Work with Me

I partner with leaders, teams, and organizations to design conditions where people can think, contribute, and grow—together. If the ideas in The Little Book of Agency resonate with your work, there are several ways we can collaborate.

Keynotes

A keynote is an opportunity to introduce your team, conference, or community to a different way of thinking about agency, ownership, and leadership.

I design talks that are:

  • Research-informed but story-driven

  • Cross-sector (relevant for education, nonprofit, and corporate audiences)

  • Practical and immediately actionable

Recent keynotes include:

  • Designing for Agency: How to Build Ownership Without Abandoning Structure

  • From Compliance to Commitment: Leading Through Trust, Not Control

  • Tiny Shifts, Lasting Impact: The Small Moves That Transform Culture

Length: 45-90 minutes

Format: In-person or virtual

Best for: Conferences, leadership summits, all-staff gatherings, professional learning days

Workshops

A workshop goes deeper—giving your team time to engage with frameworks, explore challenges specific to your context, and build actionable strategies together.

Workshops are customized to your needs and can focus on:

  • Designing systems that cultivate agency (not dependence)

  • Building shared direction and psychological safety

  • Feedback that grows capability (not just compliance)

  • Protecting time, energy, and focus at scale

  • Leading through trust instead of control

Length: Half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours)

Format: In-person or virtual

Best for: Leadership teams, PLCs, department retreats, strategic planning sessions

Leadership Coaching & Consulting

I work with leadership teams over time to design the conditions where agency can flourish—not as an initiative, but as a way of working. This work is collaborative, context-specific, and focused on sustainable change.

What this might include:

  • Co-designing routines, structures, and decision-making processes

  • Building shared language and direction across teams

  • Creating feedback systems that grow thinking (not just performance)

  • Coaching leaders to shift from managing behavior to designing conditions

Recent keynotes include:

  • Designing for Agency: How to Build Ownership Without Abandoning Structure

  • From Compliance to Commitment: Leading Through Trust, Not Control

  • Tiny Shifts, Lasting Impact: The Small Moves That Transform Culture

Length: Typically 3-12 months

Format: Mix of in-person and virtual sessions

Best for: School leadership teams, nonprofit leadership, corporate L&D and HR teams

Bulk Book Orders + Workshop Bundles

Many organizations pair bulk book orders with a keynote or workshop for deeper engagement and implementation.

What this often looks like:

  • Bulk books (discounted pricing for 10+ copies)

  • Keynote or half-day workshop

  • Follow-up resources and implementation support

This is often the most cost-effective way to bring both the ideas and the author to your team. Learn more here.

Who I Work With

Over the past two decades, I've partnered with:

  • International schools across six continents

  • School districts and leadership teams

  • Nonprofit organizations focused on learning and equity

  • Corporate learning and development teams

I work across sectors because the human dynamics underneath learning, leadership, and change are remarkably similar—whether you're leading a third-grade classroom, a nonprofit program, or a corporate team.

Let’s Start a Conversation

If you're curious about what might work for your team or organization, let's talk.

I'd love to hear about:

  • What you're working on

  • What challenges you're navigating

  • What you're hoping might shift

From there, we can explore what might serve your context best—whether that's a keynote, a workshop, ongoing coaching, or something else entirely.

Email: tonya@tonyagilchrist.com

LinkedIn

I look forward to hearing from you.

  • Tonya was tailoring each session to meet diverse needs of the group. She was amplifying engagement and agency moves. Her pace was perfect and very clear—and more importantly practical."

    —Prashani Gamage, Sri Lanka

  • Thank you for everything; such a wonderful and uplifting course. I truly enjoyed every minute. It was so well put together, informative, and helpful in all respects, both the presentation to the group and the small group discussions. I loved how responsive Tonya was to all our questions!

    —Patience Montgomery, Germany

  • "As always, a brilliant session learning from Tonya Gilchrist about the myths surrounding inquiry-based learning. Invigorating conversations and provocations, moving from surface learning to deep learning to transfer learning."

    —Soukeina Tharoo, Switzerland

Speaking Topics

Not sure where to start?

Below are topics I frequently speak and facilitate on.

For Leadership Teams:

  • Leading Through Trust, Not Control

  • Designing Systems That Build Agency

  • From Performative Empowerment to Real Ownership

  • Protecting Time, Energy, and Focus at Scale

For Learning & Development:

  • The Transfer Equation: Making Learning Stick

  • Feedback That Grows Capability

  • Building Psychological Safety in Teams

  • Coaching for Thinking (Not Just Compliance)

For Educators:

  • Designing With Students, Not for Them

  • The Power of Shared Direction - Strength-Spotting as a Daily Practice

  • Questions That Open Thinking

All topics can be adapted for keynotes (45-90 min) or workshops (half-day or full-day).

Ready to explore?

Let's talk about what would serve your team best.

Email Tonya
Schedule a chat