Speaker Slam®'s 8th Annual Grand Slam: Inspirational Speaking Finals
This year marks Speaker Slam®'s 8th annual Grand Slam. On November 9th, 2024, at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, the top 14 speakers from 2024 will take the stage under this year's theme, Brave.
The Theme: Brave
The theme Brave encourages us to step beyond our fears and embrace challenges head-on. It's a reminder that bravery is not the absence of fear but the strength to persist in the face of it.
Throughout 2024, Speaker Slam® hosted five qualifier competitions:
- Reinvention (January 30th, 2024) - Personal transformation and new beginnings.
- Human Connection (March 26th, 2024) - The power of relationships and shared experiences.
- Freedom (May 28th, 2024) - Embracing authenticity and living true to oneself.
- Perseverance (July 16th, 2024) - Resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
- Power of Yes (September 17th, 2024) - Embracing new opportunities and growth.
The top two speakers from each qualifier, along with four wildcard selections, will compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year, a $5,000 cash prize, and a prize package worth $50,000.
Meet Our 2024 Grand Slam Speakers
Meagan O'Nan
Human Connection Expert, Keynote Speaker, 3x Author | Starkville, Mississippi, USA
Meagan O'Nan is an award-winning author and speaker. She is the author of three books: Creating Your Heaven on Earth, Courage: Agreeing To Disagree Is Not Enough, and Held And Free. Meagan has produced content for Forbes.com and received a personal note from Desmond Tutu after hearing a talk of hers on forgiveness. She has worked with hundreds of organizations, including Inspire Brands, Toyota, Red Cross National, and Forbes.
Calissa Ngozi
Mental Health Expert, Professor, Award-Winning Speaker | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Calissa Ngozi is an award-winning inspirational speaker with over 20 years in mental health and social services. A respected Professor at Mohawk College, her expertise spans from private practice, hospitals, foster care support, to school settings. She serves on the Board with the Pathstone Mental Health Foundation and the program advisory committee for child youth care at Niagara College.
Christine Farrugia
Leadership Coach, Strategic Advisor, Speaker | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Christine Farrugia is a passionate leadership coach, strategic advisor to high growth companies and inspiring speaker with over 20 years of experience leading teams of up to 300 people at major Canadian companies, including Wealthsimple, Loblaws, and KPMG. She has an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.
Yusuf Khoja
Keynote Speaker, Leadership Coach, and Entrepreneur | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Yusuf Khoja is a catalyst for positive change and the visionary founder of Resilient Leaders. With over 30 years of experience producing and delivering international leadership events featuring iconic figures like former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Sir Richard Branson, and Tony Robbins.
Alana Moor
Transformational Speaker, Resilience & Leadership Coach, Prison Reform Advocate | Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Alana Moor, a former inmate who spent 4.5 years behind bars in Panama, has transformed her life into a beacon of inspiration. Now a renowned life coach, entrepreneur, and award-winning speaker, Alana is dedicated to empowering others to overcome challenges. As a prison advocate, she founded a foundation that provides dignity packages to women incarcerated in Panama.
Madette Mendoza
Youth Mental Health Speaker, Artist, Music Teacher | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Born in the Philippines and raised in Toronto, Madette Mendoza is a youth mental health speaker, performing artist and founder of Resilient Musicians Academy. She has lived experience with anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, and the one healthy outlet that transformed those experiences into a positive was music. She has shared her voice on notable stages including Nathan Phillips Square and Roy Thompson Hall.
Scott Ferron
Sales Professional, Entrepreneur, Inspirational Speaker | East Amherst, New York, USA
A multiple decade sales leader in both Health and Pharmaceutical Industries. Scott holds current and previous Board of Director seats for several nonprofits and is an award-winning Inspirational Speaker. He is also the President of My Coffee Adventure, traveling the world to source the finest Organically Grown Coffee.
Maya Woronicz
Motivational Coach, Entrepreneur | Timmins, Ontario, Canada
Maya is a dedicated women's motivational coach specializing in supporting women facing self-identity challenges in motherhood. Through her innovative approach, Maya hosts engaging classes for mothers and children within the community, integrating movement and activities to foster a strong bond between families.
Val Vagopoulos
Serial Entrepreneur, Certified Inspirational Speaker, Empowerment Coach | Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Val Vee is a fearless, authentic leader and a powerhouse in women's empowerment. She inspires women to embrace their true selves, break free from societal expectations, and lead with confidence. Through her podcast, I Am That Bitch, and her influential networking group, Ladies Who Dine, Val Vee helps women everywhere unlock their inner strength.
Aseel El-Baba
Financial Therapist and Mental Health Expert | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aseel El-Baba is the first renowned Financial Therapist and Mental Health Expert in Toronto. She started with over ten years of robust experience on Bay Street, managing portfolios exceeding $100 million, before pivoting to mental health. She works with large organizations such as Interac, RBC, Ministry of Labor and TMU.
Tyler Ryan Hall
Motivational Speaker & Alignment Coach | Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Tyler Ryan Hall is an award-winning speaker, alignment coach, and creator of Out of the Closet Living, a transformative movement helping people embrace their most authentic and aligned selves. His message centers on identity, authenticity, and living out loud, asking the powerful question: "What is your closet?"
Danielle Campo McLeod
Paralympic Gold Medalist, Resiliency Expert, Disability Advocate | Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Danielle Campo McLeod, OOnt, is a celebrated Paralympian and recipient of the Order of Ontario, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Terry Fox Humanitarian Award. She has won multiple gold medals and set world records at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. Beyond athletics, Danielle raised over $5 million for neuromuscular diseases as Director of Culture and Engagement at Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Leisse Wilcox
Leadership Development Expert, Workplace Wellbeing Speaker, Executive Performance Coach | Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
Leisse Wilcox, known as "the Secret Weapon of the C Suite," is an award-winning speaker, twice best-selling author, and certified Executive Performance Coach. She is the Emotional Intelligence Expert helping leaders and teams get results so they can live, lead, and succeed on their terms.
Ebi Oginni
Entrepreneur, Community Leader | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ebi Oginni is a proud first-generation Canadian whose story of perseverance and community leadership has inspired audiences across Speaker Slam's 2024 season. She brings a unique perspective rooted in her immigrant experience and her dedication to creating spaces of belonging and empowerment.
The 2024 Grand Slam promises to be a night filled with inspiration, courage, and unforgettable moments. Join us on November 9th at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio and witness the rise of the next Inspirational Speaker of the Year.