VALERIYA HJERTENAES

Award-Winning International Keynote Speaker on Leadership & Peak Performance | Only Person to Both Host and Compete on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior | US Lacrosse Coach of the Year | Author of FAIL PROOF: Become The Unstoppable You | 5-Time TEDx Speaker | Featured on Good Morning America & The Adam Carolla Show| World Record Holder

Paris

ABOUT VALERIYA HJERTENAES

Valeriya Hjertenaes is a PhD-level expert in Neurodiversity and Sustainable Leadership, working at the intersection of human performance, social sustainability, and leadership in complex systems.

A neurodivergent leader with lived experience of OCD, she redefines cognitive diversity as a strategic performance advantage — enhancing decision intelligence, innovation, and long-term organizational resilience.

She is the creator of the 5E ENABLERS Method™, a leadership framework that transforms human complexity into measurable performance across People • Profit • Planet.

Speaking six languages and representing a multicultural background, Valeriya is also a compassionate mentor, coach, and trusted advisor to executives and high-performing leaders, and a proud mother of two adopted children.

She is an international keynote speaker and award-winning podcast host of Diversity is THE GAME CHANGER!

SPEAKING TOPICS

Leadership & Neurodiversity | Sustainable Leadership & Organizational Sustainability | Human Performance, Emotional Intelligence & Mental Fitness | Self-Leadership & Personal Growth | Innovation & Future of Work | Organizational Culture & Transformation | Diversity of Thought & Inclusive Leadership | Responsible AI & Ethical Leadership

From OCD to PhD: Neurodiversity Leadership Is THE GAME CHANGER

Neurodiversity is not a weakness — it’s your cognitive uniqueness.

Based on her own journey from living with OCD to becoming a PhD expert and global keynote speaker, Valeriya Hjertenaes delivers a powerful and deeply personal keynote that reframes neurodiversity as a driver of innovation, resilience, and sustainable performance.

Through her lived experience and the 5E Enablers Method™, she shows how what we often perceive as limitations can become structured leadership strengths — transforming cognitive differences into clarity, precision, and high-impact decision-making.

This keynote challenges how we see ourselves and others, leaving audiences with a new understanding of human potential:

Different minds are not limitations — they are your unique cognitive edge.

Neurodiversity as a Leadership Advantage: Unlocking Cognitive Diversity for Sustainable Performance

Neurodiversity and the 3Ps — People, Profit, Planet — are we ready to align them for real performance? ( Or even bolder: Can We Happily Marry Them?)

A high-impact keynote connecting neurodiversity directly to organizational sustainability performance through the holistic 3P model — People, Profit, and Planet. Valeriya Hjertenaes shows how cognitive diversity strengthens decision-making, fuels innovation, and drives long-term outcomes across all three dimensions of sustainability.

Moving beyond traditional approaches, this keynote provides a clear leadership perspective on how to integrate neurodiversity into systems — not as an inclusion initiative, but as a driver of measurable performance, resilience, and sustainable growth.

The 5E Sustainability Engine™: Designing Future-Ready Organizations in the Age of AI and Cognitive Diversity

Neurodiversity and AI — the twin engines of future sustainable performance. Are we truly ready to drive?

A forward-looking keynote introducing the 5E Sustainability Engine™ — a leadership architecture that integrates neurodiversity, AI, and the holistic 3P model (People, Profit, Planet) into one performance system.

Valeriya Hjertenaes shows how organizations can harness human cognitive diversity alongside technological intelligence to strengthen decision-making, accelerate innovation, and deliver sustainable performance in complex environments.

This keynote moves beyond fragmented initiatives, providing a clear approach to designing systems where neurodiversity and AI are not separate forces — but integrated drivers of resilience, growth, and long-term value.

TESTIMONIALS

“I had the privilege of seeing her speak at Horasis, and what struck me immediately was how effortlessly she commanded the room, not through performance, but through sheer conviction and clarity of message. Her content is sharp, relevant, and delivered with a depth that goes beyond inspiration, it genuinely shifts perspectives. What sets Valeriya Hjertenaes apart is her ability to connect with an audience on an emotional level while keeping the message grounded, actionable, and strategically structured through her 5E Enablers Method™, a powerful framework for sustainable leadership and performance. People weren’t just nodding along, they were moved. If you’re looking for a keynote speaker who will leave your audience thinking, feeling, and acting differently, Valeriya Hjertenaes is exactly that person. I recommend her without hesitation.”

Frank-Jürgen Richter, CEO & Chairman, Horasis

“Valeriya Hjertenaes doesn’t just deliver a keynote, she transforms the entire room. From the moment she steps on stage, there is a noticeable shift in energy. Her presence is powerful, her message is precise, and her ability to engage the audience is exceptional. What truly sets her apart is her boldness to be radically open about her neurodiversity journey, including her lived experience with OCD. She brings a level of honesty, depth, and clarity that creates immediate trust, and it changes the way the audience listens, reflects, and engages. She doesn’t speak to people, she activates them. Complex ideas around neurodiversity, leadership, and sustainable performance become clear, relevant, and immediately applicable. The audience doesn’t just listen, they rethink, reframe, and leave with a new perspective on their own potential. If you are looking for a speaker who creates real impact, not just inspiration, Valeriya delivers at the highest level.”
Øistein Jensen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Odfjell SE, Chair of the Board, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN)

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