Speaking Engagements
A keynote that leaves a room different than it found it
Alonzo speaks to schools, churches, civic institutions, and corporate teams about resilience, restoration, and what it actually takes to live balanced. The talks are built on fifteen years of front-line work, not theory, and every one ends with something the audience can use on Monday morning.
- MLK Day keynotes and legislative presentations
- City-wide school programming across 30+ campuses
- CBT-certified content adapted to your audience
What Gets Covered
The material
From Restored to Balanced
The signature keynote. Alonzo traces his own path through restoration and turns it into a practical framework for anyone rebuilding after a hard season.
Resilience Is a Skill, Not a Trait
A CBT-grounded talk that reframes resilience as something teachable, with concrete tools for students and staff who are running on empty.
Direction, Depression, and the Standard
Dedicated programming for Black men on setting a standard and holding it, addressing mental health without the usual distance or euphemism.
The Balanced Classroom
For educators and administrators: burnout prevention and climate strategies drawn from turnaround work in Chicago's toughest schools.
How It Works
From first call to follow-through
01
Discovery call
A 30-minute conversation about your audience, your goals, and the moment your organization is in.
02
Custom outline
Alonzo adapts the talk to your context and shares an outline for approval before the date.
03
The engagement
Keynote delivered in person or virtually, with optional Q&A and breakout facilitation.
04
Follow-through
Your team receives a resource packet and a recording, so the message keeps working after the room clears.
Investment
Published pricing, no discovery call required
Custom scopes are always possible, but you should be able to see the range before you spend time on a call.
Virtual Keynote
$1,500
up to 60 minutes
A full keynote delivered live to a remote or hybrid audience.
- 60-minute live virtual keynote
- Moderated Q&A
- Custom outline aligned to your theme
- Session recording for internal use
Most Requested
In-Person Keynote
$3,500
plus travel outside Chicagoland
The signature experience. Alonzo in the room, reading the audience and adjusting in real time.
- Up to 90 minutes on stage
- Pre-event planning call
- Audience resource packet
- Photography-friendly format
- Optional book signing
Full-Day Residency
$7,500
plus travel outside Chicagoland
A keynote plus breakout sessions for organizations that want the message to reach every level.
- Opening keynote
- Two breakout workshops
- Leadership debrief session
- 90-day follow-up call
- Signed books for your team
Proof
From the people who booked it
“We have brought in a lot of speakers. Alonzo is the only one my staff was still quoting in November. He talked to them like colleagues who were tired, not like an audience.”
Denise Whitaker
Principal, Chicago Public Schools
“Our men's ministry had been stuck for years. Alonzo said the word depression out loud in the sanctuary and the room exhaled. We have not been the same since.”
Pastor Terrence Hale
Senior Pastor, New Covenant Fellowship
Questions
Before you book
- How far in advance should we book?
- Six to eight weeks is comfortable for a custom talk. Alonzo does hold a limited number of dates for shorter turnarounds, so it is always worth asking.
- Do you travel outside Illinois?
- Yes. Travel and lodging are billed at cost and confirmed in writing before the engagement.
- Can the keynote be tailored to our theme?
- Every engagement is. Alonzo builds the talk around your conference theme, school improvement plan, or organizational priority.
Ready to book speaking?
Send the details of your event or program and Alonzo will come back to you within two business days.