Erik Weihenmayer is a world-class adventurer, the first blind man to summit Mount Everest, and one of only 150 mountaineers to climb the Seven Summits. His latest and most demanding adventure is kayaking the 277 miles of the Grand Canyon. One of the most exciting and well-known athletes in the world, he never let his lack of vision interfere with his quality of life. Weihenmayer’s feats have earned him incredible press coverage and dozens of awards. He is also the author of two books and addresses leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, motivation, and inspiration.

Amy Purdy had a typical childhood until losing her legs at 19 as a result of Meningitis, which has led to an adulthood of extraordinary accomplishments. Amy is the top ranked adaptive snowboarder in the US, a three-time World Cup Para-Snowboard winner, the 2014 Paralympic Bronze Medalist, and the 2018 Paralympic Silver Medalist. She is the co-founder of Adaptive Action Sports (AAS), a non-profit organization which helps disabled youth, young adults, and wounded veterans get involved with action sports, and the author of the New York Times best-selling book, On My Own Two Feet. Amy has evolved into a powerful inspirational and motivational speaker who has been seen by millions of people and invited to share her story to audiences around the world.

An adventurer, record-setter, and boundary-breaker, Darcy Gaechter is best known as the first woman - and member of the first team - to kayak the Amazon River from source to sea. The journey required her crew to paddle over 4,000 miles across the widest part of South America, a voyage that took 148 days to complete. She is also the author of The Kayaker’s Guide to Ecuador and Amazon Woman, an adventure memoir detailing her Amazon River expedition and the life challenges she faced to get there – the rights of which have been purchased to turn her story into a movie. Gaechter inspires audiences with her personal journey of overcoming obstacles and making the impossible possible – sharing useful tactics to take on even the most daunting of challenges and demonstrating how a strong belief in yourself and in your goal are key ingredients to any success.

Jeff Kreisler is a best-selling author and financial columnist whose prized insights on the intersection of behavioral science and money have been featured by TEDx, MSNBC, CNN, SiriusXM, and more. Jeff’s research on how human behavior drives spending and saving habits, economic ebbs and flows, and the future of our markets led to his best-selling book Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter. The work was named a “Best Book of the Year” by Business Insider, Audible, Huffington Post, and The Washington Post. It was also named the “#1 Book Every FinTech Professional Should Read in 2018” by the global fintech company Strands. Jeff is currently the Head of Behavioral Science at JP Morgan Chase, where he is leading financial decision-making thought leadership and innovation efforts.

Reggie Rivers is a renaissance man whose talents and achievements have spanned many different disciplines. He’s a former NFL running back, a media personality, a business owner, an author and a motivational speaker, master of ceremonies, and auctioneer. He entered the NFL as a classic underdog—an undrafted rookie free agent and a longshot to make a team. But he managed to win a roster spot with the Denver Broncos and stayed with the team for six seasons. In speeches, Reggie shares the lessons he’s learned from the NFL that translate perfectly to the business world and enable peak performance. His message will reinforce the ideas that organizations are already preaching to their teams – providing that “aha” moment by presenting these strategies in the context of football.

Steve Baskis is an inspirational blind veteran and adventurer. Just eight months into his deployment to Iraq, his squad was attacked. A roadside bomb severely wounded Baskis, but, despite his injuries, he amazed his doctors with his recovery and attitude. An “adrenaline junkie,” he was eager to test his potential and push the boundaries of what disabled people are perceived capable of doing. He has since competed in athletic competitions and summited mountains. Baskis addresses motivation, inspiration, overcoming adversity, humanitarian efforts, and pushing the limits of human potential.

Sam Rapoport is the Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with the National Football League with over 19 seasons working in football. Rapoport has dedicated her career to creating innovative business models aimed at enfranchising marginalized populations in sport. With this focus, she has worked to shift and progress diversity hiring in football. Rapoport is also a retired quarterback who played in the women’s professional football league. Rapoport catalyzed a movement for women in sports by creating a new diversity platform for the NFL, that has since been replicated by other professional sports leagues. Through this effort, 190+ female coaching, scouting and operations candidates have been hired since its inception in 2017; a record number. Rapoport was recently named one of Sports Illustrated Most Powerful, Most Influential and Most Outstanding Women in Sports and was included in The Athletic’s NFL 40-under 40. She was also awarded the NFL Commissioner’s Award selected by Commissioner Roger Goodell, Fortune 40 Under 40, Outsports’ Hero of the Year, and was recently named one of People Magazine’s 25 Women Changing the World.

Melissa Stockwell is an American war hero who has triumphed over personal tragedy to achieve greatness, World Champion status, and she has dedicated her life to chasing remarkable accomplishments while giving back to others, particularly those who face challenges similar to her own.

Multimedia presenter whose presentations feature funny video clips and a high degree of audience interaction. Ross Shafer has the most intriguing Comedy & Business background of any speaker on leading through change, reinvention, and resilience. Ross’s funny and energetic style was honed as a headlining comedian and host of TV’s Match Game (ABC), The Late Show (FOX), Almost Live! (NBC and Comedy Central) and Love Me, Love Me Not (USA). Embracing his humorous world view explains why Ross risked buying and selling 23 companies (each rescued from bankruptcy) and earning the savvy to author ten insightful business books. Ross’s fresh takeaways are fun and sticky … and he delivers the creativity to ignite and inspire front line staff as well as senior executives.

When Rulon Gardner won the Olympic gold medal for wrestling in Sydney, his victory rocked the world. It was more than just a simple tale of success - it was the story of an underdog who rose to unimagined heights of accomplishment and glory. An athlete with a history of notable but obscure success, Rulon became a household name - and the pride of a nation - when he took Olympic gold from the hands of Alexander Karelin, an athlete who had been undefeated since 1985.

Flip Orley is single-handedly reshaping the image of hypnosis from something perceived to be of the vaudeville era into something palatable for the MTV generation.

Sika Henry is a Corporate Analyst for Ferguson Enterprises and a Professional Triathlete and Ultramarathoner based in Newport News, VA. As a collegiate high jumper and sprinter, Sika became an NCAA All-American in Track and Field while earning her degree in Economics from Tufts University. After recovering from a traumatic bike accident that left Sika with significant injuries in 2019, she made history when she became the first African American Woman to qualify for her pro card in triathlon in 2021. Sika was named Athlete of the Year as part of the 2020 Outspoken Women in Triathlon Awards for her work to advocate for and make positive change in the sport of triathlon. In 2022, Sika broke the Virginia State 100K Road Record (the 10th fasted time by an American woman that year) and was inducted into the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame.