Erica McPeek is a marketing and communications pro with a passion for breaking down barriers in mental health. Her career started by answering crisis hotlines and working the overnight shift at inpatient psychiatric units—a crash course in empathy and resilience that sparked her mission to improve mental health access and crush stigma. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State, Erica pairs her head with her heart to create meaningful, strategic impact in everything she does.
As the Associate Director of Branding and Communication at Transformations Care Network, Erica is the mastermind behind collaborative marketing projects, genuine communication, and mission-driven content. At heart, Erica is a molecular biology nerd who filters everything through a lens of existential and phenomenological philosophy. Problem solving is in her DNA and systems level thinking is what gets her neurons firing!
Critical Persuasion: A D&D-Themed Guide to Rolling for Influence Without Authority
Grab your dice and prepare for an epic quest where the greatest treasure of all is… stakeholder buy-in! Like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, navigating stakeholders is an adventure filled with obstacles, puzzles, and risky maneuvers.
In this session, you’ll uncover the secret stats of stakeholder personas—from risk-averse Tanks to overworked Healers—and learn how to wield persuasion, empathy, data, and storytelling as your ultimate tools. We’ll tackle “boss battles” with humor and strategy, giving you practical skills to align goals, handle resistance, and inspire collaboration.
Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or new to the influence game, you’ll leave ready to roll a natural 20 in stakeholder management. Assemble your party, bring your character sheets, and join the adventure—this is one campaign you won’t want to miss!
In this session, attendees will learn:
- Stakeholder Mapping – Learn how to identify key stakeholders, analyze their priorities, and uncover potential challenges or support opportunities.
- Tailored Communication Approaches – Master the skill of adjusting your approach to resonate with different personalities and motivations, ensuring maximum impact through effective use of data, storytelling, and empathy to gain buy-in from even the most resistant stakeholders.
- Conflict Navigation- Gain strategies to address disagreements or pushback constructively while maintaining collaboration and progress.
- Building Momentum Through Progress – Learn how to implement quick-win strategies that build trust and set the stage for larger successes.
