Deborah Shames / About

During her fifteen years as a successful director of television, documentaries and film, Deborah Shames knew something was holding her back.

She understood that embracing public speaking engagements would heighten her credibility as a director, yet she avoided the public stage.

Deborah produced and/or directed more than 60 award-winning films and videos. She was masterful at directing actors and executives to deliver their best performances, but stage fright held her own career in check. Despite being a force in the Entertainment Industry, she watched her male colleagues succeed, while she remained behind the scenes and the camera.

Deborah realized that she would never become an effective public speaker until she conquered the challenges so many women face–from feeling judged and being apologetic about their strong opinions, to having an innate fear of failure. So, she identified the essential steps for women (and herself) to own their power.

According to Deborah, for women to succeed, they need to embrace their authentic voice, stop apologizing for their views, and quiet their inner critic.

Deborah and her partner, David Booth, co-founded Eloqui in 2001, when they began training professionals how to communicate more effectively. Since then, Deborah has coached, trained and delivered keynotes to A-list performers in television and film, C-Suite executives, Olympians and professionals in the fields of finance, retail, technology, automotive, manufacturing, law, accounting, insurance and non-profits.

Passionate about coaching women to convey their personality and abilities, Deborah wanted to reach a greater audience. By authoring Out Front: How Women Can Become Engaging, Memorable and Fearless Speakers, Deborah brings her expertise to women around the world. Her goal is to prepare women of all ages, from high school students and millennials to seasoned veterans with the skills they need to be out front.

In addition to her work with Eloqui, Deborah speaks pro bono to educational institutions including Notre Dame High School, Rutgers, the UCLA Anderson School of Business, the USC Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Pepperdine MBA and Cal Lutheran to give young people the boost and confidence they need at the beginning of their careers.