CAMPUSPEAK

A multifaceted speaker that has been encouraging college students to excel in leadership, diversity, wellness and success for years.

Today, she speaks to students and professionals across the country on leadership, diversity, wellness and personal success. Pulling from her experiences as a campus professional, college coach, athlete and musician, Elaine weaves discussion, stories, audience participation and music into her keynotes to inspire all who hear her speak.

• Keynotes

• The Heart of Leadership
• Build Up Your Leadership: Tools for Successful Student Leaders
• Finding Common Ground and Embracing Differences: Building an Inclusive Campus Community
• The Journey to Success – For New Students
• Don’t Run on Empty: Taking Care of Your Physical and Emotional Health in College
• Create Your Fate

The Heart of Leadership

Leadership goes far beyond positions of power and the authority to make decisions. It is more than being the president of a club or the captain of a team. It is a journey that begins inside the leader with “characteristics of the heart.” You hear people say all the time, “Put your heart into it.” This is because the heart is the center of our inspiration. It is where our passion and enthusiasm meet our actions.

In this program, Elaine focuses on five powerful characteristics and actions of the heart that are vital to being a successful student leader. Through story telling, discussion, audience interaction and music, Elaine explores the importance of leading the way, inspiring others, creating a vision, believing in yourself, and serving others. Great leaders focus on what is possible and are an inspiration to those around them. This can only happen when you lead from the heart! This program is great for both seasoned and emerging leaders.

Build Up Your Leadership: Tools for Successful Student Leaders

When students learn how to tap into their own best strengths, they can be powerful motivators to others around them and in their student organizations. “Leading with your strengths” and encouraging others to do the same can bring people together around a common purpose and move a group’s goals into action. In this energizing and informative keynote or workshop, Elaine helps student leaders tap into those strengths so that they can inspire and empower others to succeed. Elaine challenges the students to envision the kind of leader they want to be and the legacy they want to leave. Then, she explores ways to inspire a shared vision. She addresses topics including communication, teamwork and organization. This is a great choice for emerging or advanced leadership workshops, student athletes, club and organization officer training, residence life staff development, orientation leaders and more.

Finding Common Ground and Embracing Differences: Building an Inclusive Campus Community

When it comes to campus diversity training, sometimes we need an open and honest place to start. In this interactive keynote, Elaine challenges students to step up, identify and eliminate stereotypes of all kinds in their campus community. Your students will see how stereotypes create walls and limit their experiences and relationships. They will be challenged to build “intentionally inclusive” communities by being aware of the diversity issues that still exist on their campus and in the world, treating others with respect, and moving beyond differences like race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status and ability. This is a great choice for programs where you want a blend of messages surrounding diversity and community building. Elaine frequently adapts this program for orientation, leadership conferences, diversity programs, and even staff training opportunities. Bring this program in for your students in the evening and your staff the following morning.

The Journey to Success – For New Students

In this fun and empowering program, Elaine reveals the steps to being a successful and happy college student. Combining discussion, stories, activities, music, and humor, Elaine lays out a Six-Step Success Formula for first year students, including: setting priorities, making wise choices, having a positive attitude, stepping out of your comfort zone, managing stress and civic engagement. Elaine also includes her unique spin of American Idol as students explore risk taking and self-empowerment. If you want something exciting and meaningful for your new students, this is the keynote for you! 

Don’t Run on Empty: Taking Care of Your Physical and Emotional Health in College

College can be exhilarating, exciting and full of amazing experiences. But, it can also be overwhelming and exhausting at times. When the exams bear down, the social obligations pile up and the money gets tight, many college students become stressed and burnt-out. In this upbeat interactive program, Elaine inspires students to nurture their bodies, minds and spirits. She provides “easy to digest” information about diet and nutrition, and her audiences learn affordable ways to eat healthy and increase energy. Students also explore various exercise and stretching techniques, and even participate in simple, but fun “Zoomba” steps. 

Armed with these simple stress-releasing ideas, students are better prepared to deal with the most stressful moments of their academic year. Elaine addresses the importance of managing stress. Leading the students through breathing and relaxation exercises, Elaine helps students discover how to become centered during even the most chaotic days. Armed with these simple stress-releasing ideas, students are better prepared to deal with the most stressful moments of their academic year.  Finally, Elaine shares ways to remain passionate and positive about life. This program is a great one for health and wellness weeks, new student orientation, student leadership conferences, peer education and residence life training and more. Many of the activities can be simply taught to others, so the benefits for your campus are exponential.

Create Your Fate

In this inspiring keynote, Elaine helps students create a vision and a plan for their success, develop a positive mindset, overcome fear, become powerful communicators, be fully committed and build supportive and cohesive teams. Elaine shows students that by doing this, they are better able to achieve their goals, make their mark on campus, and prepare for their future. Ultimately, Elaine helps students see that “there is no fate, but what we create.” This program is great for student athletes, professional students, RA’s, and more.

Elaine's Bio

Elaine is a nationally recognized speaker, trainer and performer who has inspired countless people with her dynamic and motivating keynotes. She has also held numerous university positions, including director of special projects, chief fundraiser and executive producer of five award-winning television documentaries, director of campus recreation and assistant volleyball coach.

Elaine received her bachelor’s degree from Greensboro College and her master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. While at Greensboro, she received numerous athletic honors. In recognition of her achievements in basketball, her jersey was retired. She was inducted into the Greensboro College Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Growing up in a musical family, Elaine has been singing professionally for most of her life. She has performed in nightclubs, theaters, college campuses and on radio and TV.

Elaine began speaking to college audiences in 1996. Her highly interactive style and use of music enables her to reach people in profound ways. Those who experience Elaine’s keynotes leave feeling motivated, informed and inspired.