Our Speakers
Founding director of BELS Language school in Malta and Gozo
Wife, mother and business owner, Rebecca Bonnici claims she is defined by these roles and in that order precisely! Besides a colourful home life with a loving husband and two young girls whom she credits as shaping the woman she is today, Rebecca owns BELS language school in Malta and Gozo. Here, she leads a team of approximately 50 full-time employees who together, herself included, strive to deliver “a full service of excellence” to their clients.
When she’s out of the office, Rebecca thoroughly enjoys exploring a wide-ranging set of interests including food, music and dance. Improved health and well-being are also high on her agenda, she tells us “Yoga helps align my thoughts and calm my racing mind, while running lifts my mood”.
What’s more?
Rebecca contributes to an NGO called Advocacy For Legacy (A4L) who are working towards a better future for vulnerable youths whilst offering them protection and help to acquire the necessary skills to detect signs of abuse – whether physical, emotional, substance or otherwise.
Robyn Pratt
Hospitality professional and founder of Impact Consulting Ltd
With over 40 years experience spanning general management, culture building, branding, mindset change and project leadership, Robyn is a highly regarded hospitality professional, coach and mentor. Prior to founding Impact Solutions Ltd. Robyn was appointed Vice president and brand leader for design and luxury brands for Starwood hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In this role she led the brand and quality assured efforts of nine across 240 hotels.
Among her professional and personal awards Robyn has received the “Queensland business of the year”, “International woman chiefs of enterprises achievement award” for contribution to the Australian Tourism Industry and Starwood “Presidents Award”.
What’s more?
Following a six month loss of memory after a medical procedure, Robyn wrote and published “To Build a lifetime” where she shares her learnings from this experience when facilitating workshops related to the power of communication and dealing with change. Robyn sits on the board of directors at Special Interest Travel, a Demajp Company and is an affiliate of Morgansheer Hospitality Inc based in New York. Other directorships currently held are with Healthy Heat Ltd, Global Travel Solutions and PAYSEC International.
Dr. Rachel Taylor-East
Consultant Psychiatrist and Secretary for the Maltese Association of Psychiatry
Dr Rachel Taylor-East, known affectionately as ‘Sasha”, is a consultant psychiatrist and devoted mother of two young children. Among her many professional qualifications and achievements, she is on the specialist register of the Malta Medical Council and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Sasha studied at Kings College in London where she obtained her MSc in the Clinical and Public Health Aspects of Addiction and her undergraduate Medicine and Surgery degree at the University of Malta, where she is currently a visiting assistant lecturer on the Psychiatry module.
She is also the General Secretary for the Maltese Association of Psychiatry with focus in the areas of acute general adult psychiatry and psychological trauma and is actively involved in clinical audit and medical education: teaching both in undergraduate medical, and post-graduate psychiatry specialisation.
What’s more?
Sasha recently completed a befriending project with UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency. As such, she has been actively involved in liaising with various agencies, attending conferences, and hopes to motivate and encourage developments within this field. She is also the founding President of the Malta Association of Psychiatric Trainees
Lorinda Mamo
Small business Entrepreneur, blogger and creator of A Bird with a French Fry
Sharing her joys, sadness, hopes and aspirations, small business entrepreneur and writer Lorinda Mamo is well-known on the island for her lifestyle and parenting blog and online shop “A Bird with A French Fry”. Also a graphic designer and maker “in every essence of the word” Lorinda is always thinking of the next project to keep her mind busy whether creating pompoms, sewing, sourcing fabrics, planning crafts workshops, writing, cooking or snapping photographs. Often her work which Lorinda describes as providing her with joy, is also a colourful distraction from a harsher reality in coping with her son’s illness.
What’s more?
As well as creating items for her brand A Bird with A French Fry, Lorinda is also the co-founder of a new brand of fine bows, bow ties and apparel – Belle & Beau and more recently started “Camp Create” – offering fun craft workshops for kids. Lorinda is passionate about positivity as self care, inspiring others who may also be going through difficult times, creating awareness about raising a child with a chronic illness with all it’s challenges, breast cancer awareness, and “trying to be the best version of myself”
