About This Speaker: Jeff Adams
For Jeff Adams, a wheelchair is a vehicle for success. This six-time Paralympian and six-time World Champion in Athletics is living proof that focus, determination, and spirit are the keys to achieving “gold medal” dreams. Combining his unique understanding of life’s challenges with his experience as a world-class athlete, Jeff synthesizes his experience in sport, government, business and law into messages that show how the path to success is often the same, regardless of the goal.
Jeff started using a wheelchair at nine years old; the radiation therapy that saved his life while battling cancer in infancy had, by nine, permanently damaged his spinal cord. Since then, he has faced this monumental challenge admirably, competing in six consecutive Summer Paralympics, from 1988 to 2008, and winning a total of three gold, four silver, and six bronze medals.
Jeff has appeared in television commercials, acted as a global spokesperson for multinational corporations, and worked as a journalist and commentator for the media. He previously served as Chair of the Accessibility Committee for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Committee and as co-Chair of the Ontarians with Disability Advisory Council. He is a recent inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
A rare breed of athlete, Jeff successfully transitioned from sport to business to law. He founded two companies, Marvel Wheelchairs, and Icon Wheelchairs, Marvel underwent an acquisition in 2010, and Icon was acquired in 2015. Taking advantage of the opportunity to return to school, Jeff received a Doctor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law in 2020. His currently working as a lawyer in the area of Labour, Employment & Human Rights at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, a Bay Street law firm.
PHOTO VIA FASKEN
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