Speaker.
Event Producer.
Survivor.
WELCOME!
Melva LaJoy Legrand is a 6x award-winning event industry leader, the CEO and Founder of LaJoy Plans, and a sought after motivational speaker and writer based in Washington D.C.
As a Speaker
Melva connects with audiences, speaking from a place of empathy, vulnerability and authentic care.
She bravely draws from personal experiences (from the heartbreaks to the victories and back) to share a lifetime of hard-fought lessons as she empowers and guides listeners on a strategically introspective journey toward personal joy and professional success.
“My mission is to tell real-life, unfiltered stories that unpack important lessons from life’s inevitable trauma, restores hope, amplifies empathy, illustrates the power of vulnerability and sprinkles joy and possibility for organizations and individuals committed to growth and continuous learning.”
— Melva LaJoy Legrand
As an
Event Producer
Through her namesake company, LaJoy Plans, Melva has produced 1,000+ events over the last decade, each one creative and unique, centering on togetherness and joy.
LaJoy Plans has been recognized as Smart Meetings 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year, one of the Top 500 Event Planners in the United States by Biz Bash magazine, and Melva herself is a 2022 Global Events Industry Council Award Winner.
What Melva Brings to Each Talk
Genuine Connection
& Authentic Care
Melva is someone who thrives on service to others. Even deeper than the events she creates, she yearns to share her hard-won lessons with her listeners so that they can overcome their own limitations.
Actionable &
Thoughtful Exercises
Melva challenges listeners with real-time exercises. Many drill down to core limiting beliefs, and take away their power so listeners can overcome fear, recognize that “pain has a purpose” and meet their potential.
Universally Applicable
Skills Development
These exercises, stories, and lessons develop skills that contribute to becoming a more empathetic, compassionate leader. They equip listeners with real tools to bring clarity and calm to (and through) the chaos of personal and professional life.
