
2023 Speakers
From inspirational stories of triumph to practical approaches to advancing your career, the stories shared by the featured speakers at Elevate will create a meaningful experience for all attendees.
The lineup of keynote and breakout session speakers will be listed below. Check back frequently as new speakers are added!
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Dale Wilsher
Award-winning author & DISC personality trainer
Meaningful Moments: How to Keep the Urgent from Hijacking What’s Important
Dale Wilsher is the author of an award-winning personality book, creator of several online courses on personality, career reentry and boundaries, as well as a faculty member for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute of Organizational Management. With her authentic style, Dale has a way of engaging an audience with personal and professional stories, teaching them a new way to think and providing practical tools to make change happen.
At Elevate, Dale will provide useful ideas to help you distinguish between the urgent and important, eliminate the trivial and choose the important so that you can make time for what really matters. By the end of her keynote, Dale will help you gain insight into your personality and the way you work, define goals to prioritize what is most important and shift your mind from reactive to intentional with easy brain hacks.
A certified behavioral consultant in DISC Personality Profile, Dale will also lead a morning session on the DISC personality to bring attendees more understanding of how they can create a culture of kindness, respect and success in their workplace.
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Emeka Nnaka
Therapist and Advocate for Hope
Overcoming Adversity: My Personal Journey from Paralysis to Purpose
Emeka Nnaka will share his personal story of how he overcame adversity and found purpose after being paralyzed from the chest down. He will talk about how he lifted himself out of a dark place and became an inspiration to many. Attendees will leave encouraged and empowered to face the challenges in their lives with renewed strength and purpose.
Emeka Nnaka is uniquely qualified to present life, its challenges, and its opportunities from the perspective of someone who found strength through tremendous adversity. He has addressed audiences across the Midwest, including schools, professional groups, and corporate events.
Emeka has been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered,” where he discussed the Americans with Disabilities Act on its 25th anniversary for a national audience. His story has also been featured in other national publications such as The Mighty, The Washington Post, TED talks, and the Onion, an op-ed of Time magazine. As a speaker, coach and advocate, Emeka inspires others to find hope, take action in their lives, and live beyond the labels of their circumstances. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation services from Langston University and his master's in human relations and clinical mental health counseling from the University of Oklahoma.
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Teresa Atkinson
Director of Organizational Development, Express Employment Professionals
Unstoppable Team Performance
There are natural and organic stages in every team’s development. This session will focus on how you can impact that development by appropriately navigating through these stages. No matter what role you play on the team, understanding what stage your team is currently in and being armed with the right resources and tactics will help you guide the efforts to create a top performing team.
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Dr. Layla Bokhari
Senior Consultant, Steople Group
Become A Fearless Organization
Building trust within your team is a must for success, and having honest conversations will ensure optimal direction, alignment, and decision-making. Team psychological safety is a shared belief held by team members that it's okay to take risks, express their ideas and concerns, speak up with questions and admit mistakes - all without fear of negative consequences. In this session, attendees will learn the steps to build psychological safety on your team.
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Miriam Campos
VP, Community Manager, JPMorgan Chase
Mastering your CREDIT
This session will help you understand how credit works and ways to improve your score, with tips and tools that help support your financial goals. By attending this workshop, participants will be able to create a roadmap and explore their financial journey including long term goals and building wealth.
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Kari Chance-Moore
Success Coach, Sandler Custom Growth Solutions
How to NOT Sound Like Every Other Salesperson
Prospects hate salespeople, and often salespeople don’t realize why. Join this session if you want to separate yourself from your competitors, sell more and sell more easily.
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Mike Crandall
Success Coach, Sandler Custom Growth Solutions
The Top 5 Sales Limiters – and How to Eliminate Them
Often, the things we think drive success are different than other people. If you want greater success in sales join this session to learn how to eliminate the things that hold you and your team back.
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Lauree Dash
Certified Mindfulness Teacher, The James L Hall Center for Mind, Body and Spirit, and Meditation Rebound, LLC
Equanimity: A Mindful Practice
In this experiential breakout session, Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Lauree Dash will illuminate the core qualities of equanimity, including letting go, the ability to release resistance and embracing things just as they are, which leads to greater resilience, balance and inner wisdom. The talk will be followed by a mindful equanimity practice designed to help participants find greater peace and acceptance in their own lives.
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Sara Jane DelMonte
Director of Engagement, The Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice
Peopling 101
We've all heard it's not what you know, but who you know that'll help you reach your goals. In this session, attendees will walk away with tools to help them increase their network and develop real connections by learning how to build genuine relationships, prepare for meetings and events, and follow up to continue the conversation. A great session for those just starting their career or new to OKC!
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Tiffany English
Director of Client Relations, Paycom
Consultative Selling
Consultative Selling, in today's world, is the only way to sell! In this session, learn how with consultative selling you can prioritize relationships and have open dialogue to identify and provide solutions to a customer's needs, rather than focusing on the product being sold.
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Bryan Estabrooks
Contract Support, Senior Task Order Manager, Leidos Corp.
Making an Impact Where You Are: The Potential of your Sphere of Influence
Your sphere of influence has more potential than you may realize. In this session we will discuss how to focus on who you impact, and how your actions impact those around you. When we challenge our perspectives about our potential impact, it can lead to increasing the impact of our sphere of influence. This session is about taking a fresh look at the reality of where we can positively impact those around us. Challenging our current vision of our sphere of influence can help us empower those around us and increase our own job satisfaction and performance.
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Danielle Ezell
Partner, The Mettise Group
Battling Burnout
No matter how you try to hide it, your burnout is contagious and will spread to your team. In this session, we'll discuss the stages of burnout and why you must help yourself first before your fatigue impacts your team. Learn practical ways to fight burnout at work that don't involve meditation at your desk.
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Shalynne Jackson
Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, The City of Oklahoma City
Inclusion Reimagined: The Truth About Inclusion in the Workplace
In this engaging presentation, participants will explore what Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) in the workplace is and isn't and debunk common misconceptions. Yes, inclusion can be fun! And, no, I&D is not about reverse discrimination - everyone wins in inclusive, equitable environments! Gaining a better understanding of how I&D benefits the entire organization, participants will better understand their role in their organization's I&D strategy, and how they play a critical part in creating an inclusive and equitable workplace for all.
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Mike Koehler
Founder & Chief Strategist, Smirk New Media
How Brands Can Survive in the Complex, Crazy World of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is getting more complex by the second in 2023. Business owners now have to deal with AI, TikTok and Twitter. In this session, learn how you can still succeed by boiling down your approach, voice and strategic focus. Skills like storytelling, empathy and knowing your customer still win the day.
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Shannon Lockwood
Employee Giving Manager, Allied Arts
Zero Stakes Creativity
This interactive session will help attendees unlock the power of their own creativity when there is no pressure to perform or "be successful." Tapping into a deeper level of creativity will allow those who participate in this session to walk away feeling refreshed and more confident in their own abilities.
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Jessica Martinez-Brooks
Senior Director, Strategic Communications and Transformation, Metro Tech Downtown
Kicking it with Kindhearted Mentors: Finding Your Perfect Fit
Mentorship is an important part of professional development. It can provide guidance, support and encouragement to help you reach your goals and achieve your full potential. Learn about specific organizations and events in OKC that may help you find your perfect mentor.
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Carrie McClain
CEO/Founder, MYEL Collective
Why It Matters: The Social and Business Case for Workplace DEI
Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace can enhance both the social and business aspects of your organization. Throughout the session we will provide examples of best practices and strategies for promoting diversity in the workplace, including recruitment and retention initiatives, training and development programs, and policies and practices that promote inclusion and equity. By the end, you will be inspired to take action in your own organization to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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David McLaughlin
Founder, Pendulum Coaching LLC
The Mindful Leader
Learn what mindful leaders look like and why we should want to be mindful leaders in today's competitive and chaotic business climate. We will dive into the principles of mindfulness and how they especially apply to those leading teams and organizations.
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Dr. Natasha Mickel
CEO, JM Consulting Firm
Why It Matters: The Social and Business Case for Workplace DEI
During this session, we will explore the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and how it can enhance both the social and business aspects of your organization. Throughout the session we will provide examples of best practices and strategies for promoting diversity in the workplace, including recruitment and retention initiatives, training and development programs, and policies and practices that promote inclusion and equity. By the end, we hope you will be inspired to take action in your own organization to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Tammy Overholt
Supervisor, Learning and Development, American Fidelity
Surviving Imposter Syndrome
If you feel like an imposter from time to time, you aren't alone. Around 70% of adults experience this phenomenon and even Albert Einstein once said his research got more attention than he thought it deserved. This session will help you better understand imposter syndrome and give you the tools to survive it and thrive.
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Michael Shellabarger
Learning & Development Lead, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
Sharpen the Saw: Self-Care & Self Renewal
We live in a fast-paced world filled with far too many options, and you can often find yourself burning the candle at both ends. Sure, we usually get the job done, but not without an increase of anxiety, stress and/or diminished quality of results. Inspired by Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", this session offers a strategy for "working smarter, not harder" by taking care of your greatest asset - yourself!
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Michael Shellabarger
Learning & Development Lead, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
The 8 Obsessions of Everyday Innovators
Creativity can be thought of as mythic, massive and magical, but the truth is innovation comes from a lot of little breakthroughs. By studying “Big Little Breakthroughs” by Josh Linkner, this session will explore how to turn everyday micro-innovations into a powerful force and a game plan to follow in life. We will work together to identify eight core mindsets used by the world's greatest innovators.
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Joan Stanolis
COO, Critical Fault
It Takes a Village: Empowering Future Generations
Being an ally, advocate, and a leader takes many things. Joan will describe her journey from educator to COO and the many lessons learned along the way. She will discuss how her company has made educating students and industry leaders alike by leading through example and creating opportunities for learning inside of a classroom and an office to better prepare individuals and organizations to empower themselves through knowledge.
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Alex Surette
Corporate Partnership Strategy Specialist, Oklahoma City Thunder
Selling Marquee Assets Through Data-based Storytelling
In this session, attendees will learn how the OKC Thunder sell high-impact, marquee assets like naming rights and jersey patches on a national and global scale using data-based presentations and storytelling to educate and inspire clients and prospects. Every salesperson has that one widget that if sold, would set them up for that month, that quarter and maybe even that year. That's a marquee asset. This session will highlight how to tell better stories and use data to capture attention and inspire action.
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Will Syring
Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, Oklahoma City Thunder
Selling Marquee Assets Through Data-based Storytelling
In this session, attendees will learn how the OKC Thunder sell high-impact, marquee assets like naming rights and jersey patches on a national and global scale using data-based presentations and storytelling to educate and inspire clients and prospects. Every salesperson has that one widget that if sold, would set them up for that month, that quarter and maybe even that year. That's a marquee asset. This session will highlight how to tell better stories and use data to capture attention and inspire action.
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Brad Thomas
President/COO, NvYA Technology
Security Awareness: The Importance of Training and Testing Your Small Business Staff
Cyber and technology attacks are constantly on the rise. In this session, attendees will learn about current threats and how social engineering your employees is becoming the fastest growing segment of security risk for your business. Mitigating your risk goes beyond the four walls of your facilities. If you own or manage a business and worry about these risks, you won’t want to miss this discussion.
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Cole Watts
Co-owner and Chief Operating Officer, Stages of Recovery
Everyone is Not OK: Ways to Support Employees through Personal Challenges
With the shift to remote working over the last three years, people have been isolated and could easily hide personal challenges they’re facing from coworkers, whether it’s mental health or addiction. As we come back to the office, this session will give you guidance on what signs to look for in coworkers who are struggling, how to approach them and connect them with helpful resources.
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Dale Wilsher
Executive Life & Leadership Coach, Keynote Speaker, Your Authentic Personality
DISC Workshop: Using your Strengths to Rise
Using the DISC personality assessment, you will determine your personality priorities and type, learn why you will rise higher and faster in your strengths, and understand the personality factors that create resilience for each personality type. Attendees will leave with tools to help you address challenges in a customized way.