Your Voice Can Shape Policy: Frameworks for Clear, Influential Messaging with Deborah Stine, PhD

When most people hear the word policy, they immediately picture Washington, D.C., marble hallways, and people in suits arguing on TV. But as my guest today so brilliantly reminds us, policy is simply how decisions get made - and you don’t need to be a political insider to influence it.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Deborah Stine, founder of the Science and Technology Policy Academy, former Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in the Obama White House, and someone who has spent her career helping scientists, engineers, and health professionals turn their expertise into impact.

And yes, her résumé reads like a Washington fairytale, but what makes Debbie extraordinary is how down-to-earth and practical she is. She’s spent decades working at the national level and then chose to move back to the “ground floor” of change—state and local work—where impact shows up fast and in real lives.

Debbie and I talk about:

• Why most experts accidentally sabotage their own influence
• Her 4E Framework for better decision-making
• How to translate complex, jargon-heavy research into something the public—and policymakers—actually understand
• Why state and local advocacy can be even more powerful than federal work
• How to work with people who disagree with you
• A surprising turn into AI—and how Debbie used my Automate & Amplify program to keep her content going while traveling the world

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your voice matters, especially when you pair your expertise with a compelling story and a clear message.

About My Guest: Dr. Deborah Stine is the founder of the Science and Technology Policy Academy, where she helps scientists, engineers, and health professionals translate what they know into policies that improve people’s lives. Deborah has worked with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, at the Congressional Research Service, and was the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in the Obama White House. She was also Professor of the Practice, Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Deborah is also the author of From Expertise to Impact, which is all about how experts can communicate in a way that truly influences public decision-making.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/454/

Deborah’s website: https://scitechpolicyacademy.com/

Listen to my Confident Speaker companion podcast = https://confidentspeaker.transistor.fm/

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in the Automate & Amplify with AI course: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai/

Apply for our Thought Leader Academy = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Deborah Stine = https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-stine/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 411: Reframing Public Speaking: From Elite Skill to Everyday Power with Dr. Karen Corbin
• Episode 406: Authenticity and Owning Your Story as Women with a Public Voice with Jennifer Adams and Sarah Henry
• Episode 384: How to Tackle a Big Global Issue in Your Thought Leadership and Talks with Dr. Neha Pathak

Join us for our three-day speaking retreat, happening in February 2027, in Downtown Orlando, Florida.

You'll create and refine high-impact Signature Stage Segments - the kind that set you apart as a speaker; practice onstage multiple times with our expert coaching and feedback; and professionally film your dynamic segments in front of a warm, supportive audience so you have edited video and a speaker reel to show event organizers what you can do.

Our retreat is limited to 12 women, so get all the details and request your place at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/.

Early bird pricing is on for a limited time.