Known globally as The EI Amplifier™, Patrice Baughman Borders, JD, is a TEDx and keynote speaker, executive coach, and founder of AmplifyEI, a human capital consultancy specializing in emotional intelligence (EI) and leadership development. Her mission is clear: to empower leaders to pause, reflect, and build workplace cultures rooted in collaboration, empathy, and belonging.

Patrice’s career journey began with her INROADS internship as a reporter at The Cincinnati Post during her time at Talladega College. The INROADS experience profoundly shaped her professional perspective, helping her discover her passion and sense of purpose.

“My INROADS internship was all about gaining experience, and for me, the greatest experience was building the confidence to discover my flow—a skill that has served me from my first professional work experience to this day as an entrepreneur,” she shares. “The experience showed me how powerful it is to align with what lights me up, creating clarity and confidence to move to the rhythm of my own beat.”

That moment of self-awareness—recognizing what energized her—ignited a lifelong commitment to authenticity, emotional intelligence, and helping others lead from within.

From there, Patrice went on to earn her Master of Arts in Journalism from The Ohio State University and a law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She secured roles at Global Lead Management Consulting, the University of Cincinnati as an adjunct professor of emotional intelligence, and at MWH Law Group LLP as senior counsel.

In 2001, Patrice founded AmplifyEI™ to empower leaders to pause and intentionally build workplace cultures rooted in teaming, collaboration, and belonging. Over time, she has grown the practice into a global consultancy, partnering with Fortune 100 corporations, healthcare systems, law firms, non-profits, and academic institutions. Drawing on her background in employment law, she specializes in guiding leaders through the "inside work" necessary to foster emotionally intelligent workplace norms. She has worked with global organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, 84.51º, Nielsen, and Danaher, among others.

Her first solo book, The 7 Keys to Emotional Intelligence, is also scheduled for publication in 2025. “I couldn’t be more excited—or maybe I’m just feeling all the feels! Writing this book has been a deeply personal journey, capturing the lessons, stories, and tools I’ve developed over the years to help people lead with more self-awareness, empathy, and intention,” Patrice shares. “My biggest hope is that this book becomes a catalyst for change. I imagine it sparking microshifts—small but meaningful changes—in how people show up at work, at home, and in their communities. It’s about creating a world where belonging, connection, and collaboration aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the norm.”

In December 2024, Patrice achieved a significant career milestone – AmplifyEI was inducted into the African American Chamber of Commerce Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Black Business Hall of Fame, an accomplishment that recognized the firm’s impact in elevating emotional intelligence as a vital leadership skill. Patrice was also featured in a Women’s History Month article in The Cincinnati Herald.

Patrice offers this advice to students and emerging professionals seeking clarity and confidence in their path:

1. Find Your Flow
   Notice the work that makes time fly and fills you with energy. That’s your zone of genius. Lean into it.
2. Reflect and Evolve
   Don’t fear feedback. Embrace it. Let it refine you.
3. Show Up as Your Authentic Self
   Your authenticity is your superpower. Let your energy inspire and align you with opportunities that match your values and strengths.

Patrice Baughman Borders is not only reshaping how leaders lead—she’s reshaping what leadership means. Her path from INROADS intern to a nationally recognized voice in emotional intelligence demonstrates that impactful leadership begins with profound self-awareness and a dedication to purpose.  Through her work, she amplifies a new kind of power—one rooted in empathy, presence, and connection—and invites others to be more aware, more intentional, and more human.