About Ericka's Talk on Persistence

From A Shack to the Pentagon: A Journey of Resilience, Leadership, and Relentless Determination to Rise as a Coach. The unwavering dedication to consistently take inspired action, overcome obstacles, and maintain focus until achieving one's goals.

EMPOWER AND ELEVATE 23 FEBRUARY 2027

HOME PAGE

Empower & Elevate

A NZ Professional Coaches one-day event dedicated to the women who dedicate themselves to lifting others

Many women spend their working lives encouraging others, creating insight, building confidence and helping people reach their potential. Empower & Elevate is a day for you, a chance to step away from supporting everyone else and focus on your own inspiration, growth and empowerment.

Join us for an energising day designed especially for women. Connect with like-minded women, strengthen your professional community and hear powerful stories from women whose courage, leadership and achievements may encourage and challenge you.

Our inspirational speaker line-up includes two exceptional international keynote speakers:

Ericka Kelly
Senior Special Agent, leadership expert and highly respected motivational speaker.

Teresa Kline
Retired NASA Aerospace Engineer with an extraordinary story of determination, innovation and achievement.

They will be joined by a line-up of New Zealand professional women, each bringing their own experience, wisdom and perspective on leadership, resilience, possibility and personal growth.

This is more than a professional development day. It is an opportunity to reconnect with your own purpose, refill your cup and spend time in the company of women who understand the responsibility and privilege of helping others grow.

Come to Christchurch in February 2027 prepared to be inspired, encouraged and elevated.

BOOK NOW

International Keynote Speakers

Ericka F. Kelly

Ericka E. Kelly is an accredited executive coach, best-selling author, professional speaker, and distinguished military leader with over four decades of experience spanning the Air Force Reserve Command, law enforcement, and corporate leadership.

More Details

As the 17th Command Chief Master Sergeant and Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, she provided strategic guidance and mentorship to more than 74,000 personnel worldwide, influencing readiness, training, morale, and operational effectiveness across multiple military bases.Originally from Guatemala, Ericka’s journey from extreme poverty to a successful career in the United States exemplifies resilience and determination. She leverages her extensive educational background including an MBA and certifications from The Napoleon Hill Foundation, European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), John Maxwell Training, and others to help thousands of leaders enhance communication, build trust, and achieve organizational goals.Additionally, her law enforcement role with the Department of Homeland/Customs and Border Protection highlights her ability to build multi-agency relationships and conduct complex investigations.Recognised nationally by the U.S. Congress for exceptional leadership and mentorship, Ericka combines her multilingual skills and dedication to community service to inspire others to realize their full potential in both military and civilian contexts.

Teresa Kline

Teresa Kline spent 36 years as an engineer for the US Army and NASA, specializing in propulsion, ending her career as part of the NASA Office of the Chief Engineer, an office responsible for oversight of all projects and initiatives across the Agency.

More Details

Teresa grew up moving around the world, due to her father’s job with Firestone. The opportunities she gained through living in rather than simply visiting other countries are something that shaped much of her understanding of the world and something for which she continues to be grateful. Throughout her career, she often approached her teams in very different ways, using something she later understood as coaching to strengthen the teams, the individuals, and the quality of the missions. This led her to study coaching at the Conscious Coaching Academy and beginning her own practice after retirement from government service. Teresa approaches her own life and her interactions with her clients with the belief that we are rarely without infinite options, we are just unable to see them in the moment.

Teresa Kline is a retired aerospace engineer whose distinguished career spanned NASA and the US Army Research Laboratory. At NASA, she worked within the Office of the Chief Engineer, advancing model-based engineering, systems engineering and digital transformation, and previously shaped strategy at Armstrong Flight Research Center and supported propulsion testing at Glenn Research Center. Earlier, during 15 years with the US Army, she analysed and tested every engine then supporting Army aviation, including work on the T800 certification and LV100 design for the M1A1 Abrams tank. Teresa holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and lives in Tehachapi, California.