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Amanda Lindhout

Speaker Featured

Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

Hostage survivor - Expert on Resilience, an Extraordinary Mindset and NYTimes bestselling author

Amanda Lindhout is a sought-after inspirational speaker, trusted by big brands to deliver a life-changing, transformational keynote experience. She has been recognized as a New York Times bestselling author for her memoir, A House in the Sky. Industry clients include: International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, American Mental Health Association, American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, Canadian Mental Health Association, Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, Committee to Protect Journalists, WorkSafe, Workers’ Compensation Board, Nurses Union

Keynote Speeches

Virtual Keynotes & Webinars
Contact us for more information about this speaker & their virtual presentations. Click here for some of the most popular formats for virtual events.
460 Days in Somalia: How an Extraordinary Mindset Can Get us Through the Unthinkable

For 460 days in the heart of Somalia, Amanda Lindhout was held hostage when a famine reporting trip turned into a struggle for survival. Nothing she had learned in her past would prepare her for the next year and half, and only the extraordinary mindset she developed would get her through and back home. Today, Amanda has decoded exactly what got her back to North America and shares the steps we can take today to navigate change, uncertainty, and the unexpected in every aspect of business and our personal lives.

In this actionable, inspiring, and unforgettable message, Amanda pairs her staggering experience with years of deep research with top experts as she teaches the framework we can all utilize to build an extraordinary mindset that can help us get to where we want to go, and beyond.

Audiences enter Amanda’s sessions unsure, worried, and anxious about the future and challenges that lie ahead. When they leave, they are equipped with a set of tools they never thought they’d learn so that they can overcome challenges they never thought they’d experience with a level of hope and optimism they never thought possible.

Audiences will learn:

  • Three key questions to ask when separating what we can control from the things we can’t
  • Pitfalls to avoid when overcome with uncertainty and change
  • Foundational steps to take when looking to build confidence in ourselves and those around us
  • The four steps in the Extraordinary Mindset Framework
  • Why optimism and hope aren’t enough to get us to ‘next’, and what to do instead
The Adversity Unlock: Reframing Challenges as Assets to Cut Through Change and Lead with Optimism

What the best leaders and organizations in the world understand is that adversity is a powerful force that can refine our character. 

Wisdom is not automatically gained from challenges, and individuals that can identify and articulate lessons learned and then apply them in real-world scenarios gain the leading edge. And in this session, Amanda Lindhout shares exactly how to cultivate a resilient mindset to effectively see challenges as assets and navigate the uncertainty we’re faced with every day of the week. 

Amanda’s Adversity Unlock reflects on the 460 days she spent as a hostage, enduring unimaginable hardships and being kept in the dark, to overcoming the challenges of a PTSD diagnosis. She has trained herself to look for inherent growth opportunities despite unimaginable struggle and has built the framework we can all apply to navigate change, adversity, and uncertainty around us.

Beyond Survival: Healing, Growth, and the Power of the Human Spirit

Kidnapped and held hostage for 460 days in Somalia, Amanda Lindhout endured unimaginable suffering before finally regaining her freedom. What would have broken most people beyond recovery has become a new foundation for the person she is today. And because of this experience, Amanda presents a masterclass in healing and resilience that can help all of us navigate challenges we never expected.

Resilience Redefined: How to Unlock Your Inner Strength to Perform Sustainably at our Best

With the world around us changing faster than ever before, we’re required to show up in ways that demand a level of resilience that enables us to do more with less time, multitask while still performing at our best, and learning new skills by using technology that didn’t exist even a year ago. Until now, we’ve lacked the toolkit to navigate life’s toughest challenges with clear actions that transform adversity into true resilience.

This keynote offers a unique opportunity for attendees to learn from someone whose firsthand experiences have made her a true expert on the topic. Having endured 460 days as a hostage in one of the world’s most dangerous countries and living with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder for nearly a decade, Amanda is one of the world’s leading voices on resilience. She has built a process that we can all embody to navigate the world around us, and to be at our best and stay there.

By providing strategies for developing a resilient mindset, Amanda teaches specific mindfulness practices, emotional regulation techniques, and the importance of community support. She offers insights that are accessible to anyone looking to strengthen their resilience, regardless of their individual challenges.

Audience reviews:

  • I just want to let you know that we have had an overwhelming number of positive responses to Amanda’s speaking engagement. I must tell you, once she started speaking, no one in the audience moved; their total attention was on Amanda - you could hear a pin drop. She received a standing ovation, which is a first for our Leadership Series. I don’t think people will easily forget what she had to stay.

    - Director, Annual Programs, University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
  • Amanda’s story, and the moving way she shares it, served as the perfect close to our Fortune Magazine Summit. The 900+ CEOs and top executives were brought to tears and cheers as they received a message that put the significant pressures they face every day into perspective. - Verne Harnish, Chair, Growth Summit Presented by Fortune
  • She was PHENOMENAL...you could hear a pin drop in the room this morning. I'm proud to say that Ottawa did not disappoint...she ended her keynote with a standing ovation from all 300 people in attendance. It was truly a pleasure, for me personally, to have met Amanda. While I may never completely understand what she endured during her captivity, I can say that her story has left an indescribable mark on my life and will never forget her message.

    - Marketing & Events Coordinator, Salvation Army
  • Amanda Lindhout is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable people I have ever had the honour of hearing speak. Her groundbreaking peace building work in Somalia is made all the more extraordinary by her willingness to work alongside former extremists and exemplifies the true meaning of forgiveness. Her message of peace deserves to be heard by all.


    - Google Ideas' Against Violent Extremism Network
  • She was amazing, spectacular, lovely, uplifting, articulate...the list goes on and on. She is in my humble opinion the best speaker we have ever had! Not sure how or if we will ever be able to top her.

    - Atlantic Psychiatric Conference
  • Amanda is an inspiring speaker with a message that is absolutely vital for our times.


    - Eckhart Tolle Best-selling author of The Power of Now
  • She was amazing as promised- the room of 1500 was silent- you could have heard a pin drop- she has an amazing story and its told in such an authentic manner- Wow- thank you so much for helping make this happen for us
    - President & CEO YMCA of Greater San Antonio
  • Amanda is an inspiration! Her messages of hope, forgiveness, peace and reconciliation are an example for us all.

    - President of the United Nations Association in Canada
  • Amanda is someone to look up to. Someone who instils a sense of hope and goodness in humanity.

    - PCMA Attendee
  • I just want to let you know that we have had an overwhelming number of positive responses to Amanda’s speaking engagement. I must tell you, once she started speaking, no one in the audience moved; their total attention was on Amanda - you could hear a pin drop. She received a standing ovation, which is a first for our Leadership Series. I don’t think people will easily forget what she had to stay.

    - Director, Annual Programs, University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
  • Amanda’s story, and the moving way she shares it, served as the perfect close to our Fortune Magazine Summit. The 900+ CEOs and top executives were brought to tears and cheers as they received a message that put the significant pressures they face every day into perspective. - Verne Harnish, Chair, Growth Summit Presented by Fortune
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Speaker Biography

Amanda Lindhout is an unparalleled voice on the topics of resilience, extraordinary mindset, and transformation. After enduring 460 days as a hostage in Somalia, Amanda has become an award-winning author of New York Times bestselling memoir A House in the Sky, world-renowned keynote speaker, and a go-to resource for the best leaders and teams looking to navigate the world we live in today. 

Amanda goes beyond her personal experiences to leave audiences with wisdom that can be applied to their lives and businesses so they can overcome change, uncertainty, and adversity at all levels. She has delivered over 500 keynotes in 28 countries for some of the biggest brands in the world, crafting tailored experiences that inspire leaders and organizations to achieve what they never thought possible. Her expertise is rooted in both her lived experience and years of working with the best in the world as the studies the impact and science of trauma and resilience, and how we can achieve the unthinkable and overcome any challenge that comes our way.  

Her story and her writing have been featured in media around the world, including on the cover of the New York Times Magazine. Dateline NBC dedicated two full episodes to sharing her incredible experiences. Today, her story is in the process of being retold as a four-part limited series by A24 in 2026.