If Matt Abrahams, the Stanford professor, martial artist and author of “Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You are Put on the Spot” is busy, consider the following experts in getting people to communicate effectively, productively and civilly.
Victoria Pelletier
Topics: Overcoming Adversity/Healthy Resilience, Whole Human Leadership, Personal Branding, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Women in Executive Leadership, Women in Technology
A 20-year corporate executive, board director, #1 selling author and professional public speaker. Nicknamed the “Turn Around Queen” and the “CEO Whisperer” by former colleagues and employers, Victoria inspires and empowers her team and clients to change mindsets and drive growth in business, leadership, and culture.
Cary J. Broussard
Topics: Orchestrating the Future Face of Your Organization—How to Nurture Trust in Your Organization During Times of Change; Finding Your Way to the Palace: Recognizing and Embracing Diverse Thinking & Outcomes; Once Upon a Future Time: When the Clock Strikes 12: How You Will Know (and so will others) Why You Hold the Keys to Make the World a Better Place
Well known for establishing award-winning diversity, inclusion and communication programs across industries. As a corporate executive, speaker, teacher, trainer and entrepreneur, Cary has broken through barriers while believing in the lessons and morals of doing the right thing. In the face of change and challenges, she’s navigated her path to the top, framing her lessons and success in modern-day folklore, beginning with her inspiring business book “From Cinderella to CEO”, sharing advice and inspiring lessons learned from timeless, transformative stories that resonate with all genders, because they are entertaining and easy to remember!
Agencies: Broussard Global C2CEO and CinderellaCEO.com
Proudest Moment: Completing my book and securing a publisher, which resulted in my book being translated into 10 languages.
Take Aways: Exciting opportunities lie ahead for leaders who embrace diversity and belonging. Making NOW better for everyone—regardless of gender, race, nationality, religious background, level of experience or other distinguishing characteristics is how we nurture the love of hospitality in any industry. My work inspires others to never give up, pursue their dreams and embrace their vulnerabilities.
Need to Know: I began my career as a banquet waitress, eventually working my way up to leadership positions with Wyndham Hotels and Meeting Professionals International. I love speaking to large audiences, delivering hands-on workshops and facilitating panels focused on how organizations, employees, customers and society thrive in an inclusive environment. I collaborate well ahead of a speaking opportunity with meeting planners and clients to deliver a dynamic, relevant message that resonates and inspires.
Rachel DeAlto
Topics: Leadership, Employee Engagement, Communication, Customer Experience
Agency: Michelle Joyce Speakers
A communication and relatability expert, media personality, speaker, and the author of “relatable: How to Connect with Anyone Anywhere (Even if It Scares You)” (Simon & Schuster, 2021). Rachel maintains a law degree, a Master’s in psychology, and an influential social media presence where she shares psychological research updates and practical takeaways to connect and communicate more efficiently.
On a mission to connect people to their most powerful resource—each other—Rachel engages audiences of every size with tactical and practical tools to expand their emotional intelligence, empowering them to communicate more effectively and build stronger professional relationships and teams.
Proudest Moment: Besides being a mom to four amazing kids and wife to the most supportive partner on earth? My proudest moments are when you feel you’ve made an impact. When an audience member approaches me after a speech with tears in their eyes, telling me that my message was exactly what they needed to hear. Knowing that my words have the power to shift perspectives and inspire change – that’s what fills me with pride.
Take Aways: My hope is that attendees will leave feeling motivated, and inspired to approach their work (and lives) with a fresh perspective. Thinking differently about leadership, connection, and customer experience is always my intention, and I aim to create an experience that leaves the audience feeling motivated and confident in their ability to create positive change.
Need to Know: When you book me as a speaker, I see it as a partnership. I take the time to really understand your organization, your goals for the event, and your audience so that I can carefully craft a customized presentation that will resonate and deliver the outcomes you’re looking for. You can count on me to be a positive, energetic presence, to show up fully, and to always go above and beyond for my clients.
Shane Feldman
Topics: Leadership, Corporate Culture, Change Management, Employee Engagement, Future of Work, LGBTQ
Build better relationships with anyone, anywhere. That’s the signature topic Shane Feldman has researched across 100 cities spanning 6 continents. Through high-energy, customized keynotes that blend unforgettable travel stories with actionable takeaways, Shane shares leadership strategies he’s used to attract, empower, and retain high-performing teams and loyal customers at his various startups, including Count Me In, an entrepreneur incubator valued at $2.6 billion. Shane has been celebrated by Oprah, Larry King, and the White House, and named one of North America’s Top 40 Under 40 LGBTQ+ Leaders. His clients include Fortune 500s like Google, TD Bank, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Disney.
Agencies: Actively represented by 23 bureaus
Proudest Moment: Helping to buy a house for my mom.
Take Aways: How to transform a touchpoint into an opportunity and build better relationships with colleagues and customers. After all, a community isn’t something you find…it’s something you create.
Need to Know: I’m a recovering event producer. I know the main stress points and try my best to take some of that pressure off planners’ shoulders. I’m the speaker who customizes a keynote to perfectly fit an event, provides an outline in advance, texts when I land, will bring you breakfast or a cup of coffee in the morning, help set up chairs when needed, and stick around after to meet as many attendees as I can. Stakes are high when hiring a keynote, and I strive to overdeliver so event organizers look and feel like rockstars for bringing me in. While I’m honored to have collected some pretty amazing testimonials over the last 10 years, nothing brings me more joy than a planner telling me I “walk my talk” and am as genuine off stage as I am on.
Damon West
Topics: Finding opportunities in adversity; Servant Leadership; The Coffee Bean
Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, is a college professor, internationally known keynote speaker and three-time Wall Street Journal best-selling author. His story and the message of the coffee bean have been shared with thousands of audiences all over the world. USA Today calls him “the most in-demand speaker in America.”
Proudest Moment: Building my mom a home after she supported and loved me through my addiction and subsequent life sentence.
Take Aways: The power is inside you to change the world around you.
Need to Know: I represent myself and therefore, access (you get my personal cell) to me is unlimited as we plan your event. I especially like it when a client will have pre event meetings with me so I can learn their culture and the things that are important to their growth. This is invaluable in tailoring the coffee bean message for your group.
Chris Heeter
Topics: Wild Hope: Connecting the Dots of Leadership, Teamwork and Sustainability
Speaker, wilderness guide, poet and dog musher. Much of what I know comes from rivers and dogs and tracks in the mud and canyon walls. My through line is to help people connect to their wild sides where they bring the gift of all of who they are to all of what they do. I dare them to live wholeheartedly and then challenge them to do the brave work of welcoming the Wildness of others. I offer my expertise and incentives to planners to co-design sustainable meetings. As a speaker, my job is to be fully present to the group and make an impact so people leave with ideas and inspiration. They will laugh, many will cry, all will emerge with insights and connections.
Agency: speakercasting.com
Proudest Moment: In order to feel more aligned and live my values, I needed to do something hands-on to help create a more climate-centered, sustainably focused approach to the meetings and events industry. After 2+ years of research, my Sustainable Speaking initiative was born, with a skin-in-the-game approach to supporting organizations and meeting planners in making more intentional, sustainably focused decisions around events.
One of my proudest moments was the first time I got to implement this initiative with a client. We reviewed my Sustainable Speaking checklist together and the planner made several adjustments in favor of reducing waste and lowering emissions. There is a point system so that the changes the client implements result in my donating a percentage of my speaking fee back to the organization. In this case, I got to brag about the organization on stage, sharing some of the changes they made, which delighted the attendees. The organization chose to donate the money they earned through my Sustainable Speaking initiative to the charity that was part of their event. I got to give the check to that charity to roaring applause. It was a ‘win’ in every direction and such a powerful example of the impact the meetings industry can have in influencing climate-centered practices across all spectrums. I am so pleased and excited to get to be part of this change.
Take Aways: I hope attendees are inspired to practice new ways to be:
- Wildly Present: pay attention; anticipate distractions; take good care of yourself and your team; release ‘how we’ve always done it;’ re-wild when you get stuck
- Wildly Original: daringly authentic; know yourself, your team, your events; unlock you and your team’s potential; think differently and expansively; challenge the rules
- Wildly Welcoming: stay curious, open, and positive; explore your ‘stuff; ‘imagine together; allow discomfort when necessary; embrace possibilities; breathe deeply; know everyone has gifts; build strong community; create engaging, powerful events
Need to Know: To me, the pre-event conversations are what bring the event to life. They are an opportunity to get to know each other, to learn about your group, their needs hopes, and challenges, and to explore potential sustainable practices that could be implemented. I want to help you bring your team’s whole creative, messy, beautiful selves to the dazzling possibilities of convening. From beginning to end, I see myself as your partner, helping to see connection, community and contribution in new ways to create a powerful experience for all of your attendees.
Thuy Diep (2E Deep), CGSP, DMCP, CSEP, HMCC
Topics: Industry Involvement, Creative Design, Meetings & Event Planning (anything #EventProfs hot tea worthy tbh)
A Senior Meeting Planner for CWT Meetings & Events and is currently serving her sixth year on the Board of Directors for SEARCH Foundation, a non-profit organization assisting #EventProfs in crisis. As an award-winning experience designer, Thuy has served in leadership roles with the International Live Events Association (ILEA) in the Las Vegas and Los Angeles chapters and the DEI + Professional Development international committees. She’s been featured in numerous publications, guest spoke, and moderated educational sessions at international conferences, and an industry awards judge since 2015.
Agency: Self-represented.
Proudest Moment: Being the Moderator for IMEX-MPI-MCI 2023 Future Leaders Forum (FLF). What truly made this moment special is that I am a former 2012 Future Leader, guest spoke for the past decade on their 2014-2021 Roundtable Session Meet the Experts, and full circle to be their Moderator last year. I and the 125 young professionals were able to connect through meaningful conversations and genuinely engage as our authentical selves.
Take Aways: A unique perspective on a concept so intriguing to you that it alters your thought behavior on that topic.
Need to Know: I’m a fellow meeting planner and it’s all about collaboration as a Thought Leader – “The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.” That means that something is more valuable, effective, or impressive when its components work together than when they are separate.”
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