Effective communication is at the heart of so many successful projects, relationships, and endeavors. Given its magical ability to make things happen, we thought it would be helpful to bring some of the best communicators we know together to share their stories and insights around how they developed their ability to communicate effectively.

Tyrone Takawira

I’ve always had a strange fascination with words; how this construction of letters can make you think, feel and imagine. I grew up extremely introverted and spent much of my childhood buried in books. Here, I read and studied many of the classics – from George Orwell to Stephen King – completely in awe of the mastery these authors possessed. I developed a love for writing and explored various forms such as poetry, short stories, fiction and non-fiction – searching for the secret to timeless writing.  Read More>>

Dietrich Von Biedenfeld

Diversity is my super power. Whether it’s research showing cultural identity blindness of homogeneous individuals, or linguistic aptitude in practice while traveling, my parents deserve credit.

My mother studied English in college; my father learned English from a book. Both provided technical awareness. Both also shared colloquial phrasing and the joy of language (my father loved puns). Read More>>

Jason Lally

When I was young for a portion of my life I was raised by a foster family. Reading was (and still is 🙂 essential and constant in that household. As my skills increased I realized I could use words to move and influence people. I had no idea that I would end up being a composer / lyricist but I knew the more I read the more words “I would have”. Read More>>

Benjamin Mayer

Developing one’s communication skills can be either incredibly arduous, or fairly straightforward given one’s disposition to socializing, general intuition, and emotional intelligence. If I had to define “communication” in my own words, I would say that communication is the implementation of verbal/non-verbal phrases or actions that convey thoughts, feelings, and information from one party to another in a given situation. With that being said, what makes communication difficult and nebulous is the simple fact that it varies greatly from person to person and is influenced by numerous outside factors like culture, upbringing, language, and even things like ailments and disabilities, just to name a few.  Read More>>

Autumn Maria Reed

I still struggle to this day communicating with other people!
It was so much harder when I was younger because other people felt so unpredictable.
And to a timid child, that felt unsafe. Even as an adult, this still makes me feel uneasy.

But as I got older, I met more people and recognized that not everyone has bad intentions.
Conversely, most people know that I don’t mean them any hard, even when I’m socially awkward! Read More>>

Cameron Garner

When it comes to communication, I feel like I’ve learned how to be effective in what I say through trail and error.
growing up, I use to be shy and never really speak my mind when things would bother me. Through different relationships (romantically or platonic) I’ve learned to utilize their ears and be clear in what’s bothering me, or just to get feedback and their opinion on anything that I’m wanting to talking to them about. Read More>>

Lexi Stromberg

I developed the ability to communicate effectively through the practice of deep listening. Through my experiences working as a Pilates Instructor and Physical Therapist Assistant, I’ve learned that effective communication is not just about what you say—it’s about how well you listen. By creating a safe, supportive space for others to express themselves freely, I’ve found that people are more open, honest, and engaged. This foundation of trust allows for true connection and clarity. The more I focus on being present and listening with empathy and without judgment, the more naturally effective communication flows. Read More>>

Dr. Ariel D. Smith

I grew up knowing that language could either build a bridge or burn it. In my house, the phrase “It’s not what you said, but how you said it” was almost a proverb. Raised primarily by my great aunt—an opinionated, quick-witted woman—I was taught early on to speak up and speak well. She made sure I had a voice. School taught me how to use it strategically. Read More>>

Chris Fuhrer

At the age of 17, the start of my junior year in high school, I was permanently and unceremoniously “dismissed” from my school. For the past year I had been working an after school job as an entry level auto mechanic; oil changes, tire rotations, light repair and routine maintenance. When I abruptly found myself with significantly more time during weekdays, I decided to approach management about full time employment. Of course they agreed, I was a hard worker, was genuinely interested in a career in auto mechanics and my paltry wage was hardly noticeable on the company payroll, even with more hours. Read More>>

Joseph Goldsmith

My teenage years were spent singing and performing in higher stress environments than the average high schooler and college student endures; except competitive marching bands… they get it. I wanted to settle down and build a life so traveling to perform was not in the cards. In undergrad at Frostburg State University, majored in vocal performance / music education and became a choir director for a number of years. After completing my masters, also in music education, I lead worship for three years as a contemporary music director and started a Christian record label called Modern Ministry Records.  Read More>>