public speaking

Delivering engaging presentations to inform, persuade and inspire global audiences and drive cultural and social impact. Notable examples include a global keynote during the COVID-19 pandemic for the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Viewpoints lecture series at the University of Texas, Austin, multiple addresses at Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, New York University and Istanbul Contemporary Art Fair. I also developed a sought after public speaking program for Brown University’s summer school including a Creative Entrepreneurship program in collaboration with Berklee College of Music.

Signature topics:

• Executive Narrative in the Age of AI

• Culture as a Growth Lever in Global Markets

• Modernization Without Losing Identity

• Creative Entrepreneurship & Institutional Strategy

• Cross-Cultural Leadership in Complex Systems

Lectures given by invitation (selected)

2026        American Society of Interior Designers Pennsylvania West | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

                                   Invited Speaker: The Art of Maximalization  | 12 Feb

2025        Virginia Commonwealth University, Masterclass Discussion Series | Richmond, Virginia

                                   Invited Speaker: Media & Creative Entrepreneurship  | 13 June

2024        Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cultural Management Programme | Hong Kong

                                   Invited Speaker: Creative Entrepreneurship and Communication in Cultural Leadership  | 30 Oct

        International Platform of Research in Performing Arts and Cultural Management | Sibiu, Romania

                                   Invited Panelist: Visual Theatricality / Performative Visuality | 21-22 June

2023        VCUarts Qatar | Doha, Qatar

                                   Invited Speaker: Strategies & Visions for Arts & Gallery Development  | 17 May

2021        Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cultural Management Programme | Hong Kong

                                   Invited Speaker: On Fatigue and Recovery  | Oct

        The Duquesne Club | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

                                   Invited Speaker: Daring Dreams & Audacious Art: Making Art Happen at the Mattress Factory  | July

        Mattress Factory Museum of Contemporary Art | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

                                   Invited Speaker: Making Art Happen  | June

        K11 Concepts Ltd | Hong Kong

                                   Invited Speaker: Storytelling and Narrative Strategy  | April

2020        Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cultural Management Programme | Hong Kong

                                   Invited Speaker: “Do this instead: Curating as practice”  | 24 May

                  Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Arts Public Lecture | Hong Kong

                                   Keynote: “On Fatigue and Recovery”  | 16 May

2019        Chinese University of Hong Kong, Community Arts Forum | Hong Kong

                                   Keynote: “Strangelove Or, How I learned to stop worrying and love art  | 2 Nov

2018        University of Texas, Austin | Austin, Texas

                                   Viewpoints Guest Lecture Series | Feb – Apr 2018

                  Chinese University of Hong Kong, Community Arts Forum | Hong Kong SAR, China

                                   Keynote: “Community Arts”  | 18 Mar

2017        Brown University, Public Humanities | Providence, Rhode Island

                                   “What do curators know?” | 7 Dec

                  Ormston House Gallery | Limerick, Ireland

                                   “Sustainability Models for Urban Artist Housing” | 4 Sept

2016        University of the Arts, Helsinki, Exhibition Laboratory | Helsinki, Finland

                                    Keynote: “The Art of the Past: Before and after Archaeology” | 14 Dec

                  Rhode Island School of Design, Glass Department | Providence, Rhode Island

                                   “Political Ecology and Socially Engaged Practice” | 24 Feb

                  Williams College, Museum of Art | Williamstown, Massachusetts

                                   “Contemporary Curating” with Denise Markonish | 10 Feb

2015        Firestation Artists’ Studios | Dublin, Ireland

                                   “Political Ecology and Socially Engaged Practice” |  11 Nov

                  Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cultural Management | Hong Kong SAR, China

                                   “New Thoughts on Community Arts” | 30 Apr

2014        Contemporary Istanbul | Istanbul, Turkey                                       

                                   “Curating Tomorrow,” Panel Discussant  | 13 Nov

                  Brown University, Department of Visual Arts | Providence, Rhode Island          

                                   “Approaches to studio visits” | 6 Oct                

                  Artpace | San Antonio, Texas             

                                    “Political ecology & socially engaged art” | 21 July       

                  Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto | Biella, Italy                      

                                   “The Educational Turn in Contemporary Art” | 12 July

                  New York University, Radical Archives Conference | New York, New York          

                                   “An Innocent City: Archiving Everyday Istanbul” | 12 Apr               

2013        Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts | Guangzhou, China

                                   “Designing Heritages: Creativity & Preservation”  | 18 Dec

                  Koç University, Inter-Asian Connections IV | Istanbul, Turkey                

                                   “Contemporary Art and the Inter-Asian Imaginary,” Panelist | 2 – 5 Oct

2012        Brown University, Public Humanities | Providence, Rhode Island         

                                   “The Future of Museums and the Public Humanities” | 24 Oct