Need a speaker?

I’ve been speaking in front of audiences since I was 11 years old.

Church? I was the youngest lector. I learned how to pronounce difficult words in the Bible before I knew how to do anything algebraic.

High school? I was on the debate team. I was good at 2nd affirmative rebuttal because I could talk faster than anyone else. I still like to argue and research obscure topics.

College? On the speech team. I had to unlearn talking fast and hone my ability to speak clearly. I was talking about “recombinant DNA” before we started calling it GMO and shaking our fists at Monsanto.

Proof is in the picture. This was from my high school yearbook. I think I am arguing about arm sales or something else ridiculous that the government was doing. My words in a high school debate tournament did not stop anything, but I probably got a massive trophy.

And look at that. I was so impressed with myself wearing a Phi Rho Pi pin on my lapel.

I wish I didn’t look so much like a blonde Joan Jett, but we all have ridiculous fashion choices from high school, don’t we.

I am thankful for the internet: it saved me from becoming a DC policy wonk or a lawyer. Code is so much more fun.

Fast forward. Now? I’m thrilled to be speaking in front of audiences again, crafting messages of empowerment through security.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been diving deep on web development, WordPress, and internet security. I’ve been told by clients, customers, and audience members that I take complex topics and make them easy to understand. I can also blather on about any number of topics. I like to research things. Sometimes obsessively so. It’s part of the reason I love security so much: there is always something to learn or a challenge to overcome.

I absolutely love talking to non-technical beginner audiences. I am fanatical about making complex technology easy to understand for anyone and everyone. I am a believer in the WordPress mission of democratizing publishing and giving everyone a voice.

Here are some of the things I’ve spoken about. TL;DR I’m all about WordPress, security, and empowerment through innovation.

• WordPress Security 101: The Basics of Keeping your Site Safe
• Securing WordPress in the Small Business
• Evaluating WordPress Plugins: Strategies for Extending Core Functionality
• How Secure is your WordPress Website? Testing for Vulnerabilities
• Ways Hackers Get into Your Website (and how to stop them)
• Passwords and Authentication
• Website Vulnerabilities: Keeping your internet presence safe
• Phishing and Social Engineering
• Evaluating Security Vendors

Does your event or business need a speaker with an ability to discuss technical topics in a way that even the most non-technical audience can understand?

Let me know! You can either contact me here or just send an email to kathy [at] Zant [dot] com. It will find me. I can talk about any of those topics, but also many others. Hit me up!