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"Leona is a genuinely engaging storyteller."

About Me

I’m a psychologist, speaker and (sometimes dark) storyteller who has spent nearly three decades exploring how we can best lead and succeed in life.

Throughout my career my focus has been on leadership psychology – what it takes to become a leader and what it means to be a great one. I've worked with leaders in business, healthcare, the justice system and the Ministry of Defence. As a fully qualified psychologist I am registered with the Healthcare Professionals Council and chartered with the British Psychological Society.

I have a podcast – LeadHERship Journeys – where I delve into the minds of inspirational women to find the secrets to their success, because I am passionate about encouraging more females to lead and succeed. My keynotes are targeted at female leaders and their male allies for this same reason.

 

I am the author of six psychological crime thrillers with Penguin Random House. They have sold into 14 countries and one has been optioned for Film and TV.

My Journey

I was lucky enough to be educated at the Internationally acclaimed Institute of Work Psychology at Sheffield University. I learned my trade selecting officers with the potential for promotion in West Yorkshire police, and then moved into consultancy. This has taken me far and wide, advising leaders across the UK and Europe and in countries such as the USA, India and Kuwait.

 

The 2008 credit crunch provided an opportunity to apply the principles I had been preaching to myself. Facing some dark days with no work to speak of, I tried my hand at writing fiction and a second, parallel career was born. It took ten years to land a publishing deal but it has brought me immense pride and joy.

 

On reaching my 5th decade I realised I had been inspired along the way by so many amazing women doing amazing things but I had kept all this wisdom for myself. As a mum / step-mum with two glorious girls (and a brilliant boy) at home, I decided I needed to share this somehow. And so the podcast was born: a retrospective journey through the success stories of women doing wonderous things. Something for all the ambitious women and girls out there to learn from just like I had.

My Favourite Quote

“Becoming is better than being”

Dr Carol Dweck

Testimonials

"Leona is an engaging, insightful and entertaining speaker.  She communicates thought provoking ideas in a highly relatable manner which resonates with her audience. Her good humoured and insightful manner gives her the ability to really connect with people."
Siobhan Blake
 Chief Crown Prosecutor and Deputy National Lead on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences. Crown Prosecution Service
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