Award-winning leader and researcher helping organisations unlock performance through inclusive leadership and better workplace culture.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
“The webinar was an outstanding success! It was impossible to keep up with the comments coming through, which never happens. Thank you very much for a fantastic session.”
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
DIVERSITY WORKS NZ
Dr. Ellen Joan Ford is driven by a clear mission: to improve the working world for people and organisations alike. Known as an “extraordinary leader” and a true change-maker, she brings together cutting-edge research and decades of leadership experience to help organisations unlock stronger performance through inclusive leadership and culture. From global stages to boardrooms, Ellen delivers engaging, practical insights that elevate retention, productivity, well-being and long-term success.
Dr. Ellen Joan Ford is one of the most compelling voices in modern leadership, known for her bold ambition to transform the way people experience work. With a unique blend of academic excellence and hands-on leadership experience, she helps organisations create environments where people thrive and performance follows.
An award-winning leader, international keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, facilitator and consultant, Ellen has worked with organisations across sectors including professional services, construction, defence, engineering, health, education, tourism and primary industries. Her clients include KPMG, FMG, NZDF, Craigmore Farming, EY and Metcash, where she has delivered impactful keynotes and advisory work to thousands of leaders and teams.
Ellen’s work is grounded in deep academic expertise. She holds an Executive MBA, a PhD and has completed post-doctoral research focused on leadership. Her research has been published globally and continues to influence how organisations approach leadership, inclusion and culture.
Her insights are not theoretical. They are commercially sharp and designed to deliver measurable outcomes, including improved engagement, stronger retention, increased productivity and healthier workplace cultures that ultimately drive profit.
Ellen also contributed as co-author to a nationwide leadership project for New Zealand’s primary industries, the country’s largest export sector, further demonstrating her influence at a national level.
Using the findings from her PhD, Ellen spent 18 months advising the Chief of the New Zealand Army, General John Boswell. Her work focused on driving meaningful change in diversity and inclusion within the Army.
Her contribution had a lasting impact, significantly shaping how the Army approaches inclusion challenges today. Her ability to translate complex research into practical, actionable strategies makes her a trusted advisor at the highest levels of leadership.
Ellen’s credibility is built on decades of leadership in demanding environments. She served ten years as an Engineer Officer in the New Zealand Army, leading soldiers across the globe, including deployments to Antarctica, Afghanistan, the UK and across the Pacific.
Her experience also includes international scholarship exchanges to Australia, Japan and Indonesia, adding to her global perspective on leadership and culture.
Beyond her military career, Ellen has led teams in the corporate world and successfully run her own business. She also played a key role in a volunteer effort that evacuated 563 people from Afghanistan to New Zealand following the fall of Kabul, an effort that earned her national recognition as Local Hero of the Year and Person of the Year by the Manawatu Standard.
Ellen is the author of #WorkSchoolHours: A revolution for parents, workplaces and the world. The book is based on the global movement she founded, aimed at reshaping how work fits into people’s lives to create better outcomes for both individuals and organisations.
The book has received widespread media attention and is regarded as essential reading for leaders building modern workplaces. It has been endorsed by senior business leaders around the world, including CEOs from major organisations.
Her work in this space earned her the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award, recognising her influence in driving meaningful workplace change.
At the core of Ellen’s work is her leadership model: Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose. This framework reflects her belief that when people feel included, empowered and connected to meaningful work, performance naturally follows.
She brings this model to life through engaging storytelling, practical tools and relatable examples that audiences can immediately apply in their own organisations.
Ellen’s speaking style is warm, energetic and highly engaging. She connects with audiences through authenticity, humour and real-life stories, making complex ideas accessible and actionable.
Her sessions are designed to leave audiences inspired and equipped, with clear takeaways they can implement straight away. Whether addressing senior leaders or large conference audiences, Ellen delivers experiences that create lasting impact.
For organisations ready to elevate leadership, strengthen culture and unlock performance, Dr. Ellen Joan Ford delivers the insight, energy and expertise to make it happen.
5 of 5
“The webinar was an outstanding success! It was impossible to keep up with the comments coming through, which never happens. Thank you very much for a fantastic session.”
CHIEF EXECUTIVE DIVERSITY WORKS NZ
5 of 5
“Thought provoking, courageous, current and inspiring. Your delivery was engaging, honest and energetic and you shouldn’t change a thing.”
GENERAL MANAGER METCASH
5 of 5
“Ellen is a fantastic speaker; passionate, enthusiastic and authentic. Her talk was thought- provoking, stimulating, and was delivered with good humour.”
PARTNER KPMG
5 of 5
“Your session was honestly mind blowing. You are just inspiring – I can’t tell you how much we loved having you!”
CHIEF PEOPLE AND SAFETY OFFICER REALNZ
Keynote by Dr. Ellen Joan Ford:
Dr Ellen Joan Ford draws on her research and practical experiences to drive organisational outcomes such as improved retention, productivity, engagement, well-being and ultimately, profit, by enhancing inclusive leadership capabilities and workplace culture.
Her keynote shares stories and practical insights, and her workshop then facilitates discussion for implementation.
Ellen shares her inspirational experiences to demonstrate the power of Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose:
An officer in the NZ Army, leading soldiers around the globe, from Antarctica to the UK, Tuvalu to Afghanistan.
Ellen is a recipient of the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award, is Person of the Year – Manawatu Standard and KiwiBank New Zealander of the Year – Local Hero for her acts of leadership. Ellen is engaging, authentic and enthusiastic.
Key takeaways:
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Keynote by Dr. Ellen Joan Ford:
Throughout our childhood and working lives, we have absorbed so many images and messages about what a ‘good leader’ looks like, and how a ‘good leader’ acts and behaves. In so many cases, this stereotypical ‘good leader’ is very different to how we see ourselves, and this can negatively impact leadership capabilities, teamwork, staff engagement and culture within the organisation.
Dr Ellen Joan Ford shares her decades of leadership research and lived leadership experiences, including an MBA (exec) and PhD focused on leadership, ten years’ military service leading soldiers around the world, and a volunteer task to support the evacuation of 563 people from Afghanistan to New Zealand after the fall of Kabul (read her team’s incredible story here), to demonstrate that the best leaders are those who are true to themselves.
A leader’s job is to create an environment where their team can thrive, and then direct that thriving energy at the task that needs to be achieved. How leaders achieve this is deeply personal and unique to each individual leader, and each of their team members.
Ellen’s upbeat session is filled with practical examples and tangible takeaways. Her warm approach encourages audiences and participants to open their minds and hearts and find their magic. We all have superpowers to offer this world, and when we harness what is authentic to us, we deliver the best outcomes for our teams and organisation.
Key takeaways:
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Keynote by Dr. Ellen Joan Ford:
Dr Ellen Joan Ford started the #WorkSchoolHours movement to address the societal wide problem that sees
parents needing to work as though they don’t have kids and parent as if they don’t have jobs. However,
#WorkSchoolHours is not just for parents - it’s for everyone.
#WorkSchoolHours is underpinned by Ellen’s Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose leadership model, and is
based on three principles:
In addition to her TEDx talk of the same name, Ellen is the author of #WorkSchoolHours and has received
wide-spread media attention for this movement (The Project, Breakfast, Radio NZ, NZ Herald, Stuff, Australian Women’s Weekly and more). The book is endorsed as commercially smart by multiple business leaders around the globe, including the CEOs of KiwiBank, FMG, DevryBV and Cliftons. Ellen received the prestigious Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award for her success in driving socially and commercially smart change.
Ellen’s engaging and uplifting session contains practical insights and immediately actionable solutions that
can be used in any industry.
Key takeaways:
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Keynote by Dr. Ellen Joan Ford:
We need to stop trying to ‘fix’ women and start fixing the system. And the exciting part? Doing this is also
good for men and good for organisational performance.
After ten years of military service and completing her PhD focused on the experiences of women leaders, Dr
Ellen Joan Ford spent 18 months in an advisory role to the Chief of the NZ Army, General John Boswell, who noted, “to Ellen’s immense credit, she has significantly influenced how Army is now approaching a range of diversity and inclusion challenges. Her contribution has been invaluable, her expertise, interpersonal and communication skills are superb.”
Ellen’s keynote and workshop provides solutions to the primary barriers causing the gender pay gap, and the under-representation of women in senior leadership roles. In addition to discussing the requirement for suitable fitting uniforms and equipment, using representative imagery (‘you can’t be what you can’t see’), eliminating harmful behaviours and valuing a wider range of leadership approaches, Ellen details the biggest barrier facing women in the workplace; the ‘Mum penalty’.
Ellen’s session doesn’t dwell on the challenges; she is upbeat and enthusiastic about the exciting opportunities to cultivate inclusive leadership practices that benefit everyone.
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Watch Dr. Ellen Joan Ford in action
