Stef Reid Keynote Speaker

Track and field paralympian champion
Motivational Speaker
Executive Coach & Broadcaster

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Stef Reid's Biography

Stef Reid is a British Paralympic long jumper and sprinter known for her athletic achievements and inspiring adventures off the track. Her incredible story of resilience, perseverance and determination in the face of adversity has made her a sought-after speaker, inspiring audiences with her talks on topics such as mindset, overcoming challenges, and embracing change.

She was born in New Zealand to a Scottish father and an English mother and grew up in Toronto before settling in the UK in 2010.

Stef’s love for sports was evident from a young age, and she dreamt of playing rugby on the world stage when she was just 12 years old. However, at 15, Stef was involved in a boating accident that left her with severe propeller lacerations. Her right foot was too damaged to be saved and was amputated despite the life-saving measures.

Stef’s passion for sports did not wane, and she began her journey in Paralympic athletics in 2006. Her impressive performances on the track soon earned her a reputation as one of the world’s best Paralympic athletes. She is a four-time Paralympian, having competed in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021 Paralympic Games. Stef has won three Paralympic medals, including a silver in the long jump at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Stef is also a World Champion, having won gold in the long jump at the 2013 World Championships in Lyon, France. She is a five-time world record holder, with her best jump of 5.40m in the T44 long jump event.

Stef is not just an athlete; she holds a degree in biochemistry and has also pursued her passions in acting and modelling. She made history in 2015 by becoming the first amputee to walk the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Stef is also committed to social causes, serving as Vice President for The Leprosy Mission UK and British Athletics.

In 2021, Stef competed in the Tokyo Paralympics, showcasing her exceptional talent again. She also starred in the British reality TV show Dancing On Ice 2022, demonstrating that anyone can learn to skate with an artificial foot. Stef Reid is a remarkable athlete and a true inspiration, showing the world that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and a positive attitude.

As a speaker, Stef shares her experiences overcoming a life-altering accident that left her with a prosthetic limb and how she became one of the world’s most successful Paralympic athletes. With her powerful message of self-belief and determination, Stef’s talks inspire audiences to achieve their goals, no matter their obstacles.

• The High Performance Power of Diversity

High performance systems and businesses know that sustained success requires fresh ideas and original thinking. For them, diversity has never been about ticking a box. It’s about finding a competitive edge. They know that the best ideas come from a room full of diverse thinkers and a diverse range of experiences. People with a disability are naturally good at this. The world wasn’t made for us, so we learned to see and think differently because we had to. But you don’t need to have a disability to be an original thinker. We can all learn to move beyond our biases and assumptions. We can all learn to let go of the rules and traditions that guide our thought for no other reason than that’s the way we’ve always done it. We can all learn to unleash the power of our unique perspective and develop a culture that encourages innovation.

• The Adaptive Mindset for Serial High Performers

Life rarely unfolds as we expect it to. And even though we know this intellectually, it can still be frustrating when our perfect plans get interrupted. The events of the recent pandemic reminded us all that longevity and success are built on adaptability. It takes courage to experiment and courage to try something new. And in a world that continues to surprise us, the ability to adapt and make any set of circumstance work is the foundation of sustained high performance. The world never stops changing so neither can we. Adapting can be exhausting and frustrating…or it can be the adventure of a lifetime!

• How to be Resilient

Life is both wonderful and hard. We have all experienced challenges in the workplace and in our personal lives, and we know that we will continue to do so. And not only do they never end, they get harder and the stakes get bigger. The question people are asking is “How do we keep showing up, day after day, full of passion and motivation?” This is a practical talk about what it takes to find your inner grit. Eighteen years in the world of elite sport has taught me that motivation and resilience are key pillars in all high performance journeys. Failure and hardship along the way is inevitable and it is up to us to choose our response. Accepting failure as part of the learning process is the not the same as accepting defeat. Defeat doesn’t come from failure, but from losing our curiousity and enthusiasm. Strengthening our resilience muscles fortifies us against this. It helps us show up, day after day, full of life and fun and ready to go again!

• High Performance Habits for Mental Health and Well Being

High performing bodies and minds are not just for elite athletes. They are necessary for anyone serious about bringing their ideas and goals to life. Our bodies matter because they are the means by which we take action in the real world. Our mental health matters because big goals take time, and we need to protect our capacity to ride out the bumps. Our bodies are incredibly resilient and adaptable, but they come with parameters and we need to understand those parameters in order to maximize our potential. Several user manuals already exist. It’s rarely a lack of knowledge that we struggle with but a consistency of habit. This is a talk that inspires audiences to action because they start seeing their own potential and start believing they are worth the investment!