Amy Climer

About Amy Climer

Dr. Amy Climer is a thought leader and consultant in innovation and team development. She teaches forward-thinking organizations how to unlock the creative potential in individuals and teams so they can innovate anytime. As the founder of Climer Consulting, she has significantly impacted for-profit and nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and universities. Her clients have included Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FOX Sports, and the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Climer is the author of Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results, which explains the roadmap for nurturing creativity in teams to maximize innovation. Dr. Climer holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. Her research led to the Deliberate Creative Team Scale, designed to measure the three critical factors of team creativity. Her TEDx talk The Power of Deliberate Creative Teams explains her research and philosophies on innovation. As a keynote speaker and emcee, Dr. Climer was recognized as a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association in 2021. She is also trained in Creative Problem Solving, Design Thinking, the FourSight Thinking System, and Immunity to Change. She is the designer of Climer Cards, a creativity and teambuilding tool used by thousands of facilitators and trainers to deepen conversations and generate ideas. Dr. Climer’s relentless pursuit of creativity and leadership excellence was recognized in 2016 when she received the Karl Rohnke Creativity Award from the Association for Experiential Education. In 2024 and 2025, CEO Monthly recognized Dr. Climer as the Most Influential CEO of Team Development in the Southeast. In addition to her professional work, Dr. Climer leads whitewater canoeing courses for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. When not working, she can be found building something in her woodshop or paddling on a river. Amy lives in Asheville, North Carolina. Learn more about Amy on her website climerconsulting.comSpecialties: keynote speaking, emceeing events, creativity and innovation training, facilitating retreats, leadership development, experiential education, and team building.

Experience

1. Whitewater River Specialist

   North Carolina Outward Bound School

   Sep 2023 — Present · Asheville, NC, US

   Teach whitewater canoeing skills to Outward Bound students (age 14 through adults) as part of their longer wilderness course. Programs take place in Western North Carolina (US). Canoeing sections are usually 3 days during a 9-75 day course.I lead about one program/month in the summer months.

Education

• Antioch University

  PhD, Leadership & Change (focus on creativity in teams)

  2011 — 2016

• University of New Hampshire

  M.S., Outdoor Education

  1999 — 2001

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  B.S., Biology

  1994 — 1997

Skills

• Resume Writing
• Nonprofits
• Creativity Training
• Public Speaking
• Coaching
• Career Development
• Student Affairs
• Curriculum Design
• Facilitation
• Executive Coaching
• Leadership
• Program Development
• Team Building
• Strategic Planning
• Leadership Development
• Experiential Education
• Student Engagement
• Student Development
• Conflict Resolution
• Outdoor Education
• Experiential Learning
• Curriculum Development
• Student Leadership
• Program Evaluation
• Higher Education
• Kayak
• Community Outreach
• Academic Advising
• Staff Development
• Teaching
• Organizational Development
• Program Management
• Workshop Facilitation
• Instructional Design
• Adult Education
• Volunteer Management
• Training