Keynote Speaker Announced | Pledge Virtual Awards 2020

We are delighted to announce that the keynote speaker for our upcoming Pledge Virtual Awards event on Thursday, October 15, is Natalia Cohen, who was one of the first all-female team to row unsupported across the Pacific Ocean. Natalia will be sharing her extraordinary story and explaining how the lessons she learnt about leadership, teamwork and mental resilience can be applied to your business.Natalia's JourneyWith 15 years of experience of living and working in over 50 countries, Natalia Cohen has chosen to follow an unusual and fascinating path.Her broad range of professional experience within the travel industry includes adventure tour leading, operations management, teaching/training, volunteer and project coordination, as well as working within the Super Yacht industry and Eco-lodge management, running a remote Safari lodge in Tanzania. Natalia is no stranger to being outside of her comfort zone and has made an art of embracing and adapting to change. Her understanding of team dynamics, the importance of a positive mindset and the ability to live in the moment led her to become part of the first all-female team to row unsupported across the Pacific Ocean.Natalia and the crew completed this challenge in January 2016 setting two world records and gaining an international following. This was a journey of just under 9,000 miles from San Francisco, the USA to Cairns, Australia in a 29ft ocean rowing boat. The expedition was not only a challenge of extreme conditions and perseverance but also a journey within to better understand the strength of human spirit, the importance of being aligned with your values, a positive mindset, the diversity within a team and enjoying the journey.Natalia’s vision is to empower others to reach their potential, push through their self-limiting mental boundaries and meet and overcome the challenges that life throws at them.She may have crossed her literal Pacific, but we all have our own Pacific to cross.You can hear about Natalia's experience first-hand by booking your company's space at our 2020 virtual awards presentation. You can find the event booking form here. For more information please contact Lauren Darby.