“Bonnie St. John is the kind of person who shows that individual courage matters in life.”— President George W. Bush
Bonnie is a sought after keynote speaker for corporations such as AT&T, IBM, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer, Pepsi and many others. She also speaks for large international professional associations, colleges, churches, and community groups. Her policy of providing a “bonus” community service speech while in town for a paying client has also allowed her to speak at schools, homeless shelters, and other places that could not afford to fly her in.
Washington Speakers Bureau exclusively represents Bonnie so please contact Maggie Molpus at (703) 684-0555 or email
MaggieM@washingtonspeakers.com to check Bonnie’s schedule or book her for your next event.
As an amputee, Olympic skier, Rhodes Scholar, former White House official and successful businesswoman, Bonnie St. John knows a little something about facing challenges. Every speech she delivers is unique and relevant to the challenges faced by the people in your audience. By interviewing your organization’s leadership as well as a cross-section of the intended audience beforehand, Bonnie gathers the background she needs to understand the issues your group faces and tailor her presentation to suit your intended goals. You can brainstorm with her on a customized topic for your specific purposes or use one of the topics below.
Beyond the Lone Ranger, Listerine and the Energizer Bunny: the New Meaning of Perseverance
“Never give up,” means something completely different in today’s world of rapidly shifting global markets and changing, 21st Century technologies. Using her experiences and research to illustrate, Bonnie St. John shares examples of four kinds of perseverance and persistence techniques that lead to a competitive edge in a highly fluid world. As an amputee living in San Diego with no money (or snow!) for training, Bonnie needed to apply extreme tenacity to become the first African-American to win Olympic medals in ski racing at the Paralympics. The doggedness she learned there led her to further success as a Rhodes Scholar, in sales at IBM, as a White House economic official during the Clinton administration, and in her own business as a writer and speaker. When you understand how to persist and adapt at the same time, your team becomes virtually unstoppable.
The CEO Chronicles
In over 15 years as a speaker, author and executive coach, Bonnie St. John has interviewed and/or worked closely with hundreds of CEOs and senior leaders, representing a vast canvass of industries, including financial, entertainment, retail, pharmaceutical and many others. Drawing on her personal stories and original interviews, Bonnie shares lessons in leadership and wisdom that support your event's purpose and leave people with practical “take aways” and stories they will never forget. This speech can be tailored to include only women CEOs, to focus on a particular industry or profession, or to underscore a theme such as courage, strength or integrity.
The Über Secrets of Top Performers
Bonnie St. John shares with audiences the secrets she has found that world-class performers know, but most people do not know. Bonnie has the unique position of having competed with and worked with world-class people from sports, politics, academics and business. She has also interviewed people in-depth as part of her experiences in the White House, Olympics, Oxford, Harvard and on Wall Street, as well as interviewed superstars in entertainment and the arts.
Bonnie will surprise you with examples and stories that illustrate the following secrets:
1. Why hard work, talent, and connections are not what separates stars from superstars—and what does
2. The most important way to put the stress of being a superstar or super-achiever into perspective and not let it affect your decision making or performance
3. Why champions aren’t built one at a time, and how to build a community of champions in your organization
Once again, to check Bonnie’s schedule or book her for your next event please contact Maggie Molpus at (703) 684-0555 or email
MaggieM@washingtonspeakers.com