Home – About – Founder Patti Dobrowolski

Patti Dobrowolski

Visual Thinker + Change Activator

I’m a high energy keynote speaker who is obsessed with helping people make change more easily. I’m a combination of strategic thinker, live illustrator and creative artist determined to get your team or organization to the best possible outcomes. Trained in San Francisco, I cut my teeth as a change agent in Fortune 500 mergers and acquisitions — inspiring those left behind to recommit themselves and get back to work. In those sessions, I developed my signature process Draw Your Future, and have since helped teams create a powerful vision through inclusive dialogue and creative gamestorming sessions. My mission is to illuminate the heart of the company and its employees, then visualize it into a large beautiful illustration to help everyone stay focused and aligned until their goals are achieved.

Some of the fantastic client's I've worked with

Illustrator, Author, Keynote Speaker

I started as an untrained illustrator 30 years ago, when graphic recording was done by only a dozen people in the world, and have since illustrated for some of the most powerful people in the world, including big companies like Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, and for amazing individuals including Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. I am humbled and honored to have played a part in developing and training 100’s of graphic recorders around the world.

I’m the author of 9 Tips to Up Your Creative Genius, DRAWING SOLUTIONS: How Visual Goal Setting Will Change Your Life, the forthcoming Creative Genius You: The Equation That Makes You Great (2023), and The Non Obvious Guide to Drawing Your Future (2024).

My Story

Many years ago, I went to New York City to take acting classes. Like many artists, I would sometimes do street theater to make a little spare change. One day, I was sharing my spoils with a friend when he asked me if I would ever perform on Broadway, “Me?” I replied with a laugh, “I’m a performance artist. I would only perform Off-Broadway.”

The Pit of Despair

Later, his question haunted me and I began to wonder what it would feel like to perform on Broadway. I let myself fantasize about walking through the stage door into the dressing room with my name on the door. I imagined myself getting ready and waiting behind the thick red velvet curtain for the house lights to dim.

I told myself to snap out of it, but the lingering sensations of my Broadway fantasy stuck with me when I returned home to Seattle where my career as a performance artist had sunk to an all-time low.

From the Pit to Broadway

Through a sequence of amazing events, within the year that dream came to be my new reality — a successful performer doing what I loved on Broadway. Since that day I have been studying and testing the power of using inner and outer visuals to help individuals, teams and organizations around the world create an inner and outer focus to achieve their dreams.

The Pivot to Keynote Speaking

While I still perform, I have pivoted my performance to keynote speaking, where I can reach a larger audience and have a greater impact. I am grateful to be a 3x TEDx speaker including Draw Your Future, TEDxRainier, Imagination Changes Everything, TEDxSacramento and Creative Genius YOU, TEDx Bend.

How A Picture Changes Everything

In my 30 years of working around the world with entrepreneurs, non profits, governments and big businesses, I’ve always drawn a picture. Those drawings are a powerful memory that chronicle their journey and help team members feel seen and heard — inspiring and motivating them to step confidently into their greatness.

Is it time to pivot your strategy?

If you are looking to increase your results, create a more cohesive team or envision your next strategic direction, there’s no better time than now. Call or text me at (206) 618-1030 today!

What my fantastic clients say

Dynamic!

“Patti’s dynamic presentation inspired participants to envision their communities’ ecosystem. Not only did they draw their future, they left armed with tools to apply their learnings to their communities. Powerful!”

Xan Black, SLECop Chief of Staff, TIES

Powerful

“Our session with you was so powerful, that visual lives on everyone’s screen saver as a constant reminder of where we are going and what to focus on next. If you ever want a full-time job, you’ve got one here at Brooks!”

Dan Sheridan, SVP Sales, Brooks Running Company

Inspirational

“Thank you so very much for your inspirational kick-off to the NAO 2016 conference last week in Washington, D.C! It couldn’t have been any better! Your energy, enthusiasm and creative genius set the stage.”

Robert Trachtenberg, National AHEC Organization CEO, AHEC

Visual Listening + Your Meeting = Live Illustration

A live illustrator elevates any meeting or presentation by capturing the conversation using a unique skill of visual listening. With words and pictures, they create a graphic recording of the meeting content. This often beautiful illustration is a valuable asset that you can bring into your meetings so you know where you are, can track your progress and continue to use it to inspire your team.

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Formal Education

As a creative artist, I first chose a school that would enhance my ability to help others, while having fun. I was educated alongside cartoonists Matt Groening (The Simpsons) and Lynda Barry (Ernie Pooks Big Adventures) and mentored by actor/filmmaker Sally Cloninger and artists Marilyn Frasca and Cappy Thompson.

Earning my graduate degree as a drama therapist, I worked with Angeles Arrien, spiritual leader and Jonathon Rosenfeld, psychologist coach to many of the top CEOs in the world.

The Evergreen State College – BA Liberal Arts
California Institute of Integral Studies – MA Psychology/Drama Therapy

My Core Skills

I’m considered a change activator because I help you creatively drive change and get to results. When you engage me to work with you and your team, I’ll bring 30 years of experience in:

Public Speaking
Keynote Speaking
Change Resiliency
Graphic Recording
Graphic Facilitation
Visual Facilitation
Visual Thinking
Visual Listening
Visual Presentation
Visual Note Taking
Visual Consulting
Drawing
Storyteller Drawing
Visual Drawing
Visual Sketching
Whiteboarding
Game Storming or Gamestorming
Live Illustration
Writing Books
Team Building
Facilitation
Business Consulting
Management Consulting
Graphic Recording Artist