Professional Disruptor
Leading Conversations That Move Beyond Optics
For Rooms That Matter, Across Borders
Why Book Element ?
"Element doesn’t just talk about strategic partnerships, she lives it. As a media executive, cultural architect, and connector of people, she’s built partnerships that move culture and revenue. Her sessions are as inspiring as they are actionable, making her the perfect choice to speak to the new landscape that artist find themselves in. Her work is a perfect example of how to merge career, community elevated performance, engagement, and outcomes."
-Geraud Blanks (Managing Director)Culture X Design
“The way you spoke about the different sensitive topics while other people were also in the room, other people who are not Black, who were also in the room. You made them feel comfortable, you made them feel seen. You made them feel understood and it takes a lot of skill and nuance to pull people into a space that you are also trying to keep sacred but also inviting at the same time. Element’s grace of delivery is something I would say, of all the speakers I’ve heard, especially in the music industry, is second to none.”
-Tommyphyll (Western Canadian)Afrobeat's Artist of the Year
“The professional disrupting that Element provides is a real skill. It can’t necessarily be taught without thousands and thousands of hours. It was great, I learned a lot and it made for a really powerful experience.”
- Alex Sannie(Industry Development/ Professional Development Manager Manitoba Music)
National, Global & Industry Convenings
• BreakOut West & SWMM
• Somewhere Fest
• Women in Music Global Summit
Leadership & Affiliations
• Recording Academy Music Advocacy Committee
• National Association of Black Journalist
• National Independent Venue Association
As a Professional Disruptor, Everest-Blanks facilitates conference conversations that require trust, preparation, and the ability to challenge surface-level dialogue without losing the room. She is often booked for sessions where nuance, accountability, and forward movement are essential.
1
How Independent Artists
Thrive in 2026
"The independent artist of 2026 is not about chasing record deals or validation; they are building ecosystems."
- Element Everest-Blanks
This discussion explores how independent artists are redefining success beyond major labels and traditional radio outlets. From ownership and community-building to diversified revenue streams, strategic partnerships, and cultural influence, this conversation centers how artists sustain careers while maintaining creative and economic control.
Everest-Blanks unpacks what thriving actually looks like in today’s music landscape. Attendees discuss leveraging platforms without being consumed by them, turning audiences into communities, and building long-term value instead of viral moments.
This session is ideal for artists, creatives, and industry professionals seeking a realistic, future-facing blueprint for independence, sustainability, and power.
2
From a Seat at the Table to
Owning the Room
Leading as the First, Few, or Only
"As a Black woman in leadership, I learned early that representation is not the same as power, and access is not leadership."
- Element Everest-Blanks
This discussion explores what it really means to move from being invited into rooms, to actually shaping decisions once you’re there. This is often a challenge for women who are the first, few, or only in leadership spaces. The conversation examines visibility without protection, inclusion without authority, and the unspoken expectations placed on women navigating systems not built with them in mind.
Everest-Blanks spotlights how to recognize systems implemented to secure power and drain creativity without offering safety or security. Attendees will discuss why we often wait for permission and how we can instead lead without becoming a symbol or mascot and redefine success on our own terms.
This session centers honesty over performance and power over proximity, offering a reframed vision of leadership that prioritizes agency, impact, and ownership.
3
Professional Disruptor
Dismantling Respectability Politics in Leadership & Culture
“Professionalism” is often framed as neutral, but in practice, it is deeply cultural, selective, and rooted in power."
- Element Everest-Blanks
This discussion unpacks who gets to define professionalism, whose leadership styles are validated, and why Black, Brown and Indigenous people are often asked to dilute their identity and culture in order to be taken seriously.
Through candid conversation and real-world examples, Everest-Blanks challenges respectability politics, explores the hidden rules governing leadership spaces, and invites audiences to imagine more expansive, equitable definitions of professionalism.
This session is ideal for conferences looking to move beyond surface-level DEI conversations and into honest dialogue about systems, structure, power, culture, and leadership norms.