Presenter Biographies

Keynote

Talking Across Divides: Communicating through differences

Hanlie van Wyk is a psychologist, researcher, and leadership consultant whose work explores how people communicate and connect across deep cultural, ideological, and historical divides. With more than two decades of international experience across Africa, Europe, and the United States, Hanlie works at the intersection of social psychology, organizational leadership, and intercultural dynamics—helping leaders, teams, and families find constructive ways to engage through difference.

She developed the Four Powers Model—a practical framework for understanding and shifting power dynamics in conversation, bridging the gap between self-awareness, social systems, and ethical action. Hanlie’s work draws from her global research on hate studies, cultural intelligence, and trust, offering evidence-based tools for dialogue in polarized and emotionally charged contexts.

In this session, Talking Across Divides: Communicating Through Differences, Hanlie will invite participants to explore how conversations with someone “different from us” can transform fear and defensiveness into curiosity and understanding. Blending psychological insights with lived experience, she unpacks the role of history, marginalization, and social consciousness in shaping communication patterns at home, work, and in transition between cultures.

Her Forum 2026 talk will offer key data and practical methods for navigating polarization, followed by a interactive Q&A session designed to help globally mobile families practice real-world strategies for courageous and compassionate dialogue. Hanlie’s approach is reflective, human-centered, and deeply hopeful—grounded in the belief that meaningful connection across difference is both possible and vital in today’s divided world.

Speakers - Stay Tuned for Forum 2026's Speaker Line Up!