Admiral William H. McRaven
- Chancellor of the University of Texas System (2015-2018)
- NYT Bestselling Author, Make Your Bed & The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
Admiral William H. McRaven’s Speaker Biography
Admiral William H. McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral and the former Chancellor of the University of Texas System. During his time in the military, he commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the U.S. Special Operations Command. His career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the troops that captured Saddam Hussein and rescued Captain Phillips. McRaven is also credited with developing the plan and leading the Osama bin Laden mission in 2011.
As the Chancellor of the UT System, he led one of the nation’s largest and most respected systems of higher education. As the chief executive officer of the UT System, McRaven oversaw 14 institutions that educated 220,000 students, and employed 20,000 faculty and more than 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, and staff.
McRaven is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and other U.S. leaders on defense issues. He currently serves on the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the National Football Foundation, and the Board of Directors of CoconoPhilips.
McRaven has been recognized for his leadership numerous times. In 2011, he was the first runner-up for TIME magazine’s “Person of the Year.” In 2012, Foreign Policy magazine named McRaven one of the nation’s “Top 10 Foreign Policy Experts.” In 2014, Politico magazine named McRaven one of the “Politico 50,” citing his leadership as instrumental in cutting though Washington bureaucracy. In 2015, he received the Intrepid Freedom Award for his distinguished service in defending the values of democracy. In 2016, McRaven was named the recipient of the Ambassador Richard M. Helms Award by the CIA Officers’ Memorial Foundation and in 2018, he received the Judge William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award for a lifetime of service to the nation.
McRaven graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1977 with a degree in Journalism, and received his master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey in 1991.
McRaven is the author of four books including, SPEC OPS: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare and Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World, based on his 2014 UT Commencement Speech that received worldwide attention. Using personal narratives drawn from his extraordinary experiences he imparts to his audiences lessons in team work, personal accountability, resilience and leadership. His third book, Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations, released in 2019, is a remarkable memoir full of inspiring and action-packed stories from McRaven’s life in the special operations world. His newest book The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived, released in April 2021, is a tribute to the real, everyday heroes from battlefields to hospitals to college campuses, who are doing their part to save the world.
He met his wife, Georgeann, while they were students at UT Austin, and they have three grown children. McRaven is now a leadership consultant and stays active with his writing, speaking, and board commitments.
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Speech Topics
A Conversation with Admiral William H. McRaven, USN (Ret.)
In this moderated discussion, Admiral William H. McRaven eloquently draws on his extensive career of 37 years of service as a Navy SEAL. The discussion addresses issues such as U.S. foreign policy, the current geopolitical landscape, leadership during high-stress situations, risk management, teamwork, resilience in the face of adversity, resourcefulness, personal accountability, and the determination to succeed. His presentations are distinctive and customized to meet the needs of your audience.
Leadership and Risk Management: Taking Command
Admiral William H. McRaven captivates audiences with his exceptional leadership experiences, exploring today’s geopolitical environment and a look forward to America’s place in an ever-changing global community. His principles of leadership and risk management are applicable to any organization and he firmly believes in the necessity of preparation, order and discipline, knowing that they are naught without a distinct and meaningful purpose or goal. He shares impactful narratives, lessons and insights on authority amidst turmoil and instability, the force of teamwork and personal initiative, resilience in the face of opposition, and the unconditional importance of never giving up. He challenges his audience and encourages them to accept responsibility, be creative within the rules, take control of their circumstances, and maintain focus during times of conflict. Audience members are inspired to apply McRaven’s diligence, courage and risk management strategies to their own lives and put in place the tools that will help them not only succeed within their organization but also reach new levels of achievement.
Make Your Bed
Drawing from his viral 2014 commencement speech with over 150 million views, Admiral William H. McRaven shares captivating stories from his Navy SEAL training, the Osama Bin Laden raid, and the capture of Saddam Hussein. Through these experiences, he presents the 10 life lessons learned during his 37-year military career. Admiral McRaven’s talk is both educational and inspiring, offering practical wisdom and engaging anecdotes.
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
McRaven relates stories from his #1 NYTs bestseller, The Wisdom of the Bullfrog— a tour de force about leadership from the factory floor to the C-suite. Entertaining, educational, inspirational; you will hear stories from the Civil War, WWII, the raid to get bin Laden and corporate leadership lessons that will help all your employees be better at working together and leading with purpose.
