The First 60 Seconds : Make Them Care Before You Explain

I’ve spent 25 years moving between rooms that speak very different languages—as a computer science professor, technologist, dean, executive leader, and CEO. I hold a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering focused on network security, and my career has taken me from teaching and technical research to leading teams, building programs, presenting to boards, and translating complex ideas for people who need to make decisions about them.

Along the way, I learned something important: expertise alone rarely moves a room. People need a reason to care, a way to see the bigger picture, an invitation to participate, and clarity about what happens next.

That experience became the foundation for Presence Is Practice. I teach practical skills for turning expertise into understanding, participation, and action.