From “We Shall Overcome” to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to “Shake It Off,” our cultural lexicon is rife with rhetoric on facing tough times. We represent a team of Speakers on Overcoming Adversity that add substance to the songbook, having charged head-on into some of the most insurmountable and unimaginable obstacles ever encountered, and not only survived, but thrived.
The ability of our inspirational speakers to reframe and adjust perspective becomes even more salient when a culture of fear and complacency is prevalent in the workplace, and employees become limited more by attitude than perceived lack of opportunity.
Our Overcoming Adversity Speakers won’t just lift you up and over, but carry you further, going beyond motivation with the ability to ignite and inspire that inner fire in your audience as well as sustain and maintain the drive to succeed throughout your organization, long after the keynote concludes.
As a teacher, speaker, and “resilience ninja”, Jaz Ampaw-Farr is a catalyst for change. Hailed as “the British Oprah” for her contagious empowering energy, Jaz was born into a despairing environment of poverty, abuse, and… Full Profile
Principal, Linda Cliatt-Wayman turned three of the country’s most dangerous and impoverished schools into successful centers of learning and development. The dedicated educator’s inspirational tale has been featured on TED, ABC’s World News Tonight and… Full Profile
One of the youngest women to fly around the world, Amelia Rose Earhart dedicated years to fulfilling her dream of retracing the epic 1937 flight of her namesake, aviation icon, Amelia Mary Earhart. Her 2014… Full Profile
The first woman Thunderbird fighter pilot, Nicole Malachowski is one of the most raved about speakers on dreaming big, achieving more, and performing under pressure. During her 21 years of military service, Col. Malachowski had… Full Profile
Wasfia Nazreen is a National Geographic Explorer & Adventurer and the only woman to hold these simultaneous titles. Although she is most known for being the first Bangladeshi and Bengali in the world to climb… Full Profile
Award-winning actress, writer, and producer Naomi McDougall Jones is one of the most prominent figures steering the "Women in Film Revolution." Her viral TED Talk, "What It's Like to Be a Woman in Hollywood" has… Full Profile
Nick Santonastasso is a medical miracle. Not only is he one of four people alive with the rare genetic condition, Hanhart Syndrome, the inspirational keynote speaker is an internationally known bodybuilder and fitness model -… Full Profile
Growing up as one of the few non-Inuit residents of a settlement on Baffin Island, Canada, Paul Nicklen has been intimately involved with the natural world since his childhood. This experience, coupled with his first… Full Profile
Teaching to over 1400 Harvard University students, Tal Ben-Shahar's course on “Positive Psychology" was the most popular in the University, while another course, “The Psychology of Leadership," took third place on the same list. Ben-Shahar… Full Profile
One of television's most watched celebrities, Bear Grylls launched a Survivalism Fever that has swept across the world. The former British Special Forces operative is best-known for taking his adventures in the planet's most hostile… Full Profile
Born hearing impaired and raised in a polygamous commune, Lance Allred started playing organized basketball later than most future pro-athletes; he was in the eighth grade the first time he touched a basketball, the same… Full Profile
Stephanie Decker became a national hero after she saved her children, shielding them from the falling debris of their collapsing house with her own body while a freak tornado engulfed their small Indiana town. Though… Full Profile
A role model and inspiration for audiences around the world, John MacLean is the first wheelchair athlete to finish the Ironman World Championship, the first wheelchair athlete to be inducted into the Ironman Hall of… Full Profile
One of the greatest actresses of her generation, Kathy Bates has brought numerous roles to life on screen and onstage that no other performer could pull off. In recent years, she has also demonstrated she… Full Profile
When things got tough, Allon Raiz rethought his failing business and turned it into the most successful business incubator in South Africa. Today Raizcorp is one of the few profitable business incubators in the world,… Full Profile
Paul Shoemaker is a mastermind at knocking down the barriers and curtailing social problems. As the Founding President of Social Ventures Partners International and SVPI's former Executive Connector, he's brought together social changers, researchers, and… Full Profile
When Phil Hansen’s dedication to his art led to permanent nerve damage and a shaking hand, he turned a limitation into a creative catalyst that took his art to new heights. Hansen’s skillful use of… Full Profile
Internationally sought neurosurgeon, Dr. Maroon has contributed decades of groundbreaking research to the treatment and prevention of concussions and other neurotraumatic conditions. His innovative techniques for treating brain injuries, tumors, and spinal conditions have received… Full Profile
The star of numerous acclaimed comedic and dramatic roles in television and movies, Meredith Baxter offers an inspiring story of courage, hope, self-acceptance and happiness to millions dealing with drug abuse, domestic abuse, and cancer.… Full Profile
One of the science world’s most successful and influential CEOs, Tan Le started her incredible life journey as a refugee facing a high probability of death on a treacherous trip across the pirate infested China… Full Profile
Despite being born without arms due to a birth defect, Jessica has lived an otherwise normal life. After overcoming her self-esteem issues, Jessica earned a degree in psychology and got her airline pilot’s certificate. Earning… Full Profile
One of the world’s most influential surfers, Bethany Hamilton was attacked while surfing at the age of 13 by a 16-foot-long tiger shark that severely severed her left arm. Bleeding profusely she had to paddle… Full Profile
After surviving two horrific car accidents, artist and entrepreneur Allison Massari braved an excruciating recovery that forever changed the way she viewed life and happiness. She has since then become one of North America’s leading… Full Profile
*Meredith Vieira only accepts speaking engagements in the New York area. Meredith Vieira is an award-winning news correspondent, anchor, editor, television personality and philanthropist. She won five Emmy Awards for her work as a correspondent… Full Profile
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