2025 McKibbon One Keynote Speakers
VALORIE BURTON
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
COACHING & POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INSTITUTE
Valorie Burton, life strategist and international speaker, is CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute. Her life-changing message has an intriguing, research-based emphasis in the pioneering field of applied positive psychology - the study of what happens when things go right with us. Her company provides coaching, coach training, and resilience training and has served clients in all 50 states and 37 countries on six continents. Since 1999, she has written 14 books translated into multiple languages, including Let Go of the Guilt, It's About Time, and Successful Women Think Differently. She has appeared regularly on the TODAY Show, CNN, Dr. Oz, and Essence, and has spoken for hundreds of organizations around the globe. She was named one of the top 60 motivational speakers in America and one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in the field of personal development. For over 15 years, Valorie's books, speaking engagements, and coaching programs have helped people: - Make major life changes that are exciting and scary at the same time. - Be happier and have more fun, even when life seems routine. - Become strong leaders, navigate office politics, and achieve professional dreams. - Navigate setbacks and disappointments in a way that makes life better, not bitter. - Speak up with confidence rather than settling for less. - Go to sleep at night feeling at peace about decisions. - Conquer emotions that cause procrastination, emotional spending, and self-sabotage. She and her husband Jeff live on a ranch south of Atlanta with their children.
SEBASTIAN TERRY
Shocked by the death of a close friend in his mid-twenties, Seb Terry experienced a moment in his life where he asked himself a simple question:
‘Am I happy?’
The answer was NO, and so, he created a list of 100 things that he hoped would transform his life. Dropping everything to pursue his list, not only has Seb’s life transformed through his incredible journey, but the ripple effect has gone on to help millions of people unlock limitless possibilities in their own lives, too.
From Marrying a Stranger in Vegas (Goal #2) and Delivering a Baby (#23), to Living on a Deserted Island for 1 Week (#63) and Helping a Stranger (#26) by aiding a quadriplegic man to complete a half marathon by pushing him in his wheelchair, Seb’s story has been turned into books, reality shows and is constantly featured by ESPN and Discovery Channel.
As an expert in personal transformation, peak performance and creating environments for success, Seb's commitment to helping others, has seen him share his message and frameworks with many of the world’s biggest organizations including Google, Berkshire Hathaway, Bank of America and McKesson.
Recognized for his unique approach in combining brilliant humor, piercing insight and real-time action, Seb’s revered storytelling and interactive teaching style has impacted millions of individuals and influenced thousands of organizations and Fortune 500 companies around the world.
JEN COLLINS
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
PROCURE IMPACT
Jen Collins is the Co-Founder and President of Procure Impact, a groundbreaking B2B marketplace that connects corporations with purpose-driven products made by individuals who have faced barriers to employment—including trafficking survivors, veterans, people with disabilities, and individuals in recovery. Under Jen’s leadership, Procure Impact is redefining corporate procurement as a force for social change.
A visionary and purpose-driven executive, Jen brings over two decades of leadership across hospitality, social impact, education, humanitarian aid, and wellness. She has held senior roles with industry-leading firms such as LaSalle Hotel Properties, Westbrook Partners, and Tishman Hotel & Realty, shaping strategies that integrated operational excellence with long-term value creation.
Before launching Procure Impact, Jen served as Head of Enterprise Operations at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the nation’s largest Community Development Financial Institution, focused on driving equitable economic development in underserved communities. Prior to LISC, she led inclusive community impact investing efforts at Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation.
Jen earned her degree from Cornell University’s prestigious Nolan School of Hotel Administration. She is a Business Fellow at Praxis, a community of entrepreneurs advancing redemptive ventures, and actively contributes her expertise through advisory roles with AHLA ForWard, the Independent Lodging Congress, and other industry platforms. Alongside her Co-Founder, Lauren McCann, Jen is the 2025 recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. Under their leadership, Procure Impact was named to Fast Company’s 2025 List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
CHRIS TUFF
Chris Tuff is a bestselling author and highly sought after keynote speaker who has presented for Nike, Harvard, Delta, Verizon, Amazon and several other Fortune 100 companies. He began his career as a pioneer of the social media marketing space starting in 2006, becoming one of the first marketers to work directly with Facebook as well as helping them build many of their local-at-scale products for brands like Toyota.
His first book, The Millennial Whisperer, is a USA Today bestseller and has gone on to sell more than 100k copies which explores the importance of empathy and relationships in the workplace, and it equips leaders with tools to attract and retain young talent through genuine connection.
During the pandemic, Tuff shifted toward connections outside of organizations in writing his latest book, Save Your Asks. He’s interviewed some of the world’s greatest leaders and entrepreneurs and is publishing this handbook to equip everyone with the tools to become better salespeople and networkers through a focus on authenticity and connection. In this book, he highlights real world examples of “askholes” and such sales techniques as “shawshanking.”
Chris is a graduate from Vanderbilt University and lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. He loves kiteboarding, travel, and Jordan 1’s.
ANNA BLUE
Anna Blue is a social impact leader, strategist, and changemaker with more than two decades of experience building movements that drive business success and social good. She has led transformative initiatives in gender equity, leadership development, and human safety, forging powerful partnerships with global brands and industries.
Anna has held executive leadership positions with the AHLA Foundation, Girl Up at the United Nations Foundation, The Female Quotient, and the Tech Coalition. A sought-after speaker, she has taken the stage at Cannes Lions, the World Economic Forum, and Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen. Recognized as a “historic feminist of our time” by the Feminist Institute, Anna continues to advise organizations on using purpose as a catalyst for growth.
SHOLA RICHARDS
CEO & FOUNDER | GO TOGETHER GLOBAL TM
Shola Richards is the CEO and Founder of Go Together GlobalTM, the best-selling author of Making Work Work, and Go Together, and he is a civility writer with a passionate worldwide following. His articles and extremely popular “Go Together Movement” email series have been read by readers in over 160 countries, and his work has been featured on the Today Show, CBS This Morning, Forbes, Black Enterprise, Complete Wellbeing India, Business Insider Australia, and in numerous other outlets all over the world who recognize him as an authority on workplace happiness and engagement.
As a speaker, Shola has shared his transformative message with top universities, leading healthcare organizations, Silicon Valley, the motion picture industry, on the TEDx stage, and in his greatest honor to date, in September 2021, he was invited to testify in front of the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill to share his expert recommendations on how to bring more civility to Congress.
Last, but certainly not least, Shola is a father, husband, identical twin, and a self-professed “kindness extremist” who will not rest until bullying and incivility is extinct from the American workplace.
