
Deborah Tannen
Relationship, Communication Expert and Best-Selling Author
Deborah Tannen is University Professor and Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University and author of many books and articles about how the language of everyday conversation affects relationships. She is best known as the author of You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, which was on the New York Times best seller list…
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Full Bio
Deborah Tannen is University Professor and Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University and author of many books and articles about how the language of everyday conversation affects relationships. She is best known as the author of You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, which was on the New York Times best seller list for nearly four years, including eight months as No. 1, and has been translated into 31 languages.
This is the book that brought gender differences in communication style to the forefront of public awareness. Her most recent book, You Were Always Mom’s Favorite!: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives, also a New York Times best seller, received a Books for a Better Life Award and was featured on 20/20 and NPR’s Morning Edition.
Among her other books, You’re Wearing THAT?: Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation spent ten weeks on the New York Times best seller list; Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work was a New York Times Business best seller; The Argument Culture: Stopping America’s War of Words received the Common Ground Book Award; and I Only Say This Because I Love You: Talking to Your Parents, Partner, Sibs, and Kids When You’re All Adults received a Books for a Better Life Award. Her newest book, You’re the Only One I Can Tell: Inside the Language of Women’s Friendships, will be released on May 2.
Deborah Tannen is a frequent guest on television and radio news and information shows, including The Colbert Report, 20/20, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Talk Show, PBS NewsHour, Charlie Rose, Oprah, Hardball, Nightline, many shows on CNN and NPR includingMorning Edition, All Things Considered, The Diane Rehm Show, and Fresh Air. She has been featured in and written for most major newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, The Atlantic, USA Today, People, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.
Deborah Tannen is one of only six in Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences who hold the distinguished rank of University Professor. She has been McGraw Distinguished Lecturer at Princeton University and spent a term in residence at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey; she has twice been a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford in Palo Alto, California. The recipient of five honorary doctorates, she is a member of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation Board of Directors.
In addition to her eight books for general audiences, Tannen is author or editor of sixteen books and over one hundred articles for scholarly audiences. She has also published poems, short stories, and personal essays. Her first play, “An Act of Devotion,” is included in The Best American Short Plays 1993-1994. It was produced, together with her play “Sisters,” by Horizons Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.
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LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
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MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
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BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!

SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!

SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!

CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!

PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.

GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!

FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
Talking from 9-5: Women and Men in the Workplace
Genderlect Styles: Male-female Conversation is Cross-Cultural Communication
The Culture of Argument in America
Gender and Discourse
How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks Relationships
Women, Men, Mothers and Daughters: The Universal Truth about Communication
You’re The Only One I Can Tell: Inside the Language of Women’s Friendships
Can We Talk? He Said, She Said and How Genders Interpret Communication
Conversations between women and men can be like cross-cultural communication. With captivating video clips of children at play, Tannen shows how ways of speaking learned in childhood cause misunderstandings in adult conversations. Based on her four-year, #1 New York Times bestseller, You Just Don’t Understand, Tannen provides insight and delight, plus real improvement in relationships.
I Love Her, but She’s Driving Me Crazy: Mothers and Daughters in Conversation
In this highly entertaining and informative keynote speech, Tannen brings her unique humor and insights to this mother of all relationships.
That’s Not What I Meant! Talking Across Cultures and Genders
Communication between speakers of different cultures can be understood and improved with basic understanding of conversational style. Tannen can focus this keynote speech to include gender as cross-cultural communication, or limit her examples to speakers from different countries or Americans of different ethnic, regional, and class background.
Talking 9 to 5: He Said, She Said in the Workplace and How it Affects Communication and Productivity
Illustrated with real-life video clips of workplace communication, Tannen shows how women’s and men’s ways of speaking affect who gets heard, who gets ahead, and what gets done at work. Increase productivity and job satisfaction with this entertaining as well as enlightening presentation, based on Tannen’s New York Times business bestseller Talking from 9 to 5.
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