Speaker Slam® Announces Speaker Lineup for the 2026 Theme "Against All Odds"
Dec 30, 2025Defy 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. It’s grit. It’s resilience. It’s the fire that turns adversity into power.
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. They will challenge you, inspire you, and reignite your belief in the human spirit.
“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. Witness 10 extraordinary speakers step on stage and share how they rose from challenge to triumph. If you’ve ever needed a reminder that you can rise again, this night is for you.
What is Speaker Slam®?
Speaker Slam® is North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition—where everyday people turn their deepest challenges into messages that spark hope, courage, and transformation. Our mission is to amplify voices, celebrate authenticity, and create a global community of speakers who are driven by purpose.
Each year, we host five themed competitions featuring 10 speakers delivering 5-minute speeches filled with emotion, vulnerability, and impact. Winners receive a prize package worth up to $10,000, including $2,000 cash, and earn their spot in the prestigious Grand Slam: The Inspirational Speaking Finals, where they compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
Meet Your Against All Odds Speakers:
Dr. Sujata Ives
Keynote Speaker, Employment Psychologist, Editor, Coach, and Author
Maryland, United States
Dr. Sujata Ives is a brain and behavior focused keynote speaker and humorist. She has published three bestselling books (Activate Success, the Activate Success Workbook, and Wisdom To Know The Difference). As a credentialed employment psychologist, she is able to train and keynote on workplace topics, and is also able to help you Edit your writings.
In addition, Dr. Sujata is a military wife, and a mom with a vocal cord disability. Her vocal cords do not close and this causes her voice to wiggle. She shares her story of resilience and adaptation with national and international audiences who applaud her for encores!
"I stand here as a professional, a military wife, and a mom with a disability that's not defined by labels, but strengthened by them. My journey to the big stage has not been about smooth perfection; it is about gritty resilience. My voice persistently tremors, but with purpose, and when someone like me steps on the stage, the world's notion of what is possible for them transforms exponentially."
Tony Albrecht
Entrepreneur & Author
Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
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, leading him to his wife, a new path, and a redefined sense of purpose. Originally from St. Louis and now living deep in the Canadian woods, Tony brings an unconventional blend of discipline, introspection, and creative ambition to everything he does.
Tony built the premier LinkedIn ghostwriting agency for lawyers, proving that success often comes from breaking the mold rather than following it. Through writing, entrepreneurship, and hard-earned self-awareness, he now helps others cultivate magnetic online presences and embrace transformative growth in their personal and professional lives.
"I'm excited to see how working with Rina, Dan, and the team will help me step into owning Speaker as part of my professional identity."
Japji Bas
Nervous System Strategist, Wellbeing Expert, Systems Leadership Speaker
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Japji Anna Bas, PCC, is a wellbeing strategist, trauma-informed change expert, and systems leadership speaker whose work centers The Revolution Within — the inner recalibration that enables sustainable impact. A scholar of wellbeing and social environments, she holds a PhD from York University and has served for six years as a peer reviewer for Social Indicators Research, the leading journal in the field.
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. She has contributed to initiatives in early learning, food systems, trauma resilience, and Ontario's anti-human-trafficking strategy, translating complex evidence into grounded pathways for change.
As the founder of Flourish Energy Inc, she works with high-responsibility leaders navigating heavy workloads and complex histories. Her approach blends nervous-system science, qualitative research, and practical strategy to help leaders build capacity, prevent burnout, and lead in a way that is both humane and effective.
Her perspective is shaped not only by scholarship and practice but by lived experience — including a long, hard-won journey through early trauma and a recent cancer battle. This integration gives her an uncommon ability to guide leaders toward clarity, steadiness, and deeply meaningful impact.
“Against all odds isn’t just a Speaker Slam for me—it’s an arrival. After years of hiding in plain sight, surviving storms no one saw, and building strength in the shadows, sharing my cancer battle taught me something I never expected: genuine visibility can be healing. When I stop shrinking, I don’t just breathe easier—I make space for others to breathe too. The healing becomes reciprocal, regenerative. Stepping onto the Speaker Slam stage is my next step into that truth, into my full, grown self, into the role I’ve earned through lived experience, research, and professional practice. More than a Wellbeing Strategist, this is my emergence as a healer’s healer.”
Andrew Daye
Entrepreneur, Coach, Speaker
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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, helping them upgrade their internal operating system under pressure.
A former asthmatic who grew up in a trauma-filled, low-income home and later burned out chasing external success, Andrew used these same tools to rebuild his nervous system, complete a half marathon and a 140 km relay, and turn survival mode into sustainable high performance. Today, he gives audiences practical, no-fluff tools to regulate their state, rewrite their story, and execute with clarity when it counts most.
"This feels like my chance to finally compete on one of the biggest stages in the city for the thing I am most passionate about. Since I was a kid, I have wanted to get into public speaking, so this opportunity will not only provide my present self, but also my younger self with joy."
Neil "Logik" Donaldson
Multi-Disciplinary Artist, Cultural Educator, Storyteller
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Neil “Logik” Donaldson is a multi-disciplinary artist, spoken-word performer, and cultural educator whose work explores belonging, responsibility, and identity through lived experience.
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. His work is grounded, emotionally precise, and intentionally restrained.
He is the founder of Stolen From Africa / Volé D’Afrique, an arts-education initiative established in 2004 to restore integrity to erased histories and create spaces where young people can see themselves reflected with dignity and truth.
Neil has delivered guest lectures and speaking engagements with post-secondary audiences, including the University of Toronto and the York University Faculty of Education.
On stage, Neil’s work is invitational rather than confrontational. He prioritizes presence over performance, clarity over theatrics, and responsibility over rhetoric—leaving audiences with a mirror, a question, and the recognition that belonging often begins where responsibility is accepted.
"This is not a performance of confidence, it’s a practice of courage."
Mark Salatino
Fitness Enthusiast, Mental Health Advocate, Inspirational Speaker
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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 and the communities he supports. His shift from quiet struggle to outspoken advocate has shaped him into a compassionate leader with a clear passion for empowering others.
An avid kickboxer, Mark has turned his training into both a physical discipline and a key pillar of his mental health transformation. Outside of the gym, he works as a tax accountant and bookkeeper, combining analytical focus with the emotional intelligence earned through lived experience.
"I realized my story isn’t a weakness—it’s my strongest way of reaching others."
Chrislyn D'Sylva Pires
Life Coach, Holistic Wellness Advocate, Intuitive Healing Guide
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Chrislyn D’Sylva Pires is a Life Coach, Holistic Wellness Advocate, and Intuitive Healing Guide whose perspective has been shaped by lived experience, resilience, and a long-held belief in what is possible.
She holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and previously built a career in finance, accounting, and financial leadership. That path shifted following the birth of her first child, when a routine delivery became a medical crisis marked by uncertainty, misdiagnosis, and repeated warnings that her daughter might not survive. Chrislyn made the decision to step away from a promising professional career to focus on advocacy and care. Over years of weekly hospital visits, physiotherapy, and numerous unanswered questions, she learned to navigate complex medical systems while relying on intuition, persistence, and a steady commitment to her child’s development and wellbeing.
Against all odds, her daughter thrived through years of uncertainty before receiving a neuromuscular diagnosis in adulthood. Today, Chrislyn supports individuals managing life’s transitions, navigating uncertainty and emotional strain. Drawing from her professional training, intuitive healing practices including EFT tapping and Reiki, and a long-standing interest in holistic wellbeing, she offers a steady, practical perspective on resilience, inner strength, and adapting when life takes an unexpected turn.
David Blaser
Executive Leadership Development and Life Transition Coach
Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
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. His organization, RelentlessResilience.ca, is dedicated to helping leaders lead with authenticity, emotional intelligence, care, communication, and compassion, qualities often overshadowed in a business landscape dominated by analytics and data. He also works with individuals at important life crossroads to help them move forward joyfully and succeed.
His approach is grounded in passion, purpose, and deep listening, combined with perpetual curiosity and resilience. Clients describe him as a positive ally who creates a safe, empowering space where they feel seen, heard, and understood. David helps individuals unlock clarity, confidence, and actionable strategies for success, guiding executives through leadership development and career transitions with empathy and purpose.
David’s career spans senior leadership roles in CPG and Pharma, where he consistently delivered results and earned recognition for excellence, including:
• President’s Club Award for Top Sales Performance at Unilever
• Supplier of the Year at Walmart Stores U.S. as Global Team Lead
He has held leadership positions with global organizations: Unilever, Beiersdorf, News Corporation, Bayer, and Novartis.
These experiences provide him with a profound understanding of organizational dynamics, leadership challenges, and the intricacies of career progression in competitive industries. His corporate success, combined with his personal resilience, informs his empathetic and strategic coaching style, making him a sought-after and trusted partner for executives and individuals seeking growth, transformation, and fulfillment.
@RelentlessResilienceCoachMichelle Goldrick
TBD
Ontario, Canada
TBD
Dave Jonsson
Motivational Speaker, Plane Crash Survivor, Professional Skateboarder
Port Coquitlam, British Colombia, Canada
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. Dave is the author of Story To Stage and the founder of The Belong Centre, an indoor skatepark and community hub in British Columbia dedicated to creating spaces of connection and hope.
"I’m honoured to be a part of the Speaker Slam family! Against All Odds is an incredibly fitting theme for my life story, standing on this stage is a reminder that survival can become purpose, and pain can become a platform."
Words of Wisdom Speaker:
Joze Piranian
Global Keynote Speaker, Author, Stand-up Comedian
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Rina Rovinelli is the Co-Founder of Speaker Slam, North America’s Premier Speaking Competition. She runs a Speaker Development Agency and is committed to helping Speakers get booked and paid to speak. She is the winner of Woman of Influence and Brilliant Minded Women, and a powerful speaker in her own right. Rina is a heart centered leader and uses her voice to make impact. Her vision is to create possibilities for people everywhere to shine in their truth.
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 Grand Slam.
- Speech Rules: Props are allowed, but music requiring technical setup is not permitted. Exceeding 5.30 minutes results in point deductions. 1 point for every 5 seconds.
- Speeches are scored out of 100 points across these categories:
Judging Criteria
- Message Clarity (25 pts): Clear, concise, powerful, and meaningful messages.
- Storytelling (25 pts): Vivid, descriptive, captivating personal stories.
- Transformative (15 pts): Inspiring, impactful, and transformative for both speaker and audience.
- 'IT' Factor (15 pts): Star power, unique identity, and creativity.
- Entertaining (10 pts): Engaging and entertaining through props, humor, or performance.
- Presentation (10 pts): Effective body language, vocal variety, and authenticity.
Join us on September 16th and experience Leaders – reclaiming your voice, setting boundaries, and making decisions that honor your true self.
Who will be the next to spark transformation and create a ripple effect of taking a chance?
