Dr. Alison Thompson

Global Humanitarian, Disaster Response & Resilience Expert, Founder of Third Wave Volunteers

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Miami, FL, USA
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Dr. Alison Thompson Biography

Dr. Alison Thompson is a global humanitarian and Incident Commander with over 25 years of frontline experience managing refugee camps, field hospitals, and resilience hubs in response to natural and man-made disasters. Her work spans crises such as the Syrian, Afghan, Venezuelan, and Ukraine refugee emergencies, as well as disaster response efforts across the United States and in regions including Haiti, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Colombia, and Turkey.

She is the founder of Third Wave Volunteers, a nonprofit organization she launched as a first responder on September 11, 2001, in New York City. The organization has since grown to a network of 30,000 volunteers operating worldwide. Dr. Thompson has led critical missions including managing an 80,000-person internally displaced persons (IDP) camp and field hospital in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, and building tsunami recovery infrastructure and early-warning systems in Sri Lanka after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden (2022), the Order of Australia from Queen Elizabeth II (2010), the U.S. Army Medal of Excellence (2010), the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award (2019), and the Paul Harris Award from Rotary International (2010). She currently serves as Ambassador to the Haitian Ministry of Environment, a Board Member of MACtown homes for people with disabilities, and on the Advisory Board of the United Nations Chaplains Association.

Dr. Thompson is also a filmmaker and author. Her award-winning documentary "The Third Wave" premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, presented by Sean Penn and Bono, and her book of the same name was published by Random House.

Her current missions include leading medical training and food aid delivery in Ukraine, building water wells for the Wayuu tribes in Colombia’s La Guajira desert, and providing wildfire and hurricane disaster relief across the United States.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/06/2025.

Dr. Alison Thompson Speaking Topics

  • It Starts with the Lemonade Stand: An Inspiring Introduction to Volunteerism (High School)

    Billions of dollars are consistently raised to assist philanthropies of all sorts, yet more often than not, that money ends up sitting in banks for months on end to ultimately land in the wrong hands. In this presentation geared toward high school students, Ambassador Alison Thompson challenges her audience to come up with alternative business models that make actual aid a priority rather than an outcome dependent on how much money can be raised.

    Sharing stories from her own experience providing aid in Sri Lanka, Haiti, New Orleans, and New York City, Ambassador Thompson informs high school students how they can make a difference within their own communities.

  • Sustainable Haiti: Real Solutions

    When disaster strikes a particular region of the world, we have a moral obligation to help those affected. In providing our assistance, however, it is vitally important that our ultimate objective be to get victims back on their feet.

    Based on her experience volunteering in Haiti following its 2010 earthquake, Ambassador Alison Thompson outlines clear and simple solutions for getting the country back into shape by sustaining itself, rather than relying on outside aid.

  • Women Issues & Gender-Based Violence: Solutions

    As co-founder of We Advance, an organization dedicated to advancing the health, safety, and well-being of women and children throughout Haiti, Ambassador Alison Thompson presents this inspirational keynote on empowering women throughout the world. In a message geared toward both sexes, she instructs women on how to arm themselves and advises men on how to protect their women.

  • Volunteerism: A Call to Action Redefining Heroism (College)

    Ambassador Alison Thompson has long petitioned Congress to pass a measure requiring college students to volunteer for a month in order to graduate. Firmly believing that “anyone can hand out water or give out a hug,” she urges young men and women to devote some of their time to a cause larger than themselves — even if it begins in the dorm.

Dr. Alison Thompson Videos

  • Everyone’s Needed, No Skills Required | Alison Thompson | TEDxCoconutGrove
    Global humanitarian, Alison Thompson, shares her life-changing experiences providing disaster relief and how there are no limitations to how we all...

Dr. Alison Thompson Books

  • The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story
    The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story

FAQs on booking Dr. Alison Thompson

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  • What topics does Dr. Alison Thompson speak about?

    Dr. Alison Thompson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Authors, College, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, Environment, Faith & Religion, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Non-Profit, Personal Growth, Technology, Women, Workshop.
  • Where does Dr. Alison Thompson travel from?

    Dr. Alison Thompson generally travels from Miami, FL, 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.
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Dr. Alison Thompson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as It Starts with the Lemonade Stand: An Inspiring Introduction to Volunteerism (High School), Sustainable Haiti: Real Solutions, Women Issues & Gender-Based Violence: Solutions and Volunteerism: A Call to Action Redefining Heroism (College). The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. Alison Thompson for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Dr. Alison Thompson generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Stephen Birchak, Glenna Crooks, Mayim Bialik, Amber J Lawson and Kathy Ireland. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. Alison Thompson for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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