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Speaking Engagements

Our Speakers Spark Transformation

We bring our leadership expertise—and our passion—to stages around the globe.

Through keynote talks, conference sessions, staff retreats, and virtual events, our speaking engagements are designed to inspire, empower, and equip audiences to lead with confidence.

How Our HRD* Speakers Stand Out

Dr. Ali Atkison is a renowned speaker with over 20 years of experience in learning and development. Recognized as a leading expert on adult learning, she captivates audiences with her dynamic and insightful presentations. Dr. Ali is also the author of the innovative book How’s Your Computer-side Manner? Nine Digital-Communication Mistakes You’re Making That Are Holding You Back. Drawing on her expertise in communication, leadership, and neuroscience, Dr. Ali delivers engaging talks that bridge the gap between human motivation and organizational goals. Known for her ability to connect big-picture ideas with practical steps, she creates meaningful connections with audiences of any size, from intimate groups to large conferences.

Dr. Ali Atkison speaks on topics including:

  • Leadership Judgment & Decision-Making
  • Helping leaders improve decision quality, challenge assumptions, and navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.
  • Deliberate Doubt: Strengthening Critical Thinking in Leaders and Teams
  • A practical, learnable approach to questioning assumptions, avoiding false certainty, and reaching stronger conclusions.
  • Learning That Drives Performance (Not Just Participation)
  • Connecting learning initiatives to systems, reinforcement, and measurable behavior change.
  • Communication as a Leadership Skill
  • How everyday communication choices shape trust, influence, and effectiveness—especially in digital and high-stakes environments.
  • Manager Effectiveness & Accountability
  • Clarifying the role of leader-managers and the behaviors that create ownership, engagement, and results.
  • Building High-Trust, High-Performing Teams
  • Strengthening collaboration, psychological safety, and shared responsibility through intentional leadership practices.
  • Women, Leadership, and the Skills That Matter Now
  • Exploring judgment, influence, and sensemaking in an increasingly complex and AI-enabled world.

Ali doesn’t just speak about leadership; she helps leaders think better. All sessions are grounded in performance science and can be tailored for keynotes, workshops, or multi-session leadership experiences.

What Ali's Audience Says

“Excellent presenter and presentation! My only

complaint is that her talk wasn’t longer—we need more of this!”

“Ali’s engaging style and well-though-out content made a challenging subject enjoyable and meaningful for our group. Ali is excellent at customizing her content for the audience and responding to feedback along the way. I highly recommend Dr. Ali!”

“Ali was amazing to work with! Her knowledge of the adult brain and presentation skills greatly impressed our staff. The information was all very digestible with multi-sensory examples. Ali’s warm and fun personality certainly added to her presentation. Staff have asked for more, so we look forward to working with Ali again in the future. I highly recommend taking advantage of Ali’s expertise!”

“Dr. Ali Atkison is a dynamic speaker who has a unique ability to combine data, technology, and trends into an interactive presentation. She is well-prepared, approachable, and is truly an exceptional speaker on every level.”

What Ali's Clients Have To Say

“Ali’s engaging style and well-though-out

content made a challenging subject enjoyable and meaningful for our group. Ali

is excellent at customizing her content for the audience and responding to

feedback along the way. I highly recommend Dr. Ali!”

What Ali's Clients Have To Say

“Ali was amazing to work with! Her knowledge of the adult brain and presentation skills greatly impressed our staff. The information was all very digestible with multi-sensory examples. Ali’s warm and fun personality certainly added to her presentation. Staff have asked for more, so we look forward to working with Ali again in the future. I highly recommend taking advantage of Ali’s expertise!”

What Ali's Clients Have To Say

“Excellent presenter and presentation! My only complaint is that her talk wasn’t longer—we need more of this!”

Exploring leadership development opportunities for your organization?

Before you invest in leadership development, it’s critical to understand if your organization is truly ready for it.

Our Cultural Readiness Assessment helps uncover whether your environment supports real growth—or if there are unseen barriers holding leaders back. Use it as a starting point to spark the right conversations, identify gaps, and build a leadership strategy that sticks.

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