About this Event
This workshop is open to everyone, and centers BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and survivor communities.
Do you feel anxious before presenting — and wish you could speak with more clarity and confidence? Strengthen your power and presence as a public speaker through embodied strategic practices rooted in neuroscience, clinical psychology and art therapy.
Whether you’re preparing for an investor pitch, a high-stakes client meeting, or a job interview, the way you speak shapes how you’re perceived and what gets heard. Public speaking isn’t just about what you say — it’s about how you prepare your mind, body, and nervous system to show up with presence and power.
In this interactive and experiential workshop, Melissa Andrada (mel—they/them)—a survivor of big T trauma and CEO of Fairground, a global mental health collective—alongside co-facilitator and science fiction writer Sol Garcia Jones (they/them), will guide you through trauma-informed embodied practices and creative strategies grounded in neuroscience and clinical psychology. You’ll learn how to access your authentic leadership voice, regulate performance anxiety, and speak with greater ease and impact.
Drawing from clinical psychology and leadership development, this session invites you to reclaim your voice — not just as a communication tool, but as a reflection of your power, presence, and purpose.
You’ll leave with:
- Practical tools to manage anxiety and nervous system before and during speaking
- Somatic strategies to ground yourself with confidence before high-stakes presentations
- Creative ways to authentically and joyfully connect with the audience in your delivery through mind, body and spirit
- Supportive space to practice your public speaking skills through invitational prompts
Testimonials
"Mel and Bree dazzled at the Out in Tech Leadership Institute in NYC, bringing their special brand of expertise, socio-emotional depth, and practical tips for powerful public speaking. Mel even gave me a personal consultation before my remarks that evening, boosting my confidence to be vulnerable in front of a key audience."
Andrew Lowenthal
Executive Director, Out in Tech
"From the beginning of the workshop, it was clear that I'd come to the right place.
"You set a warm and welcoming atmosphere by doing a few things: setting expectations that the group would be welcoming supportive and affirming (somehow you did this without being preachy or super rules based), you spoke in a controlled yet warm gently paced manner; you shared your own journey including your challenges with public speaking going from being a painfully shy young student to holding court in front of hundreds of corporate employees and also a big part of your "why," your beloved father's memory.
All of this established trust and credibility. The exercises that you showed us, being in touch with our bodies and understanding the connection with our nervous systems and our voices were rich.
Above all it instilled confidence that I can apply these tools and put them to work to fuel my journey. I came away incredibly inspired and uplifted. It was truly an impactful, rewarding, dynamic interactive learning experience. I wish I could take it over again!"
Thomas Bell
Former VP, Associate General Counsel, Global Payments
You can read our Thought Leadership on Stepping Into Your Power As A Public Speaker
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Event venue & nearby stays
Groundfloor, 4055 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, United States
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