Chris Bashinelli

  • National Geographic Explorer & TV Host
  • United Nations Moderator
  • Arab-American Diversity Speaker
  • Expert on Human Connection

We need more people like Chris in the World,” says Dr. Jane Goodall. National Geographic Explorer Chris Bashinelli pulls from real life experiences in over 40 countries to empower organizations to create a culture of true human connection. He helps companies reignite employee inspiration, foster a culture of trust and empathy and tap into the power of their greatest asset – their people.

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 experience’s life in countless cultures around the world.

A celebrated Diversity, Equity & Inclusion speaker, Bash brings to life an inspiring message of empathy and connection that has birthed lifelong friendships around the world. His world-view was shaped on his childhood “Stoop” where his friends shared a combined total of over thirteen nationalities. His ancestors immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, through Ellis Island and his great-grandmother was onboard the Titanic. Bash helps companies understand in engaging, humorous and practical ways how to create a culture of trust, belonging and empathy in the workplace. 

A passionate Mental Wellness advocate, Bash has studied meditation & mindfulness for more than a decade. After studying Anthropology in East Africa at 20 years old, he returned home to discover his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The death of Chris’s father propelled him on an international quest to better understand the human condition and the universal qualities that lead to a happy, meaningful life. Today, he brings to life the powerful lessons he’s learned to overcome depression, increase productivity and reignite employee inspiration.

Bash has spoken around the world, from Abu Dhabi to Azerbaijan, and at 24 years old, became the youngest male to ever moderate the UN International Day of Peace. He has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, the UN Secretary General, and his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall. He is a National Geographic Explorer, an Eagle Scout and has interviewed some of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People on the Planet. 

Bash has lived as a nomad 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, he truly bridges the gap between self and other, helping us recognize our shared humanity. Bash takes audiences on an inspirational journey, coupled with stunning video footage and thought provoking exercises.

Whether he’s embarking on yet another jaw-dropping adventure for National Geographic, or interviewing his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall, for PBS – Chris Bashinelli leaves audiences inspired, empowered, and connected, reminding us of our greatest asset – our people.

 


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Chris Bashinelli headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Connecticut Society of CPA's
  • Entrepreneur's Organization
  • RC Taylor
  • Beaumont Hospitals
  • Caesar's Entertainment
  • BMW Group
  • Alaska Airlines
Rave Reviews About Chris Bashinelli as a Speaker
Bash! You brought a smile to my face when I really needed it. I must say your presentation was a departure from what we normally do at convention. I went into it a skeptic and borderline grumpy old man... I came out the other side a motivated believer. Keep on Bridging the Gap my brother!

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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 ...

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. 

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 ourse ...

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.

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 h ...

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.

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Biography

We need more people like Chris in the World,” says Dr. Jane Goodall. National Geographic Explorer Chris Bashinelli pulls from real life experiences in over 40 countries to empower organizations to create a culture of true human connection. He helps companies reignite employee inspiration, foster a culture of trust and empathy and tap into the power of their greatest asset – their people.

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 experience’s life in countless cultures around the world.

A celebrated Diversity, Equity & Inclusion speaker, Bash brings to life an inspiring message of empathy and connection that has birthed lifelong friendships around the world. His world-view was shaped on his childhood “Stoop” where his friends shared a combined total of over thirteen nationalities. His ancestors immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, through Ellis Island and his great-grandmother was onboard the Titanic. Bash helps companies understand in engaging, humorous and practical ways how to create a culture of trust, belonging and empathy in the workplace. 

A passionate Mental Wellness advocate, Bash has studied meditation & mindfulness for more than a decade. After studying Anthropology in East Africa at 20 years old, he returned home to discover his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The death of Chris’s father propelled him on an international quest to better understand the human condition and the universal qualities that lead to a happy, meaningful life. Today, he brings to life the powerful lessons he’s learned to overcome depression, increase productivity and reignite employee inspiration.

Bash has spoken around the world, from Abu Dhabi to Azerbaijan, and at 24 years old, became the youngest male to ever moderate the UN International Day of Peace. He has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, the UN Secretary General, and his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall. He is a National Geographic Explorer, an Eagle Scout and has interviewed some of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People on the Planet. 

Bash has lived as a nomad 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, he truly bridges the gap between self and other, helping us recognize our shared humanity. Bash takes audiences on an inspirational journey, coupled with stunning video footage and thought provoking exercises.

Whether he’s embarking on yet another jaw-dropping adventure for National Geographic, or interviewing his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall, for PBS – Chris Bashinelli leaves audiences inspired, empowered, and connected, reminding us of our greatest asset – our people.