Yvonne Kelly

I am the CEO and Co-Founder of Glow Up Careers, a Certified Social Enterprise dedicated to empowering career dreams for everyone, regardless of their background. Born in Ireland and with over 20 years of expertise in the recruitment industry in Australia, I bring a deep understanding of corporate talent pipelines and the practical challenges of inclusive hiring. My mission-driven work has resulted in significant impact, having supported over 2,500 individuals from refugee and migrant backgrounds with personalised 1:1 career coaching and workshops to access meaningful work.

A key accomplishment is the pioneering Corporate Volunteering Program we developed to drive systemic change within large organisations. This initiative provides professional development for Leaders and Managers to train as Career Coaches, with over 300 professionals from organisations including Atlassian, Honeywell, Paramount Pictures, and Microsoft, participating to become Internal Inclusion Ambassadors. This success is coupled with the launch of an Inclusive Job Board in partnership with CareerOne.

My value as a speaker lies in my ability to translate the complex intersection of AI technology, social impact, and talent strategy into actionable corporate blueprints. I demystify the secret to true inclusive hiring by focusing on the lived-experience model, revealing how AI and technology, if not carefully governed, can unintentionally create barriers for diverse talent. Audiences love learning from me because my sessions move beyond theoretical DEI concepts to offer practical, strategic solutions. I equip corporate leaders to build 'Career Agility' within their staff and demonstrate how embedding social conscience and empathy into hiring is the ultimate competitive advantage for the modern talent industry. I have spoken at major events and organisations including the RCSA Shape Conference, KPMG, Microsoft, and UNHCR.