Let’s Build a Future Where Progress Means Progress for Everyone.

The digital divide isn’t just a gap in access—it’s a chasm that silences entire communities, leaving them disconnected from the technology shaping our future. This exclusion robs the world of the diverse perspectives essential for driving meaningful innovation. Without these voices, we risk building a future that deepens inequality rather than dismantling it. This keynote invites us to reimagine the digital landscape, bridging the divide and creating a tech-driven world that uplifts and empowers everyone, especially those long left on the margins.  

Yvette Schmitter has lived this story. Growing up in a world that tried to confine her curiosity and passion for technology, she faced barriers designed to keep her small. But Yvette refused to let those barriers define her. From building her first computer with scraps to leading Fortune 500 companies in AI and digital transformation, her journey is a testament to what’s possible when someone dares to challenge the status quo. Now, as a trailblazer in tech and a fierce advocate for inclusive innovation, Yvette is on a mission to ensure the future of technology reflects the diversity of the world it serves.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. Strategies to embed inclusivity in tech development, ensuring solutions reflect diverse needs and perspectives.  

2. Methods to reach and serve underserved communities, creating opportunities where they’ve been historically absent.  

3. Actionable ways to amplify underrepresented voices, fostering environments where diversity drives innovation.  

4. A blueprint for building technology that benefits all, aligning progress with equity, empowerment, and impact.  

This keynote is for tech leaders, policymakers, and change-makers who are ready to bridge divides and build a future where innovation doesn’t just move us forward—it lifts us all. Through her powerful storytelling and visionary insights, Yvette inspires audiences to transform the digital divide into a bridge of opportunity, connection, and shared progress.

Too often, organizations overlook the immense potential of diversity, viewing it as a checkbox rather than the engine of resilience, innovation, and sustainable growth. This mindset leads to missed opportunities for breakthrough solutions, diminished adaptability, and an inability to compete in a rapidly evolving world. Diversity isn’t just about representation—it’s about creating an environment where different perspectives converge to drive smarter decisions, foster creativity, and achieve unparalleled success. This keynote challenges businesses to see diversity as their most powerful strategic advantage, one that unlocks innovation and redefines what’s possible.  

Yvette Schmitter understands this deeply. As a serial entrepreneur and accomplished technology executive, she has transformed organizations by championing inclusivity as a cornerstone of success. Her lived experience of being an outsider in rooms not designed for her voice taught her that inclusivity isn’t just a value—it’s a force multiplier. Through her leadership, she has demonstrated how embracing diverse perspectives doesn’t just level the playing field; it builds a stronger, more competitive game. Yvette’s journey serves as a beacon for organizations ready to harness the full power of diversity.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. The Business Case for Diversity: Discover how inclusive decision-making directly drives profitability, creativity, and long-term success.  

2. Practical Steps for Embedding Inclusivity:  Learn actionable strategies to integrate diverse voices into every level of decision-making.  

3. Building a Culture of Value and Respect: Gain tools to create an environment where every perspective is heard, valued, and empowered to make an impact.  

4. Transforming Diversity into a Competitive Edge: Explore techniques to leverage diversity as the foundation for innovation and market leadership.  

This keynote is ideal for business executives, diversity leaders, and managers committed to creating resilient, high-performing organizations. Through her compelling storytelling and actionable insights, Yvette inspires audiences to move beyond rhetoric and implement meaningful, inclusive strategies that fuel growth and innovation. Diversity isn’t just a "good practice"—it’s the future of success.

AI holds the power to transform our world, but when it’s created without humanity at its core, it can perpetuate harm instead of driving progress. From biased algorithms to systems that prioritize profit over people, AI often deepens inequities and erodes trust. The challenge we face today is not just building AI that works—but ensuring it works for everyone. This keynote addresses the urgent need to place ethics, empathy, and inclusivity at the heart of AI development, turning this groundbreaking technology into a force that uplifts and empowers all communities.  

Yvette Schmitter knows what it means to advocate for inclusion in spaces that weren’t designed with everyone in mind. A trailblazer in AI and ethical technology, Yvette has navigated a career shaped by overcoming exclusion and championing people-centered innovation. Her journey—from defying societal expectations to leading global technology transformations—has shown her that the best technology isn’t just functional; it’s transformational. With a voice grounded in empathy and a proven record of driving impactful change, Yvette inspires leaders to rethink how they design AI, ensuring it reflects the values and needs of the people it serves.  Through this keynote, Yvette invites you to reframe the conversation around AI—not just as an innovation of efficiency, but as a transformative force capable of building a world where humanity is always at the center. Together, let’s create technology that doesn’t just advance—it uplifts.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. Principles for designing ethical and transparent AI that prioritizes fairness and accountability.  

2. Frameworks to align AI with societal needs, ensuring technology becomes a tool for positive impact.  

3. Strategies to build public trust in AI, creating systems that people can rely on and believe in.  

4. Actionable steps to develop AI solutions that center humanity, bridging the gap between innovation and inclusion.  

This keynote is perfect for AI developers, tech leaders, policymakers, and change-makers ready to transform AI from a tool of convenience into a catalyst for equity, trust, and meaningful progress. Through her compelling storytelling and actionable insights, Yvette will empower audiences to reimagine AI as not just a technological marvel, but as a powerful opportunity to create a better, more inclusive future for everyone.

In a world that often tells us to fit in, too many people suppress their unique perspectives and talents, missing the chance to make a real impact. We’re told to follow paths carved out by others, to play it safe, and to silence our dreams to fit within society’s expectations. But what if your greatest power lies in the very things that make you stand out? This keynote challenges the limiting beliefs that keep us from embracing our true selves and using our unique strengths to drive change.

Yvette Schmitter is no stranger to breaking the mold. Growing up as a young Black girl in a household with strict rules and limited options, her love for technology and dreams of innovation were seen as defiance. From being told she had to stay in her lane to being punished for pursuing her passions, Yvette chose to push forward. Inspired by her first glimpse of Star Wars, she knew she had to rewrite her story and chart a path that honored her authentic self. Against the odds, she built her career from scratch, earning degrees, climbing industry ranks, and eventually becoming a technology leader and Digital Architecture Partner at PwC. Yvette has lived the lesson that being true to oneself—despite criticism, rejection, and fear—can unlock doors others believe impossible. Now, she’s here to help you discover that same power within yourself.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. Techniques to Identify and Embrace Their Unique Strengths – Learn how to uncover the strengths that set you apart and turn them into your superpowers.  

2. Strategies to Silence Self-Doubt and Build Unshakeable Confidence – Discover practical steps for breaking free from limiting beliefs and finding confidence in your authentic self.  

3. Methods for Using Your Story as a Tool for Influence and Change – Learn how to leverage your personal experiences to inspire others and make a lasting impact.  

4. A Roadmap to Redefine Success on Your Own Terms – Gain actionable steps to break free from others’ expectations, creating a life and career that reflect your values and aspirations.

This keynote is perfect for individuals ready to step into their uniqueness, leaders seeking to inspire their teams authentically, and anyone eager to make an impact by embracing their true self.

Closing Thought:  Yvette invites you to do more than just “show up”—she dares you to show up fully. To be the person who disrupts the status quo, who refuses to dim their light, and who builds a life not just of survival, but of meaning and purpose.

Social media and digital culture often foster comparison, leading individuals to lose sight of their unique identities. This keynote addresses the challenge of maintaining authenticity in an age dominated by digital influence. Yvette Schmitter, who has navigated her own journey of authenticity in the tech world, knows the power of staying true to oneself. She inspires others to resist external pressures and embrace self-belief.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. Practical steps to cultivate authenticity in a digital world

2. Tools to resist the urge to compare,

3. Insights on fostering self-belief, and

4. Actionable practices for building an identity rooted in self-awareness. This keynote is perfect for individuals affected by digital culture, professionals in social media, and anyone ready to live authentically in the modern world.

Many people struggle to balance their personal values with their professional lives, often feeling like they have to compromise one for the other.

This keynote addresses the need for a balanced, value-aligned approach to career success. Yvette Schmitter, who has built her career on values-driven leadership, is a mentor for those seeking alignment between work and personal life. She shows how to blend success with purpose.

KEY AUDIENCE TAKEAWAYS

1. Strategies for aligning their careers with their values

2. Steps to set boundaries that protect their personal lives

3. Tools to create a balanced, fulfilling career

4. Actionable practices for living with integrity.

This keynote is ideal for professionals seeking alignment, leaders looking to create balanced work cultures, and anyone ready to blend success with purpose.