Sonya Lennon has over thirty years of experience in business, serving as a thought leader, designer, entrepreneur, and international speaker. A multi-award-winning social entrepreneur, Sonya founded the global not-for-profit initiative Dress for Success in Ireland in 2011, supporting over 4,000 women in finding employment and achieving economic independence. In 2021, it was rebranded as Work Equal to better reflect the organisation’s advocacy role and the depth of its services. She also founded the lifestyle brand Lennon Courtney in 2012, now shipping to over 30 countries. It was launched in partnership with Kilkenny Design to scale into new markets, supported by Enterprise Ireland. She hosts the successful ‘The Lennon Courtney’ podcast with long-time collaborator Brendan Courtney.
Sonya has campaigned at a European level for gender equality in the workplace through her advocacy work, addressing the Gender Pay Gap, Opportunity Gap and Pension Gap. Since 2016, Sonya has led Ireland’s highly publicised #WorkEqual campaign. Through this campaign, she has spearheaded public awareness, highlighted legacy and cultural issues that prevent workplace equality, and focused on solutions to address them. Sonya has repeatedly presented the issue to the Irish Government and the European Parliament. Recent wins saw the Gender Pay Gap Bill enacted following a five-year campaign.
In 2018, Sonya co-founded LIFT Ireland, an initiative aimed at enhancing the levels of value-led leadership in Ireland. The initiative focuses on themes such as accountability, respect, listening, and competence. The mission is to serve 10% of the population by 2028. Over 140,000 people have already participated in the LIFT roundtable process.
The inaugural #WorkEqual Conference in 2019 saw her bring together international speakers and diverse stakeholders to ratify priority issues and recommendations. This culminated in a post-conference report titled Practical Steps to Workplace Equality, co-authored with Professor Michelle Millar, NUIG. This document has been submitted to the Irish government as a framework to accelerate positive change. To further deepen and validate her domain expertise, Sonya recently completed a Master’s degree in Business Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with first-class honours at the Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dublin. Sonya sits on the Cross-Party Committee for Workplace Equality and was recently called as an expert witness to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on gender equity.
The committee recently returned from a study trip to Iceland, the world’s most gender-equal country. It met with trade unions, MPs, women’s rights groups and the Prime Minister to identify the critical levers for social change. Sonya is a board member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and chairs the Labour Taskforce. Sonya is solution-focused, iterative, and innovative, but always grounded in the value of human relationships and understanding how to maximise the potential of both business and people. Sonya lives and works with curiosity, joy, and an infectious laugh and wit.
1. Cultivating the Entrepreneurial Mindset
Overview:
Explore the transformative journey of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset within your organisation. This talk delves into the power of resilience, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit in driving business success and personal growth.
Key Takeaways:
● Strategies to foster innovation and creativity at all levels of the organisation.
● Building resilience and adaptability in rapidly changing markets.
● Case studies from Sonya’s own entrepreneurial journey, highlighting successes and learning moments.
● Inspiration to ACT for change
2. Value-Based Leadership: Fostering Inclusive Cultures and Psychological Safety
Key Takeaways:
● The principles of value-based leadership and their impact on organisational
culture.
● Strategies for Building Inclusive Environments That Promote Psychological
Safety
● The business benefits of a culture rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
3. Embracing Change: Thriving in Uncertainty
Overview:
Change is the only constant in todays workplace. This talk provides insights into embracing change as an opportunity for growth, innovation, and leadership. Discover how to lead effectively through uncertainty and inspire your team to take on new challenges.
Key Takeaways:
● Strategies for leading effectively through change.
● Building a culture of flexibility, resilience and psychological safety.
● Personal stories of adaptation and success in the face of uncertainty.
● Reframing challenges as opportunities.
4. Empowering Towards Action: Moving Beyond Barriers
Overview:
This motivational talk focuses on overcoming personal and professional barriers to take decisive action. Drawing from Sonya’s advocacy work and personal experiences, attendees will learn how to navigate challenges with confidence and purpose.
Key Takeaways:
● Techniques for identifying and overcoming personal and professional barriers.
● The role of self-awareness and emotional intelligence in empowerment.
● Strategies for creating a supportive culture that encourages risk-taking and growth.
● Inspiration to ACT for change
5. Repositioning with Power: Navigating Career Transitions
Overview:
Whether its a promotion, a career pivot, or stepping into a leadership role, transitions are pivotal moments. This talk offers strategies for repositioning yourself with confidence and authority, drawing on Sonya’s extensive experience in various sectors.
Key Takeaways:
● Crafting a personal brand that resonates with your new role.
● Leveraging your network and relationships for successful transitions.
● Managing the psychological aspects of career change.
6. Designing the Future You: The Opportunity of Ageing
Overview:
Retirement is not an end but a new beginning. This talk redefines retirement planning, focusing on the importance of purpose, passion, and personal growth. Discover how to plan for a fulfilling next chapter of your life.
Key Takeaways:
● Strategies for identifying passions and interests that will shape your retirement.
● Building a retirement plan that balances financial security with personal fulfilment.
● Inspirational stories of individuals who have found purpose and joy in retirement.
”Sonya MC’d our Gather conference, which brought together 500 SME delegates from 17 countries. She totally captured the spirit of the event with her introductory address and made sure to wrap up key takeaways from every speaker, ensuring maximum impact for our audience. Sonya was the perfect glue for one of our pillar events.”
-Martina McDonnell, Marketing Director SMB, EMEA, Meta
“Thank you, Sonya Lennon, for your world-class facilitation of the session. As the principal sponsor of the event, AIB Merchant Services was thoroughly blown away by your seamless performance that really elevated the experience for all. Ireland Inc is lucky to have someone of your calibre.”
-John Hoolahan, Senior Business Leader, AIB Merchant Services
“I just wanted to send a huge thank you to Sonya for her fantastic talk today at Novartis in Dublin! She was absolutely brilliant—engaging, insightful, and genuinely inspiring. Her career journey was fascinating, and the way she spoke about embracing confidence really struck a chord with the audience. She tackled the gender gap and equity with such clarity and passion, making these big topics feel both urgent and actionable. It was also fantastic to hear about her work with Work Equal and how creativity plays a role in driving change. We’ve had such great feedback from attendees who felt empowered and motivated by her words.”
-Caroline Johnston (she/her) P&O FOR INTERNATIONAL & US, Novartis
Please note this form is intended for Corporate Speaking and Commercial enquiries only. Due to the volume of emails we receive on a daily basis, we regret that we are unable to respond to specific requests from charities, schools, clubs or individuals.
