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 companyâs entertainment cable news network REELZ. During his time there, Steve served as a correspondent and anchor for the networkâs daily entertainment news program, interviewing many of the biggest stars in Hollywood along the way.
Steve enjoys writing in the third person. He doesnât think anyone actually reads an entire bio. So if you havenât given up on this just yet, kudos! You done good, kid.
Joan Steffend
Joan used to be an actress, who studied at Warner Brothers. She used to be a national Emmy-winning news reporter and anchor at KARE-11(NBC) in the Twin Cities for almost two decades. She tried her hand as a television host of “Decorating Cents” on HGTV for ten years – hosting many “Dream Home” specials, and rating record setting “Christmas at the White House” specials. She was a guest on “Entertainment Tonight”, “The Today Show”, “The Oprah Show” and “Live, with Regis and Kelly.”
Today Joan speaks for organizations across the United States. She has a gift for lifting people up. She connects people to their own magnificence and to one another. A sense of community is only one of the many reasons to invite Joan to speak for your organization. One of her favorite topics is: reclaiming your most brilliant self…and using it to change the world for the better.
Joan is also encouraging others with her two books ( “…and she sparkled” and “peace in, peace out” ). Her non-profit, “peace begins with me” is her latest effort to ask the world (that’s you, by the way) to be a little kinder to itself.
When she heard that the Dalai Lama had said that the Western woman will save the world, Joan thought, “Let’s get started.”
Amy Dee
Amy Dee is recognized by audiences across the country as a master storyteller and brilliant comedian. She combines her background in standup comedy and theatre with her RN degree and experience as a successful business owner to deliver hilarious stories and valuable content on the brain and behavior. Her message and music rise above the boundaries of gender, age, and occupation. Amy’s hilarious stories coupled with her phenomenal content propels audiences to live, act, and work better. Her authentic spirit and down to earth approach have made her one of the most sought-after speakers throughout the United States. She is truly one of the best speakers in the country at combining message and humor.
Amyâs background is as diverse as her audiences. She once ran a non-profit where she managed five hundred volunteers and organized multiple fundraisers that culminated in an eight-hour telethon.
Amy lived in Norway from 1994-2003, and while learning to speak, read and write in Norwegian, she started a photo calendar business in her home. Her company grew to become Xeroxâs largest customer in Scandinavia.
Amy returned to college at age forty-three to obtain her RN degree. She was nominated for Nurse of the Year several times during her nine years as a Psychiatric RN. Amy has been a monthly guest expert on NBC affiliate ND Today. She has written four books and numerous song parodies.
Laura Schara
Nature is our greatest teacher. Laura Schara, TV host of MN Bound on KARE-11 shares stories what itâs like growing up in the wild outdoors. She highlights valuable lessons learned by spending time outdoors which gives us tools to succeed in life, increase happiness & productivity as well as skills we need to thrive in business and entrepreneurship. The wilderness provides way more than basic needs and the teacher appears the minute we step outside.
Ross Bernstein
The best-selling author of nearly 50 sports books, Ross Bernstein is an award-winning peak performance hall of fame business speaker whoâs keynoted conferences on all seven continents and has been featured on thousands of television and radio programs including: CNN, âCBS This Morning,â ESPN, and Fox News, as well as in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today. Keynoting more than 100 live events globally per year, Rossâ passion is studying just what it is that makes the great ones great â and then translating that to business through his âChampionâs Codeâ program in order to help people not just win, but to win with integrity.
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 âWOWâ 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 âBe The Exceptionâ. Her latest book, âPineapple Principleâ, 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.
Cindra Kamphoff
Cindra Kamphoff, Ph.D., CMPC, is an award-winning keynote speaker and executive coach for leaders, professional athletes, executives and championship teams. Her clients range from Verizon Wireless, Target, and Walmart to the Minnesota Vikings. She has provided mental training for the Minnesota Vikings for 4 years, working one-on-one with the players.
She is the author of an Amazon bestseller, Beyond Grit: Ten Powerful Practices to Gain the High Performance Edge and the corresponding workbook. Her work has appeared in New York Times, Forbes, The Huffington Post, and USA Today.
She is the founder of the High Performance Mindset podcast which has over 1 million downloads and ranked in the top 100 podcasts where she interviews thought leaders about mindset. Her work has appeared in New York Times, Forbes, The Huffington Post, and USA Today. As a result of Cindraâs speaking and training, people tend to say they have more energy, more control of their inner dialogue and ultimately, perform at a higher level more consistently.
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.
Nicole Middendorf
A domestic violence survivor in the male dominated financial industry uses her own experience to change lives with the Live It Listâą.
Nicole is a knowledge junkie, a mentor, and a born coach. She is an entrepreneur who has run her own business since 2003. Nicole is the author of five books, and the mother of two phenomenal children. She is also a world traveler, a philanthropist, and an accomplished public speaker.
As a speaker Nicole shares a real-life perspective on life and happiness with audiences across the country. Her primary goal is to inspire others to make real change in their lives by taking complicated things and making them easy to understand and giving actionable items to make change.
As a domestic violence survivor, Nicole continues to trudge through the male dominated financial services industry. Nicole completely understands the feelings of intimidation, control, and empowerment.
Nicole developed the Live It Listâą, a tool that changed and transformed her life. Nicole speaks across the world and shares her story and her tool, helping others to change their lives by finding happiness and fulfillment.
The world needs more peopleâespecially womenâto be financially savvy, wholly independent, happy and living a life of balance. Through Nicoleâs writing, public speaking, coaching program and work, she wants to be the one who supports them on all levels.
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.’