Thank you for your interest in the Speakers Bureau! The Holocaust Center strives to fulfill all speaker requests. However, there may be circumstances in which we cannot provide a speaker. Please review the guidelines below before submitting a request to ensure you are able to meet the criteria:

• Teachers: students need to have completed some form of Holocaust instruction or unit prior to the date of the presentation. If you need suggestions, our Director of Education, Ilana Cone Kennedy, can be emailed at ilanak@wsherc.org.
• Please submit the request at least 3 weeks in advance.
• Please be prepared to meet speakers' technological needs - i.e. laptop for PowerPoint, microphone, etc.
• Allot at least an hour for the presentation. Some speakers require an hour and a half.
• We do not accept engagement requests from students. Students may request personal interviews with speakers, provided they submit a teacher recommendation.
• Engagements are typically scheduled after 10:00am to allow for travel time—later if the location is a great distance from the speaker’s home.
• Because presentations can be emotional for both students and speakers, the requester must be present at all times during the engagement. Students should not enter and leave the room and interruptions should be kept to a minimum.
• The only fee associated with the Speakers Bureau is travel reimbursement. You will receive an invoice via email when your speaker is confirmed. You/your school are responsible for making this payment.

If you feel you can meet these guidelines, you’re ready to fill out the Speaker Request Form! Janna Charles, Speakers Bureau Coordinator, will process requests. If you have any questions during the process, please email her at admin@wsherc.org or call 206.774.2201.

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Before the Visit

1. When your speaker is confirmed, you will receive an email with their biography, contact information and tech needs (if any). We suggest reviewing the biography with your students before the presentation.

2. At least one week before the presentation, call the speaker to introduce yourself, talk to them about your unit and class, and discuss logistics like parking and where to go when they arrive at your school/location.

Day of the Visit

1. Inform the front office of the visit and send someone to meet the speaker upon their arrival.

2. Remind your audience to be mindful of the speaker by listening, staying seated, and refraining from distracting activities like eating/drinking or working on homework.

3. Provide a glass of water and a chair for the speaker.

4. Make sure any tech equipment has been set up and tested in advance.

5. Give the speaker a brief introduction.

6. If the engagement begins or ends during the lunch hour, make sure the speaker knows where to find lunch.

7. Make sure the speaker has someone to walk them out of the building.

After the Visit

1.  Please fill out our evaluation form.

2. Letters of thanks to the speaker may be sent to the Holocaust Center at 2031 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98121.

3. Make sure to pay gas reimbursement by sending a check to the Holocaust Center or paying online via our Donate Now button. Some schools choose to donate an honorarium to the Speaker in addition. Speakers often donate this money to the Center.