United Nations Speaker, National Geographic Young Explorer,
PBS TV Host and Cross-Cultural Expert
Chris Bashinelli, also known as, “Bash”, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. 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. In his early 20’s, he became the youngest Moderator for the United Nations and made his first documentary about his travels to Tanzania.
Bridge the Gap
Chris 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 discovers what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Homestay China
In his latest National Geographic series, Homestay China, Bash travels to some of their most remote villages to uncover how families have lifted themselves out of poverty. The stories and lessons are applicable to any business looking to overcome adversity and even use it to their advantage.
Adventurer
He has harvested buffalo with Native Americans in Pine Ridge, lived as a nomad in Mongolia, and Sumo Wrestled with the heaviest Japanese human being in recorded history. He is a Moderator for the United Nations, an Eagle Scout, a National Geographic Explorer, and has interviewed some of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People on the Planet.
Keynote Speaker
Bash has spoken around the world – from TEDx, to Abu Dhabi, to Azerbaijan – at multi-million dollar corporations, Ivy League Universities, and in the United Nations General Assembly Hall. He has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Dr. Jane Goodall and the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP – Change Your Mind, Change Your World
Global Citizenship means using our everyday work and lives as a vehicle to grow inwardly and thereby, become the best version of ourselves. Becoming a Global Citizen is not about traveling the world, it is about using the challenges within our individual lives to become stronger and more productive members of the world. When we embody the qualities of a Global Citizen - presence, empathy and inspiration - then we can truly inspire those around us. With the mindset of the Global Citizen, every challenge in our work and lives - from a disagreement with a coworker, to the loss of someone we love - becomes fuel for us to grow inwardly and reach our potential. Our role is not to “change the world”, but to “change ourselves”. Becoming a Global Citizen begins with realizing we already have everything we need in order to be happy right now. From the slums of Haiti, to the fields of Uganda, to the Mongolian Steppe, Chris pulls from real life examples to illustrate that the key to productivity, meaning and connection, does not lie in changing our external conditions, but in transforming our current conditions in order to grow.
Steps from the Stoop - Cultivating Connection
In order to achieve real diversity and inclusion within our organization we must adopt a world view that equally values all generations, cultures and perspectives. Chris Bashinelli’s all-inclusive approach to relationship building has been cultivated for 30+ years, starting with his “Stoop” in the heart of Brooklyn, where his childhood friends shared a combined total of more than 13 nationalities. In this signature keynote, Chris drives home the ease of relationship building with a personal, yet universal method he’s applied everywhere from farming with mystics in Uganda to living with nomads in Mongolia. Audience members will learn the three essential steps from the “Stoop” which serve as the basis for profound personal transformation and deep connection with others - Awareness, Acceptance, and Courage! These steps enable people to strengthen their relationship with themselves, co-workers, family, friends – and even those with whom we have no seeming connection - be it a 600 pound Japanese Sumo Wrestler or our next-door neighbor. When we make that human connection and move people from the category of “them” to “us”, anything is possible. There’s never been a more important time to richly hone the relationships that transform lives, bridge gaps, connect generations, and empowers our life experience. By opening our world view we are far more powerful than we could ever be on our own - be it the exchange of tribal knowledge between an experienced team member and a social media-savvy young employee, or the shared core values of an Oklahoma farmer and a Mongolian herdsmen. What's surprising is that our ability to authentically connect with our clients and friends (OR others) has very little to do with them, and almost everything to do with our perspective. (We see the world not as it is, but as we are). The great news is that means we have the power to deepen our relationships with others at any moment, all we have to do is shift our perspective! Building better relationships doesn’t necessarily mean knowing perfectly how to bow, shake hands, or say hello in every culture, it simply means bringing an open and accepting mindset to all of our interactions. This message hits home for so many who reach back to remember their own beginnings and recognize the foundational wisdom in creating life-long connections. Bring the transformational lessons of the “Stoop” to your next audience.
START AT STEP “Z” – Stepping into Powerful Performance
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 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, but us. With total clarity, Bash emphasizes that the swiftest way to get from where you are to where you 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 your best chance at achieving your 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 life of great meaning. By connecting our ultimate goal to a mission that benefits others, and having unwavering faith in one’s potential, we will find the inspiration necessary to reach our Step “Z”. Bash walks attendees through the scientific method for recognizing and reducing their most limiting beliefs, thereby opening the doorway to a whole new world. Start at Step “Z”, let go of the rest, and realize your full potential.
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Everyone had a good time last night and enjoyed Chris Bashinelli. He brought energy, humor and connected to the audience with his presentation - he connected to the audience from the moment he got on stage!
- | Boy Scouts of America
Chris made us laugh. He made us cry. He nailed it! He knew our company better than any other public speaker we’ve ever hired. He was one of the best, if not the best, public speakers I’ve seen on circuit in my 25 year history in this industry.
- | Geoff Ballott, The Wyndam Hotel Group
Bash offered a very authentic, engaging, and energetic presentation for our conference attendees. He brought many of his valuable life experiences to the table, and though all proved very different, they revolved around one common theme- breaking down barriers and finding a common ground with whomever you engage. Attendees left feeling exhilarated, taking with them many of the principles Bash illustrated back to their local institutions.
- | Jake Parks, The Institute of Internal Auditors
Chris presents with a smooth confidence that both sets the tone of the event and captures the attention of the audience. He harnesses the ethos of social entrepreneurship, and would be an asset to any event requiring a quality speaker.
- | Frank Fredericks, World Faith
