I want to raise $1500 for public-speaking coaching for first-time speakers at PyGotham, the New York City Python conference. Will you chip in?

PyGotham has many first-time speakers this year. I think the conference can welcome a more diverse group of speakers and advance their careers if we offer professional coaching. Every $150 I raise will buy one speaker a session with speaking coach Melissa Collom. She’s a professional opera singer and she’s been a featured speaker at the Write/Speak/Code conference for women in tech, and Pivotal Labs' tech talk series. She is a national trainer for the New Leaders Council. She combines vocal techniques, cognitive science, and narrative principles to help speakers give persuasive talks. This year both PyOhio and PyGotham offer Melissa’s service to first-time speakers, following PyGotham’s successful program with her last year.

I’m a PyGotham conference organizer, but I’m launching this fundraiser independently of PyGotham. I believe that every speaker needs a coach, and I’ve personally benefitted from Melissa’s guidance in my tech talks at PyCon, PyGotham, and OSCON. Together, you and I can sponsor a coaching session with Melissa for each new speaker at PyGotham, and ensure they have the skill and confidence to give great talks.

Image: Sylvia Pankhurst advocating for women’s suffrage.