07/07/2025
Keynote Speaker Spotlight! Dr. Nathanial “Coach” Hearne
Dr. Nathanial Hearne’s passion is building up individuals through character development, leadership training, and finding their purpose. For more than 35 years, he has worked with people from all walks of life in various leadership roles and settings.
In the late 1980s, Dr. Hearne was an assistant football coach at Permian High School, which was the subject of the national bestselling book Friday Night Lights, which was then developed into an award-winning movie and television show. He was the first black coach to be hired in the football program.
Throughout his career as an educator, Dr. Hearne also served as principal, vice principal, and director of truancy and dropout prevention for school districts in Texas. He has been a pastor for several Methodist churches and served as an assistant executive director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Today, through his own company Made Up Minds he operates with his wife, Callie, Dr. Hearne provides workshops, training, seminars, and speaking for the purpose of building leaders who have principles and character that are exemplary. His first-hand perspective from his time coaching young athletes is one of the bases for the character development and leadership training that he teaches.
