Speaking & Teaching

I love helping people become stronger communicators, whether that’s a room full of first-year college students, a newsroom learning a new tool or a national television audience. Here’s where I’ve taught and spoken.

Kayla Gagnet speaking into a microphone onstage at an evening event, holding notes.
Giving opening remarks at a screening of MSNBC Films’ Serving in Secret, presented with GLAAD and The Advocate. Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for GLAAD

Teaching

University of Rhode Island, part-time instructor, 2026 to present
I teach Writing to Inform & Explain to first-year students, with lectures on rhetoric, multimodal writing and research methods. My goal is to give students detailed feedback that helps them appreciate their own writing and develop their unique voice.

Loyola University New Orleans, adjunct instructor, 2020 to 2023
I developed the curriculum for and taught State of Journalism & Mass Communication, a core course in the Master of Science in Marketing and Communications program, guiding graduate students through the business of journalism across print, broadcast and digital media.

Speaking and media

  • MSNBC: Appeared in a live interview to announce The Advocate‘s presidential endorsement.
  • Serving in Secret screening, November 2023: Gave opening remarks at a screening of the MSNBC Films documentary, presented with GLAAD and The Advocate at the Melrose Rooftop Theatre in West Hollywood.
  • America’s Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference, spring 2023: Spoke to news industry leaders.
  • Ball State University, April 2019: Presented Trends in Digital Storytelling to journalism students.
  • International News Media Association Subscriptions Summit, 2018: Presented on micropayments for news websites.

I’ve also led dozens of training sessions for editors and reporters, from social media best practices for community newspapers across 22 states to writing headlines that capture attention while staying fair and fully supported by the facts.

Recognition

  • GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine: Out, 2024, and The Advocate, 2025, under my editorial leadership
  • Green Eyeshade Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for The Times-Picayune‘s Hurricane Ida coverage, 2022
  • Editor & Publisher Top 25 under 35, 2018
  • Graduate, Poynter Institute Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media, 2017
  • Best of Gannett award for investigative reporting, 2004 and 2005

Interested in having me speak to your team, class or conference? Get in touch.