Rosemary Saal

Rosemary Saal helped make history as a member of the Full Circle Everest Expedition, the first all-Black team to climb Mount Everest. 

One of three women on the Full Circle Everest Expedition team, Saal understands the value of diversity for leaders and teams, and the importance of focus in high-stakes environments. She inspires audiences to embrace the full potential of themselves and their teams by refusing to be limited by what is common, expected, or prescribed.

Before reaching the top of Mount Everest in May of 2022, Saal climbed mountains in Washington, Tanzania, Alaska, and more - including Denali, Rainier and Mount Kilimanjaro - all before the age of 30. Her introduction to the outdoor community came at the age of 12 in the form of a rock climbing course with an organization based in Seattle. Since that impactful adventure, Saal knew that working in this field and facilitating the same life-changing experiences that changed her life was in her future. Refusing to be held back by naysayers and skeptics from a young age, whether it be from her own internal self-doubt or folks in the black community who insisted the “Black people don’t do that”, Saal pursued her dreams, eventually beginning her career as an outdoor educator in 2016. From her earliest childhood adventures to her most recent expeditions, she has thrived in the community of outdoor enthusiasts by expanding her idea of what is possible. 

With a message that turns imposter syndrome on its head, Saal shows audiences how powerful it is to believe that there is no one way to do anything—no one way to be an adventurer, no one way to lead, no one way to be a woman or to be Black or to be successful. She shows individuals, teams and their leaders how to be extraordinary and reach new peaks simply by doing what they love in the best way they can.

Saal’s story and that of the Full Circle team have been covered by the Today Show, CNN and The Washington Post, among others. Her powerful keynotes cover the critical topics of leadership, teamwork, diversity, and authenticity. Using captivating stories, she draws from her unique experiences as a biracial-Black female mountaineer to inspire individuals and organizations to reach their highest peaks.