Molly Kawahata: The Hope Whisperer
Hope and transformational leadership keynote speaker Molly Kawahata equips organizations to harness the science of hope to drive culture change, innovation, and collective action for a better future.
Quick Facts:
- Highlights:
- Former climate advisor to the Obama White House
- Founder of Systemic Impact Strategies advising global brands, NGOs, and foundations
- Featured in Patagonia’s award-winning film The Scale of Hope
- Recognized expert in hope science, behavioral change, narrative strategy, and climate leadership
- Formats: Hope, Transformational Leadership, and Climate Strategy Keynote Speaker
- Audiences: Corporate teams, leadership groups, climate-focused organizations, NGOs, foundations, academic institutions, and events centered on innovation, resilience, culture, and behavior change.
- Outcomes:
- A practical understanding of the science of hope and how it fuels organizational performance and resilience.
- Tools for shifting narratives, strengthening culture, and empowering people to take meaningful action.
- Renewed clarity, confidence, and collective motivation to create a brighter future together.
- Travels from: Denver, CO
- **Fee range: On Request
Talent Services
Keynote Topics:
THE SCIENCE OF HOPE AND THE WORKPLACE
Molly delves into the fascinating realm of hope within the workplace, presenting the science behind its potential to transform organizations.
Molly provides evidence-based strategies to help leaders and organizations increase retention, productivity, engagement, job satisfaction and employee morale through the science of hope.
This insightful keynote and/or workshop provides actionable strategies for organizations seeking to infuse hope into their workplace ethos, enhancing overall well-being and performance.
COLLECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE POWER OF HOPE
Tailored as a keynote and/or workshop for employee and organization audiences, this topic takes a deep dive into the profound influence of hope in our lives and its capacity to spark a collective force within organizations.
Molly explores the interplay between individual and collective mental health, shedding light on how cultivating hope can foster resilience, agency, well-being, and collective action at an organizational level. Gain valuable insights into the transformative power of hope within your team and organization.
THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF HOPE-BASED LEADERSHIP
In this keynote and/or workshop, Molly equips leaders and organizations with evidence-based strategies to enhance retention, productivity, engagement, and employee morale through the science of hope.
Her guidance empowers leaders to create hope-centered work cultures that transform individuals and organizations from the inside out, enabling them to achieve their mission more effectively and efficiently.
THE ART OF HOPE-BASED STORYTELLING
Grounded in psychology and neuroscience principles, Molly empowers in this keynote and/or workshop organizations, brands, creatives, and thought leaders with the proven effectiveness of hope-based storytelling.
She covers narrative development, the neuroscience of storytelling, metaphor as a framing tool, and cultivating future-oriented thinking to drive transformative change within organizations.
A HOPEFUL HORIZON FOR CLIMATE ACTION
Drawing from evidence-based practices in climate cognition, communications, and framing, this keynote and/or workshop offers practical strategies to empower companies and organizations to impact climate discussions, action, and thought leadership at the societal level.
She infuses these strategies with the transformative power of climate hope, inspiring others to recognize that a brighter future is not only possible but within their collective agency to shape.
Talent Short Bio
Molly Kawahata is an internationally recognized strategist, storyteller, and keynote speaker celebrated for her groundbreaking work on the science of hope and its power to catalyze organizational and cultural transformation. A former climate advisor to the Obama White House, Molly brings deep expertise in leadership development, behavior change, and narrative strategy, empowering organizations to strengthen resilience, unlock collective potential, and mobilize meaningful action.
Known as “the hope whisperer,” Molly’s insights bridge the worlds of psychological research, leadership science, and real-world impact. Her story is powerfully depicted in Patagonia’s acclaimed film The Scale of Hope, which chronicles her pursuit of climbing Alaskan peaks while navigating mental illness and redefining hope as a transformative force. This dual journey—external and internal—shapes her mission to help teams reimagine what is possible even in moments of uncertainty.
Read Full Bio
Molly Kawahata is a dynamic speaker, strategist, and ice climber renowned for her pioneering work in harnessing the power of hope within organizations. With a background as a former climate advisor to the Obama White House, Molly brings a unique blend of expertise in leadership, organizational development, and narrative transformation to her speaking engagements.
Affectionately dubbed “the hope whisperer,” Molly’s insights into the science of hope have earned her international acclaim, positioning her as a leading voice in catalyzing positive change.
Molly’s journey is as captivating as her message. As depicted in the acclaimed Patagonia film, THE SCALE OF HOPE, Molly’s life story intertwines her passion for conquering towering Alaskan mountains with her personal struggle with mental illness. Through her experiences, she has cultivated a profound understanding of the transformative potential of hope, which she now shares with audiences worldwide.
With a focus on leveraging hope as a catalyst for change, Molly founded Systemic Impact Strategies, a consultancy dedicated to advising organizations on climate strategy, organizational development, and communication. Her strategies have empowered leading brands, NGOs, and foundations to drive tangible impact and foster cultures of resilience and innovation.
Molly Kawahata leverages profound insights in behavioral change to empower individuals and organizations to not only envision a brighter future, but also realize their collective power to create it.
She is an Advisory Board Member to the Environmental Voter Project and an Advisory Council Member to the AAPI Victory Fund. In her free time, Molly Kawahata is an avid ice climber, with a particular passion for scaling technical ice routes in Montana and the Central Alaska Range. An introduction to the film can be viewed here.
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