About Nan
Making a difference through effective communication and authentic connection has been the common thread throughout Nan O'Brien's professional life. Her career has moved through acting, law, writing, training, publishing, radio, public speaking, and voice work. Each has been a unique tool in her professional toolkit. All have shared the same foundational premise - respecting and accepting people as they are is the bridge to creating lasting connection.
The Writer
Nan has been a professional writer for more than 30 years. Her work spans six published books - including titles with Columbia University Press - as well as reports, white papers, case studies, and long-form content for organizations including the CDC, USPS, and major engineering firms. She writes with authority because she does the research and lives the subject, resulting in writing grounded in knowledge and experience.
The Publisher
Nan has navigated the publishing landscape as an author and as an independent publisher. The dual perspective provides a practical understanding of the creative and business process from manuscript to market.
The Legal Professional
Nan's professional background includes fifteen years working on a contract basis as a paralegal specializing in complex litigation. Her reputation with clients led to engagements with law firms in New York, California, Georgia, and Mississippi, and included participation in defense litigation for Beech Aircraft throughout the Southeast.
During that time, Nan's responsibilities included extensive legal and factual research, legal writing and drafting, trial preparation and assistance at counsel table, and appellate work, including drafting briefs under the supervision of attorneys of record in successful cases before a State Supreme Court.
Complex litigation requires the ability to absorb enormous amounts of information, identify what matters, recognize connections others may miss, construct a coherent argument, and communicate complicated material with clarity and precision - disciplines fundamental to Nan's work as a writer and communicator.
The Voice Professional
Nan is a voice professional with experience in audiobook narration, corporate narration, e-learning production, and media hosting. Drawing on her experience as a writer and broadcaster, as well as her professional acting experience during her years as a SAG-AFTRA member, Nan brings an understanding of language, interpretation, timing, pacing, and connection to her narration work.
The Speaker & Trainer
For more than twenty years, Nan has spoken to audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Costa Rica through keynote presentations, workshops, seminars, training programs, and live events. Her engagements have ranged from women's conferences and professional organizations to a keynote for the Federal Women's Program Council and a workshop for an American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) local whose members work for the Department of Homeland Security.
Whether addressing hundreds from a stage or working interactively with a smaller group, Nan combines substantive content with humor, spontaneity, and audience engagement. Her warm, resonant voice and conversational delivery are hallmarks of her speaking style.