Karen Maher is a workplace culture transformer. Former lawyer turned consultant, working on hundreds of cases, she has seen it all! Inspiring and thought-provoking, her keynotes pave the way for change
Karen specialises in enhancing psychosocial safety and workplace cultures. Over her 20-year career she has spent time in the courtroom in Australia and the UK, and as an investigator and advisor, working cases from all ends of the spectrum up to and including workplace fatalities, prosecutions and inquiries into poor and unsafe behaviours.
Her real-world experience and story-telling ability, coupled with a touch of humour to engage and connect with her audiences on the tough topics, makes Karen a memorable and mindset-shifting speaker from conferences to boardroom briefings and shopfloors.
Karen is the founder of SmartCulture®, a leading Australian consultancy that is creating happier workplaces as we speak via premium programs and innovative strategy work. With so much change around Respect@Work duties and WHS psychosocial safety, it has never been more important to be proactive and ‘get ahead of the game’ through education, awareness and enhanced speak up and risk-management systems.
Karen partners with a diverse range of clients (both government and private) including the ATO, WorkSafe QLD, WorkSafe Tasmania, Tourism Australia, the NRL, emergency services, tech companies, health, hospitality, legal, financial services, oil & gas, construction, mining, and everything in-between.
Her energy, knowledge, and collaboration with every client to understand their specific goals ensures her sessions resonate and provide practical real-world knowledge and strategies.
She is passionate about eradicating sexual harassment, bullying and other psychosocial hazards – this fact is clear when you see her in action.