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Susan Sparks

Former Trial Lawyer, Standup Comedian & Baptist Minister

Former Trial Lawyer, Standup Comedian & Baptist Minister

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New York, NY, USA
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Susan Sparks Biography

As a trial lawyer turned standup comedian and Baptist minister, Susan Sparks is America’s only female comedian with a pulpit. A North Carolina native, Sparks received her B.A. at the University of North Carolina where she was President of her class and a law degree from Wake Forest University.

After ten years as a lawyer moonlighting as a standup, she left her practice and spent two years on a solo trip around the world, including working with Mother Teresa’s mission in Calcutta, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and driving her Jeep Wrangler solo from NYC to Alaska. Upon returning home, she entered Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where she earned a Master of Divinity and wrote an honors thesis on humor and religion. In May 2007 Sparks was installed as the 15th Senior Minister of the historic Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City. She was the first woman pastor in its 170-year history and she remains there to this day.

A TEDx speaker, Sparks’s work with humor, healing, and spirituality has been featured in O (The Oprah) Magazine, the New York Times, and on such networks as ABC, CNN, CBS, and the History Channel.

A professional comedian, Sparks tours nationally with a stand-up Rabbi and a Muslim comic in the Laugh in Peace Tour. She is also an internationally known preacher and speaker whose wide-ranging clients include the World Bank, the Chautauqua Institution, Habitat for Humanity, colleges and universities, Canyon Ranch, religious conventions, and national/regional gatherings for cancer survivors and caregivers (Sparks is a breast cancer survivor).

In addition to her speaking and preaching, Sparks is the author of five books and wrote an award-winning nationally syndicated column through the USA Today network.

Sparks is the 20th recipient of the John L. Haber Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts given by the University of North Carolina (and comedian/alum Lewis Black), as well as a recipient of the Intersections International Award for interfaith work to promote justice and reconciliation among diverse communities.

Most importantly, Sparks and her husband Toby love to fly-fish, ride their Harleys, eat good BBQ, and root for North Carolina Basketball and the Green Bay Packers.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 11/18/2023.

Susan Sparks Speaking Topics

  • LAUGH YOUR WAY TO GRACE

    Laughter is one of the most powerful, yet under-appreciated tools we have in this life. It can reduce stress, improve health, defuse conflict, empower creative thinking, build bridges, awaken our spiritual connections, and inspire hope. I’ve learned this firsthand as a minister, a comedian, and a cancer survivor. This popular keynote is for anyone who wants to lighten their perspective, focus their energies and tap the power of their innate sense of joy. It can be offered as a keynote, a comedy show, or a 1/2 day or full day interactive workshop.

  • THE LAUGH IN PEACE COMEDY TOUR

    Join me, Rabbi Bob Alper and Muslim Comic Gibran Saleem for a fun-filled evening of interfaith comedy that highlights our commonalities. You will think, laugh and leave with a little different view of the world.

  • THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF COMEDY FOR BUSINESS AND LAW

    Drawing on my experience as a ten-year litigator, corporate attorney, standup comedian, and ordained minister, this one-of-a-kind workshop shares how the tools of comedy can transform your communication, client relations, negotiation skills, and health/wellness. A perfect “Lunch and Learn” opportunity, lessons include grabbing and keeping an audience’s attention, discovering your creative voice, resolving conflicts by finding common ground, dealing with the hecklers in your head, showing up with full authenticity, and infusing joy into your daily grind.

  • THE ROAD NEVER TRAVELED: Nine Steps to Take Action and Make a Change

    After a complete career U-turn from lawyer to minister and comedian, including a two year trip around the world, I learned a thing or two about change and transitions. The Road Never Traveled uses my experience to offer entertaining, yet concrete tools that will help you take risks, face your fears, and make the changes you need to move forward.

  • PREACHING PUNCHLINES

    This engaging presentation full of practical takeaways is targeted at clergy and religious lay leaders. Offered as either an hour-long presentation, half-day or full-day workshop, “Preaching Punchlines” shares how lessons from standup comedy can transform preaching, pastoral care and self-care.

    Featured by Union Theological Seminary, Chautauqua Institution, Yale Divinity School, the Lester Randall Preaching Fellowship, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC.

Susan Sparks Videos

  • Susan Sparks

FAQs on booking Susan Sparks

  • How do I book Susan Sparks to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Susan Sparks for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Susan Sparks, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Susan Sparks or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Susan Sparks

    Speaking fees for Susan Sparks, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Susan Sparks are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Susan Sparks, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Susan Sparks speak about?

    Susan Sparks is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Christian, Comedy, Entertainment, Law.
  • Where does Susan Sparks travel from?

    Susan Sparks generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Susan Sparks’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Susan Sparks for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Susan Sparks for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Susan Sparks or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Susan Sparks is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as LAUGH YOUR WAY TO GRACE, THE LAUGH IN PEACE COMEDY TOUR, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF COMEDY FOR BUSINESS AND LAW, THE ROAD NEVER TRAVELED: Nine Steps to Take Action and Make a Change and PREACHING PUNCHLINES. The estimated speaking fee range to book Susan Sparks for your event is available upon request. Susan Sparks generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Anita Renfroe, Kay DeKalb Smith, Jane Jenkins Herlong, Janelle James and Bethany Hamilton. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Susan Sparks for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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