Steve Patterson
Steve Patterson is a veteran entertainment television and radio show host, whose energy and quick wit keeps audiences engaged from beginning to end! His ability to read a room and go off the cuff, combined with his skill to smoothly execute a show flow sets him apart as a truly unique talent.
Patterson hosts the long-running afternoon TV show Twin Cities Live, in addition to co-hosting the Donna and Steve radio show on MyTalk 107.1FM. He’s gained national recognition for his numerous appearances on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, where his subzero weather reports have gone viral. Before coming to the Twin Cities, Steve spent 4 years working for Hubbard Broadcasting in Los Angeles, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico for the company’s entertainment cable news network REELZ. During his time there, Steve served as a correspondent and anchor for the network’s daily entertainment news program, interviewing many of the biggest stars in Hollywood along the way.
Steve enjoys writing in the third person. He doesn’t think anyone actually reads an entire bio. So if you haven’t given up on this just yet, kudos! You done good, kid.
Annie Meehan
Annie Meehan is committed to transforming achievement from good to great by teaching people to rewrite their excuses into successful accomplishments. Speaking internationally as an expert on living an Exceptional life, she will motivate, inspire, and activate your audience to remove the road blocks that stand in the way. Your audiences walk out with a “WOW” factor that includes practical tools to immediately impact their lives both professionally and personally.
Having corporate, associations, and non-profits as clients, Annie provides actionable strategies to manage change, recognize the power of words in customer/employee experience, and eliminate excuses that keep people from attaining their goals. Her passion and engaging presence inspire people to take action.
Prior to becoming a speaker, Annie worked for a financial investment company for 9 years, compiling multiple promotions. After leaving the corporate world, she then owned and operated 2 fitness franchise locations, grew and led a direct sales team of 250+ people, and began speaking on the topics of health and wellness. Annie is a National Speakers Association (NSA) board member and a past president of the NSA -Minnesota chapter.
Annie is an author of 5 motivational books that includes her award winning book
“Be The Exception”. Her latest book, “Pineapple Principle”, offers a sweet journey to empowerment.
Annie has three adult children and lives in a southern suburb of Minneapolis with her husband and two dogs (Peanut & Leo). She loves volunteering in the community, traveling with family, and walking (or being walked) with the puppies.
Courtney Godfrey
Courtney Godfrey is a local TV reporter in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her job has taken her all over the country, from San Francisco to New York City. She has reported on major news events, appearing on Fox News Channel and CNN.com. She has interviewed celebrities and sports icons, and covered major events including the police death of George Floyd, the Super Bowl and multiple Kentucky Derbys.
In September 2017, she was involved in a boat accident that resulted in the amputation of her left leg. The recovery was long and painful, but not once did she lose her positivity and drive. With the support of her family, Courtney found the strength to return to all the activities she enjoyed before the accident. Four months post-amputation, Courtney was back on her snowboard. She returned to work, her favorite fitness classes and even got back in her beloved high heels.
She serves on the board of the nationally recognized amputee non-profit, Wiggle Your Toes as well as the board of the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation.
On her own time, she provides one-on-one peer support to new amputees and does frequent hospital visits. She advocates for amputee rights at the state and federal level, lobbying members of the Minnesota legislature and U.S. Congress.
She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and their son, Callan.
Chad Greenway
Chad played 11 years for the Mn Vikings after finishing an All-American career at the University of Iowa. Growing up on a family farm in South Dakota, Chad learned the valuable lessons of hard work, perseverance, and dedication to a craft can bring success.
Rising from a small town of 350 people to being an 11 year pro, team captain and leader along with 4 time Walter Payton Man of the Year learn valuable concepts and characteristics of being team first. Learn the tools and mentality it takes to get to the highest level of achievement in a sport, and learn the against all odds story of determination.
Along with his playing career Chad ran and continues to run a successful non profit (Lead the Way Foundation) along with his business (Gray Duck Spirits).
Chad speaks on the topics of Business, Leadership, Teamwork and Success.
For local and non-profit organizations, Chad considers their budgets as his schedule allows.
Mike Max
Mike Max is the sports director at WCCO TV (CBS), hosts a nightly radio show on WCOO Radio in Minneapolis and has been on the speaking circuit for 25 years. He draws stories from thousands of interviews over the years that range from Michael Jordan to the captain of the Special Olympics softball team, all offer amazing insights into life. Mike received local and national acclaim for his six days of reporting from the front lines of “Minneapolis Riots” following the death of Gorge Floyd that reached millions of viewers throughout the country, earning him numerous awards but more importantly changing his life because of what he observed and connected with the most inside view of the beginning of an international movement. He owns his own company, Mike Max Productions, and has produced over 1000 hours of television programs with it. He also hosted “Life to the Max”, a magazine show that allowed him to travel the United States seeking out stories of inspiration through common people that did the uncommon. He has served as keynote speaker for companies, education groups and associations all looking for stories that only he can tell, because only he was there. He will make you laugh, make you cry, but most importantly, make you think!
Jean Abbott
Jean Sharon Abbott was misdiagnosed as a young child with Spastic Dipligia, a form of Cerebral Palsy. After 33 years of countless doctors visits, medical procedures, unnecessary medications and surgeries, she was correctly diagnosed with Dopa Responsive Dystonia (DRD). Jean enjoys all the adventures of her new life, but wouldn’t change the journey that brought her to where she is today. Her positive attitude is highly contagious as she encourages others to appreciate the little things in life.
Jean’s powerful story of perseverance no matter what life brings will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Since she appeared on the Today Show, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo!, and the U.K.’s “Daily Mail”, an overwhelming number of people from around the world have contacted Jean to tell her how inspired they were by her journey from “wheels to heels”.
Casey O’Brien
Casey O’Brien, a native of St Paul, Minnesota, is a five time cancer survivor and widely recognized motivational speaker. After being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, an extremely rare form of bone cancer, at the age of 13, his main goal in life has become inspiring others. After having the cancer relapse in both of his lungs in high school, he made varsity football debut as a Placeholder. He checked into the hospital for chemotherapy the following morning. He later walked on to play football as a Placeholder for Coach PJ Fleck and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Casey played in his first career Big 10 football game at Rutgers on October 19th, 2019. His first play and moment shared with Coach Fleck were covered by ESPN, ABC World News, The Today Show, and more. He spoke in front of a national audience at the 2019 ESPN College Football Awards Show after receiving the Disney Spirit Award for the most inspiring story in all of college football. He was the keynote speaker in front of 2,000 people at the 2019 Big 10 Media Days in Chicago, and his speech has now been viewed over 100,000 times. He looks to spread his positivity, unbelievable resiliency, and motivation to succeed to every group he speaks to.
Bruce Christopher
Psychologist and humorist, Bruce Christopher, is America’s foremost “Enter-Trainer” today. He has earned this distinction because of his high-energy style and humorous presentation of his material. He is a licensed psychologist holding degrees in Professional Psychology and Interpersonal Communications from the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas. Bruce has Enter-Trained audiences internationally because of his humorous approach to today’s hot topics which impact our personal, professional and practice lives. He combines excellent content with loads of laughter and contagious comedy.
He has been honored to speak at the Exclusive Million Dollar Roundtable Conference (three times!), the Royal College of Surgeons in London, the Mayo Clinic, and on the largest stage in the world.
His clients include: American Airlines, American Express, Best Buy, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Boeing, General Electric, IBM, The IRS, Oracle, 3M, New York Life, State Farm, Texas Instruments, U.S. Navy, U.S. Postal, Wells Fargo and many others.
Bruce is a credentialed professional speaker and trainer, he is a member of the American Psychological Association, the National Speakers Association, and is a practicing clinical psychologist. He has earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation (CSP), which is the speaking profession’s highest merited international measure of professional platform competence. Less than 12 percent of speakers worldwide, currently hold this professional designation. He speaks over 100 times each year and is one of the most sought-after speakers in the Fortune 500 and at the most prestigious medical and dental conventions.
His mission is: “Laugh ’till you cry…Learn ’till you change!” “I was expecting a lecture, instead what I saw was more like a stand-up comedy show with great content!”
His best-selling keynotes consistently sell out to standing room only crowds at national conventions.
When you are faced with morale problems, communication conflicts, customer service issues, managing change, need for teamwork, or just a great time of laughter. . . this Psychologist is in!
Tim Gabrielson
Tim has been performing and speaking for over 30 years. He originally became in-demand nationally for his riveting show combining clean humor and highly-skilled magic. It didn’t take long to gain the attention of agents and producers alike-which landed him fill-in spots for Vegas headliners before acquiring his own room at The House of Blues in Mandalay Bay on the Vegas Strip. During that 18 years and thousands of shows, “overnight” success, Tim realized, that his humor was touching and changing lives by allowing people to see beyond their immediate hardships. So, for the past 10+ years, he has been infusing his highly-entertaining show with a powerfully simple and applicable take-away message about starting each day with Gratitude, choosing your Attitude, changing your Behaviour, and creating Enthusiasm. (G.A.B.E)