Beverly Priestman

Leadership Expert | Manager, Wellington Phoenix Women’s Soccer Team | Olympic Gold Medal-Winning Coach

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Communication Diversity Equity & Inclusion Leadership LGBTQ2+ Motivation & Inspiration Peak Performance Resilience Women in Leadership

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Female Speakers Fresh Perspectives LGBTQ2+ Motivational Speakers Olympians

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About This Speaker

Beverly “Bev” Priestman (born 1986 in England) is an internationally recognized soccer coach. She is best known for leading the Canadian Women’s National Team to gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021). At just 34, she became the youngest head coach at the tournament. She guided Canada to a historic victory that lifted the program onto the global stage.

Beverly Priestman started her coaching career in England, where she worked with youth teams. She later held roles with Liverpool Ladies and The FA. After that, she moved to New Zealand to take on international coaching before joining Canada Soccer. From 2018 to 2020, she worked as assistant coach with the England Women’s National Team. During that time, the Lionesses secured a fourth-place finish at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In October 2020, Priestman became head coach of Canada. She quickly established herself as a central figure in Canadian soccer. Her leadership emphasized player empowerment, high-performance culture, and inclusive team dynamics. As a result, she gained global recognition and earned the IFFHS World’s Best Woman National Coach Award in 2021.

As of 2025, Beverly Priestman has taken on a new chapter as head coach of the Wellington Phoenix FC Women’s team in New Zealand’s A-League Women. This move highlights her continued influence on the growth of the game worldwide.

Known for her resilience and authenticity, she has remained committed to advancing women’s soccer. Her journey shows the qualities of a leader focused on growth, inclusion, and lasting impact.

Videos

Speaking Topics: Beverly Priestman

Building Gold Medal Teams

How do you elevate a successful team from consistently good to the absolute best in the world? That was the exact challenge facing Bev Priestman when she took the helm of Canada’s National Women’s Soccer Team. In this powerful keynote, Bev Priestman unpacks the leadership playbook she used to guide her team to a historic Olympic Gold Medal. She reveals how she cultivated a culture of unwavering belief, psychological safety, and collective buy-in to transform a team of high-potential individuals into a unified, world-class force. Bev shares her proven strategies for establishing a clear vision, driving accountability, and empowering every team member to perform at their peak under the most intense pressure. These aren't just sports stories; they are powerful, actionable lessons on what it takes to build a true "podium culture" in any organization. Prepare to leave with the tools and mindset required to lead your own team to gold-medal results. What to expect: - Redefine challenges with a winning mindset - Exceed personal and corporate expectations - Build a toolbox for team success