KAHINA HAYNES
Speaker. Advisor. Believer in Bold Leadership.
"Keeping people out doesn't make something great. It just makes it smaller."
Kahina challenges institutions to expand access and redefine excellence — in dance, in policy, and in leadership. Because talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn't.
"I love dance for its ability to communicate things other forms of art and communication are not able to. Movement is the earliest form of storytelling, pre-dating language."
— Kahina Haynes
MEET KAHINA
Speaker. Advisor. Believer in Bold Leadership.
SEE KAHINA
Read articles about Kahina featured in the press.
WATCH KAHINA
View Kahina’s talks and social media content.
BOOK KAHINA
Book Kahina for speaking or for consulting.
Talent is everywhere,
opportunity isn’t.
Speaking & Panels
Kahina transforms how audiences think about access, excellence, and who gets to lead
Excellence Without Exclusion
Challenging the myth that elite standards require keeping people out. How expanding access actually creates stronger, more innovative organizations.
Redefining "culture fit" and "qualifications".
Case studies from elite ballet to corporate boardrooms.
The business case for inclusive excellence.
Policy & National Advocacy
Connecting lived experience with research and policy to create scalable change. Insights from serving on the Presidential Council.
Movement, sports, and arts as essential infrastructure.
Evidence-based policy development.
Scaling local solutions to national impact.
Systems Change & Inclusion
How to redesign systems that create barriers and transform them into gateways for talent. Moving beyond "good intentions" to evidence-based change.
Diagnosing exclusion in organizational systems.
Building infrastructure for sustainable inclusion.
Measuring impact beyond representation numbers.
Recent Speaking Engagements:
TEDtalk
Princeton Reunions
American University (October 2022)
Presidential Council Forums
Consulting & Partnerships
Kahina's consulting isn't just about strategy — it's about shifting culture.
From research to execution, Kahina helps organizations diagnose where they're losing talent and build systems that work for everyone. Her approach combines data, behavioral science, and lived experience to create sustainable change.
Canada’s National Ballet School
Whether you're looking to transform hiring practices, redesign your training programs, or develop policies that actually work — Kahina brings the tools, the research, and the real-world experience to make it happen.
Book Kahina as a speaker.
Kahina Haynes is a thoughtful and experienced speaker who has shared her perspective with audiences across the nonprofit, education, arts, and public policy sectors.
Her talks combine personal story, data, and practical strategies that help organizations move from intention to action.
Kahina is available for podcast interviews and speaking engagements, both remotely and in person. Her schedule typically allows for bookings with 2–4 weeks' notice.
To discuss having Kahina as a guest on your podcast or event, please fill the following information or contact: Danyale Speight, variationsincco@gmail.com