National Speakers Association New York City Chapter upcoming events

Members Only Virtual Mastermind: Facilitated Peer Insights & Advice for Speaking and Business Growth (Friday, June 19, 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Register today for our *members only* 60-minute virtual Mastermind sessions, facilitated by Robyn Hatcher, CSP.

These sessions provide members with peer-to-peer insights aimed at solving problems, offering feedback, advice, and access to resources, all geared towards helping them improve as speakers and build stronger businesses. Mark your calendars with the sessions listed below.

Why should you attend? By participating, you’ll tap into the power of collective intelligence through collaborative discussions and shared experiences. This environment fosters a unique opportunity for support and feedback, helping you to refine ideas and strategies. Additionally, the Masterminds offer a structure for accountability, encouraging you to set and achieve personal and professional goals. Networking opportunities are a plus, allowing you to connect with other speakers.

Please be prepared to: Ask a specific question, share a challenge or a goal. Test a new story. Receive feedback on an idea. Share a new resource and/or a lesson learned. And, above all bring abundant generosity.

Not yet a member and want to become one - Join NSA NYC Here.

JULY MIXER (Thursday, July 16, 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:30:00 GMT

JOIN US FOR OUR JULY MIXER!

Everyone is welcome!

Be our guest at our July mixer! Join us for an informal Pop Up networking event. Come meet other speakers and enjoy cocktails or mocktails. Guests are welcome, and the first cocktail or mocktail is complimentary for members. Join us on Thursday, July 16th at 5:30 pm.

RSVP Today!

Members Only Virtual Mastermind: Facilitated Peer Insights & Advice for Speaking and Business Growth (Friday, July 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Register today for our *members only* 60-minute virtual Mastermind sessions, facilitated by Robyn Hatcher, CSP.

Members Only VIRTUAL MASTERCLASS Why Speakers Get Hired and... Why They Don't. Inside the Mind of a Speaker Buyer with Kat Ortiz (Monday, July 20, 2026)

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

What actually makes a speaker easy to hire… and easy to rehire?

In this candid conversation, NSA NYC welcomes Kat Ortiz of NextUp, the leader behind the organization’s CAU virtual programming and Rising Stars leadership experience.

Kat has hired countless speakers across virtual and live events and has a rare perspective on what separates speakers who get passed over from the ones buyers trust with bigger stages, higher visibility, and repeat opportunities.

Hosted by Cait Donovan, this masterclass will pull back the curtain on:

How speaker buyers actually evaluate presenters
What immediately creates confidence… or concern
The difference between being “good virtually” and being ready for a live stage
What speakers unknowingly do that makes buyers avoid rehiring them
How professionalism, communication, flexibility, and stage presence affect repeat bookings
What Kat looks for when deciding who moves from virtual events into larger in-person opportunities

If you’ve ever wondered what happens after you submit your materials… this is the conversation.

Members Only VIRTUAL MASTERCLASS Confessions of a Gatekeeper: The Gateway to Getting More Gigs with Jacquelyn Fletcher-Johnson (Monday, September 14, 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

You can have a great story, decades of experience, and incredible stage presence and still struggle to get booked if your pitch doesn't answer one simple question:

""Why should we choose you?""
Every year, conference designers, event planners, speaker bureaus, podcast hosts, editors, and media producers review thousands of pitches. Most are quickly forgotten. A few stand out.

Why?
In this highly interactive NSA NYC workshop, conference designer and Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest founder Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson pulls back the curtain on what happens behind the scenes when designers choose their speaker line-up.

Jacquelyn has spent her career helping powerful ideas find their way into the world. She began as a publicist for bestselling authors Maurice Sendak and Clive Cussler, crafting pitches and securing media opportunities that amplified their work. Since then, she's served as a magazine editor-in-chief and designed large-scale conferences. She's currently the producer of the Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest, an event that gathers powerful decision-makers—including literary and speaking agents, producers, meeting planners, editors, and the head of TED Conferences—who can open doors to bigger stages and opportunities.

She's reviewed thousands of speaker proposals, media pitches, story ideas, and keynote descriptions and has seen firsthand why some speakers get selected and others get overlooked.

In this session, we'll explore:
• What conference designers, gatekeepers, and decision-makers are really looking for
• Why some speaker pitches get immediate attention while others are lost in the crowd
• The role of ""sticky"" ideas in generating referrals, bookings, media opportunities, and word-of-mouth buzz
• Common mistakes that weaken speaker brands