Sense of Place Keynotes

Bring the Mission of Your Work to Life

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Inspiration Rooted in Place, Meaning and Belonging

These dynamic keynotes blend storytelling, case studies, reflective invitations, conversation, and award-winning songs to create a memorable, unifying arc for the event.

She guides audiences on a journey to discover stories of place and connection, and shares how to carry those stories into their work in the world.

The result is a room energized with ideas and renewed vitality, ready to carry the event’s themes forward with purpose and presence.

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Event planners often choose Erica when they want a keynote that:

  • Sets a meaningful tone for the gathering

  • Brings the theme into clear focus

  • Helps participants reconnect with why their work matters

  • Leaves the room inspired, grounded, and energized

“You are missing out if you aren't trying to book Erica for your upcoming workshop or training event. Her work with the ‘sense of place’ concept through her workshop provides excellent hands-on exercises in an area that is so often perceived as intangible, while her keynote was just the dose of inspiration we needed.”

— Chief of Interpretation, Arkansas State Parks and Tourism

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What Attendees Gain

  • Fresh perspective on their work and its deeper purpose

  • Personal stories stirred through memory and reflection

  • A renewed sense of place, belonging, and well-being

  • Practical ideas based on decades of experience, for shaping narratives that connect people and place

  • Increased capacity for doing work that matters, especially during challenging times

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The Keynote Arc

Erica is known for creating a sense of community and bringing a sense of place into the room. Through researching the location and region where your event is being held and the mission of your work.

She creates a grounded sense of presence which provides an integrative pause during an often heavily packed event agenda— helping participants gain both insights and synthesize what they are learning to carry it forward into the work that follows.

Drawing on decades of experience with parks, museums, tourism organizations, conservation groups, and community audiences, Erica creates keynotes that are inspiring, insightful, and full of tools that can be used to elevate the work you do.

Whether your event centers on tourism, education, interpretation, conservation, heritage, or well-being, these programs help bring the heart of the work back into view.

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“We invited Erica out for a week to help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Big Sur Land Trust with a variety of events, including being our keynote speaker, and working with youth and others in the community. Her positive impact reverberated throughout our community and continues to this day. Erica’s ability to connect people and place beautifully aligned with our mission to strengthen communities and inspire stewardship.”
— Bill Leahy, Executive Director, Big Sur Land Trust, CA

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About Erica

Erica Wheeler is a TEDx speaker, interpretive trainer, award-winning songwriter, and creative mentor who has spent decades bringing people and places together through story, song, and place-centered experience.

She has been a featured keynote for conferences, parks, museums, tourism organizations, and community gatherings across North America.

Known for her warmth, insight, and grounded presence, Erica’s keynotes blend artistry with thoughtful perspective—helping audiences reconnect with purpose, place, and what matters most.

Selected Keynote Appearances

American Horticultural Society Symposium
Association of National Park Rangers Rendezvous (ANPR)
Governor's Conferences on Tourism (Arkansas, New Mexico, Wisconsin)
Maryland Land Trust Alliance
National Association for Interpretation (Annual Workshop & Regions)
National Association of State Park Directors
National Park Service (Founders Day, National Mall)
New Mexico Council on Aging Conference
Parks Ontario Spring Training Conference
State Parks Seasonal Training (MT, ID, AR)
TEDx, Shelburne Falls, MA

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Customized to Resonate

Keynote Examples

  • Sense of Place and Story Keynote (Signature)
    Increasing Connection, Inclusion, and Well-Being through Better Sense of Place Stories
    Ideal for: conferences and gatherings across tourism, education, interpretation, conservation, heritage, and well-being

  • Travel, Tourism, and Place-Making
    From Destination Travel to Sense of Place Journeys: Rethinking Tourism Narratives
    Ideal for: tourism conferences, DMOs, heritage tourism, destination marketing

  • History, Heritage, and Belonging
    From Resource to Resonance: Share the Heart of the Matter
    Ideal for: history conferences, museums, historic sites, public historians, interpreters

  • Conservation, Preservation, and Stewardship
    Sustaining Stewardship: Realigning With the Heart of the Matter
    Ideal for: land trusts, parks, conservation orgs, environmental education, preservation groups

  • Wellness and Resilience
    Place Medicine: The Power of Sense of Place Stories in Our Lives
    Ideal for: wellness events, retreat centers, community health, general audiences

Booking Information

Deepen the impact of your event with a keynote that reconnects audiences to meaning, place, and purpose.

Whether your gathering focuses on tourism, stewardship, heritage, leadership, or well-being, Erica crafts a program that aligns with your theme and leaves a lasting impression.

Investment
Keynotes range from $3,500 to $6,500 based on location, format, and scope. Travel is additional.

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