Public Speaking Coach: Presence Over Polish

Rebekah L.

Most speaking advice tells you to act confident. I'd rather help you be present.

Maybe you've been told you're "too intense," "too quiet," or "too much." Maybe rehearsed scripts make you feel like a fraud, or your mind goes blank the moment you feel watched. If any of that sounds familiar, you're exactly who I work best with.

I coach people who want to speak with fewer nerves and more sincerity, in job interviews, presentations, conference talks, dissertation defenses, or everyday meetings. We don't sand down the way you naturally think and talk. We build structure around it so it lands.

My approach combines three things:

Clear structure: organizing your message so you always know where you are and where you're going.
Body-based presence: I'm a movement specialist (Laban, Viewpoints, mindfulness-based movement), so we work with breath, posture, and nerves physically, not just with talking points.
Theatre craft: practical rehearsal tools from 20 years as a director and actor.

What to expect: We'll start by talking through your goals and the situations that feel hardest. Each session ends with one or two specific things to practice, not a long list. I'll tell you directly what's working and what isn't.

Background: Professor of Theatre. MA in Communication (UCF), MFA in Theatre Arts (Towson), BFA in Theatre Performance (UCF). I've taught public speaking at seven colleges and universities and toured nationally as a trainer and speaker with Monster Worldwide.

I also coach clear pronunciation for multilingual professionals, and acting for performers.