Keynote Speaking

For years, I was on the sidelines as the speechwriter holding the clipboard. Now, I’m centre stage and I’ll tell your audience how they can get there too.

I’m a former communications manager who’s been vulnerable and victorious on reality TV. After a decade in boardrooms, and some crying on primetime TV, I deliver keynotes in a relatable, honest and encouraging way. Thanks to years of comedy training, I can make you laugh too.

My keynotes inspire resilience, authenticity and growth during times of change and challenge. I draw on the unique experience of playing a reality strategy game, watching my portrayal on TV and being dissected by millions on the Internet, to deliver impactful talks. Through a series of inspirational anecdotes and vulnerable personal storytelling, I empower those who feel underestimated to see that they can win. As a Filipino immigrant and Queer late bloomer, I have a special interest in stories that empower women, BIPOC and Queer communities.

 Signature Topics

  • The Power of Being Underestimated

    Everyone is dealt a different hand and not all of them are equal. When you unlock the power that comes from being underestimated you can win with purpose and authenticity. I tell my story of growing up as one of the only Filipino kids in school, building a career that relegated me to a supporting role and how the lessons I learned propelled me to become a historic champ on one of the world’s biggest TV shows.

    Key takeaways :

    • Learning to trust your gut and having confidence in your abilities even when you feel isolated

    • The important of living with purpose to help overcome obstacles

    • Finding community when you feel like you’re in the minority

  • Change is constant. We experienced a lot of it over the last few years. It’s easy to get caught up in how the circumstances are always changing and nothing is clear. In this talk, I demonstrate through personal storytelling how when the rules of the game are always in flux, focusing on people leads to the win.

    As the first Canadian winner of the TV series Survivor, I share my story of going from on-paper perfectionist to flexible, people-focused player. I persevered through being underestimated and figured out how to be successful in a game where the rules changed and looked very different from what I expected.

    Key takeaways:

    • How a people-focused mindset is the ultimate asset when navigating times of change

    • How a fulsome life outside the “game” fuels perseverance and makes for a “better player”

    • The importance of celebrating the rewarding parts of one’s work, even when facing adversity

  • Those big decision-making moments like deciding on a career path, choosing a college or planning your life after graduation can be terrifying. The stakes are high and the wrong decision feels like it could send you down a path to failure. When the road ahead is unclear, letting go of perfectionism and embracing exploration can help you discover your purpose and passions.

    As the first Canadian winner of the TV series Survivor, I share my story of being so focused on doing the “smart” thing that I ended up in a decade-long career I wasn’t passionate about. After accepting that what felt good didn’t look right on paper, I found the freedom to make even bigger dreams come true.

    Key takeaways:

    • The benefit of figuring out what you love to do, instead of what you should do

    • Normalizing not having it figured out and accepting that our journeys are not straightforward

    • Trusting yourself to try is the ultimate win

  • I’ve ghostwritten many keynotes during my decade-long communications career. I love understanding an organization’s goals and audience to create a custom keynote that’s empowering, approachable and aligned with your strategy.

Testimonials

  • “To say we were blown away is an understatement. Aside from being an absolute pleasure to deal with, Erika delivered a compelling presentation that was entertaining, impactful and completely on brief. Erika worked closely with the organizers to understand the intent and themes of the day, and worked with us to ensure her content was both relevant and engaging. Her presentation was an absolute highlight of the event.”

    Corporate client

  • “Her empowering words of advice for our attendees left them believing that they could do anything they put their mind to and that they could continue making an impact in the world. We hope to have Erika back and would highly recommend her as a speaker at your next event!”

    Not-for-Profit Client

  • “Erika excelled as the moderator for our International Women’s Day event. With a panel of five executive team members, she skillfully kept the team engaged during one of our biggest employee events of the year. Her performance was truly phenomenal and I would highly recommend her for future panel or keynote speaking events!”

    Corporate Client

  • “Erika was very friendly and confident portraying a great role model for attendees to look up to. All her messages were very applicable to the audience at the session, and would act as encouragement to explore any and all opportunities. Overall, I really enjoyed this session and would have loved to continue to listen to Erika speak!”

    Campus Event Client

  • “This was literally like watching a movie and seeing your favourite character succeed. I’m so inspired!”

    Audience Member

Book Erika for your next event