Nick Nissley

How you view the world — either as a set of infinite possibilities or one full of insurmountable constraints — will fundamentally impact the way you lead yourself and others around you.

Our latest TEDxCalgary speaker,  Dr. Nick Nissley, is a self-proclaimed "possibilitarian", which is an outlook we think should be celebrated. It's not to be confused with being a blind optimist, as Dr. Nissley's own personal story might have given him little reason for optimism after early childhood experiences with being in and out of emergency foster care.

Since 2006, Dr. Nissley has been Executive Director of the Banff Centre's Leadership Development programs, leading a talented team of faculty members at one of the world's most recognized centres of excellence in arts-based leadership and management training. These are highly creative people working on helping program participants acquire skills and perspectives to address some of today's biggest leadership challenges in the business, governmental, and non-profit sectors.

Dr. Nissley's own story of possibilities started with the Milton Hershey School, founded in 1909 to help children from orphaned and later other under-priviledged families. Built on the philanthropy of Milton Hershey and his wife (yes, think chocolate!), who left his entire personal fortune to the school upon his death in 1918, the school has since helped countless thousands of youth to get the basics of education and hope that help to open future doors. For Dr. Nissley, that act of visionary philanthropy and the possibilities it created, helped to open a door to university and a journey of ongoing professional achievement that led him to his current work with the Banff Centre.

We're excited to have Dr. Nissley share his story, and his own creative talents, with us on April 29th!

Read more on Dr. Nissley in his Banff Centre biography.

 Dr. Nick Nissley at TEDxCalgary 2010