Alycia Anderson is a sought-after keynote speaker for companies, schools and sports and social groups looking to motivate their people with a blast of possibility.
Born with sacral agenesis and wheelchair-bound since childhood, Alycia is on a mission to motivate people through the power of diversity, sports, movement and inclusion. She delivers with the perfect blend of energy, humor and real-world stories that will tug at your heart strings one moment and make you laugh out loud the next.
She’s inspired hundreds of people around the world to achieve their full potential – and is passionate about helping people and organizations understand the real bottom-line benefits inherent in a diverse workplace. Her most popular topics include:
Alycia will take you through her life journey from being the firstborn in her family to beating the odds, a lifetime of medical and physical challenges, loss of a mother, growing up as an identical twin. The talk will touch on school, friends, sports, my post-graduate education in Belgium, into a successful career and marriage and the progression of inclusion.
Alycia will take you on a journey of inclusion in society from its birth in 1973 to today. How the journey has progressed over her lifetime and how the goal for her has been and still is to be seen for her, a person, a woman, rather than a wheelchair or an object. How her ultimate goal is to be included in this life with you.
This talk will also touch on the fact that inclusion is hard and uncomfortable at times but also beautiful and amazing and benefits us all in the end, someday at some point inclusion benefits all if we are willing to recognize that it’s collective work to accomplish a more inclusive society. The biggest challenge has always been “to see people for people and to see me for me.”
This talk focuses on the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and how inclusion of all empowers a professional environment. The talk will explore the direct effects of how an inclusive professional environment has a positive effect on company culture allowing for more innovation, collaboration and happier employees, and how an inclusive culture promotes a diverse way of thinking, acceptance, growth and ultimately produces a welcoming and creative environment for all.
She will take you on a personal journey of inclusion in the workplace from becoming the first waitress in a wheelchair to VP of Sales at KnockCRM a SaaS software company which will give real world perspective on where we have been vs where we are going today. What the current challenges are and how we can master inclusion a little more from the “end user’s” perspective and why this is important for all.
KNOWING YOUR ROLE AND PLAYING YOUR PART
Recognize, accept and take action of your life path by being the example people need. Acknowledging that our observations of each other are actively creating thoughts and ideas, and directly effecting and changing perceptions in society minute by minute, which can encourage acceptance of all people, even those who might be unfamiliar.
Humanity’s goal is to create a better tomorrow by allowing people to learn, even if uncomfortable at times. We may not always have the luxury of choosing what we will share in this life with others, but it is important how we embrace finding a way to contribute our piece in the world.
In this talk Alycia focuses on the very nature of life’s journey and how one responds to it. She explains the pathway to loving the discovery and how taking ownership of your path and letting the fear of not accomplishing your path be the driving force to reaching your dreams.
FINDING PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MOVEMENT
When it comes to leading a life rich with personal accomplishment, mind over matter is key.
The purpose of this talk is to understand how anyone of any age and varying ability level can become empowered through movement. Specifically, Alycia focuses on how recreation, sport and play are the building blocks to help individuals master their mobility, and gain ultimate independence and confidence within society today.
Alycia chronicles the development of her own empowerment through life experiences (from child to adult), both personally and professionally. Empowerment is acquired through opportunity, through choice, through experience, through trial, through error and ultimately through success.
GIVING YOUR KIDS THE CONFIDENCE TO GO FOR IT!
“We cannot guarantee others success no matter how much we would like it. But we can provide an environment which allows one to reach the limits of potential whatever that might be.” – Peter Busciglio
Inspired by Alycia’s “Papa’s” parenting methodology, this talk focuses on how to provide your children with the self-confidence to be adaptable and reach their full potential despite the world’s challenges.
Alycia’s father’s philosophy is a combination of insight, compassion, patience, acceptance, tough love and a good dose of going for it.
In this talk Alycia will share personal examples and help you to understand the tactics and strategies that have helped her carry this conviction throughout her life when facing, embracing and overcoming personal, social and environments hurdles.
A CHILDREN’S STORY ON INCLUSION
Written by Alycia and her Papa, Peter Busciglio, this interactive talk that targets a grade-school level audience, where Alycia presents the story from the children’s book she authored.
William the One Winged Dragon and the Castle World Cup Soccer Games is an encouraging tale that opens the environment with her audience to create dialog about inclusion, overcoming obstacles, fitting in and playing to personal strengths in all facets of your life.
Alycia has an identical twin sister, Regina!
Alycia received national publicity when she became a waitress at Chevy’s restaurant (her first high school job!) – The first waitress on wheels in the franchise’s history.
As part of the IPC’s School Day Project, Alycia wrote and published a children’s book, William the One-Winged Dragon and the Castle World Cup Soccer Games that focuses on inclusion – in this story, a dragon with disabilities.
Yes, she has a successful career, too, with expertise in marketing, management and sales for companies like On-Site.com, Java City, Colours N’ Motion and KrankcycleRx.
A lifelong athlete, Alycia is a Women’s Open Wheelchair Tennis player with a wicked serve.
Alycia attributes her strength and confidence (both physical and emotional) to her mom and dad, who raised her to be self-sufficient in the real world. She actually speaks about them and how she was raised in one of her talks.
Alycia worked extensively with the Special Olympics PR team, planning events and coaching staff. And, while studying in Europe, she worked with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), where she played an instrumental role in the IPC’s School Day Project, an inclusion program that is practiced globally today.
Alycia received her European Masters Degree in Adapted Physical Activity from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Typical of her go-get-’em spirit, Alycia moved to Belgium (alone!) and received her Erasmus Mundus.
Alycia is involved personally and professionally in disability sports movements for more than 35 years. Alycia is passionate about empowering people through physical movement and has been.
Alycia’s authenticity and charisma draws people to her, making her a great mentor and motivator with a natural ability to guide people to their top potential. Articulate, fun and funny, she earns those standing ovations she receives after her talks.
© 2018 Alycia Anderson
Alycia Anderson