Summer Alexander

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About

Many people at work have strong ideas and valuable expertise but are not always sure how to communicate them in ways that build credibility and position them to influence outcomes. Summer Alexander helps employees strengthen their voice and leadership presence so they can contribute with confidence in meetings, presentations, and strategic conversations. Her work focuses on teaching executive presence, public speaking, and strategic storytelling, and providing participants with practical tools they can use right away. Summer brings both professional and lived experience to her work with employee resource groups. She previously led a DEI team at Zillow and has more than seven years of experience serving on ERG leadership committees in U.S. and global organizations. She has delivered sessions for ERGs at Pinterest, Teradata, and LISC and has spoken at SXSW, The Chicago Women's Conference, Black Woman Leading Live and for several conferences on public speaking, strategic storytelling, personal branding, and executive presence. Summer holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, a DEI certification from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and is a Certified Intercultural Development Inventory Assessor. She is the founder of Simply Training Solutions.

Services

  • Being on Brand

    Whether you know it or not, you already have a personal brand. In this interactive session, participants learn how to be intentional about shaping a brand that positions them for influence and success in their roles. Being On Brand is built around three practical pillars: Define, Develop, and Demonstrate. Participants leave with practical strategies to increase visibility and build credibility, along with a Being On Brand Action Guide to help them apply what they learned and continue strengthening their personal brand beyond the session.

  • Authenticity Is Your Advantage

    You don't have to change who you are to build credibility and influence. In this interactive session, participants learn how to leverage their authentic voice, perspective, and experience to increase visibility in the workplace. This session focuses on practical strategies for contributing ideas, communicating expertise, and speaking to your work in a way that strengthens influence without feeling inauthentic. Participants explore how to show up confidently in meetings, share their thinking clearly, and position their contributions so they are understood and remembered. Participants leave with practical strategies they can apply immediately, along with an Authenticity Is Your Advantage Action Guide to help them continue strengthening their visibility and influence beyond the session.

  • Speak Up, Stand Out: Public Speaking Practice Lab

    Confident public speaking at work is a skill that can be learned. Whether it's contributing in a meeting, presenting to leadership, or asking a question in an all-hands session, these moments matter for your career and your credibility. This hands-on lab gives employees the strategies and the practice time to build real confidence from the inside out. Participants learn how to tap into their existing knowledge and expertise, read the room, craft a clear message, and prepare in a way that supports them in taking action after the lab. Everyone will have an opportunity to practice and receive feedback.

  • Influence Without Authority

    In this session, participants learn how to drive change and shape outcomes without relying on formal authority. Using the 3 Pillars of Influence framework, participants gain practical tools to strengthen their credibility, read organizational dynamics, and build the relationships that move ideas forward. Every participant also works through a personalized Influence Map: a concrete planning tool that turns vague goals into specific actions with the right stakeholders, starting the very next day. This session is designed for cross-functional projects, high-stakes conversations, and the everyday moments that determine who gets heard.

  • The Art of Strategic Storytelling

    Leaders are often asked to communicate complex ideas, new initiatives, and critical decisions to audiences with very different priorities and perspectives. A message that resonates with one group may create confusion or resistance with another. In this session, I introduce a practical approach to crafting communication that is both clear and intentionally designed for the people in the room. Leaders learn how to interpret audience needs, adapt their message without losing meaning, and connect context, insight, and direction in ways that help others see what matters and why it matters now. Participants leave with tools to structure their thinking, tailor their communication for cross-functional partners, and use storytelling as a leadership practice that strengthens shared understanding, trust, and meaningful progress.

  • Visible Woman - Position Your Expertise for Opportunity

    Many women are doing exceptional work, yet their contributions remain under-recognized. In this interactive session, participants will learn how to intentionally increase their visibility without self-promotion that feels uncomfortable or inauthentic. The focus is on clearly communicating expertise, contributing strategically in everyday speaking moments, and positioning accomplishments in ways that align with career goals. Participants will explore practical strategies to speak to their value in meetings, updates, and cross-functional conversations, while building credibility and influence across their organization. The session emphasizes using visibility as a leadership skill, not a personality trait. Participants will leave with a Visible Woman Action Guide to help them identify opportunities to showcase their expertise and take intentional steps toward greater recognition and career advancement.