Ben Nemtin | #1 New York Times Best-selling Author & Member of MTV’s Hit Show, The Buried Life

Booked by:  Home Depot, Cisco, Principal, Fedex, Siemens

Ben Nemtin is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? – and a star of MTV’s highest rated show ever on iTunes and Amazon called The Buried Life. As co-founder of `The Buried Life` movement, Ben’s message of radical possibility has been featured on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, FOX, and NBC News. President Obama called Ben and The Buried Life “ inspiration for a new generation” – and Oprah declared their mission “truly inspiring.” An acclaimed keynote speaker, Ben has headlined business conferences and Fortune 100 leadership teams around the world, offering motivational strategies and garnering standing ovations from AIG, Anthem, Amazon, FedEx, Harvard, Microsoft, Verizon, and more. Global Gurus ranked Ben in the Top 30 Best Organizational Culture Thought Leaders in the World in 2019.

In his first year of university, Ben was unexpectedly hit with a depression that forced him to drop out. In an attempt to feel more alive, he created the world’s greatest bucket list with his three best friends. They borrowed a rickety old RV and crisscrossed North America – achieving the unthinkable. And most importantly, every time they accomplished a dream – they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. From playing basketball with President Obama to having a beer with Prince Harry, from reuniting a father and son after seventeen years to surprising a young girl with a much-needed bionic arm – Ben’s bucket list quest has inspired millions to thrive personally and professionally.

More about Ben: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/ben-nemtin/

Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour | America’s First Black Female Combat Pilot, Former Marine & Cop, Author and Consultant to Business

Booked by:  Accenture, American Airlines, IBM, Lockheed Martin

Combat tests you. Being a beat cop tests you. Life tests you. Three brothers and being the only girl…tests you. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour has been tested her whole life. A gutsy trailblazer, her resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black female combat pilot. She served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough, The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter. As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.

As a Black gay woman and single mom, FlyGirl brings vital experience to her role as a member of the Forbes School of Business & Technology Board of Advisors and COMCAST/NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Council.

FlyGirl has two honorary doctorates and has received numerous awards as a pioneering pilot, including honors for her commanding role in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

More about Vernice: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/vernice-armour/

Mick Ebeling | Founder and CEO of Not Impossible Labs, Top 50 World’s Most Creative People, Speaker on Innovation

Booked by:  Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, The Atlantic, MacAfee

Named by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders, a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award and listed as one of the world’s most influential creative people by The Creativity 50’s, Mick Ebeling is a maker, hacker and inventor who has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation. As a career producer and filmmaker and now founder and CEO of Not Impossible, Ebeling consistently speaks to companies and audiences all over the world inspiring them to change their world, and the world.

Ebeling founded Not Impossible, a multiple award-winning social innovation lab and production company, on the premise that nothing is impossible. His mantra of “Commit, Then Figure it out” allows him to convene a brilliant teams of hackers, doers, makers and thinkers to create inventions and creations that better the world by bringing accessibility for all.

More about Mick: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/mick-ebeling/

Connor Fields  | World Champion and Speaker on Resiliency and Peak Performance

Booked by:  MGM Resorts, Weber State Board of Trustees, AngMar Medical Holdings, Boon Supply

Through authentic and engaging storytelling, three-time Olympian and two-time World Champion Connor Fields provides real-world strategies for peak performance, inspires resiliency, and motivates audiences toward tremendous success.

Connor Fields is the first American to win Olympic BMX Gold. As one of the world’s all-time greatest BMX racers, Connor has represented the United States 50+ times in 25+ countries. 17 Connor became the youngest rider to ever podium a BMX World Cup.

However, his racing career was not always marked by triumphs. At the 2021 Tokyo Games, as the number one seed in his semi-final and on pace to battle for another medal, Connor went down in one of the worst crashes in Summer Olympic history. Based on previous results, Connor still qualified for the 2021 Olympic BMX final, but instead of competing in that final race, he fought for his life in an ambulance.

Connor sustained multiple injuries – broken ribs, a collapsed lung, torn shoulder and bicep ligaments, brain swelling, and four life-threatening brain hemorrhages.

More about Connor: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/connor-fields/

Cam Awesome | Champion Boxer, Motivational Speaker, and Author

Booked by: First Financial Security, Inc., LinkedIn, Signal Theory, Yahoo

Cam Awesome (yes, that really is his last name!) holds 4 Golden Gloves Championships, 6 US Championships, 3 PAL National Championships, 6 Ringside Championships, and 3 Olympic Trials. Cam holds the title as the Winningest Boxer in USA Boxing history. Cam’s accomplishments are impressive but pale in comparison to the losses he has accumulated to reach this point. His story of resilience is so inspiring it’s featured in the NETFLIX Original documentary COUNTERPUNCH.

During his motivational speeches he shares how he faced adversities in and outside of the ring with a Championship Mindset. Boxing is the greatest metaphor because everyone is fighting their own battles. This is what makes Cam’s message so relatable.

“If you can fail without being discouraged, success becomes inevitable.” Is a quote Cam lives by. Cam’s secret to remaining resilient through ups and downs is keeping a positive mindset through practicing gratitude.

More about Cam: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/cam-awesome/

Debra Searle | British Adventurer, Television Presenter, Author and Motivational Speaker

Booked by:  UBS, Nike, IBM, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson

Debra Searle MVO MBE has an extraordinary story! She first hit the headlines when she set out to row across the Atlantic with her husband – a 6’5” international oarsman. Unfortunately, he had to be rescued so Debra, a novice rower, continued alone without a support boat and rowed 3300 miles from Tenerife to Barbados. It should have taken them six weeks, but Debra ended up spending 3½ months at sea alone and unsupported, encountering 30′ waves, sharks, and force 8 squalls in her 23-foot plywood boat. Since returning from this adventure, Debra has undertaken solo and team expeditions across the globe. She has also represented Great Britain at European and World Championship level in Dragon Boat Racing winning bronze, silver and gold medals.

Debra has spoken at well over 1100 events around the world, across every industry sector but she is more than your usual sports speaker. Debra has founded 5 companies including MIX Diversity, a Diversity Inclusion consultancy, so is able to speak with authenticity about what it takes to succeed in business. She has presented 40 programmes for the BBC and had 3 books published. Her spirit of adventure gained her a Member of The British Empire (MBE) from Her Majesty The Queen and she spent 10 years on the board of a charity with two members of the Royal Family, so has great board-level experience to share. Debra was further appointed a Member of The Victorian Order (MVO) for her services to the Royal Family.

More About Debra: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/debra-searle/

Mike Massimino | Former NASA Astronaut, NY Times Bestselling Author, Media & TV Personality; Columbia University Professor

Booked by:  AETNA Insurance, 3M, AbbVie Pharmaceuticals, Arm & Hammer

A spacewalker on the final two Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions, Mike Massimino and his crews traveled faster (Mach 26) and higher (350 miles) than any other astronauts in the 21st century while increasing the discovery capabilities of arguably the greatest scientific instrument ever built by a factor of 100.

During the final Hubble servicing mission, Mike was faced with both success and life-threatening challenges as he performed the most intricate repair ever attempted in space. Mike set a team record for cumulative spacewalking time on a single space shuttle mission, was the last person to work inside of the Hubble Space Telescope, and was the first person to tweet from space. He persisted through three rejections over 7 years on his way to becoming an astronaut, including overcoming a medical disqualification by training his eyes and brain to see better.

Mike has made numerous television appearances, including a recurring role as himself on the CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory. He was the host for the Science Channel Series The Planets and Beyond, a commentator on Discovery Channel’s Space Launch Live, and was featured in National Geographic.

More about Mike: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/mike-massimino/

Mariana Atencio | Peabody Award-winning Journalist, Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Inspiring Storyteller, and Host/Moderator

Booked by:  AT&T Inc, SAP Concur, Microsoft, Ford Motor Company

Mariana Atencio is on a mission to help people supercharge their careers, their workplace cultures, and their happiness by embracing the power of authenticity. Coming to America from Venezuela as a young girl, Mariana learned first-hand how feeling self-conscious about being different kept her from engaging. After graduating Columbia University, Mariana wanted to take that experience into her journalism career and tell stories that build bridges and foster understanding.

She became a national news anchor and correspondent, earning a Peabody Award for reporting which took her from Haiti to Hong Kong to the Syrian border. The success of her TEDx talk, “What Makes YOU Special?”, viewed over 23 million times, catapulted Mariana into a new storytelling outlet: speaking.

Her first book, Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, is a bestselling call to action to unleash the magic of personal and professional authenticity to find purpose and break barriers. Currently head of her own media production company, Mariana pursues stories that capture her curiosity. She also continues to deliver inspiring keynotes and moderate/host at major events.

More about Mariana: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/mariana-atencio/

Kyle Maynard | Mountaineer, Award-winning Extreme Athlete & Best-selling Author

Booked by:  Merrill Lynch, The Joseph Sams School, Novartis Animal Health US Inc, West Coast University

Oprah Winfrey called Kyle Maynard “one of the most inspiring young men you will ever hear about.” Arnold Schwarzenegger described him as “the real deal,” “a champion human,” and “one of the most inspiring people” he’s ever met. Even the great Wayne Gretzky has spoken of Kyle’s “greatness.”

Despite being born with a rare condition known as congenital amputation, that has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees, he learned early on, and with the support of his family, to live life independently and without prosthetics. Kyle thrives on physical challenges and following a few rough, middle school football seasons, he went on to become a champion wrestler, CrossFit Certified Instructor and gym owner, competitive MMA/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, world record-setting weightlifter, and skilled mountaineer.

In 2012, Kyle became the first quadruple amputee to climb – actually bearcrawl – the 19,340 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro without the aid of prosthetics. His 10-day ascent was widely covered by the press, followed on social media, and raised money and awareness for wounded veterans as well as Tanzanian schoolchildren. Upon his return, Kyle won his second ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. 

More about Kyle: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/kyle-maynard/

Robyn Benincasa | World Champion Adventure Racer and Firefighter, Keynote Speaker

Booked by:  Allstate, Exxon Mobil, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, HP

When the challenges are steep and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides the tools individuals and organizations need to cross their most challenging finish lines. As a two-time World Champion Adventure racer, San Diego Firefighter, and CNN Hero, Robyn knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy, or as she puts it, “That magic that allows ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together.”

Through harrowing experiences in places like the jungles of Borneo and the Himalayan peaks, Robyn has studied the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty of Extreme Teamwork. Her refreshing and unique techniques build and foster impactful, inspired teams that succeed against all odds and turn setbacks into comebacks.

Robyn was named one of 2020s World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers (Real Leaders Magazine), the #1 Female Speaker for Meetings.net, and is one of the Top 10 Speakers featured by Harvard Business Review.

More about Robyn: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/robyn-benincasa/

Jack Becker | Decorated U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot, Founder & CEO, Flight Level Solutions, Inc., Leadership, Teamwork, Safety, and Peak Human Performance Expert

Booked by:  Northrop Grumman, General Electric, AkzoNobel, Architectural Woodwork Institute

Renowned as one of the most dynamic keynote speakers in the industry, Jack Becker has spoken to some of the highest-performing organizations in the world including General Electric, Allied Transportation, the American Heart Association, and Truist Bank.

His keynotes deliver action-packed lessons of fighter pilot combat missions to instill a culture of continual process improvement. Regardless of your business, Jack’s keynotes simply reduce human error. Your team will make fewer mistakes! Within all seven regions of GE Power and Water alone, Jack’s program has reduced OSHA recordable mishaps over 60%.

As one of the Navy’s most highly decorated Landing Signals Officers (LSO), Jack was instrumental in incorporating the process improvement model of CRM to help pilots improve quickly while landing supersonic fighter jets on nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

He was responsible for over 21,000 mishap-free carrier landings. Jack’s unique experience as both an LSO and as the Navy’s top CRM instructor, he saw an opportunity to relay the same skills of Brief-Execute-Debrief-Perfect to the American workplace. From healthcare groups to manufacturing, construction, sales teams, and insurance firms, Jack’s dynamic keynotes, and seminars leave a lasting impression.

More about Jack: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/jack-becker/

Col. Nicole Malachowski USAF (Ret.) | First Woman Thunderbird Pilot, Combat Veteran, Fighter Squadron Commander

Booked by:  WestRock Company, Wells Fargo, Reckitt Health, Vista Solutions Group

Col. Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.) defies stereotypes. Yes, she was a jet fighter pilot, but if you think you know her based on that, you’d be wrong. A leader, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame, Nicole’s distinguished 21-year Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams. But the dream came to an end when a devastating tick-borne illness left her struggling greatly to speak or walk for almost nine months. An indomitable spirit, Nicole fought back against overwhelming odds and prevailed. Drawing on stories from her career and personal life, Nicole inspires audiences to rethink the challenges they face every day. She urges them to go beyond resilience and become resurgent.

Drawing on her extraordinary Air Force career, Nicole offers lessons on leadership, followership, facing change and overcoming adversity – she brings her experience and inspirational story to the stage and holds audiences spellbound with an easygoing authenticity of someone who’s achieved greatness. She’s been a member and leader of exceptional teams. She has faced overwhelming challenges and adversity and has come out on top.

More about Nicole: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/col-nicole-malachowski/

Sebastian Terry | Inspirational Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author, TV Host, & Founder of the 100things Movement

Booked by:  Google, Berkshire Hathaway, Bank of America , McKesson

Shocked by the death of a close friend in his mid-twenties, Seb Terry experienced a moment in his life where he asked himself a simple question:

‘Am I happy?’.

The answer was NO, and so, he created a list of 100 things that he hoped would transform his life. Dropping everything to pursue his list, not only has Seb’s life transformed through his incredible journey, but the ripple effect has gone on to help millions of people unlock limitless possibilities in their own lives, too.

From Marrying a Stranger in Vegas (Goal #2) and Delivering a Baby (#23), to Living on a Deserted Island for 1 Week (#63) and Helping a Stranger (#26) by aiding a quadriplegic man to complete a half marathon by pushing him in his wheelchair, Seb’s story has been turned into books, reality shows and is constantly featured by ESPN and Discovery Channel.

More about Seb: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/sebastian-terry/

Kath Koschel | Founder, Kindness Factory; Resilience Expert

Booked by:  Optus, CalPERS, Qantas, GWF

A testament to the power of human spirit, Kath Koschel is a survivor who has overcome incredible odds and unimaginable tragedy to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Koschel is a former professional cricketer and Ironman competitor who’s world came crashing down when she broke her back twice in the span of five years and was told that she would never walk again. Instead, she faced the challenges head-on and defied all medical prognosis by teaching herself to walk again on three separate occasions. In the midst of these harrowing experiences, she believes she experienced two things in large amounts: adversity and kindness. After re learning to walk for the second time in her life, this realisation kickstarted a 2-month journey around Australia which relied solely on the kindness of strangers. No cash, credit card food or water – and no help from family or friends!

Driven by a passion to spread gratitude and kindness sin the world, she founded Kindness Factory™ with the goal of encouraging one million acts of kindness. To date, Kindness Factory has recorded over 7 million acts of kindness and is now a registered not-for-profit in three countries.

More about Kath: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/kath-koschel/

Martha McSally | Combat Pilot, Leadership Keynote Speaker on Overcoming Adversity

Booked by:  Scaling Up, Infotrust

Colonel (ret) Martha E. McSally is a pioneering combat-proven leader, inspiring speaker, and celebrated author.  McSally is a compelling example of overcoming adversity and fear to achieve extraordinary feats. Losing her dad at the age of 12 and surviving sexual abuse and assault, she persevered to become the 1st woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter jet in combat and command a fighter squadron in combat. Along her journey, McSally had to overcome significant obstacles including U.S. law prohibiting women from flying combat jets. She persevered, held onto her dreams, continued to excel, and shattered glass ceilings.

In her speeches, McSally has the ability to take her lessons learned from combat, life, and extreme athletic endeavors and enthusiastically apply them in practical, memorable experiences propelling teams to excellence. Through humor, transparency, emotional connection, and powerful storytelling, she brings the audience into the cockpit, behind the scenes of high-stakes leadership moments in our nation’s history, and captures hearts along the way, all while imparting actionable take-aways that can immediately empower individuals and teams.

More about Martha: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/martha-mcsally/

Dr. Natalie Stavas | Harvard Physician, Mentor, Runner, International Humanitarian; Runner Turned First Responder in the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing

Booked by:  Schreiber Foods, Oklahoma Hospital Association, American Healthcare Association, National Emergency Number Association

Dr. Natalie Stavas shares her inspiring story as she takes you back to April 15, 2013 – when approaching the finish line of her fifth Boston marathon – just blocks away heard explosions, and she ran towards them. Arriving at the scene she went to work administering CPR, applying tourniquets, and triaging the wounded.

What led her to make that fateful decision to run into a terrorist attack? An expert on chaos, Natalie Stavas attacks every obstacle with the same attitude: “You run towards that which you fear, that which challenges you, that which is oppositional.” Running toward chaos actually makes chaos more manageable.

Following these actions President Barack Obama, Katie Couric, and Anderson Cooper honored Natalie for her role as a first responder. Improper Bostonian magazine named Dr. Stavas one of “Boston’s Best” and The Boston Globe awarded her with “2013 Bostonian of the Year” – an honor bestowed upon those that shape the biggest story of the year in a remarkable way.

More about Dr. Stavas: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/natalie-stavas/