Speaking Request Process & Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Dr. Carla different from other speakers?

Dr. Carla consistently receives top reviews from youth and adults and attracts standing-room-only audiences at conferences. Here are the Top 10 reasons why event coordinators LOVE working with her:

In an industry where anyone can claim to be an expert, Dr. Carla is the real deal. She is not a typical motivational speaker with limited knowledge about teen issues. Given her 20+ years of experience in youth development and extensive academic training and expertise in adolescent health and behavior, her research-based programs are highly effective and customized to meet the needs of your unique audience. Her goal is to teach adults how to better understand and help youth reach their full potential and teach youth tools that will empower them to make positive choices and reach their full potential long after your event is over.
Unlike the majority of professional youth speakers, Dr. Carla does not perform a cookie cutter presentation or the exact same speech verbatim every time she speaks! She is skilled at engaging with her audience, tuning into their needs, and responding to their concerns in the moment, which means that she is able to improvise on the fly and deliver a more effective presentation. She loves speaking to youth and is known for exceeding expectations.
Unlike many Ph.D.’s, Dr. Carla is not a talking head and does not hide behind a podium or rely on lecture notes. She interacts with the audience, speaks in a conversational style, explains complex ideas in language that is easy to understand, has a sense of humor, and her multimedia presentations are never boring!
As a media literacy educator and pioneer in the field of social media research on teens and hip hop education, Dr. Carla often uses relevant and entertaining examples from teen-oriented popular culture (i.e., reality TV, music videos, movies, TV, magazines, social media, etc.) to illustrate key points and engage the audience in lively discussions and critical thinking related to the requested topic.
Instead of lecturing or talking down to her audience, Dr. Carla draws from her experience as a certified transformational life and success coach by asking powerful questions that encourage self-awareness and inspire audiences to adopt a positive attitude, overcome adversity and create solutions to their own challenges.
Dr. Carla is down-to-earth and accessible and enjoys talking to the audience after the presentation so she can get to know them on a deeper level and answer their personal questions. By the end of her presentation, your students will feel like they know, like and trust Dr. Carla. It’s not unusual for her youth audiences to be so inspired that they are moved to tears after one of her unforgettable workshops!
Some groups make the mistake of hiring speakers who do not have experience speaking to youth. When you book Dr. Carla, you don’t have to worry about whether she will be able to relate to or hold the attention of a youth audience. Dr. Carla has been educating and mentoring male and female youth since her teen years and understands how to keep them interested and hold their attention. Connecting with youth and engaging them in conversations about issues that impact their lives in a relatable way comes naturally for her. Experienced educators and frustrated parents are often impressed with her ability to motivate students who are considered “hard-to-engage”. Students love her positive outlook and are inspired to reach their goals and become their best selves in her presence.
Dr. Carla does not hide behind a facade of perfection or pretend to have all of the answers. She shares captivating personal stories about how she overcame personal challenges and learned from her mistakes to put your audience at ease and motivate them to take responsibility for their success.
Dr. Carla is very hands on from the moment you book her for your event. You will not have to communicate with her through a speaker’s bureau or speak with her for the first time when she arrives at your event! She will uncover your needs and consult with your event coordinator and key stakeholders to ensure that she delivers a customized presentation that is a home run with your audience. In addition, because she enjoys building relationships and creating transformation through her work, she has scaled back her speaking business and limits the number of clients that she works with. This means that she is much more accessible than most in-demand professionals speakers who jam their schedules with back-to-back presentations and you and your audience will enjoy a more personalized experience.
Unlike many youth speakers, Dr. Carla speaks professionally and not just as a hobby. She has invested heavily in training from internationally renowned speakers and coaches and honed her speaking and business skills under the mentorship of the #1 youth speaker in the United States. Her speaking and coaching style is highly effective and she is sought after by many aspiring speakers and coaches who want to learn her proven methods. She is respected as a leader in the field of girl empowerment and trains educators, girl-serving professionals, social workers, girl advocates and mental health professionals how to master the art of speaking to teens and girls as the founder of the A Heart for Girls^TM Speaking Academy.

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My school or organization lacks diversity. Does Dr. Carla speak to predominantly white audiences?

Dr. Carla is an effective communicator and very relatable to people of all ages from every walk of life. She has a global clientele with clients from the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the United Arab Emirates and beyond and extensive experience educating, coaching and speaking to adults, educators, parents and students from diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, religions and sexual orientations.

Her clients have included Ivy League private institutions, historically black colleges, universities and organizations, professional conferences, corporations, federal government agencies, nonprofit organizations, state education agencies, health departments, sororities, churches, women’s organizations, girl empowerment programs and public schools. Given her personal and professional background and successful track record, it is highly likely that your audience will enjoy her presentation.

“If you are on the fence about bringing Dr. Carla to speak at your school, I would say that her presentation is comprehensive and can be viewed by many different ethnic backgrounds and grade levels and that her message is empowering for students and for parents.”

– Andrea Grasso, School Counselor, Red Bank Middle School

“We’ve had very positive feedback…The workshops were outstanding…If you’re considering hiring Dr. Carla to come and work with girls or the professionals in your life, I would highly recommend it.”

– Kelly Boyer, President, Junior League of Monmouth County, NJ

Does Dr. Carla work with boys or co-ed groups?

Yes, Dr. Carla has extensive experience educating and mentoring male and female youth of all ages and is comfortable speaking to single-sex or co-ed audiences. However, she prefers to speak to single-sex groups when addressing sensitive topics such as sexuality and dating violence because she finds that girls are often hesitant to raise their hands and participate as openly when boys are present.

Although she is passionate about empowering women and girls, as the founder of HOTGIRLS, she established the Boys Overcoming Social Stereotypes (BOSS)™ leadership development program for male students to promote healthy masculinity and reduce gender-based violence. She has also facilitated educational and coaching workshops for boys in elementary, middle school and high school. Please send additional details and Dr. Carla will let you know if her message is aligned with your goals. Find out more about our speaking programs.

Does Dr. Carla work with different age groups?

Yes! Dr. Carla speaks to adult and youth audiences. Youth participants are typically ages 9 and older. Find out more about our speaking programs.

How do I book a speaking engagement with Dr. Carla?

Thank you for your interest in booking Dr. Carla for your next event! Our goal is to make your scheduling process run as smoothly as possible.

Here are the steps in our process:

Booking Form & Inquiry Call: Please send the details of your proposed event by submitting the online Speaker Request Form. Dr. Carla’s schedule fills quickly and she has limited availability each month for travel outside of Atlanta, GA. Please send your request as soon as possible and we will be in touch with you to schedule a brief phone call to discuss your event and whether Dr. Carla is a fit for your objectives. During this call, we will also discuss your budget and Dr. Carla’s fees. We are happy to discuss your timeline and desired dates, however, we cannot guarantee that she will be available for your event until we receive the signed agreement and deposit (see below).
Contract & Deposit: After you confirm that you are ready to move forward with scheduling and booking Dr. Carla as your speaker, we will send additional questions via email to provide the necessary information we need to prepare our speaking agreement, event rider, and invoice. After you provide the requested information, we will send you an invoice and our agreement to be signed by your organization’s authorized representative no later than seven (7) days from receipt of the agreement, and returned with your non-refundable 50% deposit of Dr. Carla’s speaking fee plus travel fees (if applicable) made payable to Dr. Carla LLC. Dr. Carla LLC will not hold the date or consider your event date confirmed until we receive your signed agreement and the deposit in full.
Release of Publicity Photos and Bio: After we receive your signed agreement and deposit paid in full, we will release Dr. Carla’s photos and bio for use in organizing, advertising or promoting a contracted speaking appearance.
Pre-Event Questionnaire: We will send you a detailed Pre-Event Questionnaire to help us design and deliver a successful event that meets your goals and the needs of your audience. The questionnaire provides information about your objectives and logistical aspects of your event.
Pre-Engagement Phone Meeting: After receiving your Pre-Event Questionnaire, Dr. Carla will talk to the meeting planner and key contacts prior to the event to aid in the preparation of the presentation.
Development of Presentation(s): Dr. Carla will prepare a presentation to meet your event objectives as discussed with your authorized representative.
Balance Due: The 50% balance of the speaking fee is due fourteen days before your event in order to ensure Dr. Carla’s participation.
Dr. Carla Speaks at Your Event: Dr. Carla will deliver the speaking and appearance services described in the Agreement.

What are Dr. Carla’s fees?

Dr. Carla will share her fee schedule with a potential client after learning more about your event. Her fees are determined based on the specific request, location, length of the presentation, and requirements. Dr. Carla’s fee structure reflects her expertise and the time and personal attention that she devotes to each client. We will provide guidelines and discuss your needs and budget after you submit the Speaker Request Form.

Please note that fees quoted during the initial inquiry phone call are subject to change and the same rate is not guaranteed at a later date. The fees quoted in the speaking agreement supersede and merge all prior oral or written conversations and understandings and are valid for 7 days from receipt. In addition to Dr. Carla’s fee, you will also be responsible for her travel expenses if she needs to travel to your event.

If her fee is out of your range, she will suggest other options that may be a better fit for your budget.

What Payment Methods Does Dr. Carla Accept?

Dr. Carla LLC accepts the following payment methods for speaking events and appearances:

School, college or university check
Cashiers check
Money order

Can Dr. Carla Hold an Event Date?

Given the volume of speaking requests that she receives and the demands of her schedule and coaching practice, Dr. Carla is unable to hold an event date without a signed contract and deposit. She is selective about the speaking engagements that she accepts in order to ensure that she can deliver a customized presentation for her clients. Dr. Carla has limited availability for speaking engagements — especially if travel is involved — so don’t delay in submitting your request!

If she is available for your event, the deposit and signed contract must be received a minimum of 30 business days before the scheduled presentation(s) to allow sufficient time for planning, making travel arrangements, processing, discussing the details of the event, and preparing the customized presentation(s). However, it is best to contact us 3-6 months in advance.

A non-refundable deposit (50% of the speaking fee + flat rate travel fee) is required prior to the event to secure the date, guarantee Dr. Carla’s participation, and release her publicity photos and bio for promotional purposes in association with the scheduled presentation.

I would like to bring Dr. Carla to speak to my group, but we have a limited budget. Is Dr. Carla’s speaking fee negotiable?

As the founder of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Dr. Carla understands that some groups and schools have tight budgets. We are unable to offer discounts, but we are willing to help you explore creative options for funding her programs and alternative ways to bring her work to your school or organization. To get started, please read the helpful tips and explore the resources in Ways to Fund Dr. Carla’s Programs. Let us know what your budget is when you submit the Speaker Request Form.

Can I make an audio or video recording?

Dr. Carla has spent many years researching and honing her presentations. Written permission must be obtained prior to the event if you want to capture her presentation or post photos or recordings on web sites. Depending on the use of the recording, additional fees may apply.

Can I web stream Dr. Carla’s presentation or broadcast it live on Facebook, Periscope, etc.?

Please see above. Written permission must be obtained prior to the event if you are considering web streaming any portion of Dr. Carla’s presentation. Depending on the use of the recording, additional fees may apply.

Does Dr. Carla speak at youth sleepovers, retreats, and lock-ins?

Yes, Dr. Carla speaks at youth sleepovers and lock-ins provided that there is adequate supervision and her presentation(s) and related services are concluded before midnight. Find out more about our speaking programs.

How long are Dr. Carla’s presentations?

Dr. Carla’s keynotes are 45 minutes – 1 hour with . Her workshops are typically 90 minutes-3 hours, but she can also deliver 1/2-day and full-day presentations. Please let us know more about your event and objectives and we will consider whether Dr. Carla can customize a program to fit your goals and budget. Find out more about our speaking programs.

Can Dr. Carla incorporate specific topics into her presentation?

Yes, Dr. Carla can customize presentations to meet the needs of your audience. Additional fees may apply. Find out more about our speaking programs.

What are Dr. Carla’s speaking requirements on the day of the event?

To ensure that your event flows smoothly, we will provide a detailed event rider prior to your scheduled event.

We’re ready to book Dr. Carla. What is the next step?

Submit the Speaker Request Form and we will be in touch with you to schedule a mutually convenient time to discuss your event. We are looking forward to speaking with you!