Laurel’s speaking style is dynamic, multifaceted and often extemporaneous. She enjoys establishing heartfelt engagement with her audience reflecting a deep understanding of her audience’s lived experience. Her approach is an inspiring and empowering one intended to provoke deeper understandings and a desire to take action. She draws upon her two decade career as a lawyer and advocate where she was adept at speaking to diverse audiences whether it was giving the keynote address in front of 500 or presenting to a subcommittee of Congress.
Laurel delivers the opening address at the annual conference to 400 member organizations of the New Jersey Historic Trust Association.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS: SPEAKING, teaching & Facilitating
“Laurel is a highly motivating speaker who brings great value to any group interested in engaging at a deeper and more sustained level around the issues they care about. Laurel delivered the keynote address on “Demystifying Advocacy” for our 2015 Southern Obesity Summit, a critical annual event for our 300 members representing nonprofits, higher education and government. Her message was completely on target in its tone and tenor and very relevant, as she grounded it in a case study of one of our members. At the end of her 45 minutes, she had connected with the audience, informing, challenging and inspiring us with her stories and experiences. In addition to her content expertise and public speaking skills, she was a pleasure to work with, extremely professional and truly was the easiest part of planning the conference.”- ”
“Hearing Laurel talk about what advocacy was eye opening. She discusses the topic is a clear and matter-of-fact manner. Gaining momentum in the historic preservation community is really about working together to advocate for our shared goals. As a result of her what we learned, the Historic Trust has decided to begin some advocacy working groups next Fall with a goal toward enhancing the state’s historic preservation image.”
“During both her plenary presentation and her training session she connected with our diverse audience. Laurel is adept at connecting the dots in new and different ways, at getting you to see things differently. Her unique framework and approach was highly motivating.
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“I highly recommend Laurel for your team building retreat. We hired Laurel to facilitate a day-long retreat to launch our new network of executive leaders. Because this was the first time we were bringing a newly merged network together it was important the day went well. Laurel stood out during the selection process because of her ability to ask thoughtful and probing questions about our members’ needs. Laurel’s depth and understanding of the issue combined with her ability to facilitate powerful and pointed group exercises and discussion resulted in a highly engaging experience. She also brings a clear and compelling perspective on the challenges public leadership presents for a group with very diverse capacities. Afterward many of our members shared their light bulb moments along with plans and commitments for taking their leadership to the next level. In fact, one of our members proudly shared how as a result of what she learned from Laurel’s training, she was confident enough and newly motivated to participate in a federal lawsuit on behalf of their clients.
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Background Experience:
Laurel’s career as a public speaker is grounded in her nearly two decades as an advocate and lawyer. Whether it was speaking to the media, briefing a subcommittee of Congress, lobbying Congress, delivering comments on proposed regulatory changes or debating the Mayor of Savannah, she is adept at speaking on her feet and connecting with a diverse array of audiences.
During the second half of her career she developed national models of contracting reform which she shared across the country and at conferences, and were eventually adopted by several other states.
From 2013-2018 Laurel founded the Advocacy Collaborative and traveled across the country inspiring hundreds with her keynotes, workshops, and trainings that focused on teaching and training mission driven leaders how to have greater impact in the public arena. During this time she delivered keynote addresses and delivered workshops, retreats and trainings to hers well as spoken at numerous national social impact conferences, including Independent Sector, the Council on Foundations and Board Source.
Thoursands of non-profit and government leaders have attended her trainings and talks.
Throughout her career Laurel has also been interviewed and appeared in national and local media, including tv, radio and print.
To inquire about hiring Laurel to speak at your next conference or gathering you may fill out this form.
