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Elite climber & resilience speaker

Emily Harrington

Transform teams through resilience with Emily Harrington, speaker and elite climber. Emily works with organizations to master strategic risk-taking and breakthrough performance, delivering insights from her groundbreaking El Capitan achievements and five US National Championships.

Trusted by TEDx, SalesForce, The North Face

Emily Harrington, Speaker | Climber & Adventurer
Emily Harrington

Emily Harrington

Los Angeles, United States

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This is an estimated fee range for local in-person events. Location and format affect the final fee.

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Los Angeles, United States

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Emily Harrington's biography

At a glance

  • Five-time US National Sport Climbing Champion
  • First female ascent of multiple 5.14 sport routes
  • Featured in the Red Bull documentary, Girl Climber
Emily Harrington is one of the world's most accomplished professional climbers, combining elite competition success with groundbreaking outdoor achievements including the first female free climb of El Capitan's Golden Gate route in under 24 hours. As a five-time US National Champion and second-place finisher at the IFSC World Championships, Emily has successfully transitioned from competition climbing to pioneering expeditions. Her remarkable accomplishments include summiting Mount Everest, setting a speed record on Cho Oyu with a complete ski descent, and becoming only the fourth woman to free climb El Capitan in a day. Emily transforms extreme climbing experiences into practical business insights, helping organizations navigate challenges through lessons in resilience and strategic risk-taking. Her presentations demonstrate how calculated risk assessment, adaptability, and perseverance directly translate to breakthrough performance in professional environments facing uncertainty or significant change. Audiences leave Emily's talks with concrete strategies for reframing failure as essential feedback, practical approaches to breaking seemingly impossible goals into manageable steps, and techniques for maintaining focus under pressure. Her authentic storytelling resonates with diverse groups from TED stages to corporate boardrooms. Book Emily to inspire your team with real-world lessons from someone who consistently pushes boundaries while balancing elite performance with purposeful living.

Emily's showreel and videos

Topics, sessions and talks

From El Capitan to Everest: Lessons in Risk and Resilience
Emily Harrington has spent her life testing the boundaries of human endurance, from world championship climbing walls to the vertical expanse of El Capitan and the summits of the highest mountains on earth. Emily reflects on the risks, failures and triumphs that shaped her journey, including her history-making ascent of Golden Gate. With honesty and humour, she shares how resilience, adaptability and perspective can transform daunting challenges into opportunities for growth and achievement.

Why we recommend booking Emily

Emily Harrington transforms extreme climbing achievements into practical business insights, helping organizations navigate challenges through powerful lessons in resilience and strategic risk-taking. Book this five-time US National Champion and Everest summiteer to equip your team with concrete strategies for reframing failure, breaking down impossible goals, and maintaining focus under pressure.

Check Emily's availability

Trusted by TEDx, SalesForce, The North Face

Testimonials

Whether you are an aspiring athlete, an entrepreneur, a CEO or simply someone looking to feel inspired, you will first be amazed at Emily Harrington's global achievements and then immediately motivated through her relatable storytelling of adventure, vulnerability, strength, passion, perseverance through failure and the lessons we can all use in our lives to be more in line with our purpose.

Robin D.

TEDx

Emily paints a picture of trust, vulnerability, risk-taking, and curiosity. It is remarkable to hear her speak of experiences that are out of reach for so many but relatable for all.

SalesForce

Emily stands and delivers with real passion and humanity. When you hear her speak, you can tell it is coming from the heart. Her authenticity and humanity lend a depth to her message and leave you inspired. It is remarkable to see someone so physically strong be so vulnerable.

Tom H.

Global VP of Marketing, The North Face

Featured Projects

Emily Harrington - Girl Climber book cover
Emily Harrington - The Edge Of The Earth documentary cover
Emily Harrington - Dangerstik TV cover

frequently asked questions

Something we've not covered here?

How do I book Emily Harrington for my next event?
Email emily.harrington@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Emily's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
What is Emily Harrington's speaking style like?
Emily Harrington draws on first-person accounts of documented climbing expeditions — including her history-making free climb of El Capitan's Golden Gate route — to extract transferable frameworks around risk assessment, failure analysis, and goal sequencing for professional audiences.
What topics does Emily Harrington specialise in?
Emily Harrington speaks on risk and resilience, high performance under pressure, and translating extreme challenge into professional growth. She is a five-time US National Sport Climbing Champion who became the first woman to free climb El Capitan's Golden Gate route in under 24 hours.
What does 'typical fee range' mean?

Speaker fees vary based on factors like event location, format, and availability. The 'typical fee range' figure gives you a baseline of someone's local, in-person rate sits, and we'll confirm the exact fee when you get in touch.

What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule a speaker booking?

Life happens! Most speaker bookings can be rescheduled with reasonable notice. Cancellation terms vary by speaker, but PepTalk handles all the details & contracts transparently upfront so there are no surprises. Our team supports you through any changes, making the process as smooth as possible.

Have all the speakers on the website previously worked with PepTalk?

Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. Alongside direct talent, we work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies, to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.

What information do I need to provide when booking a speaker?

When booking a speaker, you'll need your event date, audience details, format, key objectives, and budget. Having these ready makes the process smooth and straightforward. PepTalk's team uses this information to match you with the perfect speaker quickly and efficiently.

Can I request autographs, personal greetings, signed merchandise, or fan mail from the speakers?

Sorry, we do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, or any non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.

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If you notice something that needs attention or have any queries regarding an expert speaker profile, feel free to email us at experts@getapeptalk.com, and we’ll be happy to assist.

Can I book podcast guests through PepTalk?

Yes. PepTalk books commercial podcast guests every week of the year. A high-profile voice can boost your podcast's reach and deliver ideas to your audience at scale. Fees typically start from £1,200 / $1,500, depending on the expert. Our network includes bestselling authors, industry leaders, and cultural figures who have appeared on leading global podcasts — and many host their own. Whether you want bold insights, candid stories, or deep expertise, we'll help you find the right guest to elevate your show.

How far in advance should I book a motivational speaker?

Book a motivational speaker at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for popular speakers or large events. Top speakers get booked quickly, so earlier is always better. For major conferences or peak seasons, booking 12 months ahead ensures you secure your first choice.

Help, I need a last-minute speaker for my event!

No problem! We often handle last-minute requests and can secure or replace a speaker, comedian, awards or event host quickly — almost anywhere in the world. However, speaker availability might be limited as the event date approaches. Email hello@getapeptalk.com with your requirements.