Meet Our Keynote Speakers
Sarah Hubbard
Sarah is a Senior Consultant in Senior Leadership and Strategic Transformation at Advance HE. As part of her role, Sarah provides culture and leadership development and other consultancy services to a wide range of UK and global institutions. Prior to Advance HE, Sarah gained significant experience working in different institutions for over 15 years, holding cross-institutional leadership roles in the areas of equity and inclusion, student services delivery and organisational development.
Egle Vinauskaite
As the award-winning director of the learning innovation studio Nodes, Egle Vinauskaite is renowned for her expertise in learning, behaviour, and technology. Egle’s work spans AI, XR, mobile technologies, and blended learning environments, advising both blue-chip companies and next-gen edtech startups. Her keynote will explore how AI is transforming learning and development, offering practical insights on integrating AI into L&D operations and preparing workforces for the future of work.
Stefaan van Hooydonk
Founder of the Global Curiosity Institute and author of The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto, Stefaan van Hooydonk is a global thought leader on curiosity in the workplace. With a distinguished career as Chief Learning Officer for Fortune 200 companies, Stefaan’s research and consulting focus on building environments where curiosity drives professional and organisational success. His keynote will delve into how intentional curiosity can empower individuals and organisations to thrive amid rapid change.
Professor Christina Hughes
Founder and CEO of Women-Space Leadership, Professor Christina Hughes is a leading academic and advocate for gender equity in higher education. With senior leadership experience at top UK universities and an extensive publication record, Christina’s keynote will address feminist perspectives on leadership, inclusion, and career progression-offering strategies for supporting diverse talent in evolving learning environments. Christina has published over 15 books through her career and her 2020 edited collection Transdisciplinary Feminist Research, London, Routledge (with Carol Taylor and Jasmine Ulmer) was shortlisted for the American Educational Research Association prize ‘Outstanding Book of the Year 2021’.
Rebecca Rutschmann
A pioneer at the convergence of coaching, technology, and AI, Rebecca Rutschmann is co-founder of Viva la Coaching and the AI coaching startup evoach. As the creator of AI Coach Alpina and a leader in AI literacy for coaches, Rebecca’s keynote will highlight the transformative potential of AI-powered coaching and learning experiences, emphasizing practical approaches to make AI accessible and empowering for professionals and organisations alike.
Dr Marie Oldfield
Dr Marie Oldfield SFHEA FIScT, is the AI Lead for the Institute of Science and Technology. Dr Oldfield is the CEO of Oldfield Consultancy. Dr Oldfield sits on the following AI national and international standards committees as an IST representative. Marie is a recognised and published leader in AI and Ethics with a background in Mathematics and Philosophy. Dr Oldfield serves as a trusted advisor across government, defence, and legal sectors. Dr Oldfield is frequently invited to speak on popular podcasts, panels and at conferences about her experience and research on the development of ethics in AI. Marie is passionate about giving back to the global community through extensive pro bono work, with a focus on ethical AI, education, poverty, children and mental health.
Dr Stella Lee
Dr Stella Lee is an academic-turn-consultant, an ed-tech and AI strategist, international speaker, startup advisor, LinkedIn Learning instructor, writer and executive board member for the Learning and Development Accelerator. With over 20 years of experience in digital learning, Stella combines her passion, academic background, and knowledge in computer science, visual art, human-computer interaction, and adult education with her unique global insights for her work with clients such as the UNICEF, United Nations, Asian Development Bank, The Open University, Government of Yukon, Government of Alberta, WorkSafeBC, TransLink, Bosa Properties, Arco/Murray Construction, and InnoEnergy. She is the founder of Paradox Learning Inc., a boutique consulting firm based in Calgary, Canada. Still firmly keeping one foot in academia, Stella continues to research, collaborate, mentor, and teach with universities and institutions worldwide. Stella’s research interests include AI applications for education, ed-tech ethics, personalised and adaptive learning systems, and learning analytics.
Why Attend?
This year’s festival will tackle urgent questions facing learning and development professionals, including:
- How can we harness AI, data, leadership, and culture to drive meaningful change?
- What strategies will help us lead boldly through transformative times?
- How can we foster inclusive, resilient, and innovative learning environments?
The festival features a blend of workshops, symposiums, interactive demos, and panel discussions-all designed to equip you with the latest insights and tools for shaping the future of learning and development.
Join us and be inspired by these visionary keynote speakers as we navigate the waves of change together.
Mark your calendars: November 10–12, 2025.
Stay tuned for more details and registration information!