Diplomat, mountaineer, peace-builder -- his greatest adventure was finding the meaning of his life in service, and helping others do the same.
John Graham Biography
John Graham shipped out on a freighter when he was sixteen, took part in the first ascent of Mt. McKinley's North Wall at twenty, and hitchhiked around the world at twenty-two.
A Foreign Service Officer for fifteen years, he was in the middle of the revolution in Libya and the war in Vietnam. For three years in the mid-seventies, he was a member of NATO's top-secret Nuclear Planning Group, then served as a foreign policy advisor to Senator John Glenn. As an assistant to Ambassador Andrew Young at the United Nations, he was deeply involved in U.S. initiatives in Southern Africa, South Asia and Cuba.
By most measures, he was very successful. But something was missing.
In 1980, a close brush with death aboard a burning cruise ship in the North Pacific forced him to a deeper search for meaning in his life. Now out of the Foreign Service, he began teaching better ways of handling challenge and conflict. Since 1983 he's been a leader of the Giraffe Heroes Project, an international organization moving people to stick their necks out for the common good. A frequent keynote speaker, he's also done TV and radio all over the world. Articles about him have appeared in major magazines and newspapers. In 2010 Graham formed and now leads Giraffe Heroes International, bringing his expertise and inspiration to the world.
Graham audiences over almost 30 years as a professional speaker include dozens of major national and international conferences and organizations. For a partial list see the attached document, "Past Audiences."
He is the author of Outdoor Leadership, from Mountaineers Books; It's Up to Us, from the Giraffe Heroes Project; Stick Your Neck Out-A Street-smart Guide to Creating Change in Your Community and Beyond, from Berrett-Koehler; and Sit Down Young Stranger, a memoir published in 2008 by Packard Books.
Graham walks his talk, including as an international peacemaker, active in the Middle East and Africa. He has a degree in geology from Harvard and one in engineering from Stanford, neither of which he ever expects to use.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on John Graham and other top speakers and celebrities.
John Graham Speaking Topics
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Tapping The Heroes Within Our Kids
[Especially relevant for educators, parents and educational conferences]
Most kids want to be helpful and caring, but these impulses are often suffocated by a materialistic culture that values all of us for what we can buy, not for who we are. You can help your kids bring these impulses to life. John Graham, author of It's Up to Us, a mentoring book for teens, shows how telling kids the stories of real heroes prompts many of them to want to make a difference themselves. You'll learn from his speech how to help kids find and solve problems they care about-and build lives as caring and courageous citizens.
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Do It Because It Matters
[A favorite keynote for conferences of associations and organizations]
"There's tremendous joy and satisfaction in doing work you know is meaningful," says John Graham, citizen activist and former diplomat. Hearing stories from his adventurous life, and from the lives of the heroes honored by the Giraffe Heroes Project, you'll learn how to build and sustain meaning in your work as a source of vision, passion and strength.
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What are the speaker fees for John Graham
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What topics does John Graham speak about?
John Graham is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Adventure, Education, Health & Wellness, Leadership, Motivational, Political -
Where does John Graham travel from?
John Graham generally travels from Washington, 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 John Graham’s agent?
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John Graham is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Tapping The Heroes Within Our Kids, Do It Because It Matters, Why Should You Care?, Don't Die Before You've Made A Difference, How to Lead: Insights from Many Slippery Slopes and Answer The Call. The estimated speaking fee range to book John Graham for your event is available upon request. John Graham generally travels from WA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Claudiu Popa, Saul Farber, Bruce Weinstein, Andie MacDowell and Dr. Tererai Trent. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Graham for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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