Allison Shapira

Our voice is one of the most powerful tools we have to connect with others. Leaders who can harness the power of their voice are capable of stirring hearts, guiding vision, and setting action into motion. Whether we are running a company, leading a team, volunteering in our communities, or simply guiding our families, what we say and how we deliver our message can make a difference. As one of the world’s foremost experts on communication and leadership, Allison Shapira teaches audiences how to lead with their voice in order to develop inspired and purpose-driven teams that ultimately make a powerful impact. 

Allison is a former opera singer turned entrepreneur, author, speaker, and expert in leadership communication. After training in classical voice, she realized that everything she learned as a singer made her a powerful speaker and communication coach. 20 years ago, she founded Global Public Speaking LLC and has since grown the company from a solo business to a global team, with clients ranging from Bank of America, Procter & Gamble, to Intel. She and her team work with both emerging and executive leaders to empower them to speak clearly, concisely, and confidently. Running a global company gives her the added advantage of understanding the critical and ongoing pain points of leaders and their teams. She brings a deep familiarity of the most pressing issues facing executives worldwide to her keynotes as she shares strategies to guide people to  lead with their voice.

In addition to being a speaker and CEO, Allison teaches The Arts of Communication at the Harvard Kennedy School. She published her book, Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others, with HarperCollins Leadership, which became a Washington Post bestseller. She is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), a professional member of the National Speakers Association, and has spoken or led training in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America. 

Allison is also a singer/songwriter and uses music as a way to help others find their voice and their courage to speak. She has spoken at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit, the Most Powerful Women in Banking LEAD Conference, and was a finalist for 2017 Woman Business Owner of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, San Diego Chapter. Allison is frequently featured by the media in such publications as Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, and the Harvard Business Review.