Victoria Felkar

Sharing knowledge and educating through public speaking is my passion. It‘s always been.

I started performing on stage at 3 years old, and public speaking at 5 without any qualms or concerns (even with a speech impediment). From school-wide speech contests and class presentations, to academic conference talks, industry seminars, and lecturing at the university level - no matter the stage or format, it always felt so organic and natural. It was “that thing” I could see myself doing for the rest of my life, and being able to do so professionally was an absolute dream come true.

But over the course of 2018, things started to shift. The passion I had always felt was slowly replaced by anxiety and fear. Instead of feeling the beautiful flutter of nerves before stepping in front of an audience or class, I was overcome by panic, dread, and horror.

During this time, I was at a capstone in both my professional and academic careers, traveling the world, speaking at a wide variety of events - but speaking publicly just didn’t feel good anymore. At first, I chalked it up to not being prepared enough, poor sleep the night before an event, or jet lag whenever I travelled. By the time SWIS 2018 rolled around, I knew my recent development of "stage fright" represented something a lot bigger.

Simply put, I was not ok. The reality was, I hadn't been for awhile. My life was in a really chaotic and challenging place, and my physical, mental, and emotional health were rapidly deteriorating. I knew I had to make some dramatic and uncomfortable changes while I still could. And so I did.

Four years later, here we are.

Next week, I’ll be returning to the podium to present original ideas and share new research at SWIS 2022, and the thought of doing so feels really good again. It’s taken a lot to get to where I am today - a journey in itself that is still unfolding. With a lot of solace, space, support, and time, my passion has slowly returned - and for that I am so grateful.❤️

I am so excited to see everyone in Columbus next week for SWIS 2022. Make sure to check out for details!