Speaking
I love speaking to people about harnessing the transformative power of art to strengthen human connection, repair the social fabric, increase civic engagement, and promote human flourishing. My dynamic presentations weave together research insights with two decades of practical experience organizing creative spaces that inspire connection and dialogue. I integrate immersive moments that don't just describe the power of deep listening and human understanding – they let audiences experience it firsthand. Whether speaking to corporate teams, educational institutions, or community organizations, my approach transforms traditional talks into collaborative journeys that inspire participants to learn, grow, and take action. Let's talk!
“Imagining a Flourishing Future” | Art & Democracy Day at Hopkins Bloomberg Center | October 22, 2024.
“Radical Conversations” | Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series | October 10, 2024.
“We Need To Talk: Repairing Our Social Fabric One Creative Conversation At a Time” | Davidson College | September 30, 2024.
“Art in Civic Education” | The Sphere Initiative at the Cato Institute | June 22, 2024.
“We Are the Greatest Poems” | Sparkfest24 at Amphibian Stage in Fort Worth, Texas | June 7, 2024.
“Talking Across the Divide” | Friends of the Facts, a News Literacy Fair | Missouri School of Journalism | June 27, 2022.
“C’mon, Can Art Really Change the World?” | EU@SXSW | March 14, 2022.
How Art Can Generate Real Change In Your Community and Lead To Human Flourishing” | Fort Worth Women’s Policy Forum | November 12, 2021.
“Dismantling the Polarization Industrial Complex” | Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series | October 16, 2020.
“Creative Placemaking For All” | TomTom Festival | April 10, 2019.
“Creating Places, Activating Spaces” | National Consortium For Creative Placemaking Summit | October 6, 2018.
"Architecture, Design & Cultural Space" | Women in Architecture Lecture Series | April 8, 2018.
"Crossing the Street: Building DC's Inclusive Future Through Creative Placemaking" | Intersections: Creating Culturally Complete Streets | April 3, 2018.
"Measuring Social Placemaking One Conversation At a Time" | Placemaking Week 2017 Amsterdam | October 12, 2017.
"Seeing Your Way to Civil Discourse" | TEDxAmericanUniversity | June 22, 2017.