Holly Kostrzewski, MPH

Hope, Humor & Inspiration: Navigating Life After Brain Injury

Keynote Speaker • Survivor • Advocate • Consultant

https://www.hollyspeaks.live/contact

Holly Kostrzewski is an international keynote speaker who has inspired more than one million people across the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. A survivor of a traumatic brain injury at 18 and the daughter of a paraplegic. Holly blends lived experience, humor, and hope to help audiences transform adversity into strength and see that resilience isn’t about bouncing back it’s about rebuilding forward.

For over two decades, Holly served as a Tribal, State, and Federal leader in traffic safety and injury prevention, earning national recognition for her innovative work in rural and Tribal communities. Today, she brings that same passion to her speaking and consulting business, helping organizations and individuals move “to the other side of hard.”

Her signature keynote, The Junk Drawer: Stop Hiding the Hard and Start Turning Life’s Clutter into Courage, Connection, and Resilience, empowers audiences to face challenges with curiosity, compassion, and courage reminding everyone that even the messiest moments can lead to meaning and purpose.

Holly’s talks are rich with real-world lessons, laughter, and practical tools for survivors, caregivers, and professionals alike. Whether addressing healthcare providers, educators, or community groups, she connects through authenticity and action showing how grit, gratitude, and growth can coexist.

Signature Program

Hiking to the Top of Mt. TBI: 26 Years of Lessons Learned Living Life with a Brain Injury

Description:
At just 18 years old, Holly Kostrzewski sustained a traumatic brain injury that changed the course of her life. Twenty-six years later, she invites audiences to join her on the climb “Hiking to the Top of Mt. TBI”—to explore what long-term recovery really looks like. Through grit, humor, and hope, Holly shares lessons learned along the way, showing how practical strategies and perspective shifts can transform overwhelming obstacles into life-changing victories. Her story is both deeply personal and universally relevant—an honest look at resilience, growth, and finding meaning in the hardest chapters of life.

Key Takeaways

• Discover how to turn setbacks into stepping stones toward growth
• Learn strategies to keep moving forward when the climb feels impossible
• Explore practical ways for individuals living with brain injury to succeed in education, healthcare, and employment
• Embrace resilience as a lifelong practice—celebrating progress, not just the summit

Selected Speaking Engagements

• Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust – Christchurch, New Zealand
• Carle Hospital Brain Injury Symposium
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Brain Injury Associations of Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Ohio, and South Texas
• Minnesota Rehabilitation Conference
• Indian Health Service & Oklahoma Department of Health
• International Conference on Vocational Outcomes after TBI – Vancouver, British Columbia
• University of Minnesota Duluth – Disability Crash Course
• Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association Conference
• Miller Dwan Rehabilitation – National Rehab Week Survivor Story
• CHOICE Unlimited • Community Connection MN • Showcase for the Arts

Available for keynotes:

• Virtual,
• Domestic
• International