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Speaking

Emily Ball Cicchini, PhD, speaks about leading through change: how teams make sense of an unfolding story, and how leaders can nudge it toward balance. Her doctoral research in organizational communication focused on impermanence, and she brings decades of work in the theatre, higher education, and technology to the conversation. She has given more than 40 workshops and presentations to educators, convened leaders from book-access organizations across the country, and spent nearly four decades teaching storytelling as a way of thinking.

Signature Talks

Leading with Compassion: Turning Understanding into Action
Compassion as a strategic leadership force — distinct from passion and empathy — that turns understanding into sustained change.

Pause with Purpose: The Power of Reflection in Leadership and Teamwork
How reflection, as opposed to rumination, sharpens decisions, strengthens collaboration, and helps teams avoid burnout.

All In: Cultivating Commitment to Inspire Collective Action
How visible commitment builds belief, consistency, and shared purpose, so teams can take on difficult work together.

Rates are negotiable, and custom presentations are welcome. To inquire, email hello@emilyballcicchini.com with the location, length, and preferred dates.

Speaking History

Upcoming

  • Convener, Strategic Round Table: "Sustaining the Future of Book Access"
    National Book Access Association, with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and First Book · Philadelphia area · January 2027

Leading Through Change

  • Affinity Group Session for Executive Leaders
    National Book Access Association · February 2026
  • "All In: Cultivating Commitment to Inspire Collective Action"
    One Voice Central Texas · August 2025
  • "Measuring Impact"
    National Book Access Conference · 2024
  • Moderator, Mayoral Candidate Forum
    One Voice Central Texas · June 2024
  • "Communicating Impermanence: Temporal Structuring of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Everyday Organizational Life"
    Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin · 2020
  • "Events, Structure, and Time: Making Sense of Looping Theories"
    National Communication Association, 103rd Annual Meeting · 2017
  • Presenter, Philanthropitch, Audience Award
    Mission Capital & Notley Foundation · April 2016

Convening a National Field

Event details and recordings are on the NBAA events page.

  • Facilitator, "Membership Deep Dive with NBAA Leadership"
    National Book Access Association · January 2026
  • Co-facilitator, "Navigating New Policies: Strategies & Support for Book Access"
    National Book Access Association · October 2025
  • "Leveraging Google Ads for Book Access Nonprofits"
    National Book Access Association · November 2024
  • "Beyond the Bookshelf: Embracing Digital Book Access"
    National Book Access Association · January 2024
  • Host, NBAA Virtual Convenings
    2022–present · 27 sessions for book-access leaders nationwide

Communication, Technology & AI

  • Respondent, "Public Intellectuals and Public Scholarship"
    American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) seminar · 2014
  • "Testing an AI-Enhanced Essay Grading Tool"
    International Conference on Science and Social Research · 2014
  • "I Don't Remember Life Before It, I Can't Imagine Life Without It": Communicating Knowledge Through Mobile Tablet Devices
    Organizational Communication Mini-Conference, Purdue University · 2014
  • "iPads on Campus: Disruptive Innovation or Just Disruptive?"
    EDUCAUSE West/Southwest Regional Conference · 2013
  • "Language Learning Tools at UT Austin," Judge's Choice Award
    New Media Consortium Summer Conference · 2010
  • "Program Planning and Grant Writing for Instructional Technology Projects"
    Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Summer Faculty Workshop, UT Austin · 2007–2010

Storytelling, Arts & Inclusive Education

As Director of Arts Education for VSA Texas, Emily gave more than 40 workshops and conference presentations to more than 1,300 Pre-K–12 educators.

  • Panelist, Communication Career Forum
    Austin Community College · October 2019
  • "New Horizons in Inclusive, Arts-Based Education"
    Texas Commission on the Arts Connections Conference · 2006
  • Panelist, Arts Education Model Development
    Americans for the Arts National Conference · 2005
  • "Representation of Disability in Dramatic Literature"
    American Alliance for Theatre and Education · 2005
  • "Start With the Arts: Links to Literacy"
    Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts Summit · 2005
  • "Models of Positive Critical Response for Student Artists"
    VSA Arts Learning Conference, Washington, DC · 2004
  • "Choreography of Playwriting"
    Guest speaker, The University of Texas at Austin · 2001
  • "Playwriting from History and Current Events"
    Guest speaker, McNeese State University · 1998

Podcasts & Profiles

Book Emily to Speak

For keynotes, workshops, or panels, write to hello@emilyballcicchini.com.

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