Speaking
Not motivational. Relateable.
Mixing honest storytelling with real-world lessons, Andrea shares what she’s learned from life, while sparking reflection, me-too moments, and conversations that matter.
Are you looking for an honest and relatable keynote speaker, facilitator, presenter, podcast guest, panelist, or MC for your next event?
That’s me!
And when I say honest and relatable, I mean it.
I’m not your typical “if you believe it you can do it” inspiration speaker.
Because life can be really hard and diffcult sometimes.
So let’s talk about it. Let’s go there. And let’s do it together.
Featured On / In the Press
Have you organised or attended an event and the speaker is all…
You can do anything!
Never give up!
Just believe!
You can do [insert the thing] here!
I can teach you how to conquer…
Follow my exact steps and you too can…
I can show you how to overcome…
Um, no thanks.
While some might find these speakers “inspirational” or “motivational”, I often find them overly simplistic and often completely unrealistic.
And since you’re here, looking for something different for your next event, I’m guessing you think the same way .
And while it might be a bit scary to pick a not-the-norm inspirational and motivational speaker, it might also be exactly what you and your audience are looking for.
If you’d like to explore how I can bring inspiration and motivation to you next event with a mixture of honesty, relatability, and dose of reality, I would love to hear from you.
You can reach me at hello@learningfromlife.com.au or fill out the contact form here.
A bit about Andrea
Andrea is the founder of Learning from Life, partner, mum of two, multiple award and scholarship recipient. She has published and presented internationally, and appeared and been featured in print, radio, and television in both Canada and Australia.
With more than 25 years’ experience across universities, local government, and community organisations in Canada, England, and Australia, she has also contributed extensively as a volunteer, including roles such as Media Information Desk Attendant at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics; School Council President at Diamond Valley College; and President of Vancouver Masters Synchro Club.
A former competitive synchronised swimming athlete, coach, and judge, Andrea brings the focus, discipline, teamwork, and resilience of high-performance sport to her work with people and organisations. Known for sharing what she has learned from her personal, academic, professional, and community experiences, she creates non-judgemental spaces where people feel safe to reflect, share their stories, and learn from one another.
Throughout all of this, Andrea has also navigated the often-debilitating experiences of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and functional neurological disorder. These lived experiences deeply inform her ability to share, connect, and Learn from Life.
Keynote topics include:
living, learning, leading, and parenting with a mental illness
the life-long impact of teenage sexual assault
how to win awards, scholarships, and graduate with distinction
how being open, honest, vulnerable, and willing can bring so many rewards and joys
how standing up and advocating for yourself and others, while sometimes difficult, is (almost) always worth it
“This is what I know.
This is what I’ve experienced.
This is what I’ve learned.”
The Long Bio
Andrea is the founder of Learning from Life, partner, mum of two, and multiple award and scholarship recipient with more than 25 years’ experience working across universities, aged care, local government, and community organisations in Canada, England, and Australia.
Growing up in Hamilton, Canada, and later living England, Vancouver, and now Hurstbridge (Melbourne) Australia, Andrea’s curiosity, love of learning, and listening to others led her to complete and graduate with distinction from an Honours BA at McMaster University (Canada) and an MA at the University of Leeds (England), and to undertake PhD studies at Flinders University (Australia). She has also travelled extensively throughout Canada, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, United States, and Australia.
Across her career, Andrea has worked at Flinders University, La Trobe University, McMaster University, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation, Nillumbik Shire Council, Melbourne Legacy, and Jewish Care, as well as in management roles in residential aged care.
Her work has been published in the Gerontological Society of America, the Leeds Centre for Disability Studies Disability Archive, the Life Writing Series for the McMaster Centre for Gerontological Studies, among other outlets.
She has presented at the Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology, and at the Canadian Association on Gerontology Annual Scientific and Educational Conference. She has also helped organise, facilitate, present, and chair conferences, competitions, forums, panels, and information sessions across England, Canada, and Australia.
Alongside her professional leadership roles, Andrea has contributed to her community through positions such as Media Information Desk Attendant at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics; School Council President at Diamond Valley College; President Vancouver Masters Synchro Club; President Diamond Valley Toy Library; and Committee Member for the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability.
Andrea has been featured in Australian and Canadian media including Daily Mail Australia, The Hamilton Spectator, The Hamilton Mountain News, CHCH TV, C-MORE Radio, 900 CHML Radio, and Y95 Radio.
A former competitive synchronised swimming athlete, coach, and judge, Andrea brings the focus, discipline, teamwork, and resilience of high-performance sport to her work with people and organisations.
Known for sharing what she has learned from her personal, academic, and professional experiences, Andrea creates non-judgemental spaces where people feel safe to reflect, share their stories, and learn from one another.
Throughout all of this, Andrea has also navigated the often-debilitating experiences of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and functional neurological disorder. These lived experiences deeply inform her ability to share, connect, and Learn from Life.
Want to know more?
Fill in the form or send me an email hello@learningfromlife.com.au to discuss how I can bring my unique blend of honesty and relatability as your next:
Keynote
Facilitator
Presenter
Podcast guest
Panelist
MC
