Elaine Sihera

A British writer, sociologist, Cambridge postgraduate, and leading achiever in the Black community, Elaine Sihera is a fine example of confidence and positivity, despite living with a life-threatening illness. She enjoys a very successful career spanning many pioneering innovations. Honoured as a Doctor of The Open University, in recognition of her 'exceptional contribution to education and culture, and protecting and enriching Britain’s diversity landscape', and also her seminal publication, Managing The Diversity Maze, her latest book, The Essential Guide to Confidence, also confirms her expertise in confident interaction, the effective management of diversity to give the desired results, and the promotion of cultural harmony.

As a leadership speaker, and a lifestyle and relationship coach, Elaine’s personal development skills have led her to become the nation’s most prominent authority on motivation, diversity and race issues in the UK, making her talks as a keynote speaker both compelling, informative, and intriguing. Her life’s work has focused on empowering people - through numerous talks, books, a magazine, professional training, national recognition awards, and personal coaching. As a successful training consultant, diversity management adviser, and motivational speaker for many blue chip corporates and public service organisations (like Barclays Bank, Bermuda Top 100 Women Achievers, The Princes Youth Business Trust, British Telecom, Royal Navy, J.P Morgan, Public Sector Benchmarking Services, Trent NHS Strategic Health Authority, Oxford City Council...among many others), Elaine is keenly interested in personal growth and development, and celebrating diversity.

The subject of various books, articles and interviews, Elaine's many 'firsts' include being the first Black graduate of The Open University, a presenter of the first Diversity Lecture in the House of Commons, and a keynote speaker at UNESCO's Global Women’s Leadership Conference in Paris. Elaine was also the first Black woman in the UK to own a national magazine, and the only woman to be simultaneously awarded TWO National Training Awards by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry. She was the founder of both the British Diversity Awards, which ran successfully for 12 years, and helped to pioneer effective diversity practice in many business and public service establishments, and the Windrush Achievement Awards, which recognised the outstanding contributions of minorities to society.

Elaine was also a senior education manager in a large secondary school, education editor of The Voice newspaper, and later managing editor of New Impact Magazine, which promoted multi cultural advisory and training issues across Britain. As a well-known keynote speaker, Elaine is a very keen advocate of changing perceptions on ageing, and the value of diversity, and boosting people᾿s feelings about themselves. Her prolific writing on emotional health, career development, diversity management, and personal confidence, has not only positively affected many people, but also made her one of the most quoted British women on the Internet, as a columnist, and freelance broadcaster. Elaine Sihera’s experience in fascinating presentations, motivational workshops and engagements as a business speaker is extremely extensive. She has presented hundreds of professional achievement workshops in effective staff management and good diversity practice, and together with her positive personality and easy charm, they make her a fantastic choice for business, motivational, and well-being events.