Avi Olitzky
Avi Olitzky is the president and principal consultant of Olitzky Consulting Group. Over the course of his professional career, Avi has served as senior rabbi to one of the largest congregations in North America, successfully launched and grown innovative information technology and content-driven production companies and organizations, and was a founding board chair and board member for numerous non-profits. He is a master facilitator, design-thinker and strategic planner, innovator, speaker, and retreat organizer. In addition, he has served as an advisor and strategic consultant to multiple membership organizations and non-profits, camps and youth organizations, synagogues and churches, for-profit executives, and general companies. He was appointed to and served on city Human Rights Commissions as well as hospital IRBs for Human Subjects Research. Avi’s expertise in engagement, organizational planning, and outreach is regularly called upon, especially as co-author of New Membership & Financial Alternatives for the American Synagogue – From Traditional Dues to Fair Share to Gifts from the Heart (Jewish Lights). Avi is also a co-founder of SpirituWell, and serves as its Chief People & Spiritual Officer.
George Campbell
George Campbell is a Hall of Fame Speaker, published author, and in his rebellious youth, an award-winning stand-up comic, appearing on stages with the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and others way more famous that himself.
His work on countless corporate stages brought him to the attention of 60 Minutes, the LA Times, and (more embarrassingly), the game show, To Tell the Truth.
And then, he stumbled across a question so compelling that it changed the direction of his career and his life: How is possible for smart, capable people to be completely aware of a few simple actions, that done consistently, would result in tremendous positive changes, and yet be unable to generate that ongoing behavior?
George spent the next four years researching the neuroscience surrounding this behavior. That work culminated in his bold new project, The Consistency Chain.
Desiree Petrich
Hi! I’m Desiree, I left my management position in Healthcare in 2021 after 10 years in the field, to follow my dream of growing myself, and helping others to develop into the person and leader they want to be. I now get to share the message of personal development, growth and leadership with those around me, to help set individuals up for success in their homes, at work and in their relationships.
I truly believe that both personal and professional success lies in our ability to create happy lives through confidence, kindness, strength, and collaboration. This helps us to overcome adversity, take risks, and lead a life we’re proud to call our own.
WHAT I DO: I help businesses and individuals prepare for opportunities, lead by example, and create self confidence in their ability to set goals and reach them. I do this through teambuilding, leadership development, group coaching and masterminds, keynote speaking, and personality assessments to help teams continue to grow as one.
WHY ME: I help individuals learn what they value about themselves, their team, and their company.
I have built myself up from the bottom in several areas of life. From losing 50 pounds in high school, and learning to maintain it, to starting as a CNA in a nursing home and working my way into a management position at a dementia facility.
I read an average of 70 books per year, and use that knowledge to help educate and add value to others who are looking for a happier life, but don’t know where to start.
I lost my mom in 2022, and found a way to maintain my healthy habits while grieving her loss, and raising a 2 year old and a 2 month old.
Dave Cornell
Dave Cornell is a speaker, coach and trainer who helps individuals and organizations overcome their fears by making courageous choices both personally and professionally so they can lead more productive, passionate and engaged lives. He founded Cultivate Courage, LLC in 2011 to accomplish this mission. He has over 35 years of experience in sales, sales management and training and development.Dave’s business is focused on three areas; Speaking, Coaching and Training. Dave’s powerful presentation, Cultivate Courage, which focuses on fear, courage and change and how those emotions affect individuals and organizations, is well received by audiences and has been a launching pad for performance development and personal improvement. Dave also serves as a Senior Consultant with David Horsager’s Trust Edge Leadership Institute. Dave and his wife, Amy, have been married for 41 years. They immensely enjoy time with their two grown daughters, son-in-law and four grandchildren. He also enjoys golf, basketball, and anything with a comedic bent. Relating to that comedic bent, he is a graduate of Stevie Ray’s School of Improv.
Vineeta Sawkar
Vineeta Sawkar is a five time Emmy award-winning television anchor who is now the Director of Public Relations at the University of St. Thomas. Vineeta spent twenty-three years in the television news business. She is best known for her eighteen years at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis. She left KSTP in 2013 and pioneered a new role at the Minneapolis Star Tribune as a video host. She and her family are proud St. Paul residents. Vineeta is a former Friends of the St. Paul Public Library board member and Children’s Hospital Association board member. She is now volunteering with the Minnesota Wild to recruit more kids of color to play the sport of hockey.
Lori La Bey
Humorist, Heartfelt Stories, Practical Tools & Resources
Families and healthcare professionals are looking for the same thing when it comes to caring for those they serve. They want new, innovated way to assess and share knowledge. Lori La Bey has been recognized by Oprah as “Health Hero,” Maria Shriver as an “Architect of Change,” Dr Oz as the “#1 Influencer Online for Alzheimer’s,” and by AARP MN as a “Disruptor, Caring Creator, and Inspiring Leader.” Members of Lori’s audience benefit from her humor and heartfelt style as she:
- Delivers simple, practical tools and techniques they can easily implement,
- Provides a wide array of resources, and
- Demonstrate techniques to shift mindsets from crisis to comfort.
Been There Done That
Lori understands the lived experience of caring for others and herself. Her own family maneuvered the roller coaster of dementia with her Mother for 30 years, the journey of brain cancer with her Father, having a child almost die from Meningitis, taking in teens and adults in her home that no longer could live with their families. She knows what it’s like to be in the trenches of care: the stress, exhaustion, tug of war with family and friends, frustration of lack of access to support, knowledge, plus lack of a cure. Her healthcare background allows Lori to understand service delivery systems and how to adapt to move forward. Her marketing experience allows her to create unique strategies, create friendly onboarding processes, which provide dignity, respect, and empowerment to all involved. Lori understands we must provide a variety of platforms to engage and reach various learning styles. Some initiatives Lori has launched:
- The first, radio show dedicated to dementia and caregiving in the world,
- The first, video platform which raised the voices of people living with dementia in the world,
- The first, Dementia Friendly Community in the United States,
- Bringing the Memory Café’ concept to the United States from the United Kingdom, and
- The first global resource directory for dementia care.
- Her emotional based training to get people to feel the need to change, not just the mandate to do a job.
Caring Has No Boundaries
Lori La Bey specializes in dementia care, but her programs are easily adapted to a variety of groups as caring has no boundaries. Other prime audiences are: Hospice & Palliative Care, Loss and Grief, Conscious Compassionate Selfcare, Divorce, Bullying, Empowerment and Well Being, Cancer and Other Terminal Illnesses, Struggling Teens, Ageism, Economical and Simple Culture Adjustments, Living with Purpose, Marketing to Be Remembered, Caregiving and more. Lori presents to patients, families, and professionals and can easily adapt to be inclusive and respectful when speaking to combined audiences. She is available for keynotes, breakouts, and training programs range from an hour to multiple days.
Lori La Bey – Changing How Care Is Perceived, Received and Delivered
Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas is Penn State meteorologist with over 45 years of television and radio experience. A serial entrepreneur, Douglas has launched 7 businesses. Founder and Chief Meteorologist at Praedictix, providing weather services, consulting and briefings for media and corporate interests. Developers and engineers create unique streams of weather data, imagery and API’s for corporations via AerisWeather. The latest science and models are leveraged to provide insight for corporations factoring climate trends into investment, resilience and sustainability via ClimaTrends. Douglas is a member of the Climate Science Rapid Response Team. In 2017 he co-authored a book on climate, focused on matters of faith and science: “Caring for Creation, the Evangelical’s Guide to Climate Change and a Healthy Environment”. A frequent contributor to MSNBC, Douglas was featured in NOVA’s “Decoding the Weather Machine”, Douglas has spent the last 25 years connecting the dots between climate volatility and weather disruption.
Paul uses weather as a metaphor to track the “storms of business”, telling his unique story, and the lessons he’s learned from starting up 6 companies – often the hard way. He is also the perfect Emcee for your next event.
Daniel Shannon
Throughout his meteoric rise with top companies in the CPG, Financial Service and Retail industries, Daniel has accumulated nearly two decades of executional and thought leadership experiences. Inspired by his desire to enhance the value proposition of spaces where he has influence, by leveraging his uncommon combination of professional and personal experiences, Daniel has developed an exceptional competency in the areas of B2B sales, marketing, business development, and an UNMATCHED expertise on matters of diversity, equity and Inclusion.
Daniel’s corporate successes translate beautifully into his work as a speaker. Carefully customizing each of his presentations, based on his clients’ specific needs and goals, his approach is reflective of actual experience and proven solutions, rather than theory. On top of that, Daniel is beloved by his audiences for his signature style, combining entertainment with tangible takeaways!
Richard Coffey
Richard Coffey is a native of North Carolina. A businessman and former professional athlete, Richard served three years in the United States Army as an Airborne Paratrooper-a member of the first to fight, last to fall 82nd Airborne. Richard is a former college basketball player with a degree in business. After graduating from college, Richard played professional basketball in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. After the NBA he continued his basketball career playing and coaching abroad in Europe and Asia. Following his basketball career, Richard worked as a leader in the corporate sales industry for over 20 years.
Richard is a dynamic and powerful speaker who is passionate about helping others reach the next level in their life, no matter what season they are in.
Richard believes every person should have a personal strategic plan. His wisdom and humor will enlighten and captivate everyone who has the opportunity to learn from him.
Through personal and professional reflection, Richard delivers a thought-provoking experience that challenges, inspires and motivates his audience to take the next steps in reaching their full potential. Through Richard’s background and experiences in the military, athletics and corporate America, he takes your audience on a thrilling, empowering and entertaining journey of self-discovery that is quite often described as life changing.
Karla Hult
Karla offers the style, substance and rich perspective of an award-winning journalist, a mother “trying to do it all,” and a dedicated daughter dealing with the darkest of diseases.
As a graduate of both St. Olaf College and Columbia University (Master’s in International Affairs), Karla has worked as an anchor and reporter in several markets, covering diverse topics that touch our community: from the international refugee crisis, to local political clashes, to those who leave a lasting legacy. She translates that education, empathy and understanding of diverse issues to delivering the most personable, compelling and passionate delivery as an emcee.
But Karla hasn’t stopped there… after losing her own beloved dad to Alzheimer’s disease, Karla uniquely captures the challenges of what she calls, “So Many Goodbyes,” saying goodbye to your loved one’s ability to talk, walk, remember. We promise… you have not yet heard an Alzheimer’s speaker describe the emotional pain, the financial toll, and the need to “savor what you still have,” with as much compassion, sincerity and power… as Karla.
And even while Karla has become a leader in the fight against Alzheimer’s, she also always reassures others on the journey, “you’re not alone.”