What is Podium Primer?
Every young person has something to say. Podium Primer helps them find the confidence and skills to say it.
Podium Primer provides one-on-one public speaking coaching to children, teens and young adults, helping them become clearer, more confident and more capable communicators.
For many young people, speaking in front of others can feel intimidating. Maybe your daughter knows exactly what she wants to say but freezes when it's her turn to speak. Maybe your son speaks too quickly, second-guesses himself, struggles to organize his thoughts or simply wishes he felt more confident in front of a room.
These are skills that can be learned.
Through practical, supportive coaching, students learn how to organize their ideas, manage nerves, speak with confidence and presence, and handle the unexpected. Our goal isn't to change who they are or turn them into someone louder. It's to help them trust their own voice.
Who is Podium Primer for?
Podium Primer is for students who want to:
Build confidence speaking in front of others
Prepare for school or university presentations
Develop stronger presentation and communication skills
Learn to manage nerves and think on their feet
Prepare for interviews, speeches or leadership opportunities
Become more comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions
Because confidence isn't something you have to be born with. It's something you can build.
About the Founder
Growing up shy, Joanna learned to move through her fear of public speaking and build a career in communications.
She has 20 years of experience in broadcasting and corporate communications, including roles as a corporate media spokesperson, radio host, entertainment television host, communications coach and commercial voiceover artist. Her work has taken her around the world and has included coaching CEOs and senior leaders of large government organizations.
Joanna has appeared in media outlets across North America, including the San Francisco Chronicle, The Globe and Mail, Global News, CTV and the Times Colonist.
Through Podium Primer, Joanna works one-on-one with, children, teens and young adults to develop confident, capable communication skills. Sessions focus on public speaking, presentations, interviews and managing the nerves that can make it difficult to think clearly and speak with confidence.
Her approach is practical, supportive and tailored to each student. Together, they work through challenges such as fear of speaking in front of others, overthinking, losing their train of thought, speaking too quickly, finding the right words and handling unexpected questions.
Students leave with practical tools they can use long after their sessions - and greater confidence in their ability to speak up, be heard and trust their voice.
Joanna has represented large public organizations as their media spokesperson. Her interviews have been reported in outlets like the Globe and Mail, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Vancouver Sun, CTV, Global TV and The Province.