This is our team.
What if everyone had a chance to speak up and be heard?
Lighthouse Communications was founded in 2013 with the goal of helping non-native English speakers in Silicon Valley . Since then, Lighthouse has had the opportunity to work with a variety of clients from around the world: from start-ups to individual professional speakers, to Women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ groups, and those underrepresented in tech. Our facilitators and coaches come from diverse backgrounds with different areas of expertise such as presentation skills, storytelling, business writing, English as a second language, executive coaching, and more.
Lighthouse’s strength is providing tools that help people sharpen their ideas and verbalize clear and compelling messages. Our principle that drives every training and coaching session is “Learn by doing.” We minimize lecture, and maximize practice. In our workshops, you will hear facilitators ask: "What’s a talking point in an upcoming meeting?", "What’s the priority right now for your team?" In this way, participants can learn and get important work done at the same time.
Most importantly - no matter a client’s level of experience, background or story, we are here to help strengthen the voices of those that have something to say and need to be heard.
Founder & Principal
Anne Ricketts
In 2013, Anne launched Lighthouse Communications with the goal of helping non-native English speakers communicate more effectively at work. Quickly, the target audience grew to help everyone - native speakers, non-native speakers, college students, to seasoned executives communicate with more clarity and confidence.
When she’s not teaching or leading her team, she’s an executive coach for speakers all across the globe, having worked with speakers at Stanford, TED and SXSW. She’s also a mom to a young son and daughter.
Director of Content
Michael Shehane
Michael teaches many of our workshops and maintains LHC’s core curriculum. With an M.A. in language education and multiple years living abroad in Germany, Japan, and China, he highlights the values of linguistic and cultural inclusivity through his facilitation and coaching. Outside of work, Michael is passionate about karate.
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Administrative Manager
Rachel Gross
Rachel takes the day-to-day operations at LHC to the next level —communicating with clients, scheduling workshops, and simplifying business logistics. Her work helps our trainers and coaches focus on what they love most: connecting with the participants in their workshops and sharing the communications tools to help them succeed at work.
Facilitator & Coach
Sheron Tabois
Sheron is a leadership consultant, training facilitator, and influential communication coach providing feedback to Managers, Directors, and C-level individuals on their behaviors and content during classes and one-on-one coaching sessions.
Facilitator & Coach
Christine Haas
Christine has traveled around the world teaching courses to scientists and engineers on writing, storytelling, and presentation skills. With a focus on developing slides that have targeted messaging and effective visuals, Christine bans the use of bullet-points to help clients deliver focused content with confident delivery.
Moderator — Virtual Workshops
Gregory Brown
Gregory is a moderator extraordinaire for LHC’s virtual workshops, which supports his passionate pursuit of lifelong learning and self-development. Gregory began his studies in electrical engineering and handles breakouts and the technical aspects of moderating, behind the scenes. Outside of Lighthouse, Gregory is designing his own artisanal cereal.
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Facilitator & Coach
Alysha English
Alysha (she/her) is a Facilitator, Coach, and Community Strategist who specializes in designing and facilitating joyful, creative learning experiences that build meaningful relationships. She has over a decade of experience supporting individuals and teams communicate with confidence, collaborate creatively, and lead with care. She is also a published poet passionate about creative writing and storytelling. Alysha holds an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BFA from Howard University. Her love language is noodles.
Facilitator & Coach
Lauren Rauch
Lauren helps individuals from diverse backgrounds communicate and lead more effectively. With 10 years of experience in Silicon Valley, Lauren facilitates workshops on communication, emotional intelligence, and leadership. As a coach, she works with clients on finding their authentic voice, building trust and confidence, and communicating through conflict.
Moderator — Virtual Workshops
Louise Wo
Louise is an event producer who works with social impact organizations around the world. She works with clients to create meaningful experiences for their communities and to ensure every logistical detail is in place. Her passion for nurturing communities through creativity, playfulness and positivity has led her to pursue her Masters of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Facilitator & Coach
Hilary Spreiter
Hilary's career as a communication coach began in 2011 while she was a graduate student at Stanford University studying rhetoric. She works with individuals and teams in academia and the business world, from Stanford University MBA students to successful tech executives. Also certified as an Integral Coach, Hilary helps her clients excel through expanded self-awareness and effective communication that complements their unique leadership and communication style.
Facilitator & Coach
Tani Peelgrane
Tani works with individuals and groups to develop executive presence, construct effective messages, and communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences. With her experience as an executive coach, former position as lead training designer and facilitator at the California Academy of Sciences, and years as a high school and college educator, Tani has a wealth of knowledge and experience.
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Facilitator & Coach
Rebecca Williams
Rebecca has been helping people tell stories for over two decades, in two languages, and in five countries. She has worked with hundreds of founders and professionals to help them speak clearly, speak for impact, and craft compelling narratives. Her mission is to help purpose-driven overachievers rise and shine so they can change the world with their ideas.
Facilitator & Coach
Keiko Schlabach
Originally from Japan, Keiko brings passion and experience to teaching cross-cultural communication and presentation skills. In her boutique business, English-Empowered, Keiko coaches Japanese researchers, scientists, and business professionals on how to transform into effective English communicators. Keiko resides in Boston with her husband and two children.