2026 Conference Featured Speakers

Lex Gillette, Opening Keynote Speaker

Lex Gillette is a globally recognized Paralympian who competes primarily in the long jump. He's a five-time Paralympic medalist, four-time world champion, and the current world record holder in the event with a leap of 22 feet 1 inch.

As a keynote speaker, Lex's message is There is no need for sight when you have a vision® . He empowers his audiences to see more than just the physical world in front of them. Prepare to be inspired and motivated, to learn who you really are, and how to become the person you desire to be.

It's what Lex does. He ... Teaches ... People ... To ... See.

Thank you to Landscape Structures, Inc. for sponsoring our keynote speaker.


Donnie Campbell, Closing Keynote Speaker

If the word “believe” resonates with you, it means that you are probably a diehard fan of the hit series Ted Lasso, which portrays a football coach from Kansas who is hired to be the head coach of the English Premier Soccer Leagues AFC Richmond. But did you know that there was a real inspiration behind this award-winning show?

Coach Donnie Campbell is a math teacher and a high school basketball coach from Kansas who was plucked out of obscurity when Jason Sudeikis, the American actor and star of the 5-time Emmy Award winning show, revealed to Stephen Colbert on the late show that Campbell was in part the impetus for the lead character he plays with such wit and wisdom. It was back in the late 1990’s when Jason played basketball at Shawnee Mission West and Donnie was his coach. Little did Campbell know that all of the pearls of wisdom he was dropping on Jason and the team would appear years later and make an indelible impression on millions around the world.

Today, Campbell has been busy making appearances on local and national television including ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s The Today Show. In addition to teaching, he is now speaking to organizations and companies about leadership and specifically, how important it is to instill strong values in the people you work with. He credits his leadership skills to his always positive attitude and to his mentors that prepared him for success both in the classroom and as a coach.

Campbell graduated from Lyons high school in 1980 and attended Kansas State University on a football scholarship and played basketball his freshman year. For the past 36 years, he has coached and taught math, but more importantly he has been building the confidence and character of the young men and women who have played for him.

Annie Frisoli, Featured Breakout Speaker

Annie Frisoli is not your average speaker - she’s a bold voice in leadership and culture, known for turning up the volume on professional development with real talk, humor, and heart. As the Founder and CEO of Creating Community LLC and author of Leadership by Design, Annie brings nearly two decades of university faculty experience and national facilitation to stages and strategy tables across the country. Whether she’s helping 800-person organizations breathe life into their values or coaching leaders through the messy middle of growth, Annie’s approach is grounded in humanity and designed for lasting impact.

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