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Looking for a communication keynote speaker who’s more than just a motivational speaker?
One who’s humorous with practical tools?
And I teach some self defense moves (aka ways to de-escalate a situation).
Elaine is different form other keynote speakers more than a personality and motivational hire, she’s actionable, funny and has the 300+ results to prove it some shown here in this reel.
Elaine may not be a bestselling author (yet) but she has 20,000+ clients across 58 different countries and delivered keynotes from Amazon to Kroger (with Ralphs and Food4Less).
Speaking Reel
Navigating High-Stakes Conversations
Why Communication Skills Break Down When There’s Stress
Your leaders are smart. They’ve done the trainings. But when things get stressful the brain’s stress response takes over the part of us that listens, reasons, and chooses words with care. Some people shut down. Some over-explain. Some say things they regret.
It’s cause leaders get triggered. Elaine meets people where they’re wired:
- Some process out loud
- Some need time to reflect
- Some lead with data
- Some with intuition.
Elaine has a Bachelors in Cognitive Sciences from UC Irvine and will share the brain science behind it.
Not Your Typical Motivational Speaker
Yes, Elaine is a speaker on communication, burnout and teamwork. The kind who pairs humor and honesty with research-backed tools. Every keynote is built on her Conscious Conversations® framework, blending business strategy, emotional intelligence, and trauma-informed practice.
You don’t need a bestselling author to tell your team communication matters. They know. They need someone who shows them how when it counts.
Audiences leave with:
- Language for feedback, conflict, and change that protects both trust and results
- Presentation skills that help leaders sound like themselves, not what AI told them to say
- Effective Communication tools when there’s conflict, miscommunication and burnout
Why EI (Emotional Intelligence) Is Important in the AI Edge, My talk in Dubai with AI Founders.
From Grassroots Organizer to Keynote Stage
Before the stage, Elaine spent over a decade as a grassroots organizer and fundraiser, raising $11M for mission-driven initiatives, including helping students from poverty and reentry students return to school. She learned early that the right conversation can move people, money, and entire communities.
Today she’s coached leaders from Amazon, Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Visa, Target, P&G, Nestlé, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and Universal Music Group, plus government agencies, utilities, universities, and nonprofits. They consistently report extraordinary results: multi-six and seven-figure incomes, successful career transitions, stronger teams, and sustainable lives.
Recognition
Elaine has been named MSN’s #1 Business Coach, a Top Executive Coach, and LA Weekly’s #1 Thought Leader to follow. She has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Money, HuffPost, and Yahoo News. She’s a LinkedIn Learning instructor with courses for Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, and USC. She also hosts the WOC & Allies: Business & Career Realtalk® podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Email [email protected] to schedule
If your people are capable but stretched thin, and you want a communication keynote that leaves them with practical tools, Elaine would love to hear what you’re planning.
Why EI (Emotional Intelligence) Is Important in the AI Edge, My talk in Dubai with AI Founders
My Certifications
My Online Courses with Companies
- Arcadia Public School Library – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Augustana College – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Bemidji State University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Brown University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Cal State East Bay – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Cal State East Bay – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- City of Round Rock – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- College of Wooster – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Florida International University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Helen Plum Library – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Lincoln University of Missouri – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Lincoln University of Missouri – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Merrimack College – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Merrimack College – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Oregon State University – Identity Crisis: How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Pace University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- PennState – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- PennState – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Pomona College – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Southern New Hampshire University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Syracuse University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Temple University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- The University of Oklahama – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Toronto Public Library Canada – AI Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Trinity College – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- University of Arkamsas – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- University of Colorado – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- University of Denver – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- University of Florida – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- University of Miami – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- University of Oregon – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- University of Texas at San Antonio – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- USC – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- Villanova University – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- Washington County – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
- White Plains Public Library – How to Realign Your Career with Your Life
- XDreams – Using AI To Make A Career Switch
Want to create a customized course for your company with me?
Email me at [email protected]
Sample of Elaine’s Courses on LinkedIn Learning
APPROVED MEDIA PHOTOS
SELECT MEDIA FEATURES
Taking Business & Direction To The Next Level With The Best Leadership & Executive Coaches
Top Business Coach of 2024
Top 10 Thought Leaders That You Should Follow In 2023
Top 10 Business Coaches in 2023
Want To Get The Raise You Deserve? Try These Three Tips
How a decade spent as a political organizer, including knocking on doors and making hundreds of calls, helped a business coach grow her own company to 6 figures in just 2 years
5 Workplace Trends Job Hunters Need to Know Right Now, According to Career Experts
Forget The Glass Ceiling, ‘The Broken Rung’ Is Why Women Are Denied Promotions
What to Know About Retention Bonuses
Top Career Coach for Women of 2024
Top 15 Coaches in Los Angeles
You Can Still Feel Burnt Out at a Job You Love. Here’s What To Do.
How to stop being so hard on yourself at work.
I work with leaders & companies through coaching and speaking using my Conscious Conversations® model. Some topics I’ve spoken on include:
- Communication
- Burnout
- Emotional Intelligence (EI) and AI
- Teamwork
- Identity Crisis (navigating career + leadership transitions)
- Self-Defense & De-escalation
“Elaine led an engaging and actionable communications workshop for the California Water Association’s Utilities Supplier Diversity Program. Her approach was engaging, funny and integrated science-based techniques that strengthened executive presence, clarity, and decision-making under pressure. Through role-play and real-time feedback our team improved how we communicate in high-stakes environments. Even those of us already confident in communication learned to be more calm, while gaining more strategies.”
“One of my favorite learnings from your session is to always take feedback, but you don’t always have to use it (paraphrasing of course). Thank you for the valuable tools!”
– Cynthia Byrnes, Coca-Cola
Director of Customer Service
“My favorite part was your ability to let others SHINE. You showed us our own power and knowledge by permitting us to help each other out. It sometimes takes people like you to bring it out of us.”
– Vicki Goizueta, PHR, SHRM-CP Acosta Group
Human Resources Business Partner
“I loved the 6-prong framework, I’ve leveraged it and plan to do so, as it’s easy to remember the 6-Ps organized around the visual of the heart. Passion at its core. I just had a real time conversation yesterday. I was part of a team that led a big networking event last week, and when I stepped in and around with the attendees, I owned the room!”
– Brenda Valley, Albertsons
Finance Officer
“I was so impressed with Elaine’s ability to command the room of 20+ executives, coaches and mentors for the training we brought her in to lead to kick off our Cohort #1 Mentorship Coaching Circles. Elaine is such a natural speaker and brings with her an amazing energy that creates an inclusive, safe and inspirational environment.
She spoke to an audience of Mentors for the Project Management Institute’s San Francisco, Bay Area chapter’s coaching circles to provide them with the tools they would need to mentor a group of Project Managers and aspiring Project Managers.
The group was engaged, taking notes, sharing their experiences and gave such great feedback after the training. I am really glad I had her speak to this group to kick off our coaching circles, the wisdom and energy she left them with has certainly made a huge impact on our program.“
— Juliana Wise, MBA, PMP.
“Run, don’t walk, to ask Elaine Lou Cartas to speak. As a first generation Millennial leader, she excels at offering career advice to nonprofit audiences. She has had 25 jobs before working for herself, including a fundraising job at a university. I just had her speak at my 4th annual Fundraising Career Conference and I could not be more pleased with the way that she engaged the audience. What are you waiting for? Get her to speak for you now! In fact, 2 attendees received raises using her steps and strategies!”
— Mazarine Treyz, Founder Fundraising Career Conference.
“Elaine did two amazing workshops for NAAAP on assertiveness, and money. In the Asian culture, it is hard to to speak up especially when it comes to asking for raises. Elaine provided specific word-to-word scripts and strategies to do things like ask for raises, and manage difficult work conversations. In fact, one member was able to stand her ground and ask for a $10k raise.”
— Elizabeth Yang, National President, National Association of Asian American Professionals
“Elaine has spoken at 3 of my classes. Each time, she provides so much enthusiasm with real steps and strategies for my students to succeed. As a result, one of my students who worked with her got featured in Groupon and AirBnb. She over-delivers each time.”
— Dr. Kimberly Shediak, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Instructor, Pasadena City College
I went to Elaine’s Assertiveness workshop and found it helpful and engaging. Unlike other professional workshops, Elaine provided a step-by-step process and examples that I can implement in my own career. She engaged her audience using specific examples of setting boundaries and salary negotiation, and provided solutions. She even broke down the sentence structure, and the specific words she would use, to explain why those exact words needed to be used and not others. What I appreciated the most was the direct discussion of how we, as Asian Americans, are perceived as passive. Even though there are stigmas associated, we can still be assertive using specific techniques to end that stigma and get what we deserve.”
— Osula Lam
Contact Elaine for Your Next Event