Jenny Riddle is a professional storyteller, keynote speaker, and communications expert with 30 years of experience in teaching, performing, speaking, and consulting. With an M.A. in English, she’s taught college and high school English, speech, and drama; been published in Forbes; serves on the Chicago leadership team for Ellevate; and is a sought-after speaker and performer. She understands the power of story and great ideas to engage and inspire audiences toward positive outcomes in business and in life.
Jenny’s work includes interactive workshops for organizations of all sizes, from small nonprofits to large corporations; keynote addresses to teach, motivate, and inspire; and one-on-one coaching on public-speaking, communications, and strategic storytelling.
Jenny brings a command of the workshop content and expertise in conveying material in creative ways that increase participant knowledge and change behavior. Jenny’s power-packed interactive keynotes and training workshops include:
Keynote: The Cost of Silence–How Leaders Build Trust and Drive Performance Through Courageous Communication
Workshop: Lead, Sell, Inspire…Through the Power of Strategic Storytelling
Workshop: Leading in the Age of AI–The Communication Skills Every Leader Needs Now
1:1 Coaching: Helping Leaders Speak with Confidence, Inspire Teams, and Communicate for Impact
Jenny’s Story
I grew up in a house where real conversation mattered.
At the kitchen table, we debated, told stories, read the news, and explored what it means to be human. It was a space where I felt seen, heard, and encouraged to express my thoughts, even when they weren’t fully formed. It taught me that great communication is the foundation for learning, leading, and succeeding.
That experience shaped how I see leadership today. At its core, great leadership is about communication–the kind that builds trust, sparks engagement, and brings out the best in people. In today’s rapidly changing workplace, human-to-human communication isn’t a burden. It’s a competitive advantage.
Because great leaders do more than just manage–they bring people together, keep them engaged, and inspire them to perform at their highest level.
The best workplaces aren’t that different from the kitchen table I grew up around–places where people feel safe to share ideas, challenge each other, and know their voices matter.