This is Anne Therese Gennari — Climate Optimist, author, speaker, and podcaster.
Anne Therese Gennari is a TEDx speaker, author of The Climate Optimist Handbook, and the creator of the globally acclaimed podcast Hey Change. For over a decade, Anne Therese has been at the forefront of shifting the climate narrative from fear to courage.
Today, her work explores the vital intersection of inner leadership and the emerging future, emphasizing that the world we build is a direct reflection of our internal state. By cultivating resilience and self-awareness, she empowers individuals and organizations to step into their roles as architects of a regenerative tomorrow.
A recipient of the 2024 Net Zero Trailblazer Award, Anne Therese has shared her philosophy with institutions like Harvard, the United Nations Global Compact, and BMW, proving that climate optimism is not just a mindset—it is a practice of leadership.
Speaker & Host
The world of tomorrow is wildly uncertain. We can let that overwhelm us—or we can use it as our greatest source of inspiration. How we choose to show up in this moment, and the practices we cultivate to stay resilient, connected, and curious about the future, matter more than we might know.
Turning the tide on climate change starts with us.
Anne Therese Gennari invites us to explore the possibility alive within the climate movement and to reimagine the future not as something to fear, but as an open canvas we have the power to shape. She challenges leaders to release narratives rooted in guilt and shame and instead embrace innovation, opportunity, and collective growth
“Anne Therese's keynote presentation on how to engage with the climate crisis in a way that balances realism with agency at the Climatebase Fellowship, a global climate career accelerator for mission-driven professionals, was powerful and timely.
One of our Fellows put it best, "[Anne Therese's keynote] offered a refreshing perspective on challenges in the climate space . . . Her perspective on shifting away from fear-based messaging and instead framing climate action around practical, appealing solutions felt insightful and forward-thinking."”
— Kendall Jenkins, CLIMATEBASE
Speaker Topics
The practices and principles of climate optimism apply to all audiences — from school students to corporate teams, leaders, and long-term activists. I have experience talking to all groups, and no matter the demographic, the feedback tends to be the same: “I really needed this narrative shift!
Here are some ideas for topics I often cover. Contact me to discuss how we can best bring climate optimism to your institution, group, or team!
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What does it mean to lead from the future that wants to emerge, rather than remain anchored in the limitations of the present?
How do we cultivate the inner leadership required to navigate uncertainty and recognize that the future is built on courageous stewardship of the unknown – the trust, belief, and bold action upon realities we’ve yet to experience?
In this keynote, I guide individuals and organizations through the shift from climate anxiety and paralysis to resilience and meaningful action. Centered on the “Inner Leadership” pillar of Climate Optimism and rooted in the Inner Development Goals, this talk reframes climate engagement as a human development challenge.
The audience will gain clarity on the psychological barriers that stall climate action (guilt, overwhelm, helplessness) and walk away with practical tools for cultivating optimism as a strategic leadership practice. They’ll learn how to access their inner capacity to imagine boldly, act intentionally, and lead with a mindset that recognizes that tomorrow is shaped by the choices we make today.
Climate Optimism is not about taking a step back and hoping for the best to happen. It’s about diving into awareness and choosing a path of resilience, action, and hope.
In this keynote, I explore:
How to activate inner leadership as the foundation for climate action and organizational resilience.
The psychological barriers that keep people stuck in guilt, helplessness, and overwhelm.
Why optimism is a strategic leadership skill, not a “nice to have”. As I say, one should choose to be radically optimistic, or not radical at all.
How curiosity, courage, and imagination unlock new pathways forward – beyond what we believe to be possible today.
Practical inner development tools for leading change from within teams, institutions, and communities, rooted in the Inner Development Goals framework for inner-to-outer transformation.
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The narratives we hold—individually and collectively—guide how we meet this moment. Are they clouded by doom and fear, or alive with possibility and curiosity for what’s possible next?
In this keynote, I break down three essential narrative shifts that move us away from fear-based urgency and into a mindset grounded in agency, creativity, and opportunity for our future. When we change the story, we change the culture — and when we change the culture, real transformation becomes possible.
Drawing from the principles of Climate Optimism, the Inner Development Goals, and the emerging research on narrative psychology, I show how organizations, teams, and leaders can use storytelling to spark engagement, inspire action, and build momentum from within.
Audiences will leave with a clearer understanding of how language influences behavior, and with concrete tools for communicating climate in ways that motivate, unite, and unlock meaningful change.
In this keynote, I explore:
Why fear-driven narratives stall action and how to reframe them for impact.
Three actionable narrative shifts that inspire connection, curiosity, and forward movement.
How to communicate climate goals in ways that energize rather than overwhelm.
Tools for reframing internal and external messaging to engage teams and stakeholders.
How storytelling becomes a strategic lever for driving culture change and meaningful climate action.
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I know what it feels like to carry climate anxiety. That heavy mix of fear, frustration, and urgency about the future. But what does it mean to live with climate awareness without losing oneself to hopelessness and despair?
Is it possible to understand the complexities of climate change and still feel inspired, optimistic, and motivated to take action?
The answer is yes, and it starts with shifting the narrative on climate change so that we can act from courage and excitement, not fear. This keynote will cover what it means to grow emotional resilience in the face of climate change, offer tips for nurturing optimism that sustains, and explore the mental blocks that prevent us from taking action.
Focusing on the youth and the challenging reality of growing up in these times, I’ll invite students to transform those emotions into curiosity, creativity, and action. By combining emotional resilience with the power of imagination, we’ll explore how envisioning positive futures can help us navigate uncertainty and take meaningful steps toward the world we want to create.
This keynote can be tailored to the youth directly or designed to equip teachers and other youth leaders with the tools to guide conversations about climate change with grounded optimism, agency, and curiosity for change. Grounded in both Climate Optimism and the Inner Development Goals, we’ll explore ways to cultivate inner leadership and become stewards of the future.
In this keynote, I explore:
How to acknowledge and work with climate anxiety instead of being paralyzed by it.
Why emotional resilience is essential for leadership and meaningful action.
How imagination and “what if…” thinking create possibilities and inspire creativity.
Tools for turning ideas and visions into tangible action in school, community, and everyday life.
Understanding that courage, curiosity, and collaboration are the foundation for leading change.
The practice of (climate) optimism and the understanding that narratives shape attitudes, culture, and ultimately – action.
What is climate optimism?
Climate optimism is a mindset shift that sparks optimism, creativity, and solutions thinking while keeping a fact-based and awareness-driven approach to climate change.
More than anything, climate optimism is a practice. It’s not about taking a step back and hoping for the best to happen, but about diving into awareness and choosing a path of resilience, action, and hope.
Learn more about the practice of climate optimism in my three-part series with Imagine5.
