Speaking
Julia is a compelling speaker who has engaged with many different kinds of audiences.
She was the closing speaker at the TedX Cape May conference in 2025. She has been a regular speaker and moderator at the Sonoma Valley Authors and Ideas Festival and has also spoken at the National Kidney Foundation’s Authors Luncheon, the Napa Authors Forum organized by the American Association of University Women, the Pebble Beach Authors & Ideas Festival, and delivered the keynote speech at Loyola University’s Family Business Conference. She has spoken at Google in California and New York and Harvard University’s Nieman Conference for Narrative Journalism. She has been the Master of Ceremonies at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco’s California Book Awards as well as being invited to speak, serve on panels, and moderate conversations on several occasions at the club.
Julia’s areas of expertise include women’s history, family businesses, family dynasties, business journalism, women in business, Hawaiian history, the California wine industry, choral singing, and her own experience in combining motherhood with a career as a foreign correspondent and bestselling author. The Napa Register described her talk on her latest book, The White Devil’s Daughters, as “inspiring and a perfect finale to the evening.” You can watch her TedX talk on Singing Together here. To watch her talk about The House of Mondavi at Google’s campus in Mountain View, Ca., please click here. To hear her conversation with historian Helen Zia at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, please click here. You can watch her interviewed in a PBS documentary on Hawaii’s Queen Lili’uokalani here.
Julia would be happy to discuss possible speaking engagements with you. Please complete the online request form (below) to get in touch with her. Here are some further testimonials from people who have worked with her at their events.
“Julia Flynn Siler brought depth, joy and heart to her TEDx Cape May talk. Collaborating with her was easy; the impact of her message was inspiring and resonated with the audience long after she left the stage. I highly recommend Julia as a speaker.” – Cathy Ortale Grimes, co-organizer, TedX Cape May
“Julia is an incredible speaker and moderator. She has an in depth, intimate knowledge of her subjects and can keep the audience transfixed while unfolding her story. She is a pro and an absolute delight to work with.” –Gina Baleria, director of programs and literary events at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, 2005-2010.
“Julia is a delightful and engaging speaker. Her presentation was thorough, thought provoking and entertaining. She is extremely knowledgeable about the topics she presents.” —Jacqueline Gerbus, Regional Coordinator, Prologue Society of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast County
“Julia brings positive energy, smarts, and conscientiousness to every project she undertakes—including public speaking.” —Constance Hale, Director, Harvard University’s Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism 2008 and 2009 and U.C. Berkeley’s East Meets West conference in 2012.
You can watch Julia as a speaker in this PBS American Masters short documentary from 2020 on Queen Lili’uokalani.
Request Julia to Speak
To request Julia to speak, please fill out this form.
