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. 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 discovers what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.
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.
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 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.
“This felt like the greatest thing in the entire world! The entire presentation touched me. It cleared my head, it touched my heart and it helped me go with my gut. There was nothing in there that I didnt need to hear. There was nothing in there that I wasnt frightened of you helped me learn that happiness lies in serving othersits something that I can take with me and Ill remember every dayto be able to clear the head, stop the noise, and step outside myself- you encouraged that within me. Its phenomenal.”
“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!”
“Chris has a passionate, captivating personality, and is a truly inspirational speaker. He breaks through cultural and generational boundaries and puts life into perspective. He ignites sincere emotions, which tend to get lost in our full and busy lives. His message inspires individuals to become more committed members of the society. Chris motivates with vivid stories from all over the world and encourages people to use obstacles as building blocks and to see “failures” as lessons. And, he reminds us that success in business and in life also comes from thinking outside our own boundaries.”
“Caesars Entertainment is committed to our core value of building community and Bash magnified the importance of that value in style Chris Bashinellis powerful keynote at one of our flagship events helped drive home the true meaning of cultural awareness and compassion. By inviting clients and co-workers to sit on our stoop, we can strengthen any relationship. He reminds us to simply start where we are and we will see our partnerships and business relationships grow. When we care about each other and the communities we live and work in, the stakes become that much more important, and the positive results are evident. I highly recommend Bash for any corporate event.”
