DESIGN
WHAT’S NEXT
Customizable keynotes that empower your audience to lead with clarity, adapt with confidence, and redesign their impact in a rapidly changing world.
DESIGN
WHAT’S NEXT
Customizable keynotes that empower your audience to lead with clarity, adapt with confidence, and redesign their impact in a rapidly changing world.
“Janel didn’t just deliver a great talk—she helped us see ourselves differently. The energy in the room was electric.”
— Conference Organizer, Tech Industry Event
“Relatable, insightful, and immediately applicable. Janel gave our leaders exactly what they needed to hear —along with actionable steps they could use immediately.”
— VP of People, Fortune 500 Company
"Dr. Janel was engaging and fun! She gave relatable scenarios and examples making it easy to put to action what we learned."
— Executive Director, Technology Non-profit
"By creating room for strategic thinking,Dr. Janel guided us toward fresh possibilities and a bold vision of the future. "
— VP, Client Events, Hospitality Association
"In a sector transformed daily by new technologies, Dr. Janel’s insights gave us practical strategies to adapt and thrive. "
— VP, Client Services, Accounting
Most Requested Keynotes
DR JANEL ANDERSON
Most Requested Keynotes
DR JANEL ANDERSON
UX Thinking for Leaders:
Human-Centered Design as Your Leadership Superpower
What if the secret to becoming a better leader was already part of your everyday work? In this engaging and eye-opening keynote, Dr. Janel Anderson shows how the same user experience (UX) principles used to design world-class products can be applied to leadership.
Whether your challenge is retention, engagement, communication, or team cohesion, UX Thinking offers a powerful, human-centered framework for addressing it. Participants will explore practical design heuristics—tailored to their organization’s goals—and learn how to apply them directly to leadership behavior, creating work environments where people thrive.
Key Takeaways:
- Translate core UX design principles into practical strategies for leading people more effectively.
- Apply specific design heuristics to a current leadership challenge within their team or organization.
- Launch a short, focused “leadership sprint” to test and iterate new behaviors that support team performance and retention.
UX Thinking for Leaders:
Human-Centered Design as Your Leadership Superpower
What if the secret to becoming a better leader was already part of your everyday work? In this engaging and eye-opening keynote, Dr. Janel Anderson shows how the same user experience (UX) principles used to design world-class products can be applied to leadership.
Whether your challenge is retention, engagement, communication, or team cohesion, UX Thinking offers a powerful, human-centered framework for addressing it. Participants will explore practical design heuristics—tailored to their organization’s goals—and learn how to apply them directly to leadership behavior, creating work environments where people thrive.
Key Takeaways:
- Translate core UX design principles into practical strategies for leading people more effectively.
- Apply specific design heuristics to a current leadership challenge within their team or organization.
- Launch a short, focused “leadership sprint” to test and iterate new behaviors that support team performance and retention.
Expect the Unexpected:
Design for What’s Next
Most people assume the future is unpredictable—but it’s not. The signals are always there if you know where (and how) to look. In this engaging keynote, participants learn a powerful three-part framework for anticipating change: 1) gathering divergent data, 2) exploring the adjacent possible, and 3) refining ideas through low-risk iteration. Through highly engaging audience participation and divergent thinking exercises, attendees discover how to spot emerging patterns, connect seemingly unrelated dots, and take confident action—even in uncertainty. This keynote equips leaders and teams with a future-ready mindset to anticipate what’s coming next and respond with agility, insight, and creativity.
Key Takeaways:
- Spot signals of change by collecting and interpreting divergent data—including news, industry shifts, and even intuition.
- Apply the concept of the adjacent possible to identify new opportunities that emerge immediately after change occurs.
- Use iterative thinking and low-risk prototyping to refine bold ideas and prepare for multiple future scenarios.
Expect the Unexpected:
Design for What’s Next
Most people assume the future is unpredictable—but it’s not. The signals are always there if you know where (and how) to look. In this engaging keynote, participants learn a powerful three-part framework for anticipating change: 1) gathering divergent data, 2) exploring the adjacent possible, and 3) refining ideas through low-risk iteration. Through highly engaging audience participation and divergent thinking exercises, attendees discover how to spot emerging patterns, connect seemingly unrelated dots, and take confident action—even in uncertainty. This keynote equips leaders and teams with a future-ready mindset to anticipate what’s coming next and respond with agility, insight, and creativity.
Key Takeaways:
- Spot signals of change by collecting and interpreting divergent data—including news, industry shifts, and even intuition.
- Apply the concept of the adjacent possible to identify new opportunities that emerge immediately after change occurs.
- Use iterative thinking and low-risk prototyping to refine bold ideas and prepare for multiple future scenarios.
Your Brain on Change:
How to Upgrade for the Future
Most change efforts fail because they ignore one critical factor: the human brain wasn’t built for change. This keynote explores the neuroscience behind why we resist uncertainty—and how we can override that instinct. Dr. Janel Anderson uses a powerful metaphor to explain how your brain operates like a digital system, with hardware (your brain), an operating system (your worldview), and apps (your habits and behaviors). The best part? You can update them. Audiences will learn practical strategies to rewire their mindset, shift out of fear and resistance, and access a high-performance state when it matters most.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the brain’s natural resistance to change and learn science-backed techniques to shift into a more adaptive state.
- Rewire outdated habits and mental patterns using a framework that mirrors hardware, software, and app-level thinking.
- Activate high-performance brain states to stay focused, creative, and resilient during periods of uncertainty and transformation.
Your Brain on Change:
How to Upgrade for the Future
Most change efforts fail because they ignore one critical factor: the human brain wasn’t built for change. This keynote explores the neuroscience behind why we resist uncertainty—and how we can override that instinct. Dr. Janel Anderson uses a powerful metaphor to explain how your brain operates like a digital system, with hardware (your brain), an operating system (your worldview), and apps (your habits and behaviors). The best part? You can update them. Audiences will learn practical strategies to rewire their mindset, shift out of fear and resistance, and access a high-performance state when it matters most.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the brain’s natural resistance to change and learn science-backed techniques to shift into a more adaptive state.
- Rewire outdated habits and mental patterns using a framework that mirrors hardware, software, and app-level thinking.
- Activate high-performance brain states to stay focused, creative, and resilient during periods of uncertainty and transformation.
Reconnecting in a Disconnected World
We are more digitally connected than ever—but more emotionally disconnected than we’ve ever been. From remote work to digital overload, this keynote examines the hidden costs of disconnection in the workplace and beyond. Dr. Janel Anderson makes a compelling case for designing connection with the same intention we apply to building products or managing systems. Attendees will explore the psychology of belonging, the power of micro-interactions, and practical ways to rebuild trust and team cohesion. This session is a powerful reset for organizations seeking to strengthen culture, foster resilience, and create meaningful human experiences in the future of work.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify the hidden costs of disconnection—including loneliness, disengagement, and decreased well-being—and why they matter in the workplace.
- Apply practical strategies to foster authentic connection across teams, departments, and digital platforms.
- Adapt communication and relationship-building practices to meet the evolving demands of hybrid work, changing expectations, and rapid organizational change.
Reconnecting in a Disconnected World
We are more digitally connected than ever—but more emotionally disconnected than we’ve ever been. From remote work to digital overload, this keynote examines the hidden costs of disconnection in the workplace and beyond. Dr. Janel Anderson makes a compelling case for designing connection with the same intention we apply to building products or managing systems. Attendees will explore the psychology of belonging, the power of micro-interactions, and practical ways to rebuild trust and team cohesion. This session is a powerful reset for organizations seeking to strengthen culture, foster resilience, and create meaningful human experiences in the future of work.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify the hidden costs of disconnection—including loneliness, disengagement, and decreased well-being—and why they matter in the workplace.
- Apply practical strategies to foster authentic connection across teams, departments, and digital platforms.
- Adapt communication and relationship-building practices to meet the evolving demands of hybrid work, changing expectations, and rapid organizational change.
Why Clients Love Working With Dr. Janel
She brings clarity to complexity. Janel makes the future of work feel less overwhelming — and more actionable. Audiences walk away not just inspired, but equipped.
She’s a speaker who understands systems and people. With a PhD in organizational communication and a background leading UX teams, Janel brings a rare blend of technical insight and human-centered leadership to every stage.
She customizes with precision. Every keynote is tailored to your event, your goals, and your audience. Whether speaking to engineers, HR leaders, or executives, Janel meets them where they are—and moves them forward.
She’s high-impact and low-maintenance. No diva energy. No outrageous riders. Just thoughtful partnership, seamless collaboration, and a speaker your audience will rave about.
Dr. Janel knows the speaker isn’t the star of the show—the event is.
That’s why from your first inquiry to the final standing applause, she keeps your goals front and center. If you’re working with a bureau, she honors those relationships with transparency and professionalism. If you’re booking directly, she makes the process smooth, collaborative, and drama-free.
Need tailored content for a niche audience? Want post-event resources? Janel’s got you. She’s a speaker you’ll want to book again and again.
Let’s Create an Unforgettable Experience
Dr. Janel knows the speaker isn’t the star of the show—the event is.
That’s why from your first inquiry to the final standing applause, she keeps your goals front and center. If you’re working with a bureau, she honors those relationships with transparency and professionalism. If you’re booking directly, she makes the process smooth, collaborative, and drama-free.
Need tailored content for a niche audience? Want post-event resources? Janel’s got you. She’s a speaker you’ll want to book again and again.
Let’s Create an Unforgettable Experience
If you're ready to energize your audience, align your leadership team, and give your event real ROI —
Dr. Janel Anderson is your next keynote speaker.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR EVENT
