Inspirational keynotes, workshops, and customized retreats

“Incredible and amazing — full of information.”

— Next Generation Government Training Virtual Summit Attendee

Today’s problems need innovative approaches

Did you know that Fortune 500 companies, government groups, and leading universities have used the same tools as science fiction writers and comic artists to inspire future visioning and collaboration?

I blend 20 years of leadership expertise with my perspective as an artist and multi-media storyteller. My unique keynotes and workshops start with today’s most important leadership concepts — and then come alive through the power of the imaginative arts. 

A wide range of strategic and organizational topics

  • Women in leadership

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

  • Future strategy and visioning

  • Creativity and business

  • Stakeholder alignment

  • Navigating complexity, conflict, and change

“Melanie is a fantastic speaker.  She inspires her audiences to think differently, and she brings humor and insight to the challenges all workplaces face.”

— Marina Turner, Vice President, Enterprise Memberships, Health Evolution

Taking audiences on a memorable journey

My sessions draw from research at the frontier of transformational change, from management science and organizational behavior to cognitive science and psychology. We’ll incorporate the latest thinking on how storytelling and the arts can shift our perspectives and make difficult topics easier to discuss. Get ready to laugh, draw, and imagine new futures together!

Keynotes, workshops, and retreats

Below you’ll find my most frequently-requested topics. While most of my time is spent as a speaker and facilitator, I also enjoy working with a select number of passionate and dedicated leaders each year who are seeking deeper 1:1 coaching and strategic guidance.

KEYNOTES

WORKSHOPS

Ways to work together

  • Keynote presentations

  • Interactive workshops

  • Professional development course series

  • Comprehensive in-day or multi-day retreat agenda development

  • One-on-one coaching and mentoring

  • In-person and virtual options

‘“I’m amazed by how universal Melanie’s creative approach is as a speaker.  She unlocks the imagination in a way that can help your team get to the next level on any topic — strategy, leadership, DEI, change management.  Our leadership team always leaves sessions with Melanie feeling energized with new ideas and next steps.”

— Elizabeth Brown, Chief of Staff, Chicago School of Professional Psychology

My commitments to you

From intimate board and leadership retreats...

“We heard such wonderful feedback from Board members over dinner, particularly about your time with us. I couldn’t be more pleased with the flow of the meeting and the outcomes that I think we’re headed towards. Thank you so very much for the time you took to ensure your presentation was one that would work for us. I really enjoyed collaborating with you – I hope we get to do it again soon!”

— Gabrielle Sedor, Chief Operations Officer and Foundation Director, ANCOR

“When Melanie led her DEI comics workshop for our global learning community, it became clear that this was a space where many participants were processing workplace experiences of harm they had endured or witnessed for the very first time. That Melanie could hold their vulnerability in a Zoom room of hundreds of people, and teach them creative tools to make sense of their stories, testify to her deft skills as a facilitator for difficult conversations.”

...to large global virtual gatherings

— Annie Yi, Content Marketing Manager, CreativeMornings

Speaking Demo Videos

Real Talk about What Women Face at Work

The Power of Art & Visual Storytelling

Let’s talk

I’d love to inspire your audience to think in new ways — and to continue transforming long after our time together.

Recent workshops and presentations include: