In the age of AI, it won’t be the tech skills that matter the most, but the human ones. Since 2003, as technology has reshaped how we live and work, Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie has been advocating for a human future, helping organisations grow human capability and empowering their people to get more curious, connected and ready for what’s next.
A multi-award winning, globally recognised LEGO® Serious Play® expert, cultural futurist, Business News tech & innovation columnist and curiosity keynote speaker, Dr Kate is the creator of SUPERCONNECT®, an internationally used, evidence-based method built on LEGO® Serious Play® that optimises for curiosity, human connection, belonging and psychological safety. Dr. Kate’s sessions create transformative, human-centred experiences that don’t just talk about these concepts, but actually brings them to life in the room. She’ll inspire you to think differently, embrace change, and unlock your creative potential to shape the future.
Combining her engaging and interactive speaking style with her deep expertise in innovation and future focused leadership, Dr Kate has delivered her trainings, workshops and interactive keynotes to thousands of participants across Australia, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Europe including Microsoft, Google, The Mozilla Foundation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Deakin University, The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab, Nine, RSM, Indeed, BDO, Youi Insurance, RAC, CPA Australia, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Department of Finance (WA), WiTWA, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. She’s spoken at TEDxPerth, SXSW (in both Australia and the United States), SXSW Sydney, Remix Summit, PAX Australia and The International LEGO Serious Play conference at Legoland in Denmark, and has been featured in MTV, NPR, Triple J’s Hack, ELLE Magazine, The Australian Financial Review and the Globe and Mail (Canada).
Dr. Kate is the Chief Curiosity Officer at The Up Next Company, where she specialises in helping different leaders stay in alignment with their values while growing or pivoting their businesses during times of change and transition. She is also a past TEDx speaker coach and was recently appointed as the Ambassador for Play and Innovation at Barking Gecko Arts.
What makes Dr Kate different – and what clients consistently say sets her apart – is the depth and rigour behind her work. Most experts come from one discipline. Dr Kate brings four: the PhD-trained cultural anthropologist who understands how and why humans connect; the multi-award winning game designer and graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab who knows how to design compelling and connective experiences; the internationally-trained relationship coach and certified energy practitioner, backed by accredited Mental Health First Aid training, who knows how to safely create and hold space to enable transformation; and the cultural futurist and past senior researcher who sees why the human matters now, and what it means for what’s next. Her SUPERCONNECT®-powered interactive keynotes are where all four converge – and it’s what makes the experience unlike any other.
She is a Professional Member of Professional Speakers Australia and was named one of Western Australia’s 40under40, the Australian Computer Society’s Digital Disruptors Professional of the Year and Incite Achiever of the Year.
Whether it’s a strategy session for a leadership team of four or a keynote for 800, clients say Dr Kate brings a unique mix of credibility, creativity and warmth to every room she steps into – thought-provoking, captivating and unlike anything else.
Dr Kate offers two interactive keynotes powered by SUPERCONNECT + LEGO Serious Play:
Testimonials
“To say [Dr Kate] was outstanding is an understatement. Knowledgeable, professional, engaging, on point, and captivating. Her keynote was exactly what we were looking for, completely fitted our brief, and theme, the audience was enthralled. I would highly recommend Kate for pretty much anything.”
“Thank you to Dr Kate for your dynamic presentation on igniting curiosity through play. The innovative approach highlighted the transformative power of incorporating playful elements into our work culture, emphasising how it can ignite creativity and problem solving. The session really sparked a passion for innovation in our people and will drive positive change within our organisation.”
“Kate is a remarkably capable, inspiring and thoughtful person. Her influence on the WA game developer community speaks for itself, but I was particularly impressed with her abilities as a coach. I was presumably not the easiest speaker to work with, carrying a mixture of nervousness and fixed ideas to the event, and can attest to Kate’s patience and consideration. There is no question that she is one of our best and brightest.”
“It was my pleasure to invite Kate to join me with three other VR/visualisation experts on a panel on ‘3D Graphics in the World Wide Web’ at this year’s International World Wide Web conference, held in Perth in April. Kate provided thoughtful insight and clear strategic thinking that provided enormous benefit to a room of researchers and practitioners. I would recommend Kate to as someone both qualified to talk to professionals around these emerging topics in a clear, articulate and engaging way.”
“Kate is a great speaker who mixes informative and evidence-based research with an engaging and thought-provoking presentation. Her research and understanding of the future of the classroom, and the future of work, makes her a great speaker to hear. She directly influenced the direction of one of my articles.”
“Kate was kind enough to share her time and insights at a recent WAMA (Western Australian Marketing Association) event, where we dissected the topic of AI. Her keynote and fireside chat garnered some of the best feedback we have received.”