When constant change is the new normal, curiosity becomes our superpower for navigating the future.
In the age of AI, it won’t be the tech skills that matter the most, but the human ones. Since 2003, as technology has reshaped how we live and work, Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie has been advocating for a human future, helping organisations grow human capability and empowering their people to get more curious, connected and ready for what’s next.
A multi-award winning, globally recognised LEGO® Serious Play® expert, cultural futurist, Business News tech & innovation columnist and curiosity keynote speaker, Dr Kate is the creator of SUPERCONNECT®, an internationally used, evidence-based method built on LEGO® Serious Play® that optimises for curiosity, human connection, belonging and psychological safety. Dr. Kate’s sessions create transformative, human-centred experiences that don’t just talk about these concepts, but actually brings them to life in the room. She’ll inspire you to think differently, embrace change, and unlock your creative potential to shape the future.
Combining her engaging and interactive speaking style with her deep expertise in innovation and future focused leadership, Dr Kate has delivered her trainings, workshops and interactive keynotes to thousands of participants across Australia, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Europe including Microsoft, Google, The Mozilla Foundation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Deakin University, The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab, Nine, RSM, Indeed, BDO, Youi Insurance, RAC, CPA Australia, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Department of Finance (WA), WiTWA, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. She’s spoken at TEDxPerth, SXSW (in both Australia and the United States), SXSW Sydney, Remix Summit, PAX Australia and The International LEGO Serious Play conference at Legoland in Denmark, and has been featured in MTV, NPR, Triple J’s Hack, ELLE Magazine, The Australian Financial Review and the Globe and Mail (Canada).
Dr. Kate is the Chief Curiosity Officer at The Up Next Company, where she specialises in helping different leaders stay in alignment with their values while growing or pivoting their businesses during times of change and transition. She is also a past TEDx speaker coach and was recently appointed as the Ambassador for Play and Innovation at Barking Gecko Arts.
What makes Dr Kate different - and what clients consistently say sets her apart - is the depth and rigour behind her work. Most experts come from one discipline. Dr Kate brings four: the PhD-trained cultural anthropologist who understands how and why humans connect; the multi-award winning game designer and graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab who knows how to design compelling and connective experiences; the internationally-trained relationship coach and certified energy practitioner, backed by accredited Mental Health First Aid training, who knows how to safely create and hold space to enable transformation; and the cultural futurist and past senior researcher who sees why the human matters now, and what it means for what’s next. Her SUPERCONNECT®-powered interactive keynotes are where all four converge - and it’s what makes the experience unlike any other.
She is a Professional Member of Professional Speakers Australia and was named one of Western Australia’s 40under40, the Australian Computer Society’s Digital Disruptors Professional of the Year and Incite Achiever of the Year.
Whether it’s a strategy session for a leadership team of four or a keynote for 800, clients say Dr Kate brings a unique mix of credibility, creativity and warmth to every room she steps into - thought-provoking, captivating and unlike anything else.
Talking Points
The Curiosity Effect: Creating a Human Future in the Age of AI
Duration: 45 minute interactive KeynoteThe Curiosity Effect: Creating a Human Future in the Age of AI
AI is changing the way we work. But for most organisations, the real challenge isnt the technology itself. It's the human side - tech fatigue, disconnection, and uncertainty about how to move forward when certainty is no longer possible. When AI levels the playing field for so many capabilities, those capabilities stop being a competitive advantage. Your edge becomes the one thing AI cant replicate: curiosity. The organisations that will thrive wont be the ones that try to predict the future - they'll be the ones using curiosity to create it.
In this interactive keynote, Dr Kate shows why curiosity is the number one skill of the 21st century — and then helps your people reignite theirs. Powered by SUPERCONNECT® and LEGO® Serious Play®, participants don't just hear about curiosity, they experience it. Through a psychologically safe, playful and thought-provoking shared experience, they explore what boosts their curiosity, what gets in its way, and how to intentionally cultivate it.
Your people will leave feeling braver, bolder, more curious and energised… a with a practical pathway to increase their curiosity and adaptability in how they work, think, lead and navigate the future.
Curiously Connected: Rebuilding Trust and Human Connection in the Age of AI
Duration: 60 minute interactive KeynoteCuriously Connected: Rebuilding Trust and Human Connection in the Age of AI
We live in a paradox. After years of social media, algorithms and now AI, we're in the most connected time in human history. And yet we've never felt more disconnected.
AI can do so much, but it can't build real relationships or create human connection.
The future belongs to those who can bring tech together with what makes us uniquely human: trust, connection, belonging and getting curious about each other. In this interactive keynote, Dr Kate doesn't just talk about human connection - she creates it using curiosity and purposeful play as an engine for reconnection. Powered by SUPERCONNECT® and LEGO® Serious Play®, participants use LEGO bricks to make their thoughts and feelings something they can see, hold and share. Barriers break down. Suddenly theyre having better conversations about what really matters - what Dr Kate calls "mutually assured vulnerability.”
Your people will leave feeling reconnected, with a renewed sense of belonging and understanding - of each other and of themselves. Clients call it a game changer. It's the foundation your team needs to do their best work, together.
Video
Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie | Superconnect | Saxton Speakers
Kate is a remarkably capable, inspiring and thoughtful person. Her influence on the WA game developer community speaks for itself, but I was particularly impressed with her abilities as a co ... keep reading Scott Ludlam, Former Senator for Western Australia
It was my pleasure to invite Kate to join me with three other VR/visualisation experts on a panel on 3D Graphics in the World Wide Web' at this year's International World Wide Web conference, held in Perth in April. Kate provided thoughtful insight and clear strategic thinking that provided enormous benefit to a room of researchers and practitioners. I would recommend Kate to as someone both qualified to talk to professionals around these emerging topics in a clear, articulate and engaging way.
Dr. Kate is one of the smartest and most interesting people I know. I am not at all insecure about my own talents, but being around her makes me want to try harder, to think deeper, to step up and be the best I can be. Everything she says comes across as really thought provoking and considered. She has a depth and breadth that really changes the game.
Kate is a top class thinker, leader and facilitator. She ran agames/XR workshop for me at Deakin a while back which gotrave reviews from colleagues. She is hands on and effective, not a lecturer but a leader to new ideas.
We recently invited Kate to be our opening speaker on the second day of our annual flagship event, the Women in Focus Conference, Big Thinkers and Change Makers. To say she was outstanding is an understatement. Knowledgeable, professional, engaging, on point, and captivating. Her keynote was exactly what we were looking for, completely fitted our brief, and theme, the audience was enthralled. I would highly recommend Kate for pretty much anything.
Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie lives in the intersection of creative curiosity and credible contribution. As a speaker and business influencer, Kate lives on the edge of the future, translating the vast, expansive and ever-evolving world of emerging technology. She has a sharp focus on amplifying curiosity as the number one skill for leaders and organisations seeking to navigate an unknown world with clarity and forward momentum. I highly recommend booking Dr. Kate as a speaker.
Kate is an exceptionally genuine person who is generous with her time and expertise. Kate spoke at our recent Connect Expo and was a joy to work with in the lead up and execution of the event. I am happy to say that I will keep Kate top of mind for further opportunities to collaborate and suggest others do the same.
Kate is a great speaker who mixes informative and evidence-based research with an engaging and thought-provoking presentation. Her research and understanding of the future of the classroom, and the future of work, makes her a great speaker to hear. She directly influenced the direction of one of my articles.
Kate introduced us to Lego Serious Play brilliantly, focusing us on ourselves with amazing energy and enthusiasm. We each took something personal away from the experience and quickly learnt something new about each of the participants. The group took away various impressions from the experience, describing Lego Serious Play as a mindfulness tool and Johari window. A great approach to running visioning workshops, quickly getting on the same page or gelling as a team.
We were very fortunate to secure Kate as a Keynote Speaker at the 2019 WA Education Summit that was held at Optus Stadium earlier this year. Her engaging and energetic talk discussed leveraging games as a culture to help prepare for the future of work and education, and what a response it had on our audience! We broke Twitter, yes, we broke Twitter! OK, we trended second nationally with our hashtag #WAES19 while Kate was talking; not bad at all! Twitter aside, the feedback on her talk was incredible. Her message about the Power of Play was thought provoking and powerful, and the delegates embraced it. Thanks again Kate for helping to make our event such a success!
Experiencing a LEGO Serious Play session with Kate was eye opening to say the least.... With Kate's guidance, we got really curious on the way to best frame the questions I had at that moment. Cue the playlist and set the timer a recipe for us overthinkers to channel that energy into feeling the shapes, the colors, and the music. You are brought into the present moment to see the metaphors arise from the scenes you create. Kate's session brought awareness on many levels that are still unfolding to this day. I am so grateful for her guidance and would recommend this for anyone who feels stumped by an issue and wants to explore possible solutions you'll be surprised by what you learn.
Kate moderated our Q&A session with acclaimed game designer Navid Khonsari at AIDC 2017. I was thoroughly impressed with Kate's work, especially about the quality of the conversation and rapport between her and Navid. We also had an unprecedented level of positive feedback at this year's event, and Kate played an important part of that.
Entertaining, bold, and clever. Those are just a few of the words you can use to describe Dr Kate. She has more talent and skills at keynote event facilitation featuring Lego than [LEGO Masters hosts] Will Arnett and Hamish Blake combined. As the star attraction of my organization's virtual AGM, Kate kept the audience entertained and intrigued with her presentation and accompanying workshop. A truly memorable and inspiring presenter!
We had the pleasure of having Dr Kate as our keynote speaker at our recent Business and Finance Symposium and I can't recommend her highly enough. She held our audience of 200 captivated as she shared her passion for igniting curiosity in both your personal and professional life. This was all capped off with her interactive LEGO session as our guests explored the concept of curiosity and what it means to them. Feedback from our guests was overwhelmingly positive. Thanks for sharing your story and helping to make us all a bit more curious Kate.
Kate is one of these unique people who questions, inspires and enlightens people around her. When we were planning the WiTWA Tech [+] Conference in 2021, there was no doubt in my mind that she would use her magic to create something amazing... and she did. One of the reasons her segment was one of the most popular at our conference was that she used all the tools in her toolkit to work with us in advance, ensuring that we tailored the experience for our audience.
Loved using LEGO to explain what's happening in my brain. Fantastic... a great blend of research and play. Highly recommended!" A different way of looking at things, wonderful!
This was by far one of the best team activities we have invested in. A game changer. There is so much we discovered during the session and it definitely brought the team closer together.
