Apolo Ohno

Apolo Anton Ohno is recognized as the most decorated American athlete in Winter Olympics history, earning eight medals—two gold, two silver, and four bronze—across three Olympic Games. Ohno began training full time at age 13, becoming the youngest skater accepted into the U.S. Olympic Training Center's residency program in Lake Placid, and later became the youngest U.S. national champion at age 14. Early in his career, he faced challenges with dedication and commitment, spending a week in solitude before recommitting to the sport. This renewed focus led to a 1,500-meter world title and a breakout performance at his first Olympic appearance, where he won both a gold and a silver medal.

Ohno added three more Olympic medals in his second Games, including the title in the men's 500-meter event, and secured three additional podium finishes in his final Olympic appearance, bringing his total to eight Winter Olympic medals. Over his career, he earned 21 world championship medals—eight gold, seven silver, and six bronze. He has been inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Beyond speed skating, Ohno won season 4 of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and completed the Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, in under 10 hours.

Following his Olympic career, Ohno applied his knowledge of sport psychology and personal experience with both success and adversity to develop a mission-driven approach to life. He established a second career as an author, Fortune 500 advisor, storyteller, and investor in health and performance technology companies. His books, "Hard Pivot" and "Zero Regrets," have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and serve as strategic resources for leadership and performance. Ohno advises leadership teams at companies such as Nike, Apple, Google, Deloitte, Citadel, Visa, and J.P. Morgan on topics including performance, leadership, and navigating high-stakes transitions.

Ohno remains active in the Olympic Movement, serving as an NBC sports analyst for multiple Games and as a global ambassador for the Special Olympics and Winter Olympic Games. He has also served on the bid committee for the Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and on the athlete advisory committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. As a keynote speaker, Ohno addresses leadership, change and reinvention, the future of work and artificial intelligence, high performance, mindset, resilience, and health and wellness. He continues to engage business leaders and organizations on adopting a high-performance mindset and navigating uncertainty in the modern world.