Victoria Nolan is a Paralympian and World Champion rower who won a bronze medal as part of the Canadian team at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016. Also a gold medallist in the mixed fours event at the 2010 World Championships, she is the most experienced member of Canada’s para rowing team. Bringing a distinctive combination of elite performance experience, organisational leadership skills and lived insight, Victoria is a motivational speaker who provides businesses with practical approaches to leadership and performance.
After losing her sight at 18, Victoria took up adaptive rowing and competed internationally for 14 years. At her first World Championships in 2007, she took home a bronze medal in the mixed fours event before competing in her first Paralympic Games in Beijing a year later. Her breakthrough came in 2010 when she won gold at the World Championships. After adding to her medal tally at the 2015 World Championships, Victoria was part of the team that won Canada’s first-ever medal in para rowing at the Rio Paralympic Games. After her sporting journey, she became the co-host of AMI This Week on the Accessible Media Network and a media contributor. She also started an executive career as a General Manager at the non-profit CNIB, where she led a team of 25 and managed programs with a national reach. Victoria recently gained an Executive MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queen's University and shares this expertise as a leadership and performance speaker.
Sharing her story, Victoria is the author of ‘Beyond Vision: The Story of a Blind Rower’ and co-wrote ‘Refocus: The Essential Guide to Living a Happy and Successful Life with Vision Loss’ with Shawn Malone. Her sporting journey is also portrayed in the film 'Blindly Victorious'. Recognising her sporting achievements, Victoria received an award for Para Athlete of the Year from Rowing Canada Aviron and was inducted into the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour in 2017.
Previously speaking to audiences at TEDx, the University of Toronto and Lord & Taylor, Victoria delivers talks on leadership, performing under pressure, resilience and adaptability. Her signature keynote, Teamwork Unleashed, explores what a guide dog can teach us about trust, communication and high performance. Helping leaders to build teams that communicate clearly and perform together, Victoria is available to hire as a speaker for corporate conferences and team events now.
Books
Beyond Vision: The Story of a Blind Rower
Refocus: The Essential Guide to Living a Happy and Successful Life with Vision Loss
Victoria Nolan's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Leadership & High-Performing Teams
- Trust & Communication
- Adaptability & Change
- Resilience & Performance Under Pressure
- Inclusive Leadership
Official Feedback From In-Person & Virtual Events
“Victoria Nolan, a champion athlete and an incredible guest speaker, truly transformed our organisation during a time of significant change.” - Jocelyn Carpenter, Head of Human Resources, Royal Canin
“Victoria’s ability to craft a speech that resonated with every member of our team was nothing short of inspirational.” - Ryan Tolofson, Sparkrock Fuel Good Conference
“Victoria was able to find relatable aspects of her journey that not only motivated us but also helped each of us find a renewed sense of purpose amidst the uncertainty of our organisational change.” - Don Macintosh, VP Sales, Royal Canin
“Victoria's insights from her own experiences of empowerment, self-reflection, and focus on her athletic career were directly applicable and incredibly uplifting. Her words guided us towards a unified vision for our future.” - Paul Roser, Manager, Applied Electronics
- 2025 - Completed MBA at Smith School of Business at Queen's University
- 2025 - Co-wrote book 'Refocus: The Essential Guide to Living a Happy and Successful Life with Vision Loss'
- 2023 - General Manager at CNIB
- 2017 - Inducted into Toronto Sport Hall of Honour
- 2017 - Received award for Para Athlete of the Year by Rowing Canada Aviiron
- 2017 - Co-host of AMI This Week on Accessible Media Network
- 2016 - Part of Bronze-winning Canadian team at Rio Paralympic Games
- 2014 - Published book 'Beyond Vision: The Story of a Blind Rower'
- 2012 - Competed in London Paralympic Games
- 2010 - Won gold in mixed fours at World Championships
- 2008 - Competed in Beijing Paralympic Games
- 2007 - Won bronze medal at World Championships
How to hire Victoria Nolan
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Victoria Nolan for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
