Aims Brings World-Class Keynote Speakers to Northern Colorado

This fall and next spring, Greeley will host a caliber of speakers typically found at national conferences in major cities. Thanks to Aims Community College’s new Spotlight Speaker Series, business professionals and community members across Northern Colorado will have the rare opportunity to engage in thought-provoking, transformational conversations right in their own backyard.

Set against the theme “Exploring Leadership,” the four-part series will feature internationally renowned keynote speakers. Their influence spans psychology, military strategy, neurosurgery and aviation. 

Each event begins at 7 p.m. in the Miller Auditorium at the Aims Welcome Center on the Greeley Campus. 

Dr. Amy Cuddy | September 24, 2025

Personal Power and Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Challenges

Dr. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, bestselling author and keynote speaker, focuses on presence, performance under stress, power dynamics and social bravery. She earned her Ph.D. at Princeton University and taught at Harvard Business School and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Honored with Harvard’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the Society for Experimental Social Psychology’s Scientific Impact Award, she continues to guest lecture at Harvard and UCLA. 

Her TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are,” is the second-most viewed ever, with over 70 million views. Her book “Presence” has sold over 500,000 copies in 35 languages. Her upcoming book, “Bullies, Bystanders, & Bravehearts,” explores adult bullying and social courage. 

Leif Babin | October 30, 2025

Extreme Ownership: Foundational Principles and Mindsets for Victory

Leif Babin, a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, is the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as president, leadership instructor and strategic advisor.

A U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Babin served 13 years in the Navy, including as a SEAL platoon commander in Task Unit Bruiser during the Battle of Ramadi. His leadership contributed to Task Unit Bruiser becoming the Iraq War’s most decorated special operations unit. He later revamped SEAL officer leadership training and deployed again as a Special Operations Task Force leader. Babin, a recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, now helps organizations build high-performance teams through Echelon Front, leveraging lessons from his distinguished military career.

Dr. Myron Rolle | February 4, 2026

Inspired Leadership: Learning from the Giants

Dr. Myron Rolle is a Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital-trained neurosurgeon serving as the current Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellow at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He is a Rhodes Scholar, best-selling author, former All-American Florida State University football player and former National Football League player for the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers. He published the Rolle Scoring System — a public health rating scale used to determine a developing country’s governance around helmet safety to prevent traumatic brain injury. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons has recognized him for demonstrating the best operative technique in reconstructing upper extremity motor function using intercostal nerve transfers after a traumatic brachial plexus injury. 

He is the best-selling author of “The 2% Way: How a Philosophy of Small Improvements Took Me to Oxford, the NFL, and Neurosurgery.” 

Ambassador “Sully” Sullenberger | March 25, 2026

Leading Your Team to Success

Ambassador “Sully” Sullenberger is a world-renowned safety expert, speaker, author and pilot best known for safely landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009, saving all 155 aboard in the “Miracle on the Hudson.” As a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, he was a flight leader and training officer with the rank of captain. Sullenberger is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters” and wrote “Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America's Leaders.” The film “Sully,” directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on Sullenberger’s book and stars Tom Hanks as Sullenberger. 

In 2021, President Biden appointed Sullenberger U.S. Ambassador to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, where he re-established U.S. leadership and tackled aviation crises involving Belarus, Russia and climate change during his tenure.

An Invitation to Learn, Grow and Be Inspired

The Spotlight Speaker Series is more than just a series of talks. It reflects Greeley’s and the region’s metamorphosis into a hub for innovation, education and professional growth. Aims invites business leaders, teams and curious minds to be part of this evolution. Come hear powerful insights and stories that have shaped industries, influenced millions and redefined what it means to lead.

“We’re excited to bring these four speakers to challenge us in our thinking and growth,” said Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, Aims Community College CEO and President.

Aims has been a place for workforce development in Northern Colorado for decades. Through partnerships with local industries, expansion of academic and training programs and the in-progress development of the Workforce Innovation Center, Aims is helping build the region’s capacity for economic and social leadership. “Aims is committed to community collaboration,” Bornstein said. 

“We want to host events like the Spotlight Speaker Series to facilitate dialogue, build connections, foster engagement and get the community on campus.”

This is just the beginning of a new tradition, with planning for the second series already underway. Aims Community College is committed to engaging and empowering the broader Northern Colorado community through meaningful dialogue and shared experiences.

Tickets are now available as a season pass, granting access to all four events with tiered seating options. Learn more about the series and the speakers and buy tickets at spotlightspeakerseries.com.