Available to book

Iraq War veteran & Paralympic champion

Melissa Stockwell

Resilience

Disability Awareness

Leadership Development

Develop resilience and leadership with Melissa Stockwell, Iraq War veteran and three-time paratriathlon World Champion. Melissa equips organizations with frameworks for overcoming adversity and finding purpose, backed by a Purple Heart, four Paralympic appearances, and keynote The Power of Choice.

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Melissa Stockwell

Denver, United States

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Denver, United States

Starting from

Contact PepTalk for fees

Send an email

loading@getapeptalk.com

Give us a call

+44 203 835 2929

Enquire Melissa Now

Instant quote

•

No upfront fee

•

Vetted speaker

Melissa Stockwell's biography

Athlete

Paralympics

Motivational

Inspirational

Inspirational Female

Military

Author

Personal Development

Thought Leader

At a glance

First female American soldier to lose a limb in the Iraq War; recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star
Three-time paratriathlon World Champion and four-time Paralympian, including a bronze medal at Rio 2016
Co-founder of Dare2tri, a nonprofit removing barriers to sport for athletes with physical disabilities

Melissa Stockwell is a retired U.S. Army officer, Paralympic athlete, motivational speaker, and prosthetist based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She became the first female soldier to lose a limb in the Iraq War when a roadside bomb caused her to lose her left leg in 2004. A recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, she was rehabilitated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where she was introduced to adaptive sports. She became the first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Paralympic Games, competing in swimming at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics. She later transitioned to paratriathlon, where she became a three-time World Champion (2010, 2011, 2012) and was named USA Triathlon's Female Paratriathlete of the Year in 2010 and 2011. She won a bronze medal in paratriathlon at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, when the sport made its Paralympic debut. She competed in four Paralympic Games total, with her most recent appearance at the Paris 2024 Games, where she finished fifth. She holds a Guinness World Record as an above-the-knee amputee marathon runner, completing the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 58 minutes. Together with her husband Brian Tolsma, a prosthetist specializing in high-performance athletics, she co-owns Tolsma Stockwell Prosthetics in Colorado Springs. In 2011, she co-founded Dare2tri, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing barriers to sports and fitness for individuals with physical disabilities. She is also a published author and motivational speaker, sharing her message called "The Power of Choice" about overcoming obstacles and perseverance.

Topics, sessions and talks

The Power of Choice: Finding Purpose Through Adversity

Melissa Stockwell opens with the moment that defined her life — a roadside bomb in Iraq that cost her left leg and her military career. In this keynote, she walks audiences through the choices that determined how she responded: the decision to compete as a Paralympian, to return to the pool and then the triathlon course, and ultimately to build a life of purpose through Dare2tri and her prosthetics practice. The session centers on a practical framework for making decisions when the outcome is uncertain, and how those choices — not circumstances — shape who we become.

From Walter Reed to the World Stage: A Leadership Blueprint for Rebuilding

After losing her leg in combat, Melissa was rehabilitated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center — the start of a decade-long journey that took her from hospital beds to Paralympic podiums and paratriathlon world championships. In this session, she shares the leadership lessons she drew from that experience: the discipline of a soldier, the resilience of an elite athlete, and the empathy of someone who now helps others with limb loss regain independence. Leaders leave with a blueprint for rebuilding themselves and their teams after setbacks, major transitions, or organizational change.

Dare2tri: Building a Culture Where No One Gets Left Behind

Melissa Stockwell co-founded Dare2tri to do something corporations still struggle with: remove every barrier to participation for people with physical disabilities. In this session, she draws on her experience building a nonprofit that has helped thousands of athletes compete in triathlons — and applies those lessons to building inclusive, high-performance cultures at work. Audiences gain practical tools for creating environments where everyone can perform at their best, regardless of the obstacles they face.

Why we recommend booking Melissa

The first female US soldier to lose a limb in combat in Iraq, Melissa went on to become a three-time paratriathlon World Champion and four-time Paralympian. For organizations looking for a resilience keynote grounded in genuine sacrifice and exceptional athletic achievement, that combination of Purple Heart recipient and world-class competitor is difficult to match.

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Email melissa.stockwell@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 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. As speaker agents, PepTalk can secure Melissa Stockwell for commercial and corporate events, conference keynotes, leadership talks, celebrity brand endorsements & partnerships, personal appearances, and motivational speaking engagements. We can assist with enquiries about Melissa Stockwell's speaking fees, availability, and booking process for private business functions, industry conferences, and team events. Please note, for media interviews, autographs, charity appearances, or personal matters, we recommend contacting Melissa Stockwell directly.

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