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Dr. Samantha Nutt    

Medical Doctor, Award-Winning Humanitarian, Bestselling Author & Founder of War Child USA

Samantha Nutt is an award-winning humanitarian, bestselling author, and acclaimed public speaker. A medical doctor and the Founder and President of the renowned humanitarian organizations War Child Canada and War Child USA, Dr. Nutt has worked with children and their families at the frontline of many of the world’s major crises – from Iraq to Afghanistan, Somalia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone to Darfur, Sudan. A leading authority on public health, war, international aid, and foreign policy, Dr. Nutt is one of the most intrepid and recognized voices in the humanitarian arena and a highly sought-after public speaker in North America. With a career spanning over two decades and dozens of conflict zones, her international work has benefited millions of war-affected children globally.

Dr. Nutt is a respected authority for many of North America's leading media outlets. She is a regular foreign affairs panelist on the acclaimed news program CBC TV NEWS “The National" and a contributor to NowThis News. Nutt’s written work has been published by TED Ideas, Reuters, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, The Toronto Star, Maclean’s Magazine, The Ottawa Citizen, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She has appeared in AP News, Forbes, Town & Country Magazine, Time Magazine, More Magazine, and on NBC Nightly News, BBC World News Service, America’s Radio News Network, NPR, CTV Power Play, CTV National News, Global TV News, and CBC Radio, to name just a few. Dr. Nutt spoke at TED Talks Live, “War & Peace,” at The Town Hall Theater in New York, which aired on PBS. Dr. Nutt’s TED Talk on the deadly impact of small arms has garnered over a million views on TED.com.

Dr. Nutt’s critically acclaimed debut book, entitled "Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies and Aid," was a #1 national bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, and is a bracing and uncompromising account of Dr. Nutt’s work in some of the most devastated regions of the world.

Dr. Nutt has been appointed to the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor, for her contributions to improving the plight of young people in the world's worst conflict zones. She has also been appointed to the Order of Ontario and recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Time Magazine has featured Dr. Nutt as one of Canada's Five Leading Activists, and most recently, she was awarded the prestigious Loyola Medal by Concordia University.

Dr. Nutt graduated summa cum laude from McMaster University, earned an M.Sc in Public Health with distinction from the University of London, and holds a Fellowship in Community Medicine (FRCPC) from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is further certified by the College of Family Practice and completed a sub-specialization in women’s health through the University of Toronto as a Women’s Health Scholar. Dr. Nutt is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates from universities in Canada and the U.S.A.

Dr. Nutt is a staff physician at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, a Senior Fellow at Massey College, and a former board member of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Speech Topics

Student Activism & Public Engagement

How can students have a global impact? What really does make a difference? And is it possible to do more harm than good? In this riveting and inspiring speech, Dr. Nutt outlines how students can get involved in global efforts and provides them with practical tools for getting started.

When Women Lead

A popular choice for International Women’s Day and other events celebrating women’s leadership, this presentation combines humor and personal reflections on women in the 21st century and why the women’s movement is unfinished everywhere. Dr. Nutt’s often satirical take on hot topics such as “Lean In” and whether “women can have it all” offers an engaging, thought-provoking and entertaining examination of the challenges women still face in the world and how women (and men) can advocate for change. This presentation is also suitable for businesses and other groups looking to promote diversity and strengthen gender equality at the senior management and executive levels, as well as on Boards.

Leadership

Leaders have strength, courage and conviction. Were they born with these illusive qualities, alongside a perfect balance of knowledge and charisma, or have they simply learned to communicate their experience and ideas more effectively than the rest of us? Leaders encourage us to inspire, to think and to demand more of ourselves and of our society. They connect us to something larger than ourselves. But is leadership just ingrained in certain people, or can it be acquired? Can we all be leaders?

In this presentation, Dr. Nutt looks at the meaning and significance of leadership. She maps out ways in which we can all be more effective leaders – in the world and in the workplace – because the capacity to lead exists in each and every one of us.

Culture & Identity

When we talk about diversity, it’s important to start with an understanding of global events that are shaping our world, and the impact these can have on schools and even in the workplace. North America’s ties to some of the crises currently playing out around the world run very deep, from the Ukraine to events in Syria, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Iraq, Sudan, Eastern Congo, Pakistan and Afghanistan, to name but a few.

This presentation is especially relevant to educators and employers by offering practical tips for understanding and promoting culture and diversity.

Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies & Aid

This presentation explores some of the concepts and themes in Dr. Nutt’s #1 bestselling book, Damned Nations. Suitable for audiences looking to understand more about current and international affairs, this gripping keynote is a valuable introduction to the challenges and opportunities facing our world.

Corporate Governance

Doing the “right” thing in business isn’t without its ambiguities, or even its liabilities. When do ethical screens trump financial considerations? How are these assessments weighted and what matters to shareholders? Will you be in breach of your fiduciary duty if you prioritize human rights over hard math? What is your legal obligation either way?

In this thought-provoking presentation geared to investors, asset managers and business leaders, Dr. Nutt reflects on the changing ethical and fiduciary responsibilities facing businesses, and the meaning of governance and risk at a time of growing consumer activism and evolving international legislation. She examines the true meaning of transparency and corporate social responsibility, and makes the case for why businesses willing to embrace these changes will land on top.

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The Price of Inaction

So what does it take to realize a vision of the world in which we act on our responsibilities as citizens? To do a better job (not necessarily even a perfect job) of protecting civilians caught in the crossfire of war? To reduce, if not eliminate, the threat of war as a propagator of death and disease and destruction and unfathomable hardship? What will this take?

In this presentation, Dr. Nutt explains that it takes nothing less than a dramatic shift in the way we think about war. It takes a moral and philosophical transformation around the privileged position we occupy in the world – geographically, politically and economically – and the responsibility that comes along with this.

Conflicted? The World of War

This presentation takes a compelling look at the impact of war – the truth, the lies and the reality on the ground – and the major events currently shaping our world. Geared towards students, educator and general audiences, this captivating presentation examines our growing global economic and security inter-dependence and explores the meaning of social justice and community in the 21st century.

Samantha Nutt Customizable Speech Topics

Dr. Samantha Nutt can speak to a variety of inspirational topics that are customizable to your corporation or audience. Topics include the following: Leadership Matters: What it means to be a global citizen in an interconnected world Taking Your Vision to Action Corporate Social Responsibility: What does it really mean and how can you achieve it? Humanitarianism and Aid: How to promote a more equitable world. Global Health: When prevention is worth even more than the cure. More than a Paycheque: The meaningful career path. Creating a Groundswell: Fostering movements and achieving social change.

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