It was a great pleasure to have Emma at the conference. Her topic on teacher well-being was of particular interest to our counterparts and bank staff. Emma’s in-depth knowledge and practical insights were extremely valuable. As an established speaker, her engagement with the audience was outstanding. Her breadth and depth of knowledge, combined with excellent communication skills, sparked rich discussions among the conference participants. We very much look forward to other opportunities of collaborating with Emma.
Anna Berdzenadze, Education Specialist, World Bank
Dr. Emma Kell served as a plenary speaker at the AAIE (Association for the Advancement of International Education) Conference in February 2025, delivering an insightful, impactful and enjoyable presentation. From the outset, Emma demonstrated the professionalism— inquisitive about our community, eager to align her message with our theme, and truly dedicated to crafting a meaningful and thought-provoking talk. She asked the right questions, remained highly responsive, and ensured that her presentation was both relevant and engaging. Emma’s talk was widely regarded as inspiring, thought-provoking, and profoundly relevant, capturing the attention of international education leaders from around the world. She emphasized the critical responsibility of caring for those we lead, addressing key issues such as compassion fatigue, stress management, and the importance of setting boundaries. Additionally, she provided valuable insights on nurturing personal well-being, self-care strategies, and fostering a sustainable work-life balance. Emma commanded the stage with confidence and grace, seamlessly guiding the AAIE Global Conversation with depth and expertise. Her ability to connect with our audience and deliver such a compelling message makes her a speaker we would welcome back without hesitation. We highly recommend her.
Laura Light, Executive Director for the Association for the Advancement of International Education
Dr Emma Kell, EdD, is an experienced teacher, senior leader, researcher and public speaker. Her extensive knowledge of England's education system is manifest in her work, which forms the basis for her well crafted, well articulated and edgy speeches. As with her research, Dr Kell's practice as a teacher/ school leader, as well as her work in public speaking, firmly combines key conceptual elements of social justice - such as respect and equity. I have known Dr Kell for the last 10 years, and I can testify of her professionalism, her positive work ethic, and her ability to work with diverse audiences. Dr Kell is an inspiration, and an inspirational speaker, and to work with her is the fruit of common sense.
Paul Miller, Prof of Educational Leadership & Social Justice
Emma is warm, witty, clear and compelling. She offers thoughtful insights, connects with her audience and is keen to support and challenge her listeners to be their professional best without sacrificing their health and wellbeing.
Dr Jill Berry, Education Consultant and Former Headteacher
Emma’s presentation was perfectly pitched and left us feeling positive with a renewed sense of purpose about the work that we do. Colleagues used language such as ‘uplifting, motivating, empowering and thought provoking’ in the feedback that they gave, and we all wished that we could have listened to Emma for longer. I would have no hesitation in recommending Emma and we are looking forward to inviting her back to Claycots in the very near future!
Sarah Mijatovich, Headteacher, Claycots School
Emma is a passionate, energetic and engaging speaker with a wealth of experience and deep research knowledge which she uses with integrity to illustrate her unwavering support for teachers and their wellbeing.
Sally Bishop, Education Consultant and Coach
Emma’s warmth, wisdom and insight really resonated with all staff. Emma truly ‘gets it’ and could therefore match the realities of teaching with practical advice that staff could use immediately to help with their own wellbeing and help manage their workload. Staff were positively buzzing after Emma’s inspiring keynote and their requests to hear more from her have now been met and we look forward to welcoming her back for more staff training. She is also one of the loveliest people to work with!
Hannah Mitchem, Deputy Headteacher, Townley Grammar School
Emma's Wellbeing session for School Business Leaders was the most popular event of the year. Emma's ability to truly empathise and understand the challenges that we face, and to offer practical and tangible solutions to self care and our own wellbeing, was exceptional. We will carry Emma's expert advice and practical humanity with us, as tools and touchstones, as we walk through challenging times.
Hilary Goldsmith, School Business Leader
Very well prepared, excellent tone from the outset. Staff left feeling 'warm and fuzzy'. It felt like a celebration of the reasons why we all teach and acknowledgements of the successes and challenges we face. Emma's professional experience and current 'in the trenches' work allowed for all staff to really feel that they were talking to someone who 'gets it'.
Becky Black, Headteacher
Coaching has had a huge impact on me. Beyond words really. Even simply knowing these sessions were on the horizon has pulled me back from the brink of panic. Thanks to Emma's insights, I've been able to take a step back, reflect, sort out my priorities and regain my sense of humour and spark. Emma has helped me carve out the space to relax and just breathe. She is perceptive, a lesson in listening, wise, fun, experienced, helped me distinguish between those glass and plastic balls, given perspective on the institution of teaching, what is reasonable to expect and what isn't. As a result I feel all set now to step forward with confidence in the new year, and knowing there is someone out there who understands.
I found this a really personalised process. You allowed me to lead the sessions and the narrative, whilst also challenging me to think differently and see things about myself in a different way. I really do feel this has re-energised me and enabled me to see a value in myself that I did not before. The way you got me to look at things from different perspectives and the tools you used to support things you asked or said really resonated with me. I left every session with something to think about, which has enabled me to reflect and reframe scenarios or information in a positive way moving forward. I feel empowered after these sessions and I feel I have gained so much knowledge and strategies that will also help me support both myself and colleagues around me.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for coaching me over the past few months. I began in quite a confused place and ended with real clarity of thought and practical ideas for my next steps. Your gentle and supportive coaching style really suited me and although the process was challenging, it was very rewarding. Your skillful questioning helped me to tap into my core values and reignite my sense of purpose. Since I made my decision, I've even felt a release in the tension I'd been carrying around in my neck so there have been both physical and emotional improvements!