Christy Shi Day speaks into a microphone during a podcast or recording session. She is wearing a muted blue shirt, and black foam acoustic panels are visible on the wall behind her.

Speaking & Workshops

I speak and lead workshops for people who are navigating complexity, building resilience, and creating more human ways of working together.

Whether we are exploring trauma-informed leadership, systems thinking in practice, collaboration, or strengthening community capacity, I aim to help groups listen, learn, and move forward in ways that honor both the visible and invisible dynamics in the room.

If you need a bio or headshots, please visit my press page.

Seeding Conversations That Matter

I bring warmth, curiosity, and a systems-informed lens to any conversation. Whether it’s a conversational interview, a keynote speech, or interactive workshop, I aim to help people not only think differently, but also feel, listen, and connect in new ways.

My style is participatory and adaptive – grounded in practical wisdom and a deep respect for the complexity each group brings. I choose my comments to reflect my audience, using stories and metaphors to help content land where it can have the most impact.

Recent Engagements

Leadership Shifts WNC 2026

UPCOMING FEB-OCT 2026 Collaborative learning journey for people leading organizations and communities through complex challenges, focusing on the subtle, yet powerful, shifts in awareness, relationships, and practice that build more adaptive, distributed, and resilient leadership. Applications due January 15.

Institute for Emerging Issues⯈ Workshop

UPCOMING – NOV 18 2025
Workshop facilitator at the annual IEI Faith and Community Initiative Conference, “Rooted and Rising: Faith and Community in a Changing World” in Greensboro, NC.

App State University ⯈ Workshop

Learn what neuroscience tells us of human behavior (including our own), and walk away with easy-to-use techniques that support classroom calm, strengthen relationships, and reduce escalation.

Appalachian State University ⯈ Guest Speaker

Event flyer for the University Forum Series presented by Appalachian State University College of Student Success. Title reads: "Listening for the Path: How Nervous Systems Shape the Way We Lead, Learn, & Live." The event will be held at Plemmons Student Union, PSU 420 Parkway Ballroom, on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 4:00 PM. The flyer features a photo of Christy Shi Day, a woman with long, wavy blond hair and glasses, smiling while seated. Text below the image reads: “Join us for an inspiring talk with Christy Shi Day, trauma-informed disaster response advocate and strategic facilitator, on how nervous system awareness shapes leadership, resilience, and meaningful change.” At the bottom, it states: “This event is FREE and open to all faculty, staff, students, & the Western NC community.” A QR code is labeled “RSVP.” The background includes decorative birds and a warm-toned setting.
Guest speaker for the University Forum Lecture Series, which provides opportunities for university students, faculty, and staff and for people in the surrounding region to hear some of the most stimulating speakers in the country.

Adult Children of Aging Parents ⯈ Podcast

A photo of Christy Shi Day and Karen Summey recording a podcast or video.
In this lunch & learn conversation with podcast host Karen Summey, I shared simple, science-based tools for emotional regulation, clearer communication, and more resilient relationships with your aging parents, your family, and yourself.

UNC School of Government ⯈ Workshop

A blue slide from a presentation by the UNC School of Government, Center for Public Leadership and Governance. The slide's title, "Leading With and Through: Harness the Power of Public Participation," is written in white text against a light blue banner. The UNC logo is on the left side of the banner. A faint, dark blue outline of a government building is visible in the background.
This course, which I was invited to develop, offers valuable insights and practical tools for local government staff and officials seeking to build stronger relationships with their communities. Participants explore collaborative approaches to foster trust, improve communication, and create a greater sense of shared purpose.

June Holley & Social Roots ⯈ Panelist

An invitation for an online workshop titled 'Part Two - Building multiscalar networks: An interactive workshop with network of networks coordinators.' The event is on Thursday, March 27, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EDT via Zoom
In this series on Multiscalar Networks, I joined June Holley, after having worked as a disaster response advocate and network weaver in the wake of the September 2024 Hurricane Helene that devastated Western North Carolina.

Inside Climate News ⯈ Interview

Headline for a news article titled "Grassroots Hurricane Relief Efforts Fight Disinformation, Slow Bureaucracies and More Frequent Catastrophes." Below the headline is the byline "By Keerti Gopal" and the publication date "November 17, 2024."
As an informant in this article, I called for trauma-informed disaster response and recovery, providing real examples from my lived experience as a helper during response and recovery from Hurricanes Florence, Michael, Dorian, and Helene.

University of Minnesota ⯈ Guest Speaker

Title slide for a university course. The title is "PUBH 7200: Democratizing Public Health through Radical Participation." The course is offered in "May Session 2024." In the top right corner, there is a logo for the "School of Public Health, University of Minnesota."
As a guest speaker at the University of Minnesota, I shared how participatory methods shape my work – from the design of the Better Food Policy Fund to the creative use of visuals as tools for facilitation and storytelling. We explored equity and justice, lessons learned from missteps, and practical advice for those beginning their journey with participatory approaches.

Embodied Leadership ⯈ Guest Speaker

Part of a flyer for a conference titled "Leading With and Through Fostering a Sense of Belonging, 2024 Conference." The flyer features a collage of photos of the three speakers: Dr. Sylvia Burgess, Dr. Robert Livingston, and Terry Willie-Surratt.
I co-presented “Embodied Leadership: Navigating Trauma for Greater Belonging” with renowned transformative lawyer J Kim Wright at the Leading With and Through: Fostering a Sense of Belonging Conference. We shared practical insights into the embodied practices that help leaders navigate and recognize trauma – working from the inside-out – to build trust and increase performance in their teams.

NC School of Science & Math ⯈ Workshop

A PowerPoint title slide for a presentation titled "The Brain, The Body & Belonging." On the right side, there's a circular black and white photo of a woman, Christy Shi Day, with a surprised expression. Her name, alma mater (North Carolina School of Science and Math, class of 1992), and consulting firm (Shi Day Consulting) are listed beneath the photo. In the bottom left corner, there's text indicating the presentation's location and date. The background of the slide is a pattern of square tiles in various shades of blue, beige, and tan.
As a guest speaker for students, faculty, and staff, I spoke to the role of the nervous system as we commemorated the legacy of Dr. M L King, Jr., whose teachings emphasize the need for belongingness and social connection across diverse groups.

UNC School of Government ⯈ Speaker

A presentation slide with a blurred, slightly faded photo of a building from the UNC School of Government in the background. The text "Trauma Awareness (it's a thing)" is overlaid in a large, bold font. Below that, in smaller, gray text, is "UNC School of Government."
Following an on-campus shooting at the University, I, along with colleagues Ann DuPre Rogers and Kim Wright, was invited to speak with faculty, staff, and MPA students about the need for trauma awareness in the local government profession.

Sometimes the most
meaningful collaborations begin with a single conversation.

Let’s Connect

From the Field

“It’s so important to bring a diverse set of people to the table in our efforts involved in things that might, at first glance, not even seem to be connected. But when you dig under, they are connected.” – Adaptive leadership training participant

From the Field

“Mistakes equal learning.” – Community collaborator

From the Field

“That people are so open has been surprising. There is such willingness to step into the space.  I’d like to see how we fuel more of that…” – Community collaborator

From the Field

“Friction points have been helpful in highlighting the depth and breath of some of the challenges we face which we may not have fully appreciated otherwise.” – Community collaborator

From the Field

“Shift happens!” – light-hearted collective wisdom emerging from participants of The Wave Effect – June 2021