Ema Dantas

Ema Dantas is a mountaineer who has climbed the Seven Summits, an entrepreneur who founded a Canadian translation and interpretation company, and a philanthropist who established Peaks for Change Foundation, a charity focused on ending stigma surrounding mental illness.

Dantas shares her experiences of resilience and strength, drawing from personal challenges related to family mental health issues and the impact of limited awareness and support. Her work highlights the importance of mental health advocacy and demonstrates how adversity can be transformed into opportunities for change.

Dantas founded Language Marketplace as a professional interpreter, identifying a need for respectful treatment of language professionals and building trusted relationships across Canada. Language Marketplace grew into a multi-million dollar company, earning Dantas recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs by Chatelaine Magazine and inclusion on the Profit 500 list of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies. She also received the President’s Award from WBE Canada for her public policy work supporting women business enterprises. Language Marketplace later joined NATIONS Translation Group, where Dantas serves as vice president of interpretation solutions.

Dantas established Peaks for Change Foundation to raise awareness and funds to end the stigma surrounding mental illness, inspired by her mother’s mental health challenges and the barriers faced by those seeking help. As board chair, Dantas leads initiatives to promote mental health awareness, particularly within communities where stigma remains prevalent.

To further her advocacy, Dantas chose mountain climbing despite her fear of heights and slight stature, completing the Seven Summits for Mental Health with her ascent of Mount Everest. She became the first Portuguese person to complete both versions of the Seven Summits (Bass and Messner) and is among a select group of women and individuals worldwide to achieve this milestone.

Dantas has been recognized as a keynote speaker at mental health and leadership conferences, sharing expertise on resilience, overcoming adversity, and mental health awareness. Her entrepreneurial journey and philanthropic impact have been featured in Canadian business publications. Through public speaking and media appearances, Dantas continues to advocate for mental health, sharing her personal journey and insights on overcoming both physical and mental obstacles.