Keynote Speaker

Debbie Peterson is a leadership readiness expert who helps organizations keep and grow the leaders they’re counting on next. Her signature keynote, The Readiness Reset™, delivers clarity-driven strategies that cut through noise, fuel engagement, and drive leadership that lasts at every level.

As a keynote speaker, consultant, and creator of The Clarity Compass™, Debbie guides rising and established leaders to navigate change, trust their decisions, and lead with conviction without burning out or checking out. From packed ballrooms to closed-door executive sessions, she brings a powerful blend of mindset, strategic frameworks, and lived experience to every engagement.

Her work is trusted by organizations across industries to prepare the leaders they’re counting on next, especially in moments of growth, transition, and succession pressure.

She is the author of Clarity: How Smart Professionals Create Career Success on Their Terms, host of the Getting to Clarity podcast, and recipient of the ATHENA Global Leadership Award and SMART Keynote Speaker Award. Debbie holds the CSP™ designation, the highest earned credential for professional speakers worldwide.

When she’s not helping leaders be ready and take action, Debbie chases sunshine between Florida and Pennsylvania with her husband Tom, and starting conversations that spark someone’s next clear move.

The Readiness Reset

Not another keynote. A leadership reset that sticks. When leaders feel stuck, stalled, or scattered, The Readiness Reset™ gets them back in action. It’s not about doing more. It’s about reconnecting to what matters, recommitting to how they lead, and taking action that creates real momentum. This experience isn’t just inspiring. It’s activating. Every moment is designed to help your leaders leave the room with renewed energy, strategic focus, and a clear next move they’re ready to take.

• Refocus on What Matters Most: Identify where they’re spending energy that doesn’t move the needle.
• Lead from Intention, Not Reaction: Shift from autopilot to intentional decision-making, even under pressure.
• Reconnect to the People and Purpose That Fuel You: Strengthen the relationships and values that make leadership sustainable, not exhausting.
• Identify Your Next Clear Move: Walk away with a customized, clear next step they’ll take within 48 hours to regain momentum and direction.

Closing Keynote Speaker

Greg Wooldridge, also known as "Boss", is a highly respected leader known for his ability to build high-performing teams based on communication, trust, and teamwork. His heart-driven approach proved to be a perfect match for the Blue Angel's culture of excellence, where he successfully led three teams through times of difficult transition. Inspired by his success, Gregg now shares his

methods to empower individuals and teams on their journey towards high performance.

In flight candidate school, he learned camaraderie from his classmates, an emotion that helped elevate individual performance through team effort. Later, as commander of a carrier squadron, Greg recognized the potential of a motivated team and its ability to perform at maximum efficiency.

After being selected as Blue Angel's CO, Greg experienced taking his dreams and beliefs to new heights. His success illustrates how any organization can redefine high performance.

Full Biography

Glad to Be Here Mindset Session Description

Call for Presentations

You are invited to submit presentation proposals for the 2026 Workforce Innovation Conference. Proposals should include presentations on relevant topics for a variety of attendees, including elected officials, government employees, business and industry, university/college/technical education providers, economic development professionals, workforce development professionals and partners and stakeholders in the workforce field. Presentation Applications are due June 29th!

Topics

Sponsors

Contact