Community Education Workshops 2026

"Because the heart of communicating is about authentically connecting with another human being, which is so much more important and valuable than polished content. And these days, more so than ever, we are so hungry for authentic connection, and yet we are deluged in fake ads and artificially generated inauthentic marketing slop. So in this era, being able to present authentically and speak your values from the heart helps you stand out from others, but more importantly, it helps you build a connection with your audience that endures. And the people that matter most to your career or your business will notice — your customers, your clients, your coworkers, your community partners are all people, like you, who value trust and authenticity in how they are communicated with. So speak to connect, and your message will resonate powerfully!"

"First I'd say — you're not alone, and it's completely normal to be nervous! Studies consistently show that over 70% of people report public speaking as their top fear, above dying! I too get nervous every single time I have to present; speaking with confidence did not come naturally to me. I was that painfully shy teenager who was terrified in front of crowds, and I 'still' speak too softly. And it turns out there are perfectly normal reasons for that fear, rooted in how our body processes anxiety. But the big shift is in channeling that anxiety into action, to tap into the energy your body is producing and to focus that energy into what really matters: speaking 'with' the people in your audience, not 'to' or 'at' them. Once you begin to establish a rapport with your audience, the focus changes from 'you' to the connection between you — and you can ease into 'why' you are speaking with them in the first place: what's your message, and why does it matter to the people gathered to hear you? That's what we work on in my classes: building your message compellingly, using a story-based approach, so that you build confidence in the 'why' behind your presentation. And then it's a matter of practice: writing and rewriting just the text alone will not help you as much when you are facing what feels like a sea of faces. So we work on real in-person skills, in small and supportive cohort group, to give you a convivial experience of actually practicing in front of people — so that you grow confidence in your body's uniquely strong voice and you get positive feedback from your peers."

"A key skill we practice in class is charting the flow of your talk or presentation — before you even begin to write anything down. In fact, I encourage people to 'not' write their speech out first, because often we get stuck in our heads when writing. Rather, I provide people with a simple and practical step-by-step method to map out your talk in a series of 'scenes' that are vivid and memorable, both to the audience and, more importantly, to 'you' the speaker so that you don't lose track of your thoughts while you are speaking. This is a very practical skill that you can use immediately in a wide range of talks and scenarios. We also build the class around real-world examples involving actual audiences and topics, like having to give an 8-minute presentation about a key business trend impacting your industry (in my Professional Presentations class), or having to give a moving eulogy or a civic advocacy speech (in my Speak with Impact public speaking class). We also have a lot of fun in every class, with short exercises based on improv games, to ensure that you get lots of opportunities to practice speaking, which builds not only confidence but even joy in your skills!"