“Stacey’s expertise and delivery were exceptional, making her one of the best speakers we’ve had…”
Megan Denhardt, CAE – Associations West
stacey kauffman
Stacey Kauffman spent 20+ years as a senior executive inside one of the most persistently disrupted industries in existence. As Regional VP at Audacy — a billion-dollar media company operating in 24/7, always-on environments — she earned four promotions in eight years, led complex multi-market operations, drove revenue growth across hundreds of businesses, and navigated constant disruption not as a case study, but as a daily operating reality.
She didn’t study disruption. She survived it, led through it, and eventually redesigned for it. That distinction is what makes her different on a stage.
Today, Stacey is a keynote speaker and executive advisor helping high-performing organizations stop reacting to change — and start building for it. Through her signature framework and The SK Collective, she works with senior leaders and executive teams who are tired of just holding on, and ready to design organizations that actually thrive in a world that won’t slow down.
Known for her direct, no-BS delivery and deep operational credibility, Stacey balances hard skills with humanity, accountability with compassion, and strategy with execution. Her keynotes are recognized for being grounded in real-world experience, immediately actionable, and — refreshingly — free of corporate theater.
She has been recognized by Sacramento Magazine as one of 100 Notable Business Leaders, named to the Sacramento Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and featured by MSN as a Top 10 Speaker to Follow.
Designed for Disruption: Shifting from Reacting to Change to Designing for It
Most leaders believe their biggest problem is disruption. It’s not.
Disruption isn’t the problem. It’s the operating condition. And the organizations still trying to manage through it — adding resilience training, pushing harder, waiting for things to stabilize — are solving for a season that’s never coming back.
In this keynote, Stacey Kauffman challenges the premise quietly driving leadership failure across high-performing organizations: that struggling in disruption means something is wrong with your leaders. It doesn’t. It means your organization was never designed for the environment it’s operating in — and no amount of personal development fixes an architecture problem.
Drawing on 20+ years leading in one of the most persistently disrupted industries in existence, Stacey reframes the conversation from leadership deficiency to organizational design — and shows what it actually looks like when leaders stop surviving disruption and start building for it.
This is not a resilience talk. It’s not a change management talk. It’s a harder conversation — and a more useful one.
Authentic Power:
Breaking Free from Success Without Fulfillment
Many leaders look successful on paper—but inside, they’re running on fumes. In this powerful session, Stacey Kauffman shares her journey from burned-out executive to purpose-driven leader, offering real talk and practical tools for redefining success on your own terms. Through honest storytelling and actionable strategies, she helps high-achievers set boundaries, align with their values, and lead with clarity, ambition, and fulfillment—without losing themselves in the process.
Speaking Topics
- From Stuck to Scale: Restoring Clarity + Capacity in High Performing Teams
- LISTEN: Six Steps to More Effective, Productive Communication
- The Rising Leader: From High Performer to Effective Leader
- Success Beyond Sport: Lessons from Court to Career
The Grounded Leader: Reconnecting Purpose with Performance
They say your children can be your greatest teachers. I have found that to be true; here are mine!
mission
I am mission- and purpose- driven, and it is important to me to share those values with the businesses I work with and the people I surround myself with. I am grateful for the opportunities, mentors, resources and experiences on my journey thus far, and that is why helping others and paying it forward is important to me. I truly believe in the adage that the rising tide lifts all boats!
My core value is integrity. It is more important for me to get it right than to be right, and I am willing to get uncomfortable, take risks, and make mistakes in that pursuit. I believe especially as leaders, it is our responsibility to set that example, and to create safety and vulnerability around that idea. My team, partners, family and friends know they have my commitment that, “I will not always get it right, but I will always make it right.”
I view my “life is a work-in-progress journey” in four key areas: personal growth, professional growth, leadership growth, and impact. My mission here is to share some of what I’ve learned along the way, in hopes it may help you or your business. Some things you can learn from others or osmosis, and some you have to learn for yourself. I’m hoping you’ll find at least a few of the former around here.
I got a chance to listen to Stacey Kauffman at Elite By Choice where she presented her session - Grounded Leader. I loved the session because she talks about truly how to focus on the individual and retain employees for the long run. The biggest takeaway is in the one on ones with people, making sure to respond and not to react. She did a great job of having us roleplay and practice in the session with a partner. The practice helped us realize that we don't need to be there to help and bring up our experiences, but actually hearing them on the issues and letting others share. I always would try to relate to the situation about my own experience and she really helped showcase how that isn't the appropriate time and that has already impacted my relationships with my teams.