Dr. Bailey Parnell

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

• Superhuman Leadership: How the Next Great Leaders Will Use AI to Become More Human

  Leadership is evolving. The next era of great leadership will be human + AI — a partnership that Dr. Bailey Parnell argues can be better and more human than either alone. There are things that AI simply does better and things that humans do better. Together, leaders can use a co-intelligence that can scale their connection, empathy, impact, and humanity.

  Parnell believes that most people — and most leaders — are good. And good leaders have always used every tool available to them in good ways. The challenge is that many leaders simply don’t yet know how to partner with AI well. This keynote charts a path forward to Superhuman Leadership, a model for leading with AI to amplify your impact, not replace your humanity.

  Drawing from her groundbreaking doctoral research on leadership and AI, and more than a decade of global experience in digital well-being and human-centered leadership, Parnell shows that when used wisely, AI doesn’t diminish us, it scales what’s best in us.

  Audiences will learn:

  • Why leadership is evolving toward human + AI collaboration.
  • The strengths of each form of intelligence — and how to align them ethically.
  • Practical ways to use AI in leadership to enhance reflection, decision-making, empathy, etc.
  • What must remain uniquely human in the age of intelligent technology.
  • Ethical considerations for safe and just use.
  • A framework for practicing Superhuman Leadership — leading with AI to scale good.

  Parnell’s signature keynote style blends storytelling, interactive exercises, and live reflection prompts. Participants will explore real-world examples of leaders using AI for empathy, creativity, and well-being and leave with practical, ethical ways to start their own Superhuman Leadership journey.

• Everyday AI: Using AI in Human-Centric, Productive, and Ethical Ways

  The age of generative AI is here, and there’s no going back. For many, this is both exciting and daunting. AI has the power to transform productivity, enhance well-being, and unlock creativity, but only if used wisely. Like any powerful tool, AI itself is not the problem — its misuse is. AI is already woven into many aspects of our daily lives and businesses: smart assistants, recommendation systems, customer service, marketing, hiring, algorithmic trading, and even healthcare. But how can everyday professionals — not just tech experts — use AI to work smarter, not harder? How do we harness AI’s benefits while maintaining ethical, human-centered leadership?

  Dr. Bailey Parnell has been studying and working with digital technologies for over a decade and focused on the intersection of learning and AI in her doctoral research. In this accessible and engaging keynote, she combines her research with years of experience teaching organizations critical workplace skills to demystify AI. She provides practical strategies that anyone can use to boost productivity, enhance creativity, and improve well-being — all while navigating the ethical challenges of AI responsibly.

  Parnell’s unique keynote style incorporates a combination of short, interactive exercises to engage audiences and help ensure attendees retain what they learn. A keynote and workshop all in one!

  Attendees will gain:

  • A clear understanding of generative AI’s capabilities and limitations in today’s workplace.
  • Insights into how AI is transforming different industries and job functions.
  • Practical techniques for integrating AI into daily workflows to enhance productivity and efficiency.
  • A framework for using AI to support employee well-being, rather than replacing human skills.
  • Guidance on navigating ethical considerations, biases, and responsible AI use.
  • Increased confidence in leveraging AI for professional and personal effectiveness.

• Thriving Through Change: Build a Change-Friendly Mindset with Optimism, Resilience, and Empathy

  Humans are not biologically built to love change, but organizations must change to thrive in the future of work. Here lies the conundrum.

  As the world changes at a pace that feels more rapid than ever before, whether that be AI and new technologies, hybrid work, or the next big thing, what is the role we play as individuals in how our teams navigate changes? To thrive in the face of change requires the right combination of soft skills and no one knows these better than Dr. Bailey Parnell.

  As someone who leads a soft skills development company that works with the world’s leading organizations and having gone through many changes herself, Parnell asks audiences to invite M.O.R.E. in times of change. We can control how we experience change with a growth Mindset, Optimism, Resilience, and Each other!

  In this keynote, Parnell shares a science-backed playbook of practical strategies, stories, and experiential moments that help people understand how change-friendly people come together in an interconnected way to make change-friendly teams.

  Parnell’s unique keynote style incorporates a combination of short, interactive exercises to engage audiences and help ensure attendees retain what they learn. A keynote and workshop all in one!

  Key audience takeaways include:

  • Awareness of their own mindset toward change and how it influences their teams and workplace culture.
  • Practical strategies to integrate a growth mindset, optimism, resilience, and empathy into their daily approach to change.
  • Techniques to strengthen adaptability and proactively manage transitions.

• Digital Culture IS Workplace Culture: Building Collaborative Cultures in Hybrid, Remote, and Global Workplaces

  Nearly 90% of job seekers and employees alike value “workplace culture” as vital. At the same time, decentralized hybrid and remote work setups are increasingly becoming the norm in the future of work. One does not have to cancel the other out. If your teams predominantly interact with each other virtually, then your virtual culture IS your company’s culture.

  We all want vibrant organizational cultures where our people have good relationships, are engaged, and feel their work matters. When hybrid and remote workplaces are done well, these things can happen along with a boost in productivity and well-being. But how do we translate our offline values and culture to an online world? How do we foster collaboration and relationship-building when people don’t see each other anymore? How do we make these tools work FOR us?

  In this interactive keynote, Dr. Bailey Parnell combines her years of experience advising workplaces on culture (and the skills needed to do it well) with her background in digital communications to truly provide you with a holistic take on creating culture in your organization.

  Parnell’s unique keynote style incorporates a combination of short, interactive exercises to engage audiences and help ensure attendees retain what they learn. A keynote and workshop all in one!

  Key takeaways include:

  • Recognition of how digital culture is formed and sustained in remote and hybrid environments.
  • Strategies to transfer organizational values and culture from in-person to digital workspaces seamlessly.
  • Practical techniques to enhance collaboration, communication, and camaraderie in dispersed teams.
  • Insights into the direct impact of digital culture on productivity, employee satisfaction, and organizational well-being.

• #SafeSocial: Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health

  Studies show the average person spends hours a day on social media, and even more the younger you go. While social media enables connections and collaboration at an unprecedented scale, there’s also a dark side to this networked world that’s laced with addiction, depression, harassment, and more. By every measure, social media is as risky of a behaviour as drinking or even driving. Since it’s not going anywhere, abstinence might not be an option, but you can still practice #SafeSocial.

  How is social media actually affecting how we think and feel? What is happening out there in the social media world and how does it influence the mental health of us and our youth? Adapted from her original TED talk with over 5M views, Dr. Bailey Parnell will draw from research and exclusive experience to illustrate the current social media landscape as it relates to mental well-being, explain the effects it has on us every day, and provide five steps towards #SafeSocial.

  Parnell’s unique keynote style incorporates a combination of short, interactive exercises to engage audiences and help ensure attendees retain what they learn. A keynote and workshop all in one!

  Attendees will learn:

  • A clear connection between social media and risky behaviours like addiction, distraction, and mental health challenges.
  • An understanding of four environmental factors that contribute to risks on social media.
  • Insights into up to six negative effects of social media on emotional and psychological well-being.
  • Five actionable steps toward practicing #SafeSocial and improving their online experience.
  • Tools for creating a healthier digital environment that fosters well-being for themselves and their communities.