The best leaders don’t just work harder—they take care of themselves smarter. This power-packed keynote delivers a compelling message for today’s professionals: peak performance begins with wellness. Dr. Kristen combines real-life case studies, research, and personal experience to show how small, smart steps in physical, emotional, and intellectual wellness can lead to greater resilience, sharper decision-making, and sustainable success—without burnout. Designed to inspire and equip, this session provides practical strategies that attendees can immediately apply to their lives and work. Whether you're leading a team, a classroom, or an organization, this keynote empowers individuals to lead with clarity, energy, and purpose.

Dr. Kristen shares the powerful mindset shifts and wellness strategies that helped her move from burnout to breakthrough—offering real-life stories and research-backed tools your audience can apply immediately. Drawing from her own journey through marriage, motherhood, career demands, and personal growth, she equips attendees with the clarity and courage to prioritize what matters most. This session is about learning to thrive in every season of life. Dr. Kristen customizes each talk to meet the needs of your audience, making it ideal for conferences, corporate events, retreats, and educational leadership gatherings. Attendees leave energized, empowered, and ready to make meaningful change in both their personal and professional lives.

True leadership isn’t about doing more—it’s about owning your strengths, setting intentional boundaries, and leading with confidence. In this inspiring keynote, Dr. Kristen challenges the perfectionism, overachieving, and self-doubt that often hold women back, helping them break free from the pressure to do it all. She shares practical, actionable strategies to lead with clarity, energy, and authenticity—without sacrificing well-being. Attendees will walk away with her M.A.G.I.C. framework, a powerful tool to stop playing small and start leading boldly. You don’t have to change who you are to lead—you just have to step into your magic.

In this keynote, Dr. Kristen shares her journey of navigating career, family, and personal growth while learning how to thrive—not just survive—through life’s changing seasons. Through compelling storytelling and practical strategies, she reveals the power of mindset shifts, purposeful living, and prioritizing wellness to create meaningful momentum in both work and life. Attendees will leave feeling energized, encouraged, and equipped to reconnect with their purpose—so they can lead with intention, show up fully, and thrive in every area of their life. Perfect for organizations looking to motivate their teams, strengthen culture, and promote well-being with heart and authenticity.

Today’s students are facing nonstop pressure to achieve, fit in, and figure it all out—often without the tools to trust themselves along the way. In this empowering keynote, Dr. Kristen Strom reminds students that they already have what it takes—they just need to unlock it. Using her signature M.A.G.I.C. framework, she guides students to build confidence, take ownership of their choices, and lead their lives with purpose and courage. Through real-life stories and honest reflection, students learn how to overcome perfectionism, quiet self-doubt, and take small, intentional steps toward the future they want. This keynote is ideal for schools, colleges, and youth organizations ready to help students discover their inner strength and step boldly into who they’re becoming.

Today’s high school and college-aged students are navigating constant pressure, comparison, and uncertainty about who they are and where they’re headed. In this inspiring keynote, Dr. Kristen Strom empowers students to become the hero of their own story by tuning out the noise around them and tuning in to who they truly are. Through relatable storytelling and personal experiences, she helps students recognize the influences shaping their path, overcome self-doubt, and make values-driven choices that align with their unique purpose. Students walk away with the clarity, confidence, and inner strength to trust the process of becoming—and to lead their lives with authenticity, no matter the challenges ahead. This keynote is ideal for schools, colleges, and youth organizations looking to inspire personal growth, self-leadership, and resilience in the next generation.

In this keynote, Dr. Kristen speaks directly to high-achieving student leaders who are striving to "do it all" but often feel overwhelmed or unsure of what true success really means. Through relatable stories and powerful mindset shifts, she shares what she wishes she had known earlier about leadership, balance, and fulfillment. Drawing from personal experience and research-based strategies, Dr. Kristen equips students with the tools to lead themselves well—developing habits that build confidence, clarity, and sustainable success. This keynote challenges students to rethink the hustle culture, prioritize well-being, and step into leadership with purpose and intention. Perfect for student leadership conferences, retreats, or summits, this session will leave attendees inspired, grounded, and ready to lead powerfully in their own lives.

Teaching is more than a profession—it’s a calling. But too often, the demands of the classroom leave little space for the person behind the role. The long hours, constant expectations, and deep commitment to students can make it easy to put yourself last. In this keynote, Dr. Kristen shares her own journey of learning to prioritize wellness while still showing up fully in her work. Through real stories, practical insights, and a framework designed for sustainable change, she’ll guide educators toward small, meaningful shifts that lead to greater balance, renewed energy, and a deeper sense of purpose—both in and outside the classroom. This session is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and take intentional steps toward creating a life where you don’t just keep up—you truly thrive.

Dr. Kristen's journey into understanding academic rigor was sparked by her principal's feedback during a post-observation session, urging her to infuse her lessons with more rigor. Recognizing the necessity for clarity and actionable steps, she researched the essence of academic rigor, exploring its significance and practical implementation strategies. In this session, participants will gain insight into the depths of knowledge inherent in rigorous instruction. Through interactive discussions, participants will learn how to modify their instruction and assessment design, enabling them to elevate the rigor of their teaching practice.

Drawing on her extensive background in teaching secondary ELA students and undergraduate methods courses, as well as her scholarship and publications focused on curriculum development, Dr. Kristen offers invaluable guidance to educators seeking to refine their curriculum design skills. Participants will learn to employ the principles of backwards design to craft, adapt, and elevate curriculum across PreK-12 classrooms.

This session is designed to provide comprehensive support for teachers who are in their initial years of teaching and/or are new to a particular school. It aims to address both the challenges and successes encountered by educators in the classroom. Drawing upon Dr. Kristen's extensive teaching experience, doctoral research, and mentorship of new teachers in diverse educational settings, participants will gain valuable insights and strategies for navigating the early stages of their careers, advocating for their students, and effectively collaborating with colleagues.

This session focuses on the vital role of literacy, particularly emphasizing writing and writing assessments across all subject areas. Participants will delve into the current utilization of writing within their classrooms, crafting purpose statements and setting goals for integrating writing effectively in their subject areas. Discussions on fostering a positive writing identity and growth mindsets will be central to the session. Through an exploration of diverse writing assessments and rubrics, participants will gain actionable insights and resources to refine their existing writing assessments, targeting areas for enhancement and ensuring alignment with instructional objectives.

As student populations become more varied, it's imperative that educators adapt and tailor their instruction to address both the cultural and academic needs of their learners. Dr. Kristen will guide participants through an exploration of the principles underlying culturally responsive teaching. Practical strategies, methods, and resources designed to facilitate responsiveness to students' cultural backgrounds and academic requirements will be addressed. Participants will have opportunities to develop personalized approaches to modify their instructional practices, empowering them to effectively implement equitable teaching methods.