13 Oct Speaker Spotlight [EDU]: Mariana Atencio – Keynote Speaker on Belonging, Authenticity, and Confident Communication
Mariana Atencio is a keynote speaker for planners who want a program on authenticity, belonging, and confident communication from an award-winning journalist who built her career in American media as a first-generation immigrant. The Peabody Award-winning author of Perfectly You, she speaks to education and leadership audiences. This spotlight from Collaborative Agency Group covers what a Mariana Atencio keynote speaker program delivers, who books her, and what audiences take away.
What a Mariana Atencio Keynote Speaker Program Covers
Atencio is a Peabody Award-winning journalist and bestselling author whose TEDx talk on the power of being different has been viewed by tens of millions of people. As a national correspondent for NBC News she earned three Emmy nominations, a Hillman Prize, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Presidential Award. She has reported from Haiti, the Syrian border, and China, and has interviewed Pope Francis, President Biden, and King Felipe VI of Spain.
Her book, Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, argues that authenticity builds trust, relationships, and workplace culture. Originally from Venezuela, she built her message on her own journey of change and a new identity: what makes you different is what makes you special. Her programs include The Power of Being Perfectly You, Transformative Leadership: Building Trust Through Authenticity, and Communicating Confidently. She also moderates, interviews, and hosts. She is one of our diversity speakers.
Who Books Mariana Atencio
Planners book Atencio for DEI initiatives, leadership conferences, and Hispanic Heritage events where audiences respond to a personal story of identity, persistence, and professional achievement. For education planners, her themes of belonging and authenticity suit district kickoffs, staff development days, and association conferences where the goal is a culture people want to be part of.
If you are lining up a 2027 program, our how to book a speaker page explains the process, and our guide to Hispanic Heritage Month speakers covers observance planning. Education planners can also browse our education speakers.
What Audiences Take Away
Audiences leave with practical tools for leading through change, communicating with confidence and empathy, and building inclusive cultures of trust. The central message is simple: people are at their best when they can be themselves, and they are more engaged, resilient, and confident in the face of change. For schools and districts, that means staff rooms and classrooms where people do not feel they have to hide what makes them different.
Because she also moderates, interviews, and hosts, Atencio can do more than one job on a program. A planner can book her for a keynote on authenticity, then add a session on communicating confidently, which her profile lists as a post-keynote breakout or a separate keynote. That flexibility helps districts and associations that want a morning keynote and an afternoon working session from the same speaker. Ask about customizing the program to your audience when you inquire.
The Bottom Line
Mariana Atencio pairs serious reporting credentials with a message about being real, and her story gives a school or district audience something concrete to hold on to. She is a strong booking for 2027 programs on belonging, leadership, and communication. Check her 2027 availability and current fees on her profile.
Ready to check Mariana Atencio for your 2027 event? Tell us your date, audience, and budget, and we will confirm availability and current fees. No obligation.
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