Dr Jessica Gallagher OLY
Summer & Winter Paralympic Medallist, Passionate Keynote Speaker
Jessica's inspiring story is unlike any other. Most know her as the only Australian athlete to have medalled at a summer and winter Paralympics or Olympics but Jess achievements on and off the sporting field run far deeper. In her keynote she shares how her journey transpired from losing over 90% of her eye sight at 17 to representing Australia in 3 completely different sports. The challenges she has faced, overcoming fear, taking risks and the most unique relationship in sport. Her mantra Trust - Mindset - Courage are skills required and relevant in all facets of our lives none more so than when flying down a mountain at over 100km/hour and entrusting someone else telling you how to get there. Are you ready to take the leap?
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Jess Gallagher is the first Australian athlete (Olympic or Paralympic) to win Summer and Winter Paralympic medals,
The multi talented athlete has represented Australia in 4 sports. alpine skiing, athletics, track cycling and rowing.
In 2010 at the Vancouver Winter Paralympics Jess became the first Australian women to win a Winter Paralympics medal when she won bronze in the Slalom. She won her second Paralympic medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Paralympics another bronze, this time in the Giant Slalom. At the 2016 Rio Paralympics she won bronze in the 1km Time Trial on the tandem.
Throughout her career she has also won 2 Commonwealth Games gold medals and 11 World Championship medals (athletics and track cycling).
In 2022 and 2023 Jess represented Australia concurrently in rowing and track cycling, qualifying both the boat and bike for the 2024 Paralympics. With both competitions occuring on the same day in Paris Jess had a difficult choice to make and has elected to move forwards with track cycling. This decision proved dividends when at the 2024 Paris Paralympics she won silver on the tandem.
Jess is a fully qualified Osteopath, ambassador for a number of not-for-profit organisations and in 2023 was awarded RMIT University’s highest honour, an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences.
Topics
Are.You.Ready?
Trust and change
Hurtling down a mountain at over 100km/hour with someone else acting as your sight there is no greater skill required than trust. It’s a critical element to Jessica’s success as a summer and winter Paralympic medallist, Osteopath and Board Director and yet trust in business and society globally is at an all-time low. In this keynote Jessica will share how she develops, builds and sustains trust whilst adapting to the variabilities around her. The only constant we have in life is that change and trust are necessary for growth and sustainable success. Are you ready?
It’s not what you see but how you choose to see it
Leadership and Team Work
As an elite performer Jessica’s success is underpinned by the guides that support her to compete, not unlike a manager working with a team. The ever changing dynamics of leadership and team work when coupled with complexity and risk is real and profound regardless of the environment. In order to succeed it’s critical leader’s get it right. In this keynote Jessica shares the lessons she has learnt in developing her ability to interchange between being led, leading others and the impact of when it goes wrong (and how to stop it from going wrong!)
The Agile Mind
Safety, Risk and Overcoming Fear
How do you remain agile at the time when risk and fear strikes? As a high performance athlete in the dangerous world of Alpine Skiing Jessica shares the practical ways she shaped her risk appetite and turned fear into a must have component of her mindset, skill and performances. It’s easier than you might think to create a positive, empowered mindset to ensure you achieve your goals.
Making the time to live better
Health and Wellness
In our fast paced, complex lives it’s easy to lose sight of looking after your greatest asset, you. As an Osteopath Jess is asked the ultimate question on a weekly basis, how can I gain work/ life balance? In this keynote Jess will help you see health and wellbeing from a new perspective, share her personal stories of overcoming adversity and give you the tips and tools she has used to create positive and sustainable habits to live your best life. How will you make the time to live better?
