Bullying Prevention Advocate & Author; Contributor to Vermont Bully Prevention Bill; FBI Director's Community Service Award Honoree

Essex Junction, VT, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: Please Contact More Fee Info

John Halligan Biography

John Halligan is a bullying prevention advocate, author, and public speaker whose work has influenced school communities across North America. Halligan lost his thirteen-year-old son, Ryan, to suicide on October 7, 2003. At the time of his death, Ryan was a middle school student in Essex Junction, Vermont. It was revealed in much greater detail after Ryan’s death that he was ridiculed and humiliated by peers at school and online.

After leaving a corporate career at IBM, Halligan dedicated himself to sharing "Ryan’s Story" with students, educators, and parents, delivering presentations at more than 2,000 schools throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. His appearances on national television programs such as Primetime with Diane Sawyer, PBS Frontline, and Oprah, as well as his address at the United Nations Cyberhate Seminar, have extended his message about empathy, forgiveness, and the importance of upstanders in school communities. Halligan’s presentations provide audiences with strategies for suicide prevention, safe technology use, and fostering a culture of kindness.

In memory of his son, Halligan spearheaded the Vermont Bully Prevention bill, signed into law (ACT 117) in May 2004, only a few months after Ryan’s death. He also successfully led the law's passage on mandatory suicide prevention education in public schools (ACT 114) in April 2006.

In May 2005, Halligan shared Ryan's Story for the very first time with a group of Vermont high school students. Other Vermont schools, hearing of the profound impact Ryan’s Story had that day, extended invitations to Halligan as well. Since then, he has spoken at over 2000 schools throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, impacting the lives of more than 1 million students. He has appeared on several national TV programs, including Primetime with Diane Sawyer, PBS Frontline, and Oprah. Halligan also spoke at the United Nations Cyberhate Seminar in 2009. Halligan’s mission is to inspire a positive shift and foster kindness among students, empowering them to take a stand against bullying and create a safe and inclusive school culture.

Halligan is also the recipient of several awards, including:

IBM Community Service Award 2005 Kids Safe Collaborative Community Service Award 2008 United Way's Home Town Hero Award 2008 Children Abuse Prevention Services Community Award 2009 The FBI Director's Community Service Award 2009 The Learning Channel Give A Little Award 2017

In 2019, he published two books: "Ryan’s Story: A Father’s Hard-Earned Lessons on Cyberbullying and Suicide" for adults. "Ryan’s Story: Loved Beyond Belief," for middle and high school students, telling the heartbreaking story of Ryan Halligan’s short life. Both books include tips on safe technology use, strategies for the bullied and bystanders, and suicide prevention.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/08/2025.

John Halligan Speaking Topics

  • Student Assembly

    Ryan's Story inspires students to make positive changes in their lives towards reducing bullying, cyber-bullying, and preventing teen suicides. Students are reached deeply and profoundly and are encouraged to examine their lives and how they treat others. Bystanders are inspired to stand by no longer and use their voices to stop others from getting bullied at school or online. All will leave this presentation feeling loved, hopeful, and changed.

  • Parent Presentation

    Ryan’s Story / A Father’s Hard-Earned Lessons About Cyberbullying and Suicide shares the lessons learned from my family's tragedy. It is updated every school year to address the latest social media problems facing preteens and teens. Practical recommendations are provided for parents to prevent suicide and bullying. Parents will get an unambiguous message that they need to step up and take responsibility for how their child uses technology and interact with their peers in person and online.

John Halligan Videos

Turning Pain Into Purpose - Mindful Journey Guest Interview

Turning Pain Into Purpose - Mindful Journey Guest Interview

Turning Pain Into Purpose - Mindful Journey Guest Interview With John Halligan.

Ryan's Story Presentation by John Halligan

Ryan's Story Presentation by John Halligan

An introduction to John Halligan and his son's tragic story of bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. John has been visiting schools since 2005...

Father tours US speaking of tragic results of bullying

Father tours US speaking of tragic results of bullying

Since his 13-year-old son committed in 2003, John Halligan has toured the country speaking to parents and students about bullying.

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  • What are the speaker fees for John Halligan

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  • What topics does John Halligan speak about?

  • Where does John Halligan travel from?

    John Halligan generally travels from Essex Junction, VT, 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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John Halligan is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Student Assembly and Parent Presentation. The estimated speaking fee range to book John Halligan for your event is available upon request. John Halligan generally travels from Essex Junction, VT, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Emma White, Valerie Weisler, Brooks Gibbs, Keith L. Brown and Dr. Cynthia Willams. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Halligan for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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