Keynote Speakers 2022
Jon Greendeer
- Jon Greendeer is a graduate of UW-Marathon County and went on to complete his Bachelors in Political Science from UW-Stevens Point in 2004. Upon completion, he was appointed as the Executive Administrative Officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation overseeing the administrative and financial day-to-day operations. As an MTI graduate & and Certified Conflict Mediator, Jon worked with employees and employers to implement effective resolution strategies. Jon was elected President of Ho-Chunk Nation and served from 2011-2015, was appointed as the Executive Director of Heritage Preservation and now works as the Health and Wellness Coordinator focused on culturally informed diabetes and obesity prevention approaches through fitness and dietetic education models along with community-integrated indigenous and sustainable food systems. Understanding your people, the Social Determinants of their Health environment, and the delivery of respectul Culturally-Responsive care is key to getting through the harshest of times and living the best lives ahead of them.
Jasmine Brett Stringer
- Speaker, On-air lifestyle expert and author, Jasmine is the award-winning author of “Seize Your Life: How to Carpe Diem Every Day,” and founder of the internationally recognized lifestyle brand Carpe Diem with Jasmine and the #SHARETHEMICMN movement. In these times of transformational change, Jasmine is on a mission to help people live empowered and authentic lives. Through her Seize Your Life keynotes, workshops and customized coaching sessions, Jasmine guides clients and audiences through a simple process to identify their goals and achieve their personal definition of success. Oprah Winfrey has called Jasmine a “carrier of the light.” As a sought-after lifestyle expert, she has been featured on a variety of media outlets, such as OWN TV, Yahoo, MSN, The Huffington Post and is a weekly lifestyle contributor to local CBS television station WCCO-TV. Jasmine guides people in identifying their goals and achieving their personal definition of success through her Seize You Life workshops and seminars. When not in Minneapolis, Jasmine can be found at the airport or on the family farm in rural Minnesota with her husband.
Adrian Washington
Adrian is originally from Greenville, MS. But St. Cloud, MN has been home most of his life.
He first took the stage in Feb. 2004. His improve style of comedy makes him a crowd favorite wherever he goes, because you’ll never see the same show twice! His passion for comedy shows on stage.
Adrian’s resume keeps growing. He’s performed all over the nation, including a tour in Canada. He’s hit historic stages, such as Comedy Store and Laugh Factory in LA.
Adrian has worked with some the best in the business, including Donnell Rawlings (aka Ashy Larry) Steve O from Jackass, Lavell Crawford, Eddie Griffin, Carlos Mencia and so many others!
Along with standup comedian, Adrian also wears many other hats. He is a promoter/producer/podcaster. His company is 1Mic Ent and his podcast is Comedy & Kinfolk, available on Spotify, Soundcloud, and Itunes.
Adrian’s attitude, professionalism and drive to succeed definitely makes him a pleasure to work with.
For shows and booking info, check out his website www.funnymanadrian.com
KaYing Yang
- For more than three decades, KaYing has been a social justice advocate who has built and led community organizing, public policy engagement, and development efforts locally, nationally, and globally. She began her career as a community organizer and executive manager providing social services and advocacy for the protection of refugees and immigrants in Minnesota at the Women’s Association of Hmong and Lao. She then went on to defend and promote immigrant and human rights by serving in a number of organizations including the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, the International Organization for Migration, the International Finance Corporation, and the Coalition of Asian American Leaders in Minnesota. All of her work comes from a deep experience having come to the United States as a Hmong refugee at the age of seven in 1976 where she experienced firsthand the struggles faced by communities experiencing generational trauma and poverty. Recently the Biden/Harris Administration appointed KaYing to serve on the President's Advisory Commission for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI).