Presentation Skills

“Every time you speak to people, give them something to feel, something to remember, and something to do.”                               ~John Maxwell

   Throughout the MPA program, almost every course provided me with opportunity to practice different presentation techniques and learn new techniques from peers and professors.  The three most effective techniques I practiced were: 1) tailoring the presentation to the target audience; 2) using PowerPoint as a tool with appropriate backgrounds and minimal text; and 3) developing tables, graphs, or images to concisely depict the data.  I found that using these techniques to complement my oral presentations helped to engage the audience and convey my message.

    The three presentations below are examples of the application of these skills.  All information was gathered from public sources for the academic purposes described.  The budget presentation includes the use of graphs and charts to illustrate the current and future budget situation for California’s Parks and Recreation Department.  The second example presents the problems of current health access for migrant farm-workers, including policy alternatives, and recommendations.  Lastly, I posted a presentation analyzing how impact evaluations are used to examine the effectiveness of international programs.

California State Parks Budget
Health care access for migrant farm-workers
Impact Evaluation