Speakers

Sekou Andrews

A  week  in  the  life  of  poetic  voice,  Sekou  Andrews,  could  find  him  presenting  an  original  talk  for international  executives,  giving  the  keynote  at  a  leadership  conference,  or  performing  pieces  for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard. This schoolteacher turned national poetry slam champion has become the world’s leading Poetic Voice -­‐ a new type of speaker and artist who fuses inspirational speaking with spoken word poetry, strategic storytelling, theater and comedy to give voice to the messages of organizations and help them tell their most powerful stories. His personalized poetic presentations  are  in  high  demand  from  fortune  500  companies,  leading  conferences,  and  global nonprofits,   such   as   Google,   Nike,   Paypal,   Johnson   &   Johnson,   Global   Green,   Mayo   Clinic, Genentech, and TEDMED. He has been featured on national media outlets, including ABC, MSNBC, HBO,  Showtime,  MTV  and  BET;  presented  for  luminaries  such  as  Oprah  Winfrey,  Barack  Obama, Larry  King,  Quincy  Jones,  Hillary  Clinton,  Bono,  Maya  Angelou,  and  Norman  Lear;  and  shared  the stage with music heavyweights Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Jay-­‐Z, Maroon 5 and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra to name but a few. His own latest album, “Poetic License,” helped him become the most  awarded  artist  in  the  nation’s  largest  independent  music  organization.  Having  successfully innovated a new speaking category, Sekou also teaches rockstar secrets to public speakers through his Stage Might™ speaker training, coaching communicators in the techniques of performers. As a poetic voice, Sekou shows us the best version of ourselves to help us live into it. He does more than inspire us with his story; he inspires us with our story.

Heather Abbott

On April 15, 2013, what is referred to as Marathon Monday in Boston, Heather Abbott of Newport, RI was struck by shrapnel from the second of the two bombs, which severely injured her left foot.  She was faced with the agonizing decision of whether to try to save her left foot or to allow doctors to amputate her left leg below the knee.  With the help of other amputees and the support from hundreds of thousands around the country, Heather made the difficult decision to live her remaining years as an amputee and use prosthetic legs.

Just four months following the bombing, she was living independently and returned to her job as a Human Resources Manager.  Within the first year following her amputation, she started participating in the activities she loves, including paddle boarding, running and wearing high heels.  She has become certified as a Peer Counselor by the American Amputee Coalition and is helping other amputees adjust to their “new normal,” as an example of hope and determination.  In addition, she is founder of the newly formed Heather Abbott Foundation, which provides prosthetic devices to limb loss victims of traumatic circumstances.

Heather has remained a model of strength and resilience.  Now a motivational speaker, she is sharing her story with audiences across the country and inspiring others with her contagious optimism and thoughtful reflection on her journey.

John Bly

John developed an appreciation for the analysis of financial information — and the powerful impact it has on business decisions — at an early age. He grew up in New York as the son of a prominent certified public accountant. After graduation, John accepted a position at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Wanting to bring his large-firm expertise to small businesses, he and his wife, Darci, founded Bly & Bly, CPA, which grew to become LB&A. The firm name was changed to LB&A, Certified Public Accountants, PLLC in 2011 and then merged with Haynes Strand and Company PLLC, doubling the size of the Firm and creating LBA Haynes Strand, PLLC. Despite a challenging economy, John’s leadership helped the firm earn the distinction of being one of the fastest-growing CPA firms in the Charlotte region.

In 2015, John along with Saeed Moghadam, founded LBA Haynes Strand Capital Advisors, LLC. LBA Haynes Strand has been active in the M&A marketplace since the firm’s inception, not only providing advisory services to clients but also growing the firm through M&A. With the history of the firm and the tidal wave of M&A activity that will take place in the next decade, it was a natural addition to the LBA Haynes Strand suite of services. This branch of the firm focuses on the capital needs of small to mid-sized companies. John is a Managing Director of LBA Haynes Strand Capital Advisors, where he is putting his passion to work.

When you’re facing a complex business decision, John helps you determine the best possible outcome. He develops a strategic plan, then works with you to take advantage of opportunities, overcome obstacles and deliver the best CPA results possible. John’s emphasis on being a proactive business partner empowers him to deliver insightful information and practical advice to help you circumvent challenges before they arise.

John gives back to the community by leading the company in projects to benefit nonprofit organizations serving children, seniors and the under-resourced. John led the firm’s support of Urban Ministries, where he prepared and served hot lunches for 368 people. Most recently, John involved the firm in a day of work at LIFESPAN, which helps mentally challenged adults in Greensboro prepare for the workforce.

John is a dynamic international business consulting speaker and author of Cracking the Code: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Growing Your Business Through Mergers and Acquisitions for Pennies on the Dollar.

In his spare time, John enjoys being with his family, playing golf and traveling internationally. John also sits on the Global Board of Directors for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. In this role, John is one of nine members that leads the organization’s strategic decisions.

Mike Boyle

Michael Boyle is known internationally for his pioneering work in the field of Strength & Conditioning and is regarded as one of the top experts in the area for Sports Performance Training.

He has made his mark on the industry over the past 30 years with an impressive following of professional athletes, from the US Women’s Olympic teams in Soccer and Ice Hockey to the Boston Bruins, Boston Breakers, New England Revolution, and most recently the Boston Red Sox. His client list over the years reads like a Who’s Who of athletic success in New England and across the country including legendary Boston names such as Nomar Garciaparra, Cam Neely, and Ray Bourque.
In 2012, Michael was selected to become part of the Boston Red Sox coaching staff, acting as a strength and conditioning consultant for the team.

Mike brings a depth and breadth of knowledge that is unmatched in the industry, with 10 years of experience at the professional level and over 25 years at the collegiate level. Mike’s work has been featured in the media on HBO RealSports, ESPN, CNNSI, as well as in Sports Illustrated and USA today. In both 2004 and 2005 Men’s Journal named Boyle one of the top 100 trainers in the United States. Mike places great value on continuing education and encourages his staff to always keep learning. His former assistants, students, former players, and interns are sprinkled across the collegiate and professional ranks with teams like the Miami Dolphins, San Jose Sharks, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Anaheim Ducks, and Boston Celtics.

Michael is an international lecturer, author of two books and multiple DVD’s on Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss, and Reconditioning. Mike’s impact is now being felt globally through his website www.strengthcoach.com, the number one source of performance enhancement information on the internet, and through the translation of his book, Functional Training for Sports into Japanese, Chinese, and German.

Robert Brooks

Dr. Robert Brooks has served as Director of the Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He has lectured nationally and internationally and written extensively about such topics as resilience across the lifespan, motivation, creating a positive school or work environment, parenting and family issues, the qualities of effective leaders, and achieving balance in our personal and professional lives. He is the author or co-author of 16 books including The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life and Raising Resilient Children. Additional information about Dr. Brooks may be found on his website www.drrobertbrooks.com.

Orlaith Carmody

Orlaith Carmody is the author of Perform As A Leader (Ballpoint Press 2015), and the Managing Director of Mediatraining.ie. A highly skilled corporate trainer, leadership consultant and strategy coach, she is in demand as a keynote speaker, conference chair and seminar leader. Over the years she has worked with some of Ireland’s most influential business people, networks and political groups, and has presented at conferences in the USA, UAE, Canada and all over Europe.
An active media commentator, she contributes to a variety of programmes and publications on subjects such as doing business today, women’s participation at board level and in public life, entrepreneurship and education.

Ramon Casadesus-Masanell

Ramon Casadesus-Masanell is the Herman C. Krannert Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He joined HBS in 2000 where he has taught the required MBA Strategy course, an elective course on Competing Business Models, and Ph.D. courses on Strategy and Game Theory. He also teaches in several HBS Executive Education programs including the Owner/President Management Program (OPM), and Strategy—Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage.

Casadesus-Masanell received his Ph.D. in Managerial Economics and Strategy from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. He received his BA in Economics from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.

Casadesus-Masanell’s fields of specialization are management strategy, managerial economics, and industrial organization. Casadesus-Masanell studies strategic interaction between organizations that operate different business models. He is also interested in the limits to contracting and the role of trust for management strategy. He has published in Management Science, the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Review, Long Range Planning, the Journal of Law & Economics, the Journal of Economic Theory, the USC Interdisciplinary Law Journal, ABANTE Studies in Business Management, and the Harvard Business Review, among others.

Together with Prof. Daniel F. Spulber (Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University), Casadesus-Masanell edits the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy (JEMS), the leading academic journal on the economics of strategy. JEMS is based at Harvard Business School, where Sarah Shumway (sshumway@hbs.edu) serves as the editorial assistant.

Susan Duffy

Susan Duffy is the Executive Director of the Babson College Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL), where she educates, inspires and empowers women to transform their entrepreneurial potential into social and economic impact. Under Susan’s leadership the CWEL offers a portfolio of world class programs for undergraduate, graduate and executive women; disseminates research into the unique skills and experiences of women entrepreneurial leaders; and advances gender acumen as a growth strategy for all individuals and organizations. Susan is a co-founder of Babson’s Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab, an early stage venture accelerator which was recognized as one of Boston’s 50 on Fire and a national finalist for entrepreneurship education by the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Susan is also the winner of a 2015 Gold Stevie Award for Women Business Leaders.

Susan earned her Ph.D. from The George Washington University. Before entering academia she was a leader in healthcare foodservice, co-owned a commercial construction company, and owned and operated Ho-Lee-Chow, a Chinese fast-food franchise. Susan is an advisor to several early stage companies and is an angel investor. She serves on the Boston Small Business Advisory Council, the Tory Burch Foundation Board of Directors, and the Walmart Foundation International Advisory Council.

Frances X. Frei

Frances Frei is the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Planning and Recruiting and UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School. Professor Frei focuses her research and teaching on helping leaders to compete on excellence by designing, managing, and scaling exceptional service organizations. Professor Frei’s ideas have influenced leaders on the frontlines of building the global economy and shaped the strategies of the world’s most competitive companies. She is the co-author of the bestselling book, Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business (Harvard Business Review Press).
A legend in the MBA and Executive Education classrooms, Professor Frei is widely recognized for her dynamic teaching style. She recently designed and led the new curriculum at HBS, which incorporates an experiential learning model that transforms the student experience at Harvard. In addition, her course on service management is among the most popular offerings in the school’s recent history. In her role as Senior Associated Dean she is now working to unleash a new generation of global thought leaders.
Professor Frei has received multiple teaching awards at each institution she has taught, including HBS and Wharton. She has published countless articles on leadership, strategy and service design in Harvard Business Review, Management Science, and other top-tier business journals, including the classic article, The Four Things a Service Business Must Get Right (HBR, 2008) and the groundbreaking article, Stop Holding Yourself Back (HBR, 2011). In addition, she has published dozens of case studies across a variety of industries, including financial services, government, retail, software, telecommunications, and travel & leisure.
A highly sought-after speaker and advisor, Professor Frei brings a level of wisdom and authenticity to conversation that compels audiences to action. Her core beliefs – including the idea that organizations must dare to be deliberately bad in strategic areas in order to thrive in others – permanently change the way business leaders think about competition and the company/customer relationship. She is celebrated for her ability to engage audiences and give organizations the insight and tools to dramatically improve performance.
Frances’ passion for transforming organizations comes from more than 20 years studying, teaching and helping leaders to build outstanding service firms. She received her Ph.D. in Operations and Information Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds an M.E. in Industrial Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Brian Halligan

Brian Halligan is Co-founder and CEO of HubSpot. Prior to HubSpot, Brian was a venture partner at Longworth Ventures and VP of sales at Groove Networks, which was acquired by Microsoft. Previously, Brian was a Senior VP of sales at PTC.

He has co-authored two books, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead” with David Meerman Scott and Bill Walton, and “Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs” with Dharmesh Shah.

Brian serves on the board of directors for the Fleetmatics Group (FLTX), a global provider of fleet management solutions. He was named Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011, a Glassdoor 25 Highest Rated CEO in 2014 and 2015, and an Inc. Founders 40 in 2016.

Around the community, Brian’s favorite charity is Camp Harbor View, serving nearly 1,000 youths from Boston’s at-risk neighborhoods through two four-week summer camp sessions on Long Island in the Boston Harbor.

In his spare time, Brian follows his beloved Red Sox and is a voracious reader. He teaches a course on “Designing, Developing, and Launching Successful Products in an Entrepreneurial Environment” at MIT Sloan School of Management.

Daniel Kenary

Daniel Kenary serves as CEO of the Harpoon Brewery.  He graduated with Rich Doyle (Harpoon Co-Founder) from Harvard College in 1982 with a degree in American History.  He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1985 while working at the First National Bank of Chicago in Chicago and Paris.  Dan left the bank in 1986 to co-found the Harpoon Brewery with Rich.  During a six-year hiatus from the brewery from 1990 until 1996, Dan worked as Chief Financial Officer at two biotechnology firms in the Boston area while remaining active on the board of Harpoon. Dan has served on the Institute of Brewing Studies Board of Advisors, as a director and the treasurer of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, a local environmental advocacy organization, president of the Boston Marine Park Business Association and president of the Massachusetts Brewer’s Guild.  He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts and has recently been elected Vice President North America of the newly formed Global Association of Craft Beer Brewers.  In August 2014 Dan oversaw Harpoon Brewery’s transition to employee ownership with the establishment of an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). Originally from Worcester, Dan lives in Wellesley, MA with his wife and four children

Les Mckeown

Les McKeown is the CEO of Predictable Success LLC. A renowned speaker, author and advisor on accelerated business growth, Les started over 40 companies in his own right, and was the founding partner of an incubation consulting company that advised on the creation and growth of hundreds more organizations worldwide. Since relocating from his native Ireland to the US in 1998, Les advises CEOs and senior leaders of organizations on how to achieve scalable, sustainable growth. His clients range from large family-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies, and include Harvard University, American Express, T-Mobile, United Technologies, Pella Corporation and Chiron. Based in Washington, D.C., Les now spends his time consulting, writing, teaching, and speaking. Les has appeared on CNN, ABC, BBC, Inc, Entrepreneur magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. Les is the author of the WSJ and USA Today Best-seller, “Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization On the Growth Track – and Keeping It There” and “The Synergist: Leading Your Team to Predictable Success”. His latest book is “Do Lead: Share your vision. Inspire others. Achieve the impossible.” (Do Book Company, May 2014)

Ron Miller

Ron Miller is an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur — having founded, built, and sold five companies through management buyouts, private equity firms, private investors and public markets. Ron’s success includes being recognized as a four-time Inc. 500/5000 recipient and as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award finalist. As CEO of StartEngine Crowdfunding and StartEngine Capital, Ron facilitates “financial ignition” for innovative companies in order to help entrepreneurs achieve the American dream.

Panos Panay

Panos Panay ’94 is the founding managing director of Berklee’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE) as well as a passionate entrepreneur and active startup mentor in the creative media space. As the founder of Sonicbids, he created the leading platform for bands to book gigs and market themselves online, building a subscriber network of 550,000 bands and 35,000 promoters from more than 100 countries. He led the company as CEO for 13 years, from its inception until after its successful acquisition by Backstage LLC in a deal backed by Guggenheim Partners.

He writes about startups and entrepreneurship for blogs and publications such as Huffington Post, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, and he has been named to Inc. magazine’s “Inc. 500,” Fast Company‘s “Fast 50,” BostInno’s “50 on Fire,” and Boston Business Journal’s “40 under 40.” Panay has delivered guest lectures at universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University, as well as at industry events including South by Southwest (SXSW), Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale (Midem), and TEDx. He serves on a number of boards.

Camille Preston

Camille Preston is a leadership expert. She understands where people are, what is happening to them, and how to be their best selves most quickly. Camille specializes in helping people unlock their capacity for excellence, action, and impact. Her clients learn to lead—and live—better.

A psychologist by training, Camille is masterful in recognizing underlying patterns that inhibit performance.  She works with individuals and teams to identify specific actions they can take to amplify impact. In 2008, she identified the negative impact of technology and was on the front edge of the tech mindfulness movement with her book Rewired.

Camille is a thought leader in virtual effectiveness, cracking the code for understanding how to leverage technology, how to rewire for results, and how to create impactful, effective collaborations with people who you do not see face to face. Her clients master leadership agility, the vital new competency for individuals, teams, and organizations in our wired world.

Camille has over 20 years’ experience in consulting and coaching. She is the author of Rewired: How to Work Smarter, Live Better, and Be Purposefully Productive in an Overwired World, and a frequent guest expert on TV, radio, and blogs. She has a PhD in psychology from the University of Virginia, an executive coaching certificate from Georgetown University, and advanced leadership training from the Center for Creative Leadership. She is certified in every major professional and cognitive assessment, from MBTI to Neurolinguistics Programming and Neurostrategies.

Create More Flow builds upon her book Rewired and integrates the lessons she has taken from working with thousands of individuals around leadership development.  Create More Flow is designed to improve effectiveness at work but invariable improves individuals overall happiness and fulfillment in life.

She is an avid runner, yogi, and adventure traveler. She has worked on five continents, traveled to 39 countries, and currently lives in Cambridge, MA with her husband, Mark, and their son, Preston and daughter, Adeline.

Travis Roy

Travis Roy is a powerful motivational speaker and a former college ice hockey player for Boston University.  On October 20, 1995 – just eleven seconds into his first-ever shift for Boston University men’s ice hockey team – a 20-year-old Roy slid head-first into the boards, cracking his fourth vertebra and leaving him a quadriplegic.  That fateful October night in 1995 signaled the death of one dream – but also the eventual rebirth of a special kind of hope.  Although imprisoned for months in a hospital bed, then confined to a wheelchair, Travis gradually found the grit and the will to reclaim for himself a fulfilling and productive life.

Travis has spoken to various corporations, universities and high schools across the country.  He speaks on conquering life’s hurdles, setting goals, and his overall experiences in life.  He has a unique ability to quickly connect with his audience no matter what profession or age.

Roy and Sports Illustrated writer E.M. Swift wrote his autobiography, Eleven Seconds.  His story was also featured on ESPN’s E:60 series in an episode titled “Travis Roy, 20 years ago, 11 seconds long.”  During the 2015 NHL season, the Boston Bruins signed Travis to a one-day contract and had him perform the ceremonial puck drop before a game.  On October 20, 2015, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared October 20^th “Travis Roy Day” to honor Travis, and to recognize the work he has done through “The Travis Roy Foundation.”

Travis set up the Travis Roy Foundation, to help spinal cord injury survivors and to fund research for a cure.  Inspired by Travis’ own story, the lifeblood of the Travis Roy Foundation has been the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations across North America.  This generosity has made an immediate impact on the lives of many individuals.  Since 1997, the Travis Roy Foundation has distributed more than $6 million in individual grants as well as to research projects and rehabilitation institutions across North America.  The Travis Roy Foundation is uniquely positioned to touch individual lives with its focus on providing adaptive equipment and sponsoring research.

Warren Rustand

The common thread that permeates Warren’s Rustand’s experience is one of vision, strategy, and executive leadership. He has created, led, and grown many successful private, public, and not for profit entities. He has a passion for family, entrepreneurship, public policy, and community.

Warren is the CEO of Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ; PSC) a $1.2 Billion social services and Logistics Management Company. He was previously Managing Director of SC Capital Partners an investment banking group. Warren was Chairman and CEO of Rural Metro Corporation, a $600 million, publicly traded emergency services company. He also served as Chairman and CEO of TLC Vision, the world’s largest Lasik eye surgery company. He has served as Chairman/CEO of 6 other companies.

He has served as a member of the Board of Directors for over 50 public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. The range of these organizations is from multibillion dollar public companies, to midsize, early stage, and startups. As CEO he has taken two companies public, one of which is the largest in its industry and the other is the second largest in its industry.

In 1973 Warren was selected as a White House Fellow through a nationally competitive process. He served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Commerce and led the first ever Executive Level Trade Mission to the Soviet Union. He joined the staff of Vice President Ford on the day he was sworn-in. In August of 1974 when the Vice President became President, Warren was asked to serve as Appointments Secretary and Cabinet Secretary to the President.

In furthering his interest in community service and public policy, Warren created a seminar in Washington DC., titled “Public Policy and the Private Sector.” Now celebrating its 28th year, it invites CEOs to meet with the highest level people in government, media, and lobbying. To date over 4000 individuals have participated in the Seminar.

Warren has served as the International Chairman, of the World Presidents Organization, a group of 10,000 CEO’s in 100 countries. He has also served as International Chairman of L3, a global leadership group, which is focused on one’s contribution during the second half of life.

Warren is the founder and Dean of Faculty at the Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Leadership Academy in Washington DC. Warren is a frequent speaker on subjects of: leadership, business, families, and personal development.

Warren received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arizona. He has been the recipient of many honors and awards including: The Visionary Leadership Award, the Distinguished Citizen Award, the 25 Year Achievement Award, election to the Sports Hall of Fame, the Robshaw Award, and being named a White House Fellow.

Curt Steinhorst

Curt Steinhorst is on a mission to help today’s workforce win the battle against digital distractions. Having fought ADD his entire life and spent years studying the impact of tech on human behavior, he now equips professionals across the world to work smarter and stronger in this constantly-connected age.

As a leading voice on strategic communications in the age of distraction and a certified speaker at the Center for Generational Kinetics, Curt speaks on average more than 90 times a year. He has spoken to prestigious audiences across the globe that include JP Morgan, Nationwide, McDonalds, Wells Fargo, Wyndham Hotels, Marriott, General Motors, Raytheon, United States Naval Academy, Aspen Ski Company, Million Dollar Roundtable, and Young Presidents’ Organization.

Beth Usher

Beth Usher was born laughing! Her sense of humor and ability to look on the bright side has helped her overcome the effects of a rare and debilitating brain disease called Rasmussen’s Encephalitis, a left-sided hemispherectomy at the age of seven and spinal fusion to correct severe scoliosis a few years later.

Beth learned at a very early age that laughter can break down barriers, lift spirits and smooth over even the roughest of characters.  She has made it her mission in life to make a least ten people smile each day. She is the recipient of Connecticut’s Bloomer Award ~ which is awarded to people who make Connecticut a friendlier place, a recent graduate of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor’s Humor Academy (H.A.G.), a certified laughter yoga leader and an inspirational keynote speaker.  (She also stalks celebrities, searches for sea glass on every beach she visits, drinks copious amounts of pina coladas and drives her family absolutely crazy!)  She resides in Storrs, Connecticut.

Ed Viesturs

Ed Viesturs is a professional mountaineer and has successfully reached the summits of all of the world’s fourteen 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, an 18 year project he christened Endeavor 8000. His goal was completed on May 12, 2005 with his ascent of Annapurna one of the world’s most treacherous peaks. He is one of only a handful of climbers in history (and the only American) to accomplish this. That same year Viesturs was awarded National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year. Viesturs has also made seven successful ascents of Mt. Everest, and 215 ascents of Washington’s Mt. Rainier.

Viesturs still guides in the mountains and also works as a design consultant for outdoor equipment manufacturer Eddie Bauer/First Ascent and is a Rolex Ambassador. Ed serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Big City Mountaineers (BCM), an organization that instills critical life skills in under-resourced youth through wilderness mentoring experiences that help keep kids in school, reduce violence and drug use.

Viesturs resides in Ketchum Idaho with his wife Paula of 20 years, and their four children.

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