Spencer West

Redefine Possible: Lessons for Tackling Mountains in Your Personal & 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.
• The importance of asking for help and why it is such an important skill for all leaders to practice and demonstrate.
• How we all have the capacity to create value both at home, in our communities, and in the workplace.

Leveraging Talent with Disabilities

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.

Leveraging Disabled & 2SLGBTQ+ Talent

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.