On May 12, 2026, board member and hospice nurse Thandiwe Moreau stood in front of thirty-four nursing students at a community college and began, "I am going to tell you about some of the patients you will care for." It was the 1,000th presentation of the Pagan EdNet Speakers Bureau.
Eighteen Years of Showing Up
The Speakers Bureau was launched in 2008 with a training class of fourteen volunteers. Its first presentation was given to the staff of a county library. Today it has 64 trained speakers in 29 states, and it gave 94 presentations in 2025 alone.
Every presentation follows the same rules. Speakers describe and never recruit. They perform no ritual. They answer any question honestly, and they say so when they do not know. They are volunteers, and there is never a fee.
Who Has Been Listening
| Audience | Share |
|---|---|
| Schools and colleges | 38% |
| Hospitals, hospices, and nursing programs | 21% |
| Workplaces and human resources groups | 14% |
| Congregations and interfaith councils | 13% |
| Libraries and civic groups | 9% |
| Correctional facilities and public agencies | 5% |
The Five Questions We Hear Most
Speakers file a short report after every presentation. Across a thousand reports, the same questions lead the list.
- "Do you worship the Devil?" Asked less often every year, and now usually by someone who already suspects that the answer is no.
- "What do you actually do?" The question speakers most enjoy. The honest answer, involving candles, seasonal food, and standing in a circle outdoors, tends to reassure.
- "What happens when you die?" Asked most often by nurses and chaplains, who have a practical reason to know.
- "How should I handle a request for a day off?" Asked by managers and principals, who are generally relieved to learn how modest the requests are.
- "Why have I never met a Pagan?" The answer is that you almost certainly have.
What We Have Learned
Education Program Manager Priya Lindqvist, who trains every new speaker, says that the lessons have been consistent.
The talk matters less than the person. An audience decides within two minutes whether the speaker is someone they could work beside. After that they will listen to anything. So we train people to be ordinary, to be brief, and to be kind when a question comes out badly.
Priya Lindqvist, Education Program Manager
Three other lessons shape the training.
- Practical beats theoretical. Audiences want to know what to do on Monday morning. Our most requested talks are the ones written for a particular workplace.
- One hour is enough. A short presentation that leaves time for questions does more than a long one.
- Follow-up counts. Hosts who receive a fact sheet and a note afterward are the ones who call again.
The Thousandth Hour
The students at the 1,000th presentation asked about bedside altars, about what to say to a bereaved family, and about what a nurse should do with a pendant before surgery. Their instructor wrote afterward that it was the most practical religion lecture of the term.
Board chair Corwin Ashby, a member of the first training class, has given 61 presentations himself. "In 2008 we were asked whether we were dangerous," he said. "In 2026 we are asked how to help. That is what a thousand hours buys."
Invite a Speaker, or Become One
To request a presentation for your class, staff, congregation, or civic group, see the Speakers Bureau page. We are especially looking for new speakers in states where none is yet available in person. An online orientation for prospective volunteers is listed on the Events Calendar.