Breaking Barriers

Nicolas Hamilton

<p>Sharing his inspiring story of unwavering determination, Nicolas Hamilton helps individuals and organizations overcome obstacles, stay resilient through change, and embrace failure to achieve success.</p><p>Born with cerebral palsy, Nicolas Hamilton was told as a young child he’d spend his life reliant on a wheelchair. Not one to be told he can’t do things, Nicolas endured years of grueling, painful training so that by the age of 17 he could walk completely unaided.

Misty Copeland

A history-making cultural icon, ballet dancer Misty Copeland shares her inspiring life journey—from living in a motel room with her five siblings to becoming the first Black principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre in the company’s 75-year history. 

Johnny Quinn

A trusted voice in resilience and change management, U.S. Olympian Johnny Quinn applies the tools and frameworks he developed as a pro athlete to help organizations accept risk, push through barriers, and to live and work with purpose.

Worry, stress and anxiety are at an all-time high for many organizations. Budgets are being cut and people are being asked to do more with less. It’s a tough outlook—unless you understand the future belongs to the resilient leader!

Alpana Singh

<p>The youngest woman and the only South Asian-American ever to earn the title of Master Sommelier, Alpana Singh shares stories and insights from her trailblazing career.</p><p>From her humble beginnings as the daughter of Fijian-Indian immigrant parents to becoming a Master Sommelier, restauranteur, and host of a multi-Emmy Award-winning TV show, Alpana Singh has had an extraordinary career. Born and raised in Monterey, California, Alpana’s strong work ethic and ease with people of all ages stemmed from a youth spent working in her family’s ethnic grocery store.

Sam Rapoport

<p>An award-winning, record-breaking organizational change leader for the NFL, Sam Rapoport shares actionable takeaways for how to identify opportunities, drive progress, and achieve exponential growth.</p><p>Sam Rapoport has spent 22 seasons working in football, dedicating her career to creating innovative business models aimed at driving organizational change and increasing diversity and inclusion in sport.

Dr. Peggy Whitson

<p>A renowned NASA astronaut named one of <em>TIME</em>’s Most Influential People and one of <em>Forbes</em>’ 50 Over 50, Peggy Whitson shares insight on leadership, building resilient teams, developing soft skills for success, and the importance of STEM education. </p><p>An inspirational leader dedicated to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and advancing our understanding of space, Peggy Whitson has over 37 years of experience with NASA.

José Hernández

<p>The inspiring subject of the Prime film, <em>A Million Miles Away</em>, José Hernández shares stories from his extraordinary journey from migrant farm worker to NASA astronaut, empowering audiences to persevere in challenging environments and to achieve their greatest goals. </p><p>NASA engineer José Hernández wanted to fly in space ever since he heard that the first Hispanic-American had been chosen to travel into space.

James "The Iron Cowboy" Lawrence

<p>James “The Iron Cowboy” Lawrence’s combination of energy, humor, determination, and achievements captivates his audience and creates an inspirational and awakening phenomenon for all. </p><p>James earned his “Iron Cowboy” nickname because of the hat he wore during the marathon portion of his Ironman races so that his children could identify him quickly. In his book, <em>Iron Cowboy: Redefine Impossible</em>, James shares how, with two Guinness World Records under his belt, he wondered if he had truly found his mental and physical limits.

Rosemary Saal

<p>Rosemary Saal helped make history as a member of the Full Circle Everest Expedition, the first all-Black team to climb Mount Everest. </p><p>One of three women on the Full Circle Everest Expedition team, Saal understands the value of diversity for leaders and teams, and the importance of focus in high-stakes environments.

Gaby Natale

<p>Every individual has an opportunity to break barriers and redefine what is possible, and triple Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Gaby Natale is on a mission to awaken the pioneer spirit in each of us.  </p><p>Gaby is among just a few women in the entertainment industry who not only owns the rights to her TV show, but also a television studio. This unique situation has allowed her to combine her passion for media and her entrepreneurial spirit, which continues to help her break barriers.