Trained at The Second City. Hired by boards, associations, and HR teams.
Nobody gets what they don't ask for.
Leila Kubesch is a keynote speaker on communication, collaboration, and the cost of silence. She trained in improv and comedy at The Second City and The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago, and she brings that room to yours: people laugh, then they practice the ask they have been avoiding.
National Speakers Association Member | TEDx Speaker | National Teachers Hall of Fame Inductee | Spoke in all 50 states and 3 countries
At a glance
Formats
Keynote, breakout, workshop, retreat, virtual
Audience size
Intimate groups to large conferences
Session lengths
30 minutes to a full day
Travels from
Cincinnati, Ohio
Track record
Spoke in all 50 states and 3 countries
Also available
Full conference photography
Feedback
Talkadot report given to the host organization
Typical lead time
Booking 6 to 18 months out
Where Leila has spoken
Who books Leila
Five kinds of rooms hire Leila again and again. Each has a keynote written for the people in it.
Corporate and HR
Teams do their best work when people ask for what they need. Managers and HR leaders often hear about problems too late. Leila gives teams the words to ask early for resources, feedback, and help.
Associations
Members stay when someone asks them in. Volunteer boards run thin and new members wait to be invited. Leila gives your leaders the words to bring people into the work.
Nonprofit and Government
Every partnership and volunteer starts with an ask. Boards, staff, and public servants do more with less. A practical way to ask for partners, resources, and help.
Healthcare
Care teams ask for support too. People who look after others carry a lot in silence. A keynote that gets teammates asking for help and offering it.
Education
Schools grow stronger when staff and families ask each other in. Educators carry heavy loads in silence. Leila gives staff the words to ask for partners, support, and help.
Why organizations work with Leila
The Problem
Teams are stretched, stressed, and quietly carrying too much. Communication breaks down. Responsibility concentrates on a few people. Capable people burn out because no one taught them how to ask for what they need.
The Shift
Asking is the force that moves organizations forward. Leila has studied why capable people hesitate, across aviation, zero budget programs, and systems where silence carries real consequences.
The Outcome
Teams that communicate with clarity, collaborate without asking permission, and build cultures where people step in with confidence.
Three ways to work with Leila
Tap a card to see what each one includes.
Keynotes
Keynotes
Workshops
Workshops
Photography
Conference Photography
Keynote plus breakout: one speaker, two sessions
Open with The Art of the Ask keynote. Follow it with a breakout that goes deeper on making the ask through social media, voice and visibility, and storytelling online. Attendees hear the idea in the main room and practice it the same day. Your team plans one speaker, one contract, and one travel booking.
What your team gets before, during, and after
Before
- A planning call so Leila learns your audience and goals
- Stories and examples customized to your event
- A written introduction matched to the talk
During
- An interactive keynote where people practice a real ask
- Candid conference photography when included in your booking
- Audience feedback collected through Talkadot
After
- The Talkadot feedback report shared with your organization
- An edited photo gallery when photography is included
- A written check in 30 days later
Applied improv, in the room. Trained at The Second City and The Annoyance Theatre.
Recognized for Impact
- National Teachers Hall of Fame inductee
- Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence
- National Toyota Family Teacher of the Year
- Ohio Teacher of the Year
- NEA Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award
- TEDxCincinnati Audience Choice Award
- Christa McAuliffe Fellowship
- Fulbright Scholar
- National Board Certified Teacher
What audiences say
Leila is a powerhouse of talent and generosity. She made an immediate impact on our group with her kind nature and mesmerizing speeches. Beyond her communication skills, Leila is a gifted professional photographer with a servant’s heart.
Brandon Kinworthy, APRN
Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner
Leila is an outstanding photographer. She took photos of my talk at the Global Speakers Summit that outdid the work of the professionals who were hired to cover the event. I am using hers rather than theirs as my promotional material.
Michael Brian Lee
Organizational Transformation Consultant, 2x TEDx Speaker
Best presentation of the day!
Julie King
WIDA Conference
Leila is a true icon in education: passionate, humble, funny, and deeply committed to empowering others. Her wisdom and encouragement left a lasting impression and reminded me why I love being part of this field.
Moses Lian
TESOL Educator, KYTESOL Conference Attendee
The book
Tech-No to Tech-Pro
A Practical Guide to Digital Visibility Without Losing Your Humanity.
An Amazon number one new release. Leila spent a year with one LinkedIn follower, then turned the platform into a research project and grew it to a community of 24,000+. The book is what she learned: a simple, repeatable way to show up online, reach the right people, and keep your voice human while you do it. It is also the foundation of her workshop The Wrong Eyes Don’t Buy or Buy Into!
