Karen Catlin

Karen Catlin

Keynote Speaker: Advocate for Inclusive Workplaces, Coach, Speaker & Author

Karen Catlin Biography

Karen Catlin is a highly acclaimed author and speaker on inclusive workplaces. She has published four books: "Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces (2019)," "The Better Allies Approach to Hiring (2020)," "Belonging in Healthcare (2022)," and "The Better Allies Way: A Workbook for Being More Inclusive at Work (2024)." She also emails a roundup of “5 Ally Actions” to over 40,000 newsletter subscribers every week.

Previously, Catlin spent 25 years building software products and serving as a vice president of engineering at Adobe. During that time, she witnessed a sharp decline in the number of women working in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, she knew it was time to switch gears and focus on creating more inclusive workplaces where everyone could do their best work and thrive.

In 2014, Catlin somewhat naively set off to change workplaces around the world. Her first step was starting the Twitter handle @BetterAllies to share simple, actionable steps that anyone could take to make their workplaces more inclusive. That Twitter handle became the inspiration for her books.

A self-professed public speaking geek, Catlin is a highly sought-after and engaging presenter who has delivered talks at hundreds of conferences and corporate events. Her TEDx talk, "Women in Tech: The Missing Force," explores the decline in gender diversity in tech, why it’s a problem, and what can be done about it.

In addition to speaking herself, Catlin is determined to change the ratio for who is on stage giving keynotes and other presentations. To support this goal, she coauthored "Present! A Techie’s Guide to Public Speaking" with Poornima Vijayashanker.

Catlin also coaches women to be stronger leaders and men to be better allies for members of marginalized groups. Her client roster includes Airbnb, DoorDash, Google, Intuit, and LinkedIn. Her writing on leadership has appeared in Inc., the Daily Beast, Fast Company, and the Muse, and she’s consulted on articles for the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the New York Times.

Catlin is a graduate and active alum of Brown University, mentoring students on how to launch their careers. She’s also a member of the board of directors of Digital NEST and on the advisory boards for the Women’s CLUB of Silicon Valley and WEST (Women Entering & Staying in Technology). In 2015, the California State Assembly honored Catlin with the Wonder Women Tech Innovator Award for outstanding achievements in business and technology and for being a role model for women. And in 2020, her unique approach to allyship was featured in the BBC’s Ally Track tool.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Karen Catlin and other top speakers and celebrities.

Karen Catlin Speaking Topics

Belonging in Healthcare Keynote (1-hour)

In this interactive keynote, Karen covers key strategies from her latest book, Belonging in Healthcare. Attendees will learn how to:

  • Stand up to everyday discrimination
  • Be more inclusive in meetings, rounds, and shift huddles
  • Disrupt glue work
  • Open career doors for coworkers from underrepresented groups

The Better Allies Approach: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive Workplaces

Karen shares steps your audience can implement right away to create more inclusive workplaces, curated from her book "Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces" and "Belonging in Healthcare."

A Fireside Chat with Karen Catlin (1-hour)

A “no holds barred” conversation about privilege and the challenges underrepresented employees face in the workplace, along with actions to take as an ally.

Karen Catlin Videos

Does Your Organization Disrupt Glue Work? with Karen Catlin
Live with Laura Putnam & Karen Catlin: The Changemaker Imperative
Karen Catlin – Everyday actions to create inclusive, engaging workplaces

How do I book Karen Catlin to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Karen Catlin for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Karen Catlin, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Karen Catlin or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Karen Catlin for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Karen Catlin, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Karen Catlin are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Karen Catlin, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Karen Catlin speak about?

Karen Catlin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Technology, Innovation, Women in Business, Female Leadership, Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, Authors, Leadership, DEI, Future of Work, Social Activism, Culture, Consulting, Workshop, Women in Tech, Business, Business Leadership, Influential Women, Women, Personal Growth and Literary.

Where does Karen Catlin travel from?

Karen Catlin generally travels from San Mateo, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Karen Catlin?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Karen Catlin for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Karen Catlin for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Karen Catlin or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Karen Catlin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Technology, Innovation and Women in Business. The estimated speaking fee range to book Karen Catlin for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Karen Catlin generally travels from San Mateo, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jenn Lim, Claudia Chan and Carin Taylor. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Karen Catlin for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 30/07/2024.

Karen Catlin Speaking Topics

  • Belonging in Healthcare Keynote (1-hour)

    In this interactive keynote, Karen covers key strategies from her latest book, Belonging in Healthcare. Attendees will learn how to:

    • Stand up to everyday discrimination
    • Be more inclusive in meetings, rounds, and shift huddles
    • Disrupt glue work
    • Open career doors for coworkers from underrepresented groups

  • The Better Allies Approach: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive Workplaces

    Karen shares steps your audience can implement right away to create more inclusive workplaces, curated from her book "Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces" and "Belonging in Healthcare."

  • A Fireside Chat with Karen Catlin (1-hour)

    A “no holds barred” conversation about privilege and the challenges underrepresented employees face in the workplace, along with actions to take as an ally.

Karen Catlin Videos

Does Your Organization Disrupt Glue Work? with Karen Catlin
Live with Laura Putnam & Karen Catlin: The Changemaker Imperative
Karen Catlin – Everyday actions to create inclusive, engaging workplaces
Allyship That Makes a Difference: Karen Catlin on Supporting women in IT
Karen Catlin Speaker Reel (2021)
  • How do I book Karen Catlin to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Karen Catlin for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Karen Catlin, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Karen Catlin or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Karen Catlin for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Karen Catlin, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Karen Catlin are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Karen Catlin, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Karen Catlin speak about?

  • Where does Karen Catlin travel from?

    Karen Catlin generally travels from San Mateo, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Karen Catlin?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Karen Catlin for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Karen Catlin for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Karen Catlin or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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KAREN CATLIN

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