Joanne
Lockwood

Great storytelling used to lead us through Joanne's life and the challenges she has overcome. The comments from the Leadership team at the end were very positive — that Joanne was the star of the call and that she was really excellent. I have never seen this call of 110 people so silent and still — they were enthralled. Thank you, Joanne — you are a star and changed some minds today.

Joanne conducted two highly successful workshops for our team at Plantlife. Many of our team members have described these workshops as the best training they've ever received. As a result of Joanne's training, we have made a significant stride forward in understanding and achieving our inclusion ambitions. I wholeheartedly recommend her training for its effectiveness in advancing organisational goals related to diversity and inclusion.

Joanne was the epitome of an authentic, open, and genuinely moving speaker. Her ability to perfectly mix challenge with humour made her presentation not only impactful but also incredibly memorable. Thank you, Joanne, for bringing such a balanced and engaging approach to your speech.

Joanne presented as part of our Annual Employment Conference, delivering the final session of the event. Not only was the content and delivery captivating, but she also included comments from the previous presentations to bring it all together — a very intelligent presenter who gauges her audience perfectly and delivers in a professional and engaging style. The best leaders don't have all the right answers, they facilitate the team to come up with them!

Joanne spoke at our Leadership conference titled 'Waving Through the Window,' where we delved into the experiences of leaders from different industries. She delivered an outstanding presentation, articulating her journey with clarity, honesty, and great insight. The feedback from her session has been fantastic, and we would not hesitate to recommend Joanne for your organisation.

I strongly recommend this training for everyone in the leading edge at SBG. This training is essential for cultivating a truly inclusive culture. Leaders can only be genuinely inclusive if they understand what it entails and are equipped to act as true allies. I plan to suggest this to my manager, emphasising its importance for all our leaders.

Her presentation was incredibly well received by delegates — the positive feedback we received has been absolutely overwhelming. Joanne is personable, professional and has an incredible ability to share her story in an honest and informative way which encouraged delegates to open up and really listen. She also provided a number of practical tools for attendees to take away, and equipped them with skills to be better mentors.

Joanne stands out not only as a remarkable speaker but also as a truly exceptional human being. When she entered the conference at Hiring Success, hosted by SmartRecruiters in Berlin, all she needed to do was be herself, and she effortlessly attracted the audience's attention and admiration. This sentiment is not just my own; it's a reflection shared by many who witnessed her captivating presence and impactful speech.

Meeting Joanne by chance just before my talk at the People Power conference turned out to be a stroke of luck. Initially, I stayed for her session out of courtesy, arrogantly believing I already knew most things about Diversity and Inclusion. However, Joanne's presentation was a complete eye-opener — she made a familiar subject incredibly interesting, clever, and moving. I have never felt so inspired by a speaker before.

Working with Joanne on the 1st French Tech DIB Pan-European Summit was an immensely pleasurable and enriching experience. Her exceptional talent, innovative ideas, and marvellous sense of humour made her an outstanding partner and advisor throughout the event. Joanne's ability to cause 'good trouble' — the best kind — truly set her apart as a unique and invaluable contributor in the field.

I would recommend Joanne to any organisation who is looking to improve organisational culture, and specifically in relation to improvement to staff experience, inclusion and belonging. I can't wait to invite Joanne back again to support us.

We were extremely honoured to have Joanne participate in Levi's inaugural Diversity and Inclusion day. Joanne intuitively understood our goals, contributing to the event's success. Her discussion was fearless, honest, thought-provoking, and incredibly real, creating a moment that attendees won't soon forget. I am hopeful and excited about the prospect of working with Joanne again in the future.

Our D&I Network at Brainlabs, 'Know Different', recently held an event focused on creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces, and Joanne was a standout contributor. Joanne's ability to tell a story is remarkable — her talk was engaging, moving, and empowering from the start. I am very hopeful and excited about the prospect of having Joanne join us at future events, given the significant impact she has already made.

As a panellist at the Global Speakers Summit 2022 in Dublin, chaired by Joanne, I witnessed firsthand her exceptional ability to orchestrate a meaningful and impactful discussion. From our initial online meeting to the mainstage event, everything was calm, competent, and comprehensive, resonating well with the audience. Her even, empathetic, and heartfelt approach allowed the panel to effectively communicate the importance of aligning with diverse viewpoints.

I have had the privilege of hearing Joanne speak on multiple occasions, and each time she has made a lasting impression. Her expertise in storytelling, combined with an authentic style, not only captivates but truly immerses you in the narrative. Her talks are consistently thought-provoking and inspirational, always leaving the audience with practical, actionable insights.

Joanne travelled a considerable distance to deliver her keynote talk 'From Zero to Hero — Building a Speaking Business' at my Professional Speaking Association region. Her presentation provided key messages that were delivered clearly and relatably, with actionable outcomes. For anyone seeking a keynote speaker who can boost self-confidence, motivation, inspiration, and the desire to succeed, Joanne is an exemplary choice.

Joanne was an exceptionally engaging and warm speaker. Her ability to deliver content was not only excellent but also distinctively different from typical trainers who rely on scripts. Her authentic and insightful presentation style set a new standard for what an effective and engaging training session should be like.

Joanne is a fantastic trainer and facilitator. Her methods and style are inclusive, challenging and supportive, helping participants navigate what can be sensitive discussions. Her non-judgmental but questioning approach helps people to explore and consider their understanding and attitudes in the safe space that she creates.

I had the great pleasure of having Joanne speak at the APDO Virtual Conference on Diversity and Inclusion. Her presentation was not only extremely engaging but also got the audience actively thinking and discussing aspects of diversity and inclusion in ways they hadn't before. I highly recommend Joanne as a public speaker — her ability to foster open discussions on sometimes difficult topics is remarkable.

Just wanted to say wow wow wow to Joanne's training. Today's session was in my opinion the best yet — she's excellent at being up to date, relevant, positive, meaningful, real, pragmatic, and gentle but focused in her delivery of it. Makes me proud to work for North Star and be part of the inclusion group.

At the Outsource D&I event in partnership with the NCSC I heard Jo speak for the 2nd time. As with her 1st talk it was fantastically delivered and truly engaging. Most of all Jo's passion truly translates to energy and authenticity, which is very evident to see in the audience.

Joanne created an incredibly well-held, safe space, covering sensitive topics in an informative and expansive way. The session was both engaging and inclusive, and we would love to work with her again without question.

As the emcee and a presenter for our annual event, Joanne displayed an exceptional level of professionalism coupled with a calming demeanour that instantly put everyone at ease. Despite any last-minute changes that arose, Joanne remained focused on the core objectives of the event, ensuring its success while demonstrating confidence and flexibility.

Joanne was an engaging and thought-provoking speaker who highlighted why embracing all individuals and celebrating their uniqueness is so important within the workplace. People need to feel that they belong, not just that they are equal.

Joanne did the afternoon keynote speech at our end of mentoring programme celebration. She was absolutely captivating. She skilfully addressed our themes around the power of mentoring, self-belief, personal goals, and paying it forward to make a difference to your own and others' lives.

Enlightening, informative, meaningful, appropriate — so many things. More inspired to carry on the work in this area and to keep on learning.

I thought I had a good awareness, but after attending Joanne's inspirational talk, I now see that there is a lot to learn.

Joanne recently joined the lululemon EMEA collective for a talk on inclusion, focusing on storytelling and how to be better allies. Every attendee was deeply moved by the courage she displayed in sharing her personal journey. Her passionate storytelling provided us with a profound understanding and practical ways to act as allies in the workplace. We've received outstanding feedback, and the talk has spurred ongoing discussions about fostering inclusive environments.

Working with Joanne over the past year has been an incredible experience. Her openness and honesty in discussing her experiences as a trans woman have sparked significant and ongoing insightful discussions among LexisNexis Risk Solutions Group employees — well beyond the events themselves. Her ability to put the audience at ease, encouraging them to ask questions and providing engaging, direct answers, has been highly appreciated by my colleagues.

Joanne is an exceptional speaker on diversity and inclusion. Her ability to share her personal story in a way that touches both the hearts and minds of our staff was truly remarkable. Her session was not only informative but also deeply impactful, creating a lasting impression on all who attended. Joanne's contributions have been invaluable in advancing our understanding and support of inclusivity in our workplace.

Joanne and Marie's fireside chat with our organisation was a profoundly open and candid sharing of their life experiences. Their honesty fostered a secure environment, encouraging active engagement and questions from the participants. The session was engaging and laced with candid humour but also deeply emotional, educative, and informative. My colleagues and I gained significant understanding and empathy from this session.

Joanne and Marie delivered an incredibly moving and insightful speaker session at ManyPets, as part of our ongoing Pride celebrations. Both speakers were succinct, open, and truly inspirational, offering a fascinating glimpse into their journey from both perspectives of their relationship. Their session was eye-opening and enriching, and I would not hesitate to recommend them.

Working with Joanne on the delivery of the UK Athletics 'Raise the Bar' event was the first time we'd worked together, but you wouldn't have thought so. Joanne made my job so easy and was hugely supportive of what we wanted to achieve. I recommend any organisation to work with Joanne and SEE Change Happen so they too can start the conversation about inclusion.

Joanne conducted an exceptionally thought-provoking and engaging session as part of our 'Ask Anything' series. She shared her own experiences and adeptly handled questions from the group with a mix of sensitivity, good humour, and grace. Joanne's deep knowledge as an inclusion speaker was evident, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her for her valuable insights and ability to engage diverse audiences.

Thank you, Joanne — it was an absolute pleasure to meet you. Your knowledge, humour and humility shone through and I have learnt so much from you.