Alexia Georghiou
Author of THE FUTURE OF WORK IS HUMAN AND THE FUTURE OF SUCCESS IS HAPPINESS
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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For decades, I worked in clinical and administrative roles in mental health, eating disorders, and substance abuse, serving children, teens, families, and adults through individual sessions, group work, and community initiatives.
2019 was a transformative year for me. I founded the Knoxville Happiness Coalition, hosting meetings until March 2020, when the pandemic halted in-person gatherings. Our events featured speakers from diverse backgrounds who had discovered happiness. This inspired me to study happiness and positive psychology, earning a certification from the Fellowship's premier masterclass on organizational culture and completing a leadership and management certification through Wharton Online.
In 2019, I began teaching at the University of Tennessee’s Center for Professional Education & Lifelong Learning. I lost my role as a program coordinator due to layoffs.
In 2019, I also joined the Knoxville Association of Women Executives (KAWE), quickly accepting a board position. I became president in 2022 and led initiatives such as awarding scholarships to college students, recognizing women leaders with the Notable Woman Award, composing press releases, and managing marketing campaigns on social media. I supported board transitions in 2023 to ensure continued success with community projects and leadership development.
In 2020, I joined the board of the Oak Ridge Human Resources Association (ORHRA), leading programs to advance local HR initiatives. By 2022, I helped form the Oak Ridge Human Resources Alliance as ORHRA merged with the Oak Ridge Chamber. I continued as an advisor since 2023, to shape HR policies benefiting the community.
My vision for community improvement expanded through Life Betterment Through God, an initiative offering culture and leadership training for ministry leaders. Over the past five years, I’ve written extensively, podcasted, and launched a newsletter, Happiness Driven Leadership, featuring three columns and a library of 900+ resources for organizations and ministries. My mission is to transform communities one person, church, and organization at a time.
My book, The Future of Work is Human and The Future of Success is Happiness, helps professionals develop positive psychological capital in the work setting.
My signature V.A.L.U.E.S. Model—Vision, Action, Leadership, Unity, Engagement, Synthesis—based on empirically proven Positive Psychology practices expands organizational capacity. At the heart of my approach is storytelling, a powerful catalyst for organizational development and transformative advocacy.
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Hold your Kryptonite: What Paint Taught Me About Purpose
I’ve curated a book on happiness, Global Joy, and we are in the process of publishing in India. My chapter contribution is about finding purpose through our passions in childhood. Robert Waldinger, MD wrote the forward and refers to my insights: "As a lifespan developmentalist, I’m struck by how the book reflects the evolving nature of happiness—from playful childhood curiosity to the deeper sense of purpose and contribution that anchors adult well-being."
I couldn't identify my passions because my childhood was masked in trauma resulting in selective mutism that I carried into adulthood. As I painted at 50 I discovered I know how to write and have a lot to say. SHRM bought my book. Put me on the national stage. TECTA hired me as their Keynote speaker for their East Leadership Conference and bought my book for their leadership.
It's happening and it's because of paint, revisiting the moment I spilled the paint and stopped communicating at school. Once I painted as an adult, I overcame that barrier.
I want to help people find their “paint” and purpose.
“Our earliest moments of play are not just memories—they are maps to the joy and purpose we are meant to live as adults.” ~Alexia
Read the story: https://alexia.substack.com/p/paint
Empathetic Leadership in Layoffs
Layoffs are one of the most difficult challenges any organization can face. They don't just affect those who are let go, but also deeply impact the morale and engagement of remaining employees. Without proper leadership, the aftermath of layoffs can lead to low morale, decreased productivity, and increased turnover. This talk is designed to equip leaders with practical, empathy-driven strategies to support employees through the emotional challenges of layoffs, ensuring that remaining staff stay engaged and committed. Learners will identify how to navigate the stages of grief in the workplace, apply successful retention strategies, and foster a resilient, trusting workforce in the face of uncertainty.
Happiness Habits—The Leadership Advantage
The Problem:
Many organizations are stuck in a cycle of low engagement, rising burnout, and declining performance. Traditional solutions—stress management programs, wellness apps, and one-off HR initiatives—offer limited impact. The real issue runs deeper: how people feel at work, and critically, how leaders show up in that environment.
The Root Cause:
When leaders are depleted, disconnected, or constantly in reactive mode, the culture suffers—regardless of programs or perks in place. Performance, trust, and collaboration all erode when well-being is not modeled or supported from the top.
The Solution:
Happiness Habits are a proactive, research-based approach to strengthening mental and emotional well-being—starting with leadership. These aren’t one-size-fits-all tactics or surface-level fixes. They’re habit-forming practices that improve focus, energy, and resilience over time.
The Leadership Advantage:
When leaders are well, organizations perform better. Prioritizing well-being isn’t just good leadership—it’s smart strategy. Happiness Habits offer a scalable, sustainable way to build cultures where both people and performance thrive.
Speaking REEL SHRM25: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11817177
Selected Speaking History
2025
➸ University of TN Innovative Technologies Symposium-Burnout Prevention and Cognitive Resilience for IT Professionals,1.29.25
➸ Tennessee Conference on Volunteerism and Service-Learning-V.A.L.U.E.S. framework—Vision, Action, Leadership, Unity, Engagement, Synthesis—as a practical tool for enhancing organizational capacity based on empirically proven Positive Psychology practices—2.18.25
➸ United Nations sanctioned University for Peace Executive Education-Costa Rica-Transforming Insecurities Into Collective Empowerment, 3.9.25
➸SOAHR SHRM-Atlanta-Happiness Habits for Enhanced Employee Engagement & Productivity, 3.25.25
➸SHRM TALENT 2025-Nashville-Happiness Habits for Enhanced Employee Engagement & Productivity, 3.26.25
➸Book Signings—SHRMStore—SHRM25 & TALENT— THE FUTURE OF WORK IS HUMAN AND THE FUTURE OF SUCCESS IS HAPPINESS
➸DisruptHR-Knoxville,TN-Happiness Isn't a Perk—It's a Habit, 6.5.25– Closing Speaker
➸ SHRM25-San Diego-Empathetic Leadership in Layoffs, 7.01.25
➸ HR TENNESSEE CONFERENCE & EXPO-Nashville-Happiness Habits for Enhanced Employee Engagement & Productivity, 9.10.25
Cultivating Hope: Turning Workplace Challenges into Opportunities—Roundtable Format—in partnership with Alphonsus Obayuwana M.D., Ph.D., CPC., developer of The Hope Index used by Fortune 500 companies, Literary Titan Gold Award-winning author of The Happiness Formula—2024 Forbes Top 5 Must Read Books for the High Achiever.
University of Tennessee Leadership and Supervisory Management Certificate Courses— http://bit.ly/3YOSWrf
2024
➸ United Nations sanctioned University for Peace Executive Education-Listening for PEACE March 9
➸Alternative Balance Webinar January 22–Happiness Habits for Practitioners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9jxQ3hZrEE
➸Udemy Community Champion Webinar: Ask Me Anything on Learning Design July 11th
2021
➸Arkansas PMI—Project Management Institute
➸American Nephrology Nurses Association Annual Conference
➸The 36th Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, Rady’s Children’s Hospital
2020
➸Knoxville Association of Women Executives: https://rumble.com/v25l4ev-live-talk-diversity-of-thought-and-normalization-of-emotions.html
➸Knoxville Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance
➸TCSW-Tennessee Council of Social Welfare Annual Leadership & Networking Conference
➸World Happiness Fest 2020-2024
Growth in Grief— https://youtu.be/7U_XSqbNUkE
Testimonials
Dr. Shirley Raines, President Emerita, University of Memphis, Speaker, Author, Leadership Development Consultant: “From my experiences with Alexia Georghiou, she is an exemplary leader and a dedicated learner. For example, she became an exemplary community leader as President of the Knoxville Professional Women. Alexia is very bright and took courses at Wharton. Ms. Georghiou also leads in human resource organizations in the area. As an engaging instructor, her virtual and in-person courses are in demand. Alexia's consulting strengths with organizations are in building positive and productive culture and strong teams.”
Lawrence Kitambi, PMP, Vice President - Programs Central Arkansas Chapter
Positives: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
“Alexia, presentation to our PMI Central Arkansas Chapter had good content and insights into practical ways of how to deal with conflicts. The members' response was very positive and as a group of leaders we learned a lot. In general, the delivery was very good, and she was passionate and came across as a high level expert in this field.”
Kathryn Schrader, Founder & Principal Strategic Tax and Business
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
“Alexia spoke at our Annual CPE Conference for the Knoxville chapter of the Accounting & Financial women's alliance. Her presentation was well organized, interesting and of value to the audience. The reviews of her presentation were excellent. Alexia will be asked to speak again at one of our future events!”
Short BIO-Alexia Georghiou is the founder of the Knoxville Happiness Coalition and author of The Future of Work is Human and The Future of Success is Happiness. With decades of experience as a mental health therapist and educator, she now specializes in organizational culture, change leadership, and workplace well-being. Through her V.A.L.U.E.S. Model—Vision, Action, Leadership, Unity, Engagement, and Synthesis—Alexia helps leaders align performance with purpose. She advises executives and HR leaders, writes, and speaks on human-centered leadership rooted in positive psychology.
Bring Alexia Georghiou to Your Stage—Request Form for Keynotes, Trainings, Workshops https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeH6sGnoN3vXeu2VSOIDOKCZjAJi0wgyLYF6WaM_waiOH6sEA/viewform
Leadership Coaching Inquiry Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexlPgF2D1DXpW-jkxKKar2STXiGbmakLNADBgs0xi9LoK6AQ/viewform
Speaking Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kipgEEeW_O61eT94OqZD2wMiguMRcB68/view?usp=sharing
Get your copy of The Future of Work is Human and the Future of Success is Happiness https://a.co/d/fUvDieg
Email for author events/book club meetings ageorghi@utk.edu
Alexia Georghiou
Author of THE FUTURE OF WORK IS HUMAN AND THE FUTURE OF SUCCESS IS HAPPINESS
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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