From Memory to Masterpiece: Storytelling Made Simple

Want to captivate your audience through the power of story-telling?

This workshop will introduce you to the ULUstory model—a powerful 5-point story arc designed to foster trust, empathy, and connection. You will develop storytelling skills and leave with a compelling, true story of your own by the end of the session.

But wait, there’s more!

You’ll also receive two weeks of access to ULUalpha (ULUstory's story coaching tool) to further refine your stories. Our facilitator Deb will guide you through the optional signup process via Poe and will demonstrate how to use the tool effectively.

Why should you attend? ULUstories have a wide range of uses, including but not limited to:

• Business pitches
• Story events
• Leadership and team-building exercises
• Teaching and pastoral leadership
• Presentations and interviews
• Eulogies, weddings, and more

Materials: Bring a journal and writing implement (or pick one up at the bookstore). You’ll also receive useful materials to support your storytelling journey.

Workshop fee: $10

No storytelling experience necessary to participate!

About Deb

Meet Deb Pagnotta, a Storytelling Pioneer and Connection Builder Deb is a master storyteller, story coach, and teacher who believes in the power of true stories to bridge divides and create meaningful connections. As the founder of ULUstory PBC, Deb has dedicated her career to helping people craft and share their stories to foster empathy, trust, and understanding.

Born to tough Bronx parents, Deb’s childhood unfolded across three continents (Africa, Europe, and North America) where she discovered how storytelling could connect her with people from vastly different cultures. This early realization became the cornerstone of her life’s work.

A former attorney, Deb earned her law degree in 1981 from the University of California, San Francisco, and built an impressive legal career. She served as an Assistant Attorney General in New York State’s Environmental Protection Bureau, directed the Westchester Regional Office, and later became Acting General Counsel at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Pivoting to private practice, she joined Kirkpatrick & Silverberg LLP as an employment litigation partner, focusing on sexual harassment and discrimination cases. Even then, storytelling was central to her work—helping clients communicate effectively and advocate for justice.

In 1999, Deb expanded her focus to workplace communication, founding Interfacet Inc., a consultancy specializing in training, mediation, and factfinding. She developed diversityDNA®, a groundbreaking web- based app to help users explore their internal communication styles to better connect with others.

Her journey took a pivotal turn during a personal battle with Lyme disease, inspiring her to teach and coach storytelling. As a communications instructor at Iona University and Norwalk Community College, Deb saw firsthand how storytelling could transform lives. She taught students to use storytelling to build friendships, improve presentations, ace interviews, and advocate for themselves. Her courses became havens of connection and growth, sparking lasting friendships, multiple marriages, and even winning her teaching awards. She also organized wildly successful student story slams, which became highlights of the academic calendar.

In 2020, Deb founded ULUstory, a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to empowering people through storytelling. She developed Storyweaver, a storytelling phone app designed to help users craft and share their personal narratives. More recently, she launched two innovative AI-supported story coaching tools: ULUalpha, for the general public, and ULUesq, tailored for lawyers. These tools provide actionable insights to help users tell more impactful stories in both personal and professional contexts.

Under Deb’s leadership, ULUstory has gained traction with clients like Pinterest, the City of New Rochelle, and the Westchester Commission on Human Rights. Her team has integrated biometrics into the platform, providing users with objective feedback to refine their storytelling skills and improve communication across markets and cultures.

In 2024, Deb delivered a powerful TEDx talk, The Yellow Dress, at Norwalk Community College on how storytelling can reduce conflict. Her talk highlighted how true stories can break down barriers, build trust, and create common ground—even between people who disagree.

Through it all, Deb remains deeply connected to her own multi-cultural and multi-talented families, whose stories continue to inspire and shape her work. Join Deb on her journey to discover the transformative power of storytelling and learn how your own stories can make a difference in the world.