We appreciated the time Chris took prior to the event to get to know our organization. Our staff truly appreciated Chris' energy and warmth. His message was perfect - something our staff really needed to hear.
West Michigan Works! Helpful 0$15,000 - $20,000
$10,000 - $15,000
New York
Chris Bashinelli, better known as “Bash”, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Lebanese and Italian-American parents. After a decade-long acting career including an appearance on the HBO hit television show, The Sopranos, Bash decided to follow his real passion - using media to build bridges between cultures. He now traverses the globe from Uganda to Haiti as Host of Bridge the Gap, a television series featured on PBS and the National Geographic Channel, where he experiences life in countless cultures around the world.
A celebrated Diversity and Inclusion speaker, Bash has traveled the world for more than a decade sharing a message of empathy and understanding everywhere from Fortune 500 Companies to inside prison walls, to the United Nations General Assembly Hall. His worldview was shaped on his childhood “Stoop” where his friends shared a combined total of thirteen nationalities. He has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, the UN Secretary-General and his mentor – Dr. Jane Goodall.
After studying Anthropology in East Africa at 20 years old, Chris Bashinelli returned home to discover his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The death of his father sent him on an international quest to better understand the human condition and the universal qualities that lead to a happy, meaningful life. Bash has lived with nomads in Mongolia, worked with suicide prevention activists in Pine Ridge and Sumo wrestled the heaviest Japanese human being in recorded history. Through one-of-a-kind stories of adventure and authentic moments of human connection, Bash truly bridges the gap between self and others, helping us recognize our shared humanity.
Bash has spoken around the world - from TEDx to Abu Dhabi, to Azerbaijan, at multi-million dollar corporations and Ivy League Universities. At 24 years old he became one of the youngest moderators in the history of the United Nations. Bash is a National Geographic Explorer, a UN Moderator, an Eagle Scout, and has interviewed some of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People on the Planet.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRIS
The idea for Bridge the Gap spawned in 2007. It was the dawn of the era of the mindless reality television program – the kind that serves to divide human beings against one another. It was also an era of incredible television programs like Planet Earth (BBC) that captured the beauty of our natural world. Chris saught to create a television series that would capture the beauty of humanity – he traveled to Tanzania to experience life in another culture firsthand and Bridge the Gap was born. Inspired by the people he met in East Africa, Chris returned to the USA with one mission- to use media to bridge the immense inner and outer gaps between people and cultures. What began as a travel series that aimed to “help people”, transformed into a show that aimed to better understand the human condition.
“From Haiti to the Pine Ridge Reservation, I have met countless individuals living in incredibly difficult external conditions who are often more content and inspired than people I know in far “better off” conditions. The common thread many of these individuals share is their concern for others, often even above their own welfare. Through these experiences, I am reminded that happiness is a state of mind, not a state of the external world. Perhaps by walking in other people’s shoes and gaining a glimpse into their experience, we can tap into a deeper wisdom that will inspire each of us to live more conscious lives and reach our full potential.”
– Chris Bashinelli
To book Chris Bashinelli call Executive Speakers Bureau at 901-754-9404.
THE POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTION – EMBRACING DIVERSITY, BUILDING STRONGER TEAMS
It is only when every single team member, from the office manager to the CEO, feels safe to bring their whole, most authentic selves to work each and every day, that our organization can realize its full potential. As long as any single team member feels that they have to hide who they are in the workplace, we will be leaving untapped potential on the table – and our results will suffer. From his childhood “Stoop” in Brooklyn where his friends shared a combined total of over 13 nationalities, to his grandparents that immigrated to the United States from Lebanon through Ellis Island – Bash’s understanding of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is built into the very fabric of his DNA.
Pulling from experiences in over 40 countries as a National Geographic Explorer, from living with nomads in Mongolia to farming for tea on the hillsides of China to Sumo wrestling the heaviest Japanese human being in recorded history – Bash shares in very simple steps how to create an environment where employees not only feel safe but empowered to bring their whole selves to work – creating a culture of trust and allowing our organization to tap into the power of our shared humanity. By recognizing the strength in our diverse experiences, cultures, identities, and perspectives we can fully realize the strength of our greatest asset - our people.
THE POWER OF MENTAL WELLNESS – RENEW EMPLOYEE INSPIRATION, CREATING A HEALTHY WORKFORCE
We are working harder, longer, and under more pressure, than we ever have before – but without a mindful approach to work, one that reduces stress and renews inspiration – this type of employee output can actually worsen results. If we are to succeed as an organization we must find a way to not only manage but transform the stresses and pressures of our constantly changing world in a way that works to our advantage. In this one-of-a-kind keynote, Bash walks attendees through the practical ways we can actually use the stresses of our work and life to empowering a culture of mental health and employee wellness.
Drawing from more than a decade of in-depth meditation and mindfulness studies, Bash walks attendees through a powerful approach to mental wellness – one we can apply in our work and our lives here and now. From gratitude practice to smartphone retreats to mindfulness tips – Bash reignites our productivity, recalibrates our focus, and renews employee inspiration. He shares the practical tools he’s used to reduce stress, deepens concentration, and create peace of mind – all while hosting an international television series for National Geographic, leading worldwide expeditions, and inspiring audiences everywhere from Abu Dhabi to Azerbaijan. Bash reminds us that creating a healthy workforce begins with each of us playing our part and taking responsibility for our own minds.
STEP INTO YOUR POTENTIAL – CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR WORLD
Potential is the space between “where we are” and “where we can be”, it is our “unrealized abilities”, personally, professionally, and as an organization. Stepping into our potential means understanding that it is only because of challenge, not in spite of it, that we can become our best selves. In this thought-provoking keynote, colored with international stories of adventure, resilience, and triumph – Bash shares the power available to each of us when we stop seeing challenges as an obstacle to success, and instead as the very vehicle by which we can achieve it.
From a remote Chinese village that rebuilds after a devastating fire to a young Tanzanian filmmaker’s unimaginable dream come true, to Bash’s own personal experience of tragedy to triumph – this talk reminds us that when we change our minds, we truly can change our world. We will only realize our potential as an organization when every single team member is committed to realizing their strength individually. This keynote experience is at once a call to action for each of us personally as it is a reminder of the impact that’s possible when we tap into the collective strength of our shared humanity.
START AT “STEP Z” – REVERSE ENGINEERING THE PATH TO OUR GOALS
What is your Step “Z”, the goal you feel will truly bring your life meaning? It could be a new client, a new partner, or a new home. What if you could arrive at that destination before you even begin the journey? We tend to be so fixated on our goal that we forget to examine how we are viewing ourselves. We feel that if only our circumstances were different, our goal would be attainable. In reality, we can only go as far as our shadow will let us – it’s not the circumstances that have to change, it’s us.
Bash walks attendees through a scientific method for recognizing and reducing their most limiting beliefs, thereby opening the doorway to a whole new world. With total clarity, he emphasizes that the swiftest way to get from where we are, to where we want to be, is to be there first – on the inside. The best way to get from Step A to Step Z is to “Start at Step Z”. It may seem counterintuitive, but our best chance at achieving our goal is to imagine it is already accomplished. Step firmly with faith into the shoes you were meant to fill – and live, breathe, work, and act from that place.
From moderating a major United Nations event in Brazil at 23 years old with no prior experience to leading a National Geographic Expedition in Mongolia when nearly all funding had been pulled one month before production, Bash shows how when we change our mind, we can change our world. The key to creating success lies not in getting what we want, but in realizing that we already have everything we need to live a happy and meaningful life. When we connect our ultimate goal to a mission that benefits others and have unwavering faith in our potential, we will find the inspiration necessary to reach our “Step Z”.
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November 28, 2022
After Chris' keynote, colleagues of mine reached out asking me to thank him for the inspirational session. His keynote on "The Power of Human Connection" was a significant experience for all participating. The audience was left with an overwhelming desire to connect with others and have more empathy for everyone's individual journey.
Crédit Agricole CIB Helpful 0