I’m driven to enable people find and have voice.
Currently:
- back in the UK after 12 years in NZ,
to take up a role with a central UK government agency where I’ll be leading a newly formed team to develop and deliver an international multi-day conference in 2025: back on the market again - coach leaders (1-2-1 & teams) in honing powerful spoken stories (in-person and online) via masterclasses in ‘purposeful storytelling’ (foundation and advanced learning experiences available)
- author of Speaking With Purpose: A guide to delivering impressive presentations! (inspired by recent TEDxNelson talk)
- promoting ‘Presenting Engagingly Online‘ : a course to radically increase your online storytelling & presenting skills
- have been online since 1994, blogging since 2001, audio podcasting since 2006, video podcasting since 2007 plus tweeting since April 2007 (although no longer tweemailing but still curating / laying down digital breadcrumbs for others to follow)
Previously:
- crafted delicious learning experiences on a scale of 10 to 1,000 attendees (5,000 people watching online) for a cross-sector list of lovely clients (plus do in-studio content creations like this)
- spent nearly a decade as the pro-bono license-holder of TEDxWellington (known globally and celebrated by ted.com for it’s bold delegate experiences) and a special TEDxWellingtonWomen event (the first ever xWomen event with gender parity globally) & mentored other TEDx’s starting up in NZ (shortlisted as Wellingtonian of the Year 2017 for this work)
- produced 50 episodes of the beautifully unique podcast, Creative Welly, courageous conversations with bold humans (reviewed here)
- founded and delivered three Creative Leadership NZ conferences (every one sold out)
- did a 14month stint as Activation Manager establishing Collider, a city-wide programme (delivering nearly 200 events with over 5000 attendees averaging quality rating of 4.2 and above (out of 5))
- authored Zen And The Heart Of Social Media
- spoken at four TEDx’s (Nelson, York, Cardiff, Amsterdam)
- produced over 200 podcasts (before it was cool) from 2006 & started vodcasting in 2007
- created award-winning The Web Makes Me Feel project
- founded MediaSnackers (a leading social media training and consulting agency from 2006-2011)
- spoken and advised on five continents regarding digital strategies for folks like The Gates Foundation, UNICEF, BBC, Ubisoft, Welsh Assembly, Hasbro, global city developer IBI Group etc
- founded CEO and executive-level mentoring firm, Social Media For Suits (‘paused’ in 2011 along with MediaSnackers)
- four years as a mentor for Culture Hive Marketing Academy
- been a Social Media Manager for national education organisation, CORE Education
- spent 14 months as a business designer in a design-thinking agency
- worked in various levels of local government and was the UK’s first & only (at that time), Corporate Youth Officer… oooh!
Yes, DK is my (legal) name. Just a D and a K.
Diva speaking / masterclass requirements:
– Don’t do panels / speak for free (unless it’s a wholly run volunteer initiative) / participate in events with no gender / cultural balance;
– Presentations / masterclasses are delivered via Keynote (I can bring MacBook and have a HDMI converter plus bluetooth clicker), just need a large screen TV with speakers (as there will be video clips shown) or high fidelity projector in dark room (or capability to control the lighting as to not ‘wash-out’ the presentation – please no projecting on coloured wall as degrades the experience);
– A lapel mic is preferred (if a big room / lots of humans) or hand held mic, as don’t do lecterns;
– Am gluten / dairy / (processed) sugar / (hot) spice free.
Thanks and appreciate your time on this, happy to chat to provide clarity.