Peter Novak is a renowned communications training expert and public speaker who brings broad business expertise and unique insights to our executive search and advisory services. He has served as an advisor and coach to C-suite executives, senior leaders and teams at some of the world’s most influential companies, enabling them to cultivate a powerful presence and drive stellar business outcomes.
Professional Focus
- Nearly 30 years’ experience in higher education, executive consulting, coaching and training
- Successful track record of training executives across all industries to excel in high-stakes presentations and media appearances
- Thought leader in a linguistic approach to leadership development with extensive experience teaching native and non-native English speakers to develop clear, compelling speech
- Creator of online course “Public Speaking for Non-Native English Speakers,” cited in LinkedIn Learning’s 2023 Most In-Demand Skills List
- Champion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and its application to linguistic features
- Research on language and culture published by Cambridge University Press, Palgrave/Macmillan, and Gallaudet University Press, among others
- Professional working knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL); author of “Signing Shakespeare (ASL)” chapter, The Cambridge Guide to the Worlds of Shakespeare
Business Expertise
- CEO and Founder of Strictly Speaking Group, a communication training and consulting firm specializing in executive speaker coaching as well as collaborative team workshops
- Professor at University of San Francisco; tenured full professor and Co-Founder and Chair of the Performing Arts & Social Justice Program; served as Vice Provost for Student Development, and Associate Dean for Arts and Humanities
- Dean of Yale University’s Trumbull College; served as Andrew W. Mellon Faculty Mentor; Correspondent with the British Marshall Commission; Chair, Truman Scholarship Selection Committee; Provost’s Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities; Freshman Orientation Committee; and Provost’s Committee on Lesbian and Gay Studies
Sector Expertise
- Communications
- Higher Education
- Social Impact
- Arts and Culture
Education & Certifications
- Doctor of Fine Arts, Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from Yale University
- Master of Arts, English Language and Literature/Letters from Loyola University of Chicago
- Master of Fine Arts, Acting from American Conservatory Theater
- Bachelor of Arts, Theater from Marquette University
- Executive Education, Crisis Leadership in Higher Education at Harvard Kennedy School
- Cultural Intelligence Certification, Cultural Intelligence Center
- MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Instrument) Certification, The Myers-Briggs Company
Affiliations & Awards
- Advisory Board Member, Vocal Justice
- Collaborator, Campus Clarity; developed award-winning curriculum on substance abuse and sexual violence prevention used in over 1,500 universities in the U.S.
- National Trainer, Futures Without Violence and the Avon Foundation for Women
- Advisory Board Member, Callisto
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