DEDICO delivers keynotes and workshops to boards, leadership teams, SMEs, private companies and public bodies. Sarah Keane brings a former senior diplomat's experience of policy and negotiation, a product leader's experience of digital and AI delivery, and a charity board director's view of governance. Sessions are designed to be useful in the room the same week, not abstract.
Common topics
- AI policy in practice for non-technical audiences, what AI can and can't do for your organisation today, how to assess vendors, and where the governance risks actually sit.
- Governance for boards in transition, what good governance looks like in practice, how to spot a struggling board, and how to fix the most common gaps.
- Business continuity for venues and large operations, lessons from Croke Park and other complex environments.
- Working with the public sector, how decisions are actually made inside the Irish civil service, and how to be useful from the outside.
If your topic isn't here but sits close to one of these, ask.
Public speaking and communications training
Team training on voice, structure, and presence for professionals who need to present, persuade, and hold a room. This module draws on Sarah's one-to-one coaching practice, where she works with executives, academics, clinicians, public service leaders, and professionals from any discipline preparing for keynotes, board meetings, AGMs, committee appearances, or difficult conversations.
The training is not generic presentation skills. It covers the specific things that make spoken communication work under pressure: how to open and close, how to structure a talk or briefing so people follow it, what your voice does when the stakes are real, and what to do with slides, eye contact, and question-and-answer handling.
Who it's for
- Leadership teams and owner-managed SMEs preparing for external presentations, investor briefings, or public-facing events.
- Professional staff asked to present internally or to external audiences without formal training in their background.
- Mixed-discipline groups where communication standards matter but training has historically been generic.
- Non-native English speakers presenting in English where vocabulary, rhythm, and pause carry the message.
What's covered
- Structure for the specific talk or meeting: opening, body, close, and question-and-answer handling.
- Voice work: pace, projection, range, pause, and the patterns that show up under pressure.
- Presence: what to do with hands, eye contact, posture, and slides.
- Practical exercises with feedback, sized to the group and the scenarios they actually face.
Formats for this module
- Half-day workshop for a team or cohort.
- Full in-house day with recorded rehearsals and group feedback.
- Keynote on communication followed by breakout work.
For individuals preparing for a specific event, see public speaking coaching.
Formats
- 45 to 60-minute keynote, in person or online.
- Half-day workshop for boards, leadership teams or staff groups, with structured exercises and take-away material.
- In-house team day, scoped and built to a specific brief.
How it works
- A short scoping call to agree the audience, the topic, the format and the date.
- A written brief with the proposed outline and learning outcomes.
- Delivery, with all slides and supporting material handed over afterwards.
- A short post-event note with feedback themes and suggested follow-up actions, where useful.
Fees
Fees are agreed at scoping and reflect the format, the preparation involved, and travel where relevant. There are no licence fees or subscription models. The slides and supporting material are yours to keep and use internally.
Recent talks
Sarah has delivered keynotes and workshops at public conferences and events. She also runs private sessions for boards, leadership teams, and in-house groups, which do not appear on a public list.
For upcoming public dates, see Talks and events.
Next step
If you have an event, a workshop or a team day in mind, the quickest way to scope it is a 20-minute call.
Frequently asked questions
What topics does Sarah speak on?
Governance for charities and public bodies, business continuity, digital and AI change for non-technical leaders, competency-based civil service recruitment, and public speaking and communications training for teams and professionals.
What formats are available?
45 to 60-minute keynotes; half-day workshops for boards, leadership teams or staff groups; full in-house team days scoped to a brief. In person or online.
How far in advance do you need to book?
Four to six weeks for a workshop; conference keynotes can be booked with more lead time. For urgent requests, ask.
Are slides and materials included?
Yes. All slides and supporting material are handed over after the session for the client's internal use.