Philip Bredesen

As a Democratic governor in a very red state, Governor Bredesen tackled numerous contentious issues: reform of the Medicaid system, substantial changes in both K-12 and higher education and designing and implementing the large budget cuts that were necessary during the current recession. Despite this, he remained a highly popular governor-re-elected by a landslide and exiting office with strong support from both sides of the aisle.

As a successful entrepreneur, mayor and governor, Bredesen believes that true leadership is about finding common ground and that the key to success is a command of the art of persuasion. His real world experience and examples of what works offer audiences a refreshing perspective that will also challenge them to raise the bar.