Emily is pictured with shoulder-length blonde hair smiling and showing her teeth. She is wearing a sleeveless animal print top against a solid blue background.
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BOOK EMILY

Confidence that empowers. Cultures that thrive.

Emily brings her lived experience and storytelling to life as a speaker, facilitator, and thought leadership partner. In organizations, she helps employees spark confidence, strengthen self-advocacy, and build more inclusive cultures.

Emily also collaborates with People, Marketing, and Communications teams on fireside chats, filmed conversations, and storytelling initiatives that elevate authentic internal and external narratives around disability, identity, and belonging.

In schools, she engages students through assemblies and small-group book discussions that highlight self-worth, resilience, and advocacy.

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VIEW EMILY'S Speaking Overview

Programs That Spark Confidence, Strengthen Culture, and Shape Meaningful Organizational Narratives

Confidence at work is rare. According to 2025 data from Integral, only 25% of disabled employees and 35% of non-disabled employees reported feeling confident on a typical workday.

Through storytelling, lived experience, and facilitated conversation, Emily helps individuals build confidence and equips organizations to foster inclusive cultures while also elevating authentic narratives that resonate across employees, leadership, and broader audiences.

Speaking Topics for Organizations

Emily is in a black dress speaking to a seated audience in a conference room, with a presentation slide titled 'Meet Emily!' projected on the wall behind her.

Resourcing Yourself to Self-Advocate: Building Confidence from the Inside Out

A keynote with practical tools and mindsets to help employees identify their needs, navigate complex systems, and advocate confidently in and out of the workplace.

Two people sitting in chairs on a stage with a large screen behind them. Emily is smiling and talking to a man who is also seated. The screen behind them has a picture of Emily and the text "author and speaker".

Building Empathy & Allyship in Disability Inclusion

An interactive workshop on moving beyond awareness to action—equipping employees to recognize bias, practice allyship, and contribute to cultures where everyone thrives.

Emily sitting at a desk, smiling and looking at a computer screen, in a bright room with bamboo blinds, a vase of flowers, and various office supplies.

An Unscripted Fireside Chat on Confidence & Courage

A candid, interactive conversation where Emily shares personal stories and engages audiences in real time, sparking meaningful dialogue on resilience, authenticity, and growth.

Emily is holding a microphone standing on a stage with a large screen behind her. The screen displays a colorful graphic and text that says 'Special Guest Emily Goodson.'

SCHOOL-SPECIFIC TOPIC

A Conversation on Confidence and Finding Your Voice

A relatable and empowering program for students on developing self-confidence, embracing differences, and learning to speak up for themselves and others.

Past Engagements

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Accessibility Conference

Emily’s opening keynote from the 2021 ACT event

Reconciling My Voice

Emily’s closing remarks from the Page Society Spring Seminar in April 2023

Expander Moments

Emily spoke at a corporate leadership offsite in May 2021

Language & Disability

A clip from one of Emily’s corporate training sessions

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Thought Leadership

Two women smiling and toasting with iced coffee drinks at a cafe.

CULTURE AMP

Workplace Culture Leader

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SOULCYCLE

Soul Stories Interview

Emily has wavy brown hair, is smiling and holding a large clear crystal award inside a cafe near a window with city buildings outside.

NAWBO SAN DIEGO

Entrepreneur Award

A woman sitting on a chair in a room being filmed for a video interview or production. She is wearing a gray jacket and shorts, with her legs crossed, and is surrounded by professional filming equipment including cameras, lighting, and sound gear. The room has hardwood floors, large windows with blinds, and minimal furniture.

CULTURE CONVERSATIONS

Podcast: Breaking Barriers

Event poster for an IPA presentation titled 'Disability and Intimacy: How Media Shapes Our Understanding,' taught by Emily Goodson on Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 9 am to 10:30 am PT, featuring an abstract image of a person in black clothing holding a bouquet of white flowers.

COURSE REPLAY

Disability & Intimacy

DOWNLOAD EMILY'S INCLUSIVE PRACTICES TOOLKIT

  • “Emily is able to take an idea and really form it into a truly captivating speaker session. I came to her looking for a guest speaker to bring an external voice and relate it to our company's unique values; she not only brought together an even more enticing idea, but brought forth a perfectly organized mini-event complete with depth, multiple takeaways, thoughtful data, and ultimately delighted the audience. I was extremely impressed with her organization and how all the very thoughtful communication pieces came together in a matter of days. She's a clear, thorough, and captivating storyteller able to bring a vague idea to light. I can't wait to work with her again.”

    GRACE HUIBERTS

  • “Bringing Emily to your organization is less like holding a workshop and more like entering another dimension where you are exposed to stories you might not have considered. No one's ever entered another dimension and come back unchanged.”

    MOLLY LAFLESH


  • “Emily led a workshop at our company. Her empathetic and candid approach transformed a challenging subject into an engaging and enjoyable experience. The facilitated workshop was both relatable and interactive, effectively conveying the key message and enabling attendees to take away valuable insights for both their professional and personal growth. I would absolutely work with Emily in the future!”

    SASHA LEE JONNALAGADDA

  • “Emily gave a keynote for our leadership team at an annual retreat. The attendees gained increased empathy and understanding for what it is like to go through life with a physical disability, which will help them better interact with our diverse population of employees. In addition, Emily motivated the team to reframe their past setbacks in a way that will set them up for better success moving forward.” 

    MARY KELLY

  • “Bringing Emily to speak at my training produced the highest feedback ratings I’ve seen. With grace and poise, Emily used her lived experiences to introduce concepts of disability that set the foundation for a broad and deep discussion. It’s a challenging time for practitioners to build workplace culture; having Emily as a resource has been critical for affirming the identities and experiences of my teams.”

    STEVEN HUANG

  • “Emily took time and care in sharing her story with our students. She empowered them to reflect on the challenges they face each day and encouraged them to work through those challenges with self-confidence and a willingness to take risks. She emphasized the importance of being kind to yourself and to those around you.”

    MARIA RICHA

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