FRESH Speakers Academy is a digital training program on the art and business of thought leadership.

About the Academy

Being able to skillfully share your story and work is one of the most powerful ways you can support the issues you lead and champion. And what we’ve seen over the course of history is that the most impactful leaders are highly effective communicators, whether they’re on a stage, in the op-ed pages, or in a meeting with potential collaborators. The Academy is about giving you all the tools and knowledge we can to make you effective in all of these contexts with all kinds of audiences.

FRESH Speakers Academy is a 4-month long training program that follows the arc of developing a successful public speaking and thought leadership practice.

Previous participants tout the program as a “fantastic opportunity,” and that it “changed the game” for their public leadership, with many landing op-eds in big publications, securing TED talks, and doubling their speaking fees.

Our institutional partners include the Skoll Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, MASS Design Group, and nearly a dozen others, who have provided the Academy experience to the grantees and fellows they support. 

What you get in your membership

The program includes three core components:

ONLINE COURSES – You will have access to twenty 20-30 minute courses, taught by some of the most impactful leaders in the world.  Think about it as a Masterclass on thought leadership, where members create a toolbox of assets they can utilize

over and over again — including a short TED-style talk, a soulful elevator pitch, a plan to leverage your public speaking for fundraising, and much more.

PERSONALIZED COACHING – You’ll receive coaching from one of the nation’s best experts along the way, providing direct feedback onyour assets and helping you keep track of your goals.

ACCESS TO SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES – Upon graduation, you’ll received a certificate of completion “FRESH-certified” badge for your network. Our Academy Pro members will also be inducted into The FRESH Directory, a catalog of public speakers that channels members directly into the inboxes of event and media curators.

Other perks include becoming part of our powerful community of changemakers, peer coaching sessions, monthly conversation series, and more.