Speeches and Presentations

Rebecca has given many speeches and presentations for audiences in the U.S. and internationally. A teacher at heart, she loves to share what she knows with others. If you would like for her to speak or present for your organization, please contact her.

Upcoming Presentations…

2023

  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – October 2023
  • Screen Time and Kids: How Much is Too Much?, La Calle Group, January 2023

2022

  • Transition to College, Guest at University Bound Expat Summit with Tatiana O’Hara, August 2022
  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – October 2022

2021

  • Parenting Third Culture Kids – A Roundtable Discussion – with Ruth Van Reken, Dr. Anish Abraham, and Dr. Brad Reedy, Evoke Wilderness Therapy, April 2021
  • College Admissions Update: Straight Talk for Parents, La Calle Group, October 2021
  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – October 2021

2020

  • Partnering for Excellence: Navigating the New Normal– participated in panel discussion during early days of COVID, Embark Behavioral Health, March 2020
  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – October 2020
  • The Green Room – Educating Your Children Abroad, Interviewed as part of discussion, October 2020

2019

  • The Trauma of the Gifted Child, with Sheri Rosen- International School Counselors Association, Brussels, Belgium
  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – in -person workshop, September 2019

2018

  • The Importance of Story When Working with TCKs, with Ruth Van Reken, acclaimed expert on TCKs- International School Counselors Association, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Boarding School Webinar for Foreign Service Institute, Transition Center, US Department of State, November 2018
  • College Applications and Foreign Service Kids, Foreign Service Youth Foundation – in -person workshop, September 2018

2017

  • How to Strengthen Relationships & Clarify Expectations between IECs and School Admissions Offices to Better Serve Families – IECA Denver
  • Is it ADHD or Is it Something Else? – International School Counselors Association, Prague, Czech Republic
  • “Changes to the Selective College Admissions Process” – Country Club Neighborhood Association, April 2017
  • “Taking Your Special Needs Child Overseas”, Families in Global Transition, Washington, DC, March 2015

2016

  • How to Make America Great – An Alternative Perspective: Increasing Your Multicultural Awareness and Inclusivity” – panel discussion, IECA New Orleans
  • Working with International Students: Introducing IECA’s International Designation – panel discussion, IECA Boston
  • Working with International Families in the Therapeutic Milieu –  NATSAP
  • The Perfect Storm: Learning Disabilities, Mental Health Issues, and Global Mobility – International School Counselors Association, Lisbon, Portugal
  • International Education Week, Keynote Speaker – University of Central Florida

2015

  • Importance of Exposing International Students to US Education, and Cultural Experiences in the U.S. Before College, panel discussion on gap year experiences – IECA Scottsdale
  • Under the Radar: Working with Teens who Suffer in Silence –  FIGT
  • Working with TCKs in the Therapeutic Milieu – Pacific Quest Wilderness Therapy
  • Flying Under the Radar: Working with Kids Who Suffer in Silence, Families in Global Transition with Ryan Haynes, International School Bangkok, March 2015

2013-2014

  • Creating a Home Away from Home: Working w/ students in Global Transition – IECA Orlando
  • Cross Cultural Kids: Why Cultural Complexity Matters – IECA Indianapolis
  • Cultural Complexity and Hidden Diversity: Exploring Today’s TCKs – Families in Global Transition
  • Creating Home Away from Home: Working with Kids in Global Transition for IECA with Dr. Daniel Villiers – Orlando, November 2014
  • Cross Cultural Kids with Ruth Van Reken – IECA Indianapolis, May 2014
  • The Global Family Redefined – a panel discussion for the 2013 Families in Global Transition conference with Ruth Van Reken, Ryan Haynes, Alexandra Pomeroy
  • The Stream – television interview on Cultural Chameleons, Al Jazeera broadcasting network, June 2013
  • The Perfect Storm: Learning Disabilities, Mental Health Issues, and Global Mobility, Families in Global Transition, March 2013
  • Working with TCKs in the Therapeutic Milieu, NATSAP, February 2013

2012

  • Handshakes or Hugs?: Tips For Exploring New International Markets and Cultural Etiquette, panel participant, IECA Atlanta, 2012
  • Working with Third Culture Kids in the Therapeutic Milieu with panelists Bryan Lepinske, LCSW, wilderness therapist, and Dr. Tim Corson, clinical director, Montana Academy – Independent Educational Consultants Association, Boston, May 2012
  • TCKS – An Update, American School of Dubai, April 2012
  • Why Some Kids Thrive While Others Struggle in the Expat Lifestyle Plenary Panel Discussion leader with Ruth Van Reken, Julia Simens, and Rebecca Oden
  • Families in Global Transition, March 2012
  • Panel Discussion on Emotional Resilience in Third Culture Kids at the American Foreign Service Association headquarters, Washington, DC, April 2, 2012 with panelists Ruth Van Reken, Rebecca Oden, Julia Simens, and myself (Rebecca Grappo) speaking on why some kids thrive and others struggle in this globally nomadic lifestyle. YouTube video is one and a half hours long.
  • International Assignments: What About the Kids? – Minneapolis Employee Relocation Council, April 2012
  • Third Culture Kids: an Update – American School of Dubai, April 2012,
  • Working with Third Culture Kids in the Therapeutic Milieu with panelists Bryan Lepinske, LCSW, wilderness therapist, and Dr. Tim Corson, clinical director, Montana Academy – Independent Educational Consultants Association, May 2012, Boston

2010-2011

  • Panel Discussion on Ethical Considerations in Using Paid Agents for Recruiting Students Internationally, IECA, November 2011, Cincinnati
  • Panel Discussion for Educational Consultants Special Interest Group, Ethical Considerations in Using Paid Agents for Recruiting Students Internationally,National Association of College Admissions Counselors, September, 2010, St. Louis, MO
  • Teens Who Struggle: After High School, What Comes Next? Overseas Association of College Admissions Counseling, July 2011, Boston, MA
  • Parenting the TCK – Dubai American Academy, January 2010, Dubai, UAE

2009

  • Working with TCKs: An Overview for Consultants, The Independent Educational Association (IECA), November, 2009, Charlotte, North Carolina.
  • What Does It All Mean? Careers for a Changing World, keynote address for Career Day, The American School of Dubai, October 2009.
  • Transition to College: Information for Students and Parents, The American International School of Muscat, May 2009, Muscat, Oman
  • Transition to College: Information for Students, ABA Academy, May, 2009, Muscat, Oman
  • Transition to College: Information for Students and Parents, The Dubai American Academy, April 2009, Dubai, UAE
  • How to Survive Getting Thrown from the Train: 12 Steps to Recovery, American Women’s Group, May, 2009, Muscat, Oman and American Women’s Association Dubai, UAE, Oct. 2008
  • Transition to College: Information for Students and Parents, Dubai American Academy High School, April 2009, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • I’m a What? Understanding What It Means to be a TCK, Dubai American Academy Middle School, April 2009, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Making the Most of a College Visit, The American International School of Muscat, March 2009, Muscat, Oman
  • The Teacher and the Student, talk to students of teacher education at the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, March 2009, Muscat, Oman.
  • So Many Choices: How to Create a College List, The American International School of Muscat, February 2009, Muscat, Oman
  • Transitions and Resiliency in Third Culture Kids, American School of Dubai, October 2008 and Dubai American Academy, February 2009

2008

  • Making Sense of the Middle School Years, American School of Dubai, October 2008
  • On the Move – Again! An Overview of Third Culture Kids, Transitions, and Resiliency, The American International School of Muscat, Oman
  • Applying to American Graduate Schools: Writing Statements of Purpose, for AmidEast at the Higher Technical College in Muscat, Oman
  • Raising Children Abroad, American Women’s Group and Muscat Women’s Fellowship in Muscat, Oman.
  • Teaching Methodology, Teachers at Rustaq Teacher’s College, Oman.

2002-2006

  • Contingency Planning (Overseas) for Families with School Age Children, Families in Global Transition Conference, Houston, TX
  • I’m Back – Now What??!, Welcome back picnic for Foreign Service families, Foreign Service Youth Foundation, Washington, DC
  • If You Could Fly Before You Could Walk….Overview of Boarding Schools and the Foreign Service Child, The Association of Boarding Schools, Washington, DC
  • Around the World in a Lifetime – an Overview of Third Culture Kids, The Association of Boarding Schools, Boston, MA
  • Taking Your School Global, The Association of Boarding Schools, Boston, MA
  • Teen Reentry to the United States: Can Boarding Schools Make a Difference?, The Association of Boarding Schools, Chicago, IL
  • Understanding American Schools, The World Bank, Washington, DC
  • Third Culture Kids, Washington Association of Community Liaison Officers (representatives from foreign embassies in Washington), Washington, DC and panel discussion and presenter, Employee Relocation Council, Washington, DC
  • Five Things You Should Know Before Moving a Family Overseas, SHRM (Society of Human Resource Managers, Washington Chapter), Fairfax, VA
  • A World of Options: Making the Boarding School Decision, Family Liaison Office, U.S. Department of State
  • I’ve Brought My Foreign Service Child Home – Now What?, Family Liaison Office, U.S. Department of State
  • Education Options in Hard to Fill Posts (panel discussion), Family Liaison Office, U.S. Department of State

Dear Becky, Thank you so much for your time and willingness to present on our call yesterday. WOW—I so very much appreciated the personal touch that you brought to your presentation—you had many of us in tears. Your thoughts on resilience and self-care were really helpful. Thank you, thank you! I am so grateful to be part of a community where people are so willing to put themselves out there, come together, and find ways to support each other and the families who need us right now in thoughtful and creative ways. THANK YOU for being such a valuable part of this community; I sincerely appreciate you bringing your wisdom and experience to the table—we all needed that.

Mary Jo

Thank you, Becky! It was a fantastic presentation! Lots of great feedback from those who participated and those who have watched the recording. I hope it spurs a few more people to reach out to you all with questions via email!