Ever thought about sharing your ideas on a small or big "stage"—whether inside your company or out in the tech community at conferences, user groups, STEM organizations, nonprofits, or other events? This panel session is your launchpad! Join us for an engaging, interactive discussion designed to help you take that first step toward becoming a confident, impactful speaker!
What You’ll Learn:
- Speaking Starts: How our panelists got started public speaking
- Speaking Opportunities: Practical tips for identifying internal opportunities and finding external gigs.
- Choosing Engaging Topics: Strategies for selecting topics that resonate with your audience.
- Overcoming Anxiety & Imposter Syndrome: Proven techniques to calm nerves and boost confidence.
- Benefits of Public Speaking: It’s more than just talking—it’s about networking and building lasting connections, professional growth, gaining free access to conferences, and enjoying the intrinsic rewards of inspiring and educating others.
- Audience Engagement Tips: Best practices for organizing content and keeping listeners hooked.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just curious, you’ll leave with actionable advice, fresh ideas, and the confidence to share your voice. Don’t miss this chance to turn “someday” into today!
Jim Meulendyke is Apex Systems’ Snowflake Alliance Director, partnering with data leaders and user communities from his home base in Milwaukee. He has spoken at Snowflake user groups, PMI chapter events, and other professional events, as well as spoken to ~100 attendees at his church, and even emceed multiple office holiday gatherings. On stage, his mantra is “preparation is separation,” reinforced by clear staple transitions, relatable analogies, and audience‑first delivery.
Melissa Manion is a Solutions Director within our Enterprise Transformation capability at Apex Systems, guiding clients through portfolio strategy, PMO design, organizational effectiveness, and AI‑enabled modernization. Her public‑speaking experience spans keynote stages and executive workshops: she delivered the Milwaukee PMI Chapter Professional Development Day keynote and contributed to Forrester Technology & Innovation sessions on M&A strategy, technical debt, and organizational change. Melissa is known for an authentic, audience‑first style—often stepping off the podium to make sessions conversational—and for centering every talk on actionable “so what” takeaways. She champions the mindset, “Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good,” encouraging new speakers to prioritize value over perfection and to trust thoughtful preparation.
Erica Woods is the Director of Talent Experience and Social Impact at Apex Systems, where she drives talent focused CSAT programs and philanthropy initiatives while championing talent development and community engagement. Her public speaking journey began with recruiter training sessions and co-presenting at a SQL Server User Group in Baltimore, and has since expanded to conferences and community events such as PMI Professional Development Days, IIBA PDD, Code Camps, DevOps Days, and BSides. Erica blends practical advice with personal stories to make sessions relatable and actionable. Her goal—“I always want the audience to walk away with two nuggets of advice”—reflects her commitment to delivering value.