Justin Pickens's biography
- Adverse Childhood Experiences speaker informed by lived experience
- Advocate for trauma-informed school leadership
- Founder of Thrive with Five educator framework
Justin Pickens transforms educational outcomes by helping teachers rediscover their purpose and impact. With 13 years of experience as a teacher and coach, Justin overcame significant childhood challenges that could have led to incarceration or addiction, instead channeling those experiences into his work as an educational catalyst.
After briefly exploring opportunities outside education, Justin returned to his true calling with renewed focus. He has dedicated his career to empowering educators who face burnout and diminishing motivation in today's challenging educational landscape.
Justin specializes in helping teachers reconnect with their original passion for education while providing practical strategies to create positive generational change. His approach combines personal resilience techniques with evidence-based teaching methodologies that address modern classroom challenges, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Justin seamlessly works humor in his speeches to make educators laugh, cry and leave encouraged. Audiences leave with concrete tools to reignite their educational purpose, practical methods to connect meaningfully with challenging students, and renewed confidence in their ability to create lasting positive impact beyond the classroom.
Book Justin to transform your educational team from merely surviving to genuinely thriving while creating ripple effects that will benefit generations to come.
Justin's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
Breaking Cycles, Building Futures: ACEs, Educators, and Ripple Effects
In this insightful talk, Justin Pickens explores the profound effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and emphasizes the crucial role educators and caring adults play as agents of change. By sharing real-life stories and practical strategies, he illustrates how simple, everyday actions can disrupt generational cycles and foster positive transformations in students' lives. Attendees will learn effective ways to support children and create lasting impacts in their communities.
7 Leadership Principles for Teens (and Adults)
In his engaging talk, Justin Pickens shares seven leadership principles designed to inspire young people to transition from apathy to action. By blending personal anecdotes with timeless truths, he provides valuable insights for middle school, high school, and college students, as well as adults working with youth. This energizing presentation is ideal for student leadership programs, athletic teams, and youth groups. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to empower the next generation with purpose and clarity.
Career, Identity and Calling
In his engaging talk, Justin Pickens addresses the emptiness that can accompany success. He shares his journey from education to finance and fast food, detailing the identity crisis he faced along the way. Justin's insights resonate with business professionals, educators, and faith-based groups who are grappling with career transitions, burnout, or seeking deeper purpose. Attendees will learn how to navigate their own paths to fulfillment and rediscover their true calling.
Justin Pickens delivers a student-centered talk that inspires hope through impactful storytelling and the memorable "Hope Rat" experiment. Attendees will gain a deeper sense of purpose, practical mindset tools, and the understanding that hope transcends mere emotion—it serves as a strategic approach to overcoming challenges and creating a brighter future. Participants will leave empowered and equipped to harness hope as a vital resource in their lives.
Why we recommend booking Justin
Drawing from his remarkable journey from childhood adversity to educational excellence, Justin Pickens equips teachers with practical strategies to reconnect with their purpose, overcome burnout, and create lasting impact for students from all backgrounds. Book Justin today to transform your educational team from merely surviving to genuinely thriving while creating positive ripple effects for generations to come.
At East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas, Justin Pickens delivered one of the most powerful talks we’ve ever witnessed and in all my years of attending I've never seen a speaker receive a standing ovation…until Justin. His message moved students to tears and left a lasting impact on everyone in the room.
Addie Whitehead
Camp Counselor
Justin’s sincerity resonated with our staff members, and each day this week, I've had numerous peers express their appreciation for the opportunity to hear his inspiring story. It was both meaningful and timely and I can't tell you how much it was appreciated by all. I want to thank him for taking on this mission. Teachers need to hear what he has to say and continue to be the best advocates for young people.
Jeff Wilkie
Principal, Webb City High School
An incredibly powerful message for our staff to hear, reminding teachers of the impact they have for students in their day-to-day lives. We heard so much positive feedback from teachers that felt like Justin’s message was one of the best they’ve heard as educators.
Principal, Tonganoxie High School
