Dr. Alice Ashcroft reveals how gendered language shapes innovation, helping teams communicate better and perform at their best.
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Top rated!5 of 5
It has been so interesting to learn just how powerful conversational language techniques can be in diminishing or uplifting other views. I've spent the journey home reflecting on how I can communicate more intentionally, and create more equitable conversational spaces when working with volunteers.
Jemma Cliff
Dr. Alice Ashcroft is a keynote speaker and PhD expert who helps organizations understand how language shapes innovation, collaboration, and inclusion. With a background in design, software, and communication, Alice brings a sharp, research-driven perspective to challenges many teams face but struggle to articulate. Their work uncovers how gendered language influences everything from hiring decisions to product design and team dynamics. Through engaging keynotes filled with real-world examples and practical tools, Alice equips leaders, HR professionals, designers, and engineers to build stronger, more inclusive teams.
Dr. Alice Ashcroft is a keynote speaker, researcher, and consultant specializing in gendered language, inclusive design, and communication in tech environments. With a PhD in “Design, Innovation and Software: The Impact of Gender and Language,” Alice brings deep academic insight into real-world organizational challenges. Their work explores how identity and language influence the way teams collaborate, innovate, and build products.
Alice operates at the intersection of research and practice, translating complex findings into clear, actionable strategies. This makes their keynotes highly relevant for organizations working within fast-moving software, product design, and technology-driven environments.
Language is often overlooked as a driver of performance, yet it plays a central role in how ideas are shared, developed, and executed. Dr. Alice Ashcroft demonstrates how subtle linguistic patterns can influence who speaks up, whose ideas are heard, and how decisions are made.
Their research highlights how gendered language can unintentionally limit creativity and exclude valuable perspectives. In design and engineering teams, this can lead to missed opportunities and less effective solutions. Alice helps audiences recognize these patterns and introduces tools to shift communication in ways that support openness, clarity, and innovation.
Alice’s approach is grounded in data, but always practical. As a published researcher and co-founder of a startup focused on reducing language bias in recruitment, they bring hands-on experience into every keynote.
Audiences gain:
These insights are delivered through relatable stories and concrete examples, making them easy to apply immediately within teams and organizations.
Creating awareness is only the first step. Dr. Alice Ashcroft focuses on helping organizations move from insight to implementation. Their keynotes guide leaders and teams in rethinking how they communicate, collaborate, and design processes.
By addressing unconscious bias and communication barriers, Alice enables organizations to unlock stronger engagement and better performance. This is especially valuable for companies looking to improve retention, strengthen team dynamics, and foster more equitable workplaces.
Dr. Alice Ashcroft’s keynotes resonate across roles and industries, with particular impact in technology-driven organizations. Their content is tailored for:
Alice connects these audiences through a shared understanding of how communication shapes outcomes at every level.
Booking Dr. Alice Ashcroft means bringing a fresh, research-backed perspective to your organization. Their keynotes offer more than inspiration, they provide a clear path toward better communication, stronger collaboration, and more effective innovation.
Whether your focus is improving team dynamics, redesigning hiring practices, or strengthening inclusive culture, Alice delivers insights that create lasting impact. With a balance of academic depth and practical relevance, their talks leave audiences equipped, motivated, and ready to act.
5 of 5
It has been so interesting to learn just how powerful conversational language techniques can be in diminishing or uplifting other views. I've spent the journey home reflecting on how I can communicate more intentionally, and create more equitable conversational spaces when working with volunteers.
Jemma Cliff
5 of 5
Another fabulous event, thanks Alice, always fascinated by your research and how you make it accessible for everyone.
Amy Holland Lancaster City Council
5 of 5
Alice is an incredible consultant - they brought a fresh perspective to our company, and helped us to identify areas where we could improve our outreach to women. Through their research, they provided us with valuable insights and strategies that enabled us to increase our membership of women significantly. Their dedication and enthusiasm to promoting gender diversity were contagious, and we found ourselves inspired and motivated to make positive changes within our community.
Rory Southworth Lancashire County Council
Keynote by Dr. Alice Ashcroft:
As a leading expert on gendered language and inclusive design, Dr Alice Ashcroft offers more than just research findings, she delivers eye-opening, actionable keynotes that help tech teams rethink how communication shapes every stage of the software development process.
Alice’s speaking style is engaging, insightful, and highly relevant to the realities of modern development environments. Drawing on her PhD research and real-world consulting with global tech companies, she connects deeply with audiences across engineering, UX, HR, and leadership. Her talks feel less like academic lectures and more like a strategic conversation, one that helps uncover hidden biases, foster collaboration, and spark meaningful culture change.
Whether addressing product teams, engineering leads, or C-suite decision-makers, Alice delivers a tailored experience that blends evidence-based insight with practical strategies for lasting impact.
Keynote by Dr. Alice Ashcroft:
As a leading voice in inclusive tech design, Dr Alice Ashcroft offers more than just theory—she delivers a sharp, insightful, and research-backed keynote that challenges audiences to rethink how gendered stereotypes shape the AI products we build.
Why are so many chatbots given female names, voices, and personalities? In this keynote, Alice breaks down the subtle ways anthropomorphism, marketing strategy, and cultural bias collide in conversational AI. Drawing on her published academic research, Alice explores how these design choices influence brand trust, user experience, and ethical AI development.
Alice’s speaking style is thoughtful, conversational, and highly engaging, making complex ideas around bias and representation accessible and actionable. Her talks spark curiosity and accountability, offering both inspiration and practical strategies for change.
Whether speaking to AI product teams, brand strategists, or tech leaders, Alice delivers an unforgettable session that puts diversity, ethics, and voice design at the center of the conversation.
Keynote by Dr. Alice Ashcroft:
As a researcher, consultant, and inclusive language expert, Dr Alice Ashcroft delivers more than just training, she creates transformative learning experiences that unpack the deep connections between voice, power, language, and belonging in the workplace.
Across these dynamic workshops, Alice empowers teams to uncover the hidden communication patterns that shape who gets heard, who feels seen, and who thrives at work. Whether addressing team conversations, recruitment language, or the foundations of belonging, each session blends cutting-edge research with practical tools and engaging discussion.
Alice’s facilitation style is open, interactive, and thought-provoking, designed to support honest reflection and equip participants with real-world strategies they can apply immediately. These workshops are ideal for leadership teams, HR professionals, and organizations committed to meaningful culture change.
Dr Alice Ashcroft is available to lead the following workshops:
Voice, Power, Language: Understanding Conversation (2 hours)
Recruiting the Best: Unlocking Gendered Language (2 hours)
Sense of Belonging (1 hour)
Book Dr Alice Ashcroft to help your teams foster inclusive communication, fair recruitment, and stronger workplace cultures built on belonging and equity.
Keynote by Dr. Alice Ashcroft:
As a leading expert in inclusive communication, Dr Alice Ashcroft offers more than just linguistics, she delivers a powerful and eye-opening keynote that changes how we think about the everyday words we use.
Ever catch yourself saying “I think” or “maybe” when you know exactly what you mean? In this compelling talk, Alice dives into hedging, the subtle language tool we often use to soften our statements. Drawing from research and real-world scenarios, she unpacks how hedging can either undermine authority or be used strategically to build trust and authenticity.
Alice’s speaking style is engaging, conversational, and relatable, making complex communication patterns feel both personal and actionable. Perfect for leaders, professionals, and anyone navigating the balance between assertiveness and approachability, this keynote blends insight with empowerment.
Whether addressing corporate audiences, educators, or future leaders, Alice delivers a transformative experience that leaves participants thinking - and speaking - differently.
Watch Dr. Alice Ashcroft in action!
