KATHRYN ORFORD
Mindset, Performance & Mental Wellbeing Expert for Today’s Students
Helping students silence their inner critic, build real confidence, and thrive on campus and beyond.
ABOUT KATHRYN
Kathryn Orford is an Australian-born, Denver-based Mindset & Performance Expert who has spent over three decades helping students, athletes, and performers step into their true potential.
Her blend of neuroscience, storytelling, and lived experience creates transformative moments students remember long after the event.
Before becoming a global speaker, Kathryn faced her own breaking point — including a moment where her inner critic pushed her toward suicidal thoughts. Her honest, hopeful message is a lifeline for students navigating pressure, perfectionism, comparison, and overwhelm. She shows them how to reclaim their inner strength, bounce forward from setbacks, and Become Their #1 Fan instead of their own worst enemy.
Kathryn has coached Olympians, national champions, and high-performing students worldwide — proving that when you master your Inner Game, anything becomes possible.
ARE YOU YOUR #1 FAN OR YOUR WORST ENEMY?
Change the voice in your head — and you change everything.
Ideal for Mental Health Awareness Week
This powerful, interactive keynote helps students recognise and interrupt the inner critic that drives anxiety, self-doubt, and self- sabotage. Through relatable stories, humour, and practical tools, Kathryn shows students how to build a healthier inner dialogue, strengthen emotional resilience, and become their own strongest supporter — especially during challenging moments. Students leave feeling understood, empowered, and equipped with tools they can use immediately.
Key Takeaways:
- Interrupt unhelpful self-talk before it spirals into stress or overwhelm
- Understand how mindset directly impacts mental health and performance
- Shift from self-criticism to self-support in high-pressure moments
- Build resilience and confidence after mistakes or setbacks
- Become your own #1 fan — not your worst enemy
CREATING AN ATHLETE’S MINDSET FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The mindset that wins in sport also wins in study, stress, and life.
Highly relevant for student wellbeing, resilience, and performance under pressure
Kathryn teaches students the same mindset strategies she uses with elite athletes — adapted for academic pressure, exams, deadlines, and daily college life. This keynote helps students stay focused, composed, and confident under pressure while building the consistency and discipline needed for long-term success.
Key Takeaways:
- Train focus, confidence, and composure under pressure
- Apply elite performance tools to academics and exams
- Build consistency, discipline, and motivation
- Recover quickly from poor results without losing confidence
- Create a personalised mindset strategy for sustainable success
NAVIGATING BREAK-UPS, GRADES & TEAM TRIALS WITH RESILIENCE
Because setbacks don’t define you — how you respond to them does.
Strong fit for Mental Health Awareness Week
College life comes with emotional highs and lows — break-ups, disappointing grades, rejection, and identity challenges. This deeply relatable keynote gives students tools to process disappointment, regulate emotions, and reframe setbacks without getting stuck in them. Students leave feeling steadier, stronger, and more resilient.
Key Takeaways:
- Process disappointment without spiraling or shutting down
- Regulate emotions during stress, loss, or uncertainty
- Reframe setbacks as fuel for growth
- Build emotional agility through change and challenge
- Move forward with confidence and perspective
REMEMBER WHO YOU WERE... BEFORE THE WORLD TOLD YOU WHO YOU SHOULD BE
Your confidence isn’t missing — it’s just buried under expectations.
Aligned with Mental Health Awareness Week and belonging initiatives
In a world of comparison, pressure, and expectations, many students lose touch with who they really are. This uplifting keynote invites students to reconnect with their authentic selves, rebuild inner confidence, and let go of labels that no longer serve them.
Key Takeaways:
- Reconnect with confidence beyond comparison and external pressure
- Understand how expectations shape identity and self-worth
- Build confidence from the inside out
- Trust your values, instincts, and inner voice
- Show up as your real self with clarity and confidence
WHY COLLEGES BOOK KATHRYN
Engaging, interactive, unforgettable — Kathryn doesn’t lecture; she connects. Students lean in, participate, and walk away with tools they use immediately.
A powerful mental health story delivered safely and responsibly — Her lived experience helps students feel seen, understood, and supported.
Results-backed tools used by Olympians and high performers — Simple, neuroscience-based strategies students can apply instantly.
Ideal for Mental Health Awareness Week, Orientation, Athletics, and Leadership Programs — Kathryn bridges performance, wellbeing, and resilience in a way that resonates with every student.
A message that sticks — Students consistently report feeling more confident, focused, and hopeful after hearing Kathryn speak.
WHAT CAMPUSES SAY
“Kathryn was the most quoted speaker of the entire convention. Students couldn’t stop talking about her.”
— Tim Hawkins, Youth Convention Chair, National Speakers Association
“Our girls found her session powerful, inspiring, and truly life-changing.”
— Grace Stone, Roseville College
“I wish my own kids could hear Kathryn. She helps them see their worth beyond social media and comparison.”
— Susan J. Lindner
BOOK KATHRYN FOR YOUR CAMPUS
Bring Kathryn to your next
- Mental Health Awareness Week
- Student Leadership Event
- Orientation or First-Year Program
- Athletics Department Workshop
- Wellness or Resilience Week
Website: www.kathrynorford.com
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 720 978 9098
Location: Denver, Colorado
