Meet Surina Piyadasa, Founder, CEO & Owner

I first discovered the power of public speaking as a young teen. After my parents’ divorce, money was tight. But with a little determination and a lot of hard work—including speech competitions, securing grants and scholarships, and working part-time at Macy’s — my college dream came true. While juggling a full-time role as a Bank of America Manager, I went to Golden Gate University in the evenings and earned a Master of Business Administration in Finance degree.

Before founding Dynamically Speaking, I held executive roles in Corporate Finance, Structured Finance, and Institutional Bond Sales. My experience at The Brenner Group, Coast Partners Securities, and Union Bank Capital Markets Group equipped me with skills to drive results and lead high-performing teams.
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In 2004, I launched Dynamically Speaking with a bold mission:  empower leaders to uplift humanity by speaking with power, purpose, and persuasion. As a seasoned Executive Speaker Trainer and Leadership Coach, I specialize in designing and delivering tailored training solutions that help CEOs and their teams achieve tangible results in less time.
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My passions are:

• ​Dynamic Leadership: I've honed my leadership skills through battle-tested experience salted with optimism.
• Innovative Solutions: I'm constantly exploring new ways to delight customers and exceed expectations.
• Mentorship: I'm committed to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and business builders.

I believe that hard work, perseverance, and a touch of amazing divine grace can lead to extraordinary outcomes. I'm grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and make a positive impact on the world. When not working, you will find me discovering new trails to hike with my husband, digging in the backyard dirt, and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

​Let's speak and explore how Dynamically Speaking can help you achieve extraordinary results.

Current Professional Affiliations:
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• ​100 Women in Finance member (since 2017)
• Ambassador (since 2011) and Board member (2008 through 2011), Water for People​
• Business Advisor, Eden Area Recreational Occupational Program (since 2017) 

Past Professional Affiliations:
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• Professional actor and SAG-AFTRA member (2004 - 2021)
• Chapter Co-Chair, Executive Committee, Business Forums International, ​San Francisco and San Jose ​ (2005 -2012)
• Mentor, The Founder Institute (Palo Alto Chapter)

Speaking Engagements:

Entrepreneurial Workshops & Presentations

• Webinar: mentoring small business owners on developing a stand out elevator pitch 
•  NFTE: coaching student entrepreneurs on turning business set-back into opportunity
• ​NFTE: mentoring student entrepreneurs on creating a good first impression 
•  Eden Area ROP: motivational talk to help student entrepreneurs adapt to change
• BAFEF: International Womens' Day Keynote inspiring 200 female teens to pursue entrepreneurship
• KOTRA Silicon Valley: best practices to enhance executive presence for South Korean entrepreneurs visiting U.S.
• The Founder Institute (Palo Alto Chapter): tips and techniques for staying calm when pitching investors

Corporate Presentations

•  LexisNexis - Lex Machina Tech Accelerator: mentoring 37 start-ups on refining investor and customer pitches
• SF CFA Society: presentation to 25 senior financial services professionals on trust-building strategies 
• Cisco Global Supply Chain: Keynote to 200 global supply chain leaders inspiring innovation by self-disruption
• Office of the CIO: coaching tech CIOs on strategic communication best practices 
• Vistage International: workshop empowering 20 middle-market CEOs to present strong value propositions on-camera
• StorePoint Retail: boardroom-style presentations to 30 retail store executives from national chains

PASSION. CURIOSITY. EMPATHY.