Overcoming Adversity

<p>Sharing never-before-told anecdotes, Paul Whelan recounts his harrowing journey as a hostage in Putin’s Russia—enduring human rights abuses while fighting for freedom and justice from behind enemy lines.</p><p>On December 28, 2018, Paul Whelan was traveling in Russia for a friend’s wedding when he was framed for espionage and arrested in his hotel room.

<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.

<p>With humor and empathy, Billie Lee shares her unique story to help individuals and groups combat microaggressions, amplify authenticity, and bring awareness to the LGBTQIA+ community.</p><p>Billie Lee is a transgender woman, actor, standup comedian, writer, producer, and activist. LogoTV named Billie as a 2018 honoree of Logo30 for raising awareness for the trans community. She was the first openly transgender cast member on BravoTV’s<em> Vanderpump Rules</em> and she continues to be an advocate and outspoken voice for the LGBTQIA+ community.

<p>A true American success story, Damon Dunn shares his inspiring program on transformation, resilience, leadership, and how to turn failure into opportunity. </p><p>Born in Fort Worth, Texas to a 16-year-old single mother, Damon Dunn grew up in dire poverty, living in a three-bedroom trailer with ten people. Damon grew up hunting and fishing as means to provide food and wore Salvation Army clothes. Quickly learning the value of hard work, he earned a full football scholarship to Stanford, then went on to play in the NFL.

<p>From struggling with addiction and health to becoming one of the world’s fittest men, Rich Roll shares with audiences his inspiring journey and the tools needed to unlock and unleash our best, most authentic selves. </p><p>A #1 bestselling author, world renowned ultra-endurance athlete, popular podcast host and wellness pioneer, Rich Roll is also a highly sought-after presenter with a powerful yet grounded, highly authentic style, profound command over a room and the unique ability to not only educate and inspire, but to catalyze self-actualization for audiences seeking

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. 

<p>Halim Flowers shares his transformational journey while incarcerated for 22 years, helping audiences overcome their obstacles and find their purpose.  </p><p>In 1997, Halim Flowers was arrested at the age of 16 and given two life sentences. His experiences were filmed in the Emmy award-winning documentary <em>Thug Life In DC</em>. During his incarceration, Halim discovered a love for literature and the arts, and began writing, painting, and freestyle-rapping.

<p>Sharing her extraordinary story, Jessica Buchanan inspires audiences to overcome their own obstacles and access their own strength and resilience—no matter how “impossible” the odds.</p><p>On October 25, 2011, while working in Somalia on a routine field mission for her NGO, Jessica Buchanan was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom by a group of Somali pirates for 93 days.

<p>An award-winning Latina entrepreneur who went from living in an orphanage to creating a wildly successful salsa company she sold to Campbell’s Soup for 231M, Magie Cook inspires audiences around the world to face their biggest obstacles and reach their greatest potential.</p><p>Magie Cook grew up in Mexico, living in an orphanage with 68 other children. As a child, she taught herself how to play basketball and ultimately immigrated to the US on a basketball scholarship at the University of Charleston.

<p>Drawing from her incredible life-affirming story of resilience, Maja Kazazic shows organizations and individuals how to harness the power of empathy to turn loss into growth and surpass their greatest expectations. </p><p>When she was 16 years old, Maja Kazazic's life changed forever. In the summer of 1993, two years into the Bosnian War—a genocide that killed 250,000 people and injured millions—a rocket-propelled grenade exploded in her courtyard destroying her home and killing five of her friends. Her legs were shattered in the blast.