Jean Gamester

Jean Gamester, DTM, of Cardiff, Wales, is a business school lecturer at The Open University in the United Kingdom. In her role, she educates on leadership, strategy, change, creativity, and innovation. This work builds on her international, multi-cultural, and multi-sector corporate change and leadership experience that includes company-wide strategy development, consulting, and implementation. She has also owned and directed Semaphore Consulting since 2012, delivering change management consulting services.

Gamester earned master's degrees in Human Resource Management Economics, the former from the University of Bedfordshire in the UK, the latter from University College Dublin, Ireland. She additionally has an ACCA-certified diploma in accounting and finance, and certification in the fields of program management, project management, information technology, coaching, psychology, literature, creative writing, and yoga. She is currently pursuing a professional doctorate in organizational change. She is a past Interim CEO of Charity Speakers Trust in the United Kingdom.

A Toastmaster since 2006, Gamester is a member of her home club, Cardiff Toastmasters. She has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters and has attained the Distinguished Toastmasters designation the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.

She reflects that Toastmasters has helped her gain communication and leadership skills that have empowered her to lead complex strategic change in organizations and help her inspire as a speaker and university lecturer.