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“Compassionate Leadership” (Organizational Leadership and Improving Company Culture)
DESHAUNA BARBER's journey epitomizes the transformative power of leadership, and her insights are invaluable for anyone seeking to navigate and excel in leadership roles. Deshauna inspires her audience when discussing the "Power Of Compassionate Leadership". Deshauna Barber, an 11-year Army Veteran and former commander of the 988th Quartermaster Detachment unit in Fort Meade, Maryland, embodies exemplary leadership. As the youngest company commander in her brigade, she led soldiers effectively and earned recognition as one of the top commanders in her unit. Leveraging her innate leadership prowess, she transitioned into the role of the youngest President and CEO of the Service Women's Action Network, a prominent nonprofit dedicated to advocating for women veterans.
"Navigating Stormy Seas" (Building Mental and Emotional Fortitude While Beating the Odds)
DESHAUNA BARBER's life experience accurately indicates the power of perseverance. In her powerful speech, she delves into her personal struggles and reveals how she transformed her obstacles into catalysts for achieving greatness. As a survivor of child sexual abuse and having recently lost her mother to lung cancer, Deshauna imparts a message of resilience to her audience, urging them to confront their own traumas head-on. She emphasizes that no life is devoid of imperfections or challenges. Through her own journey of perseverance, Deshauna illustrates that hurdles should not deter us from our aspirations; instead, they serve as stepping stones to surmounting the adversities we face in our daily battles.
“100 Noes Before A Single Yes” (Inspiring Young Professionals)
DESHAUNA BARBER is widely recognized for her remarkable graduation speeches and knack for inspiring her audience. One particular speech stands out: she candidly shares her frustration at struggling to secure an entry-level position despite earning her bachelor's degree in business management. Her eloquent narrative challenges the common belief that the path to success is straightforward and smooth. Deshauna's transparency about her arduous journey towards becoming a highly sought-after, six-figure motivational speaker instills a sense of hope in her listeners, encouraging them to persevere in pursuit of their dreams.
“Honoring A World With Many Faces” – (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)
DESHAUNA BARBER discusses her challenges as a double minority in the Army and an extended career in government as an IT Analyst. She uses this presentation to equip organizations with the tools necessary to drive an inclusive work environment for all its employees. She delivers an honest and transparent message emphasizing the importance of a diverse work environment. She provides an in-depth, interactive strategic plan that helps employees and management analyze, diagnose, and address diversity and inclusion issues. She uses her experience and certification to help organizations support a strategic, sustainable diversity and inclusion management approach.
“A Hurdle, Not A Barrier” (Overcoming Adversity and Conquering Challenges On The Road To Success)
DESHAUNA BARBER's message about her journey to becoming the first soldier to win Miss USA resonates deeply her audiences as she urges them to embrace failure and reject the fear of regret. Drawing from her own experiences of facing rejection and setbacks, Deshauna emphasizes the inevitability of encountering obstacles on the journey to success. Deshauna's passionate plea for resilience and unwavering belief in oneself leaves a lasting impression on her audiences, inspiring them to embrace rejection, work tirelessly towards their goals, and never shy away from the word "No."
“Its Not A Man’s World” (Women Empowerment)
Having spent so many years in numerous male-dominated industries, DESHAUNA BARBER understands the struggle of being the only woman in the room. Her experiences in the STEM industry and the U.S. military have both shown her the importance of representation and the need to empower women to break through the glass ceilings of industries that lack a diverse footprint. She uses her platform to encourage women to be fearless, unapologetic and resilient. She inspires women around the globe to never lose sight of how important our presence is as decision-makers and ensures that women have a seat at every table. In her "I Don't Like Being Told Its A Man's World" speech she emphasizes the importance of a woman's voice being included in every space, every room and most importantly every decision
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Deshauna Barber’s debut book ‘Pretty Ugly Lessons’ reveals the incredible potential for each of us to rewrite our stories and embrace a life of authenticity, purpose, and unconditional self-love
U.S. Army Reserve veteran, human rights advocate, and former Miss U.S.A. DESHAUNA BARBER shares her secrets to resilience in Pretty Ugly Lessons: Empowering Strategies To Transform Adversity Into Triumph By A Former Miss USA and Army Veteran. As Miss USA, Deshauna partnered with impactful organizations such as the USO, Smile Train, Best Buddies, Operation Homefront and more. Nothing can hold Barber back – as Army veteran, Nonprofit Vice Chair, former Miss USA, and STEM graduate, she knows how to embrace the power of self-improvement to create a life radiating with love, happiness, and fulfillment. A journey towards self-discovery, growth, and boundless self-love, Barber uses practical guidance, inspiring stories, and soul-nurturing exercises to teach you how to nurture your mind, body, and spirit.
Deshauna Barber’s Pretty Ugly Lessons is a testament to the incredible potential that lies within each of us to rewrite our stories and embrace a life of authenticity, purpose, and unconditional self-love. In her book, as well as in her phenomenal keynote speeches, Deshauna navigates the ups and downs of her life's lessons, providing her audience with the tools and insights to transcend self-doubt, fear, and insecurities.
Watch Deshauna speak on hardship at MAA >>
Watch Deshauna’s groundbreaking keynote at Younique Americas Convention >>
Event Success Story: Deshauna Barber received a rave review after her talk for The International Association of Home Staging Professionals
DESHAUNA BARBER gave a 40-minute keynote followed by a 20-minute moderated Q&A and participated in a meet & greet for The International Association of Home Staging Professionals. The IAHSP is the largest and longest running Home Staging Industry Trade Association, and invited Barber to their IAHSP Family Reunion Conference & Expo, with the theme of SOAR – Seek Opportunities and RISE – Reach New Heights of Success. Barber’s discussion was motivational and inspirational, engaging approximately 400-500 business owners, professional home stagers and real estate agents. The Association was in awe after Barber’s visit, sharing, "We sought out Deshauna Barber as a Keynote Speaker for our 2021 IAHSP Conference & EXPO after I saw some of her talks online and knew she was was perfect for our Inspirational Keynote Speaker. Deshauna did not disappoint. She shares from the heart. She is articulate and passionate about her causes and beliefs. She is so accomplished at her age with her degrees and awards, and yet not intimidating at all. She had our audience laughing, clapping, cheering and crying. She moved us with her stories and insights - and made us really reflect on who is important in our lives as well as the focus on not giving up. Her quote, "Do not fear failure but do fear regret," resonated with us all in a powerful way. She presented using power point, used the stage versus staying rooted in one spot, and interacted with the audience. She even did a great visual demonstration on life balance that was a lot of fun. She was not demanding as a speaker and made it very easy for us to facilitate her time with our attendees. I highly recommend Deshauna as a speaker for any event where your goal is to make your attendees think about their goals and purpose, to have a multi-faceted speaker who can address just about any topic from business to personal growth to mindset, and who is a beautiful human inside and out."
Captain Deshauna Barber commands attention as the Vice Chair of the Service Women's Action Network, a spokesperson for Olay, and a former Miss USA
Captain DESHAUNA BARBER is the Vice Chair of the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), an organization supporting service women of the past, present and future. As a commanding officer, she understands the unique needs of America's female heroes, for whom she advocated during her tenure as Miss USA. Captain Barber facilitated a commitment from Walmart to continue the work of SWAN, in partnership with Olay - for whom she is a spokesperson. The partnership donates $250 for every jar of a special camouflage packaged cream purchased in the month of September to SWAN. She recently discussed the partnership and the important work of SWAN on Good Morning America.
Captain Barber speaks with the clarity of commitment to the most important issues of our time: social justice and equity, female empowerment, and the new faces of leadership. Even in virtual events, Captain Barber has the audience applauding enthusiastically, as our nation's highest example of valor, purpose and our collective aspirations. We cannot recommend Captain Barber highly enough for your leadership, empowerment and Veteran's events, but we'll let hosts say it for us: "Deshauna was fabulous, and everyone is still raving about her visit!" (Northern Kentucky University) and "Deshauna is phenomenal! She is moving, inspiring and powerful. She is also very approachable and personable, which they loved!" (National Association of Junior Auxiliaries)
Speaker Spotlight: Deshauna Barber
The first Miss USA to be crowned while currently serving in the United States military, DESHAUNA BARBER has made it her life goal to encourage, inspire and strengthen the people around her. A survivor of child sexual abuse who also overcame extreme bullying from a young age and the loss of her mother to cancer, Deshauna inspires other survivors to fight through the fears of their past and encourages people to focus on loving themselves and the people around them. An IT Analyst for the U.S. Government for over 5 years, Deshauna was also a logistics commander in the United States Army Reserve. She has a passion for our men and women in uniform and has spent much of her career focusing on advocating for soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). During her year-long reign as Miss USA in 2016, Deshauna partnered with and lent her voice to organizations such as the USO, Smile Train, Best Buddies, Operation Homefront and numerous other impactful organizations.
From speaking at Google to delivering a commencement address that went viral, Deshauna inspires everywhere she speaks. Offering lessons on diversity and inclusion, women's and youth empowerment, breaking the stigma of mental illness, overcoming adversity, and more, her reviews from engagements include raves such as: "Deshauna is phenomenal!... She is moving, inspiring and powerful. She is also very approachable and personable..." (NAJA); "The energy you brought... really created great chemistry that cannot be duplicated... Thank you for empowering all attendees there!" (Georgetown University)
Deshauna Barber, the first soldier crowned Miss USA, is a dynamic and award-winning international speaker renowned for her bold and inspiring approach. With a background in STEM, she has served as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Government and as a logistics commander in the U.S. Army Reserve. During her Army Reserve commitment, Captain Barber served her country for over 11 years and worked as a company commander of the 988th Petroleum Detachment Unit at Fort Meade, Maryland. Appointed the youngest President & CEO of Service Women’s Action Network in 2019, Deshauna significantly increased funding and staff while advocating for servicewomen and veterans on Capitol Hill. Her strategic partnerships and fundraising efforts with corporations, such as Procter & Gamble and Walmart, have earned her appearances on platforms like Good Morning America, Veteran Magazine, and more.
Deshauna captivates audiences worldwide, delivering motivational keynotes to Fortune 500 companies, including Goldman Sachs, Google, Verizon, Coca-Cola, and Amazon. Her powerful insights on leadership, diversity, inclusion, and mental health resonate deeply, inspiring action and transformation. As Miss USA, she championed the cause of soldiers with PTSD, using her platform to advocate for enhanced government support.
An accomplished professional, Deshauna holds a bachelor’s degree in business management, a master’s in computer information systems, and a Diversity and Inclusion certification from Cornell University. She has appeared on prominent shows such as The Steve Harvey Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Good Morning America and has been featured in Glamour and Diversity Magazine.
Barber has made it her life goal to encourage, inspire, and strengthen the people around her, and her engagements regularly receive rave reviews such as: 'Deshauna is phenomenal!... She is moving, inspiring, and powerful. She is also very approachable and personable...' (NAJA); and 'We are all still flying high from today’s keynote. I couldn’t be more impressed! I’ve seen thousands of keynotes, and that was one of the best ever!' (National Association for the Education of Young Children).
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