Golden Key Career Summit 2026
Shape your future. Advance your career.
Ready to take your career to the next level? Whether you’re seeking a promotion, planning a career change, building your professional network, or just starting out after graduation, the Golden Key Career Summit will help you find clarity, confidence, and direction.
Across a week of inspiring live webinars, you’ll hear from global leaders, recruiters, and career experts who will share the latest insights, real-world advice, and actionable strategies to help you define your goals—and achieve them.
All sessions take place online, so you can join from anywhere in the world. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll also gain on-demand access to all session recordings, so you can revisit key takeaways whenever you need them.
When your ticket purchase is complete, links to each webinar will appear below—simply click to register for the sessions you want to attend.
Note: Access to events is available only to those who have purchased summit tickets through the GKA shop. Registration lists will be cross-referenced with purchase records, so please use the same email and details for both your ticket purchase and webinar registrations.
Golden Key Member
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Non-Golden Key Member
Find out more about each of the sessions and the speakers below. Note: These will be announced closer to the time of the summit. Please check back again later.
| Speaker Info | Session Title & Description | Time (3 Time Zones) | ||||
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 | Melissa Leitzell CEO Golden Key International Honour Society | Opening address (Recording) |
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 | Dr. Jerrod Pass, DBA, is a higher education professional, Army veteran, and environmental health and safety consultant with experience in leadership, training, compliance, mentorship, and organizational support in New England. He is passionate about helping others recognize their transferable (interpersonal) skills, communicate their worth, and pursue opportunities with confidence. His connection to this topic comes from his own career pivots, from aerospace to industrial, and his commitment to helping professionals turn diverse experiences into meaningful career growth. | Career Pivots with Purpose: Turning Experience Into Opportunity – This is an interactive webinar designed to help professionals reframe their experiences, identify transferable skills, and position themselves for new career opportunities. This session is ideal for emerging leaders, career changers, veterans, higher education professionals, business professionals, and anyone seeking growth or transition in their career. Attendees will learn how to build a stronger career story, strengthen their personal brand, and communicate their value with confidence. Participants will leave with practical strategies for navigating career pivots, increasing visibility, and taking intentional steps toward their next professional opportunity. |
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| Speaker Info | Session Title & Description | Time (3 Time Zones) | ||||
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 | Jaime Waterfield is a certified leadership development coach with over 25 years of corporate experience supporting individuals at pivotal moments in their careers. She has coached and mentored hundreds of professionals as they navigate change, uncertainty, and questions about what comes next. Drawing on her experience and research, she developed the Career Alignment Matrix — a practical coaching tool she uses to help clients gain clarity, reconnect to what energizes them, and make confident decisions about their next career move, even when they’re unsure of the specific path forward. | Designing Your Next Chapter: A Practical Framework for Your Next Career Move – This webinar helps individuals who are evaluating a career change or possible pivot gain clarity on what they want from their next role. Using a simple Career Alignment Matrix, participants will reflect on what energizes them, what drains them, and where their strengths are best applied. Attendees will leave with a clear, plain‑language direction statement they can use to evaluate opportunities and make more confident next‑step decisions—without needing to have the “perfect” job title figured out. |
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 | Gloria Ramirez is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and counselor educator with over 14 years of experience in mental health, trauma-informed care, and counselor development. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University, where her research focuses on trauma, identity, and mental health help-seeking among Latinx individuals. Gloria has extensive experience supporting students, emerging professionals, and diverse communities in navigating self-doubt, cultural expectations, and the development of professional identity. Her work integrates multicultural counseling, advocacy, and strengths-based approaches to empower individuals to recognize their value and confidently pursue personal and professional growth. | Owning Your Seat at the Table: Confronting Imposter Syndrome Through Cultural Strength and Self – This webinar explores how imposter syndrome affects students, emerging professionals, and individuals from historically marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds, particularly within academic and professional environments. Participants will examine how cultural experiences, systemic barriers, perfectionism, and self-doubt can shape confidence, identity, and career development. The session is designed for students, professionals, educators, and leaders seeking practical strategies to strengthen self-advocacy, resilience, and authentic professional identity. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of imposter syndrome, culturally responsive coping strategies, and actionable tools to build confidence, recognize personal strengths, and navigate professional spaces with greater self-assurance. |
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 | Carol Benton is a business communication expert, speaker, and author. After 30 years in corporate IT, she now runs a consulting, speaking, and workshop business that helps people and organisations clearly communicate their value. She has taught pitching workshops for a networking group for eight years, and has seen firsthand how a well-worded pitch can unlock valuable business opportunities. | Conversations that create opportunities – The most valuable asset you can have in networking is your pitch. A summary of not just what you do, but who you help and how you add value. All in a short, succinct format that gives the listener enough but piques their interest to learn more. It’s hard, but you can learn it in this workshop. |
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 | Stefani Deligiannis is a sessional academic, researcher, and PhD candidate based in Sydney, Australia. She works closely with students transitioning into higher education, including school leavers, international students, and those entering university through alternative pathways who may struggle with confidence, belonging, or academic identity. Alongside her teaching and research experience, Stefani has a strong interest in imposter syndrome, professional identity, and the pressures faced by high-achieving individuals in academic and career settings. Her work focuses on creating supportive, honest, and practical conversations around confidence, resilience, and navigating uncertainty in professional life. | High Achievement, Hidden Doubt: Navigating Imposter Syndrome in Academia and Career Transitions – This session will explore how imposter syndrome often persists even among highly capable and accomplished individuals, particularly during periods of transition, visibility, and professional growth. Through examples drawn from academia, higher education, career changes, and high-pressure environments, the session will examine why people can still feel “not good enough” despite strong achievements, qualifications, or external success. The webinar will also explore common experiences such as feeling undeserving of opportunities, comparing yourself to others, fear of being “found out,” and struggling to internalise success. Attendees will be introduced to practical strategies for recognising and reframing imposter thinking, including evidence-based reflection techniques, separating achievement from self-worth, and learning how to challenge perfectionist thinking patterns. Designed for students, early-career professionals, researchers, creatives, and those navigating uncertain career pathways, the session aims to provide a more honest and sustainable approach to confidence and professional identity. |
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| Speaker Info | Session Title & Description | Time (3 Time Zones) | ||||
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 | Themba Chakela is a strategic Human Capital, Culture, and Organisational Change advisor with deep experience helping organisations navigate transformation in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled world. He works across industries advising executives and leadership teams on the intersection of people, technology, culture, and business performance. Known for his practical, human-centred approach, Themba focuses on translating complex future-of-work trends into actionable career and organisational strategies. His work spans leadership, organisational effectiveness, talent, culture, digital transformation, and AI in the workplace. | AI Won’t Take Your Job. Being Average Will – AI is not simply replacing jobs; it is also exposing work that lacks distinct value. As automation reshapes the workplace, career resilience and survival increasingly belong to people who can think critically, adapt quickly, communicate clearly, and create visible impact. This session is designed for students, graduates, early-career professionals, and experienced professionals looking to remain relevant in an AI-enabled economy. Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how AI is changing expectations around performance, visibility, adaptability, and career growth. More importantly, it’ll explore what they can do now to future-proof their personal professional value. |
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 | Dr Herna de Wit holds a PhD in biochemistry and a law degree, and acts as a science advisor and intellectual property strategy consultant through Omnisci Consulting. She advises startups, entrepreneurs, clinics, and other companies in the area of longevity and health sciences, translating complex scientific concepts to actionable strategy, content, and communications that create credibility in a crowded market environment. Through her expertise in science, intellectual property, personal branding, and digital presence, she helps scientists and businesses gain credibility in a crowded market. As a social media and content strategist for science brands, she is very familiar with the effects of the proliferation of AI-generated content in professional communication and business competition. | The Trust Advantage: Future-Proofing Your Career in the Age of AI – In this era of AI-generated writing and digital pollution, the professionals who will shine are those who can be trusted. In this webinar, you will learn about future-proofing yourself and developing a professional image through credibility, personal value communication, and visibility, but doing it authentically and effectively. This webinar will be very helpful for students, fresh graduates, young professionals, entrepreneurs, and those changing their career path. The participants of this webinar will leave with useful tips on establishing their professional identity which is not easy to replace even by AI. |
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 | Shannin Jones has a strong background in Industrial-Organisational Psychology, with a focus on leadership development, confidence-building, and women’s empowerment. Her academic work and experience as a mentor, public speaker, and facilitator have deepened her understanding of the internal barriers that often affect high-achieving individuals. She is the founder of Sharing Stories By Shanz and ProEdge Learning Solutions, a registered training and development business. Through her young women’s leadership mentorship programme, she addresses key topics such as imposter syndrome using practical, evidence-based approaches. For Shannin, the connection to this work is both professional and personal — she is passionate about helping people recognise their worth and step confidently into opportunities. | Beyond Imposter Syndrome: Owning Your Achievements with Confidence – This webinar explores imposter syndrome and how it affects high-achieving students and young professionals, particularly those stepping into new academic, leadership, or career opportunities. It is ideal for Golden Key members, graduates, and emerging leaders who may doubt their abilities despite their achievements. Through practical, evidence-based strategies grounded in cognitive-behavioural techniques, attendees will learn how to challenge self-doubt, reframe limiting beliefs, and build confidence in their capabilities. Participants will leave with actionable tools to embrace their success, own their voice, and step more boldly into their personal and professional journeys. |
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 | Crystal Barrow, JD, PCC is a career transition strategist, attorney, speaker, and Founder of Shape Your Success Coaching. A former prosecutor, Special Assistant Attorney General, and federal investigator, she helps professionals navigate career transitions, workplace change, visibility challenges, and professional reinvention with greater clarity and strategy. Crystal is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach and currently serves as Director of Professional Development for the NYC chapter of the International Coaching Federation. She is the author of the Amazon #1 e-book “Getting Your Career Back on Track: 8 Steps to Go From Derailed to Empowered” and has been featured on FOX5 New York, News12, Cheddar News, and The Ladders. Her work focuses on helping professionals remain visible, adaptable, and intentional in changing career landscapes. | When Work Changes: How to Stay Adaptable, Relevant, and Future – Professionals today are navigating shifting workplace expectations, AI disruption, career uncertainty, and increasing pressure to remain visible and competitive. This session explores how to respond to change with more intention instead of waiting until career momentum slows or opportunities narrow. Attendees will learn how to recognize when their current positioning may need to shift, communicate their value more clearly, and take practical steps to stay visible and prepared in a changing job market. Whether attendees are early in their careers or navigating a career pivot, they will leave with practical strategies to remain adaptable, relevant, and future-ready. |
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| Speaker Info | Session Title & Description | Time (3 Time Zones) | ||||
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 | Corey Robert Willis is a distinguished China specialist and bilingual executive with over a decade of experience bridging the Canadian and Chinese sectors across sports management, public diplomacy, and commercial consulting. He has a proven track record of operational leadership, notably serving as a Snow Sport School Director in Shanghai. His background includes diplomatic experience with the Embassy of Canada in Beijing and UN Women, where he managed high-level logistics and stakeholder relations. Academically, he holds a Master of Management from Beijing Normal University and a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University, underpinned by advanced Mandarin proficiency attained through elite institutions like Tsinghua University. Currently, he leverages his expertise in market entry and program design as the Founder of CW Snow Sports Consulting, focusing on cross-border partnerships and youth athletic certification. | Leveraging Personal Strengths to Succeed in a Changing World – The session will explore the immutable qualities that support success in an uncertain world. This session will be beneficial to recent graduates still searching for a profession that calls them, or mature professionals that feel lost and are open to finding something more. Participants will take away a new framework for understanding how to adapt in the face of challenge and find power in uncertainty. |
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 | Dr. Dawn C. Davis-Reid, PhD, PCC, is an ICF-credentialed Professional Certified Coach and the Founder/CEO of Reid Ready® Life Coaching, LLC. She brings 30+ years of coaching, training, and consulting experience and has supported professionals in strengthening career strategy, personal branding, and job search execution in competitive markets. Her approach is evidence-based and practical—focused on helping clients translate their value into clear messaging, targeted outreach, and interview-ready storytelling. Dr. Dawn integrates AI literacy into career development, enabling professionals to increase efficiency and visibility while maintaining authenticity and ethical boundaries. She is the creator of structured career-campaign resources that guide job seekers through resume/cover letter enhancement, networking strategy, and interview preparation. | AI-Powered Career Searching: Build a Career Campaign That Gets You Seen (Without Losing Your Voice) – This session shows career seekers how to use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT and Copilot) to run a structured, high-impact career campaign—improving resumes/cover letters, clarifying career messaging, targeting roles strategically, and networking with intention. It’s designed for students and professionals who are applying broadly but not getting traction, or who want to pivot while staying authentic and values-aligned. Attendees will leave with a simple campaign framework, practical AI prompts they can reuse immediately, and a checklist for optimizing their documents, LinkedIn presence, and outreach strategy. We’ll also cover common pitfalls (generic language, over-automation, and confidentiality risks) so AI supports your career—without replacing your judgment. |
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 | Matthew Ogieva, a leadership strategist, consultant, author, and speaker, specializes in influence, communication, leadership development, and personal positioning in contemporary business settings. As the author of “Conveying Influence” and “Why A Positive Attitude Is All You Need,” and the speaker behind the TEDx talk “Conveying Influence,” his work delves into how mindset, communication, and human connection shape leadership effectiveness and long-term success. Through his collaboration with Business Reimagined Incorporated, he has assisted professionals and organizations in enhancing leadership capacity, refining strategic communication, and effectively positioning their value in competitive markets. His professional journey, spanning engineering, management, consulting, and executive leadership development, has provided him with firsthand insights into the significance of negotiating worth through clarity, confidence, and influence. His seminar, “Leverage: The Act of Negotiating Your Worth,” embodies his belief that leverage transcends mere compensation | Leverage: The Act of Negotiating Your Worth – This webinar aims to empower professionals, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders by shedding light on the profound influence of personal and professional value. This session delves into the pivotal role of leverage in shaping career growth, unlocking business opportunities, enhancing leadership presence, and guiding strategic decision-making in today’s fiercely competitive landscape. Participants will gain practical frameworks for effectively communicating their value, cultivating influence, and negotiating with unwavering confidence, rather than succumbing to pressure. Through compelling insights and real-world examples, this webinar challenges attendees to reevaluate their concept of worth—not solely based on monetary compensation, but on the impact, clarity, and influence they bring to every interaction and endeavor. |
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 | Sue Langley has spent more than two decades exploring one of the most compelling questions in modern science: what does it truly take for people and organisations to flourish? As founder and CEO of the Langley Group, Sue brings together neuroscience, positive psychology, and emotional intelligence in ways that are both rigorous and practical, inspiring leaders and organisations across the globe to build positive cultures and harness the brain’s potential. She is the creator of the world’s first government-accredited Diploma of Positive Psychology and Well-being and holds a Master’s in the Neuroscience of Leadership. Sue was a featured expert in the ABC TV series Redesign My Brain and the award-winning documentary Make Me a Leader. | The Future is Human: Human skills in the age of AI – As technology accelerates and organisations embrace AI, the future of work will be defined by the uniquely human skills that cannot be replicated. The Future is Human®: Human Skills in the Age of AI is an uplifting, advanced Masterclass designed for professionals ready to step boldly into this new era. Drawing on neuroscience, positive psychology, and evidence-based research, this session explores how emotional intelligence, creativity, adaptability, and the ability to energise people can be embedded into workplace culture to drive meaningful impact. Participants will discover how wellbeing and connection are proven drivers of engagement, productivity, and retention, leaving with a clear roadmap to become architects of human potential. |
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 | Rakiza Hussein is a PhD Candidate at Griffith Business School, researching how artificial intelligence is reshaping professional identity, career experiences and work outcomes in healthcare. With a background in biomedical science, business, healthcare management and organisational behaviour, Rakiza brings an interdisciplinary perspective to the future of work. Her work focuses on how professionals can remain confident, visible and adaptable as AI changes the nature of expertise, value and career development. | Future-Proofing Your Career in the Age of AI: Identity, Visibility and Value – Artificial intelligence is reshaping careers across industries, but future-proofing is not only about learning new tools. It is also about understanding who you are professionally, what value you bring, and how to stay visible and adaptable as work changes. This session explores how students, graduates and professionals can navigate AI-driven career change by strengthening their professional identity, identifying transferable strengths, and communicating their value with confidence. Drawing on emerging research into AI, work and professional identity, the webinar offers practical strategies for using AI as a career resource rather than viewing it only as a threat. Participants will leave with a clearer sense of how to position themselves, build visibility, and make intentional career choices in an AI-enabled future. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Understand how AI is reshaping career identity, professional confidence and perceptions of value. Identify transferable strengths and human capabilities that remain important in AI-enabled workplaces. Reframe AI as a career resource rather than only a threat. Develop practical strategies for improving visibility, adaptability and career positioning. |
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| Speaker Info | Session Title & Description | Time (3 Time Zones) | ||||
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 | Deborah Stephenson is a certified professional coach and former healthcare executive with 40+ years of leadership experience who knows firsthand what it’s like to burn out in a high-pressure corporate environment. After leaving her executive role 16 months ago, she’s successfully transitioned into building Infinity Coaching and Consulting, where she specializes in helping mid-career professional women navigate career transitions without repeating the burnout patterns that got them stuck. As a certified Biofield Tuner, Deborah uniquely combines traditional career coaching with nervous system regulation techniques, recognizing that sustainable career pivots require both strategic planning and energetic healing. Her bold, no-nonsense approach helps women move from burnout to breakthrough by addressing the root causes—not just the symptoms—of career dissatisfaction. Deborah holds a Bachelor of Science in Management, Master’s in Healthcare Administration, and ACC-level certified coach. | The Burnout-to-Breakthrough Blueprint: Why Your Career Pivot Starts with Boundaries, Not a Better Resume – Some people try to think their way out of burnout with their next career move, focusing on a better resume, a sharper LinkedIn, a clearer five-year plan. But when your nervous system is dysregulated, you can’t access the clarity those decisions require. You end up making the same exhausted choices in a new setting, and wondering why the pivot didn’t fix anything. This webinar reframes the problem. Before strategy comes regulation: the boundaries, recovery, and nervous-system reset that make aligned decisions possible in the first place. Deborah shares the blueprint she used to leave a high-pressure executive role and rebuild — combining practical career strategy with the energetic and physiological work most career advice ignores. You’ll leave understanding why your next move starts with boundaries, not a better resume, and what the first steps of a sustainable pivot actually look like. |
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