Our Expertise

“Dr. Benny offers tailored services for colleges, student organizations, and educational settings, using storytelling to bring your vision to life. Grounded in Indigenous knowledge and the Five Rs belonging framework, he helps institutions see the big picture and create meaningful, lasting connections.”

Belonging Framework

Using his original Five Rs of Student Sense of Belonging Assessment, Dr. Benny partners with campuses, nonprofits, and organizations to strengthen community, connection, and engagement. His work includes:

• Conducting belonging assessments

• Reviewing culture and climate data

• Facilitating interactive workshops

• Coaching leaders on belonging-centered decision-making

• Building action plans that improve connection, retention, and success

Workshops are a natural next step after a keynote, allowing teams to dive deeper into the concepts, explore practical strategies, and put ideas into action—but they also stand alone as powerful, hands-on experiences. Dr. Benny’s approach blends research, Indigenous perspectives, and storytelling to help communities move from intention to meaningful, lasting change.

My Services

How I Partner With You

Keynote Presentations

Engaging, story-driven keynotes that inspire audiences to rethink belonging, rediscover joy in their work, and build stronger, more connected communities.

Each keynote is tailored to your audience—whether students, staff, faculty, or leadership teams—and designed to leave people both energized and equipped to take action.

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Workshops & Facilitated Conversations

Interactive, hands-on sessions that go deeper.

Workshops help teams explore the Five Rs, Indigenous ways of being, and practical strategies for building cultures of belonging. These sessions can stand alone or build from a keynote experience.

Participants leave with tools, language, and strategies they can immediately apply.

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Coaching for Leaders & Teams

Culture doesn’t change through policy alone... it changes through practice.

As a coach, I work alongside leaders and teams to integrate Indigenous ways of being into their everyday work. By centering relationships, respect, and responsibility, teams begin to shift how they communicate, collaborate, and lead.

The result is stronger culture, clearer alignment, increased productivity, and environments where people don’t just perform—they thrive.

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Consulting & Strategic Partnerships

For organizations ready to go deeper, I offer longer-term partnerships focused on transformation and implementation.

This work may include:

• Strategic planning
• Belonging and climate assessments
• Program design and evaluation
• Leadership development
• Culture and engagement strategies

Together, we co-create solutions that are rooted in your community and built to last.

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First-Year Experience (FYE) Design & Keynotes

A strong first-year experience is foundational to student success—and belonging is at the center of it.

I partner with institutions to:

• Deliver impactful first-year student keynotes
• Redesign orientation and FYE programs
• Train staff and student leaders
• Build experiences rooted in connection, identity, and growth

This work helps students not just transition—but truly find a sense of home.

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Signature Topics & Experiences

Each engagement is customized, but popular themes include:

For Teams & Organizations:

• The Five Rs of Belonging in Practice
• Radical Joy: Reclaiming Joy in Our Work
• Indigenous Ways of Being in Leadership
• Building Cultures of Care and Accountability
• Where Stories Live: Indigenous Ways of Being in a Western World

For Students:

• You Belong Here
• Be Curious, Be Brave, Be You
• Try, Fail, Grow
• Becoming Takes Time
• Identity, Story, and Finding Your Place
• This Is Our Campus: Indigenous Perspectives on Voice, Power, and Community
• Where Stories Live: Indigenous Ways of Being in a Western World

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How This Work Creates Impact

Using the Five Rs framework, I help organizations:

• Assess culture and climate
• Strengthen relationships and trust
• Align values with daily practice
• Increase engagement, retention, and connection
• Build environments where people thrive

This is not one-size-fits-all consulting—it is relational, collaborative, and grounded in your community.

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Flexible Engagement Options

Services are available:

• In-person
• Virtual
• Hybrid

I work with you to design an experience that fits your goals, timeline, and community.

Our services are available in-person, virtual, or hybrid. We collaborate with you to design accessible, engaging experiences that fit your needs—wherever you are located.

Our fee structure is shaped by the scope of work and the unique needs of each engagement.

We understand that organizations hold different levels of resources, and we work collaboratively to create a fee structure that honors both your organizational capacity and the value of the work we do together. We welcome open and honest conversations about fees and strive to design processes that align with your goals, resources, and shared commitment to learning, growth and change.

 

Examples of How we can work together: 

Signature Keynotes (45–90 minutes)

The Five Rs of Belonging: A Framework for Transforming Culture

Discover a practical framework for creating cultures where people feel seen, valued, connected, and empowered to thrive. This keynote introduces the Five Rs of Belonging and provides leaders with actionable strategies to transform workplaces, campuses, and communities.

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Belonging Changes Everything

Belonging isn't a program—it's a human need. Learn how organizations can intentionally build cultures that increase engagement, retention, innovation, and well-being while strengthening relationships across every level.

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Reclaiming Joy: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Your Work

Many people entered their professions with passion but have become overwhelmed by burnout, stress, and constant change. This keynote explores how we can reclaim the joy that first called us into our work and rediscover purpose through connection, reflection, and belonging.

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Radical Joy: Choosing Hope in Challenging Times

Joy is more than happiness—it's an act of resistance, resilience, and community. Drawing from Indigenous teachings, personal stories, and leadership research, this keynote invites participants to embrace radical joy as a pathway toward healing, belonging, and transformational leadership.

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The Joy of Belonging

When people feel they belong, joy naturally follows. This keynote explores how belonging creates healthier workplaces, stronger communities, and more fulfilled individuals while offering practical ways to cultivate joy every day.

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The Power of Place: Creating Spaces Where Everyone Belongs

Based on Dr. Rieth's research, this keynote explores how physical, emotional, and cultural spaces shape our sense of belonging—and how leaders can intentionally design environments where everyone can flourish.

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Indigenous Perspectives on Voice, Power, and Community

Drawing from Anishinaabe ways of knowing, this keynote challenges traditional leadership models by exploring how voice, shared power, storytelling, reciprocity, and community create stronger organizations. Participants leave with a deeper understanding of Indigenous leadership principles and how they can be applied across sectors.

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Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Leadership

What if leadership wasn't about authority, but about relationship? This keynote introduces Indigenous teachings that offer timeless guidance for leading with humility, responsibility, reciprocity, and care.

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Leading with Heart: Human-Centered Leadership in a Changing World

Leadership begins with relationships. Learn how empathy, courage, vulnerability, and belonging create stronger teams and more resilient organizations.

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The Science of Belonging

Research consistently shows that belonging improves engagement, retention, innovation, well-being, and performance. This keynote translates the latest research into practical strategies leaders can implement immediately.

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Beyond Inclusion: Creating Cultures Where People Thrive

Inclusion is important—but belonging is transformational. This keynote explores how organizations can move beyond checklists to create environments where every person can contribute authentically.

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Every Interaction Matters

Small moments create lasting impressions. Whether in healthcare, education, nonprofits, or business, every interaction shapes whether someone feels welcomed, respected, and valued.

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Belonging is Good Business

Organizations that foster belonging outperform those that don't. Learn how belonging drives employee engagement, customer satisfaction, innovation, and organizational success.

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Leading Through Change Without Losing Yourself

Change is inevitable—but disconnection doesn't have to be. This keynote provides practical tools for navigating uncertainty while maintaining purpose, joy, and meaningful relationships.

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Leadership Workshops (2–6 hours)

• Leading Cultures of Belonging
• Courageous Leadership
• Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
• Coaching Conversations for Leaders
• Leading Through Change
• Building High-Trust Teams
• Servant Leadership in Action
• Inclusive Leadership Beyond Compliance
• New Supervisor Academy
• Strategic Leadership for Emerging Leaders

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Higher Education Workshops

• Creating a Campus Where Students Belong
• Student Engagement That Actually Works
• Improving Student Retention Through Belonging
• First-Year Student Success
• Supporting Today's College Student
• Belonging and Mental Health
• Orientation Reimagined
• Residence Life as a Community Builder
• Student Leadership Development
• Working Across Campus Silos

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Nonprofit Workshops

• Mission-Driven Leadership
• Volunteer Engagement Through Belonging
• Preventing Nonprofit Burnout
• Board Development
• Building Community Partnerships
• Creating Inclusive Community Spaces

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Healthcare Workshops

• Compassionate Leadership
• Belonging in Healthcare Teams
• Reducing Burnout Through Connection
• Patient-Centered Culture
• Team Communication
• Psychological Safety in Healthcare

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Corporate & Business Workshops

• Workplace Belonging
• Employee Engagement
• Retaining Great Employees
• Creating High-Performing Teams
• Managing Across Generations
• Difficult Conversations
• Psychological Safety at Work
• Building Organizational Culture
• Leadership During Growth

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Indigenous & Cultural Learning

• Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Organizations
• Walking Together: Indigenous Partnerships
• Land Acknowledgements with Purpose
• Beyond the Checklist: Authentic Indigenous Engagement
• Storytelling as Leadership
• Seven Grandfather Teachings for Modern Organizations
• Indigenous Perspectives on Community and Belonging