, and team effectiveness.

Sarah’s keynotes are dynamic, research-backed, and refreshingly real. Audiences walk away with actionable insights they can implement immediately—whether it’s tackling tough conversations, preventing burnout, or fostering a workplace where people actually want to show up. With humor, candor, and a deep understanding of human behavior, Sarah delivers more than just motivation; she delivers results.

Most Requested Programs

Master of Calm: How to Keep Your Head While Others Lose Theirs
Great leaders know how to stay steady under pressure—bringing clarity, asking the right questions, and guiding others toward solutions. But staying calm in the midst of chaos isn’t just a trait; it’s a skill you can develop.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

Regulate your stress response so you can think clearly under pressure
Ask the right questions to cut through noise and get to the heart of the issue
Make confident decisions even in high-stakes situations
Set the tone for your team by modeling composure and focus
Avoid burnout by developing habits that sustain your energy and resilience

By mastering your calm, you’ll not only strengthen your own leadership but also inspire your team to navigate challenges with confidence and clarity. Because real leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about staying grounded when it matters most.

Over It: Overcoming Overwhelm with Resilience
Feeling overworked, overextended, and just plain over it? In this energizing and practical keynote, Sarah unpacks the art and science of resilience, equipping you with actionable strategies to manage the relentless demands of work and life. Discover how to shift from merely surviving to truly thriving, reclaim clarity and purpose, and develop the tools to navigate stress and change with confidence.

In this keynote, you’ll learn how to:

Identify the root causes of overwhelm and create strategies to eliminate or manage them
Develop personal boundaries that protect your time and energy without guilt
Learn time management techniques to prioritize what truly matters and increase productivity

Packed with real-world examples and powerful insights, this session will leave you recharged, refocused, and ready to tackle challenges head-on. It’s time to break free from overwhelm—together!

Passion, Purpose, and Paychecks: Rediscover the Heart of Your Work
Feeling stuck in the daily grind? It’s time to reconnect with what fuels you! This engaging and energizing keynote will help you reignite your passion, find deeper meaning in your work, and boost your motivation—all while reducing stress and frustration.

You’ll walk away with:

Practical strategies to stay engaged and motivated, even on tough days
Mindset shifts that help you tackle challenges with confidence and clarity
Tools for navigating change without feeling overwhelmed
Ways to boost productivity so you can get more done with less effort

Through humor, real-world examples, and interactive insights, you’ll leave feeling recharged, refocused, and ready to bring your best self to work—because when passion and purpose align, the paycheck feels even better!

Breaking the Leadership Myths: Unlearn the Lies and Lead with Confidence
Do you find yourself struggling with leadership expectations that feel unrealistic or overwhelming? It’s time to challenge the myths that may be holding you back from leading with clarity and confidence.

In this session, we’ll break down common leadership myths, such as the idea that leaders must always have control, possess all the answers, or constantly please everyone. These misconceptions create unnecessary pressure and can isolate you from your team. The truth is, leadership isn’t about being perfect or in complete control—it’s about fostering trust, empowering others, and making intentional decisions that align with your values.

In this session, you will:

Identify and debunk common leadership myths that undermine your confidence and effectiveness
Learn how to balance direction with delegation to empower your team without micromanaging Discover the power of collaboration and why great leaders don’t always have all the answers
Understand how boundaried vulnerability can strengthen your leadership and build stronger relationships with your team

By the end of this session, you’ll have the tools to lead with confidence, challenge outdated beliefs, and create an environment where both you and your team can thrive. It’s time to unlearn the lies and embrace a more authentic, empowered approach to leadership.

Testimonials

I hired Sarah to speak at a leadership event. From our very first call, through our brainstorming sessions, to the final keynote, Sarah was an absolute pleasure to work with! Her insight and creativity truly heightened our conference. She had great energy. The audience was engaged the entire time, and they could not stop talking about how much they enjoyed the content. So much, in fact, that we are already planning our next event with Sarah. I highly recommend her! - Maggie Garden, Brock & Scott

Level Up Leadership was fantastic to work with and gave our County Leadership structure a great deal to think about when it comes to communicating with the four different personality types as outlined in the DISC assessment. The sessions were upbeat, highly informative and no struggle at all for the introverts when engaged in fun interactive discussions. I would highly recommend Sarah to visit with your team and show you how she can help get to the next level. - Tom Day, Goodhue County, MN

“Sarah came to speak to the providers and staff at our behavioral health clinic and she was outstanding! Not only did she make the topic captivating for all, but she had everyone actively engaged in the process and setting personal goals for change and growth. It truly was a transformative experience for our team! Sarah is a very knowledgeable, experienced, dynamic speaker who connects with her audience through empathy, compassion, hope, motivation, and humor. She puts everyone at ease and creates a trusting space for openness, growth, and learning. I highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for an impactful motivational speaker for their next event!” - Sara Schilplin, Sonder Behavioral Health, Co-Founder and Owner

“Sarah served as the keynote speaker for my event Inspire25. Her authenticity was what I loved the most about her. From the introductory call to the final presentation, Sarah took care in every element and interaction. She was amazing as the keynote speaker and connected with the more than 300 people in attendance. It's not easy finding speakers that can connect well with a very diverse audience, but Sarah did that and more!” - Sidoney Samuels

“Sarah resonated strongly with our audience. She introduced relevant content in her "Leading with Resilience" keynote and provided multiple opportunities for our group to engage with each other. Plus, Sarah made it so easy to work with her from scheduling and planning to delivering her message!” - Dana Schon, IA Association of Superintendents

"Several attendees indicated that this was the BEST session of the conference!” - Kathy Messerli, Executive Director, MN Home Care Association

“Sarah Ciavarri with Level Up Leadership is a delight to work with. She is responsive and kind, and really works with you to make sure that whatever she is doing for your organization is customized to the audience and will connect with them. She recently led a networking event at a conference for us, and she brought great ideas for how to make the event fun and interactive, and also relevant to the people attending. During the event, she was enthusiastic and warm, and that attitude was infectious for the participants! Our association has loved working with Sarah on a variety of projects over the past couple years.” - Alicia Rodriguez