Keynotes to Remember

“In a crowd of 6,000 people, I was on the back row–the very back row–and I felt like Patti was talking directly to me.” -John Framer

“Patti’s honesty and authenticity shines through with every word; there wasn’t a person in this crowd of 3,000 who didn’t laugh and cry during her session. It was the highlight of the whole conference for me and everyone I talked to–and it changed how we engaged with each other through the whole meeting.” -Mary Sumoit

If you’re a meeting planner, you want a speaker who:

  • Is known for her engaging speaking style
  • Always delivers
  • Makes your attendees feel special and seen
  • Is easy to work with
  • Is reliable & responsive
  • Relates to your audience
  • Customizes her remarks to your industry/group
  • Has a body of work your attendees can respect

Patti is the published author of eight books focused on global leadership, global diversity, inclusion, living mindfully, and creating intentionally. She speaks widely on those topics, and consults to corporations, communities, and educational institutions around the world.

From high school classrooms to the TEDx stage, and from the boardrooms of Fortune 50 companies to the annual meetings of major nonprofits, Patti Digh captivates audiences, moving them to tears and uproarious laughter with her honest, down-to-earth, and meaningful messages about what really matters in life and work. Patti is a master Southern storyteller who delivers. Your audiences will laugh and cry–we can guarantee that–and they will also learn and incorporate that learning in an embodied, felt way that will stick with them long after your event is over.

Please note: Conference organizers must demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the selection of general session speakers for Patti to consider speaking at your event. If there are no BIPOC people in keynote roles, she will have to decline your invitation.

Where She Shines

Patti is a stage-setter for conferences. She shines as an opening keynote who creates a safe environment for learning and community that will permeate the rest of your event. The stories she tells in her speeches become touchstones for conference participants to reference again and again throughout the rest of the meeting, creating the kind of shared language necessary for true community to form. Your meeting will be transformed from the moment it opens with Patti on stage.

“Hands down, best speaker I’ve ever heard. This changed my life.” -Jim Shere

Julie Gieseke
"Patti Digh has become my masterful model of what is possible in front of the room as a facilitator, as a presenter, as a storyteller, as a human. She exudes a presence that is a magical mixture of humor, compassion, wisdom and authenticity. Patti Digh has raised the bar to a whole new level. I would attend anything she is leading, no question. She is simply brilliant."

Patti’s topics include:

  • Life is a Verb: Six Practices for Living (and Working) More Intentionally
  • Creativity is a Verb: Six Practices for Getting Unstuck So You Can Innovate
  • Change Your Verbs, Change Your Life: The Power of Mindful Action
  • The Geography of Loss: Embracing What Is, Honoring What Was, Loving What Will Be
  • Beyond Tolerating Diversity to Embracing Inclusion: Your Business and Community Depend on It
  • Difference & Disequilibrium: Keys to Success and Innovation
  • Beyond Data to Story: How Executives (and others) Can Move People to Action
  • Radical Acceptance: 10 Steps to Loving Yourself, Your Work, and Your Life
  • Our Shared Future: How to Raise Inclusive Children

½ day to full day workshops are available on these topics as well.

In her speeches and workshops, Patti draws on her experiences as a nonprofit executive, world traveler, author, and mother of two children, both of whom are artists, and one of whom is autistic and transgender. Other topics are developed in concert with her clients; each talk reflects the nature of the business or organization and its stakeholders or members. She has talked to groups as widely diverse as universities in Israel, companies in New Zealand, the U.K., Australia, South Africa, and far beyond, government agencies in Guyana and France, and nonprofit organizations from nearly every U.S. state. Patti’s speaking has taken her to over 60 countries so far.

“When I am with Patti Digh, I experience thoughtful and world-expanding creativity whether in her presentations or retreats. She is a master teacher helping me grasp new ideas, new skills, and techniques that always seem so tailored for me. I always leave feeling smarter, more clever, more excited about possibilities, and feeling positive about myself.“
-Esther Louie

Some of Patti’s Speaking Clients Include

Partial List of Speaking Clients:

Corporations

  • Amdocs Israel
  • Avaya Communications
  • Boeing
  • Cendant Corporation
  • DaimlerChrysler
  • Discovery Communications
  • Equity Residential
  • Florida Power and Light
  • Fortune Magazine Special Projects
  • Haywood Regional Medical Center
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • PepsiCo
  • Progress Energy
  • REI
  • Shell Oil
  • TEDx
  • Transitions Optical

Non-Profit Organizations

  • AFS-USA
  • American Academy of Physician Assistants
  • AARP
  • American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education
  • American Association of State Colleges and Universities
  • American Cancer Society
  • American Compensation Association (now WorldatWork)
  • American Forests
  • American Institute of Architects
  • American Institute of Architecture Students
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
  • American School Food Service Association
  • American Society for Quality
  • American Society for Training and Development
  • American Society of Association Executives
  • Asian Regional Training and Development Organization
  • Australian Human Resources Institute
  • Boy Scouts of America
  • California Association for the Education of Young Children
  • Center for Association Leadership
  • Council on Aging
  • Employee Relocation Council
  • Empower Autism
  • Greater Washington Society of Association Executives
  • Human Resources Institute of New Zealand
  • International Erosion Control Association
  • Leadership Asheville
  • National Architectural Accreditation Board
  • National Parks Conservation Association
  • New York Association for the Education of Young Children
  • North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching
  • PBS Public Broadcasting System
  • President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
  • Project Management Institute
  • Public Risk Management Association
  • Society for Human Resource Management
  • Society of American Foresters
  • Special Libraries Association
  • YMCA
  • YWCA

Educational Institutions

  • Achva College Israel
  • Arizona State University
  • Educational Service Unit 9 – Nebraska
  • George Washington University
  • Guilford College
  • Southern New Hampshire University
  • University of North Carolina
  • University of Southern Maine

Governmental Agencies

  • City of Austin
  • City of Boston
  • Government of Guyana
  • United States Geological Survey
  • U.S. Postal Service

To inquire about booking Patti for a keynote or workshop, complete this form and we’ll be in touch within one working day (Mon-Fri) to see if there is a match from the perspectives of message, calendar, and budget. If you prefer, you can call Patti directly at 828-280-5766.

Please note: Conference organizers must demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the selection of general session speakers for Patti to consider speaking at your event. If there are no BIPOC people in keynote roles, she will have to decline your invitation.

Or call Patti directly at 828-280-5766 to inquire.

“Our industry was in trouble. Our annual meeting showed signs of buckling under the weight of those troubles. Until Patti Digh took the stage and showed us what is really important. Her words echoed throughout the rest of the meeting like a siren song for resiliency.” -Martha Sedering