Defy the Odds: Rise. Fight. Triumph.
Every breakthrough, every comeback, every defining moment is born from someone who refused to quit, someone who faced the impossible and stood up anyway. Strength isn't just about surviving the storm; it's about choosing to keep moving when the world tells you to stay down.
At Speaker Slam®, we're launching our 10th season by celebrating the voices of those who embody that fire, the fighters, the survivors, the underdogs who turned struggle into strength. These are the stories that remind us what's possible when you push forward against all odds.
"Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed." - Bob Riley
Join us on January 27th, 2026, live at Lula Lounge in Toronto, for Speaker Slam®: Against All Odds, a powerful kickoff to our 10th anniversary season.
Meet Your Against All Odds Speakers
Tony Albrecht
Entrepreneur & Author | Bracebridge, Ontario
Tony Albrecht is a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur whose life has taken him far beyond the courtroom. After 12 years in legal practice, a silent meditation retreat in India changed everything. Originally from St. Louis and now living deep in the Canadian woods, Tony brings an unconventional blend of discipline, introspection, and creative ambition. He built the premier LinkedIn ghostwriting agency for lawyers, proving that success often comes from breaking the mold.
Dr. Japji Anna Bas
Nervous System Strategist, Wellbeing Expert | Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Japji Anna Bas, PCC, is a wellbeing strategist, trauma-informed change expert, and systems leadership speaker. A scholar of wellbeing and social environments, she holds a PhD from York University. Her research and strategic insights have supported policy conversations at national and global levels, from the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition to Canada's Ministry of Social Development. Her perspective is shaped not only by scholarship but by lived experience, including a recent cancer battle.
Neil "Logik" Donaldson
Multi-Disciplinary Artist, Cultural Educator, Storyteller | Toronto, Ontario
A first-generation Canadian of Jamaican descent, Neil draws from hip-hop culture, storytelling, and reflective practice to give language to experiences of invisibility, performance, and resilience. He is the founder of Stolen From Africa / Vole D'Afrique, an arts-education initiative established in 2004 to restore integrity to erased histories.
Dr. Sujata Ives
Keynote Speaker, Employment Psychologist, Author | Maryland, United States
Dr. Sujata Ives is a brain and behavior focused keynote speaker and humorist. She has published three bestselling books. As a military wife and mom with a vocal cord disability, she shares her story of resilience and adaptation with national and international audiences.
Andrew Daye
Entrepreneur, Coach, Speaker | Toronto, Ontario
Andrew Daye is a breathwork and performance coach who blends breathwork, neuroscience, and performance psychology. He has taught over 100 hours of breath and mental conditioning to international athletes, Fortune 500 teams, and award-winning actors. A former asthmatic who grew up in a trauma-filled, low-income home, Andrew used these same tools to rebuild his nervous system and complete a half marathon and a 140 km relay.
David Blaser
Executive Leadership Development and Life Transition Coach | Collingwood, Ontario
David Blaser is an Executive Leadership Development Coach and Life Transition Coach who has survived trauma and triumphed over the anxiety that it created in his life. He has held leadership positions with global organizations: Unilever, Beiersdorf, News Corporation, Bayer, and Novartis.
Mark Salatino
Fitness Enthusiast, Mental Health Advocate | Toronto, Ontario
Mark Salatino is a dedicated professional known for his resilience, discipline, and commitment to personal growth. With more than two decades of lived experience navigating anxiety and mental health challenges, he brings a grounded and deeply human perspective to his work. An avid kickboxer, Mark has turned his training into both a physical discipline and a key pillar of his mental health transformation.
Michelle Goldrick
Founder & CEO BOSS Health & Fitness, Transformation Coach | London, Ontario
Michelle Goldrick is the founder of BOSS Health & Fitness and the driving force behind a community built on resilience, mindset and transformation. A cancer survivor and entrepreneur, she teaches others how to rebuild from the inside out, reminding us that strength isn't something you're born with, it's something you become.
Dave Jonsson
Motivational Speaker, Plane Crash Survivor, Professional Skateboarder | Port Coquitlam, BC
Dave Jonsson is a plane crash survivor turned professional skateboarder and motivational speaker. Dave now travels the world speaking on resilience and turning adversity into strength, while also coaching some of the top skateboarders in the world. He is the author of Story To Stage and the founder of The Belong Centre, an indoor skatepark and community hub in British Columbia.
Chrislyn D'Sylva Pires
Life Coach, Holistic Wellness Advocate | Niagara Falls, Ontario
Chrislyn D'Sylva Pires is a Life Coach, Holistic Wellness Advocate, and Intuitive Healing Guide. She holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and previously built a career in finance and accounting. Her path shifted following the birth of her first child, when a routine delivery became a medical crisis. Against all odds, her daughter thrived and was later diagnosed in adulthood with a neuromuscular condition.
Words of Wisdom Speaker: Joze Piranian
Joze Piranian is a lifelong stutterer turned five-time TEDx speaker and stand-up comedian performing across three continents and four languages. Everything changed when he won Inspirational Speaker of the Year at Speaker Slam in 2017. His HarperCollins book Stop Holding Back launches January 2026.
How the Competition Works
- 10 speakers deliver 5-minute prepared speeches on the theme
- Judged by 4 industry experts
- Prize package valued at up to $10,000, including $2000 in cash
- Top 2 move on to the Grand Slam