"WHEN WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CHANGE A SITUATION, WE ARE CHALLENGED TO CHANGE OURSELVES"--VIKTOR FRANKL
ABOUT ME
ANDREW JOHNSTON
*Senior Leadership Development Facilitator
*Keynote Speaker
*Ultramarathon Runner
What if the Best Classroom for Leadership....is a MARATHON?
Some ideas stop you in your tracks.
That's exactly what happened when a college business professor turned a 26.2-mile marathon into the “final exam” — and proved that the most powerful leadership lessons don't come from a textbook.
They come from the road.
That idea became Change Through Challenge, a leadership course featured in Runner's World, The Denver Business Journal, and The Denver Post — and the subject of a TEDx Talk.
My signature keynote draws on that story to deliver something most leadership talks don't: a visceral, memorable framework for building resilience, grit, and accountability that audiences carry with them long after they leave the room.
Whether I'm opening your annual leadership conference, closing your executive retreat, or energizing your team at a company-wide event, my unique career in business, academia, leadership development, and ultramarathon training allows me to bring a unique perspective to corporate and non-profit speaking events.
KEYNOTE SPEAKING
I'm available for keynote engagements at corporate conferences, leadership summits, university events, healthcare organizations, and executive retreats. Every talk is tailored to your audience, your theme, and the outcomes you want people walking away with.
Ideal for: Corporate Leadership Conferences · L&D and HR Summits · University & Business School Events · Healthcare Organizations · Sales & Performance Teams · Executive Retreats
What audiences leave with: A practical framework for leading through discomfort and uncertainty · Resilience tools grounded in performance science · A shared language for grit and accountability · Renewed belief that their biggest challenges are achievable
WORKSHOPS
As a Senior Leadership Facilitator at Ferguson Enterprises, I have the privilege to design and deliver character-based leadership development at every level of the organization.
In addition to consistently earning 9.0+ Net Promoter Scores across every program I facilitate, I've helped bring measurable results in leadership engagement and gains in team productivity among program participants.
I'm certified in the most in-demand facilitation methodologies in the industry — Franklin Covey, Crucial Conversations, Development Dimensions International (DDI), Abilitie, and Duarte Communications — and I'm equally effective delivering programs virtually or in-person.
Outside of my work at Ferguson, I'm available for select keynote speaking engagements, conference workshops, and executive coaching partnerships — bringing the same energy, rigor, and measurable impact to every audience I work with
PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING APPEARANCES
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Podcast Interview, Decidedly! "Why Endurance Events are a Vehicle to Self-Knowledge" May 2021
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Podcast Interview, SalesPop "What Marathon Running Can Teach Us in Our Professional Life" February 2021
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Presenter, Indonesia Human Resources Foundation for Leadership, Annual Leadership Summit, "What Marathon Training Teaches About Leadership and Life" June 2020
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Keynote Presenter, Rocky Mountain Area Conference, “Life’s Best Teacher: Run a Marathon!” September 2018
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Presenter, Rocky Mountain Area Conference. "Job Search Survival Guide: How to Find the Job You REALLY Want!" September 2017
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Keynote speaker, Colorado State Classified Employees Meeting, "What We Do Matters." January 2017
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Presenter, Two Year / Four Year Conference. “The Best First Year Experience? Run a Marathon.” September 2016Presenter, Two Year / Four Year Conference. “The Best First Year Experience? Run a Marathon.” September 2016
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Speaker, UC Synergetic. "Finding Passion in Your Work." June 2016
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Keynote speaker, Colorado Adult Education Professional Association (CAEPA) Conference. "Moving Forward with Innovation, Opportunity and Action." October 2015
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Presenter, TEDxMile High Youth Event. Ideas Unbridled, April 2015
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Volunteer keynote speaker at various Red Rocks Community College Student Government and Student Leadership events 2014, 2015, 2016
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Interview, Runner’s World Magazine, JJanuary 2014
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Interview, The Denver Business Journal, June 2014
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Guest appearance, 710 KNUS “Colorado Issues” with Tom Moller discussing pilot course at Red Rocks Community College called “Change Through Challenge” to boost student retention / performance. January 2013
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Interview, The Denver Post (Your Hub), Red Rocks Business Course Culminates in Marathon, November 2012.
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Interview, The Lakewood Sentinel, Running the Life Marathon, December 4, 2012.
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Guest columnist, The Denver Business Journal, Making the Leap for Balance, January 16, 2009.
