TEDxSwansea Women

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Christine Lavopa

  Wellness Strategist, Fractional Chief Health & Wellness Officer,

  Christine helps high-performing professionals and organizations align success with sustainability. With a background as both an athlete and educator, she brings over two decades of experience guiding people at every level, from athletes and executives to children, military, fire, and police personnel. Her journey, marked by both personal challenges and professional milestones, has shaped her belief that resilience is built through intentional choices. Known for blending science, strategy, and lived experience, Christine equips people with practical tools to lead with greater energy, clarity, and presence. As a military spouse and mother, she has rebuilt her career and community across multiple moves and deployments, embodying adaptability and perseverance. Today, she works at the intersection of health and leadership, partnering with individuals and organizations to reimagine what thriving looks like in the modern world.

• Dara Kalvort

  Corporate VP Digital Sales

  Dara Kalvort, Corporate VP of Digital Sales & Strategy at Spanish Broadcasting System, drives digital revenue growth across streaming and third-party platforms—and created the game-changing Digidea division. With over 20 years in media sales and a leading voice in AI strategy, she also founded Seize the Day with AI, empowering teams to work smarter, build relationships, and drive impact.

• Helen Gibson MBE

  Global Entrepreneur, International business expert and Author

  Trusted by both UK and foreign governments to tackle some of the most complex issues in the world’s trouble spots, Helen was awarded an MBE by the King for services to international trade in 2022. Helen led the scaling and internationalising of her company from humble beginnings to tackling modern-day issues such as terrorism, corruption, addiction, and medical forensics, to deliver in 27 countries - winning Best Small Business in the UK at the National Family Business Awards. Helen went on to found Helen Gibson MBE (www.helengibsonmbe.com) to reach and help more people. A Mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation, a UK Export Champion, and university Lecturer, Helen was appointed to represent the UK at the UN Women Commission on the Status of Women 2024. She has featured in The Guardian, Business Insider, International Journal of Education Management and BBC. Helen will soon publish her first book “Go for Goosebumps!” about cultivating encouragement in today’s world.

• Jemma Joel

  Nutritionist and behaviour change specialist and mentor

  With over a decade of experience in the field of mental health and behaviour change, Jemma has supported thousands of individuals in transforming their mindset, habits, and overall well-being. Her work blends evidence-based nutrition and psychology to guide people toward sustainable lifestyle changes rooted in self-awareness and self-compassion. She is especially passionate about helping individuals find balance in their health journey by aligning habits with personal values, rather than restrictive rules. Jemma’s approach is holistic and inclusive, with a deep understanding of the emotional and behavioural complexities surrounding food, body image, and health. When she’s not mentoring or consulting, Jemma shares powerful insights through online content and community education. Her mission is simple: to empower people to live healthier, more fulfilling lives - on their own terms."

• Jenn Drummond

  World record setting Mountaineer

  Jenn Drummond is a world record-setting mountaineer, former CEO, and single mother of seven. After surviving a near-fatal car crash in 2018, she made a life-changing decision: to stop playing it safe and start living with purpose. That decision led her to summit Mt. Everest—and ultimately become the first woman in history to climb the second-highest peak on each of the seven continents, earning a Guinness World Record. Today, Jenn is a sought-after speaker, bestselling author of “BreakProof”, and high-performance coach to elite leaders and teams. Through her podcast “Seek Your Summit,”transformational keynotes, and resilience-based leadership training, she helps others conquer the mental mountains holding them back and turn success into significance. With the rare combination of business acumen and extreme adventure, Jenn blends boardroom strategy with mountaintop perspective—empowering others to lead with courage, perform under pressure, and achieve what once felt impossible.

• Mandy Morris

  Professional Counselor

  Mandy Morris is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified EMDR Clinician, and Executive Psychology Coach who works at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and leadership performance. For nearly 15 years, she has helped leaders, entrepreneurs, and driven individuals break the subconscious patterns that limit their success. She translates trauma therapy into practical strategies for real-world growth. She is also the Co-Founder and Chief of Mental Health Sciences at soFree, a neuroscience-based app using patent-pending bilateral stimulation technology to help users reset their nervous systems and reduce stress in under two minutes, making clinical tools accessible anytime, anywhere. At the heart of Mandy’s work is a simple mission: to free people from the grip of past wounds and the cycle of limiting beliefs and behaviours, so they can finally step into the life they were meant to live.

• Marianne Pettifor

  Motivational trainer, mentor and award winning entrepreneur

  Marianne is a motivational trainer and found herself at an early age on the public speaking circuit motivating audiences throughout the UK. Studying to be comedian at the Royal College of Music and Drama Marianne uses her humour to captivate and motivate her audience.Marianne has won many awards for her ability to empower women and has spent many years mentoring women in business through several government agencies. Currently she is a mentor for Business Wales.This combination of motivation and humour provides Marianne with a winning formula for success and is much in demand for speaking engagements where she can engage, interact and inspire her audience. Marianne is an award-winning serial entrepreneur specialising in customer experience management. Founder of five businesses in different sectors she is also involved in several networks as it allows her to be in touch with the mainstream of business activity.

• Sabrina Ben Salmi

  Mother, Publisher, business consultant.

  Sabrina Ben Salmi BSc, FRSA, is a distinguished business and personal development consultant, RSA Fellow, Publisher, multiple award winner, UN Women UK Delegate, Education Advisor, Founder of the Unheard Cries of A Mother, acclaimed author. Founder of the Unheard Cries of a Mother and as the founder of the 'Dreaming Big Together' transformational program, Founding Director of Harris Invictus Academy – a school in Croydon, South London, she has dedicated her career to empowering families and individuals to realise their fullest potential. Her unwavering commitment to personal growth and community development has earned her numerous accolades, including the Black Achievement Award for Best Dyslexic Owned Business in 2021. Sabrina is winner of Mother of The Year Award Winner 2019 and she is listed No.2 on the list for Top 50 Most Inspirational Black Women in the UK 2019: University lecturer makes list of top 50 inspirational black women

• Sandra Gonzalez

  Retired Marine Officer

  "Sandra Gonzalez is a Retired Marine Officer turned Executive & High-Performance Consultant, Speaker, and Author who proudly served 20 years of honorable service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Today, she specializes in helping high-achieving women in business rise to top leadership positions in male-dominated industries. Sandra is passionate about empowering women to cultivate their Sexy Confidence™ so they can lead with strength, authenticity, and presence—showing up BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, and BULLETPROOF as they take command from the head seat at any table. Based in San Diego, California, Sandra is a proud mother of two remarkable young women. In her downtime, you’ll find her traveling or hosting transformational women’s empowerment retreats designed to help women lead, live, and love with more clarity and confidence."

• Shreya Vohora

  Co founder Rightshop wellness platform and property developer

  Shreya Vohora is a business leader and tech founder on a mission to transform how we live, shop, and heal, starting with the spaces that surround us. As Co-CEO of Interiors With Art, she leads a multi-disciplinary team designing high-end homes that subtly optimise health, drawing on building biology, bio philia, psychology, and environmental science. After facing health struggles linked to everyday toxins, Shreya co-founded RightShop, an AI-powered wellness platform that makes it radically simpler to find safe, personalised products that work with your body, not against it. Her work sits at the intersection of science, design, technology, and daily life. With both professional focus and a personal stake in the invisible forces shaping wellbeing, she helps people build lifestyles and environments that heal—while exposing the hidden factors that silently sabotage health. Her TEDx talk reveals one of the biggest, most overlooked culprits: the hazards hiding in our homes.

• Stef Reid MBE

  Multiple paralympic medalist, presenter,model

  Stef Reid is on mission to revolutionize the world of high performance. The long jump World Champion and 3-time Paralympic medallist inspires audiences around the world with her message of resilience and her signature Adaptive Mindset Framework. At 15, a boating accident shattered Stef’s dream of playing sport on the world stage. Her life was saved, but severe propeller lacerations meant her right foot was amputated. She realized she had two options: spend her life angry and disappointed, or adapt and find a different way. Life would never be the same, but it could still be awesome. With the help of a carbon fibre blade, she found her way back to sport, literally jumping into the record books. Stef now helps leaders and audiences adapt and find solutions in a world that is constantly changing. Her portfolio includes speaking at Google, hosting with McLaren, guest lecturing at the London College of Fashion, and sharing her insights at the Vatican! Stef Reid MBE PLY