Biography of Karyn Buxman

While in graduate school, Karyn Buxman combined her research with the one thing that enabled her to get through an entire day without losing her sanity: humor. The result became her master’s thesis: “The Development and Implementation of a Humor Room in a Hospital Setting.” Now an internationally recognized expert on humor, she puts her studies to work by delivering energy-charged keynotes that entertain, motivate and educate audiences nationwide. Buxman realizes that helping businesses, healthcare institutions and associations discover effective solutions to achieving performance recuperation, maintaining healthy work environments and adding balance to work life issues is no joke—but it can be a laughing matter!

Recently bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), she’s an internationally acclaimed expert and humorist who recognizes the operational benefits of humor and laughter. Buxman’s highly regarded skills as an entrepreneur and professional speaker help her deliver outcome-oriented messages that move ideas and people forward. Just ask the folks at NASA, Johnson & Johnson, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, to name a few.

Buxman’s ability to both articulate and entertain have led to her appearances on national television programs such as Iyanla, numerous regional television appearances in conjunction with her speaking tours, and as a frequent radio guest on local, regional and nationally syndicated programs. It’s also why she’s quoted again and again not only in professional journals, such as the American Journal of Nursing and Nursing Spectrum, but in lay magazines such as Marie Claire, Shape, and Woman’s World. American Airline magazine, AmericanWay, included her humor tips for their business article, “Job One: Relax,” and recently Frontier Airlines featured an entire article, “The Good Humor Lady,” about Buxman in their monthly magazine. She’s also recognized online for her expertise on sites such as ABCnews.com and Monster.com.

Buxman’s ability to write is evident in her contributions to Chicken Soup for the Nurses’ Soul, Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul and Humor Me; America’s Funniest Humorists On the Power of Laughter. For 10 years she was a contributing editor for the Journal of Nursing Jocularity and for 5 years edited the national newsletter for AATH. Her articles appear in numerous professional and industry journals such as Professional Speaker, Tax-Pro Monthly and Healthcare Review. Buxman also wrote and published, This Won’t Hurt a Bit! And other Fractured Truths in Healthcare, a 96 page collection of stories, quotes, jokes and cartoons for those on the giving and receiving end of healthcare and is currently working with her agent on her latest book in which Buxman will reveal her “Laugh Strategies” to the world.

Buxman’s impact is felt globally through her involvement with the International Society of Humor Studies (ISHS) and in 1999 helped co-found The World Laughter Tour, an organization striving for world peace through laughter. Their creed: "Together we can lead the world to health, happiness, and peace through laughter."

Buxman holds a distinguished position in the world of speaking. She has earned the National Speakers Association’s (NSA) Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation (held by less than 7% of professional speakers), and is one of only 166 experts (26 women) in the world awarded admission into the NSA Speaker Hall of Fame (CPAE). Speaking approximately 40 times a year to audiences ranging in size from 75 to 7500, both her attendees and her peers see her as one of the very best in the speaking profession.

Her fellow nurses sang her praises when awarding her the Missouri Nurse of the Year, 9th District, and recently her Alma Matter, University of Missouri, honored her by designating her as one of the distinguished 2003 Faculty Alumni Award winners. The Mayor of Muskogee, OK designated her as an official “Okee from Muskogee,” and in 1999, the Governor of Kentucky bestowed upon her the elite title of Kentucky Colonel! Most recently, Buxman was honored by the American Association for Applied & Therapeutic Humor with their most prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Being the 2004 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award signifies that Buxman has demonstrated an extraordinary impact on the field of therapeutic humor throughout her career via her speaking, writing, research and professional practice, as well as contributing to AATH’s mission.

Buxman is President and founder of HUMORx, a humor-based management and communications company. Since 1991, HUMORx has provided remedies to organizations seeking simple, workable ideas to their human performance problems. Through her years of research and experience, she’s determined that humor and its powerful consequences (physiological, psychological, social and spiritual) offer benefits in the work place that can be the catalyst for change that will move groups forward and allow individuals to live more positive, productive and happier lives. Buxman is serious about humor!

KEYNOTE SPEECHES

CORPORATE GROUPS
 
“Amazed & Amused: Strategies of the Sane & Successful”

Success is not measured only in dollars and cents, but also in the moments that you live amazed and amused. Customers are not really "yours" until they have been amazed and/or amused by your products, your services, or your people. Leadership finds its inspiration not in duty, but in grasping the amazing power of one's vision and will, and in motivating the amusing diversity of many people’s personalities and skills. Bestselling author, business consultant, and observer of the human condition Karyn Buxman will take you on a life-changing, one-hour journey of humor and hope.

Karyn Buxman is a force of nature on the stage, and she provides audiences with insights cleverly disguised as humor. She combines business lessons with life lessons in a manner that is powerful, practical and memorable. Karyn is a bestselling author, director of The HumorLab, a business consultant, an inductee into the Speaker Hall of Fame, and one funny, funny woman.

HEATHCARE GROUPS

“Amazed & Amused: How to Survive & Thrive as a Healthcare Professional"

Success is not measured only in dollars and cents, but also in the moments that you live amazed and amused. Balance is achieved not by see-sawing between opposites, but by accepting your place in the scheme of things, and by seeing it all as amazing and/or amusing. Surviving without thriving is not good enough, and we can only do our best when we self-create an attitude of amazement, and a perspective that encourages amusement.  Bestselling author, RN, and observer of the human condition Karyn Buxman will take you on a life-changing, one-hour journey of humor and hope.

Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, is a force of nature on the stage, and she provides audiences with insights cleverly disguised as humor. She combines healthcare lessons with life lessons in a manner that is powerful, practical and memorable. Karyn is a bestselling author, director of The HumorLab, an inductee into the Speaker Hall of Fame, a nurse, and one funny, funny woman.

WOMEN’S GROUPS

“Amazed & Amused: How to Survive & Thrive as a Woman Today"

Happiness is not "getting what you want," it is being amazed when you do happen to get what you want, and amused when you get something else. Relationships are not based on compatibility, but on the ability to be continually amazed at your partner's positive traits, and amused by his or her shortcomings. Life is the culmination not of years, but of experiences and memories that leave you amazed and amused that you got to enjoy this thing at all. Bestselling author, and observer of the human condition Karyn Buxman will take you on a life-changing, one-hour journey of humor and hope.

Karyn Buxman is a force of nature on the stage, and she provides audiences with insights cleverly disguised as humor. She combines humor and insight to produce wisdom. She shares inspiring life lessons in a way that is powerful, practical and memorable. Karyn is a bestselling author, director of The HumorLab, an inductee into the Speaker Hall of Fame, a nurse, a mom, and one funny, funny woman.

Suggested Breakout Sessions (add-on for any of the above programs)

• I’m The Leader—Which Way Did They Go? [Leadership]

Successful people—in business, politics and life in general—have something in common: they understand that humor is an important trait for effective leaders. Ronald Reagan was a master at using humor on the world stage; the characters in M*A*S*H used humor to retain their sanity amid horrendous conditions; and your audience can learn how to use humor effectively in their daily work lives. Properly used, humor is a dynamic communication strategy that strengthens relationships, builds rapport, and enhances effectiveness. Karyn uses (hysterical) personal anecdotes, (solid) medical research, and (practical) tips to help your audience enhance their humor skills in the service of better leadership.

• I’ve Got One Nerve Left –and You’re Standing on It [Stress Management]

Expanding responsibilities, shrinking budgets, cranky coworkers, family demands, too much to do and not enough time to do it!  Is it any wonder that we’re all a little edgy?  Find out how taking care of yourself can affect everyone’s bottom line.  Learn how to get through the toughest of days and still remain smiling.  Discover how to survive and thrive in a world of change.