February 14, 2026 - evolve

Info coming soon!

 As Founder and CEO of Leaders Uplifted, Blair Bloomston has built a distinguished career in leader development, team engagement, and game-based learning. Across more than two decades, she has partnered with NASA, Deloitte, EY, Hilton, the U.S. House of Representatives, and nearly all branches of the U.S. Military, designing programs that transform culture and learning, and elevate team performance. She began as a Senior Communication Coach at IMG Academy, training elite athletes and future NFL, NBA, and MLB stars. Blair is an experienced federal contractor delivering high-profile engagements for the USDA, NOAA, VA, and Joint Special Operations Command. Her expertise has been featured on ESPN, BBC, and the Big 10 Network, and she has earned honors including Gulf Coast Business Review’s 40 Under 40, SRQ Magazine’s Women Who Roar, and her proprietary LIFT engagement framework was recently awarded the prestigious Golden Image Award from the Florida Public Relations Association.

 If Kari Goetz could be any animal, she’d be a flying squirrel. Until then, Kari is content being a theater-trained academic and consultant who uses humor, satire, and joy as tools of leadership and resilience. As the founder of Winzig Consulting, Kari is as comfortable negotiating with airlines on an international stage as she is performing in front of regional theater audiences. Her career spans aviation, nonprofits, and business leadership, where she turns creativity into impact. A founding member of Second City Hollywood and a specialist in satire as a tool for change, she teaches leadership and communication through comedy at MBA programs across the country. Kari believes that a sharp joke lands harder than a sharp elbow. With a BFA in Theater and an MA in Communication, Kari blends stagecraft with strategy to help organizations and people thrive. When not on stage or in the boardroom, she’s adventuring with her family, running, or adopting yet another animal. 

 Shanda Lee is Executive Vice President of Marketing at FINFROCK, one of Central Florida’s largest privately held companies and a nationally recognized design-builder. She has built FINFROCK’s brand into an industry leader and preferred employer through strategic marketing, talent acquisition, and retention, earning recognition as one of Orlando’s Best Places to Work. Shanda serves on the Precast Concrete Institute Foundation Board of Trustees, advancing STEM education with universities nationwide, and on the PCI's Workforce Development Committee, shaping strategies to prepare future construction professionals. A past Orlando Business Journal “Women Who Mean Business” honoree, she also served on the Junior Achievement Board of Directors, expanding financial literacy and work readiness programs, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Seminole/Apopka. With 25+ years of experience, she blends brand strategy, workforce innovation, and community impact. 

 Marie M. Loeffler is a speaker, musician, and creative professional who masterfully blends the performing arts with powerful insights on leadership, communication, and human connection. Drawing on a lifetime in the performing arts, she brings a unique perspective to the stage, using the sound and symbolism of bells to show how individual voices shape collective strength. She is a seasoned presenter and longtime member of Toastmasters International. Her work spans solo concerts, keynote presentations, and training programs, each designed to inspire audiences to find their voice, embrace creativity, and work together more effectively. Whether in a boardroom or a concert hall, Marie weaves story, metaphor, and live performance into experiences that resonate long after the final note rings. In her TEDx talk, she explores how bells have echoed through America’s story, calling us to remember, to rise, and to hope. 

 Joseph Okaly is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, author of “The Financial Pinwheel”, and owner of New Horizons Wealth Management. With over 15 years in the financial industry—beginning as an intern before purchasing the firm from his mentor—he has devoted his career to helping middle-class families achieve lasting financial security.  Rather than relying on restrictive budgets, Joseph emphasizes a straightforward approach: automate savings. He challenges one of the most common (and misleading) beliefs that budgeting builds wealth, highlighting instead how automated savings systems create a smarter, psychologically sound alternative for greater freedom, peace of mind, and actual retirement readiness.  Through books, podcasts, and online resources, he has guided thousands of families toward financial clarity and confidence. His mission is to impact 100,000 households with the message that financial health is about strategy, systems, and mindset—not restriction. 

 I’m Matt Ritter—a lawyer-turned-comedian, screenwriter, and host of Man of the Year, the #1 podcast on friendship, featured on The Today Show, The New York Times, NPR, and Netflix is a Joke Fest. I turned friendship into a daily habit, and now I help thousands of others do the same. When I’m not writing movies for Hollywood or chasing after my toddler crew, I’m sharing simple ways to build stronger, better connections. 

 At just 13 years old, Maddie Walsh is already a powerful voice of faith, healing, and hope. A devoted follower of Jesus and a passionate dancer, she has spent 11 years using movement to share her message: you’re never alone, you’re always enough, and God is with you. A writer, speaker, and advocate for kids navigating self-worth and mental health challenges, her journey reflects remarkable courage. After being bullied, she faced deep struggles and spent six months in treatment. Through it, she gained unshakable faith, renewed purpose, and resilience. Today, Maddie is an Ambassador for AdventHealth's Be a Mindleader campaign, the youngest speaker for the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, and has helped raise over $500,000 for prevention, education and awareness. She dreams of attending Harvard, becoming a pediatrician and motivational speaker, and writing a book, living proof that even in darkness, light and hope prevail.