Leigh Anne Jasheway, M.P.H.

Award Winning Humor Speaker and Author

SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

Humor and Stress Management

Laughter can improve your health, boost your creativity, unlock your heart, and make your life livelier. And, as, Jimmy Buffett said, “If we didn’t laugh, we’d all go insane.”

We all have stress – whether it’s a major stress such as a chronic illness or having lost a job, or a minor stress such as a bad hair cut or an argument with your teenager about nose rings (you want one, he/she thinks you’d look silly!) But if you can choose a humor perspective from which to view your stresses, you will live a longer, happier life, even if you do have bad hair days every day.

Finding Your Funny Bone

Using humor as a life management tool is not about remembering jokes you read on the Internet or pulling pranks on your friends. It is about choosing to see the funny in life instead of the frustrating. About adding joy to others’ lives instead of subtracting it. About avoiding life-o-sucters (people who suck the life out of you) and hanging around with people who make you laugh.

My Presentations

If your organization would like to learn to control stress, manage change, and just plain be happy for a change, you may want to check out the following presentations:

Don’t Get Mad, Get Funny: Using Humor to Manage Stress. A hilarious look at how laughing at stress at work and at home can save your life and your sanity, with a focus on the physiological and emotional benefits of humor and practical steps for finding the funny in the smaller stuff so you have the energy to handle the big things.

I’m Flexible as Long as You Don’t Change Anything: How to Embrace Change and Expect the Best. Who are these people and why are they putting stuff in my in-basket? If things around your workplace are changing faster than Superman in a phone booth and everyone is all stressed out with nowhere to go, here’s a great opportunity to learn to cope, even thrive, by using your resilience, your optimism and your funny bone as survival tools.

NEW! Work-Life Balance: Lessons from Science and Comedy. Like an out-of-balance washing machine, many of us continue to struggle through life, banging our heads against the walls, trying to do everything that is expected of us, and eventually wearing ourselves out. Is it any wonder, we often feel agitated? This fun interactive session starts off with what science says about the mental and physical consequences of living life out of balance. That’s followed by exercises and games from improv comedy that focus on the skills important for living a more balanced life: resilience, connection with others, learning to let go of what’s not important, and finding bliss through play.

Bridging Differences with Laughter and Play. This playful diversity training session helps us take our focus off of our differences and our own ego and instead concentrate on having fun and being in flow. Using improv and other games, we’ll explore what we knew so well when we were young: our differences don’t matter, difference perspectives are fun, and playing with others is more fun than playing alone. We’ll also look at the rule of improv, “Yes, and…” and see how its application in everyday life can change everything for the better.

NEW! Improving Your Leadership Skills Through Laughter and Play. Studies show that effective leaders build strong teams, communicate effectively, move through failure easily, and laugh at themselves when the chips are down. Whether you’re a CEO, the director of a non-profit, or an activist trying to change the world for the better, you can learn to be a better and more relaxed leader with exercises and games chosen specifically to strengthen the skills you need to create an environment of respect, creativity, and joy.

Breakout Sessions and Interactive Fun

It’s one thing to sit and listen and laugh and another to roll your sleeves up and break out the crayons or the ukulele! Leigh Anne specializes in creating fun interactive experiences that teach practical skills – from improved communications skills (good for anyone who ever has to open his or her mouth), to dealing with personal and professional change, to learning to be more creative and take more risks. With more than fifty different interactive exercises, props and toys galore, and the ability to create a game show about anything, Leigh Anne’s breakout sessions are more fun than a barrel of monkeys singing polka tunes and hula-hooping.

Interactive sessions give participants a chance to have fun while building their humor skills. Whether playing Pirates of the Cubicle or working with a group of kindergartners to solve global warming or joining a silly sing-a-long about coffee, all of Leigh Anne’s exercises and games are hysterical and educational at the same time. You can choose from activities that build teams, enhance communications skills, help resolve conflict and lessen interpersonal stress, and increase creativity.

Live Video Teleconferences

I don’t have to fly. You don’t have to pay big bucks (just little ones). I don’t get patted down (unless I just make a trip to the airport just for that service). You don’t have to worry about my flight being delayed. I do less commuting and the planet heaves a sigh of relief.

If you have video teleconferencing facilities onsite or in a convenient location, I can be here and there at the same time (it’s like Star Trek, only funnier and less logical). Contact me for more info on how this works and why it might be just the option for you.

Formats

One-hour keynotes involve lots of props, lots of practical ideas, and lots of laughs. Two and four-hour workshops expand upon the learning process, giving participants an opportunity to work together to implement newly-learned humor tools. Each presentation may be tailored to the specific needs of the organization (more so in the longer workshops.) If your conference has a theme, that theme can also be integrated into the workshop. In addition, if your organization is also searching for evening entertainment, I am available for stand-up comedy tailored to your needs.

What Audiences Have to Say

In the past 15 years, more than a quarter million people have attended my presentations. Some of their comments: “The most motivating speaker I have ever heard”…”You made me laugh. You made me think. Now I’m going to change”…”You were wonderful! I am amazed at your wonderful knack for providing excellent information coupled with personal insights that bring your presentations home!”…”I laughed so hard, I didn’t realize how much I had learned”…”Without a doubt, the best speaker I have ever heard.”

Qualifications

Prior to beginning a career as a humorist, stress management expert, and motivational speaker, I was a health educator and ran the wellness program of The University of Texas – Houston Health Science Center. I am also a stand-up comic, comedy instructor, and humor writer (I have 14 published humor books and three self-help books about humor and play, including I’m Not Getting Older (I’m Getting Better at Denial), Give Me a Break: For Women Who Have Too Much to Do, Bedtime Stories for Dogs, and Bedtime Stories for Cats, The Rules for Dogs.)

Call me!

To join me in a laugh-filled and learn-filled adventure that will make your employees or organization members happier, healthier, and more productive, call (541) 688-1674 or email me at lajfun@accidentalcomic.com.

And remember, there is not one single shred of scientific evidence that life is serious!

References

Here is a partial list of some of the organizations for whom I have presented:

CORPORATE

Coldwell Banker
Credit Financial Development Division Annual Conference
Excell CEO’s
Exxon – Houston
Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce
Interior Design Associates of Oregon
KETC – TV, St. Louis, MO
Mammoth
Microsoft
National Organization of Insurance Women
Northwest Community Credit Union
Oregon Dairy Women Conference
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Oregon Presswomen
Oregon Rehabilitation Association
Oregon Remodeling Association
Oregon Telecommunications Association
Pacific Continental Bank
Rogue Federal Credit Union
State Farm
Tenneco – Houston
Texaco – Houston
Underwriters Lab
Wal-Mart National Headquarters
Washington Alternative Transit Organization

EDUCATION

American Association of University Women
Creswell School District
Gresham School District
Hood River County School District
Kitsap County Headstart
Klamath Falls Head Start
Lane County Head Start
Northwest Regional ESD
Oregon Community Education Association
Oregon Research Institute
Oregon School Administrators
Oregon School Facilities Mangement
Oregon School Finance Association
Portland Community College
South Dakota University
University of Oregon Academic Advising
University of Oregon Catering and Conference Services
University of Oregon Early Childhood Services
University of Oregon Food Services
University of Oregon Registrar’s Office

GOVERNMENT & NON-PROFIT

Bureau of Land Management
City of Eugene General Services
City of Eugene Planning, Department of Human Services, WA State Patrol
Crime Victims’ Assistance Network
Deschutes Public Library
Dove Lewis Humane Foundation
Eugene Public Library
Eugene Public Works
Hines BLM and Forest Service
International Organization of Foresters
International Women’s Day
Lane County Activities Directors
Lane County Senior Companions
Lane County Small Business Development Program
Meals on Wheels Association of America
Moondance Film Festival
Mother Kali’s Books
OASIS Senior Education Center
Olympic Community Action program
Olympic Community Action Project – Seattle
Oregon Case Managers Association
Oregon Community Education Association
Oregon OSHA
Oregon State University Manager’s Group
Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Association
Professional Women’s Forum
Red Hat Society of Lane County
Soroptimists International
St. Paul’s Catholic Church
State of Oregon Diversity Conference
U.S. District Courts
U.S. Federal District Courthouse — Fresno and Sacramento
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department
U. S. Forest Service
U.S. Post Office
Willamette Oaks Retirement Center
Willamette Writers Conference
Work Trends 2000 Human Resources Conference
Women on the Move Annual Conference – Eugene

HEALTH & MEDICAL

American Association of Medical Assistants
American Medical Technicians
Barton Hospital- South Lake Tahoe
Certified Nurse Administrators
Good Samaritan Hospital – Portland
Health Care Communicators of Oregon
Health Care Finance Administrators of Oregon
Lincoln County Health and Human Services
McKenzie Willamette Hospital
Memorial Southwest Hospital – Houston
Nursing Education Association – Los Vegas
Oregon Medical Assistants Annual Conference
Oregon Medical Group
Oregon Oncology Nurses Association
Peace Health Hospital
Seaside Annual Health Promotion Conference
Speaking of Women’s Health, underwritten nationally by Procter & Gamble
Southwest Washington Medical Center Psychological Services Retreat – Vancouver
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Milwaukee, WI
University of Michigan Hospital – Ann Arbor
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
University of Virginia Midlife Women’s Health Program
Yamhill County Health and Human Services

FOR EVENT PLANNERS

Why hire me as a speaker?

Is humor really a useful tool in the business environment? Absolutely. Studies show show that organizations (and disorganizations) that learn to use humor in a positive way can boost employee and manager productivity, enhance creativity, improve inter-office and client communications skill, build stronger teams, and increase (employee, not water) retention. The answer to this question is a s simple as: Would you rather work somewhere you enjoy yourself or somewhere you spend all your day dreaming of retirement?

How clean is your comedy? Much cleaner than primetime TV. In fact, In fact, I’m usually cleaner than the corporate audiences I present to.

Are you going to embarrass people in the audience? Since my purpose is to engage and audience and help them have a good time, it doesn’t make any sense that I would scare them. I never single out anyone who obviously would rather not participate, nor do I ever ask any individual to do anything they’re uncomfortable with. I do play silly games in my interactive sessions to help people get over their fear of taking risks, but we do that in groups or on a volunteer basis.

Can I pick and choose topics from your list? Absolutely. You can even make up stuff yourself. I’ve recently talked about laughter as a community-building skill, helped a group of people learn to use humor as a tool to work with older financial clients, and presented to 11, 12, and 13 year old girls on keeping their sense of humor while pursuing their dreams.

What makes you different from other humor speakers? I’m the only redhead in her fifties with three wiener dogs and home and propellor in my purse. But seriously… I began life as a health educator, so my first goals is getting my message across and making sure that the audience goes home having learned something practical and easy that will better their lives. Because I have a masters degree in public health and am a stress management expert, it is easy for most organizations to get continuing education credits for their employees or members who attend my sessions. Last, but not least, my humor is focused inward — I tell stories about things that have happened to me and my friends, which makes the audience more comfortable laughing. Oh, and I almost never use Powerpoint because I want the audience to be awake and engaged.

What’s your favorite flavor ice cream? Rocky road. Mmmh. Thanks for asking.