Lauren Burns

Lauren Burns

Dr Lauren Burns OAM  |  Taekwondo Olympic Gold Medalist
Other info

Speaker fees: We're not able to provide this information on the website. Please call us on 0450 077 997 for more information.

About Lauren

“An engaging keynote speaker, she draws on her personal experience and weaves the themes and impact of her work into her presentation to demonstrate how they apply to business and personal growth....”

Dr Lauren Burns OAM delivers powerful, engaging, and life-changing presentations. Lauren’s genuine passion for inspiring and empowering participants shines through her unique blend of humour, down-to-earth storytelling, and evidence-based tips for achieving optimal well-being and high-performance living. Her ability to captivate audiences with relatable anecdotes and practical strategies is what sets her apart.

Through her presentations, Lauren elevates the potential of each individual in the room, motivating them to take action and make positive changes in their lives.

She created sporting history by winning the first Olympic gold medal for Taekwondo when the sport debuted at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

She was one of only three Australian women to win an individual Olympic Gold Medal, along with Cathy Freeman and Susie O’Neill. Her amazing triumph at the Sydney Games was achieved against the odds – requiring enormous discipline, commitment, perseverance, and teamwork.

Since the Sydney Olympics, Lauren has emerged as one of Australia’s most sought-after speakers. She has been on the speaking circuit for over 25 years and continues to travel the country conducting keynote presentations, workshops, and masterclasses, all cantered around ‘Elevating Potential’ in individuals.

Lauren’s presentations are powerful and engaging. Her genuine passion for inspiring and empowering participants shines through with her down-to-earth storytelling and evidence-based tips for achieving optimal well-being and high-performance living. Her ability to captivate audiences with relatable anecdotes and practical strategies is what sets her apart.

She has a PhD in Athlete Lifestyle and Mindset and works closely with the Australian Institute of Sport, both with the Gold Medal Ready program and their research institute. Her doctoral work won the prestigious RMIT Vice Chancellor’s Prize and Deputy Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Research Impact and is published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

A best-selling author, Lauren has penned two books: Fighting Spirit and Food from a Loving Home. Lauren also shares her nutritional expertise by designing whole-food menu plans for a renowned Melbourne childcare centre. Additionally, she offers exclusive one-on-one executive-level coaching while balancing the joys and responsibilities of a busy family life.

Over the past 20 years, Lauren has combined all of her learning and experience into nine core elements, making up the Circle of Lifestyle.

What people say about Lauren

10 out 10….Lauren was an absolute pleasure to work with – she took the time to understand our event, communicate with our team beforehand and on the night was able to read the vibe in the room exceptionally well. Throughout the evening Lauren was able to seamlessly navigate any changes to schedule or tweak the script as she went. Through personal anecdotes Lauren engaged with our guests and was able to inject her own personality and warmth into the evening. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Lauren for your next event.

– eigh Meyrick, Director Media & Communications, Australian Sports Commission

A young, energetic and articulate person. Lauren was well-spoken, talked to the audience, gave colourful examples which made the audience laugh, as well as making our function a success.

– AMP

Lauren’s presentation was interesting. It was like it was two separate presentations. The first part was about her winning the gold medal & the process it took to get to that stage & the second part was about looking after yourself & eating & drinking right.

Overall, the presentation was very good & she is a really lovely lady. I know of a few staff who came up to me afterwards and said they enjoyed listening to her and took a lot away from her presentation. We ordered her recipe book from her for each of our delegates & they loved it.

– Heritage Bank

I have had great feedback from the team on your talk which they found interesting, humorous and inspiring. It certainly made us step back and consider the part we can all play in driving forward the Company’s goals. I know the teams were thrilled to have you attend the Awards dinner and it was a pleasure to talk to you during the course of the evening.

– Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd

Lauren’s presentation was just fantastic! Exciting and uplifting. She had obviously listened closely to our brief and her talk enhanced the theme of our conference.

She was able to win over the hard-bitten experienced pros amongst our sales team as well as inspire us all to achieve more through dedication, passion and unwavering self-belief! Her presentation style was warm, with simple, easy to grasp messages on success in professional and personal endeavours. Highly recommended!

– Metricon Homes Pty Ltd

Excellent. Lauren and the crew were simply excellent. She provided a great way to close our event with the sounds of around 800 people breaking and then clapping boards. It was a great thrill for all.

– John Danks & Son Pty Ltd

My staff were taken out of their comfort zone… They were inspired and motivated as they participated in real-life martial arts and created strong memories that they will draw on during tough times. The best thing was they had great fun learning focus, mind direction and secrets to increased energy.

– Peak Fitness Management (Aust) Pty Ltd