Speaker | Author | Educator
daryl williams jr.
TOPICS - Education
daryl williams jr. - PROGRAMS
- 99% A Human, 1% Amazing
- This challenges the idea that impact requires perfection. In this honest, affirming keynote, Daryl Williams Jr. reminds audiences that confidence isn’t built by hiding flaws, it’s built by embracing identity. Through powerful stories and real-life moments, he reframes excellence as grounded, human, and sustainable. This message speaks to people who feel pressure to always be “on,” who are tired of performing strength, and who wonder if they’re enough. Attendees leave lighter, clearer, and more confident, not because they became someone new, but because they finally trusted who they already are.
- New Teacher, Big Impact
- The Impact Playbook for New Teachers is a practical, identity-anchoring keynote designed to help early-career educators build confidence, clarity, and emotional stamina. Instead of overwhelming teachers with more strategies, Daryl Williams Jr. focuses on the foundation that actually sustains impact: identity. Through real classroom stories and clear, repeatable principles, this keynote gives new teachers language, perspective, and tools they can return to on hard days. Attendees leave grounded, encouraged, and equipped to teach authentically, navigate challenges with confidence, and stay in the profession without losing themselves in the process.
daryl williams jr. - Biography
Daryl Williams Jr. is a Two-Time Teacher of the Year, bestselling author, and internationally sought-after keynote speaker who is transforming how schools support and retain new teachers. Known for delivering high-energy, story-rich keynotes that educators actually remember, Daryl helps districts give their beginners what they need most, not fleeting motivation, but the foundational skills that keep them confident, effective, and committed to the profession.
A graduate of Oakwood University with advanced degrees from Johns Hopkins University and UNC Charlotte, Daryl has spent over a decade building and refining practical, classroom-tested teaching frameworks through his company, The Pursuit of Excellence. His work equips early-career teachers with the clarity, structure, and instructional habits that move districts from “inspiration for the moment” to transformation they can see in their culture and retention numbers.
Having delivered more than 100 keynotes across the country for schools, universities, and major education conferences, Daryl consistently strengthens new teacher belonging, boosts instructional effectiveness, and reduces burnout. His message resonates because it’s grounded in real classrooms, real results, and real solutions educators can implement the same day.
Event organizers book Daryl because he brings:
• High-impact storytelling and energy that engages every educator
• Practical strategies that improve classroom management and instructional clarity
• Frameworks that accelerate new teacher success, confidence, and retention.
Daryl’s mission is simple and bold, equip one million students to live the lives they choose by empowering the teachers who stand in front of them. If your goal is to strengthen your new teacher pipeline and reshape the future of your schools, Daryl Williams Jr. is the keynote speaker who will move your educators from overwhelmed to equipped, and from surviving to thriving.