Revisionary Gerontologist Reshaping the Way Society Understands and Supports Aging & Dementia; Adjunct Faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University

Norfolk, VA, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

Sonya Barsness Biography

Sonya Barsness, a revisionary gerontologist with over 30 years of experience, is dedicated to transforming how society understands and supports aging and dementia through a person-centered approach grounded in choice, dignity, and shared humanity.

Barsness is the founder of Sonya Barsness Consulting, SBC, a multidimensional company that provides a variety of products and services that support senior living, nursing homes, health systems and community-based organizations in practicing person-centered values with the people who live and work in them. SBC also provides education and coaching to people living with dementia and to people in senior living to live fully.

Barsness's services are based on strengths-based principles in positive psychology that focus on the totality of who people are as human beings, not merely their "deficits" due to cognitive or physical changes.

She is a nationally recognized educator on person-centered thinking related to aging, long-term care and dementia. She is an engaging, passionate speaker with experience addressing both professional and public audiences, in person and via webinar.

Barsness is the voice of the blog Being Heard, which focuses on revising the paradigm of aging and dementia. She is adjunct faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Gerontology, where she teaches graduate courses in dementia and the psychology of aging.

Barsness has worked across the spectrum of aging and dementia services in long-term care, policy, research and the community. She offers a unique perspective on dementia and aging that reflects a broad range of professional experiences and, most importantly, the privilege of learning from people living with dementia about what it is like to experience dementia.

BOOK Sonya Barsness

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 11/05/2025.

Sonya Barsness Speaking Topics

  • Honoring Personhood

    Every human being has personhood. As care partners, we might say that our biggest role is to honor the personhood of the person we are supporting. When we honor the personhood of the people we support, we are seeing them as more than their diagnosis or disability. We see them for the essence of who they are. Being seen as a person who is whole is perhaps one of the most important needs a person has. Let’s explore what personhood can mean and how we can support it.

  • Changing OUR Behavior

    Sometimes we talk about changing the behavior of the person with dementia, but we actually need to change OUR behavior, as people who care for people with dementia. Changing our behavior starts with understanding dementia from a person-centered perspective, seeing how a person might be experiencing the world differently as they live with dementia, and finding ways to respond to a person with dementia that honors who they are and what they are telling us they need.

Read More +

Sonya Barsness Videos

Changing OUR Behavior: Understanding Dementia from a Person-Centered Perspective with Sonya Barsness

Changing OUR Behavior: Understanding Dementia from a Person-Centered Perspective with Sonya Barsness

Sometimes we talk about changing the behavior of the person with dementia, but we actually need to change OUR behavior, as people who care for people...

  • How do I book Sonya Barsness to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Sonya Barsness 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 Sonya Barsness, 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 Sonya Barsness or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Sonya Barsness

    Speaking fees for Sonya Barsness, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Sonya Barsness are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Sonya Barsness, 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 Sonya Barsness speak about?

    Sonya Barsness is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Aging, Education, Health & Wellness, Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychology, Social Sciences
  • Where does Sonya Barsness travel from?

    Sonya Barsness generally travels from Norfolk, VA, 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 Sonya Barsness’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Sonya Barsness 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 Sonya Barsness 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 Sonya Barsness 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.

Sonya Barsness is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Honoring Personhood, Changing OUR Behavior, Living with Dementia: Learning about Dementia From People Who Have Dementia , How Do You Want to Live? and The Stigma of Dementia. The estimated speaking fee range to book Sonya Barsness for your event is available upon request. Sonya Barsness generally travels from Norfolk, VA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Stephanie Marston, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Corinne Auman, June Tangney and Jeni Stolow. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sonya Barsness for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email
  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

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.

TOP