Dr. Kala bridges evidence-based insights from her Master of Academic Medicine (MACM) at USC with years of experience in high-acuity clinical cardiology, using powerful storytelling to examine how we respond to pressure, build resilience, and lead.
Whether speaking to businesses, healthcare professionals, educational institutions, athletic programs, or communities, she delivers dynamic, interactive learning experiences that resonate universally.
Grounded in the rigorous instructional design principles of the MACM program, Dr. Kala ensures your audience never just hears a concept - they learn the "HOW". Through an active, participatory style, she translates high-stakes lessons from acute clinical cardiology and academic medicine into practical frameworks that teach people how to lead themselves, navigate challenges, harness grit, and turn pressure into growth.
Learn. Reflect. Engage. Apply.
Selected Speaking Topics
The Science of Gratitude: Implications for Leadership and Workplace Wellness
Examining the neurobiology of gratitude and its impact on leadership, resilience and team culture.
Code Blue: Leadership Lessons from Acute Clinical Environments
Maintaining calm, communicating with clarity and executing sound decisions when pressure is at its peak.
The Anatomy of Calm: Leadership and Decisiveness Under Acute Stress
Evidence-based strategies to regulate the nervous system, eliminate cognitive overload and sustain sharp decision-making under stress.
The Architecture of Resilience: Transforming Pressure into Growth
Actionable strategies to build enduring mental toughness, recover from setbacks, and leverage stress as a catalyst for development.
Emotional Contagion: The Hidden Hazard in Your Workplace
Understanding how leaders unconsciously transmit stress or stability to their teams, and how to master emotional regulation.
Professionalism: What Happens After the Lapse?
Examining accountability, how to address a professionalism lapse, and the structured steps of remediation.
"Thanks so much for a stimulating workshop, important issues and concepts relating to use of technology."
Workshop Attendee · "Professionalism: What Happens After the Lapse?" IME Conference, USC