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After three decades of scientific research, evidence overwhelmingly confirms that Hope is a leading contributor to personal well-being and team effectiveness. Hope correlates to better health, higher productivity, lower turnover and increased job satisfaction. The positive psychology construct of Hope Theory offers insight into the ways hope contributes to both personal and organizational health. Jon Tunheim will use the language and framework of Hope Theory to present a servant leadership paradigm centered on building hopeful culture for organizational success.

Jon Tunheim has served as Thurston County’s Prosecuting Attorney since 2011 leading a team of attorneys and staff working in a stressful and complex work environment. Originally from South Dakota, Jon moved to Washington in 1987 to attend law school at the University of Puget Sound School of Law. He joined the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as an intern and  was later appointed as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in 1990. In 2003, he was promoted to the position of Chief Deputy Prosecutor and served in that position until elected Prosecuting Attorney. As a trial prosecutor, his work with crime victims led him to become intensely interested in the positive psychology construct of Hope Theory. Applying this framework of hope in his role as an organizational leader, Jon became convinced that hope is essential to both individual well-being and in building and leading effective teams. From this work, he built a leadership paradigm called “Hope Inspired Leadership” which he has presented to audiences at the local, state and national level. In this presentation Jon provides a framework to better understand Hope Theory and its positive influence on people, teams and communities.