Keynote Speakers
Growing Leaders offers cutting-edge leadership development speakers and resources to transform ordinary students into life-giving leaders.
Whether through discussion, reading, mentoring or listening to a storyteller, we know people benefit from a variety of learning styles. At our training workshops and events, we support our written courses with engaging speakers who help adults understand and connect with the emerging generation.
Our speakers also serve as guides for the upcoming generation by speaking to them directly and inspiring them to pursue true leadership qualities in their own lives.
Each of our speakers is well-versed in unique, relatable topics that illustrate what it means to be an authentic leader in a memorable, accessible way. Below is a list of speakers, their background, and the topics on which they focus.
Leadership Keynote Speakers
Tim Elmore
Founder and President
-Growing Leaders
Tim is a dynamic communicator who uses principles, images and stories to equip young leaders.
Major Themes Include:
- Leadership development (Habitudes)
- Millennial Generation (Gen Y)
- Generation Z
- Mentoring: How to invest your life in others
- Identity, Strengths and Personal Life Mission
- Nurturing the Leader in Your Child
- Character and self-leadership
- Becoming an effective communicator
Holly Moore
Vice President of Growing Leaders
Holly is an engaging communicator who speaks for educational, non-profit and corporate audiences on leveraging their strengths to create great teams and healthy culture. She is a Certified Practitioner for the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. She also speaks and consults with individuals and groups to present psychological type and how it applies to relationships and team dynamics.
Major themes include:
- Leadership Development for Young Professionals
- Millennial Generation (Understanding and Connecting with Generation Y)
- Generational Diversity in the Workplace
- Creating a Leadership Development Culture
- Becoming an Effective Mentor
- Team Building (Relational Dynamics and Communication Styles)
- Myers Briggs Type Indicator (How Type Impacts Team Dynamics)
Billy Boughey
President and CEO of Elevate Live Events
Billy is an energetic leader who has a passion to add value and impact others. Billy played baseball on the collegiate level at Middle Georgia, Auburn University and Georgia State University, and later, professionally with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Major themes include:
- Habitudes Experience- Timeless leadership principles communicated through the power of an image, a conversation, and an experience.
- LifeGiving Mentors- Learn the art of mentoring relationships with practical steps to influence and invest in others.
Josh Isenhardt
Founder and President
of Simple Message
Josh Isenhardt is a dynamic and high-energy communicator who is passionate about sharing truth in a simple and impactful way.
Major Themes Include:
- LifeGiving Mentors – Learn the art of mentoring relationships with practical steps to influence and invest in others.
- Habitudes Experience – Timeless leadership principles communicated through the power of an image, a conversation, and an experience.
- Generation iY® – Understanding and Working with Millennials
- Artificial Maturity – Helping Kids Become Authentic Adults
- Huge Mistakes Parents & Educators Can Avoid
- Helicopters and Karaoke
Andrew McPeak
MILLENIAL SPEAKER AND CONTENT DEVELOPER WITH GROWING LEADERS
His experiences as both presenter and curriculum designer have led him to become well versed in communicating to and about the next generations. In his role as Program Excellence Manager, he works closely with schools, universities and sports team on implementingHabitudes as a tool to teach life and leadership skills. This experience enables him to help leaders understand how to craft their message in a way that best connects with today’s student.
Major themes include:
- Generation iY
- Habitudes Experience- Timeless leadership principles communicated through the power of an image, a conversation, and an experience.
Joseph Sojourner
Next Gen Leader & Rap Artist
As a next gen leader and rap artist, Joseph brings an unprecedented energy to student events.
Major themes include:
- Fight Club: Fighting for others instead of fighting against others
- Leadership Development
- Primary Colors of A Leader
Will Parker
Principal - Skiatook High School
A member of the National Association of Secondary Principals, Parker was named the 2011 Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year. As principal of a Title I school, his school’s innovative approaches to collaboration, remediation and mentoring have resulted in marked improvements in student performance.
He is regularly asked to speak to principal associations, school leadership conferences, and graduate classes on effective leadership practices, organizational behavior, and digital tools for enhancing school communication.
Sterling Brown
Director of Character Development-
Kennesaw State University
Sterling Brown is the director of character development at Kennesaw State University. He is responsible for helping student-athletes develop the fundamentals of character that will serve and guide them throughout and following their playing careers.
Since graduating from college, he has spent the last 22 years mentoring and developing leaders in the world of athletics. Through his work as a former assistant director of strength & conditioning at Florida State and his work with an NHL team, he brings a breadth of experience and depth of passion to every event with student athletes, coaches and leaders.
Dave Hart
Founder, Athletics Legacy Partners
Former NCAA D1 Athletic Director
When people from within the athletics industry, including peers in athletics administration, coaches, television executives, NCAA staff, conference commissioners and post season football bowl directors, are asked to describe Dave Hart in one word, there is commonality in their responses. The words that are most used to best embody his sphere of influence nationally during his decorated career of nearly 35 years in college athletics administration are: Leader, Class, Core Values, Respect, Presence and Visionary.
As a former student-athlete, coach and athletics director, he has seen the industry evolve from all three perspectives. Dave served in a leadership position within the athletics department of four major universities: East Carolina University, Director of Athletics; Florida State University, Director of Athletics; University of Alabama, Executive Director of Athletics; and most recently as the University of Tennessee, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics. Dave is currently the Founder and President of Athletics Legacy Partners where he focuses on helping others in the world of collegiate athletics develop student-athlete centered programs.
Michael Hirsch
Director of Loveworks, Inc
Michael carries a passion for leadership and helping people to discover their potential.
MAJOR THEMES INCLUDE:
- Gen IY: Last Chance to Save Their Future
- Developing Your Life Sentence
- Unleashing your Potential in Every Arena
- The Inner Life of a Leader
- Creating Culture within Your Team and Organization
- Strategic Leadership Plans
Timothy Alexander
Character Coach, UAB Football & Women's Basketball, Emmy Award Winner
Timothy knows what it takes to beat the odds.
He played football at Erwin HS, Birmingham and finished his football career at UAB. Currently, Alexander now serves as the character coach for UAB Football and Women's Basketball and travels across the country sharing his story in effort to motivate and inspire others to live life to the fullest.
No matter what obstacle comes his way, he’s determined to never quit. His drive helped him become a college football player when many believed that dream was impossible.
When his beloved University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazer football program ended in December 2014, he rallied to save his team.
His amazing story will make you believe that with Alexander, anything is possible.
Brenda Coomer Black
Program Development Consultant
Brenda is a warm and inviting communicator who speaks for both corporate/public as well as non-profit organization audiences.
MAJOR THEMES INCLUDE:
- The private life of a leader
- Women in leadership
- Raising leaders through mentoring relationships
- Balancing life’s demands
- Priorities and leadership
- Want to start developing leaders?
Zach Hunter
International Youth Speaker
Author– Be the Change
Zach is an emerging leader who is best known for his work mobilizing a new generation committed to social justice. Zach is the author of four books including Be the Change , a book about ending human trafficking and addressing other problems facing the world today.
Zach has spoken around the world and is a frequent guest in the media.
MAJOR THEMES INCLUDE:
- Be the Change – How to mobilize students to take their place in history
- Lose Your Cool – Discovering your passion
- Chivalry – An epic journey to live with honor and integrity in an unjust world
