My Experience with the AWS New Voices 2026 Program!

Over the last five weeks, I had the opportunity to participate in the AWS New Voices 2026 program. Going into the program, I expected to learn a few presentation techniques and improve my public speaking skills. What I experienced was much more than that.

The program not only helped me become a better presenter, but also connected me with an incredible community of builders, technologists, and lifelong learners from around the world.

When I signed up for the 7:00 PM EST cohort, I assumed most participants would be from North America or nearby time zones.

I also expected the sessions to be largely theory-based, focused on presentation frameworks, communication concepts, and public speaking best practices.

While those topics were certainly covered, the overall experience turned out to be far more engaging, interactive, and rewarding than I anticipated.

From the very first session, I was pleasantly surprised to see participants joining from all over the world  including India, Nepal, Singapore, several European countries, and many other regions.

While the session started at a comfortable 7:00 PM EST for me, it was a very different experience for others. Some participants were joining at 3:00 AM local time, demonstrating an incredible commitment to learning. I remember students connecting from their dorm rooms, trying to balance their excitement to participate while keeping their voices low enough not to disturb sleeping roommates nearby.

These small moments made me appreciate the dedication and passion that people bring to learning, regardless of time zones or circumstances.

The learning format itself was equally impressive. Each session followed a structured approach: learn a new concept, review examples and guidance, participate in hands-on exercises, and immediately apply the learning in breakout sessions.

One of my favorite aspects of the program was collaborating with teammates I had never met before. Within minutes, we were exchanging ideas, practicing newly learned techniques, and helping each other improve. 

The program transformed learning from a passive activity into an active experience.

One realization stood out throughout the program:

No matter where participants came from, what language they spoke, or what technology background they had, they all shared a common trait: a desire to learn.

When someone is willing to join a session at 3:00 AM, or quietly participate from a dorm room so they do not wake their roommates, it becomes clear that learning and curiosity truly have no boundaries.

The experience reinforced something I have always believed:

Had I not followed a path of curiosity and continuous learning throughout my career, I would never have been part of this program  and more importantly, I would have missed the opportunity to meet some truly wonderful people from around the globe.

Across five weeks, the program covered everything from understanding your audience and crafting a powerful opening, to structuring your content for maximum impact and delivering with confidence. Each concept built naturally on the one before it.

The single biggest shift for me was moving from thinking "What do I want to present?" to asking "What do I want my audience to learn?" That one change in perspective transforms how you approach every slide, every story, and every word you choose.

I also came to appreciate that great presentations are not just about the content , they are about the journey you take your audience on. People remember stories far longer than they remember bullet points. A well-structured narrative, a strong hook, and a clear call to action matter just as much as technical depth.

One of the most practical takeaways was a presentation framework that brought everything together,  a structured approach to setting up each slide, anchoring the audience to what they are seeing, giving ideas room to land, and making sure your words and visuals always work in harmony rather than competing for attention.

 How I Plan to Use These Learnings

As an AWS Community Builder, I regularly look for opportunities to share knowledge through technical blogs, AWS User Groups, community events, workshops, and conference presentations.

The lessons from AWS New Voices will immediately influence how I structure technical talks, design presentation decks, explain cloud and AI concepts, engage audiences more effectively, and tell better technical stories. 

Whether presenting at a local AWS User Group, an AWS Community Day, or perhaps one day on a larger stage such as AWS re:Invent, these lessons will continue to help me become a more effective communicator and storyteller.

If I had to distill everything I learned into one visual, it would look something like this,  a simple flow that captures the anatomy of a great presentation:

 

I joined AWS New Voices expecting to learn about public speaking. I left with much more, practical presentation skills, a framework for audience engagement, new friendships across the globe, and a renewed appreciation for continuous learning.

Most importantly, the program reminded me that some of the best opportunities begin with a simple decision to stay curious.

To the AWS New Voices team, mentors, coaches, and fellow participants — thank you for making this an unforgettable experience!

Thanks!

𝒢𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓈𝒽 ℬ𝒽𝒶𝓉𝒾𝒶

𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 | 𝘈𝘐 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘈𝘐 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳
𝘈𝘞𝘚 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘵