Frequently Asked Questions

Keynote

  • Lisa's keynotes are built on the key idea that the stories we tell each other shift people from thinking rationally to thinking emotionally, which is what actually drives trust, alignment, and action - data alone does not. That gut instinct people feel is driven by emotions, not data. Lisa applies the Real, Relatable, Riveting framework, a methodology detailed in her book The Power of Story: Connect with Purpose, Unlock Your Influence. This approach draws on her original research and insights from studying today’s most impactful and legendary storytellers.

    The content adapts to the room. For corporate and leadership audiences, that means giving technical experts the communication skills to become leaders people want to follow. For nonprofits, she draws on her book From So What? To So Funded: How Nonprofits Use Story to Create Impact and Change the World, and focuses on the stories that move donors, board members, and volunteers to act.

  • Lisa is booked by event organizers, conference planners, and media looking for a speaker who brings substance and creates real connection with an audience. Her clients span corporate and leadership teams, marketing and events organizations, and nonprofits, from mid-size companies to global organizations.

    • Leaders and teams who want to use storytelling to build trust, drive alignment, and inspire action

    • Nonprofit leaders, development staff, and boards looking to strengthen community support and donor engagement through better storytelling

    • Conference and event audiences seeking a speaker who blends practical frameworks with genuine warmth and insight

Workshops

  • Lisa's workshops are grounding, reflective and hands-on, not lecture-based. She opens with a question or exercise that surfaces the real challenges participants are already facing, then introduces her Real, Relatable, Riveting framework and gives the group time to practice it on their own material, not hypothetical examples. Participants work through guided exercises, table or peer discussions, and reflection, and leave with three to five stories they can put to use right away with donors, boards, clients, or teams. 

  • Yes. Lisa regularly works with leadership teams, managers, and newly promoted leaders. She helps technical experts build the relationship and communication skills that complement their expertise, bringing their deep knowledge to life through stories that get others on board with their ideas. Sessions address real leadership challenges like retention, psychological safety, and building trust and alignment across a team.

  • Yes, absolutely! Lisa tailors each session to the audience and industry. Versions exist for nonprofit leaders and boards, HR and corporate teams, financial services professionals, entrepreneurs, philanthropy, travel and hospitality, and female leadership audiences, among others. Each is adapted to speak to that group's specific goals, from donor engagement to employee retention to guest experience, while keeping the same core framework and hands-on approach.