Meet the team

Dasha Dollar-Smirnova MSc
Founder

Dasha combines classical drama training, over fifteen years of experience in the advertising business and her knowledge of psychology and neuroscience to create her unique public speaking workshops.

Dasha was an extremely shy child, so it was a great surprise to her and her family when she signed herself up for drama class at the age of 9. Theatre helped her find her voice and unlock her confidence. She trained at Drama Studio London which was followed by several years acting, presenting and producing documentaries. She moved on to have a very successful career in advertising, where she was one of the founders of Hogarth Worldwide and worked with some of the world’s leading brands and helping grow the business to a global leader in the industry. But her love of theatre got the better of her and she went back to her roots, becoming a public speaking and communication coach. She started Frog Talk in 2016 and started developing her own unique methodology and approach. She found that as well teaching people become better storytellers, she was also helping them to understand the reasons behind their anxiety around public speaking. This led her to her Masters of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health at King's College.

Her biggest source of inspiration are her two kids that remind her what unrestrained creativity is and the power of the question "Why?"!"

After training at East 15 Acting School, Jessica has gone on to work as a professional actor, working primarily in theatre and audio drama. Jessica's ability to 'do voices' led her to teaching other performers how to do the same and evolved into helping non performers find confidence and control in their natural voice. Since starting this work she has found a real passion for working with individuals, helping them learn how to be commanding, engaging and passionate public speakers.

Fabio De Sio is an award-winning
public speaker and business coach dedicated to helping individuals and organisations enhance communication, build confidence, and elevate leadership. With expertise in Integral Coaching, NLP, CBT, and Mindfulness, Fabio offers personalised coaching that drives professional impact.

A strong advocate for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), Fabio collaborates with organisations to foster trust and innovation. He has successfully worked with companies like IG,Toastmasters, Zoom, and Sigma iGaming. Most recently, Fabio spoke on "Diversity and Innovation in iGaming" at the Sigma iGaming conference, highlighting diversity as a key driver of global success.

Kitty is a coach and facilitator who focuses on expression, communication, and self-understanding. She aims to empower people to live and perform at their best with pride and authenticity. Kitty is passionate about using coaching and the performing arts to help others lead with integrity and care.She previously worked at the Prins Claus Conservatoire as a mentor and elective leader, helping students develop their artistry and stage presence. Kitty has collaborated with various organizations, including Culture Action Europe, Choir at Work NL, European Performing Arts Students' Association, and Roundhouse Works. She recently joined the coaching team at Guildhall Ignite.In addition to coaching, Kitty is a singer who has performed across Europe, both as a soloist and in ensembles. She currently sings with Still I Rise Collective, a group that emphasizes storytelling through music. Kitty is also completing her master’s in Performance Science, focusing her dissertation on psychological safety in the conservatoire setting.

Danny Braverman is a coach, trainer, and consultant specialising in public speaking, communication, career transition, disability awareness, and organisational development. With over 30 years of experience, he helps individuals and teams harness storytelling and effective communication to achieve their goals. His acclaimed solo show, Wot? No Fish!!, performed across four continents, highlights his skill in crafting impactful narratives, which is central to his coaching approach.

Danny’s background includes studying Drama and English at Birmingham University and co-founding Bread & Circuses Theatre Company. He has worked with Theatre Royal Stratford East, the National Theatre, and Graeae Theatre Company. In 2024, he received the Music and Drama Educators’ Lifetime Achievement Award. He recently transitioned from his role as a lecturer at Goldsmiths University to focus full-time on coaching and playwriting.

Sarah Quist is a London-born Public Speaking, Confidence, Interview Technique, and Team Building Coach, and she loves what she does. A RADA-trained professional actress, Sarah is also a Singer/Songwriter and Voice Over Artist. Her voice can be heard on platforms like the BBC, National Geographic, and Rolls Royce, among others.

Sarah has developed a unique approach, drawing from her performance techniques, to help individuals from all backgrounds feel comfortable and confident in public speaking. Her work is tailored to each individual or group, ensuring that sessions are patient, warm, honest, and supportive. Focused on practical experience rather than classroom-style learning, Sarah helps clients push boundaries, calm nerves, and achieve satisfying results.

She is TEFL qualified and holds certificates in The Science of Well-Being (Yale) and Conflict Transformation (Emory University). Sarah has worked with companies such as Paramount, The Francis Crick Institute, MTV, and Viacom. A career highlight was coaching investigative journalist Carol Cadwalladr, who delivered a standout TED Talk in Silicon Valley despite initial nerves.4o

Mathieu brings together three core pillars of experience that inform his distinctive approach: eight  years of working for large corporations in several European countries, eight years spent training and then working as a professional actor, and a training as an integrative therapist. These complimentary skillsets, combined with a lifelong practice of mindfulness and meditation, make for a rich approach to motivating people to be their best, most confident selves.  

As a native French speaker with a bilingual fluency in English, Mathieu is able to communicate with a range of nationalities. He is passionate about using the valuable tools he learned as an actor to help executives overcome the perceived challenges of public speaking. His counselling skills make him a compassionate coach, who is deeply attuned to individual needs while rooted in a real-world background in finance and business.  
When we connect with an authentic desire to be of service to others we lose our self-consciousness and become other-focused, rather than self-focused. This liberating shift has long been the secret to great acting performances, but it applies equally to great public speaking.