Dr. Alison Thompson
Keynote Speaker: Global Humanitarian, Disaster Response Expert, Environmental Ambassador
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Dr. Alison Thompson Biography
Dr. Alison Thompson is a full-time global humanitarian volunteer, widely recognized for her extensive commitment to crisis response and disaster relief. She began her journey as a first responder to the September 11th, 2001 attacks in New York City, where she volunteered for nine months and subsequently founded Third Wave Volunteers. This non-profit organization has grown into a network of over 30,000 volunteers who provide aid in disasters globally.
Thompson has managed internally displaced person (IDP) camps in countries such as Sri Lanka, Haiti, and Greece. Additionally, she was appointed the first official Ambassador to the Haitian Ministry of Environment in 2012, focusing on reforestation and sustainable energy projects. In 2010, she played a crucial role in managing a 75,000-person IDP camp and field hospital in Haiti following a devastating earthquake, where she co-founded We Advance, a clinic combating gender-based violence.
Her work extends to natural disaster responses, including her efforts in Sri Lanka post-tsunami in 2004, where she established the first Community Tsunami Early-warning Disaster Center and managed a field hospital. Her experiences in Sri Lanka were encapsulated in her documentary, "The Third Wave," which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival and followed by her book, "The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story."
More recently, Thompson has been active in crisis zones such as Lesvos, Greece, from 2015 to 2017 during the Syrian refugee crisis, where she aided in the rescue of refugees and provided essential supplies like solar lights. In 2017, she co-founded the first Community Emergency Operations Center in Miami to enhance local disaster response capabilities. In recognition of her lifelong service and impact, she received "The Presidential Lifetime Service Award" from President Biden in 2022.
Thompson continues to speak on topics such as corporate social responsibility and the importance of service, encouraging a broader understanding of the intersection between business and humanitarian aid. She has inspired many through her ability to connect deeply with her audiences, promoting active global citizenship and community involvement.
Her motto, "It is easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it's leadership to be in the right time at the wrong place," sums up her proactive approach to humanitarian service. As she continues her ventures, Thompson remains a powerful voice for humanity, advocating for those affected by crises and encouraging others to contribute to a more compassionate and responsive world.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Dr. Alison Thompson and other top speakers and celebrities.
Dr. Alison Thompson Speaking Topics
Billions of dollars are consistently raised to assist philanthropies of all sorts, yet more often than not, that money ends up sitting in banks for months on end to ultimately land in the wrong hands. In this presentation geared toward high school students, Ambassador Alison Thompson challenges her audience to come up with alternative business models that make actual aid a priority rather than an outcome dependent on how much money can be raised.
Sharing stories from her own experience providing aid in Sri Lanka, Haiti, New Orleans, and New York City, Ambassador Thompson informs high school students how they can make a difference within their own communities.
When disaster strikes a particular region of the world, we have a moral obligation to help those affected. In providing our assistance, however, it is vitally important that our ultimate objective be to get victims back on their feet.
Based on her experience volunteering in Haiti following its 2010 earthquake, Ambassador Alison Thompson outlines clear and simple solutions for getting the country back into shape by sustaining itself, rather than relying on outside aid.
As co-founder of We Advance, an organization dedicated to advancing the health, safety, and well-being of women and children throughout Haiti, Ambassador Alison Thompson presents this inspirational keynote on empowering women throughout the world. In a message geared toward both sexes, she instructs women on how to arm themselves and advises men on how to protect their women.
Ambassador Alison Thompson has long petitioned Congress to pass a measure requiring college students to volunteer for a month in order to graduate. Firmly believing that “anyone can hand out water or give out a hug,” she urges young men and women to devote some of their time to a cause larger than themselves — even if it begins in the dorm.
Dr. Alison Thompson Videos
How do I book Dr. Alison Thompson to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dr. Alison Thompson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dr. Alison Thompson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dr. Alison Thompson or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Dr. Alison Thompson for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Dr. Alison Thompson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dr. Alison Thompson, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Dr. Alison Thompson speak about?
Dr. Alison Thompson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Women, College, Technology, Lifestyle, Personal Growth, Health, Environment, Faith & Religion, Education, Diversity & Inclusion, Literary, Adventure, Authors, Non-Profit, Medicine and Workshop.
Where does Dr. Alison Thompson travel from?
Dr. Alison Thompson generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Dr. Alison Thompson?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dr. Alison Thompson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dr. Alison Thompson for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dr. Alison Thompson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Dr. Alison Thompson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Women, College and Technology. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. Alison Thompson for live events is Below $10,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Dr. Alison Thompson generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Glenna Crooks, Mayim Bialik and Kathy Ireland. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. Alison Thompson for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Dr. Alison Thompson Speaking Topics
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It Starts with the Lemonade Stand: An Inspiring Introduction to Volunteerism (High School)
Billions of dollars are consistently raised to assist philanthropies of all sorts, yet more often than not, that money ends up sitting in banks for months on end to ultimately land in the wrong hands. In this presentation geared toward high school students, Ambassador Alison Thompson challenges her audience to come up with alternative business models that make actual aid a priority rather than an outcome dependent on how much money can be raised.
Sharing stories from her own experience providing aid in Sri Lanka, Haiti, New Orleans, and New York City, Ambassador Thompson informs high school students how they can make a difference within their own communities.
-
Sustainable Haiti: Real Solutions
When disaster strikes a particular region of the world, we have a moral obligation to help those affected. In providing our assistance, however, it is vitally important that our ultimate objective be to get victims back on their feet.
Based on her experience volunteering in Haiti following its 2010 earthquake, Ambassador Alison Thompson outlines clear and simple solutions for getting the country back into shape by sustaining itself, rather than relying on outside aid.
-
Women Issues & Gender-Based Violence: Solutions
As co-founder of We Advance, an organization dedicated to advancing the health, safety, and well-being of women and children throughout Haiti, Ambassador Alison Thompson presents this inspirational keynote on empowering women throughout the world. In a message geared toward both sexes, she instructs women on how to arm themselves and advises men on how to protect their women.
-
Volunteerism: A Call to Action Redefining Heroism (College)
Ambassador Alison Thompson has long petitioned Congress to pass a measure requiring college students to volunteer for a month in order to graduate. Firmly believing that “anyone can hand out water or give out a hug,” she urges young men and women to devote some of their time to a cause larger than themselves — even if it begins in the dorm.
VIDEO
Dr. Alison Thompson Videos
NEWS
Dr. Alison Thompson News
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Miami medic heads Syrian refugee relief operation Greek islands
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Saving lives amid worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
Love on the island dod Lesvos: SKALA SIKAMINEAS, GREECE — Standing in the harbor of this Greek village on the island of Lesbos, I am holding yet another soaking wet little girl with blue lips. Minutes before she had been sinking in the deadly Aegean sea crossing from Turkey to Greece. Her parents had fled Syria with only a cellphone and cash after their house had been bombed and ISIS had shot three generations of their relatives in cold blood. My heart swells as I spot tiny specks of orange lifejackets bobbing like oranges in a low-riding boat. The rescue whistles blow, and volunteers from all nations jump into action. The refugees are closer now, and 50 feet from shore the screams of terror begin as two panicked refugees jump out, setting off a crushing stampede as children and babies are catapulted from the boat into the dark sea. Most Syrians don’t swim. I catch sight of a small body in a puffy pink jacket floating away and I plunge into the water to reach her in borrowed time. I struggle to plant my feet on the slippery rocks below as the weight of her lifejacket and wet clothes strain my lazy muscles to work even harder. By the shore, volunteers call for stretchers in five different languages, but I am focused on one child’s heartbeat. Finding no pulse, I fumble at her clothes, free the airway and pump her tiny chest looking for life. After two cycles of CPR, water sputters from her mouth and I turn her over to allow the sea to escape. She is not in good condition, but she is alive. Children and babies are quickly being passed, volunteer to volunteer, to the safety of shore, and we smile and hug the families who were almost swallowed by the sea. Back on the shore, I reach for a bottle of bubbles to help calm another restless baby and eye the two teenage girls who have been raped by ISIS. They remain silent, and their dark lashes spy my every move. With new eyes, I scope the refugee journey of heading toward the “promised land,” but finding only paper towns. In Lesbos, I have seen the face of all our gods, where humans embrace and pain is absorbed into a love without borders. Volunteers work day and night in rain and snow, huddled together around fires and in rental cars, tracking the boats and sending rescue teams out into the angry sea. We rush another hypothermic pregnant woman along the darkened shoreline now lit with magic bright solar lights and wait and pray, always ready with emergency blankets and food and dry clothes. The volunteers share jubilation in the safe rescues — and bottomless despair when we learn they have capsized and everyone has drowned. After five months of volunteering in Lesbos, my brain can’t solve the larger problems of a world where leaders are also struggling to find answers. I do know that I can help these suffering humans, but I am not naïve enough to think that a terrorist couldn’t get through any border or inspire people across many nations. Syria’s civil war is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country’s pre-war population — more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes. Last year, more than 800,000 Syrians arrived by sea and in them I have met beautiful, educated families who are just like us. When did we become so fearful? The Sept. 11 attacks taught me not to live in fear or give in to terrorism. If the world turns its back on the refugees, they will be forced to return to Syria and then ISIS wins. Where has all the love gone in the world? We are not being asked to go shave our heads and become monks, but to imagine a world where everyone does their part, so that the karma banks will overflow with blue-chip stocks of compassion and we all become “billionaires on the inside.” Imagine a world where souls are more valuable than money. Isn’t that the way it was meant to be? It’s easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but now humanity asks us to transform fear into love. To be in the wrong place at the right time. Alison Thompson is a paramedic and the founder of Third Wave Volunteers working with Syrian refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos. She is the author of The Third Wave and lives in Coconut Grove. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article58883703.html#storylink=cpy
FAQS
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How do I book Dr. Alison Thompson to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dr. Alison Thompson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dr. Alison Thompson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dr. Alison Thompson or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Dr. Alison Thompson for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Dr. Alison Thompson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dr. Alison Thompson, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Dr. Alison Thompson speak about?
Dr. Alison Thompson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Women, College, Technology, Lifestyle, Personal Growth, Health, Environment, Faith & Religion, Education, Diversity & Inclusion, Literary, Adventure, Authors, Non-Profit, Medicine and Workshop. -
Where does Dr. Alison Thompson travel from?
Dr. Alison Thompson generally travels from Miami, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Dr. Alison Thompson?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dr. Alison Thompson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dr. Alison Thompson for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dr. Alison Thompson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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