Leadership Speaker Stepping Up as Vice President of the Professional Speaking Association East Midlands

This year, I step into the role of Vice President for the Professional Speaking Association UK & Ireland, East Midlands.

As a leadership speaker with a specialism in wellbeing, this role is important as the PSA represents something more than platforms or profiles. It’s a professional home for people who take speaking seriously, whether that’s on stage, in leadership rooms, or through structured training and facilitation.

A growing Professional Speaking Association and a strong East Midlands region

The Professional Speaking Association is now 14 regions strong across the UK and Ireland.

Scotland has grown so significantly that it has split into East (Edinburgh) and West (Glasgow), a clear signal that professional speaking is being taken seriously as a profession, not a hobby.

That growth places East Midlands as the largest region outside London and Ireland. With that comes energy, diversity of experience, and real opportunity for speakers at every stage of their journey.

From business owner to leadership wellbeing speaker in the Professional Speaking Association

Although I formally stepped into the professional speaking world in April 2024, when joining the PSA, speaking itself has been part of my work for much longer.

For 15 years, I spoke professionally on behalf of the business I exited in 2025. Training rooms, workshops, and leadership conference stages were all part of the role, even if I didn’t describe myself as a professional speaker at the time.

Joining the Professional Speaking Association marked a shift. Not a reinvention, but a decision to treat speaking as its own discipline. One that requires craft, structure, reflection, and continual development.

Alongside my work as a leadership speaker that specialises in wellbeing, I also support founders and senior leaders through business mentoring, helping them navigate responsibility, pressure, and growth without becoming the bottleneck in their own success.

👉 Business mentoring for leaders and founders

Who should join the Professional Speaking Association as a professional or leadership speaker?

If you regularly speak to groups of people, you should seriously consider joining the PSA.

That includes leadership speakers (as well as other topics), trainers, facilitators, and anyone delivering professional content in rooms or on stages. If speaking is a core part of how you deliver value, the Professional Speaking Association provides peer support, professional development, and standards that are hard to replicate elsewhere.

Many of the rooms I speak in today focus on leadership, culture, and mental health, areas where speaking responsibly matters just as much as speaking confidently.

As a leadership mental health and wellbeing speaker, my work explores the hidden cost of carrying too much for too long, and how leaders can perform sustainably without burning themselves out.

👉 Leadership mental health and wellbeing speaker

Celebrating leadership and professional speaking success in the East Midlands

One of the standout opportunities within the PSA is the annual speaker competitions.

Last year, Sarah Stones won Emerging Speaker of the Year at a regional level, and Mark Saxby won Professional Speaker of the Year for the East Midlands. Both went on to represent the region at the national competition.

These awards aren’t just about trophies. They create stretch, invite meaningful feedback, and help speakers see themselves differently, often as professionals rather than people who “sometimes speak”.

Leadership Speaker and Professional Speaking Association FAQs

• What is a leadership speaker?
  A leadership speaker works with organisations, teams, and leaders to explore challenges such as responsibility, performance, culture, and wellbeing through talks, workshops, and facilitated sessions.
• What does the Professional Speaking Association do?
  The PSA supports speakers across the UK and Ireland through professional development, peer learning, ethical standards, and regional communities.
• Do you need to be a full-time speaker to join the Professional Speaking Association?
  No. Many members combine speaking with business ownership, consultancy, or training. If speaking is a regular and professional part of your work, the PSA is relevant.
• Is the Professional Speaking Association only for keynote speakers?
  No. It supports keynote speakers, trainers, facilitators, speakers, and subject-matter experts.

Looking ahead as Vice President

As a leadership speaker working within the Professional Speaking Association, this role allows me to support others who want to speak with purpose, credibility, and long-term impact.

The PSA has played a key role in my own development as a professional speaker. Stepping into the Vice President role is about giving something back, while helping others step forward with confidence and clarity.