Spencer West
At a glance:
After losing both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five due to a genetic disease, Spencer West tackled challenge after challenge, learning to navigate a world set against those with disabilities.Spencer is a successful global keynote speaker, content creator, and activist. He is known for summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, opening for Demi Lovato on a World Tour, starring in the documentary Redefine Possible: The Story of Spencer West, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, author of the best-selling book Standing Tall: My Journey, his character role, The Window Washer, in Murdoch Mysteries and social media influencer with over 3.8 million TikTok followers.
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.
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.
Spencer is a global keynote speaker, content creator, and activist. He is known for summiting Mount Kilimanjaro on his hands and wheelchair, opening for Demi Lovato on a World Tour, starring in the documentary Redefine Possible: The Story of Spencer West, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, author of the best-selling book Standing Tall: My Journey, his character role, The Window Washer, in Murdoch Mysteries and social media influencer with over 3.8 million TikTok followers.
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.
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.
Spencer’s inspiring words have reached millions of listeners around the world, both virtually and in-person, including Virgin Atlantic, KPMG, Staples, Financial Institutions, Insurance, Microsoft, Universal McCann, Ministry of Education, Colleges & Universities, YPO/WPO, SickKids Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs, Healthcare Sector, Financial Institutions, and more.
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. Spencer’s words and actions have encouraged millions to stand up, face challenges and embrace change, while instilling hope and empowering leaders to motivate others to create positive change. Everyone leaves with pertinent lessons they can apply to redefine their possible.
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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 covers:
•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 covers:
•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 covers:
•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
