Keynote Speaker

Experience Life for Yourself. Exploring human performance in the age of AI.

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Technology is changing the way we live, work, learn and connect.

Artificial intelligence can now help us think, write, create, communicate and make decisions.

But as we focus on what technology can do, Scarlett Vespa asks a different question:

What do human beings still need to experience for themselves?

Because judgement, discernment, adaptability, responsibility and self-trust aren’t simply things we know.

They are capabilities we develop through experience.

Drawing on more than three decades across film and television, creative direction, corporate leadership, branding, entrepreneurship and human development, Scarlett brings together creative thinking, commercial experience and insight into the human experience.

Her keynotes explore what happens when we begin outsourcing the experiences that once developed our human capabilities, and how individuals, leaders and organisations can use technology without outsourcing themselves.

Because the future won’t simply depend on what technology can do.

It will depend on what human beings remain capable of doing for themselves.

You can book her HERE or
Saxton Speakers or ICMI.

Keynotes

experience life for yourself

Building human performance in the age of AI

Technology can give us the outcome.

But it can’t have the experience for us.

As AI increasingly helps us think, decide, create and communicate, Scarlett asks what happens to the human capabilities those experiences once developed.

Drawing on The 7 Essential Human Experiences®, stories, research and live experience, this keynote explores why judgement, discernment, adaptability and self-trust become increasingly valuable as technology becomes more capable.

Audiences discover:

• Why experience is fundamental to developing human capability
• What can happen when we continually outsource judgement and decision-making
• Why uncertainty and friction can be valuable parts of human development
• How to use AI without automatically outsourcing our own thinking
• A simple practice for experiencing first and outsourcing second

The idea audiences leave with:

Before you outsource the answer, have the experience first.

The 7 Essential Human Experiences™

What do human beings need in order to flourish?

Scarlett introduces her original framework exploring seven experiences that shape who we are:

Authenticity. Belonging. Growth. Love. Meaning. Purpose. Safety.

These experiences influence our identity, relationships, decisions and ability to navigate life.

Through relatable stories, practical insights and shared experiences, audiences gain a new lens for understanding themselves, each other and the environments they create.

Audiences leave with practical ways to become more intentional about the experiences that shape how they live, work, lead and connect.

Thriving Through Change

When the world changes, who do we become?

Most people don’t simply struggle with change. They struggle with what change does to their sense of who they are. Whether it’s AI, organisational transformation, career transition or personal change, our circumstances can shift faster than our identity can adapt. Drawing on The 7 Essential Human Experiences®, Scarlett explores why change can create friction, how experience reshapes identity and how we can navigate uncertainty with greater clarity and self-trust. Audiences discover practical ways to understand what change is asking of them and become more intentional about what comes next.

Speaking Topics

Scarlett also speaks on:

  • AI & The Human Experience

  • Human Performance & Leadership

  • Identity & Change

  • The 7 Essential Human Experiences®

  • Human Connection & Culture

Biography as at August 2026:

Scarlett Vespa is a Guide & Artist, keynote speaker, Founder of Making It Human® and The Highland Woman®, and Creator of The 7 Essential Human Experiences®.

For more than 30 years, Scarlett has worked at the intersection of creativity, business, leadership and human development. Her career began in film and television, including working with Disney, before becoming one of Australia’s early female television commercial directors. She went on to lead broadcast strategy for Commonwealth Bank and later founded her own creative agency, working with major brands including Toyota, Westfield and Foxtel.

Across these very different worlds, Scarlett became fascinated by the relationship between experience and identity: how what we experience shapes what we believe, how we make decisions and ultimately who we become. That exploration led her to create The 7 Essential Human Experiences®: Authenticity, Belonging, Growth, Love, Meaning, Purpose and Safety.

Today, through Making It Human®, Scarlett explores an increasingly important question: as technology becomes more capable, what do human beings still need to experience for themselves?

Through keynotes, workshops, programs and media commentary, she explores how experience develops human capabilities including judgement, adaptability, communication, responsibility and self-trust, and why those capabilities become increasingly valuable in a technological world.

Her message is simple: Technology can give us the outcome. But it can’t have the experience for us.
Experience Life for Yourself.

Video Examples

Client Testimonials

Sonya Matthew

Event

She is an authentic and engaging public presenter. Her passion for the subject matter is infectious and as an attendee, you gain a fresh perspective on the major trends that are transforming creativity and innovation across a diverse range of industries.

Jane Simpson

Shift Event

I absolutely had a shift. I realised that I have focused so much on my career, my family and relationships. The day gave me clarity and refreshed me for my business and life. It was amazing to be in a room full of love and intelligence and no judgement.

Participant

EAPA Summit

One of the most genuine people I have met! I enjoyed her presentation and making some adjustments to my own brand today!

Olivia Beauty Editor

Olay Event

I found Scarlett to be really inspiring at the Olay event. She had a great way of encouraging us to focus on the good things in life and take time out to enjoy them. Though we all lead very busy lives, it’s useful to be reminded that it’s important to find time to take care of ourselves.

Cat Pitts-Tucker

She Says Event

Scarlett wowed the audience! She was articulate and held the attention of our ladies to talk about the topic of creativity, In particular, her experience in the creative industry and beyond. We had some great feedback after the event as one our best for the year.

Participant

EAPA Summit

Engaging & confident. A lively presentation and although I have heard her before she speaks, there was so much more valid content to pick up on again.

READY TO WOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Book Scarlett for Your Next Event

For your next event Scarlett will not only wow audience, her knowledge of current tech changes and the impact on business, people and culture will give your audience a unique glimpse into the future of connection.
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