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Best-Selling Author ~ Air Force Veteran ~ Keynote Speaker, Live or Virtual
Lead with purpose.
Align with mission.
Accelerate Impact.
Get in Business
Organizations do not struggle because leaders lack talent. They struggle because leaders lack alignment.
Business Not Battle gives leaders a clear, practical, repeatable way to align purpose, mission, and action so teams move forward with confidence and clarity.
When leaders align to the mission, teams accelerate the mission.
Looking to inspire and motivate purpose driven leadership? Look no further.
Elise Woodworth is a dynamic and engaging motivational speaker dedicated to igniting passion in tomorrow's leaders and inspiring today's. With a focus on helping nonprofits and their boards overcome obstacles, Elise's mission is to help organizations engage more volunteers, retain talented staff, and attract donors. Her passion and enthusiasm for leadership development and team building has made her a powerful force in shaping the future of the nonprofit industry.
Book Elise Woodworth today to align leaders to lead impactful teams.
About Elise
Elise Woodworth is an Innovation Catalyst, leadership strategist, and president of Woodworth Enterprises, helping executives and nonprofit boards turn strategy into momentum. A former U.S. Air Force Logistics Officer, Elise blends military precision with business insight to help leaders remove innovation barriers, strengthen decision‑making, and accelerate execution.
As the best‑selling author of Business Not Battle for Nonprofit Boards, Elise has equipped organizations nationwide with practical frameworks for clarity, alignment, and measurable results. Her signature Business Not Battle methodology empowers leaders to navigate complexity, build resilient cultures, and lead with purpose.
Elise’s commitment to service extends beyond her work with clients. She serves on the Virginia Military Institute Foundation Board of Trustees and contributes her expertise to mission‑driven organizations across the country. Her academic foundation — an MBA from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science from the Virginia Military Institute — reinforces her strategic, analytical approach to leadership and governance.
A dynamic speaker, Elise engages audiences with actionable insights drawn from real‑world experience in military operations, executive coaching, and organizational transformation. Her keynotes and workshops challenge leaders to think differently, act decisively, and innovate with intention.
Elise's Sessions
Business Not Battle: New Rules of Resilence for Purpose-Driven Leaders
Leaders across industries and sectors are facing more pressure, complexity, and burnout than ever. What they need isn’t more noise — they need resilience, clarity, and a way to lead without slipping into reactive “battle‑mode.”
Business Not Battle: New Rules of Resilience for Purpose‑Driven Leaders gives teams a simple, powerful leadership operating system to recognize tension early, reduce unnecessary conflict, and lead with confidence in fast‑changing environments. This keynote helps leaders shift from defensive patterns to intentional, mission‑aligned action that strengthens relationships, improves decision‑making, and accelerates meaningful impact.
What Leaders Gain
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Spot early “battle‑mode” behaviors that derail collaboration, innovation, and momentum.
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Diffuse tension with clarity and consistency, strengthening trust across teams and stakeholders.
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Use advocacy as a leadership tool to build alignment, accelerate execution, and deepen engagement.
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Apply four simple questions that spark meaningful conversations and positive culture shifts.
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Lead with a resilience‑driven mindset that keeps teams focused, adaptable, and moving forward.
Business Not Battle
Leadership Intensive
The Business Not Battle Leadership Intensive is a high‑impact, resilience‑building experience designed for purpose‑driven leaders who want to accelerate clarity, alignment, and execution.
This immersive program includes its own interactive workbook and can be delivered as a half‑day, full‑day, or multi‑day experience. Leaders learn a practical operating system to reduce tension, strengthen decision‑making, and ignite momentum across their teams.
Build A Better Team: Workshop
Boost Engagement, improve communication, and ignite innovative thinking!
Designed to increase the effectiveness of your team by teaching the fundamentals of the Business Not Battle Mindset. Each participant will receive a copy of the Business Not Battle for Nonprofit Boards book and a workbook tailored to the group.
We help nonprofit boards build more effective board members so they can better support and govern their organizations. We help non-profit organizations leverage resources and increase impact though an innovative process we developed, called the Ignite Model.
“Our NCL Chapter Board of Directors hosted a multi chapter leadership event for neighboring Chapter Boards of Directors at which Elise presented a three-hour workshop for women in various board roles, who all had different levels of experience. Through her interactive and engaging presentation style, we learned more about ourselves and about our “why”s. … We now look forward to creating and sustaining an environment in which our members will be excited to step into and learn leadership roles during their time in NCL. Thank you, Elise!”
Beth L.
Mary L.
“Elise Woodworth has a passion for helping board members embrace the mindset of "business not battle". She works with the members on a Board to identify how they, individually and as a team, can further the vision of the non-profit / business.”
Steve K.
“The insight of understanding the purpose and the true mission of the non-profit you are committed to helping will move you from the feeling of constant struggle in your board position to a true sense of empowerment. Elise is THE expert you have been looking for to transform your non-profit board from squandering to thriving, from squabbling to unity.”
F.M.L.
"Elise expresses everything I have ever thought about and wondered in my experience on non-profit boards. Elise's wisdom will definitely help our board be effective and mission focused this year."
