Youth Development Advocate & Social Entrepreneur; Founder of Girls on the Run International; Author of "Girls on Track"
Molly Barker Biography
Molly Barker is an American educator and social entrepreneur whose work has influenced approaches to youth development, particularly for young girls. Barker holds a master's degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has a background in social work, counseling, and teaching. She founded a running and life skills development program in Charlotte, North Carolina, beginning with 13 participants. Barker is also a four-time Hawaii Ironman triathlete and cyclist who qualified for the Olympic Trials. She has spoken about her personal recovery from alcoholism, attributing her love of running to her journey toward sobriety and her commitment to making a difference in youth empowerment.
Girls on the Run International is a youth development and healthy lifestyle program for girls in third through eighth grade. The program integrates training for a 5k event with lessons designed to build confidence and enhance physical and mental health for girls ages 8 to 12. Since its inception, Girls on the Run has expanded to schools in all 50 states, reaching more than 2.5 million girls. The program has been recognized by the National Afterschool Association as one of the most influential after-school programs in the United States and has been featured in media outlets including People, Runner's World, O Magazine, CNN, ABC News, NBC News, NPR, ESPN, and Forbes.
Barker has received recognition across multiple fields, including several national awards such as Redbook magazine's Strength and Spirit Award, Woman's Day magazine's Woman's Day Award, and the Heroes of Running Award from Runner's World magazine. She was honored with a Daily Point of Light Award presented at a White House ceremony and named a Distinguished Alumna by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Fast Company included her in its League of Extraordinary Women. Barker is also a lifetime fellow of Ashoka, an organization supporting leading social entrepreneurs creating systemic change.
After retiring from Girls on the Run, Barker served on the Commission for Political Reform with the Bipartisan Policy Committee. This experience led her to establish The Red Boot Way, a nonprofit focused on teaching active listening and curiosity when navigating differing perspectives. Barker coined the phrase "Girl Box" to describe the societal and cultural stereotypes that can limit girls' choices and opportunities during adolescence. She has published four books on self-esteem and respect for young girls, including "Girls on Track: A Parent's Guide to Inspiring Our Daughters to Achieve a Lifetime of Self-Esteem and Respect" and "The Wisdom Stories: Finding Wisdom in the Ordinary." Barker has delivered multiple TEDx talks and is recognized as a public speaker in the fields of youth development, education, and social entrepreneurship.
Molly Barker Speaking Topics
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Climbing Out of the Girl Box
Molly Barker encourages her audience to examine the "boxes" from which they have lived their lives and to step outside their comfort zone and seek a new, innovative, and more joyful context through which to view the world. She inspires audiences to question their actions, thoughts, and current position in life and to explore the "what if's" to realize their greatest human potential.
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Be the Change
Molly Barker shares the powerful message that the only limitations to achieving self-worth and contentment are those we place on ourselves. Barker's story motivates employees to innovatively break free of the same-old, same-old; encourages students to celebrate their voices and activate their power; and gives women and girls the tools to break free from negative, limiting talk and to boldly pursue their dreams. Putting Your Passion to Work
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How do I book Molly Barker to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Molly Barker for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Molly Barker, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Molly Barker or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Molly Barker
Speaking fees for Molly Barker, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Molly Barker are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Molly Barker, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Molly Barker speak about?
Molly Barker is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Author, Education, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Health & Wellness, Influential Women, Inspirational, Motivational, Non-Profit, Personal Growth, Social Entrepreneurship, Storytelling, Women, Women's Empowerment, Women's Health, Youth -
Where does Molly Barker travel from?
Molly Barker generally travels from Charlotte, NC, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Molly Barker’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Molly Barker for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Molly Barker for your next private or corporate function. -
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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Molly Barker or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
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Molly Barker is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Climbing Out of the Girl Box, Be the Change and Putting Your Passion to Work. The estimated speaking fee range to book Molly Barker for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Molly Barker generally travels from Charlotte, NC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tiffany Yu, Erika Gilchrist, Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson, Shannon Miller and Mary LoVerde. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Molly Barker for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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