Leadership Gets Personal
About this Event
- Date: Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Check In Start time: 2:00 PM
- Run time: 45 minutes
- Location: First Baptist Church, 901 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701
- Book-bundled tickets include a copy of Leadership Gets Personal, pre-signed by the author. There will be no public signing after this event. Books will be available for sale on-site.
- Please note: Each ticket purchase includes entry for one guest.
If you buy a ticket and are unable to attend:
- We will hold your book at BookPeople for 30 days after the event.
- We understand that things happen, but please only order a ticket if you currently plan to attend. Tickets are not to be used in place of pre-orders, etc.
Guidelines:
- Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Texas Book Festival reserves the right to cancel or postpone this event if necessary.
- If you have questions about your purchase, please email [email protected].
About the book (from University of Texas Press):
How the University of Texas shaped twelve people who changed the world.
College is a time for personal growth. But any Biology 101 student knows that growth (personal or otherwise) requires the right environment. Collecting the revealing and deeply personal stories of twelve UT alumni who became leaders in their fields, Leadership Gets Personal honors the transformative impact of the Forty Acres on those who learn and grow there.
Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award-winning actor and #1 New York Times best-selling author, was destined for law school, but with the encouragement of his UT community, he realized he was a born storyteller. Brené Brown, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dare to Lead, struggled for years before finding her purpose in the Social Work Department. Dr. Amy Ho knew she wanted to change the American health care system, and at UT she gained the confidence and skills to make a difference. Astronaut Karen Nyberg was a shy kid; her UT graduate studies propelled her to space. Darren Walker would go on to become president of the Ford Foundation, taking inspiration from the financial aid counselors who made sure he got the education he yearned for. And Admiral William McRaven would go on to become U.S. Navy four-star admiral (retired) who served as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and chancellor of The University of Texas System. For these and other outstanding alumni profiled here, the road was often rocky. Through perseverance, humility, and collaboration, they learned not only to exercise leadership but to live it.
About the authors:
Dr. Nan McRaven is an educator, thought leader, collaborator, and strategic advisor to a range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments, small businesses, and foundations. She is a tireless advocate for education and workforce development as essential components to advancing US global economic competitiveness. For more than twenty-five years, Nan has been an elected member of the Board of Trustees of Austin Community College. She holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Sam Houston State University and two degrees from UT Austin: a master’s from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a doctorate in educational leadership. Since graduating from the LBJ School, she has served on the deans' advisory boards, chaired the bipartisan LBJ Women's Campaign School, and served on the Public Policy Committee for the Texas Exes.
Susan Engelking is a founder of the nonprofit Institute for Community MicroMobility. She is the author of Tiny Transit: Cut Carbon Emissions in Your City Before It’s Too Late. She holds two degrees from UT-Austin.
Purchasing a ticket to this event helps support both Texas Book Festival and BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas.
Brené Brown, Adm. William McRaven, Susan Engelking, and Dr. Nan McRaven will be joined in conversation by award-winning presidential historian and President and CEO of the LBJ Library, Mark Updegrove.
Thank you for your support!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 6.75 to USD 41.99
