meet Your mentors
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Founder, Visionary, Legacy
John C. Maxwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach and leader who has sold more than 34 million books in fifty languages. He is the founder of Maxwell Leadership — the leadership development organization created to expand the reach of his principles of helping people lead powerful, positive change. Maxwell’s books and programs have been translated into 70 languages and have been used to train tens of millions of leaders in every nation. His work also includes that of the Maxwell Leadership Foundation and EQUIP, non-profit organizations that have impacted millions of adults and youth across the globe through values-based, people-centric leadership training.
John has been recognized as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association and as the world’s most influential leadership expert by both Business Insider and Inc. Magazine. He is a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award and the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network.
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Entrepreneur, Podcast Host, Keynote Speaker
Liz Bohannon is the Founder and CEO of socially conscious fashion brand Sseko Designs, which she founded in 2009 as a way to provide educational and economic opportunities for women in East Africa, while creating a brand of beautifully designed and sustainably conscious products from jewelry, to clothes, shoes and handbags.
Liz shares the lessons learned from her 10-year journey growing Sseko from three women under a mango tree, into a successful international brand that provides employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities to thousands of women across the globe.
Visit LizBohannon.com
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Innovator, Leader
Angela Ahrendts, DBE, is an accomplished American businesswoman known for her leadership in the fashion and technology industries. She served as Senior Vice President of Retail at Apple Inc. from 2014 to 2019, overseeing a global transformation of the company’s retail experience. Prior to Apple, she was the CEO of Burberry, where she revitalized the brand and significantly increased its global value. Earlier in her career, she held executive roles at Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan. Recognized for her visionary leadership, Ahrendts has been named to multiple “most powerful women” lists and continues to serve on several high-profile boards.
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Entrepreneur, Coach
Dan Martell (born December 26, 1979, in Moncton, New Brunswick) is a Canadian entrepreneur, author, angel investor, and executive coach. Overcoming a troubled youth that included time in juvenile detention and rehabilitation, he discovered programming and launched into technology. Between 2004 and 2013, Martell founded and exited three companies—Spheric Technologies, Flowtown, and Clarity.fm—and later created SaaS Academy, a premier coaching program for SaaS founders. An investor in over 60 startups, including Intercom, Udemy, and Unbounce, he was named Canadian Angel of the Year in 2012. Martell authored Buy Back Your Time (2023), a Wall Street Journal bestselling nonfiction book. Based in Kelowna, he leads Martell Ventures, supports youth mentorship through Kings Club, and balances his professional life with being a husband, father of two, and Ironman athlete.
Visit danmartell.com
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CEO, Coach + Mentor, Team + Culture Expert
Mark Cole is the CEO of Maxwell Leadership©. An internationally recognized thought leader, he has worked alongside the company’s founder, John C. Maxwell, for over a decade, and has shared the stage with John to grow Maxwell Leadership into the organization it is today. Under his leadership, the Maxwell organizations have equipped and trained millions of adults and youth with values-based, people-centric leadership.
Visit maxwellleadership.com
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Transformational Speaker, Best Selling Author, Executive Coach
Katie Quesada is a renowned speaker and storyteller known for transforming the way organizations connect through narrative. With experience working alongside major brands like Nike and United Healthcare, she brings a unique blend of creativity and strategy to every stage she steps on. Katie believes that storytelling is not just a communication tool—it’s a catalyst for trust, unity, and cultural transformation within teams.
Her presentations focus on the tangible impact of authentic storytelling, offering organizations practical frameworks to reshape brand identity and foster transparency. Through compelling insights and real-world examples, Katie reveals how sharing stories within teams can build stronger internal cultures and drive bottom-line results.
Katie’s personal journey— including two years spent living with her family in a tiny home—reinforces her conviction that meaningful stories hold more power than material possessions. Whether she’s unpacking lessons from corporate collaborations or reflecting on life’s simpler moments, Katie brings depth, warmth, and purpose to her work.
Her approach resonates across industries, making her a trusted voice in conversations about team alignment, brand evolution, and the human side of business.
Visit KatieQuesada.com/
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Transformational Speaker, Best Selling Author, Executive Coach
Ryan Leak an best-selling author, esteemed executive coach, and a highly sought-after transformational speaker. With an incredible reach of over 50,000 people every month, Ryan's words have the power to transform lives. Each year, he dedicates his expertise to the growth of over 25,000 leaders, spanning the spectrum from Fortune 100 corporations to elite professional sports teams.
Ryan is the creative mind behind the USA Today best-selling book, "Chasing Failure: How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success." This transformative work has guided countless individuals on a journey to turn setbacks into stepping stones toward success. His latest release, "Leveling Up: 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal And Professional Development," has ascended to the ranks of Wall Street Journal Best Sellers list.
Visit RyanLeak.com
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Coach, Mentor, Speaker, Podcast Host
Jordan Montgomery, owner of Montgomery Companies, is a highly regarded performance coach and keynote speaker whose clients include business executives, sales organizations, and entrepreneurs.
From small town Iowa, to a dominant force in the performance coaching industry, Jordan travels the country speaking and coaching executives at Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, and sales people.
In addition to his work speaking and coaching, Jordan is an accomplished business leader who has managed top-performing sales teams in the financial services industry.
Visit MontgomeryCompanies.com
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Author, Innovation Speaker, Empowerment Leader
With a passion for purpose-driven work and amplifying women's voices, Jess Ekstrom has become a leading voice in the social entrepreneurship and keynote speaking world. As the founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop®, she has created movements that blend business innovation with impact. Jess carries a presence of contagious optimism, a boldness to challenge the status quo, and a deep commitment to helping others turn their stories into influence. She has empowered thousands of women to step into leadership, tell their stories with confidence, and build lives fueled by meaning. Her work bridges creative strategy with compassion, always putting people and purpose at the center.
Visit JessEkstrom.com
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Speaker, Writer, Executive Coach
Valorie Burton is founder of the Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute. Her message helps you build resilience and happiness and has a research-based emphasis in the pioneering field of applied positive psychology – the study of what happens when things go right with us.
Valorie is the author of over a dozen books, including Successful Women Think Differently, It’s About Time, and Brave Enough to Succeed. Valorie has been a regular guest on the Today Show and numerous media outlets and has spoken for hundreds of organizations, ministries and government entities, including Google, Apple, NASA, Bank of America and the US military.
She founded The CaPP Institute in 2009, and the company has served clients and coaches in over 30 countries with coach training and resilience training. She is also the coaching “mentor” for more than 50,000 Maxwell Leadership Certified Team members from over 100 countries. She is a Master Certified Coach (MCC), a credential granted by the International Coaching Federation to fewer than 4% of credentialed coaches worldwide.
Valorie has a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in journalism from Florida A&M University and a BA from Florida State University. She and her husband Jeff live on a farm near Atlanta with their children.
Visit ValorieBurton.com and www.cappinstitute.com.
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Industry Leader, Author, Founder
Mac Lake is a highly respected leader, author, and founder of Multiply Group, where he helps leaders and organizations develop strategies to multiply their leadership impact. An inspirational trainer and leadership coach, Mac is gifted at simplifying complex ideas into actionable strategies that anyone can implement to achieve transformative results in their personal life, team, and organization. He has written seven books, including The Multiplication Effect and The Discipling Leaders Series, offering practical tools for leadership development. Mac and his wife, Cindy, live in Charleston, SC.
Visit MacLakeonline.com
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Health & Wellness Coach
Brian is a son, brother, husband, father, entrepreneur, and coach who’s passionate about living an elevated life—and helping others do the same.
After finishing his college baseball career, he faced an identity crisis that led to unhealthy habits and battles with anxiety. In 2020, everything shifted. He experienced a spiritual awakening that reignited his sense of purpose and revealed his calling: using fitness as a vehicle to help others become the best version of themselves—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Since then, he’s dedicated himself to becoming the man he was created to be and guiding others on that same journey. He believes every person was made on purpose and for a purpose—and that we all carry greatness within us.
Through his online program, BFIT, he provides coaching, workouts, resources, and community support to help people transform not just their bodies, but their lives. His approach is holistic, rooted in the belief that true fitness connects body, mind, and spirit.
Whether he’s working with clients, leading workshops, or pouring into his inner circle, his mission is clear: help people rise to their potential and never settle for less than they were created for.
Visit BrianPruett.com
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Executive VP, International Speaker, Author
Chris Robinson is a founding partner of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, and as the executive vice president of the Maxwell Entrepreneur Solutions, he is a product of the product, leading a global team of over 45,000 speakers, coaches, and trainers. He is an international speaker who has enthralled crowds as large as 4,500 and trained small groups inside companies weekly before taking on his current role as the EVP of Maxwell Entrepreneur Solutions. John Maxwell has made a tremendous impact on his life over the past twenty years.
Initially, Chris started watching John’s VHS tapes in the basement of a church. Then, as a sales representative for the largest vehicle-service company, he quickly advanced three positions in five years to a senior sales manager by learning and then applying John’s principles. Chris helped grow that company from 18 employees to over 700. Years later, he became a part of John’s team asa certified coach.
Chris has been instrumental in the development of many of the programs offered by the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team—a leadership-development organization whose members speak, coach, and train on values-based, people-centric principles that help people lead powerful, positive change in themselves, in their organizations, and in the world around them.
Visit GrayMillerAgency.com
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Leadership Pastor, Culture Coach, Inspirational Author
With over two decades of ministry and leadership experience, Shaun Nepstad is known for building thriving teams and helping leaders close the gap between potential and purpose. As the founding pastor of Fellowship Church and creator of the Killer Culture Academy, Shaun has guided organizations through seasons of growth by developing strong cultures rooted in clarity, consistency, and care. He carries a presence of high energy, practical wisdom, and a deep belief in the power of people working together for a greater mission. Whether in the pulpit or the boardroom, Shaun’s leadership equips teams to overcome the “dip” and keep moving forward with vision, excellence, and hope.
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Worship Pastor, Grammy Songwriter, Creative Collaborator
With roots in pastoral ministry and a heart for authentic worship, Brandon Lake has become a defining voice in contemporary Christian music. Serving as a worship pastor at Seacoast Church and collaborating with movements like Bethel Music, Elevation Worship, and Maverick City Music, he blends heartfelt leadership with musical excellence. As a Grammy-award-winning songwriter, his songs like “This Is a Move,” “Gratitude,” and “Graves into Gardens” have inspired freedom and confidence in listeners around the world. Beyond the stage, Brandon’s creativity extends to a children’s book co-written with his wife, reflecting his passion for family-centered ministry and storytelling. Whether leading worship, writing songs, or launching creative projects, Brandon’s influence empowers others to live with grace, courage, and joy in every season.
Visit BrandonLake.co/
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New York Times Bestselling Author, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Self‑Discipline Strategist & Influence Expert
Rory Vaden is a New York Times bestselling Author and Strategist who helps individuals and organizations build influence through self‑discipline, focus, and personal branding. He co‑founded Brand Builders Group, guiding mission‑driven leaders—like Lewis Howes and Amy Porterfield—to turn their reputations into revenue
Rory’s first book, Take the Stairs, hit #1 on the Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and USA Today lists, and #2 on the New York Times bestseller chart. His insights on productivity and influence have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Entrepreneur, Inc., Good Morning America, and Fox News.
A Hall of Fame keynote speaker (CPAE), Rory is a two‑time World Championship of Public Speaking finalist and his TEDx talk on multiplying time has garnered over 3 million views.
Rooted in psychology and driven by purpose, Rory’s mission is to empower others to multiply their time, income, and impact in a way that matters.
Please visit RoryVaden.com
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HCL Program Director, Connector
With over 21 years of leadership, culture and business development experience, Chad Johnson has become a catalyst of the John C. Maxwell and Maxwell Leadership brands towards servant and team leadership. He carries a presence of being rooted in character, a champions determination, leading by example through servant leadership, a culture of celebrating others, and empowering team members to play their part in the growth of themselves and others. He has experience in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, and he has led companies through seasons of exponential growth and economic challenges. Valuing people has always been at the forefront of his leadership.