.jpeg)
Best Keynote Speakers in Charlotte
Charlotte Keynote Speaker Services
Charlotte is more than just a banking hub, NASCAR capital, or Southern foodie paradise—it’s a city fueled by innovation, growth, and people-first leadership. Every skyscraper rising in Uptown, every startup launching out of a co-working space in South End, and every HR team shaping new workforce strategies in Concord or Gastonia tells the story of a city in motion.
And behind that story? Visionaries. Charlotte’s keynote speakers and consultants are helping organizations tackle everything from employee engagement to diversity, equity, and inclusion, to the future of hybrid work. In fact, the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia metro is one of the fastest-growing in the Southeast, and its companies—both legacy Fortune 500s and fast-scaling tech startups—need inspiration and practical HR strategy to keep pace.
That’s where our curated list comes in. At Digital Reference, we’ve done the heavy lifting: researching, evaluating, and curating the top keynote speakers based in the Charlotte metro. Some are freelancers, some helm their own businesses, and others are embedded in firms—but all of them share one common thread: they know how to captivate audiences and leave HR teams with tools they can actually use.
🌟 Highlights on Charlotte Area Keynote Speakers
🔷 Jeffrey Gitomer
Author of Little Red Book of Selling | Sales Strategy & Motivation Speaker
When it comes to sales strategy and motivation, few names carry as much weight in Charlotte—or across the U.S.—as Jeffrey Gitomer. Author of the best-selling Little Red Book of Selling, Gitomer has long been one of the Southeast’s most recognizable keynote speakers.
What makes him stand out isn’t just his decades of experience but his ability to make sales and leadership training both actionable and entertaining. HR professionals often highlight him as a go-to resource when training internal sales teams or encouraging managers to rethink their approach to employee engagement.
✨ Gitomer’s unique strengths:
📌 Practical, no-fluff strategies for sales teams and managers alike.
📌 A charismatic delivery style—he keeps crowds laughing and learning simultaneously.
📌 A Charlotte-based legacy—he has been deeply embedded in the region’s professional culture.
Organizations that bring in Gitomer don’t just walk away motivated; they walk away with a toolkit. He’s particularly effective for HR leaders who need to align sales performance with cultural transformation.
🔷 Calvin Stovall
CEO, ICONIC Presentations, LLC | Brand Storytelling & Engagement Expert
Calvin Stovall is a master of brand storytelling. As the CEO of ICONIC Presentations, LLC, he channels decades of executive experience—including time as VP of Brand Marketing for Hilton Worldwide—into powerful, relatable keynotes.
Calvin’s “live the brand” philosophy resonates deeply with HR professionals, because it speaks to something HR knows all too well: employee engagement is the key to customer experience. His talks often help organizations bridge the gap between company vision and day-to-day employee behaviors.
✨ Stovall’s unique strengths:
📌 Expertise in hospitality and customer experience—a skillset highly transferable to employee experience.
📌 Engages audiences with energy and practical frameworks like his “ICONIC Framework.”
📌 Known for helping leaders create alignment between HR, brand, and operations.
When Charlotte organizations bring in Calvin, they’re not just getting a keynote speaker—they’re gaining a guide who helps them understand how culture and brand live side by side.
🔷 Mimika Cooney
Personal Growth Strategist | Leadership & Resilience Speaker | Author
Mimika Cooney brings a refreshing voice to leadership and resilience. Known as the “Personal Growth Strategist,” Mimika helps leaders and teams reframe challenges, develop grit, and strengthen emotional intelligence.
Her focus on mindset makes her particularly appealing in HR contexts where burnout, retention, and employee engagement are critical challenges. Mimika’s background as a South African-born entrepreneur who built her career in the U.S. adds a layer of global perspective that many Charlotte-based organizations appreciate.
✨ Cooney’s unique strengths:
📌 Mindset-first approach to leadership and resilience.
📌 Global background—she connects with diverse audiences effortlessly.
📌 Author of several books on leadership and mindset, giving HR leaders lasting resources.
HR leaders often bring in Mimika for retreats, leadership offsites, and employee well-being programs.
🔷 Rachel Sheerin, CPBA
Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst | Keynote Speaker on Burnout & Engagement
Rachel Sheerin is known for one thing: unapologetic energy. As a keynote speaker and Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst, Rachel brings humor and honesty to conversations around burnout, leadership, and engagement.
She has delivered keynote sessions for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and nonprofits—and her talks consistently score as “audience favorites.” What sets Rachel apart is her authenticity. She doesn’t just talk about workplace burnout; she’s experienced it herself, and she teaches leaders how to identify, prevent, and address it head-on.
✨ Sheerin’s unique strengths:
📌 Specializes in burnout prevention and employee engagement.
📌 Combines behavioral science with practical HR strategies.
📌 Interactive, funny, and candid—she brings real connection to the stage.
For Charlotte HR leaders looking to tackle turnover or re-engage a tired workforce, Rachel is a perfect fit.
🔷 Kristy Kuhl, MBA
Executive Speaker & Consultant | Leadership, Communication & Branding Strategist
Kristy Kuhl is a seasoned executive and keynote speaker who blends her background in marketing, communications, and leadership with a gift for storytelling. Her talks help executives and HR teams understand how to lead authentically and communicate effectively.
✨ Kuhl’s unique strengths:
📌 Dynamic storytelling rooted in business strategy.
📌 Experience across corporate and entrepreneurial spaces.
📌 Focus on leadership communication, culture, and branding.
Kristy’s Charlotte-area presence makes her an ideal partner for organizations looking to inspire leaders who can adapt to rapid change while keeping teams motivated.
🔷 Lauren Ansley
Founder, Ansley Entertainment | Speaker, Entertainer & Professional Emcee
Lauren Ansley is a unique blend of entertainer, speaker, and event emcee. Known for her humor and dynamic personality, Lauren brings a people-first, laughter-forward approach to events.
For HR professionals, this is crucial—because sometimes, culture transformation starts with joy. Lauren’s background in entertainment and her Charlotte-based company, Ansley Entertainment, make her a go-to for organizations looking to infuse energy and humanity into their gatherings.
✨ Ansley’s unique strengths:
📌 Professional emcee and humorist—she keeps audiences engaged.
📌 Focus on employee recognition and celebrating workplace wins.
📌 Charlotte-local entrepreneur who blends entertainment and HR relevance.
🔷 Jason E. Brooks
Leadership Development Consultant & Keynote Speaker | Organizational Psychology Expert
Jason E. Brooks is a leadership development powerhouse. With years of experience in organizational consulting, Jason focuses on helping leaders unlock potential—both in themselves and their teams.
✨ Brooks’ unique strengths:
📌 Deep expertise in organizational psychology and leadership development.
📌 Practical frameworks for HR leaders to implement right away.
📌 A reputation for transforming leadership culture in Charlotte-area firms.
Brooks is particularly valuable for HR teams looking for leadership coaching alongside keynote inspiration.
🔷 Tawana L. Wiggins
Founder, TL Collaborative | Leadership & HR Strategy Consultant
Tawana Wiggins brings a collaborative, people-first approach to leadership and HR strategy. Through her firm, TL Collaborative, she helps organizations align leadership practices with employee experience goals.
✨ Wiggins’ unique strengths:
📌 Strong background in collaboration-focused leadership.
📌 Emphasis on HR strategy as a driver of organizational success.
📌 Known for mentorship and community-focused leadership in Charlotte.
For HR leaders, Tawana offers both inspiration and hands-on frameworks for change.
🔷 David Ladin Jr.
Leadership & Business Strategy Consultant | Keynote Speaker
David Ladin Jr. is a seasoned consultant with a focus on leadership and business strategy. His Charlotte-area presence makes him a strong choice for organizations looking for someone with both executive-level insight and a personable, down-to-earth approach.
✨ Ladin’s unique strengths:
📌 Strategic focus on aligning business and HR goals.
📌 Hands-on consulting alongside keynote work.
📌 Strong Charlotte-area connections that bring local relevance.
🔷 Miguel Labarca
Leadership & Coaching Consultant | Cross-Cultural & Bilingual Speaker
Miguel Labarca is known for his expertise in leadership and coaching, with a special ability to connect across cultures. His bilingual background allows him to reach diverse audiences in Charlotte and beyond, making him particularly valuable for organizations with multilingual teams.
✨ Labarca’s unique strengths:
📌 Cross-cultural leadership and coaching expertise.
📌 Fluent in Spanish and English, offering inclusivity in training and keynotes.
📌 Charlotte-based presence with global reach.
Wrapping Up: Charlotte’s HR and Keynote Landscape
Charlotte isn’t just building skyscrapers and expanding its metro—it’s building people. And the city’s keynote speakers are at the center of that transformation. From Jeffrey Gitomer inspiring sales teams, Calvin Stovall driving brand storytelling, and Mimika Cooney guiding leaders toward resilience, to Rachel Sheerin tackling burnout, Kristy Kuhl strengthening executive communication, and Lauren Ansley infusing events with humor and energy—each voice makes an impact. Add in Jason E. Brooks shaping leadership culture, Tawana L. Wiggins fostering collaboration, David Ladin Jr. aligning business and HR goals, and Miguel Labarca connecting across cultures, and you’ll see how each professional brings a unique, actionable perspective that helps organizations thrive.
At Digital Reference, our mission is simple: to connect organizations with the right people, strategies, and tools to make HR more effective. Our curated lists are the result of careful research and evaluation, designed to spotlight professionals who truly make an impact.
Looking for more resources? Don’t miss our guide to:
- Best Leadership Coach & Consulting Services in the USA
- Best Career Coach & Consulting Services in the USA
- Best Leadership Development Consulting Services in the USA
- Best Recruitment Consulting Services in the USA
If you’re an HR leader in Charlotte—or anywhere across the Southeast—Digital Reference is here to help you find the right keynote speakers and consultants to elevate your team and your culture.
Subscribe to our newsletter
We'd love to have you follow our journey, learn about to new features and functionality, and get access to talent ecosystem news.
