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In the lead up to Pride Month (June 2023) LGBTQ+ Speaker Matt Lindley shares his inspirational keynote ‘ My Boss Changed My Life’, based on his extraordinary time in the Royal Air Force, as a closeted gay pilot, when the ban on homosexuals serving in the RAF was enforced.
Airline and former Royal Air Force pilot Matt Lindley talks candidly about being one of the first openly gay pilots in the UK Armed Forces. Listen to his journey of having a childhood dream to fly, almost crushed by a ban on gay serving personnel in the Forces. Matt describes how he consciously suppressed his sexuality and joined an organisation knowing that being ‘out’ could have resulted in a possible prison sentence (The Armed Forces Act). His story is one of self-motivation, determination, and drive. Matt fulfilled a boyhood dream and qualified as a Hawk fast jet pilot however soon after, high workload, geographical isolation and operating in a non inclusive culture, resulted in a catastrophic mistake at work.
Matt draws on his knowledge of human performance factors and psychology to self analyse the impact of mental health and stress on his performance at work and wellbeing. Listen to the importance of allies and the role of an inspiring inclusive line manager on Matts ultimate success in the Armed Forces.
But this is not just another ‘coming out story’, instead Pride Month Speaker Matt uses his experience to discuss how the RAF positively adapted its culture from one of open hostility towards gay personnel, to acceptance and support.
Mental health
Resilience – how to weather the storm
Stress and workplace performance
How to be an inclusive leader
Trust – building and maintaining
The importance of allies
Culture / transformational change
Goal setting, focus and drive
Emotional intelligence and empathy
Workplace banter – the pros and cons
“I cannot recommend Matt highly enough. He talked to the Close Brothers community about his journey and it resonated incredibly well with all colleagues, not just those from the LQBQT community. His candour and honesty really connected with people, and the ties with wider mental wellness and resilience were incredibly topical given the current pandemic. His humour shone through and it was one of the best received external speakers we have had to date. A thorough recommendation…”
Close Brothers
“It was brilliant – he was great, super engaging and people were hanging on his every word… EVEN ON ZOOM! We have had some great feedback already , so we are really pleased”
J P Morgan
“From the very first briefing call, Matt was just a pleasure to work with – warm and charismatic and more importantly took the time to understand what it was we were trying to achieve and was very open to tailoring his talk where he could to really fit the content and purpose of the day. We have been inundated with feedback from our employees who were blown away by the bravery of Matt’s story. He has certainly left an impression and it’s a talk that I’m sure they will remember for some time.”
Metro Bank
“The delivery by Matt was exceptional, his take on his experiences in the RAF really hit the mark and his humour and story telling were appreciated by so many. From those that I have discussed this with, they were extremely impressed with his presentation, there was so much contained within it, that it really gave food for thought on how the RAF was then and how it is now. His range was truly amazing from his sexuality, his drive, motivation, mental health and leadership (being able to listen) everyone was able to take something from it.
Truly remarkable and in all honesty I am so glad he delivered for us”
RAF Cranwell
“Matt’s natural ability to connect with his audience along with his energy and positive vibe absolutely captivated our audience with his incredible story. His grit and determination really resonated with so many people in the audience. The presentation that Matt put together really enhanced his speech. It was one of most captivating talks I’ve ever been to”
Hyperion X Insurance
“It wasn’t just a lovely talk, I got a lot from it, which I will take away and implement in my working day/home life. I will encourage my team to do the same …”
Co-operative Bank
Katherine Perrin is a Social Impact Consultant, working with a range of organisations to bring out the best in their employees.
She has held senior management roles, as well as jobs in operations, volunteering, business improvement, and project management. She is also a certified coach, experienced facilitator, trainer, evaluator, policy developer, and strategist.
Her certification in LEGO® Serious Play® method is the perfect addition to her work across other sectors. With nearly 15 years’ management experience, she now specialises in supporting individuals and teams to work towards their goals and deliver greater impact.
LEGO® may be best known as a timeless building toy, loved by children and adults alike. But you may be surprised to hear that it can also supercharge your business. LEGO® offers something that board rooms can’t – it injects colour, both physically and metaphorically. It helps aid conversations you need to have on your important topics, such as culture, vision, risk, and systemic changes.
But this is more than just playing with LEGO®.
It is Katherine’s wealth of experience that really brings the magic here; she brings a level of expertise that will elevate any event. As a LEGO® Serious Play® certified facilitator, her in-depth knowledge helps deliver outstanding results.
Clients praise her energy, clarity, and ability to generate actionable insights. Whether it’s a team building workshop, a strategic planning session, or a risk assessment, Katherine helps navigate challenging topics with dexterity. Her ability to lock into her client’s needs means she can execute sessions that deliver long-lasting tangible benefits.
It can be difficult to fully understand how LEGO® can really help organisations deal with their most important and difficult problems. But this is where Katherine can help.
LEGO® Serious Play® gently challenges individuals and teams to physically build answers to big questions. It doesn’t require any experience or skill, instead utilising storytelling and metaphor to unlock interpretations and insights. As a tactile method, it encourages delegates to use the right side of their brain, working creatively, intuitively, and imaginatively as an individual or in a wider team.
One of its key strengths is that, because it doesn’t require any previous experience, it helps flatten organisational structures and ensures that all voices are valued equally, no matter the job title.
It may come as a surprise to some to know that LEGO® Serious Play® was originally developed by the organisation over three decades ago, by utilising their own product to support strategy development. Since their initial success, the method has been opened to the worldwide community, and now specially trained LEGO® Serious Play® facilitators are using it in all industries, from coaching to therapy, to sales and HR.
LEGO® Serious Play® is an incredibly flexible method, able to be used across range of topics. It works best with complex topics that have no right or wrong answer; it benefits from a range of perspectives, experiences, and reflections. For example, it is fantastic at facilitating appreciative enquiry around where you want to get to, exploring individual strengths, and clarifying your team’s value proposition.
LEGO® Serious Play® is a way to elevate your meetings, conferences, and workshops, making them interactive, insightful, and impactful.
In considering Katherine for your upcoming event, you’re not just hiring a facilitator; you’re gaining a strategic partner dedicated to ensuring the success of your initiatives. Her combination of experience, expertise, and engaging personality make her an ideal choice for creating an impactful and memorable experience for your participants.
By Andrew McNeill, co-founder of LXLeaders
The mega programmes that we have created are so complex they can be mind boggling, with multiple stakeholders often with competing agendas and drivers. The same can be true for large organisations. When I am on a Board responsible for programme or organisational delivery, I need to be confident that the people around me feel safe to put their hands up if something is going wrong. However, if my team is concerned that they will be laughed at, not taken seriously, or that raising an issue could negatively affect their careers, what are the chances that they will feel safe enough to say ‘Andrew – I think there is a risk over here that no-one has noticed’?
The same is true when it comes to opportunities for business growth. For instance, I’m not necessarily the person talking to a new client, or identifying where they may need some additional help. It may fall to the team member who knows the client best and can see where they could do with more support. If my team don’t feel safe to be able to say: ‘I think this client needs our help and we should usefully reach out to them’, that opportunity could easily be missed.
For me, psychological safety isn’t just about my team feeling comfortable at work, in an environment that is conducive to creative thinking and delivery: although it is all those things as well. It is also about identifying and mitigating risk early, spotting the opportunities for business development and converting them to new work.
I think the first stop for creating psychological safety must be talking with your team and agreeing how best to work together. This conversation can be challenging and needs skilful facilitation. If people have not felt safe, they will probably tell you why and this can be hard to share and hard to hear. The conversation though is only part of the process. You also need to do something about it. If changes are needed, they must be implemented and maintained. Bad habits are difficult to get rid of and can easily creep back. So, you need to figure out how to avoid that happening and challenge any unconstructive behaviours when they occur?
Another interesting challenge is how to record the agreed ways of working and set the whole team on a path to achieving them? There often is a degree of scepticism about ‘Team Charters’- documents that set out the way a Team will behave with each other and the world beyond the Team. I sympathise, as Charters can be meaningless and nothing more than a tick box exercise – ‘we’ve done psychological safety now and can move on’ – but equally I have worked with teams to help them agree their “team ethics” and it has had a transformative effect on their ability to deliver and share openly in a ‘safe’ environment.
Why is this approach so impactful? I think it’s because the leadership has taken the time to acknowledge that how a team works together as a group is important and it is not just about what they are doing and hitting deadlines. When this is set out in black and white, the team can refer back to it and it helps to ensure everyone reaches those agreed standards.
This can be particularly impactful when people actually ‘sign up’ to the team’s agreed ways of working. Having verbally agreed to the charter, there is then a physical ‘signing ceremony’. I’m not a psychologist but I understand the power of ritual and the physical manifestation of a personal commitment to a charter. This process can be very powerful for a team.
Once we’ve done all this hard work, what do we do with it? Well, one important thing is to revisit the charter, because if it sits on a shared drive somewhere, never to be seen again, it’s not going to change anything. In fact, even worse than doing nothing it can damage people’s trust. Having hoped that things might change, the team may feel that this work was just “tokenistic” and resulted in nothing more than broken promises. But, using the charter in a supportive way for measuring how the team is doing against their written commitments, can keep the ethos on track.
Trust is another key element to enable psychological safety to develop. I love the analogy of the ‘trust battery’. When we join an employer, we have a certain amount of trust in the organisation. Every interaction with our boss and potentially other leaders within the business will impact either positively or negatively on that trust. It’s not about getting what I want, but more about the leadership being straight with me and sticking to their commitments. The consequences of letting people down can be enormous not just for the individual, but also for the business.
For instance, in my own career, I can trace back my decision to leave one particular organisation to being let down by a leader within it some considerable time earlier. So, if I’m the leader letting people down and breaking their trust; I may not feel the organisational pain straight away but when I do, it will be at a time that works for the person I’ve let down, not me.
When thinking about psychological safety, we need to consider how it feels to come to work. In the past, I have gone to work in places and with teams that I did not feel respected or ‘part of’. It’s a dreadful feeling. I never want my team members to be dreading coming to work. I also ardently believe in supporting wellbeing in the workplace. We spend so much time at work that the consequences of not supporting wellbeing can be catastrophic for team members and all those close to them.
I strongly believe that psychological safety is critical to the success of a team and their leaders. Without it, there is a very real risk that leaders won’t hear the bad or the good news and the team won’t be able to act to mitigate risks or maximise opportunities.
A few simple steps, such as talking with a team, working out together what is needed for people to feel psychologically safe, implementing any changes and sticking to our word as leaders has the potential to have a really positive impact. Knowing this can transform the way teams feel about their work and the organisation for whom they work, why wouldn’t leaders want to develop a psychologically safe culture?
About the author:
Andrew McNeill, is a former senior leader in the UK Civil Service, emphasises the need for leadership techniques that align with the values of mindfulness, compassion, and empathy. He merges his expertise in leadership with his teachings in mindfulness to assist organizations in incorporating mindfulness practices. Andrew provides leadership training to diverse organisations, aiding individuals and teams in enhancing performance and Psychological Safety.
Find out more about Andrew and his full scope of talk topics HERE and if the content of this article resonates with you and you’d like to learn more about how LxLeaders can help you build psychological safety in your organisation, or support your leadership and team potential more widely, feel free to reach out to him at info@LXLeaders.com
Shola Kaye is an accomplished author and globally recognised keynote speaker on communications, leadership. empathy in the workplace and E,D I. . She has collaborated with some of the most renowned companies worldwide including Google, Deloitte, American Express, HSBC, and Oracle. Shola’s also had articles published in Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as appearances on the BBC.
Embracing this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #InspireInclusion Shola has carefully crafted a series of compelling keynote presentations aligned with the essence of the occasion, to help celebrate the diversity and skills of women in the workplace.
Shola’s talks are not just informative, but dynamic and engaging. The Inspire Inclusion message provides audiences with practical tools, valuable insights, and immediately applicable skills.
This International Women’s Day, Shola offers corporate audiences, 4 inspiring keynotes which are interactive high energy presentations, providing teams with new tools, insights and skills they can apply immediately within the workplace and beyond…
1. “Inspire Inclusion”: Presents practical frameworks and compelling stories to assist in the creation of an inclusive environment. This keynote will delve into the significance of taking action, even in small measures, instead of succumbing to the belief that you lack the power to effect change. Uncover a wellspring of renewed energy and enthusiasm for the crucial endeavor of establishing an inclusive workplace.
2. “Embracing Self-Inclusion”: Concentrates on personal inclusion and highlights the advantages that stem from expressing one’s needs. This talk inspires individuals who may be reluctant to pursue opportunities to boldly pursue their goals. Extensive documentation indicates that women are less inclined than men to apply for positions that are more senior than their current role. The underlying reasons for this phenomenon are multifaceted and intricate.
3. “Creating an Inclusive, Speak-Up Culture”: This keynote explores the influence of transparency, psychological safety, and positive reinforcement in establishing an inclusive culture where everyone feels empowered and encouraged to share their ideas. ‘Speak-up’ aims to provide your audience with key-takeaways to provide a workplace culture of openness and collaboration and reflects Shola’s passion for inspiring empathy in the workplace.
4. “Choose to Challenge: The D.I.V.A Way”: This interactive and energising session, initially developed a few years ago for International Women’s Day, remains in high demand among clients due to its hands-on and enjoyable nature.
Refreshed for 2024, this popular keynote will guide you in adopting the D.I.V.A’s. approach in the workplace, empowering your voices, increasing visibility, and fostering opportunities for lasting transformation. Challenging the established norms can be daunting, especially under work-related pressures, making it tempting to stay in the background instead of speaking up.
In this session, Shola will impart proven tools and strategies from her bestselling book, ‘How to be a D.I.V.A at Public Speaking‘ available on Amazon.com. With impactful content that has resonated with global audiences across various industries, you will gain career-enhancing strategies to unlock your communication potential.
This interactive keynote, featuring live demonstrations, chat, and real-time Q&A, aims to assist you in being recognised, heard, and appreciated. You’ll depart Sholas Inspire Inclusion talk with practical communication tools to become more:
1. DYNAMIC – Cease being a passive observer and command the attention you deserve in meetings and crucial conversations.
2. INSPIRING – Craft a compelling brand story and leverage your career challenges to motivate and encourage others.
3. VALUABLE – Express your opinions with clarity and precision using a straightforward yet effective communication tool.
4. AUTHENTIC – Define your communication values and establish an unwavering foundation for speaking up.
5. SUPPORTIVE – Acquire strategies to amplify the voices of your colleagues and peers.
Is it possible to tailor the speech for our organisation?
Absolutely! Shola can personalize the Inspire Inclusion theme by integrating your corporate values or referencing specific initiatives within your organisation.
Can Shola offer additional takeaways to enhance the learning experience?
Certainly! The Inspire Inclusion message doesn’t end with the actual talk. Many of Shola’s presentations include supplementary materials such as handouts. Additionally, she can facilitate the feedback process by distributing a brief survey toward the end of her talk, resulting in higher response rates. A feedback report will be promptly provided after the session.
Is the talk virtual or on-site?
Given the high demand, most of Shola’s International Women’s Day sessions are conducted virtually. However, if you specify your location, preferred date, and time, we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
Learn more about Shola Kaye at Great British Speakers.
Client Testimonials…
‘Absolutely brilliant and explained clearly, giving realistic examples.’ – The World Health Organization
‘Really warm and engaging. Valuable and full of insight.’ – International Coalition of Girls’ Schools
‘Strongly recommended. Useful frameworks to communicate with impact, influence & empathy.’ – Telstra
‘Nice and actionable. It inspired me to ask for a promotion!’ – Publicis Group
As part of our inspirational speakers Podcast series, our director Jane Farnham spoke with Shola, to find out about her journey – from timid office worker, to renowned author and award-winning speaker.
Here Shola discusses ‘Finding your Voice’ and the importance of workplace inclusion…
SEARCH ALL OF OUR INSPIRATIONAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SPEAKERS HERE
International Women’s Day 2024 (#IWD2024) reflects on how we can create a world which fosters diversity and inclusion, where the differences of individuals are valued and celebrated. The recognition of the importance of inclusivity when raising awareness for equality means that any action taken by any individual is valid, and displays that IWD belongs to every individual internationally.
At Great British Speakers, we have a wide range of inspiring female talents who have been making a positive impact for our clients since our inception over 6 years ago. With over 500 female speakers, you can be sure to find the perfect host for your International Women’s Day celebration.
It’s not easy to pick just a handful of influential women from our extraordinary IWD team, but below you can find a 15 of our leading speakers for IWD day events this year. If you would like to book one of the inspiring women listed below, or prehaps would like a personalised shortlist please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss any requirements you may have.
As a young model, Sophie Hughes experienced pressure from the fashion world to diet and fast to lose weight and secure work. She went on to graduate from university with a psychology degree, focusing on resilience and wellbeing. After moving across the globe to Australia to continue her modelling career, Sophie returned to the UK to act as an organ donor for her young nephew, who desperately needed a liver transplant. After a successful 8-hour surgery, she was left with a seven-inch scar across her stomach. Throughout her 3 month recovery, Sophie jumped 4 dress sizes, and realised that this would alter her career more than she had ever imagined.
From this point on, Sophie became an advocate for body positivity and works tirelessly to inspire confidence and improve the representation of curve models in the fashion industry.
Sophie inspires audiences to feel more uplifted and empowered.
To find out more about Sophie Hughes and how to book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click here.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi is perhaps most famous for becoming the first female Muslim to serve in the British Cabinet in 2007 as the Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion, and becoming the first Asian Chairman of the Conservative Party in 2010. The image of Sayeeda wearing a shalwar kameez on the steps of 10 Downing Street is recognised worldwide as a symbol for change in the United Kingdom. Since resigning from the British Government in 2014, Sayeeda continues to contribute towards current affairs issues such as faith, religion, race, and equal rights.
Alongside her political career, Sayeeda is the Chair of the Baroness Warsi Foundation and Trustee of the Savayra Foundation. She has consistently been voted as one of the Top 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world, and was even nominated as Muslim Woman of the Year in 2015. Sayeeda’s charitable advocacy focuses on social mobility, gender equality and freedom of religious belief.
Sayeeda broaches controversial topics, engaging and encouraging her audiences to break down barriers and feel more comfortable discussing their opinions on topics often considered taboo.
To find out more about Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Belinda Parmar OBE works with global companies to create more inclusive cultures within the workplace, founding the Global Empathy Index and CEO of The Empathy Business. She utilizes the science of empathy to develop empathetic leadership and communication within organisations. In 2015, Belinda was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to women in technology and was shortlisted as Woman of the Year 2022 in the Women in IT Awards. She was also voted one of the Top 20 Global Public Figures in Diversity 2020, and a Top 20 Diversity Champion 2021. Additionally, Belinda is the author of Little Miss Geek, which is used to inspire young women in school to become tech pioneers.
Belinda has spoken on internationally recognised platforms such as Davos and TedX, providing insight for audiences in how to become more inclusive and drive forward innovation in technology.
To find out more about Belinda Parmar OBE and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Chanelle Lady McCoy is one of Ireland’s most successful businesswomen, co-founding and leading multiple global pharmaceutical companies such as Chanelle McCoy Health and Pureis. A former investor on Ireland’s Dragons Den, she relished the opportunity to share her experience of successfully growing her businesses as a woman in the medical sector and encouraging new entrepreneurs as they embarked on their journeys. Chanelle has won multiple awards for her business acumen, such as the All-Ireland Business Champion Award in 2018, and has recently been ranked 23 in the Top 50 Incredible People Shaping Modern Ireland.
Chanelle has extensive experience in the international business world from a female perspective and shares her thoughtful insights in a way which encourages the future workforce to embrace innovation while maintaining a successful work-life balance, which is vital for health and wellbeing.
To find out more about Chanelle Lady McCoy and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click here.
Dame Arlene Foster was the second most powerful woman in UK politics in 2017 (second only to the Prime Minister of the time, Theresa May), becoming the youngest woman to be appointed as the First Minister of Northern Ireland in 2016.
Throughout her career, Arlene has campaigned for women’s rights, particularly focusing on empowering women from disadvantaged backgrounds into entering public roles. She was first featured on public television at the age of 17, after surviving an IRA attack on her school bus. Since resigning from office in 2021, Arlene has continued to be vocal about politics and female empowerment through appearing on news shows and contributing to newspaper columns such as The Express.
Arlene delivers insightful information about how to demonstrate resilience in leadership roles and empowers women to take a step forward and achieve their goals, no matter their background.
To find out more about Dame Arlene Foster and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Dr Michelle P King is an expert in equality, diversity, and inclusion, with over 10 years of research in these areas. She is an award-winning speaker, working with international companies across a breadth of sectors such as Dior, FIFA, and JP Morgan. Notably, she is a Senior Advisor to the UN Foundation’s ‘Girl Up’ Campaign and has previously held positions such as the Director of Inclusion for Netflix, and Head of the UN’s Women’s Global Innovation Coalition. Michelle is an experienced presenter, having presented at over 500 events, including the Nobel Peace Prize.
Michelle is an internationally recognised presenter, with the knowledge and experience to support organisations in creating diverse workforces and promoting an inclusive culture.
To find out more about Dr Michelle P King and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin is an internationally recognised entrepreneur and expert on social and cultural change. Her field of expertise is women’s health and equality for those who menstruate, founding the charity Bloody Good Period in 2016. Following this, Gabby Co-Founded Bloody Good Employers, which is aimed at educating employers about menopause and menstruation to further equality within organisations. She has been featured in books, podcasts, and television shows, furthering her outreach work on an international scale.
Gabby is an experienced consultant and advocate for equal rights and period equity, working with International organisations such as Disney, Apple, and the UK Government to name a few.
To find out more about Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Ilja Abbattista is a public speaker who advocates for human rights, and raises awareness for global issues such as modern slavery and sex trafficking through personal experience. Through her presentations, Ilja inspires audiences to take action, and allows others to gain an understanding of the realities of slavery and trafficking, while offering those who have lived experience of these traumatic experiences hope.
Ilja provides tools for her audiences to build resilience, self-esteem, and how to nurture a positive mindset when faced with adversity. Additionally, her commitment to driving social change has seen her collaborate with schools and communities to create a safer and more informed world for future generations.
Ilja is an inspiring speaker, who uses her unique perspective and lived experience to educate others on global issues and drive forward social change to support survivors and prevent future exploitation.
To find out more about Ilja Abbattista and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Juanita Headley has over a decade of experience in global humanitarian work, helping those who have survived human trafficking, exploitation, and sexual abuse. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Juanita is passionate about sharing her story to help advocate for those who have suffered from exploitation. After growing up in London, she moved to the United States, where she qualified as an attorney and has been aiding the indigent community.
Juanita founded the international organisation Changing Cases over a decade ago, which is dedicated to educating the public on human trafficking and safeguarding children from exploitation. Juanita recognises the importance of advocacy and education around topics such as grooming, safeguarding, and trafficking, to prevent the spread of human exploitation across the globe.
Juanita is a globally recognised speaker, who empowers audiences to take action through the art of storytelling.
To find out more about Juanita Headley and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Liz Earle MBE is a globally recognised entrepreneur, most famous for her award-winning eponymous beauty and skincare company Liz Earle. As an expert on health and wellbeing with over three decades of experience, Liz also owns and edits a magazine, podcast, and writes books and guides to share her knowledge. She has been appearing on television since 1990, covering topics from fitness to menopause. Liz has used her public status to draw attention to charities and important causes, advocating for causes such as clear food labelling, training for disadvantaged people, and those experiencing menopause to name a few.
Liz is an expert in the health and wellbeing sector, and an inspirational female entrepreneur who can speak on a range of topics.
To find out more about Liz Earle MBE and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
As a teenager, Lurata Lyon was a victim of human trafficking and organ harvesting in Yugoslavia during the war. Upon her rescue, she was relocated to the UK as a refugee and was given the right to remain in the country indefinitely. Lurata has chosen to not be a victim, and has reacted with resilience to the situation that she was put in.
With over 15 years of experience, she is now a voice for those who do not have one. Since her arrival in the UK, Lurata has run a successful personal training business, helping individuals with nutritional information and injury rehabilitation up until she experienced her own injury. Following this, she moved into the public speaking and coaching industry, where she has helped others, and given hope and inspiration to others who have faced their own struggles.
In 2015 she released her book The Devil Couldn’t Break Me, where she detailed her horrific experiences during the Yugoslavia war to raise awareness and funds for charities that support women and children who experience violence. Further to this, in 2023 she released her second book Unbroken: Surviving Human Trafficking.
Lurata aims to teach audiences how to raise their self-confidence and self-belief, help them gain a different perspective of their life and work environment, and inspire them to overcome their obstacles.
To find out more about Lurata Lyon and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click here.
Natasha Saunders is an engaging motivational speaker, who has previously worked with organisations such as the Metropolitan Police, The Mayor of London, and Refuge Charity. She delivers training to organisations to educate, support and develop both executives and staff in their approach to business and life challenges, in order to become more resilient and adaptive to change.
Speaking from her own experience of domestic abuse, Natasha has gone on to change laws, raise millions in funds, and train the UK government and police forces on their awareness, response, and wellbeing.
Natasha has extensive experience in delivering keynote speeches, alongside appearing in the media and on live television.
To find out more about Natasha Saunders and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
Orla McKeating is an engaging speaker who educates her audiences on topics that she has firsthand experience with, such as single parenting and race. She has delivered two TEDx talks, and has consistently received awards and nominations in recognition of the importance of her work. In 2019, Orla founded Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling, which provides dynamic workshops for children and young adults. Her organisation also provides sessions for adults covering topics such as race issues, disabilities, diverse families and immigration.
Orla delivers impactful presentations, employing storytelling as a technique to engage with her audience to inspire change and embrace diversity.
To find out more about Orla McKeating and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click Here.
A survivor of child marriage and experiencing the death of her sister in an “honour” killing, Payzee Mahmod has dedicated her life to campaigning for women’s rights and raising awareness of “honour” based abuse taking place globally. Payzee led the 3-year campaign to change the legal age of marriage in the UK from 16 to 18, and continues to share her expertise internationally with governments, academics, and in the media. Payzee continues to work with NGO’s and committees across the globe to bring recognition of these issues into the conversation about women’s rights.
Payzee shares her experiences and provides training for gender equality for a range of audiences, such as education providers, healthcare providers, and social services.
Payzee engages audiences in difficult and taboo topics, sharing the realities of the lives of women and girls from the MENA region and beyond, and demonstrates how these survivors can be supported.
To find out more about Payzee Mahmod and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click HERE.
Sian Gabbidon is a renowned businesswoman, becoming the first black female winner of The Apprentice (series 14). She started her fashion business Sian Marie from her bedroom while working full-time. Sian inspires her audiences by sharing her success story through her determination, passion, and through overcoming adversity. Sian engages her audiences in how to build a brand and secure funding, with her global loungewear brand as evidence that hard work truly does pay off.
She has been featured in television programmes, news articles, and public speaking events, captivating audiences in her Cinderella story.
Sian shares her expertise in digital marketing and social media to promote brand exposure, while advocating for a work-life balance to mitigate burnout.
To find out more about Sian Gabbidon and book her as your International Women’s Day Speaker, click HERE.