2026 Winter Wellness Summit

January 29 - 30, 2026

FINDING STRENGTH THROUGH HOPE

Check back for updates! New speakers and sessions are being added regularly!

About the Event

The Winter Wellness Summit is your mid-year opportunity to renew, refresh, and refocus on what matters most—health, well-being, and thriving school communities. This event is open to all school personnel and community partners dedicated to supporting health promotion and wellness in schools. Whether you are an educator, administrator, school nurse, counselor, nutrition professional, or any staff member who serves students, the Summit is designed for you. Through keynote presentations, engaging workshops, and hands-on sessions, participants will gain strategies, resources, and inspiration to strengthen both personal health practices and schoolwide wellness initiatives. Workplace health promotion programs have been shown to improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and enhance school climate and culture. In schools, this translates directly to healthier, safer, and more supportive environments where students and staff can flourish. The Winter Wellness Summit highlights the connection between staff well-being, positive school environments, and student success. Together, we’ll explore how healthier behaviors influence overall health, peak performance, and academic achievement. Highlights include: • Educational and inspirational keynote presentations on hope and resilience • Plenary sessions and workshops on personal wellness practices and creating positive, supportive school climates • Wellness-focused networking to connect with like-minded colleagues and building collaborative plans for school and worksite wellness initiatives Testimonials: • When asked what was the most positive feature of the Summit, a participant responded, “Everything! This was one of the BEST conferences I've attended since I started in education 26 years ago. The keynote speakers, breakout sessions, wellness time, etc., were all amazing!!” • “This is an incredibly valuable resource at a time when these supports and strategies are most needed by our educational personnel. The space is inspiring, the themes are practical and focused; and the networking between personnel in the advancement of school wellness for students, staff, and community is priceless.” • "The Wellness Summit is a great opportunity for your staff. It offers activities and information that can be immediately shared with teams and the full building staff. It is an incredible opportunity for personal goals and learning, as well as team goals and learning. The connections are lasting. The summit highlights and emphasizes the need for wellness and self-care that is often overlooked as we take care of others. There are amazing strategies and opportunities presented, practiced, and shared. It is one of my favorite conferences each year!" • "I have never attended a wellness summit before, but I will not miss any in the future. I learned so much about ways to keep myself healthy and left with several great ideas to bring back to my SAU staff and students. It was one of the most energizing, joy-filled experiences I've ever had in my educational career!" Join us for two days of engaging and interactive learning, inspiration, and empowerment, and leave ready to care for yourself, support others, and help shape healthier schools for all.

OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Kathryn Goetzke, MBA, is CEO & Chief Hope Officer of The Shine Hope Company, Founder of iFred (2004), the Author of ‘The Biggest Little Book About Hope‘, podcast host of The Hope Matrix, Creator of award winning Hopeful Minds, Hopeful Cities, and Hopeful Mindsets. In 2004, launched Mood-lites™, a brand that achieved over 35 million dollars in retail sales and ran the first cause marketing campaign for mental health. She was recently appointed to represent the World Federation for Mental Health at the United Nations, the first organization in the world for mental health established in 1948, that sets the theme for World Mental Health Day on October 10th, where she represents the almost 1 billion people around the world with mental health disorders. Kathryn is currently working to get a resolution passed at the United Nations for an International Day of Hope, to ensure that all around the world know you can measure and teach hope.

She is currently working to license the Hopeful Cities programming to cities around the world, to ensure all know what hopelessness is, and are equipped with skills for ‘how’ to Shine Hope™ (Stress Skills, Happiness Habits, Inspired Actions, Nourishing Networks, and Eliminating Challenges). The company has Shine Hope evidence-based educational programs for all ages, and public health campaigns with universal language to normalize hopelessness (we all have moments of hopelessness), and ensure all know ‘how’ to hope, engaging with sectors in government, healthcare, science, arts, education, and workplaces. She authored a comprehensive Hopeful Cities Playbook with both no cost resources and licensed programming, and wants everyone in the world to be able to write their own Shine Hope Story.

Website: theshinehopecompany.com/

Laurie A. Watkins, Founder & President of Sunshine L.A.W. Consulting, a full-strength organization with equal strengths in policy and politics, in advocacy and access, and connections and communications. Laurie is also an accomplished speaker, best-selling author of the award-winning books; Go from Stressed to Strong: Health & Fitness Advice from High Achievers, and The Musical Imprint, and a human rights champion, and women’s rights advocate.

For two decades, Laurie has developed strategies to bring people together around common causes. Laurie is a veteran of several presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial campaigns, is an active partner of the Truman National Security Project, CARE Chef’s Table, and mentor and coach to the Brooke Owens Fellows. She is a social impact leader and recognized expert in public policy, national security, foreign affairs, and expanding education and opportunities for young women and girls.

Laurie is a past guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, holds a BS from Florida State University, and an MPA from Florida Atlantic University. She has also earned executive certificates from Georgetown University in Government Digital Transformation and from the University of San Francisco in Public Leadership and Legislative Strategy. Laurie is a political and foreign affairs contributor on MSNBC, Sky News Arabia, Alhurra TV, AlGhadTV, Asharq TV, and FOX News. Laurie currently thrives in Washington, DC with her rescue dog Whiskey Bravo.

Website: laurieawatkins.com/ | Blog: laurieawatkins.com/blog/