Dominique Dawes's biography
- Olympic gymnast and first African American to win individual medal
- Owner of gymnastics academies promoting healthy training environments
- Presidential Council co-chair for fitness and nutrition
Dominique Dawes, Olympic gymnastics pioneer and entrepreneur, brings athletic excellence and business acumen together as she champions positive cultural change in sports and beyond.
As a three-time Olympian and the first African-American gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal, Dominique owns multiple Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies promoting healthy training environments. She holds minority ownership in the Washington Spirit soccer club and previously served as co-chair of the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition during the Obama administration.
Dominique helps organizations navigate cultural transformation by sharing practical strategies for building inclusive environments where people thrive. Her experience transitioning from elite athlete to successful business owner provides valuable insights on leadership during challenging times, demonstrated by launching her first academy during the pandemic and expanding despite economic uncertainty.
Audiences gain actionable frameworks for overcoming obstacles through Dominique's unique perspective on resilience and adaptation. Her presentations offer practical approaches to promoting wellness initiatives that boost productivity and engagement, drawing from her advocacy work in women's health and fitness.
Book Dominique to inspire your team with authentic leadership principles tested at Olympic heights and proven in the competitive business arena.
Topics, sessions and talks
Women's Health And Heart Disease
Dominique Dawes has worked with the American Heart Association as the spokesperson for the Choose to Move program for years, advancing their goal of informing everyone on how to combat cardiovascular disease. In this keynote presentation, she focuses on the benefits of smart nutrition, everyday exercise, and commonsense core habits that each of us can implement to avoid the number one killer of women: cardiovascular disease.
Building A Strong Foundation For Success
Building a solid foundation was one of the keys to Dawes’ success. Her emphasis on a solid foundation touches on multiple areas: from healthy lifestyle choices to developing positive self-esteem where she addresses issues such as peer pressures, productive attitudes, and values. The audience will walk away empowered, motivated, and, more importantly, clear on what it takes to build a strong foundation worthy of your dreams.
Success Is A Journey, Not A Destination
Dominique Dawes won Olympic gold. But for her, success is so much more than medals and accolades: it’s something she worked hard to achieve every day en route to Olympic glory. Her journey in the sport of gymnastics lasted 18 years and in those years she stood strong on numerous podiums, leaving lasting impressions in the hearts of fans. The podium was the destination, but the long-term goal? It’s the moments in between—what she calls the “journey”—that helped her realize the success that she was always striving for. Overcoming the inevitable obstacles, challenges, and doubts are the moments in the journey that build the champion in Dawes. Surrounding herself with the right team, developing the mindset to persevere, and turning negative situations into life lessons is how Dawes realized Success Is a Journey, NOT a Destination.
Envision: Reaching Your Full Potential
ENVISION is Dawes’ signature message. It is also the title of her motivational line of products. ENVISION is an acronym for the 8 principles that helped Dawes become successful in and out of the athletic arena. She crafts this speech specifically to motivate and empower the audience to envision greatness in their own lives. The core focuses are passion, planning, and perseverance.
Why we recommend booking Dominique
Olympic champion Dominique Dawes brings unparalleled insights on resilience and cultural transformation, drawing from her journey as a pioneering gymnast, successful entrepreneur, and advocate for inclusive environments. Book this three-time Olympian to equip your team with actionable strategies for overcoming obstacles and building a thriving organizational culture where everyone can excel.
Check Dominique's availability
Trusted by Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, Washington Spirit, President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
We couldn't be more pleased with Dominique's performance. She connected with our attendees really well, both on and off stage... such a success.
Everybody loved her. Such great feedback. Please thank her. She was so transparent and her energy was phenomenal. We could have heard her go on for longer.
Young Living Essential Oils
Dominique was fantastic; her speech was on point and truly inspiring.
