Offer your attendees an unforgettable journey through song, story, and conversation.
Celebrate the Power of Story and Place—Wherever You Are
What are the places that matter to you? What recharges you and keeps you aligned with the mission of your work?
Erica Wheeler’s inspiring keynote will help attendees see the familiar through new eyes. They’ll remember stories about places that matter to them, and come away more connected to who they are, the work they do and the power of place from their past or present. They’ll walk away recharged, connected, and ready to make a difference.
Erica customizes each keynote to reflect the location and unique sense of place where your event is held. Attendees will:
Discover personal narratives and collective stories about the power of place.
Reconnect with their sense of purpose, creativity, and community.
Gain actionable tools to inspire caring and stewardship for the places that matter.
This isn’t just a keynote—it’s an experience designed to help both people and places thrive.
Transforming Tourism: Sense of Place and Story Keynote
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Today’s travelers are seeking experiences that are authentic, meaningful, and rooted in connection. Erica inspires the tourism industry to craft narratives that offer essential travel experiences that include lesser-known, authentic destinations. She shows how every place can be “bucket-list worthy” by linking it to deeper stories that resonate with visitors.
Erica’s sense-of-place approach helps organizations provide experiences that engage the heart and mind. From small towns to iconic landmarks, she demonstrates how to elevate every location into a journey worth taking.
Sense of Place, Story and the Power of Place: Stewardship Keynote
“We cannot save what we do not love.”
— Stephen Jay Gould
While facts can change minds, stories change hearts. Erica’s keynote reveals the power of storytelling to evoke caring and connection. Attendees will gain practical tools to:
Discover and share personal stories rooted in a sense of place.
Build meaningful connections with visitors, colleagues, and communities.
Cultivate stewardship and well-being through storytelling.
Erica will inspire your audience to find their own stories—sparking joy, belonging, and the desire to care for the world around them.
Sense of Place, Story and Well-Being Keynote
Erica’s keynote helps attendees uncover stories from the past, create stories about the present, and embrace a sense of well-being and belonging.
Wherever you are, stories can deepen your connection to yourself and your surroundings. These connections are deeply needed in today’s world.
Prior Keynotes Include:
American Horticultural Society Youth and Garden Symposium
Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism
Arkansas State Parks Spring Training
Association of National Park Rangers Rendezvous (ANPR)
BioBliz, National Geographic, National Mall
Festival of the Cranes, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
Idaho State Parks and Recreation Conference
Partners in the Parks Celebration, Howard County Parks and Recreation
Maryland Land Trust Alliance
Montana State Parks and Recreation Conference
National Association for Interpretation Annual Workshop (NAI)
National Association for Interpretation Region 2
National Association of State Park Directors Conference (NASPD)
National Association of State Park Volunteer Coordinators
National Park Service Founders Day, National Mall
National Religious Partnership for the Environment
New Mexico Governor’s Conference on Tourism
New Mexico Council on Aging Conference
Parks Ontario Spring Training
Social Venture Network Conference
TEDx, Shelburne Falls
Wisconsin Governor's Conference on Tourism
About Erica Wheeler
Erica is an award-winning singer-songwriter, TEDx speaker, and visitor experience specialist with decades of experience inspiring connections between people and place. She has:
Delivered keynotes at premier events such as the Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism and the National Association of State Park Directors Conference.
Worked extensively with the National Park Service, providing training at over 45 sites, including Yosemite National Park and Independence Hall.
Released six albums, with songs charting in the Top Ten on Billboard’s Gavin Americana chart. Her album Good Summer Rain was sponsored by the Trust for Public Land.
Erica’s work bridges the worlds of the arts, interpretation, and inspring emotional connections, helping people and places thrive.
““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 Soulful Landscape 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.” ”
““We invited Erica out for a week to help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Big Sur Land Trust with a variety of events. 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”
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Interactive Breakout Sessions
Go beyond the keynote with hands-on workshops that deepen the impact of Erica’s message.
Bring Stories to Life: Discover practical ways to apply these stories in tours, programs, and outreach to engage audiences and inspire action.
Craft Personal Sense of Place Stories: Participants will learn Erica’s powerful framework for generating ideas and creating compelling narratives.
Book Erica Wheeler for Your Next Event!
If you want a keynote speaker who will leave your audience inspired, motivated, and equipped with practical tools to make a difference, Erica Wheeler is the perfect choice. From energizing tourism efforts to strengthening community and organizational connections, her message delivers results that matter.
Community Engagement Events
Concert and Workshop Package
Take advantage of Erica’s visit to your community with:
Community Concerts: A heartwarming evening of songs and stories that celebrate the power of place.
Interactive Workshops: Practical sessions that inspire participants to find their own sense of place and story.
These add-on offerings bring her message to a broader audience and create a lasting impact.