the encourager keynote speaker & facilitator
some people inspire a room.
elise changes how the room sees itself.
Ph.D.-level expertise. Street-level honesty. Stories that move students from where they are to where they're capable of being. For colleges and universities ready to invest in bold, authentic student leadership.
elise michaux, ph.d.
elise michaux didn't plan to become "the encourager." But somewhere between an undergrad mentor handing her a bell hooks book and a decade of watching students discover what they were actually capable of — the title found her.
elise is a keynote speaker, facilitator, and educator whose work lives at the intersection of leadership, belonging, and the stories we tell ourselves about who gets to lead. She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership and an M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education — which is a fancy way of saying she has spent her career both studying and being in the room with students, institutions, and organizations trying to figure out how to do better.
She has delivered keynotes and workshops for colleges and universities including Penn State University, West Virginia University, and Slippery Rock University — where she served as commencement speaker for the 2022 graduate ceremony. She also leads trainings on implicit bias and organizational culture for corporations and community organizations.
Her approach is simple: no jargon, no performative inspiration. Just honest storytelling, rigorous research, and a genuine belief that the people in the room already have what they need — they just need someone to help them see it.
— e.
Photo by: Pittsburch Photgraphy
Student Keynotes
elise delivers storytelling-driven keynotes for colleges and universities that help students step into their leadership — boldly, authentically, and without shrinking.
Topics include: Leading with Meaning, Believe in Your Magic, Cultivating Grit & Resiliency, and The Work of Belonging.