Chris Cull

Founder of Inspire By Example, Chris Cull’s inspiring achievements in health sciences are rooted in his personal transformation from addiction to recovery and advocacy. In 2014, Chris overcame a near decade-long addiction to opioids and cycled across Canada to raise awareness for mental health, addiction, and the opioid crisis. He documented his journey and the impacts of the crisis in his first film, Inspire. 

Chris worked collaboratively with Durham College’s Social Impact Hub, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation and the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine to create his 2023-2024 docuseries, Surviving Addiction, highlighting the humanity behind addiction and how it affects individuals and those surrounding them. 

A motivational speaker, filmmaker, and policy consultant, Chris uses his experience to advocate for mental health and addictions. He has shared his expertise and advised numerous institutions, including the Ontario Health Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence, CAMH, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the Government of Canada, and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. In addition, he is a member of the World Health Organization’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health, Neurological and Substance Use Conditions.