Keynote Speakers




Terry Foster

Terry M. Foster, was originally a 1977 LPN graduate of Booth Memorial Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Covington, Kentucky. After working for 5 years as an LPN in both the ED & ICU, he received his RN diploma from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, Cincinnati, and in 1997 received his Master’s Degree in Critical-Care and Trauma Nursing from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health. He has held positions of volunteer, ward clerk, staff nurse, charge nurse, critical-care instructor, clinical director and night supervisor, at both the Mercy Hospitals of Cincinnati, Ohio, and at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in northern Kentucky. His primary areas of nursing experience have always been in the Emergency Department and Critical-Care Units where he has national certifications in critical-care nursing, emergency nursing, pediatric emergency nursing, and trauma nursing.

Terry has authored more than 40 professional publications in various textbooks, nursing, and healthcare journals. He has lectured on a wide variety of clinical topics at nursing seminars and conferences throughout the USA, having given a total of over 3500 formal presentations, covering all 50 states by the time he turned 50 years old. Nationally he is a well known and sought after speaker on nursing humor, as well as clinical topics on critical-care and emergency nursing. As a humorist, Terry has also performed at the Las Vegas Caesar’s Palace, Atlantic City’s Trump Tower, and at local comedy venues in the greater Cincinnati area.

An active community volunteer, he regularly volunteers for Covington’s Parish Soup Kitchen, Holy Cross Catholic Church, the Cincinnati Arts Association, “Chicks & Chucks” Breast Cancer Support group, and oversees the operation of the Peggy Foster Memorial Fund. He is also a member of the executive committee of the St. Elizabeth Foundation and volunteers on multiple charitable boards and especially for fundraiser events. Terry has been the recipient of the Judith Kelleher award, which is the highest award, given by the national Emergency Nurses Association and he was inducted as a Fellow into the Academy of Emergency Nursing, an internationally appointed group of accomplished emergency nursing leaders from around the world. Over the past 6 years, Terry has been featured in six episodes of The Learning Channels (TLC) national TV program “Untold Stories of the ER.” He is the first RN to ever be featured on this physician only based television show.

Most importantly, Terry credits his single greatest achievement is that of “Dad” to his daughter Meredith, who he has raised since the untimely death of his wife, Peggy, also an RN, in 1995.

Since 1998, Terry has been the Critical-Care Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Emergency Departments at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (a Magnet designated hospital) in Edgewood, Kentucky, where he also coordinates the Code Blue and Rapid Response teams. He has been continuously employed in this five-hospital system since 1975. 

Pam Beitlich

With more than 30 years of experience in patient care, medical staff relations and nursing administration, Pam Beitlich is a talented speaker and facilitator.  Her comprehensive hospital background, from a former ER and Critical Care nurse to a Nursing Administrator in many different roles gives Pam an immediate “in” with any healthcare group interested in creating positive change.  Transformational leadership is an area of expertise she is especially passionate about.  Pam began in 2000 as one of the first coaches for Quint and the Studer Group, making her a longtime staff member.  She still works full time as a Nursing Administrator at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Florida where she thrives on leading a team day-to-day.  She believes in the power of humor and FUN to create a positive learning experience.  Pam is driven by assisting the next generation of healthcare leaders to reach their potential to push outcomes in staff engagement, accountability and patient safety.  





Ben Boone

Benjamin Boone is an author, public speaker, workshop presenter, and life coach, who advocates that people with mental illness can live meaningful lives and make valuable contributions to society.

Boone, a native of Massachusetts, has a B.A. in writing and publishing from Emerson College in Boston. He struggled with the symptoms of mental illness during his senior year in college, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia the day after he graduated from Emerson.

After repeated hospitalizations, Boone has written a memoir of his battle for mental health, called "Minority of Mind," and a guide to help others like himself find meaning and joy in living, called "Experiments in Imagination."

Boone has also made numerous educational and motivational presentations aimed at professionals in the mental health field as well as mental health consumers. Additionally, he has spoken at various public events and appeared on radio shows and internet podcasts in the U.S., Europe, and Israel.





Ashley Rae Klinger

Ashley Rae Klinger is a dynamic combination of Personal Mentor, Professional Business Coach, and Motivational Speaker by trade. Ashley considers it one of her purposes in life to be a positive role model for women and young ladies everywhere, and to lead by example for them by showing them how to create Success and Fulfillment by living life with Purpose and Passion.
 
Ashley grew up in Grand Forks, ND with her younger brother, Dane, and their parents, Randy and Gail. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 2002, Ashley moved to Minneapolis, MN, where she followed her entrepreneurial spirit and started her very first business. After moving to California for a brief period of time, Ashley returned to Grand Forks in 2007, where she currently resides with her husband, Andrew.
 
In addition to being Mrs. North Dakota International 2016, Ashley is the owner of her full-time business Brand Logic, which provides mentoring and coaching services to women; she is the founder and President of The Cope Well Foundation, which is a local nonprofit that focuses on the emotional recovery of cancer survivorship; she is the 2016 President of the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals; she is a co-host of a weekly inspiration-based podcast show; she is a Contributing Writer for Girl On Fire Publishing, she is an original organizer for 1 Million Cups Grand Forks; and she volunteers her time to a variety of local and national organizations and groups.