Start the Conversation

Keynote Speaking

Leadership is not just developed; it is distributed, restricted, and expanded through systems of access.

Dr. Raven C. Major challenges audiences to rethink leadership not as a title or position, but as a practice shaped by decision-making, opportunity, and the structures that determine who gets to lead; and how.

Her talks are designed for organizations ready to move beyond leadership theory into the real work of building cultures where leadership is recognized, developed, and sustained at every level.

At the center of Dr. Major’s work is a simple but disruptive idea: Leadership is often treated as if access is evenly distributed. It is not.
The Folding Chair Collective draws its name from a lived reality: people are often expected to contribute, perform, and lead in spaces that were not originally designed with them in mind.
A folding chair becomes a symbol of what people bring to those spaces anyway; preparation, skill, resilience, knowledge, and community. But more importantly, it raises a critical question for institutions:
Who is given a seat—and who is expected to bring their own?
Dr. Major’s work challenges organizations to examine how leadership is defined, who is recognized as a leader, and what it takes to create environments where leadership is not gatekept, but cultivated.

Book Dr. Major to Speak

Her keynotes and sessions focus on leadership, decision-making, and organizational culture through a systems lens.

  • How leadership is shaped by access, opportunity, and organizational design
  • Why decision-making—not position—determines leadership impact
  • The hidden structures that define who is heard, promoted, and developed
  • Building cultures where leadership is distributed, not concentrated
  • Moving from performative inclusion to structural leadership development

Signature Talks

Leadership is Not Neutral

Leadership systems reflect values, assumptions, and power. This session examines how organizations unintentionally design leadership pathways that exclude as much as they develop.

The Question of "the Seat"

Who gets access to leadership; and who is expected to bring their own tools to participate? This talk uses the folding chair metaphor to explore access, preparation, and organizational responsibility in cultivating leadership.

What Audiences Gain

After this keynote, organizations will be able to: 

  • A clearer understanding of how leadership is structured within organizations
  • Language to name gaps between intention and practice
  • Tools for strengthening decision-making at every level
  • A deeper awareness of how culture is produced; not assumed
  • Strategies for building leadership systems that are more transparent, intentional, and sustainable

Dr. Major is available for keynotes, leadership convenings, conferences, and organizational learning engagements.

Speaking engagements begin at $500 and vary based on scope, format, and organizational needs.

For organizations committed to rethinking leadership, culture, and decision-making systems, these sessions offer a grounded but challenging entry point into meaningful change.

 

Customizable speaking packages available for organizations, institutions, and campuses.

Inquire About Speaking