Thought-provoking talks & interactive workshops
I create engaging experiences that broaden our understanding of what's possible and strengthen our commitment to change.My talks and workshops draw on my expertise as a change leader, strategist, and LGBTQ+ health advocate. As a writer and researcher, I weave powerful stories and practical knowledge with research evidence. My sessions are learner-centered and context-informed, creating opportunities for participants to grow their skills.
Speaking topics:
Leadership for Systems Change
The necessary skills and competencies leaders need to create and sustain change while working under conditions of austerity and compounding crises. This talk combines practical experience, systems thinking, and the affective and somatic landscape of change.
Practical Strategies for Complex Times
Actionable advice on creating strategies you can use, with a focus on nonprofits, funders, and research organizations. This talk offers ideas, tips, and tools gleaned from my extensive experience designing and implementing organizational strategies.
Queering Leadership
What queerness can teach us about owning our power, accountability and authentic leadership in service of individual and collective flourishing. This talk is an inspiring celebration of queer leaders while offering calls to action for all leaders committed to disrupting the status quo.
Liberatory Care for LGBTQ+ Communities
Strategies for equitable and inclusive LGBTQ+ health care and why we must think beyond unjust systems in order to transform them. This talk is for health care providers and providers-in-training looking to go beyond the basics as they build a foundation of equitable and inclusive care, at a time when the stakes of doing this work are increasingly high.
Selected past talks
“What is Your Knife and How Are You Using It?”: Holding Power and Creating Change in LGBTQ+ Health. 2SLGBTQ+ Health Hub, University of Toronto, May 8, 2024.
LGBTQ+ Health Care Praxis: Building More Equitable and Just Futures Today. Montreal Health Ethics Conference Series, McGill University, June 20, 2024.
Creating Change Together: Pathways to Equitable and Inclusive LGBTQ+ Health Care. William E. Petersen, MD DE&I Lecture Series, Allina Health, April 2, 2024.
Understanding and Navigating Change. Addgene, December 6, 2023.
Dreaming Together: Envisioning the Future of LGBTQ+ Health. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, March 22, 2023.
From Institutional to Collective Ethics: Practicing Accountability in LGBTQ+ Health Care and Research. Health Care Ethics Speaker Series, University of Louisville, February 16, 2022.
Dear First-Year Medical Student. Stanford University School of Medicine, August 21, 2019.
Queering Leadership. Q-Med: Building LGBTQI+ Leaders in Health Care conference, Yale School of Medicine, March 30, 2019.
Conversations that transform communities.
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Conversations that transform communities. 🦋
Workshop topics:
Creating Change that Lasts: People-Centred Change Leadership
An introduction to leading change in nonprofit, health, research, and higher educational settings. This workshop centres the human dimensions of change, providing insights into how change happens, why people resist it, and how grief- and trauma-informed practices can aid us in communicating our vision and mobilizing lasting support.
Format: 2-3 hours | Combines instruction with group discussion and activities
Lead Without Losing Yourself
A workshop for purpose-driven leaders looking to lead from their values and achieve their goals without burning out. Participants will learn to cultivate a more authentic, self-compassionate leadership style while embodying and working strategically with power. This is for leaders who want to lead more effectively today without losing sight of the futures they’re trying to build.
Format: 2-3 hours | Combines instruction with group discussion and activities
Managing Up: Effective Leadership Across Organizations
A practical primer for leaders moving into roles with increased seniority, complexity, and accountability. Taking up a new or different leadership role is an exciting career transition that can confront us with the gaps between what worked before and what’s needed now. Participants will gain clarity on adjusting their approach while learning strategies for effective leadership across all levels of the organization.
Format: 2-3 hours | Combines instruction with group discussion and activities
Selected past workshops
In All Things a Wisdom: Complexity Theory and Practice for Liberatory Mental Health. With Kai Cheng Thom. Tending the Future of Care, IDHA, June 22, 2025.
Honouring Life: Strategies for Providing Equitable and Inclusive End of Life and Bereavement Care for LGBTQ+ Community Members. Sunshine Coast Hospice, March 22, 2025.
Honouring Life: Strategies for Providing Equitable and Inclusive End of Life and Bereavement Care for LGBTQ+ Community Members. Cowichan Hospice, June 27, 2023.
Curating and Assembling Anthologies. The Festival of Literary Diversity (The FOLD), May 4, 2022.
Interested in booking a talk or workshop?
I'd love to discuss how we can create meaningful dialogue for your event. Contact me with details about your audience, goals, and timeframe.