James Robilotta
James is an author, professional speaker, personal coach, and trained improv comedian. After nearly 15 years of building, training, supervising, and evaluating teams, James followed an entrepreneurial dream and built two successful businesses. The first is an organization that incorporates freestyle rapping into improv comedy (a success story for another day). And the second is his speaking and coaching business (a success story for today).
James has been speaking professionally to willing and unwilling audiences for years and has found that quality humor — not your lame, laugh-track, dad-joke humor — is the secret to hosting powerful conversations that make a genuine impact. His attendees leave feeling recharged, introspective, and ready to get out of their own way. With years of research (and a few too many real-life case studies within his work), James learned everything he could about authenticity in the workplace and uses this insight to host conversations about communication, rapport building, engagement, feedback, retention, promoting memorability, life balance, increased productivity, and more.
James’ cornerstone concept is that we as humans can’t learn from people who are perfect, we can only learn from people who are imperfect. And companies like American Express, GE, and Afterpay have gravitated toward this message and found the insights to be invaluable in shifting the way their teams communicate. Simply put, James is working to bring humanity back into the workplace and is on a mission to ensure that in their personal and work life, every human realizes they are enough.
Pam Borton
Research shows that professional speakers from outside the organization and industry bring invaluable insights, perspectives, and expertise. The best professional speakers are masters at motivating, inspiring and bringing a different voice and experience to your audience.
Pam Borton is a true pioneer and expert on leadership and teamwork. As an author, speaker, executive coach and CEO of ON Point Next Level Leadership, Pam has spent her entire career shaping people, teams and organizational success by helping leaders develop high performing teams and engaged employees. With her signature mix of inspiration, authenticity, storytelling, and no-nonsense practicality, Pam has lead, coached and spoken to thousands of leaders and is consistently sought after as a strong female presence that is relatable to her clients and audiences. Whether she’s addressing Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, government agencies, non-profits, schools or churches, Pam’s down-to-earth nature and insightful concepts will resonate.
Rene Rodriguez
Born amongst the palm trees and percussion of Miami, René began splitting his time in frosty Minnesota as a teen. This continuum of climates and cultures introduced him to the breadth of the human condition at a young age. He then attended the University of St. Thomas where he began to see the power of applying neuroscience to create personal and professional change.
For over two decades, René has been researching and applying behavioral neuroscience as a dynamic keynote speaker, leadership advisor, world-class sales expert, and renowned speaker coach. He has also trained more than 100,000 people in applying behavioral psychology and neurology methodologies to solve some of the toughest challenges in leadership, sales, and change.
As an entrepreneur and CEO of multiple companies, Rene integrates a practical business approach that inspires his audiences to take action. Through his keynote, boot camps, workshops, and proprietary AMPLIFII™ course, he helps us own our backstory to build the
frame for our unique and beautiful picture of life.
The result: greater influence, personal transformation, and immediate results in business and life by engaging with courage and grace.
He has authored dozens of articles and is currently in the process of writing his first book
– Amplify Your Influence.
Jerrid Sebesta
For nearly a decade, former TV meteorologist Jerrid Sebesta has keynoted in front of 200+ audiences ranging from CEOs to teachers to farmers – inspiring them to live with more urgency, lead with more dedication and grow with more authenticity. In this transformative keynote, Jerrid Sebesta unpacks the ‘Life Undeferred’ philosophy, demonstrating how living in the present is the most potent tool for personal and professional fulfillment. Drawing from his dynamic life shifts, including the pivotal January 1st, 2022 event, Jerrid illuminates how to live fully in the ‘now’ to create an enriched ‘tomorrow.’
Janel Anderson
Dr. Janel Anderson has always been passionate about the intersection of technology, communication, and workplace dynamics. Part futurist, part professor, part executive coach, Dr. Anderson brings fresh insights and practical strategies that can be implemented immediately, all while making you see the world differently.
From her early days where she was employee #23 at a tech start-up to university classrooms where she was an award winning professor to her intrepreneurial years leading a rogue tech team in a large corporation, she has not only studied, but also lived and breathed the evolution of the workplace. She blends research and action as she delivers keynotes that invigorate, empower, and transform participants.
Dr. Anderson has appeared in Fast Company, Inc, Entrepreneur, and The Atlantic, as well as on several television networks. In addition to being a popular business keynote speaker and corporate trainer, she is also the author of “Head On: How to Approach Difficult Conversations Directly.” In her spare time, she reverse engineers recipes for dishes from her favorite restaurants in her kitchen at home.
Diane Amundson
As a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) I deliver live and virtual presentations for organizations that want to communicate more effectively with their employees to improve productivity. My expertise is in leadership, team building, conflict resolution and strategic planning. I speak locally & internationally in these areas and am known for my ability to make complex subjects simple to understand and apply. I have worked for General Mills and Pepsi Cola in sales and have taught at Winona State University as an Adjunct Professor of Organizational Behavior. My background also includes working as a General Manager with Express Employment Professionals. I have additional expertise in human resources, sales and training. I work with teams, managers and executives that want to improve their communication skills. I have published a chapter titled “Humility Leads the Way” in a book titled “Success Strategies: A High Achievers Guide to Success”. I believe being humble is one of the key components of a successful leader.
Laura Goodrich
Laura Goodrich is an expert on Transformation and the Future of Work. She has over 20 years of experience as an executive coach. And is recognized by Thinkers 360 as the top 20 thought leaders in Transformation, Future of Work, Change, Culture, and Technology. Her global perspectives on workforce dynamics and change have earned her a reputation as someone who can create positive outcomes in even the most challenging workplace dynamics. She was recognized as the 10 Most Inspiring Businesswomen to Watch in 2020
Lea B. Olsen
Growing up in poverty in a racially-blended family created social dilemmas for Lea at a young age. She learned that when your family doesn’t fit the mold, you have to get comfortable breaking the mold. It was one of her first Wins in Life.
Lea began her basketball career in the junior year of high school and, after only two years, went on to play Division I basketball at the University of Minnesota. Surrounded by coaches and teammates while doing what she loved was transformational. She developed an appreciation for the critical role process plays in achieving your goals.
Lea’s unique perspective on Winning in sports, business, and life has given her a game plan on how to Win with purpose and passion. As a speaker and thought leader, she thrives on helping people and businesses find their Wins while staying true to their core values and beliefs.
Chad Ellsworth
Chad Ellsworth is an author; professional keynote speaker; career, leadership, and life coach who empowers people to cultivate courageous cultures in their workplaces and organizations. In 2018, he published, “Building up without tearing down: How to cultivate heroic leadership in you and your organization.” On December 29, 2018, he was featured in a story in the Star Tribune, “Coaching us to purposeful lives.” In 2007, Chad was named an Anti-Hazing Hero by HazingPrevention.Org, and in 2010, he received one of two national awards that year for outstanding professionals by the Fraternity Information & Programming Group (FIPG).
Chad served the University of Minnesota community for more than 15 years as a Career Coach for the Carlson School of Management, where he was recognized in 2018 as Staff of the Year; an Academic Advisor and interim Pre-Health Career Coach for the College of Biological Sciences; an Academic and Career Coach for the Center for Academic Planning & Exploration; Adjunct Faculty for the College of Biological Sciences, Leadership Minor, and Office of Undergraduate Education; Program Director for the Office for Fraternity & Sorority Life; and Student Activities Advisor.
Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Chad received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska in 2001, and his master’s degree from the University of Maryland in 2004. He currently serves Carleton College as the Program Director for Employer Relations. He lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area with his wife, Kristin, and two sons, Joey and Paul.
Joe Schmit
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, author and popular keynote speaker. As a sports broadcaster he has covered every major sporting event in the past 4 decades and has interviewed many of the biggest names in sports. He joined KSTP-TV in 1985 and has won 18 Emmys from the National Television Academy. In 2020, Joe was awarded The Silver Circle designation by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Emmys for extraordinary contributions to the broadcasting industry. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001.
Before joining KSTP-TV in 1985, he was Sports Director for WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin. His career also includes positions as weekend sports anchor for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and WKBT-TV in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Joe earned his degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Joe is also an author of two books: “ Silent Impact ” and “ The Impact Blueprint.”
In 2019 Joe was also inducted into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame and earned his CSP designation (Certified Speaking Professional) from the National Speakers Association. Less than 15 percent of NSA members worldwide have achieved the CSP designation.
Joe is a long time youth mentor committed to advocating for a number of community organizations with Big Brothers and Big Sisters is at the top of his list. He is a past president and board member of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities. He has raised over $3 million for the organization through the Joe Schmit Celebrity Golf Tournament which had a 16-year run. In 2000, he was the winner of the Jim Kelly Distinguished Service Award from Big Brothers and Big Sisters and in 2001, a winner of the Odyssey Award for commitment to youth mentorship. He was also honored as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) Community Leader of the Year in 2005.
In 2018 Joe was honored with the Mike Givens Distinguished Service Award for The Mind over Matter Foundation. Joe and his wife Laura also chaired a $4.5 million dollar capital campaign for VEAP, the largest food shelf in Minnesota. He is past president and board member of the Fairway Foundation and has contributed time to many other charitable organizations.