Yes, you CAN
Beat the Odds!
John McKenna is an award-winning educator turned speaker and author on leadership and crisis management. He teaches teams to beat the odds — no matter how daunting — by building collaborative cultures and communicating with intent.
John works with…
Education
Corporate
Healthcare
Non-profits
Leadership today is daunting.
The world moves faster and is more unpredictable than ever before.
Change comes at us at a rapid pace, and we hardly ever have the resources to handle today’s crisis, let alone tomorrow’s.
And so as pressure mounts, we fall back on “quick fixes” — scapegoating, purchasing the hottest new program, hiring or firing — which tend to get critics off our backs, but only until the next crisis.
What if instead of reacting to every change, you had a framework for sustainable success that’s always ready, and always works?
Hi, I’m John!
I began my education career as a special ed teacher. Right from the beginning I set out to help ‘underdogs’, by advocating for inclusionary teaching practices for special needs students.
Eventually I transitioned into educational leadership, becoming the Principal at two underperforming schools and taking them to historic levels of success. Most recently, I navigated an entire school district through the COVID crisis as Superintendent.
My work has received many awards and recognitions including The New York State Outstanding Educator of the Year Award, a Proclamation for Outstanding Leadership (New York State Senate), and two Distinguished Alumni Awards (State University of New York at Buffalo).
But the one that means the most to me is the Beating the Odds & Building Opportunities Award, for transforming a low performing school of socio-economically disadvantaged students into one of the top performing schools in New York State, based on boosting student achievement.
Today, I’m on a mission to teach leaders and teams how to beat the odds, no matter how daunting. I did it, my teams did it, and you can too!
Education & Leadership:
John holds a Doctorate in Leadership & Policy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a Masters in Educational Administration and Supervision from Niagara University.
Dr. McKenna also holds certifications in School Management & Leadership and Authentic Leader Development from Harvard University, and Executive Leadership from Cornell University.
Additionally, Dr. McKenna has served as President and in other esteemed leadership positions in many prestigious international organizations, including:
President of the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS)
President Emeritus of the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education Alumni Association (GSEAA)
President of Phi Delta Kappa, Buffalo-Niagara Chapter
Board of Directors for the International Society for Educational Planning (ISEP)
Dr. John McKenna’s Speaking Programs
John works with organizations and educators to deliver high impact keynotes and actionable workshops on leadership, organizational turnaround, and crisis management.
01
Beating the Odds
Keynote
When crisis hits, most leaders freeze. In this powerful keynote, Dr. John McKenna shares a proven 5-step framework to help teams transform chaos into opportunity—and come out stronger on the other side.
02
It’s Time to ACT UP
Workshop
In this hands-on workshop, your organization will discover how to Align, Connect, Transform, Unlearn, and Praise your team, in order to overcome any obstacles, no matter how daunting.
Working with John is simple!
Event Consultation
Book a 40-min call with John to discuss your team’s obstacles and the event details.
Get a Plan
John will propose a personalized program to meet your goals.
Beat the Odds
Sit back and watch your team discover a roadmap to success.
Books
John has authored and co-authored many books on leadership and crisis management.
Yes, you CAN Beat the Odds!
From high-stakes crises to everyday challenges, John McKenna equips teams to rise above through collaboration and clear communication.