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Testimonials
"Best motivational speaker we have had in several years!!!!! Loved it!!!!"
"I am always amazed by the speakers that are chosen for the conference. She did not disappoint. I enjoyed her very much. She kept us engaged which is hard when all you’re doing is listening."
"Very much enjoyed this speaker! I will be listening to her podcasts in the future. Thank you for hiring someone so encouraging in our jobs but in our personal lives too!"
"She’s amazing and entertaining. Loved this presenter and her presentation."
Inspire Your Audience with a Transformational Keynote
In-Person or Virtual
Are you searching for a dynamic keynote speaker – someone who doesn’t just talk at your audience, but transforms them?
Kari Knutson is an engaging professional speaker, applied psychology expert, and storyteller based in Denver, Colorado, who brings heart, insight, and humor to every stage.
Why book Kari Knutson as your keynote speaker?
✨ Resonant Storytelling that Moves People
Kari combines her deep experience in emotional intelligence and human development with storytelling that resonates — helping audiences connect, reflect, and take purposeful action.
✨ Engaging, Personable, and Memorable
Audiences describe Kari’s talks as funny, meaningful, and impactful, with insights they carry long after the event ends.
✨ Customized for the Goals of Your Event
Kari crafts keynote addresses tailored to your audience’s needs – whether you want motivation, mindset shifts, leadership inspiration, or deeper connection within your team or community.
✨ In Person or Virtual Options
Serving groups in Denver, Colorado, and around the world, Kari offers both in-person keynotes and virtual presentations that captivate and uplift.
Signature Keynote Topics
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Stress
Real-Life Strategies to Increase Resilience
Individuals in almost every work environment face demanding situations as a regular part of their day. In an ever-changing world, people have faced unprecedented challenges that have caused stress not only in their professional lives but also in their personal lives.
When the demands of our lives outweigh our ability to effectively cope, we can suffer from compassion fatigue, burnout, and stress. All are part of a continuum of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that can lead to negative consequences, impact our mental and physical health, and create tension in relationships.
One of the best ways to combat compassion fatigue, burnout, and stress is through cultivating resilience. Being resilient means developing the capacity to recover from difficulties. In this engaging program, participants will learn how to recognize the symptoms of compassion fatigue, burnout, and stress, discover strategies for how to address symptoms and explore different ways to practice being more resilient, even in demanding situations.
While the topic of compassion fatigue, burnout, and stress may seem depressing at first glance, the focus of this keynote presentation is on how we get to resiliency and how that leads to better outcomes personally and professionally. This is an uplifting presentation meant to help people harness their self-awareness so that they can cultivate their resilience and maximize their ability to thrive.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
What’s EQ Got to Do With It? Using Emotional Intelligence to Maximize Everything
Emotional Intelligence is a powerful tool that can positively impact how you engage and respond to the world around you. Developing your Emotional Intelligence can help you become more resilient, improve your personal and professional relationships, increase your productivity, help you communicate more effectively, and give you better outcomes for mental and physical health.
Many times, people hear the term “emotional intelligence” (often abbreviated as EQ for “emotional quotient”) and are not sure exactly what it means or how they are supposed to use it. In this fun and engaging presentation, we explore the foundations of EQ, strategies to easily apply the concepts of EQ, and practical tools that participants can use to implement EQ immediately in their personal and professional lives.
The principles behind EQ are so far-reaching because they attempt to help us not only understand human behavior, but also help us recognize our human potential. Participants leave this keynote presentation feeling inspired about what is possible for themselves through understanding and developing their EQ!
Imposter Syndrome
Have you ever achieved something that others would definitively view as a success but despite the outward appearance of your achievement, there is a voice in your head that says you don’t deserve that success? That somehow your success is more about luck, timing, or fooling others than it is about your own skill set, intellect, and competence? Do you secretly fear that perhaps others will “find out” that you didn’t really earn the success and eventually expose you for the fraud you are?
There is a label for that! It’s called Imposter Syndrome, and it’s a psychological phenomenon that reflects a misguided belief that you are inadequate even though there is hard evidence to show that you are skilled and that your success is a result of your competence and hard work.
In this keynote presentation, Kari unpacks the psychology of Imposter Syndrome from different angles and participants leave with skills and ideas that will help them get past fraud to fabulous!
Inspired: Motivated From the Inside Out
Today’s work – whether in organizations, nonprofits, or community groups – is complex, dynamic, and deeply meaningful. It requires emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to stay connected to purpose while navigating constant change. This keynote focuses on strengthening the internal motivation that helps people at every level move through complexity with greater clarity, confidence, and intention.
The presentation offers practical strategies for managing self-doubt, releasing limiting beliefs, and aligning daily actions with personal values and priorities. Participants explore what sustains motivation over time and how internal drivers such as strengths, purpose, and meaning influence engagement, decision-making, and impact — both individually and collectively.
Participants leave feeling re-energized, inspired, and equipped with practical tools to bring greater confidence, focus, and alignment into their work, relationships, and contributions.
This keynote is ideal for organizations, nonprofits, associations, and teams seeking to reconnect people to purpose while strengthening resilience, motivation, and collaboration.
The Intersection of Emotional Intelligence and Authentic Leadership
Emotional Intelligence (also known as EQ for Emotional Quotient) is a powerful tool that can positively impact how you engage and respond to the world around you. Developing your emotional intelligence can help you build resilience, improve relationships, increase productivity, communicate more effectively, and have better outcomes for mental and physical health. The principles behind EQ are so far-reaching because they attempt to help us not only understand human behavior but also recognize our human potential.
Employees that have strong leadership skills, regardless of position, can have a profound effect on organizational goals and outcomes. Cultivating leadership skills can help people collaborate more effectively, adapt to a variety of situations, and build the kind of lasting trust that goes a long way in creating a safe, positive, engaging, and productive work environment.
There is a natural and powerful connection between emotional intelligence and leadership. In this engaging presentation, we discuss the intersection of these two important concepts. Participants learn what is possible when they utilize their knowledge of emotional intelligence to enhance their leadership skills and they will see how thoughtful, authentic leadership can improve outcomes not only for your organization but especially for the people that you serve.
Living in Full Color
This engaging presentation blends self-awareness, resilience, and personal growth to inspire individuals to live their most authentic, vibrant lives. Participants will explore key topics such as overcoming imposter syndrome, challenging limiting beliefs, and tapping into intrinsic motivation.
The presentation offers practical tools and strategies to break through personal barriers, build lasting confidence, and cultivate resilience, no matter your age or stage in life.
Self-Care Beyond the Bubble Bath
Real-Life Strategiese for Real People
The message we typically get about self-care in our society is that it is a luxury. It takes time and money and it is for people with a lot of both. Plus when we are busy, juggling all the tasks of life, self-care can become just another thing on our to-do list. Many of us think of self-care as something we’ll get to when we have more time, energy, or money.
If we do practice self-care there can be an element of judgment, shame, or guilt. We judge other people for practicing self-care as not being “busy” enough like the rest of us. “It must be nice to have time for that,” we say to ourselves. Or maybe the judgment lies in the fear of not doing self-care the “right” way. For example, if we believe that meditation is the only way to practice self-care and we can’t sit cross-legged comfortably or close our eyes without falling asleep, then we are doing it ‘wrong.” We may feel shame when we admit that we need self-care. We may feel guilt that we are taking time for self-care at the expense of something else.
All this in the name of something that is supposed to be helpful!
In this presentation, we will learn how to shift our perspective on self-care to see it, not only as a priority but also as a necessity. We will discuss how we can practice self-care in real-time and on a real budget. And we will learn how to move past judgment, shame, and guilt to freedom.
Self-care is about building a life you don’t have to regularly escape from and it shouldn’t break your bank either. Let’s go beyond the bubble bath!
Thriving Through Change
While change is inevitable, we have been living through an unprecedented time of rapid and unsolicited change. Many organizations are struggling with how to help their employees cope while remaining competitive and focused on outcomes.
There are complex feelings that go along with change as well as a variety of responses we can have toward it. Learning how to adjust to or manage change is an ongoing process that takes strategy, not just hope.
In this engaging presentation, we will examine the process of change and share ideas for how we can thrive through change. We will also talk about seven different ideas for managing change as well as the importance of developing resilience.
While change is inevitable, we can choose whether or not we grow through change. The goal of this presentation is to set the bar higher for managing change, not just surviving change but thriving!
Custom Presentation
Kari would be happy to talk with you about designing a custom keynote presentation for your organization.
Kari can speak for as little as 30 minutes or up to 1.5 hours.
You even have the option to request a combination of two topics; for example, Using EQ to Deal with Difficult People, or Cultural Competency and Customer Service.
Let us know how we can design an awesome custom keynote for your group!
Perfect for Events Across Colorado & Beyond
Whether you’re hosting a conference in Denver, a leadership summit in Boulder, a corporate retreat in Colorado Springs, or a virtual gathering with a global audience, Kari Knutson is a trusted keynote speaker who inspires growth, connection, and transformative insight.
Book Your Keynote Speaker Today
Ready to bring a keynote that motivates, connects, and transforms?
Contact Us to discuss your event goals and secure a keynote presentation that elevates your audience.
Kari serves audiences in Denver, Colorado, and worldwide.
