Spoken Word
Introduction
During my climbing career I spoke at retail stores, university and college campuses, and climbing clubs all over the country. Overseas I've presented in Madrid, Spain and at Montagna Libri at Trento Mountain Film Festival, Italy. I've spoken at fundraisers for Gold Star families, military graduations, and memorial ceremonies. Every presentation has impacted me as profoundly as those who attended.
I tune topics and emphasis to the client audience and I've addressed concepts from risk management to team composition, spoken to scientists about mystics vs statistics, told special operators they were far too conventional, and motivated numerous groups with tales of hubris, daring, accomplishment, failure, loss, and also personal reinvention.
These presentations are thoughtful and energetic, moving and emotional, and always followed with deeply engaging Question and Answer sessions, which narrow the focus from wide to personal. I translate the individual experience to universal.
Commitment, Immersion, Honesty
Selected Clients
US Department of Energy (2019)
United States Marine Corps infantry graduation (2012)
10th SFG Military Mountaineering Master Course graduation (2010)
Northern Michigan University keynote on Entrepreneurship (2025)
Santa Fe Institute panel on Individual/ Team Performance (2018)
Universal Air Travel Plan, Inc (UATP) annual meeting keynote (2018)
The Little Warriors, A Brian Bill Project fund-raiser NYC (2013)
American Alpine Club annual meeting (1998, 2017)
Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival (1988, 1995, 2019)
Liminal Collective annual Human Performance Conference (2019)
Humility, Curiosity, Learning
You’re Not Climbing the Mountain
