Sara Ross is an international keynote speaker, the founder and Chief Vitality Officer at BrainAmped—a leadership research firm—as well as the author of the book, Dear Work: something has to change.
Sara is on a mission to help organizations and their leaders reignite a sense of aliveness in both their work and at home. She and her company do this by using brain science-based strategies to teach people how to amplify their emotional intelligence, resilience, and well-being.
As a leadership expert, Sara’s ideas and research have earned her a reputation as a fresh and thought-provoking voice in discussions focused on the future of work. As such, Sara is called on to work with clients such as Microsoft, PepsiCo., Cisco, Wells Fargo, T-Mobile, Rogers, Allstate, United Health, Fidelity, BMO, Stanford University, and as diversely as the U.S. Navy SEALs and the leadership team of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, among others. In addition, Sara has worked with numerous government agencies, foundations, and associations as well as guest lecturing in the executive leadership program at Smith College. This broad perspective and diverse experience help explain why Sara is called on to work with some of the most senior, technically sophisticated, and skeptical audiences.
You can count on Sara to bring her trademark energy with the integration of relevant, cutting-edge science and relatable stories of success and failures. Her approach is guaranteed to challenge the status quo, provide new insights and inspiration, and most importantly, leave audiences with a blueprint of actionable strategies.
Before founding BrainAmped, Sara spent a decade immersed in the neuroscience of Emotional Intelligence and Performance at a leadership development company where she served as their Vice President and Global Head of Leadership Innovation, Research and Education. As head of faculty, Sara and her team led the development and delivery of award-winning leadership programs, assessments, coaching and accreditation programs that helped leaders from across the globe to be their best, even in the most complex and stress-filled moments.
Sara has a Master of Science (MSc.) from the University of Waterloo. Outside of work, she is a coffee loving, meditation rookie who can’t help but slip in the occasional Canadian “eh” at the end of a sentence. Her husband describes her career as professional eavesdropping-people-watching. She argues that she is merely a dedicated street scientist doing her professional duty to better understand why people do what they do and why they don’t do what they know they should!
Taking on anything challenging—even when meaningful and exciting—will involve stress, discomfort, and struggle. In a world defined by uncertainty, the most powerful way to raise the bar and get to the next level is to boost the collective potential of how people work together. That starts by helping leaders and their people build awareness of their behavior, learn to embrace the emotions that come with challenges, and strengthen the skills of empathy to thrive collectively together, whether in-person or virtually.
Sara Ross, Chief Vitality Officer of the leadership research firm, BrainAmped, studies the influence of emotional intelligence, vitality-generating energy, and organizational culture on leadership, performance, and teamwork. Combining these areas and looking at them through the lens of brain science, Sara uses humor and storytelling to ensure people have actionable strategies they feel empowered to start using the moment they leave their seats.
Specifically, Sara will share the following in her keynote:
*** It tends to be the best fit for groups looking for tools and insights around:
✓ Helping people strengthen their emotional intelligence and creating high-trust environments.
✓ Creating collaborative cultures where people feel cared about, respected, and part of something bigger.
✓ Strengthening leadership, relationships, and teamwork.
✓ Addressing change, getting buy-in around change initiatives, and creating cultures that foster innovation.
✓ Helping people build self-awareness and take personal ownership of their actions.
✓ Strengthening emotional-management strategies to help people approach and deal with difficult conversations, feedback, and relationships.
✓ Increasing the skill of empathy to strengthen diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
✓ Bettering listening, communication, and coaching skills, particularly in virtual and hybrid environments.
✓ Insights on how emotional intelligence influences recruitment, retention, and psychological safety.
I do not say this lightly – Sara is one of the most engaging speakers I have ever listened to. I have heard her speak three times and every time I learn something new but even more notable, I am taken in by her openness, energy and insight. I promise you can count on Sara to over-deliver.
Sara exceeded our expectations! What really made her stand out was how amazing she was to work with in the lead up, she was so dedicated to understanding our challenges and needs and that really came through in her talk. She is one of the best!
Wonderful! Sara has the passion and the energy but her “in the leadership trenches” experience made this stuff applicable. Our senior leadership team couldn’t stop talking about her impact which is the highest of compliments!
Would I recommend Sara Ross? Are you kidding – I want to be her! Seriously, Sara was awesome!!! She was so real and authentic that I felt like I was in a 1-1 conversation with her not sitting in the audience. Some of the stories she told and examples she shared were so relatable I felt like they were about me! She gave me a game plan to use with my team!
Within the hour Sara made us laugh, reflect and stirred a deep emotion that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Sara’s insights were the thread that connected the rest of the conference, it was amazing.
You are an inspiration…thank you for sharing with us, it was the best keynote of the conference. I am determined to make sure the people who deserve the best of me get it!
“Sara Ross was a pleasure to work with. She brought amazing energy to her sessions and really connected with the audience. She took the opportunity to observe our group before her keynote and customized her approach based on our mission and our audience. Her message left our audience with actionable takeaways they can use in business and in their personal lives. Thank you, Sara!!”
“Sara hit the mark! We’ve heard nothing but supremely positive remarks. Our Managing Director said from stage during our closing session that he felt like Sara was speaking directly to him, as it was exactly what he needed to hear. We’ll take that! Super pleased and excited for what her messages will help our teams to do.”
“She was incredible, messaging was awesome, a breath of fresh air,
commanded the stage, overall fantastic to work with and brought different
perspectives to this topic and conversation! She was also incredibly nice and
sincere!”
