Katie Hilborn

Purpose Architect: The New Currency for a Human-Ready Workplace

THE BIG IDEA

Purpose isn’t just a feel-good idea—it’s the foundation for building happiness, fulfillment, and growth. In a rapidly evolving workplace, where AI advancements are expected to save employees up to 12 hours per week within five years—and four hours as early as next year (Thomson Reuters) —organizations can harness this shift to place purpose at the heart of their culture and use this time to align individual purpose with organizational goals through heart-centric leadership enhances engagement, boosts productivity, and builds a resilient, future-ready workforce.

KEYNOTE DESCRIPTION

In a world reshaped by The Great Resignation and quiet quitting, the workplace is in need of a blueprint for meaning and connection. Nearly 40% of employees are considering leaving their jobs because they no longer find fulfillment in their work (Gallup).

Katie Hilborn’s Purpose Architect™ keynote provides a transformative approach to building workplaces where the purpose is at the cornerstone. This framework aligns individual and organizational purpose, creating a foundation for well-being, productivity, retention, and ultimately company success.

Grounded in data—such as a 30% boost in productivity (McKinsey) and a 40% increase in retention (Global Talent Trends)—and enriched by Katie’s extraordinary experiences, this keynote inspires and equips leaders to craft purpose-first cultures. Katie also introduces the concept of following the breadcrumbs of intuition, demonstrating how small, seemingly insignificant moments can guide heart-led decisions that reshape not only careers but entire organizations.

As a 7x award-winning humanitarian recognized alongside the Dalai Lama, Katie shares profound lessons from walking pumas in Bolivian jungles, to leading earthquake disaster relief in Nepal, and founding children’s charities. Through these vivid stories, she illustrates how embracing purpose and intuition can transform challenges into opportunities, cultivate meaningful connections, and ignite a ripple effect of positive change in individuals and organizations alike.

The Change Compass: Heart-centric leading to inspire teams and turn challenges into opportunities

THE BIG IDEA

Resilience is the beginning, not the end. In an ever-changing world, leaders must navigate uncertainty with adaptability, courage, and intuition. This keynote empowers leaders and teams to transform challenges into opportunities through purposeful action and heart-centered leadership.

KEYNOTE DESCRIPTION

Change is inevitable, yet 70% of change management initiatives fail, primarily due to resistance from employees and lack of support from management (McKinsey & Company). Thriving in today’s rapidly evolving environment requires leaders to engage teams through emotional intelligence, adaptability, and alignment with core values. Leaders who cultivate these qualities achieve a 25% increase in employee performance and retention (Center for Creative Leadership).

Katie Hilborn’s extraordinary journey is a testament to the power of heart-centric leadership and the belief that change is inevitable and growth is intentional. Abandoned at birth and driven by an unwavering sense of purpose, Katie has lived with the Maasai Tribe, delivered disaster relief during the Nepal earthquakes, and founded children’s charities that reduced child trafficking cases to zero. Through these experiences, she learned firsthand what it takes to adapt during change—navigating uncertainty with courage, intuition, and adaptability. As an Anthem Awards Humanitarian Leader of the Year, she has inspired over 70,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $1M for her causes.

In this keynote, Katie shares actionable strategies for:

• Balancing Vision and Empathy: Leading with both clarity and emotional connection to inspire teams.
• Harnessing Feminine and Masculine Archetypes: Knowing when to nurture, strategize, or take bold action.
• Turning Resilience into Purposeful Action: Transforming setbacks into opportunities to grow and create lasting impact.

Katie’s approach reminds us that true leadership begins where resilience meets purpose. With a deep understanding of how to adapt during change, she demonstrates that leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up with heart, aligning actions with values, and thriving through uncertainty.