Kevin Vallely
Celebrated Canadian Adventurer & Journalist
Named by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada's leading explorers, Kevin Vallely has been traveling the world in the search of adventure since the early 90's. His adventuring resume is stacked with compelling expeditions to all parts of the world, and he's set a number of records for various treks, races and journeys. Vallely works as Editor-at-Large for Outpost Magazine, and he also contributes to The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, and The National Post. Vallely is an award-winning designer, having graduated from McGill University's School of Architecture, and receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship for post-graduate study at Cambridge University. He has proven strengths in goal setting, motivation and risk assessment and translates these successfully to an audience through his presentations.
Named by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada's leading explorers, Kevin Vallely has been traveling the world in the search of adventure since the early 90's. His adventuring resume is stacked with compelling expeditions to all parts of the world: skiing Alaska's 1,860-kilometre Iditarod Trail; scampering over Vancouver Island's West Coast Trail in record time (10 hours, 13 minutes); attempting to bike and climb the island of Java's thirteen 10,000-foot volcanoes (a trip cut short when post-9/11Indonesia became too dangerous); competing on the only Canadian team to finish the last and most difficult Eco-Challenge adventure race held in Fiji in 2002; retracing a 2,000 kilometre Klondike-era ice bike route through the dead of an Alaskan winter, and with teammates Ray Zahab and Richard Weber breaking the world record for the fastest unsupported trek to the South Pole in January 2009. Vallely works as Editor-at-Large for the Canadian adventure travel publication Outpost Magazine. He has written four cover stories for the magazine since 2005 and has contributed extensively as the gear editor. He has published articles in The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the National Post where a 2000 word excerpt from his Outpost feature – "The Sandakan Death March" - was published in the Op/Ed section. Currently, Vallely submits a bi-monthly architectural column for The North Shore News. Vallely is an award-winning designer, having graduated from McGill University's School of Architecture, and receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship for post-graduate study at Cambridge University. He has been involved in the design of several projects of distinction including the Glenrosa Junior Secondary School awarded the Best Middle School Award by the CEFPI and a Citation Award by the American Institute of Architects in 2002 as well as the Holms Residence winner of the Best New Home award by the City of New Westminster in 2006. Vallely's ability to live life to the fullest while still being a regular guy with real-life responsibilities conveys a message that anything is possible. He has proven strengths in goal setting, motivation and risk assessment and translates these successfully to an audience through his presentations. Utilizing his compelling adventures as metaphors for real work-place challenges, Vallely instills a sense of inspiration and purpose to the listener.
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3. The Value of Risk
Our society, by its nature, is risk averse, attempting through every reasonable construct to minimize the exposure to its members yet, from a historical perspective, the success of our species and society as a whole has been shaped by risk and has ultimately been defined by it. Using a stunning multi-media presentation of his adventures Kevin Vallely delves into this dichotomy explaining how calculated risk is an essential component of any innovative venture. Knowing the difference between bold decision-making and reckless mismanagement is knowing the line between success and failure. -
2. Teamwork
Kevin made a conscious decision early on in his adventuring career to forgo solo expeditions in favor of a team dynamic. "Travelling to the most extreme places on planet is risky business", explains Vallely. "By surrounding myself with the best people I can and letting them do what they do well, we all stand a far greater chance of success." Through his spectacular multi-media presentation Kevin demonstrates first hand the key elements that make a team work well together. The core values of commitment, trust and leadership are examined from the eyes of this world-class explorer. -
1. Goal Setting to Achieve the Impossible
Be it in professional business life or within the unforgiving arena of extreme adventure, great achievements begin as simple ideas. The transformation of these simple ideas into complex spectacular realities is where the magic lies. As both an award-winning designer and world-class explorer Kevin Vallely has the proven capacity to dream big and realize his ambitions. Using a stunning multi-media presentation of his adventures Kevin explains how he has achieved his visions by setting realistic and attainable goals while never losing sight of his objectives. His record-setting journey to the South Pole began with a single step after all.
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Kevin's presentations are truly inspirational, engaging and gripping. His style is unique, upbeat and yet humble and unassuming. Kevin touches the inner adventurer in everybody and makes the audience want to go out and experience the real adventures of this world. He is a true talent with a very present, open and immediate personality, and his genius continues to change the lives of many.
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Kevin Vallely's presentations at The Great Outdoors Show were exceptional! Kevin connected with his audience immediately and entertained and inspired with creative multi-media presentations that were delivered complete with humorous stories, videos and anecdotes about his adventures that kept the audience glued to their seats!
