Servant Leadership; TED Talk Motivational Speaker; Social Justice Changemaker & Distinguished Healthcare Leader
Walé Elegbede Biography
Walé Elegbede believes in the power of human connection and ideas, and that connections and bridges must be made to improve our world. An internationally recognized expert in servant leadership, TED Talk motivational speaker, social justice changemaker, and distinguished healthcare leader, Walé Elegbede shares a deeply inspirational story of leadership, service, and personal family loss at the hands of a military dictatorship.
Growing up, Walé witnessed the appalling effects of prejudice and bias under autocratic rule. Born in Nigeria, he observed the tight grip of General Sani Abacha's military regime, and while living in Togo, he experienced life under the domineering regime of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who ruled for 38 years until his death. From his journey from riches to rags, and back to riches, Walé embodies resilience, courage, leadership, and excellence, motivating us to build a better future for everyone.
Walé serves as President of the Rochester Minnesota Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), focusing on ensuring social justice, equity, inclusion, diversity, and civil rights through advancing health equity, education, economic stability, public safety, voting rights, and youth engagement.
An innovative healthcare leader, Walé Elegbede also serves as Director of Strategy Management Services at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, leading efforts in the planning and strategic execution of transformative healthcare diagnostics solutions and disruptive technologies. He is the 2024 recipient of the Innovation and Leadership in Education Award from Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, the first black person to earn this award, and a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.
A global thought leader and expert in leadership, project management, strategy execution, healthcare innovation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, one word that sums up Walé, is that he is all about positive transformation. Transformation in organizations, transformation in communities, transformation in the world, and transformation within ourselves. His presentation style and genuine demeanor captivate audiences and inspire them to be a positive force for good.
He is a lifelong learner committed to excellence in leadership, evidenced by his doctoral study in Ethical Leadership, and brings 22 years of experience and a demonstrated history of driving business results and strategies in the healthcare, information technology, retail, consulting, higher education, and manufacturing industries. In addition to leading major complex initiatives at the number one hospital in the nation and world, his leadership experience includes overseeing major initiatives for the largest home furniture manufacturer in the world.
Early in his professional career, Walé's innovative and entrepreneurial spirit earned him a noteworthy mention by Inc 5000 for software he developed, which increased operational efficiency and speed at a lumber manufacturing company during their growth to 84.3% and a sales increase of $30.3M. Walé is a visionary and co-founded the Mayo Clinic and Rochester Branch of the NAACP’s RISE for Youth Program, serves on the advisory board of Mayo Clinic’s Children Press, and is a board member of Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health (FAITH). He also serves on the Global Advisory Board for the International Institute of Medical Project Management (IIMPM), is Past President of the La Crosse-Rochester Project Management Institute (PMI) Chapter, and adjunct faculty of graduate project management at Viterbo University.
An interfaith leader, he is a founding member of the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network (LISSN), a group established to empower people of all faiths or no faith to end anti-Muslim sentiment, Islamophobia, prejudice, and intolerance towards any group.
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Walé Elegbede Speaking Topics
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Servant Leadership: The Power of Human Connection and Building a Brighter Future
In this riveting keynote presentation, Walé Elegbede shares a deeply inspirational story of leadership, service, and personal family loss at the hands of a military dictatorship. He connects these captivating stories to principles of servant leadership and inspires positive transformation in organizations, communities, and within audiences. Wale believes education is a true difference maker and shares about the Mayo Clinic and Rochester Branch of the NAACP’s RISE for Youth Program which he co-founded.
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TED Talk: It Takes a Community to Eradicate Hate
Standing up to discrimination and hate should be everyone's business, says community activist Wale Elegbede. In this vital talk, he shares how his community in La Crosse, Wisconsin came together to form an interfaith group in response to Islamophobia and racism -- and shows why a mentality of caring for your neighbors can make life better for everyone.
Walé Elegbede Videos
Walé Elegbede - "Almanac "
Walé Elegbede gives reaction to NAACP lawsuits against the Trump administration, attacks on immigrant students, DEI and shares how community can...
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How do I book Walé Elegbede to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Walé Elegbede 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 Walé Elegbede, 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 Walé Elegbede or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Walé Elegbede
Speaking fees for Walé Elegbede, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Walé Elegbede are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Walé Elegbede, 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 Walé Elegbede speak about?
Walé Elegbede is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Black Heritage, Civil Rights, DEI, Disruptive Thinking, Faith & Religion, Faith & Religion, Healthcare, Muslim, Muslim, Social Activism, Social Justice, Strategic Leadership, TED, Thought Leadership -
Where does Walé Elegbede travel from?
Walé Elegbede generally travels from Rochester, MN, 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 Walé Elegbede’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Walé Elegbede 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 Walé Elegbede for your next private or corporate function. -
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Walé Elegbede is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Servant Leadership: The Power of Human Connection and Building a Brighter Future, TED Talk: It Takes a Community to Eradicate Hate, The Art of Strategic Servant Leadership, Techquity: The Digital Divide, Innovation and the Role of Trust and Unleash Your Superpower for Social Justice. The estimated speaking fee range to book Walé Elegbede for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Walé Elegbede generally travels from Rochester, MN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Linda Sarsour, Blair Imani, Dr. Cornel West, Dr. Bernice King and Khaled A. Beydoun. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Walé Elegbede for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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