Mountaineer, Adventurer & Environmentalist; First American to Summit K2; Emmy Award-Winning Filmmaker; Author of "Life Lived Wild"
Rick Ridgeway Biography
Rick Ridgeway is a mountaineer, adventurer, author, and environmentalist recognized for his significant contributions to outdoor exploration and environmental advocacy. Ridgeway and three teammates were the first Americans to summit K2, the world's second-highest and most dangerous mountain. His expeditions include the first direct coast-to-coast traverse of Borneo and the first crossing on foot of a remote 300-mile region of Tibet. Ridgeway also participated in the first big wall climb in Antarctica and led the first American mountaineering expeditions into Bhutan and China.
Ridgeway founded Adventure Photo & Film, which became a leading stock photo and film agency specializing in nature and adventure imagery. After selling the company, he joined Patagonia, where he served as vice president and developed environmental and sustainability initiatives, including Freedom to Roam, the Footprint Chronicles, and Worn Wear. Ridgeway was the founding chair of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, now known as Cascale, the largest trade organization for apparel, footwear, and home textiles. He also developed the Higg Index, a software system that measures data points across the consumer goods manufacturing value chain.
Ridgeway is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, author, photographer, and environmentalist. His articles have appeared in Outside and National Geographic, and he is the author of books including "Seven Summits," "The Shadow of Kilimanjaro," and "Below Another Sky." His memoir, "Life Lived Wild," details his extensive time spent in remote regions, reflecting a life dedicated to exploration. Ridgeway has influenced a generation of adventurers and storytellers, including Jimmy Chin, climber and Academy Award-winning director of "Free Solo."
National Geographic honored Ridgeway with its Lifetime Achievement in Adventure award, and the Explorers Club awarded him the Explorers Medal. After retiring from Patagonia, Ridgeway began serving on the boards of conservation and sustainability organizations, including the Turtle Conservancy, Tompkins Conservation, and the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund. Ridgeway is a public speaker on conservation, sustainability, and purpose-driven exploration, drawing from his experience at the intersection of adventure and environmental action.
Rick Ridgeway Speaking Topics
-
PROTECT THE PLANET: PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS
In his 30-minute presentation Protect the Planet: Protect Your Business, Rick uses a mix of photographs, video clips and animated graphics to take his audience through the five decades of his climbing and exploring life: his attempt but failure on Everest when he was 26 years old; his success two years later when he became the first American to summit K2, the world’s hardest peak; his loss two years after that when, on a remote peak in China, he was caught in an avalanche and his best friend died in this arms. Rick buried him on the mountain and went home and into a deep introspection whether to continue climbing, whether the risks, now palpable, justified the rewards.
He summarizes this business value in four strategic principles:
- A commitment to high-value products and services created with no unnecessary harm to people and planet.
- A commitment to full transparency.
- A commitment to work-life balance for all the company’s employees
- A commitment to philanthropy—to giving back to people and planet.
Rick Ridgeway Videos
Filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin with Kris Tompkins & Rick Ridgeway in the 2023 SXSW Studio
Take a deep dive into SXSW with our Studio Interviews, where conversations go beyond the boundaries of sessions, showcases, and screenings. From...
-
How do I book Rick Ridgeway to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rick Ridgeway 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 Rick Ridgeway, 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 Rick Ridgeway or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Rick Ridgeway
Speaking fees for Rick Ridgeway, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rick Ridgeway are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rick Ridgeway, 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 Rick Ridgeway speak about?
Rick Ridgeway is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Adventure, Animals & Wildlife, Art & Design, Author, Bestselling Authors, Business, Climbing, Conservation, Earth Day, Energy, Environment, Environmental Activism, Environmental Policy, Ethics & Integrity, Finance, Human Resources, Inspirational, Leadership, Motivational, Non-Fiction Authors, Photography, Science, Sustainability, Teamwork & Teambuilding -
Where does Rick Ridgeway travel from?
Rick Ridgeway generally travels from Ventura, CA, 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 Rick Ridgeway’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Rick Ridgeway 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 Rick Ridgeway 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 Rick Ridgeway 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.
Rick Ridgeway is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as PROTECT THE PLANET: PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS. The estimated speaking fee range to book Rick Ridgeway for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Rick Ridgeway generally travels from Ventura, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Alexandra Cousteau, Ed Begley Jr., Erin Brockovich, Adrian Grenier and Katharine Hayhoe. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rick Ridgeway for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








