Kathy B. Dempsey, RN, MEd, CSP
Keynote Speaker • Change Expert
Life Coach • Death Doula • Living Funeral Celebrant

Kathy B. Dempsey didn’t expect a death sentence at 25. But when she became the first healthcare worker in the U.S. to test HIV positive—after a traumatic ER exposure—she was forced to confront something even more terrifying than illness: the realization that, even as a trauma nurse, she wasn’t prepared to die. That wake‐up call became her greatest teacher.

Now, as the founder of The Shedding Revolution™ and President of Keep Shedding! Inc., Kathy empowers people to master the lifelong art of letting go—from their first breath to their final bow. A seasoned healthcare leader, she has served as Director of Nursing for Life Care Centers of America, Administrator of Psychiatric and Chemical Dependency Services, and Director of the Alzheimer’s Day Care Center at Memorial Health Care System. She also led Memorial’s organizational development efforts to become one of the top 100 hospitals in America.

An award‐winning author of eight books, Kathy’s work blends realworld wisdom with deep personal insight. Her bestselling book, Shed or You’re Dead®: 31 Unconventional Strategies for Growth and Change, won a Writer’s Digest International Book Award. Kathy’s mission has reached Fortune 500 leaders, healthcare heroes, and everyday changemakers around the world.

She is also the founder of The Keep Shedding Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has helped send more than 300 AIDS orphans to school in Zambia. Surprisingly, it was the children who became her greatest teachers—finding joy in the smallest things, laughing easily, and reminding her that happiness isn’t about having everything… it’s about shedding expectations (and maybe dancing whenever possible).

As a death doula trained at the Omega Institute and an educator with a master’s degree focused on Death & Dying, Kathy brings a rare combination of wisdom, wit, and grounded compassion to every threshold moment—whether it’s shedding a job, a fear, an identity, or this life itself.

Accompanied by her metaphorical sidekick, Lenny the Lizard, Kathy reminds us that life is one big, beautiful chance to SHED anything that keeps us from living fully. Rooted in her personal mantra, “From birth to death, we continually let go of the old and take on the new” she invites each of us to shed boldly, love deeply, and show up lighter for the journey. She now carries forward the message gifted to her by her beloved partner Ron: “You die well by living well today.”

Kathy was born in Washington, D.C. and spent several years living in the hills of Tennessee, where she deepened her passion for psychology, spiritual growth, and helping others SHED. She now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her lizard Lenny, an expert in the art of shedding, and her 7‐pound Maltese, Gabriel, a breed famously known for not shedding. Go figure.

Top Requested SHED® Keynotes & Workshops:

• Shed or You’re Dead®: How to Stay Alive & Thrive in the Midst of Change
• SHED® 2.0: How to Lead Change When You Don’t Agree With It Yourself
• SuperSHED: Live Well. Die Well. Choose Well.
• SHED HAPPENS: 7 Ways to Overcome Challenges at Work and in Life
• Strategic Shedding Celebration: Celebrating in Advance
• Would You Ever Consider a Living Funeral?
• You’re Not Dead Yet! (with Dr. Kim Harms)
• The Clock Keeps Ticking: Are You Ready? (with Dr. Kim Harms)

 
Accomplishments & Awards:

• Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) – Highest earned speaking designation (less than 10% worldwide)
• Voted Top 5 Speaker (two years in a row) – Speaker.com
• Writer’s Digest International Book Awards – Shed or You’re Dead® and A Gift from a Thief
• Top 10 Finalist – North America’s Next Greatest Speaker
• Showcase Speaker of the Year – Georgia Speakers Association
• Led Memorial Health Care System’s transformation into a Top 100 U.S. Hospital

 
Author of Eight Books + Contributions:

• Shed or You’re Dead®: 31 Unconventional Strategies for Growth & Change
• SHED Survival Guides (Healthcare Professionals, Every Employee & Manager)
• SHED HAPPENS: 7 Ways to Overcome Challenges at Work and in Life
• SHED Evaluation: 52 Thought­Provoking Questions (Standard & COVID Editions)
• Kids Survival Guide – Dealing with Hurt
• God is Enough: Shedding Whatever It Takes to Experience a Deeper Relationship with Self, Others, and God
• Naomi & The Widows Club: A Safe, Strong Place After the Loss of a Spouse
• A Gift from a Thief
• Contributing author to two Chicken Soup for the Soul bestsellers

 
Clients Include:

Aetna, Allergan, Alive Hospice, American Heart Association, Bayer, Catholic Health Initiatives, Cedars‐Sinai, Delta Air Lines, Disney, GE Capital, Giant Foods, Habitat for Humanity, Hearst Corp., Honeywell, Johns Hopkins, Kronos, Mayo Clinic, Meeting Planners International, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Nestlé, Northeastern University, Ohio State, Penn State, Pfizer, SHRM, Texas Workforce Commission, Verizon Wireless, Wells Fargo—and many more.