Jess Pettitt Speaker Biography
Ever heard you can’t have your cake and eat it too. WRONG – ever eaten cake? Yum! You had it and you ate it and that is what Jess Pettitt does. Yes, she eats cake. She also names and tames the elephants that are holding your team or participants back from making real and lasting change.
You have been warned, Jess Pettitt combines irreverent humor, storytelling, current events, and historical patterns so that we can break through and do the best we can with what we have.
Over her career, audience members report that they are inspired to have challenging conversations, work together better, and take responsibility for
who and how they show up. Being able to stand up and take action can only happen if there is a path laid out ahead of them. Jess uses history and her own struggles to showcase that we are all good enough to try to try to do something. Challenging long-held assumptions about the type of people who drive change and are successful, Jess eradicates excuses and provides strategies to communicate openly and actively make better connections with others.
Let’s roll up our sleeves, make space for real talk, develop reality-based plans, for actual change.
Humor is a great equalizer and is often the quickest way to diffuse conflict and move toward real connection. With a background in stand-up comedy, Jess frames even difficult subjects in an engaging and welcoming way.
As a professional speaker, her expertise earned her the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association. A designation held by fewer than 800 people worldwide. As a facilitator, she provides the frameworks for open, welcoming and productive conversations. Jess provides a motivational keynote, an in-depth workshop, or a deeper dive group interaction; she can also frame an entire conference as Emcee working closely with the meeting professional.
Combining humor with adult learning with highly engaging content, participants walk away focused and condiment in their role to make a change now.
For almost 20 years, Jess has educated, supported, and challenged folks to support and guide diverse audiences to success. Her social justice and diversity curricula as well as her publications, books, and resources are highly regarded and used nationwide.
Jess’s background uniquely qualifies her to educate employers on building welcoming, productive, and innovative teams. The ability to communicate, listen, learn, take responsibility, acquire and retain talent and resources will lead to and maintain a more inclusive and dare we say fun workplace environment. This has a direct impact on your bottom line now.
Communication
If you can’t connect with your co-workers or customers successfully, nothing else matters.
Listening Skills
Move past active listening and into a deeper understanding of your listening habits.
Inclusive Marketing
Outreach efforts often miss the target and are free and simple to address with a clear vision of the communities you need to thrive.
Corporate Social Responsibility
As an organization, there are free and simple steps that can be taken that allow for growth and acclaim while also being a good community stakeholder.
Intentional Recruitment & Retention
Who are you looking for and keeping is just as important of the question as who are you getting and stuck with or losing.
Diversity and Social Justice
More than just a mandate, building inclusive mission and values of your organization allow for your full workforce and talent to show up and increase innovation, creativity, and success.
Non-discrimination Policies, Procedures, and Protocols
Where you spend your money is only one part of business – how you do business showcases your organization's values. If these are aligned you will be more successful and can profit for the resources and tools you already have.
Group Dynamics
Nothing matters if elephants are trampling around on your staff dynamics. Name and tame any outstanding issues so you and your team and move forward together.
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