Our 2025 Presenters
2025 Opening Keynote Speaker
Andrea Hollingsworth
Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth is Founder and CEO of Hollingsworth Consulting, author of the bestselling book The Compassion Advantage (2024), and one of today’s leading global experts on compassionate leadership. Since 2008, she has been studying, speaking, and writing about the science and spirituality of human emotions and relationships. Her articles have been published more than a dozen times in peer-reviewed journals, and she has taught at prestigious institutions like Princeton, Boston University, and Loyola University Chicago. In addition, Dr. Andrea has delivered talks to audiences at some of the top-ranked universities in the world—including Cambridge University in England and Heidelberg University in Germany.
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Breakout Presenters
Chase Collins
Chase Collins is a passionate educator at Highland High School and the founder of EGO Performance, a mental performance training system for athletes of all levels. As a former Idaho State University Offensive Linemen, Chase recognized the critical role of mindset in athletic success but wasn’t until he began his teaching career he began to understand the lack of emphasis on mindset within the public education system. Through his Master’s degree, he developed his own curriculum to bring to his school in the form of Sports Psychology. Driven by his commitment to human performance, he obtained his Certified Sports Psychology Coach certification and created EGO Performance to equip athletes with the tools to build confidence and resilience. Currently working with professionals in track and field, backcountry skiing, as well as collegiate and high school athletes, Chase's expertise lies in fostering confidence and empowering athletes to overcome mental blocks, enabling them to reach their full potential.
Dr. Mel Anderson
Dr. Mel Anderson is the Director of Policy Administration at Idaho State University. In 2008, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona with a double major in Political Science and History before continuing on to law school. She graduated with her Juris Doctorate in 2012. After law school she served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corp of the U.S. Army. She has also earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing and a Masters in English. In 2024, she earned her PhD in English and the Teaching of English from Idaho State University. She currently lives in Pocatello with her eight children, and is expecting her first grandchild this summer.
Ascent Series Presenters
2025 Closing Keynote Speaker
Kimberly Waetje
Kimberly Waetje is a dedicated and passionate Organizational Development Consultant at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) with over 17 years of career experience in executive level talent management. She excels in fostering environments where individuals feel heard, seen, and valued. Kimberly holds a Master of Science in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University (2018) and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Promotion with an emphasis on Work Site Health and Safety from Idaho State University (2008). Kimberly has played a pivotal role in conducting comprehensive organizational assessments, designing targeted interventions, and providing personalized coaching to executive leaders, managers, and staff. Her facilitation of team-building exercises and leadership training sessions, coupled with her consultation on large-scale change management initiatives, underscores her strategic vision and dedication to organizational excellence.
Throughout her career, Kimberly Waetje has consistently championed the enhancement of organizational culture and the promotion of employee and leadership development, aligned with strategic mission objectives.
