Alicia Richardson is a powerful and authentic keynote speaker, known for her transformative work in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), employer branding, and community building. As the Founder of Create Connect, a leading employer marketing agency, and Host of the Black Create Connect Podcast, Alicia has become a trusted voice for underrepresented professionals navigating the creative, tech, and marketing sectors. Her most significant achievement to date is the creation of a thriving platform that connects employers with diverse talent while promoting meaningful, long-term inclusion.
Alicia’s early career reflects her grit, entrepreneurial mindset, and unwavering sense of purpose. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Hertfordshire, which included a transformative year at San José State University, Alicia began her professional journey in operations and recruitment. Initially facing rejection and setbacks, she soon broke through in delegate sales, gaining a reputation for her natural leadership and ability to build genuine relationships. From coordinating recruitment marketing campaigns to spearheading DEI audits, Alicia found her calling in aligning organisations with values-driven, inclusive hiring practices.
Throughout her career, Alicia has held a number of influential roles, including Senior Talent, Employer Brand & DEI Lead at Depop, Employer Brand & DEI Consultant at SyncD, and Leadership Coach & Facilitator for AWE, where she coached teams at Salesforce, HP, TripAdvisor, and other global tech firms. In 2020, she founded Black Create Connect, which grew from a WhatsApp group into a cross-platform community of over 30,000. In 2022, Alicia launched the Black Create Connect Podcast, featuring over 100 Black professionals, and in 2023, she completed the Barclays x Foundervine Accelerator. By 2024, she took the leap to run Create Connect full-time as Chief of Culture, Talent & Vibes, combining recruitment marketing, community building, and content creation to reshape how organisations attract and retain talent.
People book Alicia because she doesn’t just speak on inclusion - she lives it. Her keynotes are rooted in experience, honesty, and actionable insight, offering organisations a roadmap for cultural transformation. Whether addressing data-driven recruitment, building inclusive organisations, or employer branding through creators and communities, Alicia inspires with authenticity and clarity. Her sessions are ideal for businesses seeking not only to diversify their teams but to create spaces where everyone can belong and thrive. In today’s world, her voice is not only refreshing but essential.
Alicia Richardson official speaker topics are listed below:
- Addressing Bias & Tokenism
- Allies, Sponsors & Mentors
- Building Self-Confidence & Assertiveness Skills
- Creating Equitable Experiences for All Employees
- Creating Psychological Safety for All
- Creating Accelerator Programs
- Effective Communication & Personal Branding
- Empowering Underrepresented Voices Consistently
- Engaging & Developing Diverse Employees
- Ethnic Minority & LGBTQ+ Barriers
- Executive Presence
- Having Difficult Conversations About DEI
- Inclusive Business Strategy
- Inclusive Decision Making
- Inclusive Language; Understanding How to Communicate With Difference
- Intersectionality
- Learning How to Use Your Voice
- Navigating Challenges
- Neurodiversity & Disabilities; Women in the Workplace
- Practising Allyship & Amplifying Underrepresented Voices
- Resilience & Stress Management
- Setting Up ERGs, Mentoring Programs, Sponsorship & Providing Resources
- Tackling Employee Conflict & Discrimination
- The Basics in Bias; Uncovering & Tackling Bias
- The Power of Mentoring & Sponsoring to Underrepresented Employees
- Understanding & Tackling Bias
- Understanding Diverse Stories & Experiences
- Understanding Equity & the Link to Different Groups
- What Are Equitable Actions
- Working With Difference
OFFICIAL FEEDBACK FROM IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL EVENTS
FEEDBACK FROM IN-PERSON EVENTS:
"I highly recommend Alicia for her exceptional expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. I had the privilege of attending two of her insightful webinars and engaging in a one-on-one session, and I must say that her presentations were truly eye-opening. Alicia's deep knowledge and passionate delivery shed light on areas our company was lacking in terms of DE&I, and her sessions have significantly expanded my awareness and understanding. Her ability to convey complex concepts in a relatable manner is truly commendable. If you're seeking someone who can drive positive change andfoster a more inclusive work environment, Alicia is the ideal professional to collaborate with". - Angela Nyasha Chinamasa, Chief Of Staff, Sava Africa
"I recently attended an informative workshop led by Alicia that was all about personal branding and optimising LinkedIn. It was incredibly useful and insightful. Alicia was a friendly, relatable host and a power speaker. Alicia provided original and actionable advice throughout the session, and was able to connect with everyone in the audience due to her authenticity and bubbly personality". - Calia Ryner, Software Engineer
"Alicia ran a really in-depth, detailed and specific bespoke DEI workshop for our company around adding equity at work, and why it's important. The team felt inspired hearing the content and really took away a lot from the session to implement into their day to day work life - which was exactly what we hoped for. Thank you so much Alicia! Your expertise & passion is so inspiring". - Emily Sivey, People and Talent LeadPeople and Talent Lead, Bippit
- 2024 – Launched Create Connect as a full-time venture following participation in the Barclays x Foundervine Accelerator
- 2023 – Appointed College Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Officer at Hartwick College, leading DEIB initiatives and serving on the President's Cabinet
- 2023 – Completed the Barclays Accelerator with Foundervine
- 2022 – Secured a $5,000 grant for Hartwick's Equity Coalition Programme to enhance community engagement and address bias and discrimination
- 2022 – Delivered a TEDx Talk on identifying personal values and empowering women of colour
- 2022 – Launched the Black Create Connect Podcast, featuring over 100 Black professionals
- 2020 – Founded Black Create Connect, which grew to reach over 30,000 across digital platforms
- 2019 – Developed and implemented inclusive hiring strategies for companies including Spotify, Depop, and Analog Folk through her role at SyncD DEI Consulting
- 2016 – Launched and managed a successful community engagement initiative at the New Jersey Department of Education's Amistad Commission
- 2015 – Graduated with a degree in International Business (Upper Second Class Honours) from the University of Hertfordshire
- 2013 – Advocated for the implementation of DEIB policies at the collegiate level, contributing to policy development at Hartwick College
- 2012 – Co-chaired the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee at Hartwick College, leading initiatives to promote an inclusive campus culture
- 2011 – Coordinated the first comprehensive DEIB audit at a major tech company, resulting in significant improvements in diversity hiring practices
- 2010 – Launched first major DEIB initiative, focusing on the integration of inclusive pedagogical practices in educational institutions
How to hire Alicia Richardson
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Alicia Richardson for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
