Public Speaking - Motivational, Humorous, Educational Speaking ~ Denver/Boulder Colorado

Speaking and Teaching engagements

Here is a sample of the diversity of speaking/training engagements:
Corporate - Northern Telecom, ValleyLab, Voice Publishing in Japan, Wayfinder Institute, DramaWorks West, Colorado Business Leads.
Educational - Naropa University, Lifebound Coaching Institute, Regis University, Front Range Community College, Georgia Tech University, Fulton County High School, Longmont High School, Toastmaster's International.
Holistic - Solstice Institute, Alchemy Institute, Osho Meditation Center, Denver UFO Society, Ascension Celebration Expo, Earth Changes (ECTV) Television show, "Wake Up and Be Free" Television show, Phoenix & Dragon Bookstore.

Performance & Literary Background

Just like with my bio in the About Us section, I thought some background here might help inspire or validate other's experiences. Keep stretching yourself past your limits and remember to be yourself as much as you can - even if it means being alone.

In the beginning there was the urge to sing. I used to sing "Mitch Miller" songs (and whatever was popular back then) with my Dad in Colorado Springs even before I was 7 years old. Then we moved to England and I started singing and acting in the church choir. The acting bug bit early (at the age of 10) when my first professional job was acting and singing in the German stage version of "Finian's Rainbow" for the Kaiserslautern Opera House. For 4 months I toured numerous German cities in the evenings (on school nights!) and weekends. Fortunately for me it was against German labor laws to hire German kids, so the casting crew through their net into the US Air Force and Army bases in the surrounding area (Sembach, Ramstein, Landstuhl, etc). The cast included actors, dancers, and singers from the US, UK, Holland, France, Germany and Italy - which also began my education in the difference in cultures and fascination with traveling. At this time I also began creative writing and poetry, having been richly inspired by my 4th grade teacher Ms. Nichols. I have to say it was a life saving and life changing time when she introduced me to the arts. Thank you so much wherever you are.

Throughout Junior High and High School I sang in the chorus, performed in school plays and musicals, published poetry, and even won awards for Literary Essay and Oral Interpretation competitions. My public speaking even took on a political turn as I wrote and debated resolutions for Model United Nations.

At Georgia Tech University I took the much feared Pubic Speaking class... and loved it. You have never seen a bunch of engineers truly in fear - I mean sheer panic - as when they have to speak in front of their peers - or just in general. (Public speaking is thought of as being the Number 1 fear, but I think it's actually being ostercized, not welcome, not "part" of the group.) At this time, when I finally had my freedom, I started taking off. I was a Work/Study at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta - taking classes at night and teaching teenagers in the afternoon. I took Tap, Jazz, and Ballroom dancing lessons, and acting lessons. I sang in the Georgia Tech Chorale and even in a famous church choir (although I wasn't even a member) just for the experience. I acted in local theater throughout the Atlanta community and began working at the Punchline Comedy club to meet stand-up comedians who could inspire me to do local comedy gigs.

My most embarassing (yet inspiring) performance moment happened in Atlanta for a Z-93 "What I'd do for Love" Radio contest. I was dressed in white boxer shorts with big, red hearts, a red blazer and white oxford shirt. Most of my closest friends showed up at the Limelight (local nightclub) to cheer me on. It was a live audience and broadcast live over the radio. Although I had written the song and rehearsed numerous times, I forgot my opening lines 3 times! I ploughed through the song but started to choke up on the microphone in nervousness. The words were coming out muffled and the audience started to 'gong' me (yelling 'gong' like in the "Gong Show"). I vowed to finish and eventually crumpled into a heap on the side of the stage. Even my friends pretended not to know me afterwards. Yet ever since then, for every public performance, I can always look back and say "Well, at least no matter what happens now, it won't be as bad as that!" So it has actually bolstered my confidence. I even encourage students to 'screw up' consciously at some point (if they have the courage) so that they don't have the 'what if' fear factor hanging over their head.

From 1983 - 2000 I was involved in corporate training, marketing communications and technical writing while studying various disciplines that incorporate my present work. At Naropa University (1996-1998) I was attending school for the Masters in Somatic Psychology and enjoyed doing performance art pieces - one in particular about Prophecy which was poignant and humorous. I joined Toastmasters International in 2002 to learn how to be a better trainer and to become more authentic. I won two awards for motivational and humorous speech competitions. In addition to various workshops and public speaking engagements, I have also started facilitating Business Coaching group teleclasses for Wayfinder Institute. For Lifebound I have coached groups of high school students to make better decisions about their future, and for Coaching Kids Inc. I have used drama techniques to re-educate youth-at-risk. In 2004 I was invited to join DramaWorks West, an ensemble of actors (with comedy, dance, coaching and therapy backgrounds) which helps businesses and organizations through acting and movement exercises and interactive techniques.

Please Contact Chris for more information about public speaking and to arrange a booking.

Public Speaking - Motivational, Humorous, and Educational Speaking

Authentic Response