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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Bayo Akomolafe
TOPIC: Welcome to the Esucene
Bayo Akomolafe, a descendant of Yoruba fields of archetypal becomings and mythopoeic landscapes, is an author, celebrated speaker, teacher, and self-styled trans-public intellectual (a concept imagined together with and inspired by the shamanic priesthood of the Yoruba healer-trickster)- whose vocation goes beyond justice and speaking truth to power to opening up other spaces of power-with, and queering fond formulations and configurations of hope. “To learn the importance of insignificance” is the way he frames a desire to reacquaint himself with a world that is irretrievably entangled, preposterously alive and completely partial. As Visionary Founder and Elder of The Emergence Network and Chief Host of the widely popular online-offline course/festival series, We Will Dance with Mountains, Bayo curates an earth-wide project for the re-calibration of our ability to respond to civilizational crisis – a project framed within a material feminist/posthumanist/postactivist ethos and inspired by Yoruba indigenous cosmologies. He considers this a shared art – exploring the edges of the intelligible, dancing with posthumanist ideas, dabbling in the mysteries of quantum mechanics and the liberating sermon of an ecofeminism text, and talking with others about how to host a festival of radical silence on a street in London – and part of his inner struggle to regain a sense of rootedness to his community. Bayo Akomolafe is a recipient of the 2021 New Thought Walden Award, meant to honor those who use empowering spiritual ideas and philosophies to change lives and make our planet a better place. .

Bence Ganti
TOPIC: TBA
Bence Ganti, M.A. integral psychologist and clinical psychologist, the co-founder and director of the Integral European Conferences (IEC) since 2014. He is also the founder and director of one of Europe’s most successful long-term integral adult education institutes, the Integral Academy in Hungary. As a transformational workshop leader Bence has created the Integral Flow Experience process in which he combines cutting edge group psychotherapy practices with spiritual work, including psychodrama, bodywork and constellation. As a presenter on Integral Theory and consciousness he is a guest and panelist in major integral conferences in Europe, USA, Latin-America and Africa. His main expertise is teaching and applying integral psychology: a popular new approach of personal growth and humanity’s evolution that connects the scientific findings of psychology and the spirituality of ancient wisdom traditions. The integral movement and Bence accelerates the emergence of a new world working on the transformation of individuals, communities and society to create harmony and peace for the world.

Dr Darrell Gooden
TOPIC: Transcending VUCA: Value-Memes, BRICS, and the Road to Sustainable Futures
Dr. Gooden leads cultural transformation initiatives and is highly skilled in synthesizing advanced management practices to master the possibilities of technology and people. Having worked closely with Drs. Adizes and Beck, he shares his unique insights as a certified Adizes Associate and as an expert Spiral Dynamics Integral practitioner. His experiences and expertise include simplifying complex adaptive processes, applying activity-based costing to the Lean Six Sigma methodology, developing dynamic simulation models, reconceptualizing how people work in organizations throughout a given value stream, and developing managerial metrics. Dr. Darrell Gooden presents internationally on topics such as innovation, knowledge engineering, business strategy and cultural change management. In recent years, he has embarked on a profound journey beyond the realms of organizational transformation to explore the depths of personal and spiritual development. Embracing a holistic approach to well-being, he has cultivated a dedicated meditative practice with Heartfulness, finding tranquillity and clarity that enriches his life and work. He holds a Bachelor of Bachelor of Science Degree in Management of Information Systems from the University of Redlands, CA; a Master of Science Degree in Technology Management from Pepperdine University, CA; a Ph.D. in Organization Transformation from the Adizes Institute, Dr. Gooden has also earned professional certifications in System Engineering & Project Management, Intelligent Systems from University California Los Angeles (UCLA); he holds several other certificates including: Knowledge Engineering, Spiral Dynamics Integral and the Adizes Change methodologies, a Lea Six Sigma Black Belt and USA DOD certification in Business Process Reengineering.

Dr Khaled ElSherbini
TOPIC: Awakening the Heart and Mind of Africa
Dr Khaled ElSherbini is the founder and chairman of the Consciousness Academy, which focuses on human development and spiritual transformation. He is also the founder of Enneagram Egypt, the first and largest IEA-accredited Enneagram school in North Africa and the Middle East. Dr ElSherbini is an IEA IEA-accredited Enneagram Professional and the founder of the 3 IEA IEA-accredited training programs provided by the Consciousness Academy. He is also a Spiral Dynamics Integral accredited professional by the SDi founder, Don Beck through ValueMatch. Dr ElSherbini is a PCC ICF-accredited coach with over 1000 hours of coaching practice. Dr ElSherbini has over 25 years of experience in the fields of human development, coaching, consciousness and awareness, executive management, corporate restructuring, sustainability, renewable energy, research and development, technology management, strategic management, and teaching in the USA, Spain, Ukraine, Germany, Switzerland, China, and in Egypt. Dr ElSherbini created models of human consciousness evolution and development by synthesizing and integrating numerous models, mainly the Enneagram, Spiral Dynamics, Integral consciousness, modern psychological studies, and Sufi spiritual philosophies and psychology. These models are integrated under one overarching scheme called the “Integral Enneagram” and include: Stages of the Heart: a model for psychospiritual awakening & Stages of the Mind: a model for cognitive expansion and maturity.

Luvuyo Madasa
TOPIC: Reimagine South Africa
Luvuyo Madasa is an experienced development professional known for his work in driving Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. He serves as the Director of ReimagineSA, a non-profit organization that has become a trusted advisory entity focusing on fostering partnerships rooted in African wisdom, particularly Ubuntu. His efforts are dedicated to unlocking the potential of South Africa’s communities and youth through innovative approaches. Luvuyo’s practical approach and steadfast commitment to transformation have resulted in significant contributions to the development programs. His contributions reflect a deep-seated dedication to promoting positive change and advancing social development on both local and global scales. His expertise has earned him invitations to participate as a panelist in various engagements across South Africa, as well as opportunities to deliver talks in international cities such as Geneva, Amsterdam, Paris, Sydney, and multiple institutions across the United States.

Prof Aftab Omer
TOPIC: Transformative Communities of Practice
Aftab Omer, Ph.D. is the president of Meridian University which offers degree and professional programs globally, emphasizing the power of transformative learning. He is a sociologist, psychologist, developmentalist, and futurist. Raised in Pakistan, India, Hawaii, and Turkey, he was educated at the universities of M.I.T, Harvard and Brandeis. His publications have addressed the topics of transformative learning, dialogic capability, developmental power, cultural leadership, civil society, generative entrepreneurship, and the power of imagination. Aftab’s advising work focuses on team development and on leveraging the creative potentials of conflict, diversity, and complexity. Formerly the president of the Council for Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychologies, he is a Fellow of the International Futures Forum and the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dr Nceba Ndzwayiba
TOPIC: Both And: Reimagining New Possibilities
Dr Ndzwayiba is the Group Director of Human Resources and Transformation for the Netcare Group. He holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies, Masters in Philosophy Degree specialising in Human Resources Development, Bachelor of Education Honours Degree (Cum Laude) specialising in Occupationally Directed Education and Training. Dr Ndzwayiba as a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Human Capital Development and extensive experience in the field of human resource management, human capital development, organisational and socio-economic transformation, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion. He is the Associate Researcher at University of the Witwatersrand and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University.

Dr Paddy Pampallis
TOPIC: Integral Humanity Rising – heart wakening. Does an Integral U approach of being and becoming offer us a way of sense making that is more humane? 
Currently Paddy is founder and CEO of Integral Africa: The Coaching Centre (TCC) (2003); the Integral Africa Institute (2015); co-founder of the Ubuntu Coaching Foundation (2014); co-founder, member of Living Cities Earth, The McGregor Wisdom School and faculty member of Meridian University.  She was co-founder of The Learning Centre (2002); founder of the Centre for Family, Child and Adult Psychotherapy and Assessment, Race Awareness & Leadership Initiative (RALI), and the African Leadership Forum.  She has immersed herself in a range of psychology and process (Mindell) orientated trainings including that of African philosophy and deep democracy. She found home in Ken Wilber’s integrated approach to understanding human experience going to Denver in 2006 to immerse herself in Integral Leadership with the Integral Institute.  Her mission, together with members of her faculty, is to expand  the lineage with the south and in particular the generous philosophy of Ubuntu as seminal to further orientation to what it is to be whole.  A master Integral U coach Paddy’s passion for the transformative journey of adult (and child) learning which brings us back to our essence of what it is to be and do in ways that are generative, generous, gentle and courageous. Paddy has led the design and development of Integral U Coaching and Leadership in her school and works, with her expert and innovative teams, across communities, corporate, government, higher education, law, health and NPOS. Paddy is an invited speaker internationally, and sees herself as a learner/contributor to the field in which she works.

Dr Susanne Cook-Greuter
TOPIC: What’s problematic with AQAL and AD theories: A view from the observation deck
Dr Susanne Cook-Greuter is internationally known as the leading expert in mature ego development and self-actualization. She does ongoing research and development on the Sentence Completion Test. She leads training in the Leadership Development Framework and introductions and certification training for SCT-scorers. She collaborates with other consultant in bringing the developmental perspective into corporations and executive teams. Her clients appreciate her for her dedication, creativity and joyful, subtle inquiry as well as for her profound knowledge of the adult development field.