Trust that lasts.

Teams that stay.

Bring the neighboring gap, and the practice that closes it, to your stage.

Available as a keynote (45–60 min), a half-day workshop, or a fireside / moderated conversation.

We're spending more on culture, belonging, and engagement than at any point in history, and connection just hit a record low. Why? Because we've forgotten the oldest skill there is: how to be a neighbor.

In this research-backed, story-driven keynote, Sophia Fifner names the gap that's quietly draining your teams, and hands your people a practice they can use Monday morning. This isn't a talk about being nicer. It's the case for the one skill that builds the trust no benefits package can buy, and it's learnable by everyone in the room.

Key takeaways

  • A name for what's been missing, the neighboring gap, and the research behind it

  • Why every top-down culture fix keeps failing, and what works instead

  • A simple, repeatable practice, from "say hello" to the hardest skill of all: letting yourself be neighbored

  • The confidence to go first, even when it's uncomfortable

Perfect for:

HR & people conferences, leadership summits, women's-leadership & ERG events, all-hands, and association keynotes, especially teams facing disengagement, turnover, hybrid disconnection, or change fatigue.

A confident Black woman with curly hair, smiling, dressed in a pink satin blazer and matching pants, posing against a plain brown background. Sophia Fifner Keynote Speaker

The Neighboring Gap

Signature Keynote

An outdoor event with a large crowd seated in front of a stage, with city skyscrapers and trees in the background, under a covered area. Sophia Fifner Keynote Speaker

Names known become neighbors made.

Two women are sitting on stage in conversation; one is smiling and talking with hands gesturing, the other holds a bouquet of flowers and a notebook, against a purple background with white polka dots. Sophia Fifner Keynote Speaker
Four women sitting on sofas in a panel discussion or interview setup, with a large screen showing their legs in the background. Sophia Fifner Keynote Speaker

BOOKING INQUIRIES

Interested in Sophia speaking at your event?

Sophia is a dynamic, relatable speaker who inspires and ignites positive change. We'd love to hear about your upcoming event and create a meaningful experience for your audience.

featured engagements.

“I just want to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest thanks for your great job as guest speaker at our 44th Annual Crime Stoppers Breakfast. The comments we received from both board members and the general audience regarding your presentation were outstanding!”

— Napoleon A. Bell, President, Central Ohio Crime Stoppers

Download Media Kit for Sophia Fifner

Get access to Sophia’s official bio, approved photos, assets, and logos.

A woman with dark, curly hair styled in locs, wearing a white shirt, gold watch, and hoop earrings, smiling and resting her face on her hand with nails painted in bright colors, sitting at a wooden table with a stack of books and two mugs of coffee.