REBECCA JOY FLETCHER COMMUNICATIONS & PRESENCE COACH

“Her work is transformational. Rebecca is a master coach!”

- Rabbi Jan Uhrbach, Director of Spiritual Arts, Jewish Theological Seminary

My goal is to help you to communicate with greater authenticity, ease, and power.

My tool box is big: 25 years as a professional actor; extensive breath, body, and presence training; group facilitation expertise; and lots of leadership development skills. I have coached for the ELI Talks, and for an ever growing list of organizations and private clients. I specialize in narrative and storytelling, embodied speech, and performance anxiety. With years of experience working within the Jewish community, and my Ferrari of a Jewish education, I am particularly skilled at helping Jewish leaders share their truths in vital new ways.

RESUMÉ

TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

“As a Jewish day school leader, I continue to strive to improve my practice so that I can lead, guide and educate with confidence. Through Rebecca’s thoughtful guidance and honest, meaningful feedback, I discovered that speaking with confidence only scratched the surface of what my educational leadership practice can be about. Thank you for everything, Rebecca!”

— Orly Rachamim, Director of Educational Technology, Netivot HaTorah Day School, Thornhill, Canada

“Last year, I delivered a TED Talk-style public lecture on the difficult topic of police accountability. Rebecca heard my main points when I didn’t; she helped me lead with my feelings—my anger and my fear—and to connect with the audience empathically instead of only through ideas. Perhaps most importantly, she helped me pay attention to my body—how to breathe, stand, and move in ways most conducive to speaking powerfully. Thank you for everything, Rebecca!”

—Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein, Chicago Director, Avodah Justice Fellowship

“Rebecca provided coaching services for Machon Siach, our think tank studying Jewish educational issues. She helped our research fellows to craft and deliver excellent and compelling talks. They all loved working with her! I recommend her highly to any individual or organization seeking stellar coaching in speaking and leadership training.”

— Alice Lebowitz, Machon Siach Program Coordinator, SAR High School, Riverdale, NY

“If anyone is considering filming a TED-style talk, or working at developing their public speaking skills, I highly recommend working with Rebecca. She was amazing at every step — patient, honest, creative, supportive, and sharp. She successfully helped my whole cohort to create and deliver talks that we are proud of, and that are beginning to make waves within our community. I cannot praise Rebecca enough!”

—Dr. Tammy Jacobowitz, SAR Academy, NYC

“When I asked Rebecca to create and lead workshops for Jewish Theological Seminary clergy students to help grow their online leadership presence, I had no idea just how transformational her work would be — for me as well! I highly recommend working with Rebecca, especially if like me body-work isn’t your strength. She is a master teacher and coach.”

—Rabbi Jan Uhrbach, Director of the Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts, Jewish Theological Seminary, NYC

“Rebecca not only offered me exercises to prep body and breath, but also helped me shape my content into a really compelling story. She is warm but firm, and she has so many tools at her disposal that she is able to modulate her guidance towards what will work for you in that moment. I greatly valued our sessions!”

— Amy Reichert, Amy Reichert Architecture & Design

“Rebecca was able to pinpoint the exact exercises I needed in order to relax before and during my talks. It was revolutionary. She also helped me see the value of presenting less content. Now audiences really take in what I share. For this, I am Rebecca’s fan for life!”

— Shaily Hakimian, Social Media/Marketing Consultant, Chicago

“Rebecca has the unique ability to take any complicated subject and to help you to find its heart. I met her after 12 years of public lecturing, but she took my public speaking to a whole new level. I continue regularly to use what I Iearned; working with Rebecca is a gift that keeps on giving!”

—Dr Yakir Englande, "National Director of Gevanim, Israel American Council”

Ways to meet the work.

One-on-one.

One-on-one coaching packages so you can create lasting change.

Virtual sessions.

Single sessions to help you nail that meeting or interview. Training workshops for organizations—on Zoom.

Attend a workshop.

Training workshops for organizations—in person! (1 day)

Online workshops.

Online spiritual presence workshops.

Contact Rebecca

THINGS TO LEARN

To put that paper down and deliver a talk from your heart
A leadership presence that’s authentic and is yours
To develop online leadership or spiritual presence
Quieting your anxiety so you can speak with ease from any stage
Interview skills to land that job
To reach through Zoom and grab your audience
The juicy power of the right story
Embracing your audience so they embrace you
Moment-before exercises to ready you for effective communication
A long term routine to help breath, voice, and imagination stay limber
Cultivating kind attention is the key to change

With each client, I commit to:

Creating a personalized plan that will serve your challenges and dreams
Helping you to identify and build on existing strengths
Giving you tools you can use right away
Helping you go as deep as you want to with this work

I didn’t start out thinking I would become a coach.

Not many kids do! I started out as an actor, and I trained seriously and passionately to free my voice and body so that I could share dramatic truths with the world. At the same time, passionate about Judaism, I became ordained as a cantor and served a number of wonderful congregations in the NY area. The balancing act between religion and theater was exciting and fulfilling, and it went like gangbusters until the day when my off-Broadway show Kleynkunst! became a hit and I found myself at a crossroads. Either the pulpit or the stage.

Choosing the stage, I continued to create original works of Jewish theater while channeling my other love into Jewish education work. New to Chicago (we moved here for my husband Alan’s work), I was lucky enough to be hired by The ARK as their first-ever experiential Jewish educator. The ARK is Chicago’s oldest Jewish poverty relief organization and a remarkable institution. At the ARK, I’ve run countless group events and further honed my skills as a facilitator and workshop leader.

Then, seven years ago, the ELI Talks reached out to me, asking if I would like to join their team as a speaking coach. The ELI Talks were for a time the Jewish answer to the TED Talks. I said yes, I started coaching speakers, and I was hooked! These same skills I had worked so hard to master could help anyone wanting to share their truths. Not just actors; not just cantors. Real people – like you.

Since that time, I have worked with a wide range of leaders – from Rabbis to CEO’s – helping them hone their communication skills and enhance their leadership presence. I love the work, and I hope you will too!