Rita Kakati-Shah

Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Empowerment Coach & Mentor,
International Advisor, Guest Lecturer & Author

Hello, I’m Rita Kakati-Shah. Welcome to my website!

I’m an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and lifelong community volunteer, who is passionate about my family, and the world we live in. I was born and raised in London, have heritage from Assam, and live in New York City. I’ve spent more than two decades leading teams, advising corporations and policymakers, and empowering future generations and leaders through keynote talks, trainings and mentoring.

On January 7^th, 2022, I was honored with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award by US President Joe Biden for demonstrating a lifelong commitment to voluntary service. In 2021 I was named one of the top Global Women in Leadership by the Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and am a three-time winner of the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and judge for the Middle East Awards. I am also a Distinguished Alumna of King’s College London and serve on the Advisory Council of King’s Business School.

I care deeply about gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and thrive on creating cultures of belonging where everyone feels valued. As a former finance and healthcare professional, I founded Uma in response to my personal journey, to empower unshakable confidence, inspire success, and build leadership and resilience in women and minorities around the world.

My goal is to empower others to feel empowered, confident, and have that inner “Goddess of Go-Getting” shine through!

Learn more about the work I do below and stay to up-to-date with my latest book which launched on March 8^th, 2022, International Women’s Day, The Goddess of Go-Getting!

The Goddess of Go-Getting

Rita has authored books on empowerment, business, and diversity and inclusion. Her latest book, The Goddess of Go-Getting, was launched on International Women’s Day, March 8^th, 2022, by the Consul General of India in New York, Mr. Randhir Jaiswal.

The book has already made headlines by becoming a best seller in three independent categories on Amazon! Click below to stay up to date with the latest!

Testimonials

"You are amazing.... your energy, your vibe, your positivity and your passion in what you say and do is so empowering. Your eloquence and delivery is perfect..."

"The epitome of self-assurance and poise, Kakati-Shah presents confidence-boosting strategies in her live masterclasses and coaching seminars to help anyone create unshakable self-confidence to meet any challenge head-on"

"Last night's talk was one of the best I've attended, seriously! The tangible takeaways of how to empower women in the workplace were unique and seemed to resonate with SO many of us. Really, this was top notch!"

"Thank you for such an amazing, energizing class! I was thrilled to have you, and you saw the students were engaged in your important topics as well. Hope to have you back for an encore soon! Today's timing was perfect for Women's History Month!"

Strategic Consultant & International Advisor

Rita advises Fortune 500 companies, policy forums, corporations and academic institutions around the world. She serves on Boards and Advisory Councils, and also offers strategic consultations and training on gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

Keynote Speaker

Rita is a highly sought-after speaker at global events, policy forums, corporations, and academic institutions. She has opined on diversity, inclusion and empowerment strategies as well as gender equality, entrepreneurship, and company best practices. Rita is also an experienced moderator, chairperson, presenter, and Master of Ceremonies.

Guest Lecturer & Educator

From her broad industry and life experiences of 25+ years, Rita is a frequent guest lecturer at academic institutions. She has taught at business schools, post and undergraduate courses, and elementary schools around the world, on topics such as communication, confidence and negotiation.

Empowerment Coach & Mentor

Rita has been coaching and mentoring professional women, C-Suite Leadership, parents returning to paid roles, military veterans, survivors of domestic violence, schoolchildren, students and young women in STEM, on career, leadership, entrepreneurship and business strategy for 20+ years.

Media Contributor & TV show host

Rita hosts her own television show, The Uma Show, on Mana TV International, and is a sought-after expert, thought-leader, and media contributor. She has been featured and quoted in multiple TV broadcasts, podcasts, radio and print, such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Fortune, Bloomberg, CBS News and Fox News.

Author

Rita has authored books on empowerment, business, and diversity and inclusion. Her latest book is The Goddess of Go-Getting, due for release on International Women's Day, March 8th 2022. Stay up-to-date with exciting book launch info!

Founder of Uma

UMA is a global strategic consulting, coaching and advisory platform that empowers confidence, inspires success, and builds leadership and resilience in women and minorities around the world. Rita is the founder and CEO of UMA.

Rita Kakati-Shah

The Goddess of Go-Getting

Testimonials

Areas of Expertise

Strategic Consultant & International Advisor

Rita advises Fortune 500 companies, policy forums, corporations and academic institutions around the world. She serves on Boards and Advisory Councils, and also offers strategic consultations and training on gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

Keynote Speaker

Guest Lecturer & Educator

From her broad industry and life experiences of 25+ years, Rita is a frequent guest lecturer at academic institutions. She has taught at business schools, post and undergraduate courses, and elementary schools around the world, on topics such as communication, confidence and negotiation.

Empowerment Coach & Mentor

Rita has been coaching and mentoring professional women, C-Suite Leadership, parents returning to paid roles, military veterans, survivors of domestic violence, schoolchildren, students and young women in STEM, on career, leadership, entrepreneurship and business strategy for 20+ years.

Media Contributor & TV show host

Author

Rita has authored books on empowerment, business, and diversity and inclusion. Her latest book is The Goddess of Go-Getting, due for release on International Women's Day, March 8th 2022. Stay up-to-date with exciting book launch info!

Founder of Uma

UMA is a global strategic consulting, coaching and advisory platform that empowers confidence, inspires success, and builds leadership and resilience in women and minorities around the world. Rita is the founder and CEO of UMA.

Featured In

Twitter

Rita Kakati-Shah​

The Goddess of Go-Getting

Testimonials

Areas of Expertise

Strategic Consultant & International Advisor

Rita advises Fortune 500 companies, policy forums, corporations and academic institutions around the world. She serves on Boards and Advisory Councils, and also offers strategic consultations and training on gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

Keynote Speaker

Guest Lecturer & Educator

From her broad industry and life experiences of 25+ years, Rita is a frequent guest lecturer at academic institutions. She has taught at business schools, post and undergraduate courses, and elementary schools around the world, on topics such as communication, confidence and negotiation.

Empowerment Coach & Mentor

Rita has been coaching and mentoring professional women, C-Suite Leadership, parents returning to paid roles, military veterans, survivors of domestic violence, schoolchildren, students and young women in STEM, on career, leadership, entrepreneurship and business strategy for 20+ years.

Media Contributor & TV show host

Author

Rita has authored books on empowerment, business, and diversity and inclusion. Her latest book is The Goddess of Go-Getting, due for release on International Women's Day, March 8th 2022. Stay up-to-date with exciting book launch info!

Founder of Uma

UMA is a global strategic consulting, coaching and advisory platform that empowers confidence, inspires success, and builds leadership and resilience in women and minorities around the world. Rita is the founder and CEO of UMA.

Featured In

Twitter

Rita Kakati-Shah