About this Event
Turning Your Self-Talk into a Superpower (Especially in Uncertain Times)
Keynote Speaker: Erica Barnhart
Date: Feb 13, 2026
Time: 5:30 - 8 pm
Location: Walker Ames Room
In moments of uncertainty, the stories we tell ourselves matter more than we realize.
Join us for an evening of connection and insight with keynote speaker Erica Barnhart, who will explore how self-talk can either undermine our confidence or become a powerful tool for resilience, clarity, and forward momentum. This talk is grounded in the real challenges students and professionals face today, including perfectionism, career uncertainty, and the pressure to “have it all figured out.”
Erica will help participants recognize the quiet, often-overlooked habit of negative self-talk and offer practical ways to interrupt patterns that no longer serve them. Through reflection and simple, actionable techniques, attendees will learn how to replace absolutes with curiosity, ground themselves in what is true (even when it’s small), and harness the energy of words in service of their goals.
The session will also include a brief grounding exercise designed to help participants reset before networking, creating space to show up more present, confident, and open to one-on-one connections.
Following the keynote, attendees are invited to participate in a networking and community-building session that brings together faculty, graduate students, alumni, consulting clients, and prospective partners and students. This is an opportunity to make meaningful connections, learn more about the Communication Leadership Program, engage meaningfully with our student consultants, and explore how Communication Leadership Consulting collaborates with organizations to solve real-world communication challenges while developing graduate student talent.
This event is ideal for anyone looking to build resilience, reframe uncertainty, achieve goals with more ease, and engage more intentionally with themselves and with others. Whether you are seeking connection, insight, or a better understanding of the Communication Leadership community, this event offers a welcoming, grounded entry point.
About Erica Barnhart
Erica Barnhart is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Washington, where she directs the Executive MPA program. She is also Founder and CEO of Claxon Communication, a company that teaches purpose-centered clients how to communicate with clarity and confidence. Her 100+ clients have included the Gates Foundation, King County Library System, Microsoft, and PATH. She is the author of and the SSIR article,
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall, 4069 Spokane Ln NE, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
USD 0.00
