Built on Real Experience
Kristina Ellis speaks from real experience. She grew up in a single-parent home without a college fund, earned over $500,000 in scholarships, and graduated from Vanderbilt University debt-free. Her achievements led to appearances on national television, features in major publications, and years as a co-host on The Ramsey Show, reaching 18 million weekly listeners.
Today, Kristina is a bestselling author, financial freedom educator, and homeschooling mom who runs her business while traveling with her family. On stage, she shares her expertise, tells engaging stories, and offers practical steps audiences can use right away. People leave her talks feeling motivated and ready to take action. That's what sets her apart.
Credentials That Open DoorsKristina Ellis wrote a bestselling book that has helped thousands of families send their kids to college without debt, co-hosted The Ramsey Show for one of the largest financial audiences in America, and has been a trusted voice on national media platforms for years.
A few years ago, she and her family, including her two young children, traveled the world to see how different cultures approach money, education, and what it means to live well. She practices what she teaches.
She grew up in a single-parent home below the poverty line after losing her father to cancer at age seven. She had no college fund, connections, or clear path forward. What she had was a willingness to outwork everyone in the room. While still in high school she won two Junior Olympics gold medals in gymnastics, was crowned Miss Indiana Teen USA, and earned several scholarships, including three of the most competitive scholarships in the country.
Her story, told honestly with all the gritty edges, is what makes rooms go quiet and audiences lean in.
That pattern of showing up and winning when it counted turned into over half a million dollars in scholarship money and a mission that has impacted over 100,000 students nationwide.
The Right Speaker
for the Right Room
Kristina has spoken to audiences across corporate America and beyond, from financial wellness programs at major companies to women's leadership luncheons, homeschool conferences, and intimate faith retreats.
GEAR UP & School Programs
A proven track record with GEAR UP programs, school districts, and university outreach — making scholarship strategy accessible and exciting for first-generation students from every background.
Corporate & Financial Wellness
Kristina speaks to corporate leaders on financial wellness, goal setting, and future-proofing careers in a world driven by AI and constant change. The result: audiences that show up differently on Monday morning.
Christian Women's Events
Faith-aligned, practical content that resonates with women seeking purpose and freedom. Her Ramsey Show background makes her a natural fit for faith-focused audiences discussing stewardship and calling.
Homeschool Conferences
A worldschooling mom and scholarship expert who understands this journey firsthand — covering everything from educational philosophy to financial strategy and alternative college pathways.
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She Doesn't Deliver a Performance.
She Delivers Results.
There are powerful women speakers who can entertain a room, and then there are speakers who can do that, plus change what happens after everyone goes home. When you book Kristina, your audience hears from someone who has faced challenges and built real success. She brings energy and a true desire to serve at every event. Kristina helps organizations create memorable moments that attendees remember for years.
Kristina discusses glass ceilings, not to complain, but to show women how to overcome them. She talks about goals and personal finance as a practical issue, focusing on what women can control and build, and what financial independence really means today. She makes women's issues feel personal and solvable, not overwhelming.
Kristina's work has reached women seeking real change in many states and around the world. She knows how to inspire people from all backgrounds to leave believing they can succeed. For Kristina, self-care isn't just about spa days; it's about building a life you don't need to escape. This message connects with women in corporate America, homeschool moms, and first-generation students working to create something new.
She is also a wellness advocate in the truest sense, as someone who understands that women's health, financial health, and mental clarity are not separate conversations. Her dynamic presence on stage reflects someone who has done the inner work, not just the research.
Real Preparation, Not a Generic Script
Kristina customizes every talk to fit your audience, event goals, and context. She asks thoughtful questions ahead of time to make sure her presentation lands exactly right for your group.
Warmth That Fills a Room
People describe Kristina as professional, warm, and disarmingly down-to-earth. Nerdy big-sister energy in the best possible way. Your group will feel like her talk was made just for them.
Actionable Takeaways, Not Just Feelings
Every keynote ends with clear, practical next steps. Your audience will leave knowing exactly what to do. That's her promise.
An Easy Yes to Work With
Professional, prompt, and easy to work with from start to finish. Event planners often re-book Kristina because the process is just as smooth as her presentations.
"Kristina was our best speaker to date, and her message was relevant to something they were going through currently. Many in our audience were moved to tears."
— Linda Rhodes, Executive Director, The Women's Fund
Common Questions
About Booking Kristina
Still have questions?
Don't hesitate to reach out. Our team is here and excited to help you have an incredible event!
Send us an emailA Platform Built Over a Decade.
Not Overnight.
Kristina Ellis didn't get handed a platform. She built one. She wrote her first book without an audience, and took it from bookstores to national media, to stages across the country and the Ramsey Show.
As a bestselling author, she has reached students and families everywhere. As a podcast host and media contributor, she addresses the real pressures women face at work, at home, and with their finances. As a former co-host of The Ramsey Show, she spent years giving practical financial advice to a large faith-based audience.
She has appeared on Fox & Friends, been featured in Seventeen and major financial publications, and has built an award winning body of work across scholarships, personal finance, and women's leadership that spans more than a decade.
Unlike speakers known for one viral moment, Kristina has built lasting authority across print, broadcast, stage, and online for over a decade — making her the right choice for organizations that want credibility that holds up long after the event ends.
She Doesn't Just Talk About Women's Challenges.
She's Lived Them.
Kristina's work brings together women's money and mental health, financial independence, and leadership development. She knows what it's like to face financial instability, build something without a guide, and raise a family at the same time.
Her talks reach women in corporate America who feel stuck, first-generation students unsure of the rules, and families who want more but don't know where to begin. As both a wellness advocate and a leadership coach on stage, she offers fresh perspectives that help people move from inspiration to action.
She is also a social entrepreneur in the truest sense — someone who built her platform to solve a real problem: families paying too much for college and getting too little help navigating the system.
The women's issues she addresses, including financial independence, breaking through limitations, and leadership development for the next generation, are not talking points for Kristina. They are the through line of everything she has built.
The Book Parents Hand Their Kids When They Don't Know Where to Start
BestsellerKristina wrote Confessions of a Scholarship Winner straight from the trenches, as someone who had just lived the process, figured out what actually worked, and wanted to get it into the hands of every family who needed it before they made expensive mistakes. It became a bestseller. What she hears most from readers isn't just about the money they saved, but also that the book made them believe it was actually possible.
That grief, that mental health breakdown, and the decision to keep going anyway became the foundation of everything she teaches today. She has been open in her books and on stage about the mental health struggles that shaped her, because she believes women deserve speakers who are honest about the whole story, not just the highlight reel. It is a face-fear-head-on approach to life: name what you are afraid of, then do it anyway.
When Confessions of a Scholarship Winner was published, it caught the attention of The Katie Couric Show, major financial publications, and faith-based platforms. The book reached readers worldwide and established Kristina as a leading female motivational speaker in personal finance and education. She is not just a bestselling author; she actually lives what she writes.
Many Inspire. Kristina Inspires and Equips.
Kristina stands out from other women speakers because she blends powerful stories with practical tools. Every keynote she gives is designed to help the audience see what's possible and then shows them exactly how to achieve it. She avoids filler and vague empowerment language, offering fresh perspectives that change how people view money, education, and their own potential.
There are many female motivational speakers who can work a room. What's harder to find is one who combines powerful stories with a practical strategy your audience can actually use on Monday morning.
Finding an award winning keynote speaker who delivers both inspiration and a real strategy is harder than it sounds. Many female speaker lineups are long on energy and short on substance.
Some of the Organizations Kristina Has Worked With:
