Smiley is one of the top future of work, company culture & workplace belonging keynote speakers in the world for government, non-profit, and education organizations.
Government, Non-Profit, and Education Keynotes
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“Smiley was wonderful to work with during all 6 global sessions he did for EO's virtual Future of Work Lab. He shared cutting-edge data, insights, and actionable tips on navigating the multigenerational workforce, hybrid work, AI's impact on employees, and how to build a culture of belonging in challenging times. Smiley also dedicated additional time to interviewing multiple EO members, integrating their insights on work culture into the content to tailor it for our audience. Best of all, many of our members have already begun implementing Smiley's ideas and strategies at their companies. We would love to work with him again in the future.”
- Jess Owens, Learning Manager, Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) -
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“Energetic, inspiring, thought provoking, and fantastic. Smiley provided practical and actionable tips to bridge generational gaps and build a high-performing culture of belonging. Smiley was easy to work with, stayed for a breakout Q&A with CEOs, and showed up fully for our employee owners."
- Amanda Rushing, Vice President of Events & Education, The ESOP Association
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“It was absolutely a pleasure to work with Smiley and his team. Smiley was a HUGE hit! Smiley really took the time to get to know us, our member organizations, and our industry's challenges; so impressive, and so much appreciated by our conference attendees, a 10!”
- Joyce MacDonald, President & CEO, Greater Public -
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“Smiley was amazing! His keynote address was exactly what our members needed to hear. He went above and beyond by interviewing some of our members and incorporating those interviews into his presentation. He also handled a temporary A/V outage like the pro he is. Additionally, he hosted a Q&A session later during the day and facilitated incredible conversation. I have no hesitation in recommending him.”
- Nick Zumbrun, Assistant Director of Learning, NIRSA -
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“Smiley's talk on Engaging the Multigenerational Workplace was a standout hit at PBWC. Dozens of attendees said Smiley left them inspired, with tangible takeways to empower their employees."
- Stephanie Heishman, Program Director, Professional BusinessWomen of California
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“Smiley was a phenomenal keynote speaker for our organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit. The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania aims to connect our regional technologists from diverse industries, backgrounds and experiences with opportunities to learn, collaborate and innovate and Smiley’s impactful message surrounding engaging multigenerational workforces was a huge hit with our event attendees! Not only did event attendees rave about Smiley’s presentation at the conclusion of the Summit, but attendees have carried Smiley’s message back to their respective workplaces and the conversations continue to morph into actionable steps. We would highly recommend Smiley to anyone looking for a mindful and engaging speaker.”
- Alexis Gosik, President & CEO, Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania -
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"Smiley’s talk on understating and retaining millennials and Gen Z in the workforce, as well as the impact that a mission-driven business has on its employees, was a highlight of our Harvard Business School reunion. Many of us reflected on the inspirational and thought-provoking takeaways he left us with. Adam delivered a great talk, and is an engaging, energetic, and dynamic speaker!"
- Richard S., Harvard Business School -
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"Smiley’s message reaches a diverse student population. He brings a purpose driven, inspirational view to the challenges of life after college while staying grounded, peppering his talk with humor and sound advice on how to get there. Our students responded positively as what he shared buzzed around our campus in the days following. Smiley’s passion and love for helping young people obviously left an impact on everyone in the room."
- Elke Hardt, Director of Career Services Center, La Sierra University
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"Wise beyond his years, Smiley finds a way to ask provocative questions, help people think about their next life step, and, in a humorous way, confirm that breakthroughs at any stage of life are much more about exploring and savoring one's journey, not just about achieving an end goal."
- Denise Benatar, Teaching Team, Stanford University
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"Smiley brings both excitement and genuine care to his speaking and teaching practice. He is able to get everyone in the room engaged and motivated, and he is able to deepen into supporting each person in their unique purpose during his workshop. His strengths lie in allowing each person to fully consider their own potential and find accountability towards the larger goal of a meaning-filled life."
- Laura Reddick, Senior Program Manager, California Institute for Integral Studies
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Future of Work Keynote Speaker for Government, Non-Profit, and Education Organizations Specializing in Workplace Culture, Team Connection & Belonging
Belonging is the Future of Social Impact
Government, Non-Profit, and Educational organizations are facing significant challenges in 2025 including political and social polarization, policy and regulatory changes regarding federal aid and federal grants, and workforce shortages; in a climate of increased income equality and disparities in access to public education, healthcare, and community services. Government and Non-Profit leaders must innovate to attract Gen Z talent and improve the employee experience across generations, while adapting to rapid technological change and disruption caused by AI. Flexibility, curiosity, empathy, coaching, and emotional intelligence skills are paramount to engage the multigenerational workforce, navigate challenging social and economic environments, and prioritize employee well-being and mental health in the age of burnout and overwhelm.
Government and Non-Profit leaders have a critical role in the Age of AI: to harness the power of human connection to drive profitable growth and social impact. With so many coworkers overwhelmed, overworked, and resource constrained (and not seeing each other regularly in a hybrid workplace), we are now in the business of care and connection. Connection has become the most valuable currency at work. Organizations that build a culture of connection thrive. Ones who don’t evolve their culture will fail. Culture isn’t just HR’s job. Culture is everyone’s job.
In a nonstop, disengaged, overwhelmed workplace in a polarized country; the value of meaningful human connection increases exponentially and business is about building connection for your people, your teams, and your community. High-levels of employee belonging create a 56% increase in job performance, lead to a 50% drop in turnover risk, and can save an organization $52 million a year.
Smiley’s practical keynotes provide an actionable toolkit for government, non-profit, and education leaders to improve employee well-being, attract and retain top talent, engage high-performing teams, and create a workplace culture of belonging at our organizations, for our people, and for the communities we serve.
Keynote Topics for Government, Non-Profit, and Education Organizations
How Leaders Can Build Trust, Build High-Value Relationships, Strengthen Community Engagement, and Foster Belonging in a Polarized World
Building a Culture of Connection, Community, and Social Impact in the Era of Disconnection, Polarization, and AI
How to Attract, Retain, and Engage Talent Across Generations and to Drive Social Impact and Thrive in the Future of Work
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Building Resilient, High-Performing Teams to Adapt to Rapid Change, Transform Culture and Drive Social Impact in Overwhelming Times
Building a Culture of Care to Foster Connection, Reduce Burnout, Improve Employee Well-Being and Mental Health, and Promote Lasting Social Impact
“One of the Top Human Resources Keynote Speakers.”
“One of the Top 12 Speakers who will inspire you.”
8 Reasons to Book Smiley to Speak
Smiley’s practical keynote talks are action-based and designed to increase workplace connection and build better relationships starting today.
All smiles, humble, kind, and drama-free.
Smiley delivers a memorable performance.
Seasoned Future of Work thought leader, trusted by the world’s leading government, non-profit, and education organizations.
Resonates across generations with youthful expertise, positive energy, and practical tips.
Globally recognized expert on friendship, workplace culture & belonging, human connection & inclusion.
Champion for human connection and building high-value relationships in the Age of AI.
Smiley goes above and beyond.
Speaking Videos
What is Belonging?
Belonging is Everyone's Job
The Myth About Workplace Belonging
From Culture Fit to Culture Transformation
A Culture Where People Can Make the Ask
Find Believers
Managing Gen-Z and Generational Differences
Engaging the Next Generation of Talent
Team Psychological Safety at Work
Belonging and Human Connection in the Future of Work: Event Recap
Build a Workplace Culture of Belonging: Event Recap
Empowering World-Class Government, Non-Profit, and Education Leaders to Thrive
Next Steps to Book Smiley as your Government and Non-Profit Organization Keynote Speaker
Reach Out
Complete the Speaker Request Form to share your event details and confirm Smiley’s availability.
Prep
We’ll schedule a pre-event call so you can share your event’s goals and how Smiley can best customize his presentation to meet your audience’s unique needs and priorities. If needed, we’ll also schedule a prep call two weeks before the event to go over logistics and A/V, and make sure everyone is ready to go.
Customize
Smiley will schedule several additional calls with leaders, clients, key stakeholders, or employees, so he can build their personal stories and wisdom into his presentation, to make it resonate perfectly with your audience.
In addition to delivering an outstanding and highly actionable motivational keynote presentation, Smiley will show up for your people. Whenever possible, he’ll stay for client dinners, attend post-event cocktail receptions, moderate Q&As or discussion groups, sign books, do video interviews or podcasts, and make cross-promotional social media posts.
Show Up
After his presentation, Smiley will share his slides and create a custom 1-pager with key takeaways, article links, recommended books, and follow-on resources for audiences to engage with after his talk. Smiley will review audience feedback, and is happy to discuss planning a 6-month follow-up discussion group or interactive workshop, so your team can keep fostering belonging at work, long after Smiley’s keynote.
