CHICAGO CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER & COMMUNICATIONS EXPERT

The keynote that becomes the best part of your conference.

Partner with a speaker who brings the quick wit of improv and the substance of 20+ years of coaching to every presentation. Expect big laughs, real-world stories, and practical skills that stick.

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A middle-aged man with short, dark hair and a beard, smiling and wearing a dark gray zip-up sweater, standing in front of a light-colored wooden panel wall.

Marianna’s communication training has become an important part of how we develop our technology leaders, which is exactly why we keep bringing her back.

“There’s often some skepticism around this kind of training, especially with tech leaders who assume it’s going to be just another boring corporate session.

Marianna is different. The classes are practical, engaging, and genuinely enjoyable. People were surprised by how useful it was, and the team left saying it was more effective than other corporate trainings they have been through.We saw real results right away. Leaders started building stronger business cases, writing clearer emails, running more efficient meetings, and having more meaningful 1:1s. It also helped us partner better with the business because our communication became more structured and aligned.

What stands out most is that the impact doesn't stop at work. The same tools helped people communicate more clearly and confidently in their personal lives too."

— TONY SCHWINGEL, VICE PRESIDENT, INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICE DELIVERY, BROOKFIELD

From Stage Fright to Stage Might

Plan it. Polish it. Own the room.

Before Marianna coached executives, she was on stage at Second City trying to make strangers laugh on purpose. It turns out the tricks performers use to tame nerves and hold a crowd work just as well in a boardroom, a ballroom, or a Zoom room. In this high-energy keynote, your audience learns how to build a message that’s easy to follow, sharpen it until every word earns its spot, and deliver it like they actually want to be up there. (Spoiler: by the end, they kind of will.)

Recent Keynote Presentations

Once Upon a Quarterly Report

Storytelling for Impact: Data Tells & Story Sells

Your numbers are solid and your slides are thorough. So why is the room checking email? As a performing storyteller with an MFA in creative nonfiction, Marianna knows what makes people lean in. Using real-world examples, she shows how to turn data dumps into stories with stakes, tension, and a payoff. Your audience will learn to make a point that sticks in a way no bar graph ever could.

Hold the Room (Without Holding Them Hostage)

Audience Connection Secrets From The Improv Stage

Marianna literally wrote the book on this: 21 Ways to Engage Your Audience. This interactive keynote gives your people practical tools to spark connection from the first line, keep energy up through the middle, and recover gracefully when attention drifts. Fair warning: your audience may actually look forward to the next meeting.

A group of 15 people gathered around a large conference table with drinks and a purple toy on it in a modern meeting room. The background features a large blue wall with a stylized shark illustration and the word "faurli".

For the people who dread “another session.”

Chicago keynote speaker and communication expert Marianna Swallow wins them over fast.

Within minutes, your audience is talking to each other, trying new techniques, and laughing harder than they expected to.

Her keynotes on confident speaking, storytelling, and audience engagement mix real-world stories with quick, hands-on exercises, so people leave with skills they can use at their very next meeting.

Even the arms-crossed skeptics in the back row always come around.

Her secret weapon is improv. Years on the improv stage taught Marianna to read a crowd and adapt in the moment. When a topic sparks the room, she leans in, and when energy dips, she knows how to win it back.

She does her homework, too. Before every conference, leadership summit, association meeting, or corporate event, she learns about your industry, your people, and the challenges they face, so her examples sound like your world instead of a generic slide deck.

She has spoken to tech leaders, finance teams, legislative staff, nonprofit advocates, and rooms full of new hires, and she brings the same energy to a virtual event as she does to a packed ballroom.

Based in Chicago and speaking nationwide, Marianna has helped more than 25,000 professionals over 20+ years communicate with more clarity and confidence, and have a lot more fun doing it.

We’re eager to have her back for future sessions!

“We recently engaged Marianna Swallow as a guest speaker for one of our monthly public speaking forum sessions, aimed at helping our employees level-up their public speaking skills. Her collaborative approach in developing a plan that met our needs was exceptional.”

— ZOE BLACKWELL, VP TRANSFORMATION & CHIEF OF STAFF | TMS

Got an event coming up?

Need something other than your run-of-the-mill motivational speaker?

Inspiration is great, but it tends to fade by the time everyone reaches the parking lot. Marianna breaks the motivational mold. Her keynotes leave audiences with real-world communication skills they can actually use, whether they own the business, lead the company, manage a team, or are the team.

Let's Talk!

CONFERENCE SPEAKING

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MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING

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KEYNOTE SPEAKING

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FACILITATION OF BREAKOUT GROUPS

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SMALL GROUP TRAINING

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RETREAT WORKSHOPS

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CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATIONS

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CONFERENCE SPEAKING ⁕ MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING ⁕ KEYNOTE SPEAKING ⁕ FACILITATION OF BREAKOUT GROUPS ⁕ SMALL GROUP TRAINING ⁕ RETREAT WORKSHOPS ⁕ CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATIONS ⁕

“You were very professional and approachable. I found your presentation informative (I picked up a bunch of tips), and I like how you made it relevant to what is happening now, by talking about ways to keep audiences engaged while online. You provided easy-to-implement tips. Woo hoo! Nicely done, Mare.”

— ALYSSA BURNS | WORKSHOP CLIENT | PRESIDENT ALYSSA BURNS COMMUNICATIONS

“Marianna shows us we can be dynamic and engaging no matter what the topic. She is a consummate professional who comes thoroughly prepared and delivers on her promise.”

— LEEANN PETERSEN | CEO PROFESSIONAL WOMEN IN ADVOCACY

Group of people smiling and posing together on a staircase indoors.
A woman and a man stand side by side, each with one arm raised and clenched fists. The woman holds a crumpled piece of paper in her other hand, and the man holds a bag of items. They are in a room with a brown wall and a whiteboard in the background.
A woman presenter standing in front of a projection screen, giving a presentation to a seated audience at a conference room. The audience is taking notes and wearing masks.
A woman standing at a podium with a microphone, raising her hand, giving a presentation to an audience seated in chairs.
People attending a conference or seminar in a classroom setting, sitting at tables with name tags, papers, and writing tools, all wearing masks.
A classroom or conference room with people sitting at tables spaced apart, all wearing masks, attending a meeting or workshop with papers and water bottles on the tables.
A woman talks to a group of diverse young adults seated at tables in a modern conference room.
A woman presenter stands near a large screen displaying a presentation slide that reads "Plan for your audience. Everyone arrives with their own stories," during a conference or seminar in a conference room filled with seated attendees.
Four women and one man sitting on chairs in a panel discussion, holding microphones, with a white backdrop and a large plant in the background.

Give your audience more than a pep talk.

Give them takeaways they’ll keep talking about.

Let's Talk!

“My colleagues and I have worked with Marianna several times over the past few years for both in-person and online sessions on communications and storytelling. She knows our audience and can speak to both new and experienced legislative staff. While the topics may be similar from year to year, Marianna's trainings and presentations are always fresh and engaging. I look forward to working with (and learning from) her again because I learn something new each time! Marianna — thanks for being so flexible and such a pro!”

— HOLLY SOUTH | PROGRAM MANAGER, NCSL, NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR STATE LEGISLATURES