Class Details

What is the course overview?
This course is designed to give you the confidence you need to “stand up and deliver” effectively during public meetings. During public meetings EPA staffers often must present complex issues and complicated information to their many stakeholders, including community residents. How you present this information can make a big difference in how your project, issue and the EPA in general are perceived by your audiences.

Who should take this course?
This course is recommended for EPA staffers who are required to present information to his or her stakeholders, and especially those who engage in public meeting preparations. There are no suggested prerequisites.

What are the course learning objectives?
Participants who complete this course will gain skills on how to:

• Plan and organize an effective presentation;
• Understand the rules of audience engagement;
• Deal with difficult participants and situations; and
• Develop a credible presentation presence.

What are the logistics?
This one-day interactive course features videotaped examples of effective and ineffective presentations, and one-on-one exercises to enhance each participant’s confidence as a public speaker. Participants work in groups to prepare an effective presentation that they deliver in an on-camera session. Each presentation is discussed and critiqued by course trainers and fellow participants, followed by an on-camera “re-take” of each presentation. Recommended course size is 15-18 participants.

Pamela Avery and Dominic Frederico teach this course. Ms. Avery has been providing EPA spokesperson training for more than 15 years. A skilled presenter, she has developed effective presentations for numerous nonprofit and corporate clients. As a neutral facilitator for the EPA, she recognizes the need for understandable, effective public meeting presentations. Emmy-award winning TV photojournalist, Mr. Federico has been helping EPA and other agencies with their spokesperson skills for the past 10 years.

Is there available background material?
Participants receive the following:

• EPA Presentation Review Guide
• DVD of their on-camera interviews