What changes when the people most impacted are in the room
Universal design, power dynamics, and the technology that surfaces what's been invisible. You build better, reach further, and find the markets that were always there.
A decade of doing this inside Fortune 500 companies, UN agencies, and global financial services — and from the outside of systems that weren't designed for her.
"You're the first speaker to break technology down into simple, relatable ways. Every other speaker focused on the tech. You focused on the stories that make it easy to relate to."Audience member, technology conference
The room leaves different
Sara opens conversations most organisations don't know how to start. The feedback — across every engagement — has been exceptional. People leave wanting to do something, not just think something.
"I was surprised by the vulnerability demonstrated by the participants and facilitators."C-suite executive, Tier 1 investment management firm
Three core topics, tailored to your brief
Universal design and accessibility
The business case for building for the edges first. Better products, new markets, and the talent your current systems screen out before you meet them. What it looks like in practice — across technology, leadership, and product design.
Power dynamics and who's in the room
The questions most organisations avoid: who's making the decisions, who's affected by them, and who's missing from the conversation entirely. Rights-based intelligence applied to leadership, product, and organisational design — and what changes when you ask them.
Co-designing with lived experience
What changes when the person closest to the problem is in the room as a co-designer and authority, not a research subject. The methodology behind Mogo, bébé bloom, and Bublii — and what it produces that conventional design processes miss.
"In a 25-minute demo, executives experienced VR and storytelling and said: 'You've brought the theory to life. We now know the power of immersive.'"Kirsty Hagen, co-lead of immersive leadership programs across Australia, Europe and the US
"What struck me immediately was the combination: deep technical credibility, lived experience as a neurodivergent founder, and a genuine commitment to making space for people who are too often left out of the room. She builds for it."Karen Cohen, Founder, Emerging Tech Hub and WiET
Where Sara has spoken
Past stages
- WiET — Women in Emerging Technology, keynote across Queensland and Victoria
- Emerging Tech Hub and ACS, keynote
- Algorand — keynote speaker and panellist
- GitLab — shifting power dynamics through active listening
- ABC — Virtual Reality and inclusive leadership
- Diversity and Inclusion Research Conference — co-design and immersive technologies
- Rare Birds — mentor, presenter, and community contributor
Formats
- Keynote — 30 to 60 minutes, tailored to your audience, theme, and brief
- Panel — keynote speaker, moderator, or panellist
- Workshop facilitation — half day or full day, immersive and interactive
- Immersive leadership sessions — with VR where available
Audiences
- Technology and innovation ecosystems
- Enterprise leadership teams
- Diversity, equity and inclusion conferences
- Women in technology and STEM communities
- Emerging technology and Web3 communities
- Founder and entrepreneurship programs
How Sara works with your event
- Pre-event briefing to understand your audience, context, and what you need the room to leave with
- Content tailored to your theme — Sara doesn't deliver a fixed set
- Available for pre-event panels, post-event Q&A, and extended workshop formats
- Speaker kit and bio available on request
Sara Liyanage-Denney is a rights-based specialist, executive coach, and technology founder. She speaks about what happens when emerging technology meets the people it's supposed to serve — and what changes when you build the ethical lens in from the start. The human experience of it. Where harm exists, who's missing, and what better looks like when the people closest to the problem are in the room. Based on Gubbi Gubbi Country, Queensland. Available across Australia and internationally.
Copy this bio for event programmes. High-res headshot and speaker photo available on request.
Available for events across Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, and nationally.
Available for international engagements — Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and UK.
Available for virtual keynotes, panels, and workshop facilitation globally.
How do I book Sara for an event?
What formats are available?
Does Sara speak internationally?
Book Sara for your event
Keynotes, panels, and workshop facilitation across Australia and internationally. Enquire about availability and rates — Sara works with your brief and comes back to you directly.