Keynotes: Leading in a Divided World

Curiosity, Compassion, and Change: Leading With Stories

Kandice Cole, Executive Director, and Lee Keylock, Sr. Director of Programs, Narrative 4

Great leaders don’t just communicate — they connect, inspire, and empower through the stories they share and embrace. They leverage the transformative power of storytelling to inspire action, deepen engagement, and deliver results. In this experiential keynote, discover how storytelling, active listening, and perspective-taking can revolutionize your organization’s leadership capabilities. Dive into how authentic narratives break down barriers, spark innovation, and unite teams around a shared vision. Reimagine the ways you lead and communicate. Whether guiding a small team or a global organization, you’ll leave equipped with powerful tools to elevate your leadership and create lasting impact. Step into the story of leadership that shapes the future.

Kandice Cole is the executive director of Narrative 4, bringing 18 years of experience across nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies to develop impactful programming. She’s also passionate about creative wellness and holds certification from the Chopra Center as a health teacher. Lee Keylock, senior director of programs, special initiatives and innovation at Narrative 4, was the organization’s first staff hire and has led transformative projects, from bridging divides between Israelis and Palestinians to addressing numerous community issues in the U.S. (immigration, police and youth, guns and empathy) through the Story Exchange.

Collaboration, Communication, and Leadership: Orchestrating Excellence

Sarah Hicks, Principal Conductor of Live at Orchestra Hall, Minnesota Orchestra

By all appearances, a symphony orchestra is a stratified and hierarchical organization – so how can this centuries-old tradition enlighten 21st century management practices? Through emphasizing the role of collaborative leadership – shared by the most-successful ventures not only in music but in business, politics, the arts, and beyond. Aligning vision, strategy and, ultimately, outcome is the proven path to empowering people in the work they do. In this keynote, we peel back the curtain of the maestro myth and explore the complex interpersonal communication techniques of symphony orchestras and the leadership practices that bring together disparate musicians and personalities to create harmony in harmony.

Conductor, arranger, and producer Sarah Hicks has worked globally across genres with artists ranging from Hilary Hahn, Olga Kern and Dmitiri Hvorostovsky to Smokey Robinson, Roseanne Cash, and Dessa – and even collaborated with gamer DrLupo for an innovative live-play project for Intel Gaming and premiered Rufus Wainwright’s Want Symphonic at the BBC Proms. Hicks has pioneered the film-in-concert genre of live orchestra performances with film screenings, such as “The Music of Coco,” “The Lion King 30th Anniversary,” and “Little Mermaid Live.”