Jennifer Pharr Davis

Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked more than 14,000 miles of long-distance trails, including 11 thru-hikes of iconic routes like the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. In 2011, she set the overall supported speed record on the Appalachian Trail, completing all 2,185 miles in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes — averaging 47 miles per day for more than six weeks. She speaks on endurance, leadership, purpose, and what the trail teaches about the human capacity for resilience, cooperation, and performing at the highest level when the circumstances are most demanding.

Called Again
Pharr Davis is the author of five books including Called Again, the story of her record-setting Appalachian Trail journey, praised by Outside Magazine and read by tens of thousands. She is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, a National Geographic speaker, and one of the most credentialed endurance hikers in history.

Purpose Over Performance
Unlike many adventure speakers, Pharr Davis grounds her message in a philosophy of purpose over performance — the idea that the most sustainable excellence comes not from pushing harder but from understanding why the effort matters. Her story of returning to the trail after becoming a mother and facing profound physical setbacks has made her message especially resonant with audiences navigating high-stakes moments of doubt.

Jennifer Pharr Davis delivers keynotes on endurance, leadership, purpose, and the lessons learned from covering more than 14,000 miles of trail about what human beings are truly capable of.

Trailblazer: Hard Earned Lessons from the Appalachian Trail and Beyond

The Appalachian Trail runs 2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine. Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked it three separate times and has collected countless stories and lessons along the way. Stories that convey the importance of maintaining vision and direction, of communicating clearly and directly with your team, and of embracing temporary discomfort to achieve the end goal. You don’t have to hike America’s most iconic trail to gain these takeaways. Let Jennifer bring the Appalachian Trail to your meeting space, inspiring your group with wisdom that will be remembered for years to come.

I Belong: A Woman’s Place is in the Record Books

In 2011, Jennifer Pharr Davis hiked 47 miles a day for 46 straight days to beat the boys and set a new overall fastest known time on the iconic Appalachian Trail. She was questioned at every turn by naysayers (mostly men) who thought a female hiker could never match the endurance and perseverance of elite ultra runners. But with skill, ingenuity, and a lot of toughness, Jennifer did just that. In this presentation, Jennifer discusses how she carved out a place for herself in a male-dominated field… and how you can do the same.

Bend Don’t Break: Self-Care in Extreme Environments

How do you deliver your best when your best never feels like enough? The journey of optimizing performance without sacrificing wellbeing demands organization, communication, and adaptability – plus humor, forgiveness and good friends. Gain insight to better embrace discomfort and succeed personally and professionally.

The Trailblazer: Keep Going and Travel Light

Sometimes you need specific takeaways… other times you need to peer into someone’s soul and leave with what you want. This is Jennifer’s story in her voice – the one that she hiked 14,000 miles to find. It is the journey of a record setter, mother, and business owner who faces setbacks, wrestles insecurities, and relentlessly pursues her goals – one step at a time.

Bend Don’t Break: Self-Care in Extreme Environments

How do you deliver your best when your best never feels like enough? The journey of optimizing performance without sacrificing wellbeing demands organization, communication, and adaptability – plus humor, forgiveness and good friends. Gain insight to better embrace discomfort and succeed personally and professionally.