Speaking & Workshops

I am a scholar-practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of sociology and psychology. I study authenticity, identity, emotional labor, and the human questions raised by AI and privacy. My sessions are research-based and practical. I do not offer advice to “just be yourself.” Authenticity, in my work, is an ongoing process of knowing yourself, being yourself, and evolving yourself.

My favorite format is the interactive in-person workshop with a small or mid-size group, especially when people can sit together and talk. I also give keynotes. I do my best work when people get to think with me, not just listen.

Formats: ERG lunch-and-learns, one-hour talks, interactive workshops, and retreats.

Talks I offer

Don’t Lose Yourself: Staying Authentic in a World That Runs on Relationships

People often think authenticity means saying exactly what they think, or refusing to adapt. This session explores how to remain connected to yourself while navigating workplaces, families, and leadership roles, and how to tell healthy adaptation from self-abandonment.

Authentic Leadership Is Not a Performance

Authenticity at work is not a personal brand, and it is not saying everything. This talk treats authentic leadership as discernment: knowing what to share, where to draw a line, and how to stay honest without turning yourself into a performance.

The Emotional Labor of Leadership

Leadership often requires managing feeling, your own and other people’s, while appearing steady and available. This session makes that labor visible and offers a more sustainable way to carry it.

Authenticity in the Age of AI

AI can imitate a voice, a style, even a sense of presence. This talk asks what authenticity means when the performance of self can be automated, and how to stay connected to your own judgment.

The Science of Happiness

Sociology and psychology both have useful things to say about what supports well-being, and what gets in the way. This session translates that research into language people can use at work and in the rest of life, and it is a strong fit for ERG lunch-and-learns.

Past audiences include Google, TIAA, Wrapbook, Action Greensboro, Make, alumni groups at Elon, William & Mary, and the University of Tennessee, universities, professional associations, and leadership programs.

If you would like to inquire about a workshop or talk, please use the form below, or email authenticafme@gmail.com. This form is not for clinical services. If you are looking for therapy, please see the Therapy & Clinical Services page.