Wendy Van
CEO of Open Window
Meet the CEO
Wendy Van has been coaching professionals to be powerful spokespeople for their industries for nearly 30 years. With her background in journalism, and public speaking, she has coached numerous industry leaders, academic researchers and mission driven professionals to effectively communicate their messages to all audiences with curiosity, integrity and authenticity.
Wendy has also worked in Non-Profit management for over 25 years. Most recently, she was the President of the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools, and frequently provided training and support to her industry on a state and national level.
Wendy launched Open Window Solutions in October of 2024 to help professionals simplify and hone their messages to make powerful change in a complex world.
Wendy and her partner Joel live in Lincoln, Nebraska where they proudly support their gaggle of wonderful adult children.
Here’s what people are saying about Open Window.
Christy Firestone
Nebraska Game and Parks
Director of Communications
“Completing spokesperson training with Wendy helped our organization achieve our goal, helping to do a better job telling our story so we can build support for our mission. We also helped set our team up for success in developing and refreshing skills to break down complex information into key messages that could resonate with multiple audiences.
I would recommend Wendy's spokesperson training to any organization that works with the public, the media, stakeholders, or simply needs more help building support for their mission. She makes it fun and memorable!”
Dr. Becky Haddad
University of Nebraska
Assistant Professor in Ag Education
“I've had the privilege to work with Wendy as a speech coach twice in the last year, and both times, she has been a cheerleader, listener, untangler, understander, and champion of bold ideas. Wendy's confidence in people grows their confidence in themselves, and she works tirelessly to support the delivery of empowering messages for the speaker and the audience. Wendy not only made me a better speaker but a better communicator of my ideas, first to myself, which was incredibly validating, but also to others, which has been immensely empowering. So much of this can be attributed to Wendy's intentional effort to truly understand what people are about and situate their messages in what others deeply care about. Every team needs a Wendy, and lucky for you, Open Window means she can be on yours!”
Cory Kibler
Speaker
“Wendy helped turn a semi-interesting topic into a powerful and personal story by coaching me on content, inflection, and body language—all of it. Not only was her coaching highly effective and valuable, she made the process fun, and I would definitely recommend her services to first-time and veteran speakers alike.”
Ignite Lincoln ‘25
Our Work.
Open Window was founded on the belief that communication rooted in curiosity, integrity, and authenticity drives meaningful change. By approaching complex ideas with these values, we help organizations build common understanding, foster respect, and establish trust with their audiences.
Our work is centered on the deep impact effective communication can have on both your organization and your community. We provide speech coaching, media training, message development, and nonprofit consulting to support those dedicated to advancing society. With each partnership, we guide you to articulate your vision and impact in a way that strengthens your community presence and drives the success of your mission.
