About Kathleen &
The Meaning
Behind 'Built to Rise'

I have learned a thing or two about grit, grace, getting knocked down, and getting back up.

Some of what I know came from classrooms, counseling offices, clinical training, and decades spent working with children and families. A great deal came from the parts of life I never would have chosen.

Those lessons reach into every place people work, lead, and serve—from corporate teams navigating change to nonprofit organizations carrying out a mission. They shape how we support one another, respond under pressure, and find the courage to keep moving forward.

Explore Kathleen's Keynotes

Kathleen Boyle Wrigley, Speaker & Author

“While tragedy may shape us, it does not define us. Inherently, We Are Built To Rise”

A Speedbump Is Not a Stop Sign

One of my favorite lessons in resilience arrived during the Fargo Marathon.

I fell at mile one.

Not mile 25. Not somewhere close enough to the finish line to make the story impressive. Mile one.

I was bruised, bleeding, and memorable enough that my running friends started calling me Speedbump.

Honestly, it stuck.

A speedbump slows you down. It may surprise you. It may hurt. But it is not a stop sign.

My life has included plenty of speedbumps. Some were inconvenient. Some nearly took me out. I have learned that resilience is not about avoiding every fall. It is about accepting what happened, getting the support you need, and refusing to confuse the place where you fell with the place where your story ends.

"I speak as a woman who has fallen, gotten back up, fallen again, and learned that a fall is not the finish line."

Where 'Built to Rise' Comes From

Built to Rise is not a polished slogan I created because it sounded good on a stage.

It is the truth I have had to return to when life changed without asking permission.

I do not speak as someone who has figured everything out.

I speak as a woman who has fallen, gotten back up, fallen again, and learned that a fall is not the finish line.

When I speak, I bring all of me with me: the therapist, the counselor, the educator, the mom, the sister, the woman who has experienced loss, and the woman who has had to begin again.

Yes, I cry. A lot.

I also laugh at myself, tell the hard stories, and make room for audiences to feel what they feel. People do not need another perfectly polished person telling them how to live. They need someone willing to be real, give them something useful, and remind them there is still hope.

What Kathleen believes

Tragedy can shape us without defining us.
Pain can hold purpose, even when we would never choose it.
Laughter and tears can share the same room.
Children need safe adults who are willing to listen.
Parents need support, not judgment.
Communities grow stronger when people show up for one another.
Faith can carry us when we do not have the strength to carry ourselves.
It is never too late to rebuild.

A speedbump is not a stop sign.
A fall is not the finish line.
You were built to rise.

Professional Experience Behind the Message

A dedicated professional with decades of clinical and educational experience, Kathleen brings a unique blend of expertise and personal resilience to every conversation she leads.

Advocate

Kathleen’s authenticity connects hearts and moves audiences through deeply human narratives that inspire meaningful conversations and lasting impact.

Author

A life shaped by adversity, profound loss, and medical challenges. Her message is shaped by a decision to rebuild and the grace found in the process of rising again.

Speaker

Decades of experience as a licensed clinical pediatric therapist, school counselor, educator, and consultant. Kathleen’s professional background is rooted in clinical excellence and educational leadership.

Kathleen Boyle Wrigley crossing the marathon finish line.

Built to Rise:
When Your Only Choice Is to Rise and Rebuild

A real story for people facing real life.

If your audience needs warmth, truth, practical perspective, and a reason to believe they can move forward, I would be honored to join you.

Explore Kathleen's Keynotes

Book Kathleen to speak

Bring Built to Rise
to Your Community

Kathleen brings Built to Rise to corporations, schools, nonprofits, families, and communities navigating change, challenge, growth, and transition.

Through powerful storytelling, professional insight, and practical strategies, she creates experiences that connect with people across roles and generations. Whether she is speaking to leaders, educators, employees, parents, students, or community groups, Kathleen meets audiences where they are and gives them tools to move forward with greater courage, connection, and hope.

Her message is simple but powerful: hardship may shape the story, but it does not have to define what comes next.

Together, we can build the capacity to rise — stronger, more connected, and ready for what’s next.

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