Lauren Sisler

Lauren Sisler is a two-time Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster who joined ESPN and SEC Network in 2016 as a sideline reporter for both college football and gymnastics. As a sportscaster and former collegiate gymnast, Lauren is passionate about sports, but even more passionate about telling the stories of the coaches, athletes, and fans who make it more than a game.

Her life was not always defined by victories. In 2003 as a freshman at Rutgers University, tragedy struck her world when she unexpectedly lost both parents within hours of each other to their concealed battle with prescription drug addiction. On her journey through grief, Lauren bravely emerged from the shadows of shame, embraced her story, and found hope again. “I carried that shame until I finally realized I wouldn't let the pain I harbored define me, just like it didn't define my parents.” Lauren realized that embracing her story and making peace with it had the power to heal, and she could inspire others to do the same. Through her authenticity and vivid storytelling, Lauren’s presentations take listeners on an emotional passage that ignites gratitude and a reimagined purpose in their lives.

Speaking Topics - 

"Bringing Joy to the Job: Reigniting Purpose and Sparking Passion at Work"

As a sideline reporter for ESPN, Lauren Sisler discovered firsthand that the rigors of broadcast television aren’t as glamorous as they may seem. What started as a way to calm her pre-broadcast jitters became a sideline fan-favorite tradition called the “Sideline Shimmy”©. Since its accidental debut on ESPN in 2019, Lauren’s sideline moves have been shared online and viewed millions of times across the world.

She found that the Sideline Shimmy did more than bring her and others joy, it became a unique way to inject joy into her job. It empowered her to step out of her fears and live each day with confidence and increased happiness.

Through her personal tragedy and professional experiences, Lauren discovered her job to be more than a paycheck. It became a vehicle for a greater purpose.

“I used to think, cool I’m on TV. I get to talk about sports for a living and interview some of the most prolific athletes and coaches in the game. But it’s so much more than a game. I recognize now through my storytelling on the field, I am able to bring inspiration and hope into someone else’s life who might be at home tuning in, desperately searching for it.”

In her keynote, Lauren will take you backstage and behind the scenes of her life and shine a light on the experiences that have helped her create a happier workplace.

Audiences will learn to:

• take inventory of the emotional setbacks they are experiencing
• assess risks and overcome their fear of failure
• find joy in the workplace again

Key attendee takeaways:

• discover purpose beyond the paycheck
• equipped to cultivate joy amongst individuals, groups, and entire organizations
• motivated to step out of their comfort zone and build confidence during moments of uncertainty

"Defined by Defeat: The Real Champion's Story"

Life rarely goes according to script.

As an 18-year-old at Rutgers University, Lauren Sisler’s reality was shattered when – within hours of each other – she lost both parents to their concealed battle with prescription drug addiction.

In the weeks and months to follow, Lauren was catapulted into a new, painful reality, one in which the picture-perfect life as she knew it was overshadowed by grief and shame.

Despite unfathomable adversity, she pursued her passions and rose in the ranks in the uber-competitive field of sports broadcasting. Lauren is now a two-time national and regional Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster with ESPN and SEC Network.

Among the myriad of truths she gained at a young age, Lauren learned that success is often defined by defeat, and our approach to life must include viewing circumstances through a lens of purpose and gratitude.

“Sports is my passion, but my purpose is to share what I learned from my parents’ story – and how I learned to fall in love with my own.”

She shares invaluable insight into the secrets of successfully overcoming adversity and the fundamentals of resilience that are now written into the chapters of her story.

Audiences will learn to:

• rebound from tragedy with courage and mental toughness
• unlock doors of opportunity by embracing your story and overcoming shame
• take chances to increase resilience during times of change

Key attendee takeaways:

• embrace every part of your story
• see the greater purpose behind every circumstance
• maintain a sense of humor, especially in life’s more embarrassing moments

"Unlocking the Shackles of Shame"

As a freshman at Rutgers University, Lauren Sisler unexpectedly lost both of her parents within hours of each other to their concealed battle with prescription drug addiction. She had a choice to make: hide the story and suffer alone, or use her struggles to help someone walk out of the shadows.

It was only when Lauren started working as a reporter for ESPN more than a decade after the death of both her parents that she started to truly undo the shackles of shame.

“In my job, I find the truth in athletes’ stories and report on how their personal lives shaped who they are. And yet the shame I inherited stopped me from telling the truth about my own story. By facing my trauma, I discovered hope amidst the pain I felt from my parents’ addiction. It has shaped me into who I am.”

Lauren is an avid addiction prevention advocate, dedicated to breaking stigmas and eliminating the shame associated with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

In her keynotes, Lauren takes audiences behind the scenes of her extraordinary journey, and how tragedy ignited purpose and gratitude in her life.

Audiences will learn how to:

• reframe trauma by viewing personal experiences through a different lens
• acknowledge the pain of the past while moving forward shamelessly into the future
• embrace their own story with courage and fortitude

Key attendee takeaways:

• view life through a lens of purpose and gratitude despite painful circumstances
• discover the powerful and often life-changing impact their story can have on the lives of others
• courage builds confidence and creates resilience during times of uncertainty