Courier January Courier | Page 54

ST. LOUIS SPEAKERS AND SEMINARS Chris Bashinelli to speak at opening ceremony, lead breakout session Chris “Bash” Bashinelli was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After a decade-long acting career, including an appearance on the HBO series “The Sopranos,” Bash decided to use the media to bridge intercultural gaps. He now travels as host of the PBS series “Bridge the Gap,” showing what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. Bash has spoken around the world, from the United Nations General Assembly Hall to Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneur organizations in Saudi Arabia. He’s shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Dr. Jane Goodall and former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Bash brings listeners on an inspirational journey, and he can equip you with the practical tools you need to grow your business, connect with others and contribute to humanity. Here’s a look at his two Travel Exchange sessions: Rules of the Stoop: the Three Simple Steps for Strengthening Relationships Ignore the Noise Keynote address at Monday’s opening ceremony and breakfast Noise in the modern world is constant and distracts you from your goals and also from your internal decision maker—your heart. Before you can identify your unique talents and offer them to the world, you first must learn to ignore the noise. By putting down your smartphone and turning your attention inside, you will often gain insights into some of your most pressing challenges. The stoop is a universal metaphor for building connections with people across intercultural, intergenerational and international boundaries. Bash’s childhood Brooklyn stoop was a set of stairs he shared with friends of 13 nationalities. Sometimes a stoop is a teashop in Saudi Arabia, a pile of rocks in Haiti, or the community workplace in a Minnesota accounting firm. In this flagship talk, Bash defines the practical steps by which you can create stoops both in your communities and in the workplace. Through thought-provoking exercises, audience participation and uplifting videos, you will be empowered to create more authentic relationships. Meet and Greet with Chris Bashinelli CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/MCHIEN623: bit.ly/2glegCS Chris Bashinelli 50 January 2017