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.

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

Jeff Adams | Paralympic Gold Medalist & World Champion

Booked by: Desjardins, RBC, SHAD International, Guelph Hydro

Jeff Adams is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, a Paralympian, and six-time world champion in wheelchair racing. After a distinguished athletic career that included winning three Paralympic gold medals, he retired from competition in 2008 and was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

In 2010, Jeff co-founded a design, engineering and manufacturing company focused on Category II medical devices. After seven years as President and CEO, and managing the acquisition of the intellectual property by a US company, Jeff decided to pursue a life-long dream of a career in law.

Jeff’s work experience includes serving as the Executive Director for the International Arts Games Foundation where he instructed counsel on the incorporation of a federal not-for-profit corporation, established an inaugural board of directors and created the charter and by-laws. He was also the President, CEO and Founding Partner of Icon Wheelchairs Inc. and President of Marvel Wheelchairs Inc.

More about Jeff: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/jeff-adams/

Kathy Buckley | Hearing-impaired Award-Winning Comedienne

Booked by: KELLOGG, California Court Reporters Association, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight

Kathy Buckley is a gifted comedienne, award-winning actress, accomplished author and renowned inspirational speaker – who is a force like no other. Billed as ‘America’s First Hearing Impaired Comedienne‘, Kathy is also a five-time American Comedy Award Nominee as Best Stand-Up Female Comedienne. As an actress, she is known for her guest starring roles on shows such as Touched by an Angel, and for her critically acclaimed one woman Off-Broadway show, Don’t Buck with Me/Now Hear This!. As a motivational speaker, she inspires hundreds of thousands of people around the world, sharing her story of overcoming some of the most difficult obstacles one can imagine in life – and how she met those challenges with dignity, courage, and laughter.

Kathy’s book If You Could Hear What I See will have you laughing and crying as you experience the amazing story of her life. She has received thousands of letters and emails of thanks and praise, regarding both her book and her original PBS special, No Labels, No Limits! She was awarded the CINE Golden Eagle Award as the writer and executive producer of the special, and the Media Access Award for Outstanding Television Special.

More about Kathy: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/kathy-buckley/

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

Booked by: The Finish Line, DaVita HealthCare Partners, myCUmortgage

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.

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

Jason O. Harris | U.S. Air Force Officer Special Operations Pilot, U.S.A.F. Academy Instructor, Motivating Speaker on Leadership, Teamwork, DEI & Culture

Booked by: Caterpillar, Ford, Cisco, Abbott

Lieutenant Colonel Jason Harris is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, best-selling author, expert thought leader, and professional pilot. As a fourth-generation military member, Jason’s distinguished career in the US Air Force has spanned more than two decades. He has served (continuously) on active duty and currently as Squadron Commander in the Air Force Reserve Command. Since graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, he has flown multiple aircraft over the course of his career including 11 deployments with more than 2,000 combat hours and 470 combat sorties around the globe.

These high-risk combat experiences have all served as the launching point for his proprietary “No Fail Trust™” methodology. His proven methodology serves organizations and teams as a tool to empower executives and team members to foster an environment of mutual trust, responsibility, and productivity.

More about Jason: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/jason-o-harris/

Scott Burrows | Inspirational Speaker, Bestselling Author, Wheelchair, Athlete & Successful Entrepreneur

Booked by:  CHASE, Boeing, Marriott, JP Morgan

Scott Burrows is a top inspirational speaker and bestselling author who is a living testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and adaptability in the face of adversity. His unwavering belief in our ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges has touched countless lives and continues to inspire transformation on a global scale.

An accomplished athlete who excelled in both football and martial arts, Scott was just 19-years-old when his life took a tragic turn. Paralyzed from the chest down after a devastating car accident, doctors diagnosed him with quadriplegia and told him he would spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair. Despite this, Scott became relentless in pursuit of his goal to stand again.

Drawing on his athletic background and a profound desire to overcome, he found a way to rebuild his life and defy the odds. To help him navigate his challenges, he focused on three foundational principles: Vision, Mindset, and Grit. Along the way, he proved that no circumstances can ever destroy the power of the human spirit.

More about Scott: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/scott-burrows/

Cassandra Worthy | Change Enthusiasm Global Keynote Speaker on Change

Booked by: P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Centene Corporation, FSAE

With contagious energy that radiates throughout every room she steps into, Cassandra Worthy is the world’s truly DISRUPTIVE thought-leader on CHANGE that companies need to build organizational resilience and adaptability. She has created and cultivated the unique strategy of Change Enthusiasm® which is arming individuals around the world with the means to harness the power of emotion, a resource in infinite supply, to embrace and accelerate change and transformation journeys. Cassandra’s message nurtures highly resilient and adaptable organizations beginning at the heart of the individual.

Cassandra invigorates and inspires organizations, C-suite executives, and business associations alike going through significant change, disruption, and transformation. Cassandra’s customized keynote and workshop programs motivate the workforce to embrace Change Enthusiasm® and subsequently become self-actualized in working towards a change vision. 

More about Cassandra: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/cassandra-worthy/

Alisha De Lorenzo | Human Connection Expert, High Performance Coach, and Positive Disruptor

Booked by: Mondelez, Wawa, US Army, NJ Department of Education

After decades spearheading groundbreaking initiatives in the education space, Alisha De Lorenzo‘s ascent into the corporate world is nothing short of remarkable. She has emerged as a guiding force in reshaping the way companies cut through the noise, lean into positive disruption, and solve for the disengagement, disconnection, disparities and declining morale plaguing our organizations. Alisha has come to believe that the only way we fight overwhelm and burnout is not lowering our standards or doing less, rather, unleashing a level of aliveness in our people.

An acclaimed international speaker, award winning educator and therapist, Alisha has shared her thought leading insights and frameworks with hundreds of thousands of audience members from the US to Africa. Her work has been featured on PBS, NBC and NJ Spotlight News while her influence has impacted organizations like Mondelez, Wawa and the US Army as well as the NJ Department of Education and many government officials.

Alisha’s profound understanding of the human spirit sets the foundation for companies to unlock innovation, differentiation and growth to drive engagement, productivity and high performance. Stepping into the realm of the extraordinary requires leaders to create cultures where people feel seen, heard and valued and that is the foundation to the aliveness we all seek.

More about Alisha: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/alisha-de-lorenzo/

David Allison | Human Values Expert, Bestselling Author, and Founder of The Valuegraphics Project

Booked by: PayPal, Five Star School Supplies, the United Nations Foundation, Google

David Allison is a human values expert, international speaker, head of a global research firm, and two-time best-selling author.

As the founder of the Valuegraphics Project – a worldwide inventory of human values created from one million surveys in 152 languages – he has transformed values into measurable data and created an entirely new type of human-centric insights.

He helps big brands like PayPal, Five Star School Supplies, the United Nations Foundation, and Google connect with people by honoring their values. Valuegraphics are now included next to demographics in textbooks used on college campuses around the world, and INC Magazine named his last book one of the top ten leadership books of the year.

His latest book, The Death of Demographics, was hailed by critics as “Convincing, insightful, and…revolutionary.”

More about David: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/david-allison/

Dr. Paula Stone Williams – Transgender Minister, Gender Equity Advocate

Booked by: Accruent, Citizens Bank,  DHL, Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Paula Stone Williams is an internationally known speaker on gender equity, LGBTQ advocacy and religious tolerance. As a transgender woman, Paula brings a unique perspective to her work on gender equity. She says, “The differences between living as a man and a woman are massive. There is no way an educated white male can understand how much the culture is tilted in his favor, because it is all he has ever known and all he ever will know.”

Whether a corporate meeting, women’s conference, company retreat or national gathering, Paula’s unique perspective and story-telling skill delights both men and women as she humbly and effectively advocates for gender equity, LGBTQ rights and appreciation for the differences among us.

Paula has been the CEO of a large religious non-profit, the editor-at-large of a national magazine, host of a national television show and a corporate consultant. With her doctoral thesis on the DiSC Personality Profile, Paula has led hundreds of corporate boards and work teams to become more efficient and productive. Paula has served as an adjunct university professor in the United States and Europe, and is the author of eight books, including She’s My Dad, co-authored with her son, Jonathan.

More about Dr. Williams: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/dr-paula-stone-williams/

Heather R. Younger | Speaker on Diversity, Resilience & Overcoming Adversity

Booked by: FirstBank, Salas O’Brien, Stark Aerospace, Colorado Bankers Association

Heather R. Younger is one of the world’s leading experts on active listening at work. As the visionary Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a preeminent employee engagement and workplace culture consulting firm, Heather has facilitated over 30,000 employee experiences including her trademark “Art of Active Listening Sessions,” employee survey evaluations, and proprietary annual research studies.

With a profound commitment to employee well-being, she’s a renowned keynote speaker, drawing insights from current data and putting into practice what she teaches by relying on employee voices to redefine strategies for success for what is relevant now.

She’s an award-winning leader for Employee Engagement as recognized by Inspiring Workplaces, is a LinkedIn Learning courses partner, and is the host of the popular Leadership with Heart podcast.‌

More about heather: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/heather-younger/

Risha Grant | Author and Expert on Diversity & Inclusion

Booked by: Samsung, Cox Communications, Wells Fargo, U.S. Airforce

Motivated by her passion to correct societal “isms” like racism, sexism, classism and plain old stupidism, it is Risha Grant’s personal mission to expose the subtleties and values of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion while shining a light on the impacts they create. From her race, gender and lifestyle choices, to growing a small business and tackling economic, moral, and business issues, every area of her life intersects diversity.

Founder & CEO of Risha Grant LLC, an award-winning diversity consulting, communications and speaking firm, as well as an edgy, educational and motivational speaker, author Risha Grant uses honest, humorous, and vulnerable storytelling to motivate audiences to embrace the inner tough work of Radical Acceptance while honoring diversity, equity, and inclusion without evoking feelings of judgement or assigning blame.

More about Risha: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/risha-grant/

Daryl Davis | Musician, Author, Compelling Unifier, Klan Whisperer, and Award-winning Conflict Navigator

Daryl Davis is committed to helping people ignite positive change –using conversation to build bridges. His jaw-dropping experiences speak for themselves. For nearly 40 years, he’s engaged leaders of the KKK and White supremacist groups face to face to find the answer to a question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” That question stemmed from his first encounter with racism at age ten when he was pelted with rocks, bottles, and soda cans by a handful of White spectators while marching in aparade.

Seeking to understand, not to change minds, Daryl met their hatred with civility, patience, and listening. Those conversations spawned genuine and lasting friendships with many who changed their ownminds and disavowed hateful beliefs. Some even gave Daryl their robes and hoods when they did. As a speaker, Daryl is an extraordinary storyteller who inspires and empowers audiences with tools they can use to make better workplaces, communities, and relations with family and friends. Daryl’s work is chronicled in his book Klan-Destine Relationshipsand the documentary Accidental Courtesy. Daryl’s TEDx talk has over 12 million views.

More about Daryl: https://thesweeneyagency.com/speakers/daryl-davis/