Amy S. Tolbert
Amy S. Tolbert, Ph.D., CSP develops multicultural organizations and individuals by bringing you cutting-edge topics, such as, multicultural and diversity initiatives, leadership competency development, managing to style, and creating breakthrough teams. She is principal of ECCO (Energizing Cultural Change in Organizations) International, which specializes in increasing individuals’ productivity and organizations’ profitability through virtual and facilitated learning.
She is well authored with 4 books, many articles, validated assessment tools, asynchronous course offerings, active blogs and author of a video based global communications training to develop intercultural communication skills called Open Mind, Open World. Her offerings include actionable tools, processes and practice – a paradigm shifter with her stories and examples.
She earned her Certified Speaking Professional designation with the National Speakers Association. The CSP is the speaking profession’s international measure of speaking experience and skill. Fewer than 10 percent of the speakers who belong to the International Federation for Professional Speakers hold this professional designation. She was awarded the Mark LeBlanc Award for excellence in the speaking industry and was inducted into the MN Speakers Hall of Fame. Dr. Tolbert earned her doctorate in Human Resource Development, focusing on international/cross-cultural and diversity education/training, from the University of Minnesota. As an esteemed part of the Carlson Executive Faculty, Carlson Executive Education Center, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Dr. Tolbert earned her doctorate in Human Resource Development, focusing on international/cross-cultural and diversity education/training, from the University of Minnesota. She continues to support her alma mater by serving as adjunct faculty for several annual programs at Carlson Executive Education.
Amy Hockert
Amy Hockert is a television news anchor in the Twin Cities. She’s spent nearly 20 years as a news anchor, reporter and Senior VP with news organizations such as KARE-11, BringMeTheNews.com, and FOX9.
Amy’s personal and professional journeys are incredibly rich and diverse.
She’s spent several years volunteering at orphanages in China and helping those living in poverty in Ecuador. She is passionate about philanthropy, whether it’s overseas or in her own backyard.
Amy also knows how to re-define success when life doesn’t go according to plan. At the height of her television news career, Amy’s priorities shifted. She got married and started a family. By thinking outside the box, she successfully re-shaped various, smaller roles around her primary role as a mother of young children.
Three years ago, Amy re-entered the workforce full-time. She became Senior VP of a digital news organization where she managed the delivery/distribution of news content and assembled and oversaw the news team. And even more recently, Amy’s professional journey came full circle when she joined FOX9 as an anchor and special projects reporter.
Ross Bernstein
The best-selling author of nearly 50 sports books, Ross Bernstein is an award-winning peak performance hall of fame business speaker who’s keynoted conferences on all seven continents and has been featured on thousands of television and radio programs including: CNN, “CBS This Morning,” 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, Ross’ passion is studying just what it is that makes the great ones great – and then translating that to business through his “Champion’s Code” 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 “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.
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 Cindra’s 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.
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.
Joe Nayquonabe
Joe Nayquonabe, Jr. is an American Indian business professional that has spent his career reimagining and reinventing how American Indian tribal economies grow and prosper.
He spent over a decade as a marketing executive growing the Grand Casino brand before ascending to CEO of the Mille Lacs Band’s Corporate Commission where he created several companies including Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, which manages the entire business portfolio of the Mille Lacs Band; 2020 Brand Solutions; Maadaadizi Holdings; Wewinabi Inc., and Makwa Global. He has also kept Grand Casino at the forefront as one of the most valuable brands in Indian Gaming.
In addition to his work, Nayquonabe is a member of YPO (formerly Young Presidents’ Organization). He also serves on several boards including: the National Diversity Advisory Board for the University of Minnesota, the American Indian Advisory Board for St. Cloud State University, Herberger School of Business Advisory Board for St. Cloud State University, the American Red Cross Minneapolis Region, the Initiative Foundation, Visit Saint Paul, Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation, Great River Passage Conservancy, Metropolitan State College, the Minnesota Historical Society, Mille Lacs Health System, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis – Advisory Council.
Nayquonabe has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. Cloud State University, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and a master of tribal administration and governance degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
He and his wife, Chris, live in Onamia with their daughters, Bella, Phoenix-Rose, and Xiana. In his spare time, Joe enjoys running marathons, studying the Ojibwe language, and reading.
Roxane Battle
Roxane Battle is Vice President of Advocacy and Community at Sanvello Health, Inc., a tele-mental health company inside UnitedHealth Group Ventures. Sanvello has the #1 app for anxiety, stress and depression and provides insured behavioral healthcare to 40 million people. Roxane’s self-help video series, “Checking in with Roxane Battle,” is seen by 4 million subscribers on the Sanvello app.
Prior to coming to Sanvello, Roxane spent 20+ years as a television news anchor and Emmy-nominated reporter at NBC Minneapolis, CBS, and FOX.
As life-long public speaker Roxane uses her gift of humor and natural storytelling to help people develop personal strategies to better manage stress, build resiliency and find joy during times of transition.
Roxane was named an Architect of Change on mariashriver.com and has been featured in Working Mother and Ebony national magazines, and regularly makes podcast and television guest appearances.
A Minnesota native, Roxane earned her undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She completed her master’s degree in journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Her self-help memoir, Pockets of Joy: Deciding to Be Happy, Choosing to Be Free (Whitaker House 2017), became an Amazon Top 100 best seller in multiple categories.
She has an adult son, calls the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes home, owns a pair of roller skates and makes a mean mac and cheese.
Sam Richter
Considered a leading authority on sales intelligence and digital reputation management, bestselling author and National Hall of Fame speaker Sam Richter, CSP, CPAE delivers his top-rated, incredibly dynamic, highly entertaining, and extremely high-content keynote presentations and workshop sessions to audiences worldwide. Sam’s programs also include access to attendee bonuses, which ensures that the learning – and most important, the implementation and impact – continues long after the ovation subsides.
Sam was named one of the World’s Top 50 Sales Keynote Speakers, one of the Top 15 Virtual Presenters, and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Sales Leaders. In addition to his speaking, Sam is a technology entrepreneur, and he has developed numerous search-related programs used by thousands of top organizations and business executives around the globe. For his work, Sam has won numerous awards including a Gold Award at the International Film Festival and a Codie-Award, the ‘Oscars’ of the software industry.
Sam has been featured in thousands of news programs and publications including CNN, USA Today, and Forbes. He serves on the Board of Directors for numerous technology companies and he is a past finalist for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year.