WATCH KRISTEL IN ACTION
Kristel Bauer — At a Glance
Keynote Speaker on Leadership and Sustainable High Performance
Helps Leaders and Teams Navigate Pressure, Change & High-Performance Environments
2026 Top Impact Speaker — Real Leaders Magazine
TEDx Speaker
Award-Winning Author of Work-Life Tango (John Murray Business)
Host of the Top 1.5% Global Podcast, Live Greatly
Integrative Medicine Fellow
Physician Assistant with experience in Integrative Psychiatry
Known for Impactful, Actionable Keynotes with Strong Attendee Feedback
National Media Appearances on NBC, ABC & FOX; Featured in Forbes
Chicago Keynote Speaker for Corporate Events, Meetings & Conferences
Chicago Corporate Keynote Speaker Who Elevates Leadership, Engagement & Performance
With deep roots in Chicago, Kristel Bauer brings a unique combination of leadership expertise, healthcare experience and a research-backed approach to sustainable high performance. Born in Chicago and having spent much of her life in the Chicago area, Kristel understands the energy and demands of today’s high-pressure work environments. Her impactful keynotes help leaders and teams navigate pressure and change more effectively, strengthen engagement, and build the habits that support sustainable high performance. Kristel works with organizations planning corporate conferences, leadership meetings, association events and executive gatherings in Chicago and nationwide.
Kristel Partners With Organizations Across Industries Including:
Fortune 500 Companies & Corporate Teams
Healthcare Systems & Medical Organizations
Financial Services & Banking
Law Firms & Professional Services Organizations
Universities & Alumni Associations
Trade & Professional Associations
A Strong Fit for Corporate Meetings, Conferences, and Events
Event planners partner with Kristel Bauer when they need an inspiring keynote speaker for corporate events, conferences, and leadership meetings—delivering engaging, actionable strategies that help leaders and teams sustain high performance in high-pressure environments.
Unlike many motivational speakers, Kristel brings a rare combination of clinical medical training and real-world business expertise, helping organizations strengthen leadership, improve engagement, support well-being, and prevent burnout—while elevating performance and workplace culture. Her work goes beyond traditional work-life balance, equipping audiences with a more modern, sustainable approach to high performance.
Types of Chicago & Midwest Events Kristel Can Be Booked For:
High-Impact Keynotes for Chicago Organizations
Leadership Keynote Speaker
Helping leaders improve employee engagement, retention, communication, and performance.
Employee Engagement Speaker
Practical strategies that strengthen culture, morale, and team alignment.
Peak Performance Keynote Speaker
Helping leaders develop long-term sustainable high performance habits
Workplace Well-Being Speaker
Evidence-based tools to increase productivity without burnout.
Women’s Leadership Speaker
Empowering women professionals to build growth mindsets, elevate confidence, and perform in high-pressure situations
Work-Life Balance Speaker
Utilizing Kristel’s Work-Life Tango Framework for performance, leadership and well-being
View all of Kristel’s Keynote Topics
In addition to keynotes, Kristel can work with organizations through interactive workshops focused on sustainable high performance and leadership.
Kristel has delivered presentations for numerous groups and organizations including Santander bank, General Mills, The Home Dept, BP, Abbvie, eMoney, Chapman and Cutler LLP and many more.
Chicago Keynote Speaker Featured in National Media
As an award winning author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony and Peak Performance Wherever You Work, host of the Live Greatly Podcast, 2026 Top Impact Speaker via Real Leaders, and a featured expert in major TV outlets, including some Chicago-based TV appearances, Kristel brings credibility and authority to her keynote talks, workshops and trainings.
AS SEEN ON
ABC News Live
NBC News Daily
Fox Weather
WGN TV’s Daytime Chicago
ABC 7 Chicago
WSFL-TV’s Inside South Florida
WFLA TV News Channel 8 Tampa Bay Bloom TV
WDAF-TV’s Great Day KC
FEATURED IN
Forbes
Forest and Bluff Magazine
Podcast Magazine
Sheridan Road Magazine
What Event and Meeting Planners Say:
“Kristel is, quite simply, an outstanding speaker. Her presentation was immediately engaging, making her recommendations deeply motivating for our diverse, international audience.”
— Audrey Candau, AbbVie International Marketing Rheumatology, Sr. Manager
“From the very first meeting, Kristel was amazing to work with. She was open to tailoring her message for the audience, but also listened to us on what our overall goals were and what we wanted the audience to experience.”
— Elizabeth A Tucker, Director, Total Rewards at eMoney Advisor“Kristel was an utmost professional and such a delight to work with and host. She made it easy, she made it fun, and she hit a home run with our audience, which is still sending us great feedback from the event.”
— Jeremy C. Park, CEO of cityCURRENT
Planning an Event in Chicago?
Kristel has deep ties to Chicago, where she was born and spent much of her life. She works with organizations planning corporate conferences, leadership meetings, association events and executive gatherings throughout Chicago and nationwide. Connect with Kristel to discuss your event, audience and goals and check availability for your upcoming Chicago event.