Instructor:

Todd Fry

Duration:

6 hours 30 minutes

Description

Building community requires us to speak to people! Some of us love talking in front of groups, but for many people public speaking is a challenge. Not only do we have to deal with our own nervousness, but we have to get our audience to listen and really engage. And most of us have had little training in making presentations, so how do we improve?

Let’s learn how to be more effective as persuasive speakers and practice doing it! This training is not “one size fits all.” The goal is to equip you with methods for increasing the impact of your own particular voice and communication style. Using a highly interactive approach, the workshop will address key strategies for:

• managing nervousness, including dealing with emotions around identity and power
• preparing effectively for sincerity, clarity, and impact
• structuring content with a persuasive and motivational framework

During the workshop, the instructor will coach some speeches as models for the group, but all participants will practice with peers and receive feedback. You can work on an actual presentation that is coming up for you – or you can work on a standard presentation to inform and engage others in your work. Everyone will leave with a presentation that is stronger than when you arrived!

Todd Fry has served as a teacher, leader and social entrepreneur in Greater Boston for over 30 years.  He directed LeadBoston for seven years, and founded several leadership development programs for youth and adults, including The City School, The Merrimack Valley Sandbox, and Mill Cities Leadership Institute.  Since 2006 he has also worked with young genocide survivors in Rwanda to help them create programs and businesses that boost youth resilience and leadership.  As a volunteer, he serves as Executive Director of Rwanda Youth Partnership.  Todd graduated from Northwestern University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in Communication Education.  He provides communication and leadership development coaching for a variety of individual and business clients, including Leerink Partners, Enterprise Bank, Mass Housing Partnership, The Mel King Institute, and the Business Professionals Network in Rwanda.

MKI will provide coffee and pastries in the morning and lunch in the afternoon.

Registration deadline

January 8, 2026

Registration fee

Regular $120, MACDC Member $100, Student/AmeriCorps/Intern $50