JACKSON, Tenn. (December 9, 2025) – Leaders Education Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, announced that inspirational speaker and #1 national bestselling author John O’Leary will speak at the 2026 EmpowerEd event.
O’Leary was the inspiration for the 2025 movie Soul on Fire, which shares the story of the tragic childhood accident that left him with burns covering 100% of his body. At the time, he was given just a 1% chance to live. Today, O’Leary uses his experience to inspire audiences and encourage hope even in the most difficult circumstances.
“We are thrilled to welcome John O’Leary as the keynote speaker for EmpowerEd 2026,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, President of Leaders Education Foundation. “John’s story of resilience and hope is nothing short of extraordinary. His message will inspire our community to embrace challenges and ignite positive change—values that mirror our mission to empower students and educators across West Tennessee. This event will be an unforgettable evening of inspiration and impact.”
EmpowerEd will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, and serves as a fundraiser for the mission of Leaders Education Foundation, which strives to empower students and educators in West Tennessee through scholarships, educator grants, and program support for education initiatives. During the event, the Foundation will also recognize five outstanding educators through the EmpowerEd Educator Awards. Nominations for the awards will open in mid-January 2026.
Sponsorship opportunities for EmpowerEd are now available. To learn more about the event or to become a sponsor, please visit leadersgives.org/events.
About John O’Leary
John O’Leary is a #1 national bestselling author and inspirational speaker, whose story inspired the 2025 film, Soul on Fire. After a tragic accident that burned 100% of his body when he was a child, O’Leary was given a 1% chance to live. The story of his survival was first told in his parents’ book, Overwhelming the Odds, in 2006. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world. John’s first book ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was an instant #1 National Bestseller; 200,000+ copies have sold and it has been translated into 12 languages. John’s Live Inspired Podcast is top-rated on Apple Podcast and has more than 2,000,000 downloads. His second book IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy, was also an instant #1 national bestseller when published in May 2020. John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife, Beth, their four children, and his relationships with friends and family.
About Leaders Education Foundation
Leaders Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Jackson, Tenn., and established in 2019. The Foundation allows community-minded citizens, members, and organizations to unite to make lives better together. It invests back into its community through scholarships, grants, and additional resources that provide educational opportunities and promote workforce development, lifelong learning, and training for students, teachers, and communities.
For more information about Leaders Education Foundation or to become a member and Give Forward, please visit their website, leadersgives.org.