Nina Sossamon-Pogue is a highly sought-after motivational speaker, renowned for her expertise in resilience, change management, and mental wellness. With a dynamic career spanning elite athletics, broadcast journalism, and executive leadership, Nina empowers audiences to navigate today’s unprecedented era of constant change, fueled by evolving technologies, vast data influxes, and machine learning.
As a USA Gymnast (1982–1984), Emmy-winning television news anchor (1992–2007), and hyper-growth tech executive (2007–2019, Benefitfocus), Nina has experienced success at the highest levels in sports, media, and corporate America. Nina Sossamon-Pogue is also no stranger to life’s most challenging moments, including an injury that ended her athletic career, a very public layoff, and a tragic car accident that thrust her into the headlines and tested her mental fortitude. Through these trials, she not only rebuilt but reached even greater heights, fueling her passion for helping others do the same.
Nina Sossamon-Pogue is the author of two best-selling books:
This Is Not the End: Strategies to Get You Through the Worst Chapters of Your Life (2019, Morgan James Publishing), which provides a proven approach to overcoming devastating life events and reclaiming control of your future.
But I Want Both: The Working Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life She Loves (revised and updated edition releasing Fall 2023), offering actionable strategies for high-achieving parents to thrive in both work and family life.
Nina Sossamon-Pogue also hosts the podcast This Seriously Sucks: The Right Podcast When Life Goes Seriously Wrong, where she shares actionable strategies and invites successful individuals to reflect on their journeys through trauma and growth.
Recognizing the need for a clear, science-based framework to navigate life’s toughest challenges, Nina Sossamon-Poguea left her corporate career to research and develop tools that strengthen resilience, foster productivity, and improve workplace culture. Her unique blend of storytelling, neuroscience, and stoicism ignites audiences, equipping them with the mindset and strategies to thrive in adversity and embrace change with confidence.
Beyond the stage, Nina Sossamon-Pogue serves as CEO of her communications company, contributes to several non-profit boards, and passionately advocates for the Alzheimer’s Association. She was honored as a ‘Woman of Distinction’ by the state of South Carolina. Nina Sossamon-Pogue and her husband are proud parents of three adult children. Based in Charleston, SC, she travels the globe, inspiring people to overcome challenges, take control of their narratives, and achieve their greatest potential.
Challenges are inevitable, but how we face them defines our success. In this powerful session, Nina unpacks why obstacles feel overwhelming, how our brains instinctively resist discomfort, and what it takes to turn adversity into an advantage. Blending science, stoicism, and storytelling, she reframes challenges as a catalyst for growth rather than a roadblock.
- Recognize the power of setbacks - Discover how challenges shape resilience and success through Nina’s Reverse Resume concept.
- Gain practical strategies to manage stress, stay motivated, and embrace the unexpected with confidence, by applying Nina’s signature THIS Framework.
- Embrace a challenge-ready mindset - Leave inspired and equipped to rise, adapt, and thrive in any situation.
Change is constant, but our instinct to resist it holds us back. In this engaging and insightful session, Nina explores why change feels so difficult, how our brains and bodies react to uncertainty, and what we can do to rewire our response. Through a mix of neuroscience, stoicism, and personal storytelling, she shifts the narrative, showing audiences how to embrace change as an opportunity instead of fearing it.
- Master change with confidence - Use Nina’s THIS Framework to navigate change like a pro.
- Redefine resilience - Shift from fearing change to embracing it with a challenge-ready mindset.
Stay strong under pressure - Gain practical tools to manage stress, stay motivated, and remain flexible.
Thrive through teamwork - Foster collaboration, confidence, and adaptability during transitions.
High achievers thrive on success, but the relentless pressure to perform can lead to burnout. In this eye-opening session, Nina introduces Excellence Exhaustion, a condition where the unending drive to surpass previous achievements, coupled with perpetual demands, leads to diminished productivity and well-being. Success isn’t just about pushing harder, it’s about building resilience, making this session essential for leaders, executives, and driven professionals striving for peak performance.
- Embrace the High Achiever Success Cycle - Learn how to navigate the natural highs and lows of ambition while maintaining resilience and well-being
-Discover how challenges fuel long-term growth with the Reverse Resume concept.
- Sustain peak performance – Learn strategies to manage stress, stay focused, and protect well-being.
- Achieve without burnout – Essential insights for leaders and high achievers striving for lasting success.
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