Keynote Speaker

Donnie Campbell

If the word “believe” resonates with you, it means that you are probably a diehard fan of the hit series Ted Lasso, which portrays a football coach from Kansas who is hired to be the head coach of the English Premier Soccer Leagues AFC Richmond. But did you know that there was a real inspiration behind this award-winning show?

Coach Donnie Campbell is a math teacher and a high school basketball coach from Kansas who was plucked out of obscurity when Jason Sudeikis, the American actor and star of the 5-time Emmy Award winning show, revealed to Stephen Colbert on the late show that Campbell was in part the impetus for the lead character he plays with such wit and wisdom. It was back in the late 1990’s when Jason played basketball at Shawnee Mission West and Donnie was his coach. Little did Campbell know that all of the pearls of wisdom he was dropping on Jason and the team would appear years later and make an indelible impression on millions around the world.

Today, Campbell has been busy making appearances on local and national television including ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s The Today Show. In addition to teaching, he is now speaking to organizations and companies about leadership and specifically, how important it is to instill strong values in the people you work with. He credits his leadership skills to his always positive attitude and to his mentors that prepared him for success both in the classroom and as a coach.

Campbell graduated from Lyons high school in 1980 and attended Kansas State University on a football scholarship and played basketball his freshman year. For the past 36 years, he has coached and taught math, but more importantly he has been building the confidence and character of the young men and women who have played for him.

Speaker

Jeff Utecht

Jeff Utecht is an author, keynote speaker, consultant, and recognized thought leader on artificial intelligence, leadership, learning, and the future of work. For more than 25 years, he has worked across education and organizational leadership as a teacher, technology director, coach, administrator, entrepreneur, and advisor.

Throughout his career, Jeff has partnered with hundreds of organizations around the world, helping leaders navigate major shifts in technology, culture, and workforce expectations. His work today focuses on one of the most important leadership challenges of our time: understanding how artificial intelligence is transforming the way we learn, work, communicate, and lead.

Jeff is the co-founder of Shifting Schools and has helped school districts, state agencies, educational organizations, and leadership teams develop practical strategies for thriving in a rapidly changing world. He has contributed to statewide AI guidance initiatives, advised executive leadership teams, and delivered keynote presentations and workshops to audiences across the globe.

Jeff is the author of Human Still Required: Leading Schools—The Work Machines Can’t Do and The Next Turn: Work, AI, and Human Expectations. Through his writing and speaking, he helps leaders understand that while technology continues to evolve, the most important human qualities—judgment, trust, creativity, empathy, and leadership—have never been more valuable.