Sharon Wood, First North American woman to summit Mount Everest

Synopsis

Speaker:  Sharon Wood

Topic Title:              

1. Sharon Wood, Mount Everest, Personal Effectiveness, Risk Taking, Team Building, Motivation

   First North American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest

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• $$ = under $15,000
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• Travels from:  Alberta       
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Biography

When we reach beyond the horizon of our self imposed limitations we are transformed —  transformed from being confined by our limitations to being defined by our possibilities”.
-Sharon Wood

Sharon Wood has never considered herself a hero. But in 1986, she became the first woman in North America to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. It was an astonishing personal and team accomplishment under conditions of extreme physical and mental duress. It was an example of ordinary people achieving extraordinary results.

Sharon’s climb of Everest was only one facet of more than twenty years experience as a professional and elite mountaineer, with numerous ascents of summits over 20,000 feet to her credit.

In the last decade, Sharon has shared her story of achievement with hundreds of organizations throughout North America. She skillfully connects the powerful metaphor of Mount Everest to the challenges faced by individuals and teams striving for excellence in their own endeavors.

Sharon Wood has been to the top of the world and back. For anyone wanting to be more effective in their life, her story is a powerful inspiration.

Major Achievements

• First North American woman to reach the 29,035 foot summit of Mount Everest
• Awarded an Honourary Doctor of Laws by The University of Calgary
• First woman to become a Canadian Climbing Guide, and to achieve status in the elite International Association of Mountain Guides
• Appointed to the Honour Roll for Outstanding Achievement by Canada’s MacLean’s Magazin
• Recipient of the inaugural Tenzing Norgay Award as ‘Professional Mountaineer of the Year’ from the American Alpine Club and the New York Explorer’s Club
• Recipient of Bill March Summit Award of Excellence from the Banff Centre of Mountain Culture
• Awarded Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada
• Mother of two sons

Topics

Keynote Presentation

Everest: Insights from Higher Ground

Sharon Wood teaches, entertains and inspires with her personal story about reaching the top of Mount Everest. Stunning still images and video illustrate the journey of a small team who shared a bold vision to climb the highest mountain in the world by a more difficult route and with fewer physical and financial resources.

Her story is a demonstration of how exemplary teamwork and leadership can render the impossible possible. Sharon effectively conveys both the individual and the team perspective by stressing the importance of honoring her own passion and dreams while fulfilling a role as a member of a team – a team committed to a shared vision.

Sharon’s style is personal and moving. She uses relatable anecdotes and vivid analogies to convey the elements that parallel the challenges of striving individuals and organizations. Sharon’s authentic, humorous and honest approach evokes listeners to consider the value of their own resources and opportunities.

“Insights from a Higher Ground” is more than an adventure story – it is a timeless, universal story about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.

For anyone wanting to be more effective in his or her work or life, Sharon’s story is a powerful inspiration.

Testimonials