Resilience Speakers

Brian Banks inspires audiences with his powerful story of overcoming wrongful conviction to achieve freedom and success. His journey highlights resilience, leadership, and the strength to rise above adversity.

Jennifer Pharr Davis is the “Serena Williams of long-distance hiking” (PBS). She set the overall speed record on the Appalachian Trail by hiking 47 miles a day for 46 straight days. An authentic storyteller, Jennifer shares trail adventures...

Eric Potterat, Ph.D. is considered one of the leading experts in high performance psychology, performance optimization, and individual & organizational resilience. He retired as a Commander in the Navy after 20 years of service, the last 10 of...

William Kamkwamba's story exemplifies the power of resourcefulness and innovation in action. Faced with a critical challenge in his Malawian village, he didn't wait for external solutions. Instead, his ingenuity was sparked by a library book on windmills....

When Chad Foster speaks to audiences, he shares a powerful message: his loss of eyesight as a young adult didn't hold him back. Instead, he embraced obstacles as opportunities. Chad became the first blind executive to graduate Harvard...

Bringing nearly two decades of recruitment expertise, Julian Placino delivers impactful recruitment strategies and skilled leadership development. Having served as the Head of Recruiting at Bottle Rocket, Placino boasts a successful history of deploying recruitment strategies that draw...

Richard Hurowitz offers thought-provoking insights derived from his vast expertise, sharing lessons of some of the greatest heroes in world history and how we can use them to create a better world, better institutional cultures, and prevent genocide...

Eric Sheninger is a sought-after speaker, guiding school leaders and educators to embrace evidence-based strategies that improve teaching, learning, and leadership.  From pioneering New Milford High School's transformation to becoming an acclaimed author and speaker, he empowers educators...

Jane Ferguson is an award-winning war reporter, national security expert, broadcaster, and writer on international affairs, media, female leadership in the world, and human rights. 

Ryan Campbell's gripping story of adventure and adversity leaves audiences in laughter and tears, and inspired into action. Ryan delivers an incredible and unforgettable keynote on mental health and resilience and sets the scene with stories of his...

Tina Sharkey, who coined the term “social media,” is a magnetic storyteller, adviser, educator, and award-winning entrepreneur who sparks innovation at the intersection of AI, brand, and human connection. She guides both established leaders and next-gen innovators, drawing...

Engaging keynotes on leadership, strategy, and mastering the digital economy. A Harvard Expert-in-Residence, tech founder, and media influencer, Pamela Rucker helps organizations reimagine the future of their business with audience-friendly talks that inspire the room, equip your leaders,...

Having worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Coca-Cola, American Express, Apple, and MTV, and having surveyed and interviewed thousands of the world’s highest achievers, Erin Stafford has cracked the burnout code. She is a burnout...

Adventurer, leadership advisor, business builder, and impact-maker, Mandy Gill takes organizations to new heights in performance through a system that teaches resilience and perseverance to overcome failure in service to success.

As Group President of Aya Healthcare, April Hansen led the company to an unprecedented 27x revenue growth over six years, culminating in $11B in annual revenue in 2022. April motivates leaders and teams to infuse adaptability into their...

Haben Girma, the first Deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, is a human rights lawyer who advocates for disability justice. She sees disability as a catalyst for innovation, educating organizations on the importance of inclusion, and has garnered...

Justin Wren is passionate about helping others find true, meaningful purpose in life. He believes that this purpose can empower individuals to overcome challenges, improve performance, and create lasting impact.

Described as “The Thought Leader of Humanness,” Matthew Emerzian and his inspirational story and Mattering Mindset™ framework have transformed millions of lives and countless organizations. Mattering is the new Future of Work—Culture, Leadership, Belonging, and Engagement. You matter™.

Paul Epstein, with insights from his 15 years as an NFL and NBA executive, speaks about the power of CONFIDENCE as a competitive advantage. Now a leadership and performance advisor to the world's top brands, he delivers highly...

Steve Gleason, through his athletic career and nonprofit work, has become a global example and ambassador of inspiration, resilience, perseverance, and leadership.

Known as the Ambassador of Hope, Andre Norman discovered his inner power, transforming extreme adversity into an unstoppable edge that catapulted him from the depths of confinement to Harvard and beyond.

Matt Higgins is an American businessman, author, and the co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology.

Individuals and organizations all face pivotal defining moments. Ultimately, what matters more than the moment is how you respond to it. What you do next will define you. Hear the inspiring story of Fred Guttenberg and how he...

Captain Sandy Yawn shares her unique stories with universal themes that will help anyone at events all over the world from SXSW to corporate events. Handling the threat of pirates to working with some of the world’s richest...