The NorthWest Arkansas Community College Speech and Debate Club competes at the University of Central Arkansas International Public Debate Association "End of Hi-Bear-Nation" tournament in January, 2019. NWACC Speech and Debate placed 7th in Community Colleges in the country in 2019/2020, and my squad (Professional) placed top 10 in their Division.
 The Student Ambassador and Government Association attends the NWACC Foundation Scholarship Breakfast in October of 2019, where I was invited as guest student speaker. Click on the image above to watch the recorded speech.
As an author, blogger, Director of Communications for the NWACC Student Ambassador and Government Association (SAGA), staff writer for the EagleView, IPDA Pro Division debater, and American Red Cross Communications volunteer, I've written and delivered so many articles, posts, and speeches that I've lost count. As I like to tell my teammates when working on group projects for classes, at this point, I can pop out full-length essays and social media posts in my sleep. That having been said, writing can be maddening and grueling and isn't exactly my favorite thing in the world anymore (having to do rewrites on a full-length novel dozens of times will do that to you), but there are few things I love more than the opportunity to present to an entire room of people. It's a chance to connect with people on a very personal, and in many cases, very raw human level. There is a rule in fiction writing that says that, by the end of the story, your main character should be changed in some way. I believe that, by the end of delivering my message, my audience should be changed in some way. I believe that talents are given intentionally, not just for the benefit of those who've received them, but for the benefit of those for whom they come into contact with. I believe that people are put in our path for a reason, and that everyone you will ever meet has something they can teach you. That is why each time I am presented with the opportunity to write or speak, I pray for the ability and capacity to openly share some small part of myself with my audience, in the hopes that they will not only be changed in some way, but that they will come away from it feeling validated, uplifted, inspired, connected, thought-provoked, enlightened, or no longer quite so alone in the world.
 Red Cross volunteer Mo Didion reads to children staying in the River Valley shelter during the Fort Smith flooding
Now, obviously, I won't always be able to chose the content upon which I am speaking, and I won't always have plenty of time to write a perfectly crafted speech, especially in the fast-paced and unpredictable world of emergency management. Thankfully, I also have scads of experience in preparing last minute speeches and writing articles about topics that I'm not necessarily passionate about, some of them rather quickly (much like the historic flooding article to the left that I wrote in about 30 minutes sitting in a small room just off the feeding area of the Red Cross shelter).
As per the rules of the International Public Debate Association, debaters are given topics just before their round starts, are not allowed to use any previously gathered evidence, and only have 20-30 minutes to research and prepare their case. Once in a round, they must deliver two additional rebuttal speeches in response to their opponents statements, for which they are given zero preparation time. This means they must somehow listen to their opponents speech, fervently scribble notes, and formulate their own response simultaneously. If they drop a single argument (that is, fail to respond in their next speech), it's considered grounds for a loss. If you're thinking that this sounds really stressful, especially when it comes to competing in the Professional Division, then you're correct. The truth is, I don't actually enjoy arguing. I'm more of the "productive and positive collaboration" type. Instead, I use IPDA debate as an opportunity to improve my quick-draw information dissemination and response skills. These skills are invaluable in emergency management situations, where you may have a very short period of time, with little notice and only tidbits of information, to convince others to act quickly in following very precise, potentially matter of life or death, instructions.
I had to take classes on how to use Instagram, how to create GIFs, how to craft engaging posts, and how to use graphic programs such as Canva, all so we could meet our primary audience--young adult students--where they were, using a medium that was easy for them to understand, in a way that would encourage them to take action. I was determined to ensure that students knew who SAGA was and the services that were available to them. In the first semester of my term alone, I doubled SAGA's social media following on every platform.
Perhaps because I have such a vast range of experience between writing, speaking, and marketing, communications means so much more to me than just dealing in information or persuasion. As I said in my campaign speech when I ran for Director of Communications, "Communications is the art of relationship building." It's about building connections, about portraying compassion and sincerity and thoughtfulness toward your audience. It's about being considerate of how your audience will use that information, of what they need from you and what will be most useful to them in that moment, and presenting it in the most effective, sensitive, encouraging, and accessible way possible. It's about actually caring how your message gets out. And perhaps no other time are these considerations needed more than in the midst of a disaster. Vertical Divider
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70th Annual Conference IAEM EMVision Talks, 2022, where I spoke about my research on the importance of Self Care in Disaster Response
I've had the pleasure of hearing Misty speak. She has an uncanny ability to engage her audience through the use of an amazing set of communications skills. I’ve heard lots of people “speak,” but few people “communicate” with the grace and excellence she demonstrates. -Todd L. Kitchen, Ed.D
VP for Student Services NorthWest Arkansas Community College 
Article which appeared in the Nov/Dec 2019 issue of the NWACC EagleView. Click on the image to explore more of my EagleView articles.
Flyer I created to advertise the Constitution Day Roundtable held at NWACC on September 16, 2019
Flyer I created to advertise the Martin Luther King Jr. Day guest speaker at NWACC on January 21, 2020
32.25 Hours of Disaster Communications Training Completed 
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