NSB Logo Spencer West Spencer West

Spencer West

Speaker

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Social Activist, Visionary & World Change Warrior

The life of visionary and activist Spencer West has been marked by both obstacles and triumph. After losing both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five, he entered a world that might have easily defeated him. Instead, he tackled challenge after challenge, learning to navigate in a world set against those with disabilities. His many accomplishments and lessons learned along the way, led him to discover the techniques business leaders, professionals, educators and young people can use to redefine possible in their own lives and careers.

Keynote Speeches

Virtual Keynotes & Webinars

An expert in top virtual platforms including Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, and equipped with a high-definition camera, Spencer offers a virtual experience for groups of all sizes. He is able to provide customized keynotes, fireside chats and Q&A sessions suitable for all your needs.

Redefine Possible: Lessons for Tackling Mountains in Your Personal and Professional World

Spencer invites audiences to experience the transformation that can occur when we “redefine possible”. With his trademark humour and humility, Spencer spins a spellbinding story of the challenges he faced after losing his legs from the pelvis down at age five, and the journey of discovery that ultimately enabled him to summit Mount Kilimanjaro using his hands and wheelchair.

Spencer applies the insights gleaned from a lifetime of overcoming obstacles to help leaders and employees identify their own roadblocks and push past them. His inspiring message and tangible life lessons motivate business audiences to believe they can tackle any goal, whether personal or professional.

Spencer will cover:

  • Key lessons he has learned throughout his life and how they can be applied both personally & professionally
  • The importance of obstacles and how they are an integral part of our growth as individuals and as employees
  • How we all have the capacity to create value both at home, in our communities, and in the workplace
Leveraging Talent with Disabilities

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA)

The life of visionary and activist Spencer West has been marked by both obstacles and triumph. After losing both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five, he entered a world that might have easily defeated him. Instead, he tackled challenge after challenge, learning to navigate in a world set against those with disabilities. 

From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to climbing the workforce ladder, Spencer shares his insights on how bringing in talent with disabilities can have a very positive impact on your employees and customers.

Spencer will cover:

  • His own journey as someone with a disability and the challenges he has faced in the work force
  • What is ableism and what does it look like?
  • The myths and stereotypes that keep employers from hiring folks with disabilities
  • Tangible takeaways that employers and businesses can implement to start leveraging talent with disabilities
Diversability: Leveraging Disabled & 2SLGBTQ+ Talent

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA)

Join Spencer West in this thought provoking and genuinely enlightening presentation where he will discuss the importance of leveraging talent with disabilities as well as the queer community and how both identities are necessary in the workforce.

The life of visionary and activist Spencer West has been marked by both obstacles and triumph. After losing both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five and coming out as gay at the age of 21, he entered a world that might have easily defeated him. Instead, he tackled challenge after challenge, learning to navigate in a world set against the queer community and those with disabilities. 

From climbing the workforce ladder to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Spencer shares his insights on how bringing in talent with disabilities and the queer community can have a positive impact on your employees and clients.

Spencer will cover:

  • His own journey as someone that identifies as gay and disabled and the challenges he has faced in the work force
  • What is ableism and what does it look like?
  • The myths and stereotypes that keep employers from hiring folks with disabilities and the 2SLGBTQ+ community
  • Tangible takeaways that employers and businesses can implement to start leveraging talent with disabilities & the 2SLGBTQ+ community

Platform Plus Presentations

Unique formats and ways to connect with audiences.
Host/MC
Working with your client’s event producer/writer, with his charm and wit, Spencer can open the session welcoming everyone, introduce speakers/talent, banter with the audience to keep the event flowing.
Fireside Chat
A 25-30-minute keynote talk (his story) with video/pp followed by a 10-20-minute Q&A/Interview-Chat with an interview host of your client’s choice, plus a 10-20-minute moderated Q&A with the audience.

Audience reviews:

  • Thank you so much for making the CEO Award nominee breakfast such a special celebration. Your personal story touched everyone and your call to action at the end was perfect! It was exactly the message we wanted to convey to our people—to support their colleagues in their volunteerism. I’ve received so much positive feedback following the breakfast; everyone loved meeting you and many have commented that now they feel even more compelled to continue with their volunteer work. Your enthusiasm is infectious! - National Director of Community Leadership, KPMG Canada
  • Spencer’s dynamic presentations to all of the grade 4-12 students in our district inspired and motivated each audience to make a difference. Hearing Spencer’s life story, and realizing that any barriers can be overcome with a positive attitude, left a lasting impression. Spencer magically connects with the students he interacts with; he makes each student he talks to feel important and empowered to make their schools and the world a better place. Spencer’s keynotes have had a lasting impact and our students continue to see him as their role model as they bring about positive change both locally and globally. We can’t wait to have him back to work with the elementary students in our district! - Director of Instruction, School District #83, British Columbia
  • Thank you for being a part of the YPO Nairobi Chapter Event. The ratings have all been terrific and the evaluation excellent! The event got a rating of a fantastic 9.9 out of 10! Thank you for helping to make our educational event an outstanding success.

    - Education Chair, YPO Nairobi
  • As Spencer’s vigorous and courageous spirit spread out to us, our eyes opened to the potential possibilities out there. His powerful and defiant attitude toward life proved that anything in this world is possible; if there is anything that stops us from continuing, it is the boundaries that we have created ourselves. Always remember, Redefine Your Possible. - International School of Kenya
  • Thank you for all your help securing Spencer West for our conference…His keynote was quite fantastic and we’ve heard great feedback.

    - Coordinator, Finance Operations, Oxford Properties Group
  • When I approached Spencer I was scared he might not understand my excitement. . . but he welcomed me with open arms and as I sat in the front row tears streamed down my face. . . . I have always been a leader, but on Friday I learnt what it meant to be bigger than myself. . . . I can change the world.


    - Halton Regional Chair
  • We already knew he would be a great speaker, but our expectations were exceeded. Personally, it was also just really an honour to have the opportunity to meet Spencer. Everyone enjoyed and everyone was inspired- goal achieved.

    - Outreach/Program Coordinator, Jewish National Fund of Canada
  • Your personal story touched everyone and your call to action at the end was perfect! . . . I’ve received so much positive feedback following the breakfast; everyone loved meeting you and many have commented that now they feel even more compelled to continue with their volunteer work. Your enthusiasm is infectious!

    - Chairperson, Transitions Conference
  • Spencer’s talk last week was phenomenal. Not only was the talk insightful but he also connected in pieces of the library that we hope will help serve our customers and community better. The feedback that we have received from staff has been that they were felt the talk was informative, encouraging and everyone took something away with them that they can practice in their own life or change up how they work. Overall, it was lovely to meet Spencer and to have him speak at our event. - Human Resources Manager, Burlington Public Library

Speaker Biography

Whether headlining corporate conferences, addressing university/college students, educators, members of non-profits/associations or mesmerizing audiences in 20,000-seat stadiums, Spencer’s charisma and dynamism captivates all. Sharing his journey from losing both legs as a child, to climbing – and summiting – Mount Kilimanjaro using his hands and wheelchair, Spencer’s words and actions have encouraged millions to stand up, face challenges and embrace change. Everyone leaves with pertinent lessons they can apply to redefine what their possible is.

Spencer’s incredible story is documented in both film and print. His journey is featured in the documentary Redefine Possible: The Story of Spencer West, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and in his book Standing Tall: My Journey.   He is both an LGBTQ and disability advocate for many. 

As the opener on Demi Lovato’s 2014 world tour across North America, Spencer spoke to and inspired tens of thousands of her fans. He has spoken alongside luminaries and performers such as former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, Mia Farrow, Martin Luther King III, Jennifer Hudson, and Natalie Portman, to name a few.

He has appeared countless times in the media including, ABC News, Buzz Feed, 60 Minutes, CTV, BBC News, TMZ, CNN, Forbes, and The Globe & Mail, CBS This Morning, Bloomberg and was a featured guest on Season 2 of Karamo The Podcast, hosted by Karamo Brown.

Infused with humor and humility, Spencer’s talks offer take-home tips and life-lessons on how to find opportunity in every challenge, while instilling hope and empowering leaders to motivate others to create positive change. His inspiring words have reached millions of listeners around the world, including Virgin Atlantic, KPMG, Staples, Financial Institutions, Insurance, Microsoft, Universal McCann, Ministry of Education, Colleges & Universities, YPO/WPO, SickKids Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs, and more. 

“We need to stop looking at obstacles as negative things. I firmly believe obstacles are given to us to help us learn and grow as individuals. I think it’s important, with any challenge we face, to take a step back and look at what we were supposed to learn. And furthermore, how can we share that lesson to the people around us.” – Spencer West