Heather Moyse

2x Olympic Gold Medalist & Motivational Speaker
Summerside, Prince Edward Island

What Heather is Passionate About

Power of Perspective- Don't Believe Everything You Think

Do you want to feel inspired to step outside of your comfort zone, and see what you are truly capable of achieving? Heather Moyse truly believes that we are all capable of more than we give ourselves credit for, and wants to empower people and organizations in achieving that next level of success. Using penetrating insight and her own personal experiences, Heather explains how a small shift in the way we look at a situation can significantly change our outcomes. She is a dynamic speaker, and, using her story to discuss the power of perspective, will leave you and your team feeling inspired, motivated and believing in the possibilities of what you can achieve and the difference you can make.

CHANGES AND CHALLENGES: OBSTACLES OR OPPORTUNITIES?

You have the dream. You have the drive and the dedication. You are well on your way to reaching your pinnacle of success. When, suddenly, something goes wrong. Something changes. You are faced with challenges that are blocking your view of the finish line. Problems are inevitable in sport, in business, and in life. But when you are faced with change, do you see it as an obstacle blocking your path to success? Or do you embrace it as a challenge and see it as an opportunity?
Heather challenges her audience to embrace those problems. With powerful insight and personal anecdotes of overcoming her own obstacles on route to the top of the Olympic podium, Heather discusses the qualities it takes to move beyond what seemingly stands in our way to achieving our own successes, whatever the arena. You will leave this presentation ready to embrace change and overcome obstacles. Let the progress begin!

NO REGRETS – WE ARE WHAT WE CHOOSE

We are faced with thousands of choices on a daily basis – some of them so seemingly insignificant, however, that we often don’t even realize that we are making them. But it is both the big ones and the small ones that shape the story of our lives, and the direction and extent of our successes. When it comes to the big ones – those critical moments when your choice could turn your life in a completely different direction or even upside down – we often become paralyzed by the fear of not wanting to make the wrong one. And it is an accumulation of the small ones (which are often deemed insignificant) that sometimes make the biggest difference in achieving our goals. Heather Moyse delivers a dynamic and engaging presentation, using insight, humour, and personal anecdotes to give perspective on the art of decision-making in pursuing your goals while remaining true to yourself.

Why You Need Heather

Describing two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Heather Moyse in one phrase is a difficult task, as she is so much to so many: multi-sport national athlete, inspirational speaker, ambassador, bionic woman, philanthropist, role model, and above all, Champion.

Heather lives by her personal motto, “Believe in the possibilities”, and inspires people all around the world with her life story and her life philosophies. From the small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside to the top of the Olympic podium, Heather Moyse, whom some have suggested is Canada’s best ever all-round female athlete, has accomplished the unlikely not once, not twice, but multiple times by believing in those very possibilities.

Four months after climbing into a bobsleigh for the first time, Heather represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. A fourth place finish by the narrowest of margins wouldn’t suffice for this fierce competitor, creating the drive to ‘finish the job’. So after taking a year to finish her Masters degree in occupational therapy, she returned to the bobsleigh track. Heather first captured the nation’s attention in 2010 while standing on top of the Olympic podium with Calgary-native Kaillie Humphries. After setting start records all over Europe on the World Cup circuit, the electrifying duo made Canadian history on home soil at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics after bombing down the track to Canada’s first-ever gold medal.

Not only does Heather believe that sport is an amazing means to discover one’s potential in the face of challenges, but also that it is an ideal medium for development at the individual, community, and national levels. Demonstrating an innate desire to help those less fortunate, in the summer of 1998 Heather was the Program Director for a summer camp for people of varying disabilities. In 2001, Heather was selected to serve as a Disability Sports Program Officer with Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. She developed and established a camp for children who are deaf or hearing-impaired from islands across the Caribbean called Camp ABLE (Active Bodies, Leadership, and Esteem). Heather remained in Trinidad and Tobago for almost three years doing other work with the Paralympic Association, Disabled People’s International, and the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Union, before returning to Canada to do her Masters degree.

Giving back to her community and inspiring others is also an important part of Heather’s life. As she describes it, she may own the medals, but she won them for her country and wants to share them and her inspirational story with as many as she can. But beyond her many appearances and speaking engagements, Heather is involved in a number of fund-raising initiatives, was a Member-at-Large for the Commonwealth Game Canada from ’02-’14, is an Athlete Ambassador for the charity Right to Play, was named one of thirty-seven Athlete Role Models from around the world for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, and is actively involved with the Boys and Girls Club and Camp Triumph on PEI – a unique residential camp for children who have family members with chronic illness or disability. A proud Summerside native and Prince Edward Islander, Heather continually recognizes the extraordinary support that her hometown and home province gives her, and gives back as much as she can to the community that contributed so much to making her the person and athlete that she is today. Because of her passion and outstanding involvement in community, among other honours, Heather has most recently received the inaugural Randy Starkman Olympian Humanitarian Award, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and the Order of PEI – the highest honour to be bestowed in any province in Canada.

“Believe in the possibilities.” To some, it’s an inspirational quote, but for two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Heather Moyse, it’s a way of life. Heather’s incredible record of excellence has caught the eye of many, and, as an exemplary role model in both sport and life, Heather is an inspiration to people of all ages, and stands as a symbol of what it is to be a true leader and champion.

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Why You Will Love Heather

“Courage, determination and passion define Heather Moyse. Her compelling stories continue to deeply touch audiences in many ways. Lessons learned from the obstacles that she has overcome will positively impact your personal life and professional career. Not only is Heather a double gold medalist, but more importantly, she is a world-class human being who delivers messages that inspire people of all ages. Most definitely one of the best motivational speakers I have ever experienced”

Ben Champoux
CEO, 3+ Corporation

“Heather’s personal journey towards Olympic gold is a story that should be heard by anyone who aspires to excellence. Her engaging presentation and stories outlining her relentless drive to overcome obstacles were well received by our team and provided a highly motivating tone to our meeting. Many of our team cited her speech as a highlight of the conference.”

Brad Fletcher
Managing Director, Brown-Forman Canada

“Though everyone will get a kick out of seeing her Gold medal, it’s Heather’s desire to see each person in the room reach their goals that will have a lasting impact. Smart, focused, and with a down-to-earth sense of humour, she used her experiences to craft a talk that encouraged our audience to simply go for it. Heather is extremely easy to work with and genuinely cares about affecting the world around her – something that really showed in her preparation for and participation at TEDxUW. I would give her three thumbs up, but I only have two.”

Ron Kielstra
Director Speaking Relations, TEDxUW 2012

“Heather’s dedication to excellence and always pushing to further the human potential was inspiring. Her presentation was passionate and motivating, and served to challenge those present to look beyond the ordinary – to see the potential in each of us to do great things and strive for personal excellence. Her great kindness and winning personality was evident in her encounters with our staff and residents alike, and her desire to bring out the best in others was evident. It was truly a pleasure to have her here with us.”

Sherry Kane
Windsor Elms Village

“Heather was a great addition to our conference. She had the audience engaged from the moment she came into the room. Her presentation was inspirational, interesting, and funny, and her communication was authentic. It aligned well with our conference theme, motivated the team to stay focused on the goals and to see challenges as surmountable, as well as to pursue excellence in reaching for its goals. It was a highlight of the week.”

Jill Jones
Executive Vice President, President (North America & Latin America), Brown-Forman