General Session: Day 2 Keynote, Mary Messner

Keynote / General Session | 2025 |

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Watch the kick off of Raise 2025 Day 2!

Keynote Mary Messner, former healthcare executive and Board Chair of Madam President Camp, inspired attendees to reclaim their creative spark and build empathy-driven, bold leadership. Her practical approach helps organizations make creativity a daily habit that drives collaboration and innovation.

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Mary Messner has spent her career exploring the power of imagination, resilience, and collaboration in the workplace. Her career as a health care executive at Research Medical Center and subsequently Cerner Corporation fostered a deep appreciation for breaking down limitations and encouraging innovative solutions.

Mary’s leadership roles solidified her willingness to take strategic risks and explore new frontiers in business, setting the stage for a pivotal career journey.Mary took a part-time pause from the corporate world to embrace motherhood, a move that deepened her understanding of how emotions influence decision-making. Returning to Cerner full-time as a Facilitator, Mary reconnected with her love for the stage, recognizing the incredible impact of authentic, engaging communication in inspiring teams and driving change.

Today, Mary is a sought-after keynote speaker and creativity advocate who brings a dynamic blend of experience from consulting, and executive leadership. Through her signature DREAM, FEEL, CREATE framework, she inspires organizations to return to the “playground” of possibilities, empowering teams to embrace innovation, foster collaboration, and cultivate environments where everyone’s ideas are celebrated.

When she isn’t focusing on her business, Mary puts energy into the non-profit Madam President Camp and spending time with her husband as they raise their two young daughters.

Reggie Rivers is a former Denver Broncos running back who played 6 seasons with the Denver Broncos. After his football career, Reggie worked in the media in newspaper, radio and television. He’s the author of 6 books, and he’s the Founder and President of The Gala Team, a group of fundraising professionals and benefit auctioneers who help 160+ nonprofits each year with their annual gala.

As a Fortune 100 corporate social impact and global philanthropy leader, Shanna Adamic has dedicated her career to leading impact and change. She recently led her team through the largest merger in healthcare/IT history with Oracle—a defining moment in her leadership. Her leadership extends beyond corporate walls with her voice and relationships in the community. As a hearing-impaired woman executive, Shanna leads with optimism as her North Star!

Shanna’s journey has also led her to be a regional Emmy winner and a former tenured NFL cheerleader for the Kansas City Chiefs for nearly a decade. Amidst these triumphs, her most remarkable story unfolds—as a life-threatening brain tumor survivor. Armed with the power of optimism, she defied the odds. Her recent memoir, “Audacious Optimism,” invites us all to embrace the unknown, ignite our “I will” power, and encourages us to imagine what could be possible!