Mountaineer, Motivational Speaker & Disability Advocate; Founder of K2 Adventure Travel
Kevin Cherilla Biography
Kevin Cherilla is a mountaineer, disability advocate, and expedition leader recognized for his work in adaptive adventure and inclusive outdoor leadership. Cherilla began his international mountaineering career as a base camp manager for Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest. In this role, Cherilla managed communications and logistics, contributing to the success of the historic expedition. He later returned to Everest and reached the summit, marking a significant personal achievement in his mountaineering career.
Following his Everest ascent, Cherilla focused on expanding access to adventure for people with disabilities. He has led expeditions to Everest, Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, and Aconcagua, guiding individuals who are blind, paralyzed, or have limb differences. As expedition leader for a group of 25 climbers, including eight who were blind, Cherilla led a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for people with disabilities. The team set multiple world records, raised significant funds for the blind community in Arizona, and supported a local orphanage for blind, albino children in Tanzania. This experience led Cherilla to co-found K2 Adventures Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with special needs and medical challenges.
As president of K2 Adventures Foundation and co-founder of K2 Adventure Travel, Cherilla oversees international hiking and climbing programs that integrate service projects, such as building a children's medical and dental center in Tanzania and schools in Nepal and Peru. He has led more than 300 people on expeditions across six continents and 20 countries, with participants ranging in age from 11 to 80 years old and a summit success rate exceeding 92 percent. Notable achievements include guiding a quadruple amputee to the summit of Kilimanjaro, an accomplishment recognized within the adventure and disability advocacy communities.
Cherilla holds a Bachelor of Science in exercise physiology from John Carroll University and a master's degree in health education from Case Western Reserve University. He is an international mountain guide and a certified NOLS Wilderness First Responder. Cherilla has summited five of the Seven Summits and has led over 1,500 individuals to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. As a keynote speaker, Cherilla addresses topics such as adaptive leadership, overcoming perceived limitations, goal setting, risk management, and perseverance. His teams have been featured on the front cover of TIME, Outside, Climbing, and Scholastic News magazines, as well as on the Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and news programs including CNN. Through his expeditions and speaking engagements, Cherilla continues to advance adaptive adventure and promote inclusion in outdoor recreation.
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Kevin Cherilla Speaking Topics
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Shattering Expectations: Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles
Kevin Cherilla has led teams of disabled people to summit the world’s tallest mountains. Many of his clients have disabilities such as blindness, paralysis, and muscular dystrophy and vary widely in age. During his presentations, he addresses how he leads and motivates people past their perceived boundaries in order to achieve the seemingly impossible. He also addresses goal setting, learning from failures, taking risks, making sacrifices, persevering through tough times, and accomplishing monumental goals.
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Teamwork: Working with People of Diverse Backgrounds
Kevin Cherilla has led more than 300 people on international trips and expeditions across six continents and 20 countries. His teammates have ranged in age from 11 to 80 years-old, and they have had a phenomenal success rate of summiting the mountains they ascend of over 92%. (Comparatively, of the 25,000 people from around the world each year that try to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, only about 40% succeed.) In his presentations, Cherilla discusses leading diverse teams successfully, goal setting, learning from failures, taking risks, making sacrifices, persevering through tough times, and accomplishing monumental goals.
Kevin Cherilla Videos
Mt. Everest - 100 m.p.h Wind on North Side - Kevin Cherilla - YouTube
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kevin Cherilla for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kevin Cherilla, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kevin Cherilla or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Kevin Cherilla
Speaking fees for Kevin Cherilla, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kevin Cherilla are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kevin Cherilla, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Kevin Cherilla speak about?
Kevin Cherilla is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Adventure, Climbing, Disability, Inspirational, Motivational, Overcoming Adversity, Peak Performance -
Where does Kevin Cherilla travel from?
Kevin Cherilla generally travels from Scottsdale, AZ, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
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Kevin Cherilla is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Shattering Expectations: Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles, Teamwork: Working with People of Diverse Backgrounds and . The estimated speaking fee range to book Kevin Cherilla for your event is available upon request. Kevin Cherilla generally travels from Scottsdale, AZ, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jim Davidson, Ema Dantas, David Snow, Stacy Allison and Wendy Booker. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kevin Cherilla for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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