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Gather with other professional speakers at chapter events

Learn new skills. Get valuable feedback. Grow your business.

NSA Wisconsin events are focused on meeting the unique needs of starting, running and scaling a business as a professional speaker. Pick and choose educational sessions to attend. Or take advantage of the full support of the community as a Professional Member and get access to exclusive events designed to fit the needs of members. Either way, we hope you’ll join us as we gather in person and virtually to learn, share and create better businesses together.


When I came to my first meeting in Wisconsin, I met wonderful people who were really interested in my career, my journey, my path in terms of becoming a professional speaker. 

Eliz Greene, Professional Member since 2005

Educational Sessions

Those who have built successful speaking businesses share what they’ve learned to help you excel in the art and business of speaking. Open to Professional Members, Academy participants and non-members.

Community Sessions

Work together with other professional speakers through facilitated mastermind sessions to build better businesses for all. Exclusively for Established Members of NSA Wisconsin.

Learn About Membership

Speakers Lab

Try out new material or revisions to current material. Practice delivery techniques. And get valuable feedback from peers. Exclusively for Professional Members and Speakers Academy participants..

Learn more

Upcoming events

    • April 01, 2025
    • April 01, 2026
    Register

    Help Us Tell Our Story, and We'll Tell Yours
    Great stories have the transformative power to inspire, connect, and change lives. At the National Speakers Association - Wisconsin (NSA WI), we empower professional speakers to hone their craft and share impactful stories that make a profound difference.

    We invite you to be part of this inspiring mission. By sponsoring our annual events, "Last Story Standing" (in January) and "Breaking Through Live” (in May), you’ll help amplify the voices of professional speakers, and in return, we'll shine a spotlight on your story.

    As a sponsor, your organization will receive:

    • Prominent recognition during our events
    • Exposure on our website and event promotions
    • Connection with our engaged audience of professional speakers and attendees

    Your sponsorship demonstrates a commitment to the art of storytelling and professional development, elevating your visibility and impact.

    How to Become a Sponsor
    Join us in making these events extraordinary. Full details are available here. Register now or contact Eliz Greene with questions.

    Thank you for supporting the power of storytelling and helping us amplify voices that make a difference!

    • January 22, 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Madison Youth Arts, 1055 E Mifflin Street, Madison
    Register

    Fresh video. Updated headshots. Standout visuals without the premium price tag.

    If you speak professionally, or want to, your visuals matter. Whether you're pitching bureaus, refreshing your website, preparing a new speaker reel, or leveling up your social media presence, updated, high-quality images and video are essential tools for booking more business.

    This year's Video + Photography Sizzle Day gives NSA-WI members exactly that, professionally produced assets at an incredibly accessible rate, created by experts who understand the speaking industry.

    * * * * *

    Morning Sessions: Headshot & Brand Photography
    9:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Photographer: David Swenor

    Start your day with a 15-minute personal branding session designed to capture your confidence, your style, and the essence of your message.
    Each session includes:

    • A fast-paced, enjoyable photo experience in and around the stunning Youth Arts Center
    • A pre-event phone consultation to discuss your personal brand, style, editing preferences, and how you plan to use your images
    • A gallery of at least 7 fully edited, professional branding images (headshots and lifestyle shots)
    • Full usage rights to your photos for websites, speaking reels, marketing materials, and social media

    Whether you're new to speaking or updating a long-standing brand, these photos help you show up polished, credible, and ready for opportunity.

    * * * * *

    Afternoon Sessions: Video Sizzle & Stage Photography
    12:00 - 5:00 pm
    Videographer: Dan Lipman | Photographer: David Swenor

    Afternoon sessions offer a combined 10-minute on-stage video recording and concurrent stage photography, distinct from the branding focus of the morning sessions.

    Take the stage and deliver your strongest 3–5 minute story, opening, or signature content while two industry-savvy pros capture you at your best.

    Each video slot includes:

    • 10 minutes of professional on-stage videography with multiple camera angles and wireless audio
    • A 3–5 minute professionally edited video, fully cut between angles
    • ALL raw footage from multiple cameras
    • A minimum of 10 professionally edited stage photos, perfect for your website, speaker reel, and promotional materials
    • A gorgeous stage environment at MYArts Starlight Stage that elevates your visual presence

    Dan Lipman—trusted by speakers, bureaus, and conference planners—knows what makes a speaker look powerful on camera. David Swenor's photography brings energy, authenticity, and polish to every image.

    * * * * *

    Why Every Speaker Should Grab a Spot
    No matter your experience level, your visuals shape your brand. This is your chance to:

    • Refresh outdated headshots
    • Capture new footage that reflects your current expertise and energy.
    • Build a library of high-quality images for ongoing marketing.
    • Strengthen your speaker reel.
    • Present yourself with confidence to meeting planners, bureaus, and event organizers.

    And you'll do it at a fraction of the cost of booking private sessions, while working with industry professionals who understand precisely what speakers need.

    Spots Are Limited—And They Will Sell Out
    Session slots for photography and video are limited. Reserve yours before they're gone.

    Reserve your session today to guarantee your spot.
    Arrive ready*. Leave with powerful tools to advance your speaking business.

    *Yes, you are ready!  We see you, Academy Members, and those of you in the early stages of your professional speaking journey. This event IS for you. Put together 3-5 minutes of content. You can do it. It’s ok if you need to stop and start. We will help.

    Contact Eliz Greene for questions or support.

    • January 23, 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Madison Youth Arts, 1055 E Mifflin Street, Madison
    Register

    Enjoy an evening filled with unforgettable stories, quick thinking, and top-notch delivery. Last Story Standing 2026 features eight talented storytellers from the National Speakers Association Wisconsin Chapter. Each one has just five minutes to capture your attention, spark your imagination, and leave a lasting impression.

    This event is more than a competition. It’s your chance to see storytelling at its best.

    You’ll see speakers create meaning on the spot, mixing humor and emotion. They’ll turn personal stories into powerful lessons. As each competitor shares, you’ll get a close look at the techniques top speakers use. Notice how pacing, presence, and even one sentence can change the mood of the room.

    A panel of experienced speakers will judge each story based on:

    • Purpose: Does the story offer a clear insight or takeaway for your work or life? 
    • Impact: Does it entertain, teach, and connect? 
    • Delivery: How well does the storyteller engage the audience?

    For attendees, the real magic is in the experience. You’ll enjoy memorable moments, find inspiration, and pick up practical storytelling tips you can use right away. Expect to laugh, get drawn in, and maybe even feel moved.

    • You’ll leave not only entertained, but also ready with new strategies, story ideas, and examples to make your communication stronger right away.
    • You’ll also find genuine connections that help you engage more deeply with your own audiences.

    At the end of the night, one storyteller will move on to regionals for a chance at the National Championship, and everyone will leave inspired.

    Reserve your spot NOW for an evening that will entertain, inspire, and connect you with stories that matter.

    Schedule:
    5:30 pm: Doors open
    6:00 pm: Show Begins
    The event will include two intermissions to allow for judging and conclude with the announcement of the top three storytellers.

    • February 27, 2026
    • 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
    • Richard T. Anderson Education Center. C Building, 800 Main St, Pewaukee
    Register

    Amplify Your Impact: Mastering Authentic Engagement & Influence
    presented by Mike Domitrz, CSP, CPAE

    As a professional speaker, your message is powerful—but are you delivering it in a way that truly resonates with every audience and with all demographics in the room?

    In this high-energy, interactive session, we’ll explore proven strategies to elevate your authenticity, engagement, and impact on stage (and how to specifically prove that impact). You'll learn how to dive into real conversations with your audience that results in each speech being tailored in-the-moment; you'll unlearn "professional speaking must-do's" from the past; and discover the key to audience members committing to positive behavioral changes.

    Whether you’re a seasoned keynote speaker or building your brand, this session will give you tools to maximize your influence and leave audiences wanting more.

    3 Key Takeaways:

    • The Conversation Formula – Discover actionable "Audience-Driven Experience" techniques to foster deeper audience connection (not to just get your audience to agree with you), truly get into your audience's world, increase interaction, and create lasting impact.
    • Overcoming Audience Barriers – Uncover strategies to help your audiences get past their own personal barriers for not implementing what you are teaching from the stage.
    • The Proof – Learn how to help clients bring you back over and over again by proving the impact of your programs.

    And at least one person will get to jump into a "Seat of Opportunity" to put your new skills into action live in the room AND get immediate feedback.

    You may have seen Mike Domitrz, CSP, CPAE, quoted in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, or as a featured expert on the Dateline NBC Special “My Kid Would Never Do That.” In the summer of 2022, you have seen him walk across the stage at Influence as he was inducted into the Hall-of-Fame for NSA (the CPAE).

    For over 3 decades, Mike has been one of the most sought after speakers for addressing sexual consent, personal boundaries, and reducing sexual violence. In the corporate and association space, Mike is known for helping organizations lead with respect as the foundation to all they do.

    As the Founder of The Center for Respect, his clients are the US Military, Fortune 500 Corporations, and educational institutions, including some of the country's most prestigious schools.

    Mike is known for tackling difficult topics that can be polarizing - through audience-driven conversations that adapt in real-time and are not scripted. His presentation can change at any moment based on the discussion he is having with the audience - whether that audience is 10 people or 6,000. Mike’s ability to foster genuine dialogue and measurable change has led clients to bring him to speak for 20 consecutive years. In this session, he looks forward to holding nothing back with you!

    Agenda

    10:30-11:30 -- In-Meeting Speaker Lab (requires separate registration if you would like to speak)

    11:30-12:30 -- Networking, lunch, and announcements
    12:30-3:30
    -- Mike Domitrz: Amplify Your Impact
    3:30-4:00 -- Inside the Speaker Studio

    • February 27, 2026
    • 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Richard T. Anderson Education Center. C Building, 800 Main St, Pewaukee
    Register


    In-Meeting Lab
    Join us as a speaker and take advantage of the built-in audience at our chapter meeting

    One of the most valuable services offered by NSA-WI is the Speakers Development Lab. The Lab operates much like a Hollywood “Actors Studio” where speakers, facilitators, seminar leaders, those who sell products or services through public presentations, etc. can go to try out new material, revise current material, practice delivery techniques, etc. 

    Our goal for the Speakers Lab is to take speakers, facilitators, teacher/leaders at their current level of skill, impact, fee level, etc., and help them move up to the next level. Both those speaking, and observers benefit from the Lab, and the net effect is to increase the skills and impact of each participant.

    Click here or more information.

    If you would like to also attend the Chapter Meeting, register here.

    • March 21, 2026
    • 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
    • Upper Dells Education and Research Center, N194 County Rd N, Wisconsin Dells
    Register

    Growing Your Business When YOU are the Business (Cont'd)
    presented by Mark LeBlanc, CSP, CPAE

    What is the shortest path to your dream? Find out what you need to know and what you need to do – to fill your calendar with more of what you want. Would it surprise you to know your approach could be think like an artist and act like a business owner?

    Hall of Fame speaker Mark LeBlanc will bring a treasure chest of insights, ideas, and a strategy or two for you to choose from. Our aim is for you to create a new starting line in the direction of your dream and make the next twelve months the best year of your life and work.

    It will not be for the faint of heart. He will hold up a mirror to what you want and what you are willing to do in order to get more of what you want. With 43 years of experience, over two thousand presentations, seven books, and twenty thousand business coaching hours–you will hear what you might never hear from anyone else. His first book, Growing Your Business is an underground bestseller and over eight hundred orders of fifty copies or more, he published the enhanced (25th anniversary) edition of the book that put him on the map and effectively became the catalyst for his incredibly career.

    As a result of listening to Mark, people often share they are more focused, gain undeniable momentum, and have more impact and influence with the people they serve best. This is the experience you do not want to hear about from someone else. If you have heard Mark before, you know you are in for a treat.

    On a professional note, in 2025, Mark was inducted as a Legend of the speaking profession by the Veteran Speakers Network in Washington, D.C. On a personal note, this past Summer he went on a short, five-hundred-mile walk across Spain – for the fourth time! You can find out more about Mark at www.GrowingYourBusiness.com.

    Agenda

    10:30-11:30 -- In-Meeting Speaker Lab (requires separate registration if you would like to speak)

    11:30-12:30 -- Networking, lunch, and announcements
    12:30-3:30
    -- Mark LeBlanc: Growing Your Business When YOU are the Business (Cont'd)
    3:30-4:00 -- Inside the Speaker Studio

    • March 21, 2026
    • 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Upper Dells Education and Research Center, N194 County Rd N, Wisconsin Dells
    Register


    In-Meeting Lab
    Join us as a speaker and take advantage of the built-in audience at our chapter meeting

    One of the most valuable services offered by NSA-WI is the Speakers Development Lab. The Lab operates much like a Hollywood “Actors Studio” where speakers, facilitators, seminar leaders, those who sell products or services through public presentations, etc. can go to try out new material, revise current material, practice delivery techniques, etc. 

    Our goal for the Speakers Lab is to take speakers, facilitators, teacher/leaders at their current level of skill, impact, fee level, etc., and help them move up to the next level. Both those speaking, and observers benefit from the Lab, and the net effect is to increase the skills and impact of each participant.

    Click here or more information.

    If you would like to also attend the Chapter Meeting, register here.

    • April 21, 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    • Upper Dells Education and Research Center, N194 County Rd N, Wisconsin Dells

    Beyond the Stage: Planting Roots, Expanding Reach, and Growing Revenue
    presented by Deborah Biddle for Established Members only

    The speaking industry is evolving. Today’s most successful speakers don’t just deliver keynotes—they create integrated businesses that blend thought leadership, consulting, training, and long-term client relationships. But how can you grow that kind of business when life changes your location, the market shifts, or your clients are scattered across the Midwest and beyond?

    Deborah Biddle, The People Culture Architect™, leads The People Company Consulting Group. She is a certified diversity practitioner, consultant, and speaker, who offers a personalized approach to helping her clients feel empowered, seen, and heard. With tailored workshops and consulting sessions, she is committed to helping organizations maximize belonging, productivity, and performance. 

    In this engaging and practical session, Deborah shares her real story of moving during the pandemic while maintaining and growing a successful dual business in speaking and consulting. From staying connected with Wisconsin clients to expanding into new markets in Illinois and across the region, she highlights what it takes to stay visible, credible, and connected—no matter where you are.

    This program provides speakers with a roadmap to turn their expertise into a flexible, scalable business that extends beyond their ZIP code. If you’re ready to expand your influence, diversify your income, and build a practice that gains recognition—not just locally but regionally and nationally—this session is for you.

    KEY TAKEAWAYS
    Participants will learn how to: 

    • Develop a business model that combines paid speaking engagements with consulting, training, and advisory services. 
    • Maintain and expand a geographically diverse client portfolio, even after relocating. 
    • Create design systems that enable a mobile, multi-state practice while maintaining client connection. 
    • Boost visibility and trust in major Midwest markets and prepare for nationwide expansion.
    • Transition from transactional speaking to becoming a strategic partner clients depend on year after year. 
    • Create a specific regional expansion plan based on your expertise and goals. 

    WHO SHOULD ATTEND
    Established Members who are professional speakers, consultants, trainers, coaches, and aspiring thought leaders aiming to increase revenue, deepen influence, and develop a sustainable business across regions.

    • May 14, 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
    • Madison Location TBA
    Register

    Boosting Voice Health for Speakers
    presented by Brienne Hennesy

    Voice is an integral asset as a speaker, yet most don’t know ways to keep it healthy and vibrant long-term. Brienne Hennessy, M.A., will provide evidence and experience-based voice health and wellness strategies, plus playful exercises so that NSA-WI members learn key concepts about protecting their voice function, reducing strain, and tuning into embodied presence so their sound resonates with more speaking prowess -- all of which benefits their communication and  livelihood. The intention is to bring high-value interactivity with tangible takeaways for all attendees.

    Brienne Hennessy (she/her), founder of Your Vocal Vitality, LLC, is a highly-sought after voice activator, intuitive listener, speaker, and author. For 17 years, she has specialized in voice and how it connects to our well-being and self-worth. Brienne has expertly guided executives, entrepreneurs, and speakers to communicate with more assertiveness, speak without fatigue or strain, and listen to their intuitive voice to show up as their truest selves. 

    Brienne is also a former speech-voice pathologist with 14 years of clinical experience and 60+ public speaking appearances. Her clients have succeeded in protecting against hoarseness and voice loss while improving clarity, stamina, and ease. All while elevating communication confidence, which has resulted in more captivating presence and profit for their businesses!

    You’ll often find Brienne incorporating water into her day, whether hydrating, lounging at the lake, or blowing bubbles to warm-up her voice!

    Agenda

    10:00-11:30 -- In-Meeting Speaker Lab (requires separate registration if you would like to speak)

    11:30-Noon -- Networking

    Noon-1:00 -- Lunch

    1:00-3:30 -- Brienne HennesyBoosting Voice Health for Speakers
    3:30-4:00 -- Inside the Speaker Studio

    • May 14, 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Madison location TBA
    Register


    In-Meeting Lab
    Join us as a speaker and take advantage of the built-in audience at our chapter meeting

    One of the most valuable services offered by NSA-WI is the Speakers Development Lab. The Lab operates much like a Hollywood “Actors Studio” where speakers, facilitators, seminar leaders, those who sell products or services through public presentations, etc. can go to try out new material, revise current material, practice delivery techniques, etc. 

    Our goal for the Speakers Lab is to take speakers, facilitators, teacher/leaders at their current level of skill, impact, fee level, etc., and help them move up to the next level. Both those speaking, and observers benefit from the Lab, and the net effect is to increase the skills and impact of each participant.

    Click here or more information.

    If you would like to also attend the Chapter Meeting, register here.

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