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Spencer West

International Motivational Speaker | Disabled Content Creator | Author | Actor l Entrepreneur

Embarking on a journey shaped by resilience and triumph, Spencer West, a visionary and activist, faced adversity head-on after losing both legs at the age of five and navigating a world set against those with disabilities. Spencer’s remarkable journey, filled with invaluable lessons, serves as a guide for business leaders, professionals, educators, and young individuals seeking to redefine their own possibilities in life and career.

As a renowned global keynote speaker, content creator, and activist, Spencer West leaves an indelible mark. Notable achievements include summiting Mount Kilimanjaro on his hands and wheelchair, opening for Demi Lovato on a World Tour, and starring in the documentary “Redefine Possible: The Story of Spencer West,” a Toronto International Film Festival debut. His bestselling book, “Standing Tall: My Journey,” showcases his resilience, while his character role as Spencer the Window Washer in Murdoch Mysteries and his online presence with over 4 million TikTok followers underscore his diverse talents.

Spencer’s media presence is extensive, and includes ABC News, Buzzfeed, 60 Minutes, BBC News, TMZ, CNN, Forbes, Men’s Health and more. His impactful talks alongside luminaries such as former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, Mia Farrow, Martin Luther King III, Jennifer Hudson, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama have inspired millions.

Having addressed audiences from corporate conferences, university students, educators, non-profits, healthcare to 20,000-seat stadiums, Spencer’s charisma captivates all. His empowering words resonate across countless global corporations including Virgin Atlantic, KPMG, Microsoft, Staples, GAP, to name a few.

Spencer’s enduring message instills hope, empowers leaders, and motivates others to create a world where redefining possible is not just a goal but a way of life.

“We need to stop looking at obstacles in a negative light. I firmly believe obstacles are given to us to help us learn and grow as individuals. I also think it’s important, with any challenge we face, to take a step back and look at what we were supposed to learn from this. And furthermore, how can we take that lesson and teach it to someone else.” – Spencer West

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Presentations

  • 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)

    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 (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility)

    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

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)

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 (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility)

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

Testimonials

  • "Spencer, on behalf of Gap Inc., and the Equality & Belonging Team, thank you for such an inspirational and informational keynote today. As you saw, the chat was active with praise from the attendees - what you didn’t see were the texts I was receiving from leaders raving about what you shared from workplace inclusion to adaptive. So many gems you dropped ignited our teams to really think about how we approach this work and the mindset shifts that are so critical to drive true inclusion in the workplace, especially for people with disabilities.”

    Spencer West Maria Febre, Head of Employee Belonging, Equality & Belonging - Gap Inc.
  • 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!

    Spencer West National Director of Community Leadership, KPMG Canada
  • "Spencer sharing his personal story and tribulations was courageous and empowering and to hear the depth and breadth of his knowledge on creating an inclusive workplace and world for people with disabilities went far beyond what we had expected. He left us with thoughts of self-reflection, a new filter and perspective around all people, and ignited a commitment to do more."

    Spencer West Maria Febre, Head of Employee Belonging, Equality & Belonging - Gap Inc.
  • Spencer West was a real treat to have at our Annual General Meeting. Spencer’s keynote address was inspirational, heart-wrenching, and funny. Spencer has a way of sharing stories that is humble and relatable yet inspiring. He has that incredible ability to highlight ableism and discrimination in a way that invites curiosity and personal reflection. After such a difficult year in 2020, it was a true delight to work with Spencer and his team to have him as our keynote speaker. We would highly recommend Spencer West to anyone!

    Spencer West Maddi MacDonald, Executive Council Member, Nova Scotia Disability Employee Network
  • “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.”

    Spencer West International School, of Kenya
  • “Spencer West was inspirational, the connection to YPO chapter members incredible, the bonding valuable and the experience WOW! Thank you Think Forum!”

    Spencer West YPO, Nairobi Chapter

Additional Media

Books

  • STANDING TALL my journey
  • STANDING TALL my journey back cover

Christian Stenner

Cave Explorer, Risk, Crisis, Resilience Expert Author, Royal Canadian Geographical Society Speaker

Dr. Adam Shoalts

Professional Adventurer, Archaeologist, Author, Royal Canadian Geographical Society Speaker

Mike Shoreman

First Athlete with Disabilities to Cross all 5 Great Lakes ~ Athlete ~ Speaker ~ Author ~ Mental Wellness/Disability Advocate

Ray Zahab

Ultra Distance Runner, Author, Founder of Impossible2Possible, Royal Canadian Geographical Society Speaker

Allison Massari

Surviver of two life-threatening car accidents, Allison shares her story of resilience, courage, and the rigorous pursuit of hope with deep appreciation and perceptiveness.

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