Timidly, at first, she dipped her toes into the pool of small talk, but Fine soon realized that conversation, like most things in life, comes easier with practice. Now the formerly shy, tongue-tied "enginerd" is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, trainer and author.

A former engineer Debra Fine established her Denver based company, The FINE Art of Small Talk, to teach all variety of professionals, and the spouse who is dragged along, conversational skills for use at networking events, business conventions, trade shows, and with clients, customers and patients. Fine studied the art of conversation as diligently as she had once studied engineering.

Debra authored the best selling books The Fine Art of Small Talk How to Start a Conversation, Keep it Going, Build Rapport and Leave a Positive Impression and her newest book in the Fine Art series, The Fine Art of Big Talk: How to Win Clients, Deliver Great Presentations, and Solve Conflicts at Work released in 2008. Debra's recent media appearances include The Today Show, CNN, The Early Show, and NPR Morning Edition.

• The Fine Art of Small Talk: - Join Debra Fine for her fast-paced, interactive and entertaining presentation "The Fine Art of Small Talk." Together we'll laugh, learn and leave with insightful and informative conversation tips and techniques on how to strike up conversations and keep them going, avoid conversation "killers," exit conversations with grace and develop business relationships. Learn how to turn every meeting or conference, interaction with a client or colleague and networking event into an opportunity for success.