Training and Events

Keynote Presentation:  • THE HERO’S JOURNEY •

Presented In Person for Your Special Event

THE HERO’S JOURNEY is a special, keynote presentation designed to inspire, uplift and validate the people and organizations affiliated with the magnificent Head Start program!  This engaging and interactive keynote presentation celebrates as heroes the people and organizations affiliated with Head Start, and highlights themes around compassion, self-care and personal wellness, teamwork, and the service we bring to the children and families we serve.  The presentation highlights the mindset for our work (our mission of service to children, families, staff and communities), the heartset needed for this mission (compassion, engagement, and an abundance of kindness), and the anchoring practices necessary to maintain compassion and mission-focus (specific practices around self-care, personal wellness and self-regulation).  This special keynote is structured to provide outstanding content, as well as a considerable “fun factor” with activities to make it interactive, engaging and memorable. 

Contact me at walnutleadership.com/contact/ for pricing and scheduling

CONFERENCE AND EVENT APPEARANCES HISTORY 2025

Below are national, regional and state engagements – keynotes, training sessions, and speaking to capacity audiences.

Not listed are dozens of engagements for local organizations throughout the U.S., including staff training, pre-service, in-service, and professional development days, management team engagements, and consulting work.

2025

•  NHSA Annual Conference – Columbus, OH

•  NHSA Leadership, Education And Development Summit (LEADS) (virtual)  KEYNOTE

•  NHSA Leading During Unpredictable Times Series (virtual)

•  Region 1 Head Start Conference – Portland, ME

•  Region 4 Head Start Conference – Atlanta, GA

•  Region 6 Head Start Conference – Dallas, TX  KEYNOTE

•  Region 7 Head Start Conference – Kansas City, MO  KEYNOTE

•  Illinois Head Start – Vanessa Rich Leadership Conference – Chicago, IL  KEYNOTE

•  Indiana Head Start Conference

•  Iowa Head Start Virtual Leadership Series

•  Kansas Head Start Virtual Leadership Series

•  North Carolina Head Start Conference

•  Pennsylvania Head Start Virtual Leadership Series

Wed., Jan. 14, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM CST

Region 7 Head Start Association Series ● Via Zoom

What is workplace culture?  People working in a positive workplace culture are happier, healthier, less stressed, more productive, more engaged in teamwork, more likely to have high morale and job satisfaction, less likely to leave the organization, and more.  This session will review how we can develop and maintain workplace climates and environments of joy, teamwork, communication, camaraderie and mutual support.  We will discuss the key elements of positive workplace culture, along with structural adjustments and communication practices to enhance employee support and well-being.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the goals and benefits of positive workplace culture
• Participants will review the key elements of workplace culture, including a sense of contribution toward mission and purpose, social connection with colleagues, and opportunities for growth and professional development
• Participants will consider strategies around thoughtful and intentional development of program initiatives and communication practices which make people feel valued and enhance engagement and morale

Wed., Jan. 14, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Region 7 Head Start Association Series ● via Zoom

Wed., Feb. 4, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM CST

Region 7 Head Start Association Series ● Via Zoom

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Wed., Feb. 4, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Region 7 Head Start Association Series ● via Zoom

Wed., Feb. 11, 2026 at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM EST (Repeat)

Region 4 Head Start Conference ● Omni Atlanta Hotel ● Atlanta, GA

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Wed., Feb. 11, 2026 at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM EST (Repeat)

Region 4 Head Start Conference ● Omni Atlanta Hotel ● Atlanta, GA

Keynote Presentation:  • THE HERO’S JOURNEY •

Mon., March 2, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST

Head Start East Conference

Royal Sonesta Hotel • San Juan, Puerto Rico 

THE HERO’S JOURNEY is a special, keynote presentation designed to inspire, uplift and validate the people and organizations affiliated with the magnificent Head Start program! This engaging and interactive keynote presentation celebrates as heroes the people and organizations affiliated with Head Start, and highlights themes around compassion, self-care and personal wellness, teamwork, and the service we bring to the children and families we serve. The presentation highlights the mindset for our work (our mission of service to children, families, staff and communities), the heartset needed for this mission (compassion, engagement, and an abundance of kindness), and the anchoring practices necessary to maintain compassion and mission-focus (specific practices around self-care, personal wellness and self-regulation). This special keynote is structured to provide outstanding content, as well as a considerable “fun factor” with activities to make it interactive, engaging and memorable.

Mon., March 2, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST

Royal Sonesta Hotel ● San Juan, Puerto Rico

Tues., March 3, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST

Head Start East Conference

Royal Sonesta Hotel • San Juan, Puerto Rico

What is workplace culture?  People working in a positive workplace culture are happier, healthier, less stressed, more productive, more engaged in teamwork, more likely to have high morale and job satisfaction, less likely to leave the organization, and more.  This session will review how we can develop and maintain workplace climates and environments of joy, teamwork, communication, camaraderie and mutual support.  We will discuss the key elements of positive workplace culture, along with structural adjustments and communication practices to enhance employee support and well-being.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the goals and benefits of positive workplace culture
• Participants will review the key elements of workplace culture, including a sense of contribution toward mission and purpose, social connection with colleagues, and opportunities for growth and professional development
• Participants will consider strategies around thoughtful and intentional development of program initiatives and communication practices which make people feel valued and enhance engagement and morale

Tues., March 3, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Royal Sonesta Hotel ● San Juan, Puerto Rico

Wed., March 4, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST

Head Start East Conference

Royal Sonesta Hotel • San Juan, Puerto Rico

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Wed., March 4, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM

Royal Sonesta Hotel • San Juan, Puerto Rico

Wed., March 18, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST

North Carolina Head Start Conference ● Raleigh Marriott ● Raleigh, NC

Leadership is challenging work.  Directors, managers, supervisors, teachers, and others – we’re all leaders.  Leading with emotional intelligence provides the firm foundation for relationships, trust, and high-functioning organizational cultures and climates of teamwork, communication, and mutual support.  How can leaders optimize well-being and utilize executive function to process challenging situations, minimize reaction and stress, and respond constructively with humility, compassion and truth?  Using the Emotional Intelligence (EI) model introduced by psychologist and science journalist Daniel Goleman, this workshop unpacks some of the key elements of EI necessary for great leadership, and how we cultivate and develop these qualities in ourselves and in those around us.

Learning objectives

• Participants will consider the motivations and mindset which provide the foundation for leading with emotional intelligence
• Participants will discuss the heartset of empathy, and utilizing well-developed social skills to support the well-being of others and cultivate organizational culture
• Participants will review anchoring practices around personal wellness and self-care, including self-awareness and self-regulation techniques which enable us to choose our best responses, rather than reacting from ego, in challenging situations

Wed., March 18, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Raleigh Marriott ● Raleigh, NC

Thurs., March 19, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST

North Carolina Head Start Conference

Raleigh Marriott • Raleigh, NC

What is workplace culture?  People working in a positive workplace culture are happier, healthier, less stressed, more productive, more engaged in teamwork, more likely to have high morale and job satisfaction, less likely to leave the organization, and more.  This session will review how we can develop and maintain workplace climates and environments of joy, teamwork, communication, camaraderie and mutual support.  We will discuss the key elements of positive workplace culture, along with structural adjustments and communication practices to enhance employee support and well-being.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the goals and benefits of positive workplace culture
• Participants will review the key elements of workplace culture, including a sense of contribution toward mission and purpose, social connection with colleagues, and opportunities for growth and professional development
• Participants will consider strategies around thoughtful and intentional development of program initiatives and communication practices which make people feel valued and enhance engagement and morale

Thurs., March 19, 2026 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Raleigh Marriott ● Raleigh, NC

BE THE CHANGE • A Leadership Framework

Region 4 Head Start Assocation 

2026 Leadership Summit 

JW Marriott Hotel

Atlanta, GA • June 3 – 5, 2026  

Buckle up, buttercup!  Get ready for an extraordinary, three-day event to include personal and professional growth, fun, reflection and community around: 

• SELF-REGULATED LEADERSHIP with EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.  Living and modeling the vision, mission, compassion, self-care, resilience, and personal wellness of world-class leadership

• ELEVATING WORKPLACE CULTURE, communication and teamwork!

• BEST PRACTICES IN SUPERVISION to support outstanding employee performance and conduct

This leadership master class will equip you to develop:

• The best version of YOU as a leader
• The best version of YOUR STAFF and COLLEAGUES, and the people around you
• The best version of your ORGANIZATION and PROGRAM

Join us for a transformative event filled with knowledge, skill-development and colleagueship on our journey to BE THE CHANGE we wish to see in our local communities and in our world!

TARGET AUDIENCE

This three-day seminar is designed for current leaders and those in leadership development at all levels to include but not limited to:

Executive Directors, Head Start/Early Head Start Directors, Program Managers, Board and Policy Council members and others in leadership development.

OBJECTIVES   

Participants will:

• Learn and apply the emotional intelligence framework of mindset (our mission of service to children, families, staff and communities), heartset (compassion, engagement, and an abundance of kindness), and anchoring practices (self-care, personal wellness and self-regulation) necessary for outstanding leadership and organizational excellence.

• Discuss research-based elements and strategies around building positive, high-performing workplace culture, climate and environment to attract and retain extraordinary employees, and nurture a shared ownership and pride in the organizational family and community.

• Review best practice in supervision, and individualized support and service for employees, along with gentle and thoughtful accountability, necessary for individuals and teams to reach their full potential around performance and professionalism in the workplace.

Register for Training

Leadership is challenging work.  Directors, managers, supervisors, teachers, and others – we’re all leaders.  Leading with emotional intelligence provides the firm foundation for relationships, trust, and high-functioning organizational cultures and climates of teamwork, communication, and mutual support.  How can leaders optimize well-being and utilize executive function to process challenging situations, minimize reaction and stress, and respond constructively with humility, compassion and truth?  Using the Emotional Intelligence (EI) model introduced by psychologist and science journalist Daniel Goleman, this workshop unpacks some of the key elements of EI necessary for great leadership, and how we cultivate and develop these qualities in ourselves and in those around us.

Learning objectives

• Participants will consider the motivations and mindset which provide the foundation for leading with emotional intelligence
• Participants will discuss the heartset of empathy, and utilizing well-developed social skills to support the well-being of others and cultivate organizational culture
• Participants will review anchoring practices around personal wellness and self-care, including self-awareness and self-regulation techniques which enable us to choose our best responses, rather than reacting from ego, in challenging situations

Three-session, DEEP DIVE SERIES!

Indiana Head Start Association Series ● via Zoom

Keynote Presentation:  • THE HERO’S JOURNEY •

Presented In Person for Your Special Event

THE HERO’S JOURNEY is a special, keynote presentation designed to inspire, uplift and validate the people and organizations affiliated with the magnificent Head Start program!  This engaging and interactive keynote presentation celebrates as heroes the people and organizations affiliated with Head Start, and highlights themes around compassion, self-care and personal wellness, teamwork, and the service we bring to the children and families we serve.  The presentation highlights the mindset for our work (our mission of service to children, families, staff and communities), the heartset needed for this mission (compassion, engagement, and an abundance of kindness), and the anchoring practices necessary to maintain compassion and mission-focus (specific practices around self-care, personal wellness and self-regulation).  This special keynote is structured to provide outstanding content, as well as a considerable “fun factor” with activities to make it interactive, engaging and memorable. 

Contact me at walnutleadership.com/contact/ for pricing and scheduling