Speakers

*This page is will be updated as speakers and session information are confirmed.*

Gordie Bufton

Gordie Bufton

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton developed a platform that serves as a catalyst for the transformation of high-performing parents and their children. They deliver tangible solutions through enhanced self-awareness. How would an improved relationship with your children affect their development and future? Using their platform, “Rich Legacy,” Bradley and Gordie discuss the challenges of growing up under the guidance of high-performing parents. The stakes are monumental. Having both barely escaped prison and death, they now provide eye-opening insights from the perspective of the child. This approach inspires parents to engage with their children in a way they never dreamed possible.

Gordie Bufton is an international speaker, family consultant and best-selling author. His book, Eluding Reality: A Memoir about Drugs, Psych Wards, and Recovery captures the gritty realities of drug abuse. Gordie’s story simultaneously portrays the strength that we can all draw upon to overcome the harshest of circumstances. Inspired by the heartfelt feedback to his book, he took to the road to share his experience, strength, and hope. He has received a profound response from audiences at over 100 events with tens of thousands of attendees. His passionate and systematic commitment to helping prevent others from experiencing the hardships he faced is palpable. He is an also avid meditator and Ironman.

Speaker Session

Rich Legacy Family Plan

Session Abstract:

Session 1:
Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton created Rich Legacy to help high-performing parents empower their children to face the evolving challenges in the digital age. They use their stories and experience working with thousands of families to help other families not have to experience the turmoil they put theirs through. In this session, they will conduct separate discussions with parents and kids (ages 10 – 18) with the following intended outcomes:

Takeaways for parents:

  • Learning how to listen and communicate clearly as a family unit and creating the space to do so on a regular basis
  • Clearer understanding of the challenges your children might be facing and how to help them
  • The five principles to leave a Rich Legacy

Takeaways for children:

  • Understanding the power of your voice
  • Learning how to ask for help
  • The importance of setting goals and positive thinking

Session 2:
This session will provide coaching and useful tools to help you develop a family plan. Where do you want to be as a family in 1, 5 or 10 years? Facilitated by experienced family coaches, Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton, during this session you will be given the opportunity to sit down as a family and map your way forward.

Takeaways:

  • Benefit from not only working together but with other EO families too
  • Create a Rich Legacy Family Plan (think business plan for your family)
  • Have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives

Kevin Burkart

Kevin Burkart

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

At the 2017 EO Family Retreat & Experience, you and your loved ones will learn just how good you are at doing things others say you can’t do. EO is excited to announce that Kevin Burkart, an expert in determination, will be joining us for this year’s Family Retreat and Experience. A classic entrepreneur, Kevin will be sharing his own inspiring story as keynote speaker during the event. As a self-described “ferociously independent individual,” Kevin will share his own entrepreneurial journey in designing a life well lived and the challenges that he’s faced and overcome along the way. Attend the 2017 EO Family Retreat & Experience in sunny Orlando, Florida, and you and your family will leave his session inspired to face your own challenges head on and do whatever it takes to disrupt the status quo.

Speaker Session

Make a Mark: Do Things Others Say You Can’t Do – Especially Family!

Session Abstract:

A classic entrepreneur, Kevin will be sharing his own inspiring story as keynote speaker during the event. As a self-described “ferociously independent individual,” Kevin will share his own entrepreneurial journey in designing a life well lived and the challenges that he’s faced and overcome along the way. You and your family will leave his session inspired to face your own challenges head on and do whatever it takes to disrupt the status quo.


Bradley Callow

Bradley Callow

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton developed a platform that serves as a catalyst for the transformation of high-performing parents and their children. They deliver tangible solutions through enhanced self-awareness. How would an improved relationship with your children affect their development and future? Using their platform, “Rich Legacy,” Bradley and Gordie discuss the challenges of growing up under the guidance of high-performing parents. The stakes are monumental. Having both barely escaped prison and death, they now provide eye-opening insights from the perspective of the child. This approach inspires parents to engage with their children in a way they never dreamed possible.

Bradley Callow
is an international speaker, family consultant, and conscious entrepreneur. Consulting with businesses on advertising, marketing, and public relations strategies before the age of 20, Callow is no stranger to blazing his own path. Bradley is committed to challenging the status quo and has a passion for helping others succeed. He has created a life dedicated to entrepreneurship and behavioral health innovation. His enthusiasm, creativity, and focus on what could be, rather than what is, affords him the type of mind which overcomes challenges, creates change and helps save lives. Whether working with families, individuals, or in the behavioral health field as a whole, Bradley works to help open people’s minds to possibilities they may never knew existed. He then provides the resources and confidence to explore them.

Speaker Session

Rich Legacy Family Plan

Session Abstract:

Session 1:
Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton created Rich Legacy to help high-performing parents empower their children to face the evolving challenges in the digital age. They use their stories and experience working with thousands of families to help other families not have to experience the turmoil they put theirs through. In this session, they will conduct separate discussions with parents and kids (ages 10 – 18) with the following intended outcomes:

Takeaways for parents:

  • Learning how to listen and communicate clearly as a family unit and creating the space to do so on a regular basis
  • Clearer understanding of the challenges your children might be facing and how to help them
  • The five principles to leave a Rich Legacy

Takeaways for children:

  • Understanding the power of your voice
  • Learning how to ask for help
  • The importance of setting goals and positive thinking

Session 2:
This session will provide coaching and useful tools to help you develop a family plan. Where do you want to be as a family in 1, 5 or 10 years? Facilitated by experienced family coaches, Bradley Callow and Gordie Bufton, during this session you will be given the opportunity to sit down as a family and map your way forward.

Takeaways:

  • Benefit from not only working together but with other EO families too
  • Create a Rich Legacy Family Plan (think business plan for your family)
  • Have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives

Jennifer Grace

Jennifer Grace

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

Jennifer Grace is an acclaimed author whose book, Directing Your Destiny, was published by Hay House in June 2013, and was voted Best Life Coach in 2015 by the New Times. She is also a contributor for MindBodyGreen and The Huffington Post. Jennifer spent eight years on Wall Street in investment banking, then crossed over into the creative world and became a SAG actress, filmmaker, and screenwriter. In the last seven years, she has taken her business knowledge and creative expertise and blended them to become a highly effective transformational coach. Based on the famed Stanford Course, “Creativity in Business,” the curriculum she teaches helps students “get unstuck” in their lives and empowers them with practical tools and techniques to make significant shifts in their lives. Jennifer is also the new train the trainer for the Stanford-based course, “The Creative Insight Journey,” and is training others globally to teach this proven methodology. She currently leads workshops and courses in Miami at The Standard hotel where she is the resident coach, as well as online. Her retreat company Omluxe takes individuals to divine destinations while also donating 100% of the proceeds to different causes in the region they are visiting.

Speaker Session

You Are a Superhero! Silence Your Inner Gremlin and Tap Into Your Inner Champion

Session Abstract:

Get ready for a session that will use art and conversation to empower kids to explore two powerful voices that lie within: “The Gremlin” (a.k.a. the bully or mean girl in our heads) and “The Champion” (the inner superhero that lies within us all). A context for discovering that the superhero within can overpower the voice that says, “we are not good enough, smart enough, or tall enough!” Jennifer will also introduce Joseph Campbell’s, Hero’s Journey, in a simple way that kids can understand to discover that when they hit the brick wall of frustration, in any area of their lives, they can call in allies or use strategy to get to the other side.


Jen Groover

Jen Groover

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

Jen Groover has been tagged by SUCCESS magazine as a “One-Woman Brand,” a “Creativity and Innovation Guru” and a leading “serial entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur magazine and ranked #8 by SAP in the Top 51 Influencers of Human Potential. Jen Groover’s name has become synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship, and transformation. She was recently nominated as a UN delegate to the first ever Global Accelerator for the Global Entrepreneurs Council. She also made history at the NYSE as a member of the first all-female group to ring the opening bell, made Forbes list of “50 Founders You Need to Follow on Twitter” and was nominated “TV Personality of The Year Award” in 2013  by Savor the Success.

Jen’s energy and multi-faceted, diverse wisdom make her a highly sought after international speaker for Fortune 500 companies to top universities, non-profits, business conferences, and more, on topics ranging from business to leadership, empowerment to emotional intelligence to healthy living, and enhancing productivity. Her influence and leadership has aligned her with amazing brands, such as Avon, Independence Blue Cross, Verizon,

USANA Health Sciences and SkyMall, for which Jen has had various roles as a spokeswoman and consultant for brand development and leadership training. She regularly advises professional athletes, Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs and CEOs on strategies to optimize their potential as well as expand their brands. Jen also serves as a board member for high-profile organizations such as Career Wardrobe, Wish Upon a Hero Foundation, ZeeMee, and CNN Hero award-winning non-profit, Back on My Feet.

Her success skyrocketed with the creation of the Butler Bag, the world’s first compartmentalized handbag that became a multi-million dollar brand, and has not stopped since. Jen spring boarded the Butler Bag’s success into an entire lifestyle brand, found at a variety of price points and well-known retailers. Its success led to the creation of subsequent lifestyle brands, Leader Girlz, and Empowered by Jen Groover. Leader Girlz teaches young girls the importance of empowerment through play by fostering their inner-entrepreneur, while the recently launched “Empowered by Jen Groover” brand includes her ninety minute PBS special and forthcoming books, and comprises a variety of consumer products that encompass her quotes and inspire people to live life with passion and purpose. She is also an advisor/partner for Thuzio, started by Tiki Barber and Mark Gerson, which has quickly become the market leading company in influencer marketing and has approximately 40,000 athletes and influencers on its platform.

Taking over two decades of entrepreneurial experience, Jen most recently launched the innovative economic and innovation movement for entrepreneurs and small business owners called Jumpstart StartUp, a first of its kind pop-up shop, which kicked off in Philadelphia in October 2016 and is currently scaling to cities nationwide. The groundbreaking venture curates many needed business services, under one roof, to accelerate business growth. This unique concierge “matchmaking” service activates the needed relationships for brands and entrepreneurs, creating an experience to support small business growth and expand brands messaging. The brand also has created an online platform that replicates the stores live experience. They have partnered with major brands, such as TD Bank, Comcast Business, UPS, My Top Bookkeeper and more.

Jen has been a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major television networks such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, and the The CW. Jen also contributes editorial pieces to several prominent business magazines and online resources including The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur magazine, Inc. magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Positively Positive, The Daily Love, and HealthyStyle NY.  Her products, brand, and work have been featured in hundreds of media outlets including O! The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, People, US Weekly, SUCCESS and Forbes.

Jen’s passion for inspiring others to realize their greatest potential on all levels continues as the driving force behind her many successful brands. Jen’s diverse experiences and businesses span many different industries and she has no desire to slow down anytime soon. She constantly motivates and inspires through her keynote speaking engagements for corporations, universities, and organizations all over the world. Jen continues to strive toward her ultimate goal, which is to innovate in every industry she is inspired to play in while empowering others to achieve their goals. Jen is more than a multifaceted, multitalented individual – she is, undoubtedly, a force to be reckoned with. Jen believes in active participation and lives by the belief that, “If you are going to complain about something, you better be willing to inspire change.”

Speaker Session

Jen Groover Session

Session Abstract:

Emotional Intelligence affects every aspect of our lives: professional, finances, health/wellness, relationships, and personal development. Every choice you make, every reaction you have and every problem can be solved more effectively by increasing the Emotional Intelligence of every individual. Jen Groover will be sharing her interconnected and multi-layered formula of Emotional Intelligence to dramatically increase self-awareness, (along with awareness and understanding of others) so that you can have a better understanding of the choices you make better, and identify what self-limiting beliefs and behaviors may be holding you back from achieving your goals. The greater ones EI, the easier and more successful life gets—in every aspect. You will also find the more you increase your EI through this formula, the more you will accomplish more with less effort. This can dramatically improve productivity, innovation, effective collaboration, communication, intimacy, vitality and intrinsic motivation for every person, of any age, in any environment.


Israel Idonije

Israel Idonije

Keynote Speaker
Speaker Biography

Israel Idonije is a builder. He has been continuously building toward the next phase of his life since he was a child. He built an 11-year NFL career against all odds by developing himself to the rank of an elite athlete (playing 10 years with the Chicago Bears and one year with the Detroit Lions). Through that process, he realized that the formula to building success in sports directly correlates to building success in business. To prepare for life after football, Idonije created businesses to provide a rewarding and meaningful future not only for himself but to help others build their dreams as well.

He is the founder of iF Charities, an organization whose programs have served and contributed to the building of lives for over 8,500 youth in Chicago, Winnipeg and West Africa since 2007. Core programming includes its after-school program, youth leaders summer internship, all-star football and cheer camps, shop with a cop event and Project Africa.

Numerous honors and awards have been given to Israel for his work both on and off the field including leading the NFL in blocked punts/field goals in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was a member of the Chicago Bears NFC Championship team, which played in the 2006 Super Bowl; received the NFL’s JB Award and Award for Global Dedication in April 2008 and the Ed Block Courage Award in 2009. Israel was a Bears “Walter Payton Man of the Year” nominee in 2009 and 2010, was one of three finalists for the League award in 2010, and was part of USA Today’s All-Joe Team in 2010 and 2012, was recognized as a Points of Light awardee by Barak Obama and George HW Bush at the White House, in 2013. He was presented with the Order of Manitoba by Prince Charles in May 2014 and was awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Manitoba in June 2014.

As an entrepreneur, Israel started several successful business ventures. Today, Blessed Communion stands as the industry leader in prefilled communion cups. His publishing company ATHLiTACOMiCS has its first story Arc of The Protectors available in print and as a digital comic. ATHLiTACOMiCS has also released I Love Me and I Love Football – the first two books in the DreamKidz Adventures children’s’ books series. He co-founded Ask The Doctor to help people all over the globe have access to medical advice and help, and he also launched workVAULT, a workspace to help build future entrepreneurs.
It is important to Israel that all of his ventures have a positive impact on the world lifting and building others. He believes everyone is blessed with the gifts and abilities to become successful in their own unique way.

Speaker Session

Dream Big

Session Abstract:

Former 11-year NFL veteran Israel “Izzy” Idonije shares the inspiring story of how he started building for his future at a young age. Idonije played for 10 years with the Chicago Bears and one year with the Detroit Lions. Persistence, adapting and the importance of having a game plan are just some of the key lessons he learned on the gridiron that he has used to help lift others and to become a successful entrepreneur.


Caroline Kaplan

Caroline Kaplan

Speaker Biography

Caroline Kaplan is pleased to serve as the High School and Elementary Social Emotional School Counselor for Tahoe Expedition Academy, (TEA), located on Lake Tahoe in Kings Beach, California. TEA is one of the few independent schools associated with the Expedition Learning style model where children learn in 3 modalities; Academics, Character and Adventure. Caroline supports the students by checking in with each student individually several times throughout the year. This ensures they are integrating their learning with TEA’s core character traits as well as supporting their social emotional needs. Additionally, she runs small lunch bunches where the children focus on relating character traits to real life situations. Caroline has volunteered as a grief counselor in various schools around the Lake Tahoe Basin. Also, she has supported the mentorship program with the Incline Village (NV) Public High School students.

Caroline graduated with a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and Educational Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Music Performance.

Caroline and her husband, Jim, have two daughters, Lily (11) and Hattie (9). The couple moved to Lake Tahoe in 2003 and they are thrilled to be raising a family in an environment that encompasses both outdoor and indoor exploration and creativity. Jim and Caroline have been involved in EO since 2001, first in the Boston Chapter and then the Reno/Tahoe Chapter. They are thrilled to be with us this weekend where they can share their love for EO with their children and also, where Caroline can engage with all of your children and explore character and how it relates to the world and each other.

Speaker Session

Caroline Kaplan Session

Session Abstract:

Caroline will be hosting lunch bunches for each age group. There will be 2 groups, “older kids” (8 – 12 years old) and “teens”. The groups will explore a few character traits, in particular, empathy and perseverance. The groups will explore how these traits exist within us and how we can best use them with our families, friends and community. There will also be an opportunity for children/adolescents to write down an anonymous (or not) question or problem. With the child’s permission, the question will be shared with the group to see how others have navigated a similar situation. If the child indicates on the sheet, to not share it but would like to speak with Caroline after the group, this is ok too. And of course, Caroline is available for any follow up questions, thoughts or insights from the EO families!


Davy Liu

Davy Liu

Keynote Speaker

Kendu Films

Speaker Biography

Davy Liu, president of Kendu Films, is an innovative creator who brings stories of faith and hope to the world. A pioneer in inspiring creativity in the corporate world, Davy provides narrative-driven products and services, creating timeless content and IP to inspire generations of families.

Davy’s auspicious beginning in Taiwan was anything but commonplace—an almost stillborn baby who was revived at the moment of birth, he would continue to fight in his adolescence for access to arts training in a competitive educational system. Davy’s talent for drawing would eventually be embraced by a teacher, who encouraged his unique ability. His teacher’s affirmations would eventually inspire him to follow his life’s calling: not to make straight A’s, but to draw straight lines.

Davy’s artistic talent quickly led him to work for Walt Disney Feature Animation. He was a key part of the creative team on classic films, such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and Mulan. In 2000, he was named the Most Original American Illustrator of the Year. While working with George Lucas on the Star Wars franchise, Davy made the decision to start his own studio, Kendu Films, inspired by the mantra, “I Kendu it.”

In addition to producing an award-winning children’s book series, his inspirational biography, Not a Marble but a Diamond, was recently published in China. His work has also appeared in such major publications as Time, U.S. Newsweek, Wall Street Journal and GQ. Davy continues to share his inspiring story as a motivational speaker, performing for global companies, including TED, Deutsch Bank Singapore, Amway, Procter and Gamble, and Prudential Life.

Speaker Session

Kendu Family Creativity Workshop

Session Abstract:

Creativity is like the wind, and our minds are like kites. Everyone is born with the ability to create, but the greatest adversary is duplication. Duplication requires pure effort, but true creation requires working “smart” and taking risks no one else has taken.

In Davy Liu’s upcoming session at the EO Family Retreat & Experience, both you and your children are invited to join a hands-on creativity workshop. Having worked on major Disney animation films, such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan, Davy will take you through the magical process of creating Disney stories for film. He will provide families with the knowledge of how to develop an idea into a visual storyboard, design characters, and explain how to market merchandise to your target audience. Discover your own creative mindset, and become equipped through this workshop to build a magical story that will inspire others. You Kendu it!