How did you start your moderation journey?
My moderation journey began quite organically, really. I’ve always been drawn to fostering community and facilitating the sharing of knowledge—sometimes that meant being the one speaking, and sometimes it meant drawing insights out of others for the benefit of everyone.
Moderation felt like a natural extension of this instinct; it was another way to engage meaningful conversation, but with the added responsibility of creating space where everyone can contribute and learn from one another. It’s part group coach, part dinner party host.
What do you find most exciting about moderating?
Ironically, what excites me most is when moderation becomes nearly invisible, and when the conversation is so engaging that I can step back and watch it flourish on its own. My favourite moments happen after I’ve spent time early on crafting a space where everyone feels they have something valuable to contribute and understands their place in the larger mystery we’re solving together.
When the right question lands, people start riffing off each other organically. I love catching that moment when someone’s body language shifts and you can see they’re ready to jump in, or when a friendly debate sparks and suddenly there’s this palpable energy buzzing through the room. When the conversation takes on a life of its own, and everyone becomes both teacher and student is when the really good learning happens.
How do you typically prepare to moderate an Ortus event?
My preparation starts with getting familiar with the topic itself, especially if it’s outside my wheelhouse. I’ll do a deep dive into the fundamentals: who are the key players, what are the underlying controversies and points of excitement, what’s happening in the space right now? From all of this, I distil a few anchor topics that we can always return to—these become my North Star for keeping us on time and on topic, while still allowing the conversation to flow and deviate naturally.
Then I shift focus to our guest list and start mapping the learning landscape: what outcomes are we hoping for, and what unique experiences and perspectives will each person bring to the table? But perhaps most importantly, I spend time considering the diversity of our audience—not just professionally, but experientially. What different relationships might people have had with this topic? How might those varied experiences shape the way we engage with the subject now? This is a great time to partner with the account manager as well, who will have gotten to know some of the people quite well.
The goal is always to create space where both expertise and lived experience can illuminate the topic from angles we might not have considered otherwise.
What tips and tricks would you recommend for those aspiring to become moderators?
For me personally, it’s less about the topic and more about the people. Moderators aren’t there to teach anything the table doesn’t already know; they are there to help the conversation flourish. Prioritise conversation flow, keep track of who’s spoken and who hasn’t, balance the energy in the room, and be a part of the conversation. This can start small too, in team meetings or even in personal relationships – being a great listener with a curious mindset helps you become a great conversationalist.
In what ways has moderating contributed to your growth as a leader in your field?
Moderating puts you at the forefront of discussions across so many different topics and with such diverse perspectives; it’s like having a front-row seat to continuous learning. You absorb insights, frameworks, and approaches from every conversation, often seeing connections between fields that others might miss.
Most importantly, though, moderating has taught me that the most powerful leadership often happens from the side, not the front. Some of my most impactful moments as a leader have come from asking the right question at the right time, or creating space for someone else’s expertise to shine, rather than being the one with all the answers.
Moderating or hosting discussions has made me comfortable with that kind of facilitative leadership—and honestly, I think it’s made me better at it.
How has moderating contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Some may disagree with me, and while I love it, moderating is genuinely hard work. It’s demanding to be “on” throughout an entire session: remembering your questions, tracking multiple conversation threads, reading the room, and constantly worrying whether everyone is engaged and getting value from the experience. The mental juggling act is intense.
But I think that’s precisely what makes it so valuable for growth. We rarely get opportunities to push ourselves in quite this way, to flex every facilitation muscle simultaneously while the stakes feel very real. It’s like running a marathon after months of training through smaller, more intimate discussions and facilitations. There’s something uniquely challenging about creating conditions where a room full of brilliant, thoughtful people can truly thrive together.
What I’ve discovered over time, though, is that this particular kind of pressure (the good kind, where you’re stretched but not broken) has lasting impacts. The skills you develop managing complex group dynamics, thinking on your feet, and holding space for diverse perspectives don’t just stay in the conference room. They show up in how you lead teams, navigate difficult conversations, and approach problems in general, so I’m always grateful for the challenge.
