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In addition to my work at TEPSA, I travel the globe presenting keynotes, workshops, coaching, and more. If you’d like for me to present at your conference, school/district, company, or training please submit the booking request form.
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Just a Few of Todd’s Many Available Topics
More Than Enough: Owning Your Value in a World That Makes You Question It
In a world where the demands are constant and the criticism can be loud, it’s easy for even the strongest leaders to begin questioning their worth. Over time, the pressure to do more, be more, and fix everything can quietly chip away at confidence and clarity.
This session is a powerful reminder that you are not lacking. You are not behind. You are more than enough.
In this engaging and deeply personal experience, participants will reconnect with their purpose, rediscover their strengths, and learn how to lead with confidence even in the face of doubt and external pressure. Through real stories, practical reflection, and actionable strategies, you will walk away with a renewed sense of self and a clear path forward.
Because the leader others need most is not someone else. It’s you.
Protect Your Spark: Sustainable Habits for a School Year You Can Actually Enjoy
Any school year is full of excitement, possibility…and pressure. Before students even walk through the doors, many educators are already carrying long to-do lists, high expectations, and the weight of wanting to get everything right.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
In this practical and encouraging session, educator, former principal, and leadership expert Todd Nesloney shares realistic strategies to help teachers and school leaders protect their energy, manage their workload, and build habits that lead to a successful year without sacrificing their wellbeing.
Rather than adding one more thing to your plate, you’ll leave with simple, sustainable practices that help you focus on what matters most, establish healthy boundaries, reduce overwhelm, and create routines that support both professional success and personal fulfillment.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher or school leader, you’ll walk away feeling encouraged, equipped, and ready to begin the year with purpose, confidence, and a plan you can actually sustain.
Unlocking the Leader Within
Imagine those exceptional leaders who’ve left a mark on your life. The ones who inspired you to reach further, aim higher, and strive harder. Ever wonder how they ascended to such influential heights? What strategies or principles did they follow to become sources of inspiration for many?
In this high energy session/keynote/workshop, Todd Nesloney will guide you through the revelation that leadership resides within us all. Leadership isn’t confined to our professional environments; it begins the moment we step through our front doors, influencing those around us with our actions and decisions.
This journey of discovery emphasizes that true leadership flourishes through personal growth. Regardless of where you find yourself in life, whether you’re navigating the early stages of your career or holding a position of influence, the foundation of impactful leadership is understanding yourself.
Participants Will Gain Insights On:
The Transformative Power of Feedback: Learn to welcome feedback as a tool for personal and professional growth, turning insights into action.
Cultivating Supportive Relationships: Discover the importance of building strong networks that offer support, guidance, and encouragement.
The Strength in Vulnerability: Embrace openness and vulnerability as essential qualities of a relatable and inspiring leader.
Inspiring Leadership Strategies: Acquire practical approaches to lead in a manner that motivates others to achieve their utmost potential.
Embark on a transformative journey with Todd Nesloney, and unlock the leader that resides within you, ready to make a meaningful impact in every aspect of your life.
Say What You Mean To Say (without Losing Your Job)
In every facet of life, be it in our careers, personal relationships, or the roles we assume, there comes an inevitable moment: the need to engage in difficult conversations. These moments can define and shape our interactions, yet we rarely receive formal guidance on how to handle them effectively.
In this engaging session/keynote/workshop, Todd Nesloney draws upon his wealth of experience to unveil a five-step strategy for navigating challenging dialogues with confidence and empathy, regardless of the setting. This workshop is designed to empower you with the skills needed to turn potentially tense exchanges into constructive encounters.
Key Learnings Include:
Strategic Preparation: Discover how to meticulously prepare and plan for your discussions to not only ensure your own readiness but also to pave the way for a positive outcome for everyone involved.
Understanding Your Role: Gain clarity on your position within the conversation, including establishing clear boundaries and responsibilities to foster a productive dialogue.
Growth Through Dialogue: Learn to view each challenging conversation as a unique opportunity for personal and mutual growth, transforming potentially negative experiences into positive developmental moments.
This is tailored for anyone who finds themselves either leading or participating in discussions that can feel daunting or overwhelming. With Todd’s guidance, you’ll learn that difficult conversations don’t necessarily have to be difficult. Armed with the right tools and mindset, you can approach these situations with confidence, turning them into opportunities for growth and understanding.
Culture Matters!
For Teachers, Schools, and District-Wide PD: Contributing to the campus culture is a collective effort, with each individual playing a vital role. Todd, with extensive experience as an educator (serving as both an instructional aide and classroom teacher) and as a campus principal, has witnessed the transformative power of empowering students and adults. This empowerment not only shapes the campus culture but also has a profound impact on their lives. In this session, Todd will share actionable strategies that you can implement immediately. These strategies are designed to have a positive impact on everyone involved, strengthen relationships, and, most importantly, enhance student outcomes.
For Administrators, Leadership, Business/Corporate: The heartbeat of any organization is its culture. The invisible yet palpable force that determines not just workplace satisfaction but also the efficiency and enthusiasm with which a team operates. It’s the difference between employees who count down the minutes until the end of the day and those who contribute with zeal, feeling a profound sense of belonging and appreciation.
But how do we cultivate such an enriching environment? How do we ensure that every team member feels genuinely valued, heard, and motivated to return each day with their best foot forward? The journey to inspiring and sustaining a vibrant workplace culture starts with us, the leaders and influencers at every level of an organization.
In this insightful session, Todd Nesloney will guide you through:
The Leader’s Influence: Unpack the critical role you play in molding and nurturing the cultural ethos of your workplace. Discover how your actions and attitudes set the tone for the entire organization.
The Art of Acknowledgment: Explore the transformative power of making team members feel seen, heard, and valued. Learn practical strategies for fostering an environment where every individual feels an integral part of the larger mission.
Actionable Strategies: Walk away with concrete, actionable steps that you can implement immediately to initiate a positive shift in your organizational culture. These are proven tactics that promise to make a noticeable difference from day one.
By the conclusion of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a workplace where culture is not just an afterthought but a driving force: leading to enhanced employee retention, stronger interpersonal connections, and a significant uplift in job satisfaction. Transform your organizational culture into one that not only attracts top talent but also nurtures and retains it, creating a legacy of excellence and innovation.
Hire, Train, Retain
Navigating the complexities of hiring, training, and retaining top talent is akin to an art form, crucial for the vibrancy and longevity of any organization. It’s about much more than filling positions; it’s about discovering individuals who will contribute to and thrive within your company culture, equipping them for success, and ensuring their continued growth and satisfaction.
Todd Nesloney, with his distinctive blend of humor and honesty, will delve into the nuanced strategies that make hiring, training, and retention not just operational tasks, but foundational elements of a thriving organization.
Session/Workshop/Keynote Highlights Include:
The Critical First Impression: Uncover the pivotal role of the job interview, from preparation to execution, ensuring that you not only identify but also attract the right fit for your team.
Beyond the Hire: Discover effective training methodologies and expectation-setting practices that empower new hires to excel from the outset, setting the stage for mutual success.
Longevity and Loyalty: Learn how to foster an environment that not only attracts top talent but also inspires them to stay, cultivating a sense of loyalty and a long-term commitment to your organization.
This is a must-attend for anyone looking to refine their approach to bringing in and keeping top talent. It’s about transforming your workforce strategy from a cycle of recruitment to a culture of retention, ensuring that you’re not just building a team but nurturing a community of highly engaged and motivated individuals. Remember, the strength of your organization lies in the people you choose to be a part of it—select wisely, nurture earnestly, and retain diligently.
Your Story Matters
Every person carries a story and that story has power. In this compelling and deeply personal keynote, award-winning educator, author, and speaker Todd Nesloney challenges audiences to consider the legacy they’re writing with their lives.
Todd weaves together moving pieces of his own journey to illuminate a powerful truth: who you are matters more than you think. How you invest in yourself, personally and professionally, shapes how you influence your team, your workplace, and your world.
Whether you’re navigating change, leading others, or simply trying to show up more fully, Todd offers practical strategies to help you break through fear, quiet self-doubt, and step into your influence. You’ll leave inspired and equipped to live your story boldly. Because when you do, you give others permission to do the same.
Because your story matters. And the world needs it.
Happiest Place on Earth: Culture the Disney Way
Have you ever experienced the wonder of Disney World or Disneyland? Been on a Disney Cruise? Felt moved to tears during a Disney/Pixar/Marvel movie? That’s how the places we work should feel too! Together we can create that kind of Disney experience that people remember decades from now.
The heartbeat of any organization is its culture—the invisible yet palpable force that determines not just workplace satisfaction but also the efficiency and enthusiasm with which a team operates. It’s the difference between employees who count down the minutes until the end of the day and those who contribute with zeal, feeling a profound sense of belonging and appreciation.
But how do we cultivate such an enriching environment? How do we ensure that every team member feels genuinely valued, heard, and motivated to return each day with their best foot forward? The journey to inspiring and sustaining a vibrant workplace culture starts with us, the leaders and influencers at every level of an organization.
In this insightful session, Todd Nesloney will guide you through:
The Leader’s Influence: Unpack the critical role you play in molding and nurturing the cultural ethos of your workplace. Discover how your actions and attitudes set the tone for the entire organization.
The Art of Acknowledgment: Explore the transformative power of making team members feel seen, heard, and valued. Learn practical strategies for fostering an environment where every individual feels an integral part of the larger mission.
Actionable Strategies: Walk away with concrete, actionable steps that you can implement immediately to initiate a positive shift in your organizational culture. These are proven tactics that promise to make a noticeable difference from day one.
By the conclusion of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a workplace where culture is not just an afterthought but a driving force—leading to enhanced employee retention, stronger interpersonal connections, and a significant uplift in job satisfaction. Transform your organizational culture into one that not only attracts top talent but also nurtures and retains it, creating a legacy of excellence and innovation. All it may take is a little Disney magic!
***this session is completely customizable to the needs of your organization
Thriving as a Parent
Parenting is one of the hardest, and most rewarding, jobs we’ll ever have. In today’s fast-paced world, it can be tough to know if we’re doing it right. In this engaging and practical session, caregivers will walk away with simple, real-life strategies to better connect with their children, support their learning journey, and set clear, loving expectations that help kids grow into confident, responsible individuals.
Whether your child is thriving or struggling, this session will equip you with tools to:
✔️ Build stronger daily connections that make your child feel seen and valued
✔️ Partner with your child’s teachers to support learning at home and school
✔️ Set boundaries and expectations that encourage responsibility and respect
Let’s walk this parenting journey together and help our kids thrive: academically, emotionally, and personally.
Kids Deserve It!
What if the biggest thing standing in the way of creating extraordinary experiences for students isn’t a lack of resources, time, or support, but our willingness to challenge the way things have always been done?
For too long, education has been filled with traditions, expectations, and unwritten rules that we rarely stop to question. We get comfortable with what’s familiar, overwhelmed by what’s expected, and sometimes forget that the most powerful changes begin when someone is brave enough to ask, “What if we tried something different?”
Based on his bestselling book Kids Deserve It!, educator, former principal, and author Todd Nesloney challenges teachers and school leaders to break free from the status quo, embrace creativity, and rediscover the power they have to make a difference. Through unforgettable stories, honest reflection, and practical strategies, Todd shares how small shifts in mindset, stronger relationships, and a willingness to take risks can transform classrooms, school culture, and the experiences we create for children.
From reimagining traditional practices and empowering student voice to building meaningful connections with families and creating a culture where every child feels seen and valued, participants will discover that meaningful change doesn’t always require more money, more programs, or more time. Sometimes it simply requires the courage to do things differently.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher or school leader, you’ll walk away inspired, challenged, and equipped with actionable ideas you can put into practice immediately.
Because our kids don’t deserve the way things have always been done. They deserve the very best we have to offer. And they deserve it now.
When Kids Lead
What if some of the most powerful leaders in our schools are the ones sitting in our classrooms?
Too often, we underestimate what students are capable of. We make decisions for them, plan experiences around them, and talk about preparing them to become leaders someday. But what if we stopped waiting for someday and started giving students opportunities to lead right now?
Based on his book When Kids Lead, educator, former principal, and bestselling author Todd Nesloney challenges educators to rethink the role students play in shaping their classrooms, schools, and communities. Through inspiring stories, real-world examples, and practical strategies, Todd shares how empowering student voice, choice, and ownership can transform school culture, build confidence, and create meaningful learning experiences.
From student ambassadors and social media interns to Morning Meetings, SPECIAL, and other creative leadership opportunities, participants will discover how to move beyond traditional student leadership roles and create authentic opportunities for EVERY child to contribute, influence, and make a difference.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher or school leader, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas, actionable strategies, and a renewed belief in what students can accomplish when we stop holding all the power and start sharing it.
Because students don’t have to wait until they’re adults to change the world. They can start today.
Be the Spark: Ignite the Love of Reading Campus Wide
When was the last time you saw a child’s face light up because they couldn’t wait to tell you about a book they were reading? Or watched a student who claimed to hate reading suddenly discover a story they couldn’t put down?
Somewhere between reading assessments, comprehension questions, required assignments, and the pressure to raise test scores, we’ve lost sight of something incredibly important: reading should be something students WANT to do, not just something they HAVE to do.
Based on his book Sparks in the Dark, educator, former principal, and bestselling author Todd Nesloney challenges educators to rethink how we inspire readers and create a culture where books are celebrated, stories are shared, and every child has the opportunity to discover the joy of reading.
Through powerful stories, creative ideas, and practical strategies, Todd shares ways to transform classrooms, libraries, and entire campuses into places where reading comes alive. From building excitement around books and giving students greater choice to modeling authentic reading lives and engaging families, participants will discover realistic ways to spark curiosity and cultivate lifelong readers without adding more to their already overflowing plates.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, librarian, or school leader, you’ll walk away with fresh inspiration and actionable ideas to help even your most reluctant readers discover that there really is a book out there for everyone.
Because our goal shouldn’t just be to teach children how to read. It should be to help them fall in love with reading.
Tech Tools with Todd
For Administrators: Everyone likes a good tech tool that will make their jobs easier, right? Todd knows a handful of tools that exists that can benefit any administrator who is looking to keep organized, get out of their office more, and save some time!
For Educators: Throughout his career, Todd has utilized technology to increase his teaching capacity. In this session, Todd shares some of his favorite tech tools and uses personal experiences and stories to show the true impact of having kids (and adults) create with technology, share their story, and collaborate.
Family Engagement
Recognizing the significance of engaging families and community members in school affairs is crucial. However, many times, we find ourselves unsure of how to initiate this involvement, and it becomes convenient to justify the lack of participation. In this session, Todd will dispel any excuses and provide you with practical ideas that can be implemented right away to actively engage all stakeholders.