901-754-9404
My List0

We've now made it easier for you to research and save your favorite keynotes speakers. Click on the + sign to add a speaker to your Speaker List and email your favorites to colleagues and friends.

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
Vera Jones, keynote speaker
5
4 Review(s)

Vera Jones

    • Syracuse University Hall-of-Fame Scholar-Athlete
    • Women’s Basketball Analyst and Reporter
    • Certified Trainer in Workplace Conflict Resolution
Full Bio
In Person-Fee 🛈

$15,000 - $20,000

Virtual Fee:

$10,000 - $15,000

Travels From

Florida

Vera Jones Demo

Vera Jones Demo

Vera Jones - Girls Don't Whistle?

Vera Jones - Girls Don't Whistle?

Vera Jones - Trust Your Vision (Inspirational and Motivational) Goalcast

Vera Jones - Trust Your Vision (Inspirational and Motivational) Goalcast

"On A Mission" with Vera Jones from Vera’s VoiceWorks, LLC

"On A Mission" with Vera Jones from Vera’s VoiceWorks, LLC

Vera Jones- Trust Your Vision

Vera Jones- Trust Your Vision

Syracuse Orange | Vera Jones Letterwinner of Distinction

Syracuse Orange | Vera Jones Letterwinner of Distinction

Vera Jones Speaker Biography


Vera Jones is a Motivational Speaker, Communication Coach, Author, Award-Winning Television and Radio Broadcaster, and Syracuse University Hall-of-Fame Scholar-Athlete. She is a relatable and often humorous speaker who thrives on empathy and emotional intelligence to connect and inspire. She is also known for her extensive, veteran background in broadcasting, serving over 30 years as a Women’s Basketball Analyst and Reporter for various networks, including ESPN, Fox Sports, Madison Square Garden Network, NBA-TV, and the Big Ten Network. Today Vera can be seen inspiring others on BEE TV Flix streaming Perseverance Live, an interview-style show that spotlights ordinary people with extraordinary stories of perseverance to inspire and enlighten the world.

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Vera became an MTI Certified Trainer in Conflict Resolution, founded the Perseverance Speaker’s Academy, and was elected Board President to a non-profit organization called Colorful Talks.  Vera deeply understands the personal trials of life. She has become a notable force in her faith-based mission to “help people blinded by life’s fouls trust their vision.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

With the emergence of Vera’s signature, platform speech, Trust Your Vision, in a 2017 Goalcast viral video of 47-million views and counting, Vera has commanded global recognition as an inspirational phenom.  Her style is best described as “Inspiring, funny, and relatable” as she passionately moves her audiences towards empathy, significance, service, and purpose. In line with her sports experience and philosophies, she helps individuals and teams “Play Through the Foul” with the power of faith, focus, and fortitude. An accomplished author, Vera’s books also reflect these powerful themes.

COACH AND CORPORATE TRAINER

Vera is an MTI Certified Trainer in Conflict Dynamics and Workplace Conflict Resolution.  She earned her master's degree from the prestigious Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University where she first developed an interest in the psychology of interpersonal communication. She also excelled as a scholar-athlete. Laboring several years coaching collegiate basketball with stops at the University of Dayton and Indiana University, the groundwork was set for Vera to develop a sports-principled, communication coaching and training platform. Additionally, working in the corporate sector for Fortune 500 companies such as Wells Fargo and Procter & Gamble, grounded Vera with empathic understanding for the many fouls that can occur in the workplace. Today, as President of Vera's VoiceWorks, LLC, she applies her diversified career experiences in leadership training platforms via Play Through the Foul Team Building and Communication Training to help leaders manage seemingly unmanageable workplace conflict.

ENTERTAINER

Vera's resume includes over a decade as a radio personality at several radio stations from New York to Florida.  She was tabbed the South Carolina Broadcaster's Association "Personality of the Year" in 1994 as a Country Radio Morning Show Co-Host. Her comical "Bobbi Jones" Country Radio DJ impression has become popular with audiences everywhere and makes for a unique perspective on diversity. Other entertainment endeavors have included acting with the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company and stand-up comedy. Now with her own television show, Perseverance Live,  Vera continues to use her talents to amuse and uplift a world with an unquenchable thirst for entertainment.

REAL WOMAN, REAL ADVERSITY, REAL VICTORY AND INSPIRATION!

A single mom with a son with disabilities, Vera deeply understands the personal trials of life. Her empathic leadership approach has been aided by working on the school improvement committee of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. In August 2020, Vera was elected as the inaugural board President for Colorful Talks, which provides educational tools for families to facilitate meaningful conversations and activities regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion with their school-aged children. She is passionate about her mission to uplift and unite by helping all people to become more empathic and collaborative.

NOW I SEE​

Vera’s signature story ignites belief that for every piece of pain there’s a powerful piece of purpose! Chronicling the daunting emotional and physical challenges her son faced in being diagnosed with a brain tumor and blindness, Vera reveals critical lessons for resilience, change, and finding significance in the midst of adversity. Sometimes humorous, always engaging, this single mom brings spiritual and mindset transformation, moving audiences “from Blindness to Breakthrough!” Vera’s passionate presentation was adapted by Goalcast in October 2017, instantly going viral to become one of their most watched videos with over 47-million views and counting! The riveting book, NOW I SEE: A Journey of Prophecy, Pain, and Purpose (Oct. 2019) is available to compliment this powerful keynote.

VERA GRACES THE STAGE WITH “E’S” LEAVING AUDIENCES:

  • ENCOURAGED to cultivate a “winner’s mentality” or positive mindset to overcome life’s inevitable fouls.
  • EQUIPPED with poignant, relatable strategies for resilience and change such as Vera’s Blind Life and Leadership Lessons and The B.E.N.C.H.
  • EMPOWERED to “look into the mirror and see if your purpose is staring back.”
  • ENTHUSED with a greater sense of significance, empathic leadership, and service; to make a boldly positive difference in the lives of our customers, communities, employees, students, teammates....our world!

NOTE: Now I See is also available as an interactive breakout session ideal for moving “from Blindness to Breakthrough” during Covid-19! Vera Jones is an experienced virtual presenter.


LEADERSHIP 6-S​

Leadership 6-S – There is great truth in the adage, “They won’t care what you know until they know that you care.” This is the brainchild behind Vera’s six principles of empathic leadership. Vera stimulates empathy, higher thinking, and laughter with memorable stories like “I Got It!” and her own personal trials with a “bad boss.” The presentation is designed to help participants explore opportunities for growth in their professional capacities supervising, teaching, coaching, or simply relating with others. When you put “6” and “S” together, you get “Success!” That’s just what Vera delivers! This keynote is also available as a breakout session and touches on strategies in various areas including sensitivity, communication, resilience, and employee engagement.

  • Vera’s “often repeated in conference hallways” quips:
    “Stank Face” – Leaders who obviously lack real friends.
  • “Shrinkage” – Conflict averse leadership.
  • “I GOT IT!” – So powerful you’ll want the T-shirt!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

This presentation invites participants to:

  • lead with clarity and confidence from an engagement and innovation focus of “I Can.”
  • understand the mindset, the “how to,” and the importance of communicating significance and security as primary principles in your organizational, community, or social leadership role.
  • become motivated to lead others through adversity, as this is when true, empathic leadership is needed most. You matter!


GIRLS DON'T WHISTLE?

Girls Don’t Whistle? – With the help of the Andy Griffith Show theme song, this Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion presentation invites audiences to change their relational tunes for the better. Vera believes stimulating greater empathy and building trust are major keys for opening doors bolted by biases, fear, and ignorance. She examines the stages of distrust, and how to communicate truth to dismantle it. Tempering the need for honest self-introspection, Vera sheds light on why we react blindly to differentness and therefore perpetuate stigmas and negative stereotypes. Always geared towards conflict resolution, Vera brings simple solutions to an otherwise tense or difficult subject. Powerful, relatable, enlightening, and entertaining personal narratives, including her unforgettable experience as a country radio DJ named “Bobbi Jones,” are a breath of fresh air in the midst of our current, challenging social realities. This presentation is also available as an interactive breakout.

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

After hearing Vera’s keynote, audiences can expect to:

  • learn how to become a positive voice for reconciliation and acceptance simply by valuing differences.
  • identify personal blind spots and biases without all the drama and guilt that binds progress towards unity.
  • learn the empathic, little, three letter word that is a proven strategy to cut through communication roadblocks as it pertains to diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges.
  • determine if a simple theme song stuck in your head can help you open your heart.


THE TEN TURTLE TENETS

The Ten Turtle Tenets – A Lifetime Rx: Vera reveals 10 principles for general wellness and positive living, particularly when faced with overcoming obstacles (like Covid-19!) Her narrative is captivating – creatively weaving mystery, suspense, and humor. Vera throws in her own witty prescription for a “chill pill” that allows audience members to self-assess their wellness needs. Expect to leave inspired and to think positively about the endless possibilities in life instead of succumbing to adversity and anxieties, thanks to theories revealed by Vera’s very peculiar turtle named “Mom.”

DID YOU KNOW?

• GAD (general anxiety disorder) affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment. (Anxiety and Depression Association of America)

• Women are generally twice as more likely to experience anxiety-related disorders than men (ADAA)

• Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) of American adults say that Covid-19 is a significant source of stress in their lives. (American Psychological Association – Stress in America 2020)

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

You can expect to walk away from this keynote (or breakout):

  • inspired to prioritize your health and well-being, and those of your family and employees.
  • more performance-equipped to handle stress with Vera’s signature “Speminphsoenfi” work-life balance prescription.
  • prepared with practical techniques and tips for staying positive during challenging times....and a newfound love for turtles.

Related Speakers

Victoria Labalme, speaker

Victoria Labalme

Herm Edwards, Teambuilding Speaker

Herm Edwards

Jim Mathis, Speaker

Jim Mathis

Kenny Chapman, Overcoming Adversity Speaker

Kenny Chapman

Sterling Hawkins, speaker

Sterling Hawkins

Bill Rancic, Speaker

Bill Rancic

Phil M. Jones, speaker

Phil M. Jones

Dominic Thurbon, Business Trends Speaker

Dominic Thurbon

Peter Navarro, Economics Speaker

Peter Navarro

Brandon Edwards, keynote speaker

Brandon Edwards

Crystal Kuykendall, speaker

Dr. Crystal A. Kuykendall

Anthony Orsini, keynote speaker

Anthony Orsini

Reviews

Customer Rating 5

5
4
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
Click testimonials tab below for detailed feedback.

October 20, 2023

Vera was a vital part of the success of our recent conference. Our audience adored her humor, wit, and enthusiasm. I’m so glad Vera was a part of our program and the light the planning process was a joy to work with

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

November 3, 2022

Vera was a fantastic speaker, story-teller and motivator. The crowd loved her. From the standpoint of the logistics person, she was very low-maintenance and always prompt.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

September 30, 2022

Vera brings great energy and a compelling story that inspires others to keep playing beyond adversity.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

September 16, 2022

Vera connected with the audience and was very professional in all her interactions.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Testimonials

We work with a lot of speaking organizations... Let me tell you - ESB is the best! Matt Meyer is by far the best agent to work with!

Warrior Rising

Everyone on the ESB team (Matt, Sheryl, etc.) has been great to work with for our events. Looking forward to keep working with ESB!

Plexus Worldwide

We had a positive experience with ESB. Matt Meyer is a great communicator and easy to get a hold of. He helped us through the process to make..

BNSF

ESB was patient, thorough, and responsive during the planning process. Thank you for making this such a great experience for us!

ConnectWise

ESB supported our needs and the needs of our speaker throughout the entire process. I highly recommend working with ESB to find your next spe..

DogWatch

"It's always a pleasure to work with ESB. Very professional and personable staff. Thanks!"

Testimonial | Texas Society of Architects

"Excellent! Thank you for being a true partner to our organization and its development."

HCA Healthcare

"They are the only speakers bureau I will even consider using!"

Testimonial | Youth Villages

A wonderful bureau to work with! Big ups to everyone who helped make our event a success. Fingers crossed we get the chance to collaborate fo..

MDRT | Testimonial

"As always, you are the best most responsive speaker bureau I've ever worked with!"

Image Media
Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Call to discuss how we can you help find the right speaker(s) for your organization.

© 2024 Executive Speakers Bureau. All Rights Reserved.

Design and Developed by eBiz Solutions

Get Ideas in 1 hour or less

Executive Speakers Bureau consistently receives praises about our speed and efficiency. From the beginning of your event planning, our extensive online speaker database and resourceful staff allow us to quickly equip you with the best speaker for your event.

Need a last minute speaker? No worries. Our speed and efficiency help us give you ideas for speakers in one hour or less.