Ron is a highly decorated Combat Fighter Pilot and Test Pilot, Explorer, Artist, Entrepreneur and Humanitarian who believes that appropriately designed and targeted social enterprise can solve many of the problems facing our world. He is currently Co-President and Chief Pilot for World View Inc., a pioneering high altitude and space company bringing communications technology, sensors and passengers to the edge of space.
Ron is a retired NASA astronaut who has traveled 71,075,867 miles in 2,842 orbits of our planet during more than 178 days in space and 27 hours and 3 minutes of EVA during four spacewalks.
Ron represented Manna Energy Ltd as one of ten global innovators in the field of water purification during the 2009 Launch-Water forum (sponsored by NASA, US State Dept., USAID, and Nike) and is now a member of the Launch Council. Ron has been selected as the technical and scientific advisor to the Social Business movement and its founder Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Ron is also a frequent guest on internationally syndicated news programs including CNN, Fox, and ABC and has hosted shows with the BBC. He has written extensively on a variety of current topics in numerous publications including USA Today, Newsweek, The International Business Times, and many others. Ron is in the process of establishing a new podcast, writing several new books, and has founded a non-profit coalition of international astronauts to inspire humanity with lessons gleaned from the orbital perspective.
Ron is the author of the highly acclaimed book The Orbital Perspective. Hailed by Time Magazine as “the most important tale ever told from space” and Space.com proclaimed it as one of the best space books of all time.
Ron routinely books speaking engagements to audiences in the thousands at high profile venues around the world including TED-Global, the Global Citizen Festival, Google Zeitgeist, the United Nations and many more.
Risk is the price we pay for a greater benefit
Maintaining the ‘tried & true’ in rapidly changing environments can be the riskiest decision
Where’s the way out if all goes South?
“Ron Garan delivered an extremely inspirational and thought provoking address. His personalinsight into a eld that very few of us will everget to experience combined with strong messages and lessons for the audience ensured that his participation was one of the highlights of the event.”
“Ron’s focus is on nding new connections andcollaborations that cross borders and allow us to transform the world for the better before we destroy this big blue ball we call home.”
“Uniquely and intellectually engaging. Ron has a way of sharing his experiences in space and on earth without bravado, but instead with a unique humility and perspective about how we can all participate in making the world a better place. He is truly inspirational and it is impossible to walk away without having engaging conversations and a new view of the fragile oasis.”
“Ron Garan delivered the perfect opening keynote to start our conference on mobility. His unique orbital perspective not only inspired our very international and diverse audience, it also put things into perspective, big time. I would recommend Ron for virtually any kind of event where people wish to be inspired.”
“Ron is an extremely compelling speaker who masterfully blends his diverse professional experience and experience as an ambassador for the social business movement into a message that has left a profound positive impact on countless individuals and organizations. Using stunning imagery and compelling dialog, Ron puts the issues and challenges facing all organizations into a whole new perspective – an orbital perspective. We recommend Ron as an inspirational speaker at all our conferences and to our corporate clients.”
“Ron Garan has returned from his space missions not as someone who believes himself to be above us all, but as someone who remains down to Earth. Someone who knows that we are part of something bigger. What Ron has started around the world has made a deep impression on me and the 800 young leaders at the Pathfinder Conference.”
“Ron is an extremely compelling speaker who masterfully blends his diverse professional experience and experience as an ambassador for the social business movement into a message that has left a profound positive impact on countless individuals and organizations. Using stunning imagery and compelling dialog, Ron puts the issues and challenges facing all organizations into a whole new perspective – an orbital perspective. We recommend Ron as an inspirational speaker at all our conferences and to our corporate clients.”
“Ron is a tremendous inspiration to our global health students and faculty at Duke. His global perspective and message that “nothing is impossible” resonates with audiences young and old.”
“Ron Garan delivered an extremely inspirational and thought-provoking address at the Association of MBAs’ Conference for International Deans and Directors. His personal insight into a field that very few of us will ever get to experience combined with strong messages and lessons for the audience ensured that his participation was one of the highlights of the event. Delegate feedback reflected this. I would not hesitate to recommend Ron for other conferences as someone who has a unique story and is able to tell it in a way that delivers at both the inspirational and educational level.”
