Bill Burke

Bill Burke founded The Optimism Institute after a long career as an executive, writer, and producer in media and sports. A former Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow, Burke now speaks on leadership and the power of optimism to transform individuals, teams, and organizations.

Burke's career highlights include serving as CEO of The Weather Channel Companies and working at Time Warner, where he was the founding general manager of Turner Classic Movies.

At just 29, Burke became president of TBS Superstation. He also learned valuable lessons from CNN founder Ted Turner, who co-authored the top-10 New York Times bestselling autobiography, "Call Me Ted." Burke also co-owned and chaired the Portland Sea Dogs, the double-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox for fifteen years. As a writer, he has co-written, produced, and directed "Live Another Day," an award-winning documentary on the U.S. auto industry bailout.

Burke has also worked in non-profits, serving on and chairing several boards. He chaired the boards of Maine Medical Center (Maine’s largest hospital) and MaineHealth (the largest private employer in Maine). He also chaired the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, helping steer the organization through the “Great Recession” of 2008 to 2009, and the U.S. Biathlon Association, the national governing body for this Winter Olympic sport.

A lifelong optimist, Burke launched The Optimism Institute and the Blue Sky podcast to combat the negative effects of news and social media on mental health. Through the podcast, Burke has interviewed inspiring leaders, authors, researchers, and big thinkers, including Amy Edmondson on the benefits of psychological safety and Daniel Pink on the surprising positive power of regret. He has also appeared on "TODAY with Hoda and Jenna" and Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People podcast to share his optimistic vision of the world and its future.