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.
Badges
Area of Expertise
Topics
Happiness Habits for Enhanced Employee Engagement and Productivity
Many organizations today struggle with low levels of employee engagement, burnout, and declining productivity. At the core of these challenges is employees’ mental and emotional well-being. When people are stressed, unmotivated, or disconnected, it creates a ripple effect of lower performance, reduced job satisfaction, and higher turnover. The problem isn’t only the work itself—it’s how employees feel about their work and workplace.
Alexia Georghiou knows this firsthand. As an immigrant daughter who grew up in silence with selective mutism, and later as a woman navigating menopause, she faced moments of invisibility, burnout, and identity shifts. Yet in those transitions, she discovered a path to resilience and joy. By cultivating Happiness Habits, she found ways to reframe adversity, embrace authenticity, and build new strength in midlife.
The same principles that helped Alexia find happiness in menopause apply directly to the workplace: when employees learn to regulate stress, nurture their well-being, and connect with meaning, both people and organizations thrive.
The Solution:
Happiness Habits provide a proactive, science-backed approach to improving well-being. Research shows that when employees are happy, they are more engaged, perform better, and build healthier relationships at work. This keynote introduces practical, habit-forming strategies to boost natural endorphins, strengthen resilience, and spark lasting cultural change in organizations.
Participants will learn how to:
Reframe adversity into authentic strength
Lead with empathy, vulnerability, and purpose
Cultivate resilience and joy at work and in life
This session is a roadmap to building engaged, resilient workplaces where both people and productivity flourish.
Get your copy of The Future of Work is Human and the Future of Success is Happiness https://a.co/d/fUvDieg
Strategic Leadership: How to Create the Culture You Need to Manage all of the Changes
Culture by Design: Build the Workplace You Want Turn values into action. Turn action into results. Your culture is shaping your organization—whether you guide it or not.
This training equips you to lead culture intentionally, creating an environment where people feel trusted, valued, and motivated to excel.
Through proven frameworks, including Harvard Business Review’s 8 Types of Organizational Culture, you’ll learn to assess your current culture, identify areas for growth, and implement strategies that drive engagement, belonging, and lasting success.
For all Levels: Emerging Leaders, Mid Level, and Senior Leadership
Take the Online Module Course for 2.5 SHRM PDC for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® https://knoxvillehappinesscoalition.systeme.io/
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 HR TENNESSEE CONFERENCE & EXPO— 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
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 a recognized leadership and organizational development consultant who partners with executives to implement values-driven strategies that strengthen culture, enhance performance, and sustain organizational resilience. She is the founder of the Knoxville Happiness Coalition—SHRM Recertification Provider for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. Her book, The Future of Work is Human and the Future of Success is Happiness has been featured at SHRM25, SHRM Talent, TN HR Conference and Expo. 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.
Email for author events/book club meetings ageorghi@utk.edu
Knoxville Happiness Coalition is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
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