Keynote Women Speakers

Expertise: Communication

Dr. Karine Lespinasse is a language researcher and practitioner with degrees in computational linguistics (NLP) and information science. She specialised in children’s language development through her work in APAC, Europe, and the USA. Karine brings her passion for neurolinguistics and tech, as well as a deep understanding of the diverse reality of today’s global world to parents and schools. A published author, Karine has written on NLP, growth mindset in language education, Third Culture Kids, and storytelling in Asia.     Trained by Laughter Yoga founder, Dr. Kataria, Karine also has ten years of experience in laughter therapy and healing, working with children and adults across Asia, the USA, and France. After experiencing challenging times with high stress in her life, Laughter Yoga and Reiki paved the way for her recovery and ultimate well-being.     Karine brings warmth and passion to the stage and empowers the audience to feel positive and engaged.  About Dr. Karine 
Simone de Haas speaks internationally on The Future IS Exceptionality, The Spirit of Feminine Leadership, and Creative Leadership. Drawing on 30+ years of leading diverse groups of Exceptionals  Leading Lights as a multi-award-winning theatre director and producer, Simone brings intriguing, ground-breaking perspectives and possibilities to organisations who seek to become dynamically future-active. Simone is a masterful communicator, coach, and mentor. Her unique and diverse portfolio of work creates a strong platform for developing transformational leaders and building exceptional organisations. Her client base includes organisations in Finance, Real Estate, MLM, Creative Industries, Regional and Rural Business Development, as well as individual C-Suite Executives and Professional Speakers. Simone’s creative capacities move effortlessly and pragmatically between stage and boardroom. Whether she is singing, directing, telling quirky leadership stories, or displaying the power of creative improvisation, her presence brings extraordinary insights into the new world that is evolving. Intuitive, inspirational, and interactive, Simone is available for keynote presentations, executive coaching consultancy, media appearances, and podcast interviews. If you are seeking accelerated business growth, human-centered connection, and new paradigms for leadership and talent management.
Dr. Amy Silver ClinPsyD MPhil MA BSc (Hons) CATDip MAPS Amy is a psychologistspeaker, and facilitator with expertise in the management of emotions and communication for high performance at work. Amy’s work helps teams build psychological safety, trust, and courage to enable connected organisations with remarkable performance. She has decades (ouch!) of experience helping people to have more courage and have courageous conversations safely.     Amy has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Masters in Forensic Psychiatry, Masters in Performance, Bachelor with Honours in Psychology and further therapeutic training in cognitive therapies such as Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Compassion Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. She has published widely in academic journals and more accessible magazines and now publishes fortnightly in a popular business-focused blog/vlog called Silver linings    She is a contributing author in many books including the acclaimed Oxford Handbook of Behavioural Experiments (for Oxford University), collaborations Unite (ed. Julia Steel) and What’s Next? (Hagen et al). Amy is on Faculty at Thought Leaders Business School. She is the author of the book Conversations Create Growth and Brace for Impact (both available on her website). Her new book The Loudest Guest: How to change and control your relationship with fear is being published by Major Street Publishers in February 2021. 
Raquel Ark (MA, CPC) is a podcast host, speaker, mentor, and trainer. She has over 25 years in multinational corporations and academia. She is the founder of listening ALCHEMY, a communication training and coaching organization including foundational evidence-based listening programs.   Raquel has spoken on the TEDx stage, as well as at conventions, organizations, and schools both in person and remotely. Her clients include HelloFresh, hotjar, commerce tools, Codility, BASF, Fairtrade International, and more. She is the podcast host for, “listening SUPERPOWER podcast” which focused on listening in teams and organizations beyond what we typically consider. She is the Vice President of the International Listening Association and a university instructor at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. Raquel was born and raised in Puerto Rico and Ohio, USA, and is now living in Germany.  
Dr. Claudia is a Harvard-trained lawyer from Austria and the founder of Negotiation Academy LLC, a leading Negotiation Training company recognized for extensive experience in devising and delivering Bespoke Training solutions for Fortune 500 companies and Tier 1 law firms globally.    With her outcome-oriented and creative training solutions and interactive talks, she has helped more than 5,500 individuals online in 147 countries and in-person across Europe, the US, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia boost their negotiation skills and gain an edge in their businesses or careers.    Dr. Claudia holds a Master’s and Doctor’s degree in European and International Law and received her LL.M. from Harvard Law School as a Fulbright Scholar, where she trained extensively with the Harvard Negotiation Project.    As a frequent speaker at legal and business conferences around the world, she has shared a stage with leading personalities like Hugh Hilton, Michael Douglas, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, inspiring audiences of 2,500 people and above to leverage the power of negotiation skills for their personal and professional goals.  

Wendy Leong is a learning and organisational development professional, speaker, facilitator and coach. She is passionate about helping people to harness their potential and perform at their best.

Wendy has over 2 decades of sales & marketing and talent development expertise working with iconic companies like Procter & Gamble, The Body Shop and Olympus. Recognised for her mastery in talent development initiatives, Wendy was awarded the Procter & Gamble CEO Award, bestowed to global top performers.

An experienced facilitator with the ability to engage multi-cultural audiences, Wendy has delivered transformational keynotes and workshops globally. Wendy is the Summit Director of Rise Through the Ranks, a global online leadership conference that has reached out to thousands of executives from over 70 countries and is currently the Head of Strategic Solutions at Influence Solutions, an award winning organisational development firm with a global footprint that helps companies to create high-trust cultures.

Krystina is a dynamic organizational development consultant and certified diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practitioner with over 15 years of experience. As the Founder and CEO of Converge Consulting Group, she partners with mission-driven organizations to advance equity and inclusion through transformative change management and learning. Drawing on her background in science and education, Krystina has developed a unique approach to DEIB that emphasizes clarity, accessibility, and practical application. As a sought-after keynote speaker and thought-leader, she inspires audiences to create more inclusive and equitable cultures.   Krystina brings a personal commitment to advancing equity and inclusion as a woman of color. 
Mette Johansson (MBA, CSP, PCC) is a highly awarded author, speaker, and consultant. She worked in leadership roles for multinational corporations for 15 years before founding MetaMind, a training consultancy providing consulting and learning programmes on the people’s side of leadership skills. Mette has spoken internationally on Authentic, Inspirational, and Inclusive Leadership at a wide variety of global conferences, corporations, and business schools. Her clients include Citibank, Airbnb, Microsoft, UPS, Pfizer, Capitaland, and many more. Awards for her activities include the AmCham HERo award, the Asia Women Icon Award, the Golden Door – REX Karmaveer Medal, and APAC insider’s “Best Leadership Development Company 2020”. Mette is also the founder and relentless driver of the non-profit KeyNote – Women Speakers’ directory, with a mission to bring diversity to speaking stages around the world. She is regularly featured in media in Singapore, from Harper’s Bazaar to Straits Times. Having lived in 10 countries outside her birthplace, Denmark, Mette is a global citizen who speaks fluently in four languages and currently calls Singapore home.
Dr. Damini Chawla is a dynamic speaker, dentist and author who brings a unique, global perspective to her work. Raised in India, China, and Australia, she advocates for inclusivity and the celebration of diversity. Through her clinical practice helping patients overcome dental anxiety, Dr. Damini found understanding personal and cultural contexts pivotal in providing effective care.  Dr. Damini now works with successful millennials, emphasizing the importance of ‘meeting people where they are’. Combining her clinical expertise, cross-cultural communication skills, and coaching techniques she has an engaging and humorous speaking style and ability to build trust. She excels in creating spaces where everyone feels valued and understood. Her mission is to spark introspection and enable transformation, optimising effective communication for increased fulfilment.  As an award-winning speaker, Dr. Damini delivers impactful and entertaining keynotes and workshops, crafted to inspire action and provide practical insights for both businesses and individuals.