Speaking
Words That Move People Toward A Common Purpose
Engaging, research-backed presentations that equip audiences with practical tools for communicating through tensions, while staying committed to the relationships that matter most.
Speaking Programs
What I Offer
Finding Your Bearings
45–90 minutes
Creating New Possibilities in the Relationships That Matter ~ Even our most important relationships have moments of friction, when it can be hard to see what is happening, what matters most, or what to do next. I use stories and humor to introduce Relational Bearings, a practical framework for navigating these moments with greater awareness and intention. Audiences learn to look inward, outward, forward, and between to recognize familiar patterns, expand their choices, and create new possibilities. The message is hopeful: we don't have to change another person or get everything right to discover that we have more room to move than we think.
Inquire About This ProgramParticipant Outcomes
- Recognize how relationship friction disorients us and promotes patterns
- Reorient relational bearings to clarify purpose and direction
- Change what happens without waiting for or controlling the other person
Adjusting the Atmosphere
2 hours
Every group develops a communication climate, and everyone contributes to it. This facilitated workshop uses the metaphor of the thermometer and thermostat to help participants explore their influence on the atmosphere around them. Participants will develop practical strategies for exchanging feedback, communicating clearly, and strengthening everyday collaboration.
Inquire About This ProgramParticipant Outcomes
- Identify communication patterns that create tension
- Practice tools for listening and being heard under pressure
- Build a shared language for navigating conflict constructively
Checking Our Bearings
3-4 Hours
This experiential workshop guides participants through a structured process to check their bearings as we clarify shared goals, surface hidden assumptions, and identify what pulls us off course. Together, participants strengthen the relational foundation needed to move forward with greater clarity and intention. Ideal for leadership teams, community groups, and organizations in transition
Inquire About This ProgramParticipant Outcomes
- Clarify individual and collective goals
- Surface and discuss assumptions and expectations
- Develop a shared commitment to a clear, actionable path forward
Communication Skills Series
Build the Skills That Change Every Conversation
These focused, practical workshops target the specific communication skills that make the biggest difference in how teams work, lead, and relate. Each topic is offered as a standalone 1-hour session — or combine any number of them into a half-day or full-day experience tailored to your group's needs.
Available à la carte (1 hour each) or grouped into half-day and full-day formats.
The Art of Listening
Most of us hear — but few of us truly listen. This session explores what active, intentional listening looks and feels like, why it breaks down under pressure, and how to rebuild it as a daily practice that transforms the quality of every conversation.
1-hour module
Stories We Tell: How Perception Shapes the Narrative
Our perceptions shape every conversation before a single word is spoken. This session unpacks the perception process — how we filter, interpret, and assign meaning — and equips participants to recognize when their assumptions are driving the dialogue rather than the facts.
1-hour module
Clear & Direct Language
Vague language creates confusion; indirect language creates resentment. This session teaches participants how to say what they mean with clarity and care — reducing misunderstandings, building credibility, and making it easier for others to respond constructively.
1-hour module
Navigating Conflict with Less Drama
Conflict doesn't have to derail relationships or stall progress. This session offers a practical framework for moving through disagreement with more understanding and less heat — optimizing problem-solving while preserving the trust and connection that make teams effective.
1-hour module
Building Trust & Cohesion
The task is not always the most important thing on the table. This session explores how informal connection, shared context, and relational investment create the social cohesion that makes teams resilient — and why leaders who invest in relationships get better results over time.
1-hour module
(In)flexibility: Understanding Our Conversational Boundaries
Every conversation carries hidden assumptions — what linguist Suzette Haden Elgin called "presuppositions" — that shape what we're willing to discuss, negotiate, or defend. This session helps participants identify their own (in)flexible boundaries, understand how they show up in dialogue, and navigate them with greater awareness and skill.
1-hour module
Speaking Reel
See the Work in Action
Watch a selection of keynote and workshop highlights to get a sense of the energy, depth, and warmth I bring to every engagement.
Speaking reel video coming soon.
Book Me for Your Next Event
I speak at conferences, corporate events, leadership retreats, community gatherings, bookstores and more. Let's talk about how I can serve your audience.