Creating magic
and meaning
on every stage
From mainstage keynotes to intimate workshops, this work changes how people hold power out loud, and how leadership feels inside an organization.
Often I’m invited in to kick off a conference, anchor a leadership retreat, or bring the whole thing home. These talks are dynamic and deeply human. They move rooms. They spark new language. They shift what people believe is possible.
And for organizations ready to go further, the real transformation happens in the work that follows:
Through immersive workshops and longer-term leadership series, I help teams practice a new way of showing up—one rooted in care under pressure, the kind that builds trust and shapes culture. This is where leadership starts to feel different in the body, not just the mind. And where the impact starts to show up everywhere.
Whether speaking to hundreds or working closely with a small group, the aim is the same: to help people sound like themselves—with power—when it matters most.
So the best ideas rise.
“Samara’s framing on public speaking and on using our voices better is inspiring, fresh, instantly applicable, and literally exactly what the world needs now."
– Andrea Rothschild, Strategic Advisor, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Global
I speak about speaking
"No one cares how much you know... until they know how much you care."
– Teddy Roosevelt
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I give the talk your people actually need—customized, high-energy keynotes that transform how audiences think about power and communication. I’m committed to offering value for your people, researching your audience and industry to ensure every presentation hits its mark and changes the room.
Through storytelling, the science of humans, and strategies audience members can implement right away, I’ve helped thousands of people better understand why diverse voices matter and how they themselves can get heard. Weaving in lively and emotionally-potent group participation, and signing personal notes in their copies of my book after, it’s an experience your audience will never forget.
To inquire about rates and availability, please contact Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau at speakers@penguinrandomhouse.com
Check out my Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau page here.
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When teams are under pressure, communication is where cracks show first—and where trust is either built or quietly lost.
I design and lead immersive workshops that help people sound like themselves—with power—when the stakes are high. Beyond technique or performance advice, they’re built to give participants a felt experience of what it’s like to speak from care rather than fear.
The work is highly interactive and embodied: guided exercises, paired practice, and live coaching is designed so the the learning sticks.
For teams looking for deeper integration, workshops can be paired with a limited number of follow-up 1:1 sessions for leaders/emerging talent. This popular combination allows individuals to apply the work directly to their real roles, real stakes, and real decisions—ensuring the insights start to show up everywhere.
The result is not just better presentations or clearer pitches (though that happens!). It’s stronger leadership signals across the organization: more trust in the room, more confidence under scrutiny, and more good ideas that rise because the conditions are finally right.
Workshops I Frequently Run (Tailored to Each Audience)
Permission to Speak™
How to sound human, credible, and powerful when it matters mostPitching With Power
How to be clear, compelling, and trusted under pressureStorytelling for Impact
Making meaning that people actually remember—and act onModern Media Training
Authority without scripts, presence without pretendingCharisma, Demystified
How nervous system capacity, courage, and curiosity create legacy-level influenceGetting Heard Without Turning Hard
The strength-warmth leadership unlock in high-stakes moments
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For groups seeking deeper transformation, I delight in creating high-vibe, intimate experiences that connect inner healing with outer voice.
Whether it’s a fireside chat or as a guest facilitator woven through your retreat, I create space for folks to explore their purpose and permission and finally get in alignment on both. My approach treats public speaking as a form of wellness work. Drawing from linguistics, performance theory, social psychology, and nervous system awareness, I guide folks gently and playfully toward a more sustainable relationship with their voice and their power.
The result isn’t just better communication—it’s deeper self-trust.
These experiences are especially resonant for high-achieving professionals navigating fulfillment vs. and burnout, leaders seeking kinder models of power in a hyper-chaotic world, and teams craving connection beyond productivity metrics. Together, we take dreaming seriously—and create shifts that participants carry back into their lives, their work, and their relationships.
“Participants don't share their feedback; they shout their praise."
– David Murray, CEO Professional Speechwriters Association
SEE ME IN ACTION
Conversations with Deepak Chopra
CBS Sunday Morning
San Diego Women's Week Keynote & Fireside Chat
NBC Universal Telemundo
LinkedIn News
What people are saying…
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“Samara’s session was so insightful and uplifting. The feedback from our Women’s Group was outstanding! We’ve had many speakers –internal and external over the last 18 months–and this was by far the most well received!”
– Cheryl Dooley, Vice President, HR, Thyssenkrupp
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"Samara's session had the highest rating over our two-day Lead On Conference. Attendees used words like 'valuable, relevant, inspirational, and energetic.' I would add 'entertaining'! Samara gave us a real user’s manual on how to be heard."
– Fred Cook, Director, USC Annenberg Center for PR
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"We felt so fortunate to have Samara speak to our employees. Her unique perspective was eye-opening for our high percentage of employees that do not speak English as a first language and face a whole other level of challenges in making themselves heard. Samara’s magnetic gift for storytelling really takes you on a self-awareness journey that makes you want to listen with more intention and pump up your own volume.”
– Georgianne Ocasio, Sr. Director, Corporate & External Affairs, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises
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“Samara Bay is the sun itself. Brilliant, optimistic, warm. To every event, Samara adds fresh ideas and universal good feeling.”
– David Murray, Executive Director, Executive Communication Council
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“Samara was incredible. We hoped she would help a cohort of corporate climate influencers develop confidence as speakers. But what she actually did was show us how to mute the self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and teach us to relish the elements of our communication that make us unique and authentic—the kind of qualities that we want from our leaders.”
– Lucy Piper, Director, WorkforClimate
