WORK WITH COURTNEY
If you’re looking for someone to bring out the best in your audience, keep reading. Courtney’s strength is connecting deeply and authentically with people, no matter what the setting. Her knack for facilitating engaging, raw, vulnerable conversations bridges many of the gaps that separate people: from each other, from success, and from tapping into their greatest potential.
Whether you’re aiming to challenge and motivate 3,000 professionals to strategically lead teams and influence workplace culture with empathy, or teach and inspire ambitious women in a 50-person workshop to think differently and speak up when it counts, Courtney will not only empower your audience to stretch their leadership boundaries, but she will teach each attendee how their behavior can inspire meaningful change and create a legacy that truly matters, both inside and outside of the workplace.
"Courtney was the keynote speaker at the 101st Pilot International Conference in Rochester, NY, this year. I was so moved by her message and yearned to hear a speaker address the professional and emotional challenges of the pandemic. She eloquently addressed how many individuals and business professionals experienced the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) as they were forced to work from home or lost their position. I appreciate her transparency, shared experiences, and research on the subject matter. She got a standing ovation. It was earned, and her message hit close to home. I wish others could hear Courtney speak because the message is healing and thought-provoking."
- Sherry Johnson, Brand Director, East Texas Food Bank
"Courtney is one of the industry’s best! We had the pleasure of having her emcee our panel for women in leadership at Cvent Connect and our live broadcast of Cvent Connect TV - she was incredible! Courtney is confident, authentic, poised, and came very well prepared. She skillfully guided our panel of seasoned executive women in a conversation that delivered 5-star ratings! Her passion for the topic of diversity in the boardroom was evident and as such she was not afraid to shift the conversation and challenge the speakers, all the while balancing what the audience wanted to hear about with expertise the individual panelists were qualified to provide. It was such a pleasure to work with Courtney and I am looking forward to partnering with her in the near future to continue the conversation on empowering women to get a seat at the boardroom table in the event and hospitality industry. I highly recommend Courtney for any events – you will be delighted with the results!"
- Francesca Vereb, Vice President of Marketing, Cvent
HAPPY CLIENTS
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
Courtney believes wholeheartedly that every person has the potential to positively influence their environment and those around them, if they are able to identify their strengths, use their voice, and truly embrace the practice of active empathy. Courtney excels at educating and inspiring women, ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs and organizations to succeed by using their talents and voice strategically and authentically.
Give your clients, members, and employees a life-changing in-person or virtual event experience they can't stop talking about. Courtney customizes each keynote presentation to create a unique moment that deeply resonates with the audience and aligns beautifully with your strategic vision.
"We had the pleasure of having Courtney speak to members on the "Essentials of Empathy" and WOW was it impactful! She recounted real life relatable experiences with powerful outcomes. She pushed us to get to our most vulnerable self and gave us takeaways that translate not only in the workplace but to our personal everyday lives. I would highly recommend hiring Courtney. You will not regret it! - Melanie Blanche, CMP, President, MPI Tennessee Chapter
"The keynote presentation had a profound impact on me and I've explored more ways I can be #Outspoken in both my personal and professional lives. From standing up for what's right, to being vulnerable in emotional settings, I left the event feeling more aware and open. I left wanting more."
- Gabby Fisher, Founder, GF Consulting
"We engaged Courtney as a speaker for our PIVOT Virtual Summit educating 1,500 event professionals during the pandemic. The session was on turning your setbacks into a comeback and not only was the content very timely, Courtney gave very practical tips to help our audience think about their value at a time when the industry is in total upheaval. Her session was highly relatable, authentic and meaningful and I'd highly recommend her for other events!"
- Liz Caruso, CEO, Liz King Events & techsytalk
EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOPS
Keynote presentations are great, but sometimes your goal is for your members, employees and clients to dive in a little deeper. Courtney excels at creating customized in-person and virtual workshops or webinars that are hands-on, engaging and inclusive. Whether there are 25 people in the room or 150, Courtney's formal education in experience design and leadership studies gives her the tools and know-how to ensure that everyone's ideas, questions and voices are heard and valued.
"Courtney has empowered many young leaders to grow out of their comfort zone, take on new leadership roles and advocate for important issues. She has an abundance of stories and experiences which have stuck with me, including her workshop at the SITE Young Leaders Conference where she spoke about learning to speak up and believe in yourself. By listening to Courtney present, many young leaders have been encouraged to speak up for change, build their brand and learn essential life-changing skills." - Zaman Ishaad, Council on International Educational Exchange
"Courtney is the quintessential changemaker. A champion for all, she is fearlessly leading the way to a brighter, better future by sheer will and example. I was fortunate to first hear Courtney speak at MPI’s WEC 2019 and was so impressed by her ‘it’ factor that I wanted to learn from her and absorb her wisdom, so I hired her as my coach. I fully endorse and recommend Courtney as a life-changing speaker and coach and am grateful for the contributions she continues to make in forging a better path into the future for all of us." - Christine Mack, Themed Entertainment Association
CONFERENCE
& EVENT EMCEE
Working with a variety of nonprofit, association and corporate audiences, Courtney is a dynamic, witty and engaging event emcee and moderator who seamlessly connects people to content and conversations. Her experience as an event technology consultant and virtual event producer allows her to provide strategic guidance in the areas of virtual engagement, sponsorship development, content ideation and formatting, and technical support. She is the expert you want on your team behind the scenes, and the onstage personality your audience will fall in love with.
From facilitating lively panels, introducing keynote speakers and conducting energetic interviews to increasing audience engagement and keeping everything on schedule, Courtney will work with your team to elevate your brand and bring your objectives to life on stage, both in-person and virtually.
"Courtney not only played the role of event emcee for our first-ever virtual conference, but she helped us design the format, content, and engagement strategy and helped us totally knock our event out of the park. 10/10 would recommend Courtney as the best event emcee you could ever choose. She brings so much value to the table!” - Dr. Lorie Tuma, Grand Valley State University
"Merchant Advisory Group is an association “family” of retailers that expect a comfortable environment to collaborate with their peers and educate themselves about consumer payments. We hosted our first virtual event this past fall and Courtney’s performance as an emcee brought an authentic and engaging down-to-earth midwestern personality to our event that represented our MAG brand well. In addition, our members and sponsors spoke very highly of the value she brought to attendees by way of creating engagement between sessions throughout the event. Until next time!"
- Laura Townsend, Chief Operations Officer, Merchant Advisory Group
MOST REQUESTED TOPICS
Rise Above the Noise:
Building and Championing a Winning Brand
Establishing a powerful brand allows you to rise above the noise - and the competition. But if you aren’t effectively communicating the value your business offers, who you serve and how you solve your customers' pain points, how can you expect your audience to understand and connect with your brand?
This interactive presentation will guide you through thought-provoking exercises that will help you to clarify your buyer persona, sharpen your value proposition, align your brand identity with your brand perception, and communicate your message in a way that’s impactful, authentic, and effective.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Powerful strategies to sharpen your vision, value proposition, and pitch
How to clarify your buyer persona to target and attract highly qualified customers
Tangible, effective methods to balance brand perception versus brand identity
How to translate and communicate your brand effectively in-person and online
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Best Audience: Leadership Teams, Sales and Marketing Teams, Women, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Associations, Corporations, Non Profits
Length: 45-60 minutes
OUTSPOKEN:
Owning Your Mic Drop Moment
Do you wish you spoke up more during meetings, in boardrooms, at networking events or even in your annual review? Do you wish you had the courage to outwardly disagree with others? Do you want to feel seen and heard?
So many people leave jobs, relationships, business ventures, and conversations feeling that if they had offered feedback, shared their ideas or verbalized their value, they would have achieved more. The truth is… they’re right!
This keynote will empower you to get curious about what holds you back from speaking up, teach you how to build confidence in uncomfortable moments, create a culture of positive outspokenness, and understand the power of owning your story, your voice, and your opportunity to change the game.
Key Learning Outcomes:
How falling victim to imposter syndrome and other obstacles translates to less opportunity, happiness, and success
Life-changing verbal and nonverbal strategies to communicate with confidence and impact
Methodology to connect with others more authentically, powerfully and profitably
How to transform moments of fear into opportunities of growth and change
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Best Audience: Leadership Teams, Mid-Level Managers, Women, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Associations, Corporations, Non Profits
Length: 45-60 minutes
The Essentials of Empathy:
Changing Culture, Building Trust, and Cultivating Leaders
In a world where companies lose hundreds of thousands of dollars each year because employees, customers and stakeholders walk out the door, it’s time to pay attention to what matters most: your people.
Empathy, emotional intelligence and servant leadership are not new concepts or strategies, but the latest research tells us that these skills hold a newfound, unprecedented level of importance as our world continues to navigate the present and future state of work - and being.
If you’re motivated to make simple and powerful shifts that will get to the heart of real leadership, humanize interactions to improve morale, and increase long-term profitability, it’s time to focus on the greatest resource you have.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Level-up your self-awareness to become a more emotionally intelligent leader
Learn how to achieve maximum results through transparency and active listening
Explore powerful strategies that increase performance, retention, and profitability
Adopt and apply methodology to help create a culture built on courage and trust
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Best Audience: Leadership Teams, Mid-Level Managers, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Associations, Corporations, Non Profits
Length: 45-60 minutes
Courtney believes in creating a custom in-person, hybrid or virtual event experience for each audience. If you would like to explore designing something unique for your participants, please send Courtney a direct message.