David Henderson https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-henderson-89049124 a presentation skills expert at Spoken with Authority and Let 'Em Speak Podcast collaborator, has more than two decades of experience in high-profile communication-based roles, including 20 years as a trial attorney during which he tried over 70 jury cases to a verdict. Previously, he served as an associate at Vinson & Elkins, LLP, and as a prosecutor in the Special Crimes Division of the Bexar County’s District Attorney’s office. Currently, he serves as a civil rights attorney at Ellwanger Law PLLC, and a workshop facilitator and coach at Spoken with Authority.

David joined Toastmasters International in 2007, and in 2010 he was named World Champion of Public Speaking in a competition of more than 30,000 elite speakers from 113 countries. He has been featured on CNN and MSNBC providing legal analyses of high-profile cases involving police shootings. David holds a B.A. from the University of Texas, and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.    

By listening to this conversation with David, you’ll learn about:  

- The importance of representation in the media - The practical details of landing and giving media interviews - Staying true to your beliefs - Using the Sandwich Structure Method for interview preparation - Sharing your expertise - Getting honest feedback from a trusted friend

Twitter: @OakCliffLawyer More on the “Sandwich Structure:” 

https://spokenwithauthority.com/sandwich-presentation-structure-method/

Dr. Lisa M. Corrigan is a Professor of Communication and Director of the Gender Studies Program at the University of Arkansas. She has written two books, Prison Power: How Prison Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation (University Press of Mississippi, 2016) and Black Feelings: Race and Affect in the Long Sixties (University Press of Mississippi, 2020). Her third book is an edited collection titled: #MeToo: A Rhetorical Zeitgeist and it will be out in July 2021 published by Routledge.

Lisa also co-hosts a popular podcast with Laura Weiderhaft called Lean Back: Critical Feminist Conversations

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lean-back-critical-feminist-conversations/id1084242264

By listening to this conversation with Lisa, you’ll learn about:  

-           Antiblack public policy -           The fantasy of civility -           Communication about power and freedom -           Collective struggle, navigating conflict, and shared power -           Whiteness of the American public speech tradition and how to increase inclusion -           Risk and the roots of speech anxiety -           Persuasion and flexing capital -           Black social protest and violence -           Listening, empathy, and cultural competency as tools of inclusion

LeRon L. Barton https://www.linkedin.com/in/leron-barton-cwna-2b700b1/ is a writer from Kansas City, Missouri currently living in San Francisco, California. A graduate of Paseo Academy of Fine Arts, LeRon is the author of two books, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture and All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage. In addition to his books, LeRon is an essayist whose topics cover racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, and dating. These works have appeared in Black Enterprise, Salon, Harvard Business Review, The Good Men Project, Your Tango, Media Diversity, Raconteur, Elephant Journal, East Bay Times, and MoAD.

LeRon is an international speaker (http://leronbarton.com) who has given three TEDx speeches and has appeared at Al Jazeera, the University of San Francisco, Navis, Speakers Who Dare, Nas Dubai, Glide Memorial Church, The City of Cupertino, Los Altos Chamber of Commerce, Square, and Defy Ventures. In his spare time, LeRon enjoys mentoring African-American youth, teaching Creative Writing at the San Francisco County Jail, and backpacking around the world.

By listening to this conversation with LeRon, you’ll learn about:  

- Speaking with a stutter – it’s not the entirety of who you are - Supporting and including speakers who have a stutter - Ableism and destigmatizing stuttering - Setting expectations - Sharing stories over data - Preparing for public speaking success and falling into the next move - The power of representation - Having fun as a public speaker

LeRon’s TEDx Talks: https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_barton_how_i_overcame_my_fear_of_stuttering

https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_l_barton_the_power_of_sharing_your_story

https://www.ted.com/talks/leron_l_barton_the_vital_importance_of_documenting_the_moment

Beth Ridley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-ridley-a92b8b5/) believes a positive, connected and committed organizational culture is critical to business success. That’s why she combined her 25 years of corporate leadership and management consulting experience with her expertise in diversity and inclusion and positive psychology to launch, The Brimful Life (https://www.thebrimfullife.com/dei/), a coaching and consulting firm that works with executives to strengthen their leadership skills and transform their leadership teams and organizational cultures to better support their vision and strategic goals. In addition, Beth’s podcast series, keynote presentations and workshops inspire and equip leaders to put people and culture first.

Beth has lived and worked in London, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Boston and New York City. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Virginia, a MA in International Relations from Tufts University and an MBA from Columbia University.

By listening to this conversation with Beth, you’ll learn about:  

- Post-apartheid South Africa and the Truth and Reconciliation Project - Dress codes and dressing for your day - Workplaces as a site for diversity - Approaching communication with curiosity and compassion

When not trying new vegan recipes, Chelsea Grey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagrey/) is riding her Peloton or tracking her packages. At the time of recording, she was a senior congressional staffer in the House of Representatives, but has now transitioned back to Atlanta with the hopes of continuing her political career. For the last five years, she was covering policy on education, transportation, women and LGBTQ+ issues, foreign affairs, and much more. New York-born, Georgia-raised.

By listening to this conversation with Chelsea, you’ll learn about:  

- Being more than your resume - Establishing community - Making an impression in interviews - The problem with unpaid internships - Barriers to opportunity in government - The importance of equitable promotions and pay - Recognizing the unique experiences of underrepresented people in government - Representation on the Hill: getting better, still not great

Twitter:  @chelsgrey

Cameron Stout www.linkedin.com/in/cameronstoutatstoutheart an attorney, gives mental wellness, self-care, and ethics presentations and mentoring services to professionals, lawyers, and to students around the country. Cam’s presentations are based in part on his own journey through, and resilient recovery from, a major depressive episode in 2013, and his nine years of sobriety. Cam’s mental wellness work is supported by Stout Heart, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 corporation www.stoutheart.org He also writes a blog about wellness and self-care: www.lightatseaatstoutheart.org

By listening to this conversation with Cam, you’ll learn about:  

- “What Mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” - Glen Close - Having a SEAL (Support, Energy, Accountability, and Love) Team - Avoiding isolation and seeking help for mental health, including from HR at work - The words we use to talk about mental health and suicide - Approaches to self care

Twitter: @cameronstout14

Anna-Lesa Calvert (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-lesa-calvert/) is the Manager of Professional Development and Diversity at Hodgson Russ LLP. At Hodgson Russ she develops training, organizational effectiveness programs, while creating programs and processes that support a diverse and inclusive work place. Prior to her work at Hodgson Russ, she ran a non-profit focus on ensuring that underserved youth in her community had access to sport and its benefits.

By listening to this conversation with Anna-Lesa, you’ll learn about:  

- Being a diversity officer at a law firm - Increasing diversity in law firms through pipeline, community, and internal education - Making correct name pronunciation less awkward - Cultural humility versus competence - Diversifying the beautiful game

Twitter: @alsoccerpal Article mentioned in the interview: https://fivehabitsandmore.law.yale.edu

Reverend Peter Johnson is a prominent civil rights leader and one of the last living links to MLK. In 1963, Johnson began working for the Congress of Racial Equality as a student and participated in civil rights protests across the South, including campaigns in Birmingham, Selma, and the March on Washington. Johnson went on to work for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta, alongside icons including Andrew Young, Bernard Lafayette, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1969, Johnson moved to Dallas, TX, on a temporary assignment for the SCLC, but chose to stay and work with the city’s low-income residents. Johnson remains an active champion for human rights as he continues to promote civil rights law, youth empowerment, and a more just community.

Mamta Accapadi is the Vice Provost for University Life at University of Pennsylvania and a national leader in university student affairs, whose career has been devoted to the goals of inclusion, community, and social justice. She has been a particular advocate for first-generation students, low-income students, and children of immigrants, reflecting her own background as a child of immigrants who went on to earn three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mamta previously served as vice president for student affairs at Rollins College from 2013-2020, following four years as dean of student life at Oregon State University. Her earlier experience at UT-Austin included serving as university ombudsman, diversity education coordinator, advisor to Greek life and education, coordinator of the International Teaching Assistant Program, and assistant director of the Multicultural Information Center. She earned a PhD and MEd in higher education administration and a BA in microbiology from UT-Austin.

By listening to this conversation with Mamta, you’ll learn about:

- The Vanilla Ice approach to solving problems

- Brownness and how it impacts identity

- Prioritizing relationships over being right

- Overcoming the fear of public speaking

- Moving beyond labels when identifying individuals

- Balancing cultural accountability with forgiveness.

Soroya Julian McFarlane, Ph.D. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soroya-julian-mcfarlane-ph-d-0520b955 University of Miami, 2019) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on designing and evaluating communication interventions that address health disparities at the community level. Dr. McFarlane’s research agenda is driven by understanding how culture influences health, and how communication interventions that translate science for diverse populations might be effective in reducing health disparities. Her recent research has been on women’s sexual and reproductive health in Jamaica, with the aim of (1) expanding theoretical understanding of culturally-targeted messaging and interventions, and  (2) understanding the impact of media, innovation and participatory approaches. She also collaborates with US-based researchers on clinical trial communication, with a focus on vulnerable and minority populations.

By listening to this conversation with Soroya, you’ll learn about:

-Jamaica!

-community based interventions to health problems

-how communication impacts maternal health

-the role of researchers

-navigating smart, navigating informed in graduate school

-occupying space, making space as a person of color