Have you ever felt unheard, even when you had something important to say?

I know that feeling well.

As a young adult cancer survivor, I often felt like no one understood what I was going through. Not because people didn’t care, but I realized I wasn’t speaking up. I was living in the messy middle of something I didn’t yet understand myself, and I believed I had to have it all figured out before I could talk about it.

So I stayed quiet.

Everything changed when I stopped waiting for the “perfect” version of my story and started sharing my perspective as it was. In doing so, I didn’t just find my voice—I built a community of people who made me feel heard, understood, and connected.

That experience shaped the work I do today.

As a public speaking and interpersonal communications professor, I’ve spent years teaching people how to use storytelling as a tool to communicate more clearly, confidently, and authentically. And four years after my most recent cancer diagnosis, I’ve seen firsthand how sharing my story has helped expand access to healthcare in my state, proving that when we use our voices, we don’t just connect, we can create change.

Today, I help individuals and organizations use storytelling to share their perspective, strengthen their confidence, and build deeper, more meaningful connections at work and in life.

When we learn how to communicate our stories effectively, we don’t just feel more confident in who we are, we help others feel seen and understood, too.