About Vanna
Keynote Speaker • Trainer • Coach
Biography
Vanna Novak is a nationally recognized authority on developing and delivering presentations designed to influence the thinking and decision making of audiences, and motivate them to take specific, desired action.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Vanna is President and Owner of Speak to Persuade, and has been in the business as a professional speaker, trainer and consultant for over 20 years. Her background includes having served as a director of employee relations, university adjunct faculty member, twice elected Board of Director for the National Speakers Association, two-time gubernatorial appointee in Washington State, and a featured guest on both radio and television. She is also a founder of the Executive Development Institute, an organization that offers leadership development programs for Asian, Pacific Islander and Hispanic professionals.
When speaking to groups about effective presentation skills, her focus is on turning presentations and presenters who are simply informative, into ones that will convince, persuade, and inspire.
Aerospace and National Defense
Selected clients
- The Boeing Company
- ELDEC Corporation
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories
- U.S. Naval Weapons Center
Institutes and Associations
Selected clients
- American Dietetic Association
- American Institute of CPA’s
- American Institute of Architects
- Asian American Federation of New York
- Association of Conference & Event Directors Int’l
- Associated General Contractors
- Construction Specifications Institute
- Consulting Engineers Council of California
- Consulting Engineers Council of Washington
- Mechanical Contractors Association
- Meeting Planners International, WA State Chapter
- National Association of Professional Mortgage Women
- National Association of Women In Construction
- National Investor Relations Association
- National Notary Association
- National Roofing Contractors Association
- NW Human Resource Management Association
- NW Public Power Association
- Pacific NW Personnel Management Association
- Professional Environmental Marketing Association
- Professional Mortgage Women International
- Public Relations Society of America
- Sales & Marketing Executives of Seattle
- Society of Marketing Professional Services
- Toastmasters International
- Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants
Technology and Communication
Selected clients
- Cellular One
- Computer Associates
- IBM
- Intermec Technologies Corporation
- McCaw Cellular Communications
- NCR
- Nintendo of America, Inc.
- Walker Richer
Architects and Construction
Selected clients
- Baugh Construction Company
- EFCO
- Einhorn/Yaffee/Prescott, Architecture & Engineering
- Firestone, Construction Division
- Geo Engineers
- Glacier Northwest
- Hart Crowser
- GLY Construction Company
- Howard S. Wright Construction Company
- Interface Engineering Inc.
- Lease Crutcher Lewis
- LMN Architects
- Mahlum Architects
- MK Centennial Engineering, Inc.
- Mulvanny G2 Architecture
- Quadrant Homes
- RoseWater Engineering
- Rushforth Construction Company
- Sienna Architecture Company
- Woodharbinger, Inc.
Education
Selected clients
- City University
- Executive Development Institute
- Leadership for Asian Pacifics
- North Seattle Community College
- Seattle Central Community College
- Seattle Pacific University
- South Seattle Community College
- State of Hawaii, Department of Education
- UCLA, The Anderson School of Business
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of Washington
Design
Selected clients
- Horton Lantz & Low Design Firm
- Methodologie
- Phinney/Bischoff Design House
- Society of Design Administration
- TEAGUE, Industrial Design & Product Development
- The Leonhardt Group
- Tim Girvan Design, Inc.
Financial
Selected clients
- Key Bank
- Old National Bank
- Peoples National Bank of Washington
- Russell Investment Group
- Seattle NW Securities Corporation
Healthcare
Selected clients
- Free & Clear
- Group Health Cooperative
- Home Health Care of Washington
- Kaiser Permanente
- Phillips Oral Healthcare
- Valley Medical
Other Industries
Selected clients
- Ernst & Young
- Macy’s
- Marsh & McLennan, Inc.
- Milliman & Robertson, Inc.
- Moss Adams
- MUZAK
- Nordstrom
- Safeway Stores, Inc.
- SAFECO Insurance Company
- Plum Creek Timber Company
- The Bon Marche
- Weyerhaeuser Company
Hospitality and Travel
Selected clients
- Alaska Airlines
- Budget Rent-A-Car Systems
- National Tour Association
- Sheraton Hotel and Towers
- Stouffer Madison Hotel
- Western Airlines
Television and Radio
Selected clients
- Automotive Satellite Television Network
- Court TV
- ESPN
- King Broadcasting Company
- Nashville Television Network
- National Association of Multi-Culturals in Communication
Real Estate
Selected clients
- Century 21
- Quadrant Corporation
- Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Realtors
- Unico Properties
Insights and Intelligence
Learn from one of the top thought leaders in the industry.
An Interview with EDI’s Co-Founders
As EDI's 20th anniversary celebration drew near, they interviewed EDI’s co-founders, Ted Yamamura and Vanna Novak to get a glimpse of what EDI was like 20 years ago, and how far it has progressed since then. Keep reading to see a spectacular interview with EDI’s very...
Eye Contact – A Declining Communications Tool?
(Reposted from Quantified Impressions: Professional Communication Analytics) A recent article from the Wall Street Journal discusses the effects of declining eye contact in the workplace, citing our own research on ideal eye contact behavior, and we wanted to share...
Skyrocket your chances of winning contracts
The current economic climate is uncertain at best and AEC firm leaders need solid information to plan their strategies for the coming year. Given the uncertain future, what can give your architecture, engineering, construction, or environmental firm an extra edge on...
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If you are interested in working together, send me an inquiry and I will get back to you as soon as I can!