199: Make Your Data-Driven Presentations More Interesting and Story-Driven with Monique Ositelu, PhD [Storytelling Series]

We’ve heard so much about the importance of storytelling over the past few years that using data, statistics, and research in our presentations seems to have been sidelined.

However, data can play a very important role in helping people understand what’s going on and what’s possible.

Data can be used to tell stories and to affect change.

This is a fantastic conversation with my guest Monique Ositelu, PhD, who runs a data-consulting firm that helps educational institutions, non-profits, and companies leverage their data into useful strategic insights to curate actionable solutions.

In this episode, Monique and I talk about:

• The stories she heard growing up and how they impacted her
• Why and how to use data in your presentations
• How to tell stories using data
• How Monique humanizes the data she analyzes
• Specific strategies you can use when presenting data, charts, and graphics
• The research Monique did for her dissertation on collegiate athletics, education and race, using data
• How Monique is sharing her thought leadership message

Register for Monique’s professional development webinar “Telling Compelling Stories with Your Data”: https://hopin.to/events/telling-compelling-stories-with-your-data

About My Guest: Dr. Monique Ositelu is the Founder & CEO of Data Driven Consulting & Solutions, a data-consulting firm that helps educational institutions, non-profits, and corporate companies leverage their data into useful strategic insights to curate actionable solutions. As someone who enjoys using data to tell stories and making systematic change in both practice and policy, Dr. Ositelu launched her business to pursue her passion and currently serves as the Chief Data Consultant.

Dr. Ositelu also serves as a Senior Policy Analyst for Higher Education with the Education Policy Program at New America. New America is a bipartisan public policy research institute located in Washington, D.C. In her role, Dr. Ositelu conducts policy research and data analysis to promote college access and degree completion for historically underserved students.

Dr. Ositelu earned her PhD in higher education, with a specialization in public policy, from Florida State University. Prior to that, she earned her master’s degree in public administration, with a concentration in public policy, from the University of Texas at El Paso and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Furman University.

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 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/199

Monique’s website: http://www.ddcands.com/

Register for Monique’s professional development webinar “Telling Compelling Stories with Your Data”: https://hopin.to/events/telling-compelling-stories-with-your-data

Get our LinkedIn for Speakers online masterclass at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/linkedin.

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Monique Ositelu (guest) = http://linkedin.com/in/moniqueositelu-phd

This episode is part of our podcast series on Storytelling.

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 138: Scientists Need to Tell Stories Too with Karen Corbin, PhD, RD [Storytelling Series]

Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.

In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.

As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.

Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable