Does Ghalia speak virtually?

Yes. Ghalia gives virtual keynotes and workshops for audiences worldwide.

What age groups does she speak to?

Students from kindergarten through grade 12 (ages 5 to 17), plus parents and educators. Programming is customized by age group, so public speaking for kids in elementary school looks different from a high school leadership workshop.

Does she offer workshops as well as keynotes?

Yes. Talks are typically 30-60 minutes, as a keynote or an interactive workshop. Format and length can be customized for your audience and event.

Can programs be customized?

Yes. Content, format and length are adapted to your audience, its age group and your goals for the event.

Yes. Ghalia is available for in-person engagements in New York City and beyond. Travel requirements vary by engagement.

Can TalkMaze provide ongoing programming after the event?

Yes. Schools and organizations can explore ongoing TalkMaze coaching and customized communication programming after an event. Families can continue with 1-on-1 online coaching for students ages 5 to 17, starting with a free assessment.

Ghalia Aamer · Founder of TalkMaze

Helping the next generation find their voice

Ghalia Aamer gives keynotes and interactive workshops on public speaking, confidence, communication and leadership for students, parents and educators. Each one is customized for the audience and event, in person or virtual.

Invite Ghalia to speak See TalkMaze coaching

For schools, PTAs, youth organizations and conferences.

Ghalia Aamer, youth public speaking speaker, holding a microphone

TEDx talks

Thousands

of students reached

Diana Award

recipient

Founder

of TalkMaze

As featured in Maclean's · CBC Radio · Global News

Speaking topics

Public speaking talks and workshops for students, parents and educators

Talks are typically 30-60 minutes, as a keynote or an interactive workshop. Format, length and content are customized for the age group and the event.

Student keynote · K-12, customized by age group

Find Your Voice

A talk for school assemblies and youth events about why speaking up matters and how anyone gets better at it. Ghalia starts with her grade two report card, which said she needed to engage more with her classmates.

Best for: School assemblies, kickoff events, youth conferences

Students leave with

A simple routine for calming nerves in the minute before speaking
Three habits that make any speaker easier to follow: one clear point, eye contact and a strong closing line
One step to try this week, in class or at home

Interactive school public speaking workshop · K-12, customized by age group

From Nervous to Persuasive

A hands-on workshop where students practice building and delivering a persuasive point, working on structure, delivery and handling nerves.

Best for: Classrooms, enrichment programs, speech and debate clubs

Students leave with

A three-part structure for making a point and backing it up
How to use pauses, pace and volume on purpose
Practice speaking in front of others, with feedback

Keynote or interactive workshop · Student leadership programs

Speaking Up as a Leader

For student councils and youth leadership programs. It covers the speaking that leaders actually do: running a meeting, pitching an idea, disagreeing respectfully and holding the attention of a room that didn't choose to be there.

Best for: Student government, leadership retreats, ambassador programs

Students leave with

How to pitch an idea clearly to peers or adults
How to disagree in a way that keeps people listening
A quick method for preparing a speech or announcement

Parent talk or workshop

Raising Confident Communicators

For PTAs, parent associations and family events. Ghalia shows parents which everyday habits build a young person's speaking confidence and which ones quietly work against it.

Best for: PTA meetings, parent education nights, community groups

Parents leave with

Conversation habits that build speaking skills at the dinner table and in the car
What to say after a presentation goes badly
How to tell whether a student would benefit from coaching, and what good coaching looks like

Educator session or conference keynote

Why Public Speaking Should Be Taught Early

For teachers, school leaders and education conferences. Ghalia makes the case for teaching communication skills in school, and shares what she learned growing a middle school debate team from 20 to 80 students.

Best for: Professional development days, education conferences, district leadership

Educators leave with

Low-prep speaking activities that fit into any subject
How to give feedback on a speech that students can act on
How to start or grow a speaking or debate program with limited time and budget

Not sure which topic fits? Tell us about your audience and Ghalia will recommend one.

Invite Ghalia to speak

Audiences

Who Ghalia speaks to

Schools

Assemblies, classroom workshops and staff sessions, K-12.

Parent associations

PTA meetings and parent education evenings.

Youth and community organizations

Clubs, camps and community programs serving young people.

Education conferences

Keynotes and sessions for educators and school leaders.

Student leadership programs

Student councils, leadership retreats and ambassador programs.

Enrichment programs

After-school, summer and gifted programs.

About Ghalia

Ghalia Aamer's grade two report card said she needed to engage more with her classmates. She was a straight-A student who rarely spoke up. In grade seven she joined the debate team, and it changed how she spoke and how she saw herself. She went on to compete at nationals four times and has since given four TEDx talks.

By tenth grade she was back at her old middle school coaching its debate team, which grew from 20 to 80 students in three years. The school still had to turn students away. Too many young people wanted to learn and too few could get in. That is why she founded TalkMaze in 2020.

TalkMaze started by helping schools in Sacramento, Edmonton and Hong Kong build debate programs. It now offers 1-on-1 online public speaking and debate coaching for students ages 5 to 17. Ghalia received the Diana Award for her work with young people and is based in New York City.

Her talks come from that work: years of watching students learn to speak, turned into steps an audience can use the next day. Ghalia is also a graduate of Columbia Law School.

Watch Ghalia's TEDx talk