Building safer, more respectful and happier workplaces.
Keynotes for conferences, leadership events and in-house teams across Australia
With ideas you can use tomorrow.
About Karen
Informed by law. Shaped by real cases. Focused on prevention.
Karen Maher is a keynote speaker, former lawyer, and founder of SmartCulture®
Drawing on over 20 years’ experience and insight from more than 200 real workplace cases, Karen shifts mindsets and behaviours around safety, respect and speaking up, with practical ideas people can use immediately. She works across all industries, from frontline and high-risk environments through to corporate and government settings.
You’re in safe hands
From farms to federal government, Karen works across entire workplaces to change everyday behaviours that prevent harm and build respect.
“A big thank you from the team at Worksafe to Karen Maher for her expert presentation in front of over 300 business leaders in Melbourne this morning. As a senior lawyer, investigator and corporate advisor, Karen was able to bring to life the types of questions and the practical approaches to improving safety culture in the workplace, thank you again Karen for your terrific insights today.”
“Karen, it was our absolute pleasure to have you chat with the TA family. You were very engaging in what can be a very dry but important subject! Thank you!”
“Karen is an engaging speaker who knows how to connect with her audiences either in person or virtually. Our members gained important insights around psychological health and workplace bullying and harassment which gave them the knowledge to help improve their workplaces. I would highly recommend Karen for any speaking engagement.”
Thank you, Karen, for your terrific and engaging presentation. You definitely left us with important things to think about. It was great working with you.
“It was wonderfulworking with you and I have never had such positive feedback from a Bullying prevention session!”
“I’ve received such wonderful feedback on the training. Not just after the sessions, but it is still something we talk about and refer to constantly. What is such a heavy and important topic, you delivered it perfectly.“
Australia and internationally
Karen’s Keynotes
Each keynote is designed to create safer, more respectful and happier workplaces, shaped to suit the audience, and focused on practical takeaways people can use immediately.
Psychosocial Safety:
From Duty to Action
Turning WHS psychosocial duties into practical action that leaders can apply immediately.
Psychological Safety That Actually Works
Creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, act early and prevent harm.
Great Leadership.
Great Culture.
What leaders can do differently tomorrow to build stronger, safer and more respectful workplaces.
From Bystanders to Changemakers
Giving people the confidence and practical tools to step in, speak up and prevent harm in the moments that matter.
Why Karen Maher
Serious topics. Human Delivery.
Karen Maher is trusted to speak on the issues workplaces often avoid because she understands the real consequences of getting them wrong. Her keynotes are informed by legal and health and safety expertise and shaped by real workplace cases, not theory or trends.
What sets Karen apart is her ability to make complex, high-risk topics practical and accessible for everyone in the room. She creates shared language, clarity and confidence so people know how to act in everyday moments, not just formal processes.
Speaking agents and organisations work with Karen because her keynotes balance credibility with warmth, challenge with care, and insight with action. She also brings a considered touch of humour that helps audiences stay engaged, lowers defensiveness and makes difficult conversations about safety and respect easier to have. Audiences leave aligned, energised and equipped with practical takeaways to play their part in creating safer, more respectful and happier workplaces.
Great workplace cultures are designed
Let’s talk about a keynote that fits your audience and creates a safer, more respectful workplace.