Robyn Benincasa

Top Leadership and Teamwork Motivational Speaker, Retired Firefighter, Adventure Racing World Champion, CNN Hero, and Bestselling Author

Robyn Benincasa is a top leadership and teamwork keynote speaker, author, and Adventure Racing World Champion. One of the highest-rated, female motivational speakers in the world, she regularly shares the stage with world leaders and business icons, her customers include many Fortune companies like Starbucks, Deloitte, Aflac, Boeing, and more.

  • Robyn Benincasa Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    Please Inquire

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    USA

  • Robyn Benincasa Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    Please Inquire

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    USA

Suggested Keynote Speaker Programs

T.E.A.M.W.O.R.K. The 8 Essential Elements of a World Class Team Culture

Keynote Themes  Team building Leading change Motivation and commitment Inspiring innovation Continuous improvement Resilience How can your company’s team members operate like world-class teammates who ...

Keynote Themes

  •  Team building
  • Leading change
  • Motivation and commitment
  • Inspiring innovation
  • Continuous improvement
  • Resilience

How can your company’s team members operate like world-class teammates who collectively rise to challenges using human synergy? That’s the term Robyn Benincasa coined to describe the magic that allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things together through a deeply connected team culture that ensures consistent peak performance by capitalizing on the collective strength of the team.

Based on her New York Times bestseller, Robyn’s flagship keynote takes leaders and teams on an immersive journey from being individual team members to becoming great teammates with the tools and inspiration to build their own world class teams in every aspect of their lives.

Attendees will discover that achieving consistent peak performance doesn’t result from reaching up and simply trying harder as an individual. Just as in mountaineering, reaching the summit successfully involves reaching OUT—figuratively “roping up” to other people; sharing your strengths, and equally importantly, your challenges. Accepting help from a teammate isn’t a permanent state or sign of weakness, it’s a gift to the team. And it’s how you win. When everyone on the team leaves their ego at the start line in pursuit of your organization’s highest purpose, there’s no finish line you can’t cross together.

Takeaways

  • Fuels deep and lasting care, empathy and respect between colleagues at all levels.
  • Inspires leaders to prioritize team building in their quest for world class results.
  • Helps team members grow into teammates who capitalize on each other’s strengths and see themselves as leaders in their areas of expertise, regardless of title or tenure.
  • Simple skills anyone can apply to cultivate consistent peak performance through real connection with colleagues, clients, etc.
  • Builds an organizational culture of “we thinkers” so teams can think creatively and take calculated risks to reach higher peaks.
  • Leaves the audience buzzing with ideas about how to raise their game and their team’s to the next level, personally and professionally.

Timing: 45-60 minutes
Also available as a virtual keynote presented from a professional studio

Learn More

Win as One! Achieving Breakthrough Performance Through Collaboration, Creativity and a Culture of One!

Keynote Themes Team culture Growth mindset Embracing challenge as a springboard to future success vs fearing challenge Individual and team resilience Creativity, innovation and agility Adversity management skills...

Keynote Themes

  • Team culture
  • Growth mindset
  • Embracing challenge as a springboard to future success vs fearing challenge
  • Individual and team resilience
  • Creativity, innovation and agility
  • Adversity management skills

Whether something is changing in your business or industry, what’s your approach: do you see a challenge as a threat or an opportunity? As leaders, our response can drive our organization
to adapt, overcome and win through a mindset of relentless success through connection, calculated risk taking, and collaboration.

In this unique, authentic and fast-paced multimedia keynote, Robyn shares the essential elements of world class performance that allowed her adventure racing team to overcome known and unexpected challenges to become the sport’s most prolific and consistent world champions. They weren’t the fastest team. Yet they discovered smarter, better and more efficient ways through the course through fierce teamwork and innovation, using their resources in game-changing ways, and sharing challenges and strengths from start to finish. This winning strategy applies seamlessly to the epic adventure your business is on—no mud, blood or sweaty gear required. 🙂

Takeaways

  • Gives everyone an immersive experience that builds the excitement needed to achieve your next huge goal together.
  • Creates a team culture that continuously embraces challenges as opportunities for innovation, visionary creativity and breakthrough performance.
  • Empowers individuals to lead with their strengths and leverage their teammates’ talents to unlock greater collective potential.
  • Shows teams how taking calculated risks pays off as a strategy for exponential growth.
  • Inspires audiences with a success mindset tested by ordinary people (not superhuman Olympians).

Timing: 45-60 minutes
Also available as a virtual keynote presented from a professional studio.

Learn More

Why Winners Win: The Game-changing Mindset for Next-level Success

Keynote Themes Success mindset Personal leadership Team building Peak performance Resilience Innovation What are the common attributes of people who make a lifelong habit of winning and succeeding against...

Keynote Themes

  • Success mindset
  • Personal leadership
  • Team building
  • Peak performance
  • Resilience
  • Innovation

What are the common attributes of people who make a lifelong habit of winning and succeeding against all odds? Drawing inspiration from Robyn’s team of world champion adventure athletes and winners from all walks of life, this inspiring and practical keynote dissects the traits, skills and attitudes behind the world’s most consistent high performers. The best of the best experience uncertainty and obstacles like everyone else. Yet they reach great heights through characteristic courage, adversity management, a keen ability to create synergy with their colleagues, and the ability to continuously inspire themselves and others. And yes, luck (opportunity + preparation): their level of preparation allows winners to discover and capitalize on opportunities.

Takeaways

  • Leveraging a game-changing strategy that shifts one’s mindset from “not losing” to winning.
  • Finding the opportunity in challenges to innovate and create future success.
  • Empowering continuous improvement to spur change and reinvent the game.
  • Capitalizing on resources and pooling individual strengths to achieve even bigger goals.
  • Demonstrating the value of G.U.T.S. (Going the distance, Unwavering in your patience and faith, Taking calculated risks, and Shattering the norm).
  • Solidifying how luck is a proven formula of opportunity + preparation that drives consistent peak performance.

Timing: 30-60 minutes
Also available as a virtual keynote presented from a professional studio.

Learn More

Inspiring Greatness Through G.R.I.T. Igniting the Passion and Perseverance to Pursue the Impossible

Key Themes Resilience Adversity management skills Culture of champions Leadership Team building Inspiration through challenges What inspires us with drive, perseverance and resilience to pursue goals that ...

Key Themes

  • Resilience
  • Adversity management skills
  • Culture of champions
  • Leadership
  • Team building
  • Inspiration through challenges

What inspires us with drive, perseverance and resilience to pursue goals that seem impossible, and achieve world class results in times of great change and challenge? We create this greatness in ourselves and our teammates through GRIT, a magical combination of:

GUTS
RESPECT for our teammates and the mission
INNOVATION
TEAMWORK that makes us “sticky” to our goals and dreams.

In this keynote, Robyn shares real secrets to her teams’ success over 20 years of leading the pack in adventure racing and as a firefighter. Much of our drive comes from our connection to something greater than ourselves: the passion we have for an inspired mission, the respect for a team whose success is inextricably tied to ours, and the clients whose lives we will touch.

Audiences leave Robyn’s keynote with a deep understanding of how to create GRIT in yourself and your team. Most importantly, you’ll be on a mission to inspire GRIT in everyone who is lucky enough to know you—-the kind of leader that helps others climb their tallest peaks, fight their biggest fires, and cross their most challenging finish lines.

Key Takeaways

  • Demonstrates a find-a-way-or-make-one attitude.
  • Inspires teammates to commit to deep respect for one another and the higher purpose of the mission.
  • Supports the best outcomes through anticipating and preparing for all conditions and contingencies.
  • Shows how white space thinking allows for ingenious solutions and mission-driven innovation.
  • Helps leaders and teams navigate difficult challenges by envisioning what kind of story we’d like to tell.
  • Sustains a drive to succeed in tough times when it’s tempting to quit.

Timing: 45-60 minutes
Also available as a virtual keynote presented from a professional studio.

Learn More

About Keynote Speaker Robyn Benincasa

When the challenges are steep, and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides individuals and organizations the tools they need to inspire themselves and one another to their greatest heights and to cross their most challenging finish lines.

For the last 20 years, she and her teammates have been competing at the front of the pack in the most unique and compelling classrooms on earth: The jungles of Borneo, the Himalayan peaks of Tibet, the rivers of Fiji, the rainforests of Ecuador and the deserts of Namibia, studying the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty of Extreme Teamwork. It is through these harrowing, life affirming and often hilarious experiences in the world’s most grueling challenges that she has emerged with her truly unique perspective on what it takes to build the kind of world class teams that succeed against all odds, triumph in the face of adversity and win as one in times of great challenge and change. Robyn accepts full blame for inspiring people to do insane things like climb Mount Kilimanjaro, run their first triathlon, start their own adventure racing teams, hike across the Grand Canyon with a group of Survivors, or start their own businesses. This is, after all, who she is and what she does: Robyn Benincasa inspires people to grab life with one hand, grab their teammates with the other, and to create that special magic that makes all of us better TOGETHER than we ever would have been alone!

Robyn has made an art form of extreme performance by competing and winning at the highest levels of sport and business; her keynotes are powerful, impactful, and packed with practical, real-world takeaways that inspire peak performance and exceptional leadership. As a 20+ year veteran San Diego firefighter, a World Champion Adventure Racer, a 2014 CNN Hero, a Guinness World Record Endurance Kayaker, a best-selling author, and founder of The Project Athena Foundation, Robyn Benincasa *definitely* knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy, or as Robyn puts it, “That magic that allows groups of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together.”

Known as an inspirational force for leadership, teambuilding, and extreme performance, her award winning and game-changing keynotes have earned Robyn accolades as one of 2020s World’s Top 50 Keynote Speakers (Real Leaders Magazine), the #1 Female Speaker for Meetings.net, and is one of the Top 10 Speakers featured by Harvard Business Review. For the past 15 years, Robyn’s keynotes have motivated countless teams and received rave reviews from user groups, associations, and Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Starbucks, Walmart, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, HubSpot, Intel, and more.

Robyn’s multi-faceted experience inspires people to grab life with one hand, grab their teammates with the other, and to achieve audacious goals that they could never accomplish alone. She is the expert that companies call on to build world class teams, inspire peak performance and create a culture of champions. Robyn has successfully translated the lessons learned from extreme team sports to the corporate world, with compelling keynotes that show how groups of ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things together.

Grab ahold of your seats! Robyn’s incredible stories and breathtaking footage of extreme teams in action is an invigorating thrill ride that will leave you energized.

More About Robyn Benincasa…

NBC, ABC, CNN, ESPN, USA Network, The Today Show, Live With Regis, Dateline NBC, The Discovery Channel, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Runners World and Outside Magazine have all featured Robyn and her teams’ amazing accomplishments. Most recently, Robyn was named one of the Top 10 Speakers Featured by the Harvard Business Review and one of the Top 10 New York Times Bestselling Authors Who Can Better Your Company and Your Life in 2018. And Robyn accepts full blame for inspiring people to do insane things like climb Mount Kilimanjaro, run their first triathlon, start their own adventure racing teams, hike across the Grand Canyon with a group of Survivors, or start their own businesses.

This is, after all, who she is and what she does: Robyn Benincasa inspires people to grab life with one hand, grab their teammates with the other, and to create that special magic that makes all of us better together than we ever would have been alone!

To some of Robyn’s rave reviews, check out her spotlight. 

Testimonials

“Words really can’t describe how amazing your presentation was today. Your commitment towards TEAMWORK is truly inspirational.”

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

 

“After implementing the 8 Essential Elements in your book with my sales team, we went from 17th in the nation to 1st!”

Lorin Cooper

Indivior

“The conference went great!!! You were so effective in teaching teamwork, setting the tone is an understatement!!! Our morale has improved 100%. The meeting surveys were all positive and gave you lots of luv for your role in our conference.”

Steven W. Kaiser, State Sales Coordinator, Aflac Hawaii/Guam

 

“Our morale has improved 100%!”

Steve Kaiser

State Sales Coordinator, Aflac

“Robyn knocked it out of the ballpark! What an inspiration. Engaging, on target, organized in presentation and fun! She definitely helped us strengthen the core of our leaders and made such a positive impact. We’re grateful for her contribution to our conference.”

Theresa Moberg, Vice President of Training & Development, tastefully simple

 

“I received a great response from your presentation at our Denver Conference.  Your speech was so uplifting and exactly what we needed for our owners and operators.  Thanks again for a wonderful time!”

Beth Edelen

VP of Franchise Support, Sun Tan City

Robyn’s presentation was very motivating and GREAT!  I think it was the best motivational presentations I’ve ever seen – thank you!

Kim Carney

First American

Your message aligned perfectly…  There was a lot of positive energy in the room and feedback about the event has been great… Read More

John Fleurant

New York Life

I was blown away by Robyn’s presentation. Her presentation also has a great message about being open to challenges, without fearing what can go wrong.

Annabelle Lerman

CFO, Hospital Corporation of America

Robyn was wildly energetic, funny, engaging and shared some wonderful lessons with our community of retailers. A very big thank you and a great deal of appreciation to Robyn for her time. She has inspired me to be a stronger woman.

Erin Pressley, CAE

Vice President, Education and Media NACS

Media

Article

Jun 10, 2025

Top Ten Motivational Keynote Speakers

Are you looking for motivation and inspiration for your next keynote or event? Research shows a boost in employee engagement...

Read More

Article

Dec 19, 2019

BigSpeak's 2019 Top Speakers as Holiday Treats

The Holiday Season is upon us! With the year and decade coming to a close, we want to share our...

Read More

Article

Nov 22, 2019

2019 Recap of the Power of Project Athena to Change Lives

Project Athena Foundation was founded by empowering keynote speaker Robyn Benincasa to help survivors of medical (and traumatic) challenges achieve...

Read More

Article

Oct 8, 2019

Robyn Benincasa on Innovating Through Change

Robyn Benincasa brings her stories from a lifetime of Adventure Racing to your leadership teams to show how real champions...

Read More

Article

Sep 5, 2019

Top Sports and Adventure Speakers

These top sports and adventure speakers have gone from the highest mountains to the deepest seas to the farthest reaches...

Read More

Article

Dec 18, 2018

Celebrating Our Top 30 Booked Keynote Speakers in 2018

No matter what your field of interest, our top speakers go your topic covered. Wherever you are located, East Coast,...

Read More

Podcast

Nov 1, 2018

Robyn Benincasa Podcast Episode

Robyn Benincasa is a top motivational speaker on leadership, adventure racing world champion, CNN Hero, founder of Project Athena, and...

Listen

Article

Sep 11, 2018

Adventure Time: First Jobs of Legendary Travelers

written by Chris Taylor “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” So said Helen Keller, and a few adventurous souls...

Read More

Article

Jun 25, 2018

Better Believe the Hype About Robyn Benincasa

Motivational keynote speaker Robyn Benincasa is the best! We may be biased, but we’re not alone in our complete adoration...

Read More

Close

My Catalog

PDF

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Submit Clear All

    You have not added any speakers yet.