Her story is captivating, and her presentation keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Paul Moehring
DM, Farmers Insurance
Featured on TEDx and Netflix.
The first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits.
Keynote speaker · Author · Mountaineer
Dr. Sara Safari is an award-winning author, speaker, college professor, mountain climber, and advocate for women’s empowerment. Known for her historic journey to become the first Iranian woman to climb the Seven Summits, Dr. Safari’s life changed dramatically when she survived an avalanche on Mount Everest triggered by a massive earthquake. This life-altering experience deepened her resolve to inspire others to face their own challenges with courage and determination.
I work with organizations that want to develop highly productive teams, that deliver profit, performance and engagement.
Short Biography
Dr. Sara Safari is a keynote speaker, author, electrical engineer, leadership educator, and the first Iranian woman to complete the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each continent, including Mount Everest. Her journey is featured in the Netflix documentary ‘Aftershock’.
Born in Iran, Sara moved to the United States at twenty. From navigating a new culture to pursuing higher education and climbing the world’s highest mountains, her experiences have shaped her belief that leadership grows through courage, collaboration, and a willingness to question perceived limits.
Her first Everest expedition ended during the devastating 2015 earthquake. In 2022, she returned and reached the summit, a journey that deepened her understanding of resilience, preparation, and the power of a shared purpose.
With a Ph.D. in Leadership and fourteen years of teaching engineering, leadership, organizational behavior, and ethics, Sara brings both academic insight and lived experience to the stage. She has spoken for organizations including Dell, Samsung, eBay, Experian, SoCalGas, Expedia, REI, and Farmers Insurance. Her presentations combine candid storytelling with practical tools for navigating change, strengthening teams, and turning ambitious goals into action.
Sara is the founder and president of Climb Your Everest, a nonprofit empowering marginalized women and girls through education and leadership development. She also served as president of the National Speakers Association’s Southern California chapter.
Whether speaking to business leaders, supporting young women, or leading an expedition, Sara invites people to define their own Everest and take the next step toward it.
The seven summits
The highest point on every continent
She climbed all seven, the first Iranian to do it — and raised money for a different organisation on each one.
- 01 Everest Asia 8,849 m
- 02 Aconcagua South America 6,961 m
- 03 Denali North America 6,190 m
- 04 Kilimanjaro Africa 5,895 m
- 05 Elbrus Europe 5,642 m
- 06 Vinson Antarctica 4,892 m
- 07 Carstensz Pyramid Oceania 4,884 m
Collaborations
Organisations she has worked with
Keynotes, leadership sessions and workshops for corporate teams, universities and community groups.
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- Plaster Group
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From the room
What organisers say afterwards
Our entire company was inspired by her commitment and passion.
Shawn Plaster
CEO, Plaster Group
Not one single person in the room was left unmoved.
Guðrún Harpa Bjarnadóttir
Manager, PWC
The passion and the dedication that came from her speech not only moved our salesforce, but we saw productivity go up by over 25% throughout the rest of the fiscal year. Her personal, moral, and spiritual journey can apply to any group of individuals and any organization looking to be inspired, motivated, or looking for a new direction in both their personal life and their professional life. To think that somebody went through this, and survived it, and now we are all able to benefit from her words is a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of.
Alex Duquette
District Manager, Farmers Insurance Group
Thank you so much for the incredibly inspiring and motivational talk! I know it’s difficult to gauge engagement during virtual settings, but we’ve already received many positive remarks and survey responses about the talk. We are all in awe of your amazing story!
Mary Hall
Marketing, Samsung
Sara’s speech is compelling and inspiring. I would recommend her highly to business leaders, schools, and community groups. Sara leaves the audience with the desire to become engaged in the world.
Lori Hofmann
Executive and Transition Coach, Expedia
Work with Dr. Sara
Ways to bring her in.
Whether you need a room lifted, a team sharpened, or a few days away from the office.
For conferences and offsites
Keynote speaking
Two signature keynotes on climbing organisational goals and building high-performing teams, shaped for your audience — corporate groups, sales forces, schools and community organisations.
For teams in a room
Workshops & team days
A half day or a full day built around a goal your team is already carrying, worked through with the same decisions she faced on the mountain.
Everyone leaves having named the next step they are actually going to take.
For leadership groups
Leadership retreats
Two or three days away from the office for a small leadership group, with sessions balanced against time outdoors.
Numbers are kept low enough that everyone in the room gets heard.
For schools and educators
Teacher Training
Sessions for teachers and school staff, drawing on her fourteen years of teaching engineering, leadership, organizational behavior and ethics.