Press Inquiries
STORY IDEAS
1. Aggressive Optimism® Isn’t About Fake Smiles—It’s About Real Possibility
Resilience isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about learning how to face what’s hard and move forward anyway. Aggressive Optimism® was born in the hardest chapter of my life—and it’s grounded in one belief: possibility is always there, if you know how to look for it.
Corporate tie-in: Emotional resilience for teams under pressure.
Student tie-in: How to build hope that actually works in real life.
2. There’s a Million Ways to Do Anything—Let’s Find Yours
Success doesn’t have a single blueprint. Whether you’re launching your company or reimagining your career, resilience starts with self-trust. I help audiences see that their path doesn’t have to match anyone else’s—it just has to match them.
Corporate tie-in: Reinventing how we lead, collaborate, and create.
Student tie-in: Permission to define success on your own terms.
3. Reinvention Isn’t Failure. It’s Strategy.
Every pivot begins with courage. I lost the life I thought I’d live—and built something better. Reinvention isn’t about bouncing back; it’s about building forward. I teach audiences how to use change as fuel for growth instead of proof of failure.
Corporate tie-in: Adapting with purpose during times of change.
Student tie-in: Turning setbacks into strategy.
4. Creative Brains Need Clarity, Not More Chaos
Overwhelm isn’t a lack of motivation—it’s a lack of structure. Real resilience comes from clarity, not hustle. I help creative thinkers quiet the noise, find their focus, and take aligned action that lasts.
Corporate tie-in: Burnout prevention through clarity and structure.
Student tie-in: How to find focus when your brain never stops.
5. When the Big Bad Shows Up—Ask for Backup
My resilience didn’t come from being strong—it came from learning to ask for help. After surviving trauma and PTSD, I learned that community is the real secret to healing. You don’t have to do it alone to prove you can do it.
Corporate tie-in: Building psychologically safe teams.
Student tie-in: The courage to ask for help and support your peers.
6. Optimism Isn’t Toxic Positivity. It’s Direction.
Optimism isn’t blind hope—it’s a compass. You can be honest about what’s hard and still choose to move toward something better. I show audiences how to use optimism as a practical tool for decision-making, not denial.
Corporate tie-in: Resilient leadership in uncertain times.
Student tie-in: How to stay grounded and hopeful in hard moments.
7. From Buffy to Bookstores: Building a Life That Actually Fits
I’ve lived a dozen lives—from Hollywood sets to small-town bookstores—and each taught me the same lesson: success isn’t one-size-fits-all. I share stories that help audiences see that resilience is really about building a life that fits who you are now.
Corporate tie-in: Authenticity as a leadership strength.
Student tie-in: Redefining your “dream” without losing yourself.
8. Feel Stuck? You Don’t Have to Burn It All Down
When things stop working, the answer isn’t to quit—it’s to realign. I help audiences recognize when they’re stuck in systems or stories that no longer serve them, and give them practical steps to move forward with purpose, not panic.
Corporate tie-in: Change management and mindset resilience.
Student tie-in: Rewriting your story when life shifts unexpectedly.
9. Aligned, Not Overwhelmed: Building a Life That Actually Fits
Success isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters. In this talk, Jenna helps audiences explore what alignment really looks like — and how to build systems, boundaries, and choices that reflect it.
Corporate tie-in: Purpose-driven leadership and burnout prevention.
Student tie-in: Redefining success in your own terms.
10. You Don’t Need More. You Need Meaning.
The world tells us to do more, be more, achieve more—but resilience isn’t about addition. It’s about alignment. I help people come back to what matters, so their growth feels grounded, not exhausting.
Corporate tie-in: Sustainable success and well-being.
Student tie-in: Building a meaningful life instead of chasing approval.
BIOS
Long Bio - Jenna Edwards (416 words)
Jenna Edwards is a keynote speaker for colleges and universities, author, and creator of Aggressive Optimism®—a practical philosophy that teaches young people how to navigate change with courage, clarity, and grounded, strategic optimism.
Known for her warm, cinematic storytelling and deeply human presence on stage, Jenna helps teens and young adults move beyond the belief that they’re powerless. Her work centers on agency, responsibility, and choice—showing students how to take ownership of their lives and move intentionally toward the future they want, even when circumstances feel uncertain.
Jenna is the author of the #1 bestselling Young Adult novel Aggressive Optimism®, a story-driven book that has resonated with students across the country for its honesty, relatability, and hope-forward perspective. Rather than preaching positivity, the book models what it looks like to stay committed to possibility while doing the real work of growth.
Before becoming a speaker and author, Jenna worked in marketing at Mattel and studied psychology at Minnesota State University—a combination that sharpened her understanding of how young people think, what influences them, and how belief systems shape behavior.
Jenna’s work is also grounded in lived experience. She is a survivor of the 2003 Santa Monica Farmers Market crash, an event that left ten people dead and dozens injured. The long physical recovery and years of PTSD that followed fundamentally reshaped how she understood resilience, identity, and choice—ultimately inspiring the story that became Aggressive Optimism®.
With over 25 years of experience in acting, film, and television production, Jenna is also a member of the Television Academy. Her time in Hollywood gave her a front-row seat to the pressures young people face around identity, performance, and success—insight she now brings into her speaking work with depth and compassion.
Jenna has shared stages with speakers such as Jack Canfield and Lisa Nichols, and her work has been featured by Los Angeles Times, CBS, and Pop TV.
Today, Jenna speaks internationally, helping students understand that starting over isn’t failure—it’s strategy—and that optimism, when paired with action, becomes a powerful force for change.
Originally from Minnesota, Jenna lives in the Cleveland, Ohio area with her husband.
To learn more, visit jennaedwards.com
Short Bios - Jenna Edwards
Short Bio - 32 words (for podcasts)
Jenna Edwards is a speaker and author of Aggressive Optimism®, helping teens and young adults move through change, build resilience, and take responsibility for the lives they’re creating.
Short Bio - 34 words (for podcasts)
Jenna Edwards is a speaker and author of Aggressive Optimism®, using story to help teens and young adults move through change, build resilience, and believe in what’s possible. Her bestselling Young Adult novel shares her journey in a relatable, age-appropriate way.
Short Bio - 86 words (for podcasts)
Jenna Edwards is a speaker and author of Aggressive Optimism®, helping teens and young adults navigate change, build resilience, and take responsibility for their lives. Her work is grounded in lived experience. After surviving the 2003 Santa Monica Farmers Market crash, Jenna spent years recovering from serious physical injuries and PTSD. That journey inspired Aggressive Optimism®, a bestselling Young Adult novel that shares her story in a relatable, age-appropriate format—showing students how optimism, when paired with choice and action, becomes a powerful force for growth.
Short Bio - 122 words (for magazines and podcasts)
Jenna Edwards is a keynote speaker and author of Aggressive Optimism®, helping teens and young adults navigate change, build resilience, and take responsibility for their lives. Known for her warm, story-driven approach, Jenna connects deeply with students by meeting them where they are and showing what’s possible through choice and action.
Her work is rooted in lived experience. After surviving the 2003 Santa Monica Farmers Market crash—an event that left ten people dead and dozens injured—Jenna spent years recovering from serious physical injuries and PTSD. That journey inspired Aggressive Optimism®, a bestselling Young Adult novel that shares her story in a relatable, age-appropriate format. Today, Jenna speaks to students around the world, helping them see that optimism isn’t naïve—it’s a strategy for building a meaningful future.
![23-10-27 [Edwards, Jenna] Multi-Paperback-Stack-Presentation-With-Tablet [No Background].png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64f21e372f721761083c8d3f/3aa66547-a03d-4e6e-8283-fdb7c9371131/23-10-27+%5BEdwards%2C+Jenna%5D+Multi-Paperback-Stack-Presentation-With-Tablet+%5BNo+Background%5D.png)