AnnJoan Hyman,
M.A., CCC-SLP
Consulting Partner, Executive Presence, Speech and Presentation Services
"Of all the life skills available to us, communication is perhaps the most empowering."
— Brett Morrison
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
AnnJoan Hyman delivers a unique and highly sought-after service within our Group, working both domestically and internationally. Her 30-year coaching practice specializes in Executive Presence & Leadership Style, Speech & Voice Improvement, Accent Reduction Training, Public Speaking, and Presentation Delivery for Partners, Counsel, Associates, and senior level business services professionals. Providing support to clients who are motivated to fine-tune critical elements of leadership communication in venues ranging from boards of director presentations and client pitches, through practice group trainings and professional conference programs, to daily interactions with colleagues, supervisors and those they manage. AnnJoan painstakingly designs coaching for attorneys and management level prof essionals to meet each participant’s individual goals and needs. As a licensed speech pathologist, certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), AnnJoan spent 25 years as a senior consultant with the Sam Chwat Speech Center, and holds an M.A. in speech pathology from New York University.
COACHING STYLE
Thorough, organized, and committed, I encourage active involvement and communication with my clients. I am a generous coach with excellent listening skills, a process orientation, and the ability to provide clear directions when called for. Trust is the basis for all of my coaching relationships and allows my clients to relax and work on issues which are often rooted in anxiety or a simple lack of familiarity. Using techniques honed over my 30 years of practice, I develop specific methods tailored for each client to overcome anxiety or reticence and improve presentation skills, allowing my clients to present themselves confidently, calmly, and with a high level of gravitas. Employing humor and empathy as tools for clients who are not natural performers, but who nonetheless find themselves in a “rehearsal” setting as we work, I strive to inspire knowledge, skill, and a sense of ease.
MEET ANNJOAN
30 years experience as a licensed speech coach is noteworthy. Tell us a bit about your background, and the work you do as a speech pathologist.
The coaching work I do with the Greiner team is for attorneys and legal executives who are looking to enhance their executive presence and leadership effectiveness, develop their public speaking and presentation skills, modify accents, and improve their voice and speech. All my clients have one thing in common – the need to communicate clearly and effectively. I prepare clients for all types of presentations – Board of Directors meetings, pitches, training sessions, and even TED talks, as well as day-to-day management and leadership interactions in the firm.
I earned my master’s degree in speech pathology from New York University and my bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. Then, for 26 years I worked as a senior consultant with the former Sam Chwat Speech Center/New York Speech Improvement Services. Certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association, I am licensed in both New Jersey and New York.
Looking back, what would you say attracted you to your craft?
I love words and sounds, and have always been intrigued by how people present themselves, and how the voice is used as a tool for success. Most people do not discern the ways in which people utilize voice and language and how it can be a career asset or liability.
I am a voracious reader and enjoy how words are used to communicate thoughts and emotions. My work is all about communication and how words, style, sounds, cadence, and body language convey meaning and information. Each client provides a unique opportunity for me to hone in on what they need, what will make the most difference to take their performance and confidence to the next level.
What can the attorneys expect who work with you?
I will narrow it down to a few key improvements that attorneys at all levels can count on; they will communicate with confidence and command respect. They will present more effectively when pitching and closing business, succeed on more cases, and achieve their goals wherever they are in their career.
For lawyers, control of voice and tonality, perfecting body language for maximum impact and executive presence, and dynamic effectiveness with large and small groups, allows one to express even greater confidence and authority.
It is important to highlight the coaching I am doing with attorneys at the Partner level. As a person advances, speech, voice, and pitch become even more important. We elevate vocabulary, prioritize body language – a senior partner is expected to be more controlled and portray oneself in a certain way. One of the enjoyable aspects of being a senior executive is they can actually relax a bit, and be more genuine and authentic. We work together to eliminate tension with confidence, knowledge, genuineness – credibility goes up.
As the demands on a senior attorney increase, my services become, dare I say, de rigueur!
How would you describe your coaching style and process?
Issues and needs vary, therefore, the process flexes. Yet, one thing that makes me unique is that from the first meeting, I take my client’s issue as my issue – it becomes personal for me. When the issue is transferred to me, the pressure and frustration with which the client arrives is off them, and on me! I am always 100% confident that I can fix the problem. My passion and keen listening drives the process, and then – of course – I have 30 years of precise, proven techniques, exercises, assignments, and practices, to draw upon.
Good listening enables me to craft our path together. We create goals together based on a swift determination of how to get to the next level. That’s why they like working with me.
Everyone reports back with stellar reviews regarding working with you and their results. What is some of the feedback you most relish?
Each individual is important to me, resulting in each person feeling special, supported, and safe. They know that they can reach out to me anytime and I will be completely focused on them. Loving my work inspires them to work even harder. When clients acknowledge these aspects of my coaching, it means a great deal. And, of course, when they share their specific wins – the results – I am thrilled. It’s been a thirty-year career of win after win, which keeps me devoted to my work and clients.
Compliments from
I am so pleased with my new voice and its placement, I feel like a superhero.
— PartnerTwelve months working with AnnJoan have accomplished what I could not do myself in 24 years. My confidence in public speaking has increased 100%. AnnJoan is a great speech professional and psychologist, who gave me a priceless ability to function in professional life as well as socially.
— CEO/PresidentMy stronger voice has given me increased confidence and a stronger executive presence.
— Senior AssociateOur team
Jennifer Greiner
President & Founder
Carla Levinson, esq.
Consulting Partner, Coaching & Transition Services
Eve Balick
Director, Coaching & Transition Services
Kim Young
Director, Coaching & Transition Services
Erin Scherzer
Director, Coaching & Transition Services
AnnJoan Hyman
Consulting Partner, Executive Presence, Speech and Presentation Services
Mo Chanmugham
Consulting Partner, Coaching & Transition Services
Cathy Simpson
Consulting Partner, Coaching, Group Facilitation, and Training
Kate Edwards
Consulting Partner, Coaching & Business Services
Vira Bangaru
Operations Coordinator

