What others are saying
What happens after the applause matters most.
Sarah Ciavarri delivers interactive leadership keynotes and workshops for organizations in Minneapolis, St. Paul, throughout Minnesota, and across the country. Here, clients and participants share their experiences—from engagement in the room to practical tools they used afterward.
A great experience in the room matters. But the real impact shows up later—when an idea comes back, a tool gets used, or a conversation happens differently because of what people learned.
Click the badge to read all 22 reviews on Bark.
— Participant, Minnesota Partners in Public Health Conference
When the message sticks.
Months after hearing Sarah speak, this participant found herself in a stressful moment—and remembered what she had learned.
“I was going through a stressful situation a couple months later and remembered what Sarah had said… I was able to use that, and it really did help.”
And in the room? You’ll feel it.
“Who found her?! She’s amazing!! This is exactly what I needed to hear!”
“Sarah took time to meet with our convention planning co-chairs prior to the event to make sure she understood the adversities and stresses court reporters face and exactly how their job works. She did her homework, which is really impressive! We’ve never had a keynote speaker so highly rated by our attendees, and we would totally have her come back again. She had everybody engaged, laughing, and inspired!”
— Brooke Ingram, TX Court Reporters Association
In early January 2026, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs’ Programs & Services division had the good fortune to engage Ms. Ciavarri for the annual Leadership Conference of the Veterans Programs & Benefits and Memorial Affairs directorates. This years theme was, “A Culture of Care and Accountability: Advancing Leadership Excellence”. Ms. Ciavarri – as our keynote presenter – led the team through a series of presentations, discussions and exercises focused on the concepts of ‘Leading with Empathy and Accountability.’ Her fluency & proficiency with the topic, thoughtful approach to introducing theories and models and a well-considered delivery of clear precepts and engaging hypotheticals proved extremely useful and seemed to be fully embraced by those leaders in attendance. I heard multiple comments and conversations from managers and supervisors about using tools presented by Ms. Ciavarri in their responses to challenging conversations with their teams. I would highly recommend Ms. Ciavarri to any agency or organization interested in offering their folks a fresh approach to building and leading teams.
— Ben Johnson, JD, Deputy Commissioner of Programs and Services, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
Dr. Glen Mort, President and CEO, Florida Association for Child Care Management, describes how Sarah tailored her keynote to the conference theme and energized the audience.
What clients noticed afterward.
Sarah was an absolute pleasure to work with! … The audience was engaged the entire time … we are already planning our next event with Sarah.
— Maggie Garden, Brock & Scott
I saw a room full of eager individuals willing to learn and people actually stayed after to continue the conversation.
— Millie A. Fiebelkorn, SHRM-CP, Iowa SHRM State Conference
Sarah designed and facilitated a two-day retreat that focused on building trust and resilience within the team. The results were astonishing.
— Rev. Dr. Brian Beckstrom, Assistant Vice President, Mission, Church, and Ministry, Valparaiso University
Ready to create an experience your people will carry with them?
Tell Sarah what you’re planning and what you’d like your people to remember, practice, or do differently.
Looking for a reference from an event or organization like yours? Ask Sarah when you get in touch.