precise language is the labor of leadership
Join this intimate cohort of 12 Unboxable Leaders and emerge with a name for your work that lets you create with intention and conviction.
September 21, 2026 - October 15, 2026
$2,000.00
“I think about my Ground Truth every day. It informs everything I do.”
Hey. I’m Dana Ray!
My work is about naming our ineffable realities so we’re less alone with life’s complexities. My job is to find the words that tell the true story of what your work is about and why it matters.
I am a language strategist for Unboxable Leaders, those who can’t and won’t be confined in who they are and what they want to create.
I facilitate workshops and give keynotes on the power of precise language and expansive storytelling. From curating the Creative Economy Track at DC Startup Week or founding beloved summer dance camps, I design and lead experiences that set the stage to engage new thought and new speech.
When I say “unboxable,” I consider myself one too. Multi-genre writer. Dancer. Event designer. Advocate. Mother.
I write NAMING BLUE, a newsletter exploring the power, potential, and pitfalls of language.
Degree in English Literature. Masters in English Literature. I’ve spent a lot of time with words.
Minor in Disability Studies. I see the world through the body, its limitations and beauties. I am a student of intersectionality.
Lived in Bulgaria through a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship. Gave me a deep appreciation of language learning and the mysterious gaps between what we mean and what we say.
My clients have included CreativeMornings HQ which was super dreamy after giving a keynote for CreativeMornings DC.
Why a cohort?
Great question, especially since my career as a language strategist has focused on 1-1, teams, and facilitation. Not to mention that you can get everything I know in my book Name Your Work: Language to Lead with Intention and Conviction!
What I’ve come to learn from both my clients, the market, and my own experiences is this: leaders do better together. I may know how to maneuver language to say something true, but self-revelation expands best in community.
It even makes sense from an evolutionary perspective! Language evolved in our species to connect us together. It can feel almost impossible to find the words for our own unique contributions even when it feels easy to witness someone else.
So the next right step is to gather the right group to do this work together.
A few of the cohorts and communities I’ve been a part of that set the bar high: altmba by Seth Godin, The Big Ideas Lab by Pete Shepherd and Jen Waldman, The Connection Collective by Megan Dowd, The Wise Woman’s Collective by Sarah K. Peck.
What to Expect
Week 1: The Power of Language
Learn how our brains are structured to connect with language and how to make your words work for you.
Week 2: Try It On
Develop the name for your work. Test and evaluate with your working small group.
Week 3: Coaching Week
Process and Revise 1-1 with Dana Ray.
Week 4: Translation
Turn your newfound clarity into aligned public storytelling!
What’s Included
Print Copy of Name Your Work
Forever access to all class material through the cohort Teachery portal.
Monday all-group sessions to engage key ideas and practice language generation and process feedback.
Thursday small group working sessions to wrestle with your work, together.
Cohort discord for daily discussion, questions, and ideating.
1-1 session (30min) with Dana Ray, language strategist and author of Name Your Work.
The Schedule
Large Group Workshops: Mondays, 7-9pm EDT
September 21, September 28, October 12
Small group working sessions: Thursdays, 7-9pm EDT
September 24, October 1, October 8
1-1 session with Dana Ray
Week of October 5
Closing Session:
October 15, 7-9pm EDT
THE RESULT: Long Term Clarity and Impact
But to be more precise…
A foundational statement that defines who you are, what you do, how you do it, and why it matters. aka Your Ground Truth.
A bio that captures your skills, experiences, and purpose.
Confidence introducing yourself interpersonally, not just on paper!
Application of foundational statement in your next big move.
Peers who know you, get you, and believe in you; who can be a sounding board for anything you make going forward.
“Life is a journey of discovering yourself again and again. You, my friend, are about to dive into a process that will enable you to that with intention, confidence, and love.”
Not the right time for you?
Start with the book! Go through it with your friends or business network or mastermind!
I wrote this because a rich relationship with your words, work, and self shouldn’t be kept behind the high cost of consulting and cohorts.
This book is truly everything I know about language, identity, and personal storytelling.
Now in luxurious print form! (We’ve tested it—stick your nose in the spine for peak experience.)
Because of the nature of printing and publishing these days, this is a limited run of 60 copies. When they are gone, they are gone.