2020 Conference Reimagined -  Keynote Speakers

<< Back to main conference page

Leadership Redefined - Dave WeberDave Weber

For years audiences of all types have been raving about the timeless concepts covered in this 1-3 hour presentation. Rather than industry specific or job title focused, the 12X's relies on a series of proven and time-tested principles that can be universally applied to/in all kinds of settings.

Using humor, magic, and involvement activities, the 12X's will show your group how to make progress on purpose in both their professional and personal lives.

The 12X's include expanded reflections on the following principles:

  • Xtract a dream - the power of goals
  • Xamine everything - get out of those ruts
  • Xchange non-essentials - time to purge
  • Xpose yourself to winners - the impact of role models
  • Xpect opposition - don't get knocked off course
  • Xtend a helping hand - givers are getters
  • Xhibit an attitude of confidence - attitude is contagious
  • Xpress your visions to others - getting others on board
  • Xplore all possible avenues - consider new options
  • Xercise effort - going the extra mile
  • Xclude negative thinkers - don't let them pull you down
  • Xceed normal expectations - going above and beyond

Participants will learn the skills and attitudes that all successful people and leaders strive to master in order to positively impact the world around them.

Dave is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and trainer in helping people make progress on purpose…and he has the track record to prove his techniques work! He is the President and CEO of Weber Associates, a training and consulting firm based in Atlanta, GA.

An honors graduate from Mercer University, he simultaneously captained the university’s NCAA Division 1 soccer and volleyball teams for three years and was accorded All-Conference honors in both sports.

Upon graduating in 1984, Weber began his professional career at Motorola. After three years of award-winning selling and training, he left corporate America to launch his own speaking and consulting firm.

Since 1987, Weber has been one of the most sought after speakers in the country. Speaking well over 165 times a year, his high energy and entertaining style have made him a crowd favorite. While his fun, upbeat style might initially get him invited to present, it is his wide range of topics, great content, and timeless principles that get him invited back time and time again.

Weber’s client list reads like a “Who’s Who” of America. Not only has he spoken to tens of thousands of education and dental professionals from all 50 states, but his corporate clients include some the best companies in the world: IBM, AT&T, FedEx, Nike, Chick-fil-A, Aflac, Bank of America, The Weather Channel, Delta Airlines, and many more!

In addition to presenting on the motivational speaking circuit, Dave is the author of: Sticks and Stones Exposed: The Power of Our Words, and Leadership Redefined: The 12 X’s of Success for TODAY’S Leader.

Dave and his wife Tina are the proud parents of two great kids and reside in the Atlanta area.

Laura Ross

2020 School Counselor of the Year Laura Ross is the lead school counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Ga., where her focus is connecting with students to connect them to their education. Now in her sixth year as a middle school counselor, Ross previously served as an elementary school counselor for eight years. Under the guidance of Ross and the school counseling team, Five Forks Middle School received the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) distinction in 2019.

At Five Forks Middle School, Ross creates connections in academic success, college and career readiness and social/emotional development for all students with a focus on goal setting, empathy, diversity, academic integration and technology. She leads staff in culturally responsive teaching and creating equity and access for all students.

Ross has presented at district, state and national levels on creating schoolwide teacher-student connections, postsecondary education awareness in middle school, integrating academics in counseling lessons, the Dove Self-Esteem Project, computer science careers, and using technology and data in school counseling. She maintains a school counseling blog about creating connections with students at theconnectingcounselor.com. She also moderates the #mscchat for middle school counselors and co-moderates for #scchat on twitter.

Ross received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and her specialist in school counseling from the University of Georgia. Ross is her district’s middle school counseling steering committee chair and serves on the Georgia School Counselor Association Executive Board as metro director.