A better world is possible. I’m here to talk about it.

Let me put it this way: A panel discussion absolutely loves to see me coming.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a yapper. As a kid, I was always raising my hand at school, eager to speak up. As an adult, I started to see myself as a public speaker around 2019. That’s when I spoke at TEDxAlbany and made an argument for vulnerable leadership as a force for positive change.

Since then, I’ve embraced my outspoken streak, using my voice to dive into difficult topics and share my vision for a more inclusive society. I also published a nonfiction book, and used that as a platform to reach more audiences.

✨ My track record

On my book tour in 2024, I spoke at events around the country, at bookstores like Politics & Prose and Giovanni’s Room. I also spoke at Chicago’s Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, and the Albany Book Festival.

And I’ve had the opportunity to speak on panels at several professional conferences, including The Power of Narrative, American Society of Journalists and Authors and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists.

You can hire me to speak about…

Why Leaders Must be Vulnerable to Create Change

Seven years ago, I published a story that cracked open a longstanding silence about what it was like to be queer in the Boy Scouts of America – and it sparked a national conversation. What I discovered along the way was that leaders must be vulnerable and share their true stories in order to create change.

The History of LGBTQ+ Inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America

My 2024 book, “Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ+ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—And America,” is a deeply-reported narrative that illuminates the battle for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Boy Scouts of America, a decades-long struggle led by teenagers, parents, activists, and everyday Americans. It’s a history that can inspire today’s activists and change-makers, and which holds many lessons on how to fight for justice in large organizations.

How LGBTQ+ Storytellers Can Thrive in Journalism

It’s a challenging time to be an LGBTQ+ person in the U.S., with annual surges of legislation aiming to curtail our rights. For LGBTQ+ reporters, it’s even harder to navigate. I’ve written about how those journalists can report on these mounting atrocities while protecting their mental health, and how newsroom leaders can support their LGBTQ+ employees.

The Path to Becoming a Nonfiction Author

Many writers and journalists dream of writing a book some day. But that desire alone isn’t enough to reach the finish line. As a published author, I can share lessons and strategies for carving out a unique path to publication, and figuring out the many challenges of nonfiction book-writing.

LET’S WORK TOGETHER

💖 ‘One of the best speakers I’ve had’

“He is easily one of the best speakers I’ve had in the classroom in more than 10 years of teaching college media classes.” — Janet K. Keeler, Ed.D., Visiting Assistant Professor of Journalism, Eckerd College