Looking for a Motivational Speaker?

"One of the top motivational speakers with a disability that is spreading the message of ability, inclusion, and most importantly, Yes, I can!"  Friendship Circle of Michigan

• Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia
• Department of Veteran Affairs, Washington, DC
• TEDx Salon Event, Tucson, Arizona
• The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Kids Included Together (KIT) 2013 International Conference on Inclusion (Keynote)
• Tucson Veterans Association
• Sierra Tucson Treatment Center
• Special Education Parents Advisory Committee, Coronado, California
• West Coast Conference of the Cerebral Palsy Group
• Garden City Hospital, Garden City, Michigan
• Pioneer Middle School, Plymouth, Michigan
• Southwestern Writers Group, Tucson, Arizona
• Garden City High School, Garden City, Michigan
• Panelist, 2010 Tucson Festival of Books
• Oro Valley Library, Oro Valley, Arizona
• St. Damien’s School, Livonia, Michigan
• Navy Chief Petty Officer Pinning Ceremony, NOSC, Phoenix
• Destroyer Escort Sailor Association (Michigan Chapter)
• Paralyzed Veterans of America (Michigan Chapter) (Keynote)
• Employees of the Central Arizona Project (Main Headquarters)
• KANDU Industries, Janesville, Wisconsin
• Naval Recruiting District, Phoenix
• Rotary Club of Northwest Tucson

Presentation topics can be tailored to audience-specific needs. They can include such themes as:

Disabilities:

Cerebral palsy: Having been born with a mild case of CP, John tells what it’s like to have a disability, dispelling myths and breaking down barriers along the way. This topic is perfect for young school children who often look at their classmates with disabilities as “weird” or “different.”  John allows students to ask direct questions about his cerebral palsy and gives direct answers, focusing on people’s ability, not their disability. 

Bullying:  Skinny and weak as a youngster, John was laughed at, picked on and bullied. John shares his insight on how to deal with this painful topic in a way that children and adults alike can understand and immediately apply in their own lives.

Success: Because of his cerebral palsy, John actually failed his first attempt to join the Navy. With self-motivation, determination and hard work, John was able to finally able to join the Navy, achieve the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, and then become a published author without any prior writing experience. John tells doctors to “raise the bar high” so that others can achieve their own level of greatness.  

Teamwork:

Military: Joining the Navy in January 1982, John became a highly decorated Senior Chief Petty Officer in only 14 years. Learn the leadership lessons and core values that made this Battleship sailor so successful - and the mistakes to avoid along the way.

Family: John unabashedly credits his parents with providing him with the love, support and drive to succeed. John grew up in the 1970's, a time before the Internet or ESPN. Baby boomers who rode in the family station wagon with faux wood-paneled trim or had to come in the house when the street lights went on will appreciate John's anecdotal humor.

Medical: John speaks to the successful team approach most commonly used to diagnose and treat many conditions including cancer.

Support groups: From Survivors of Suicide to Alcoholics Anonymous to counseling, recognition is given to the fact that we can all use help sometimes.

Life challenges:

Suicide: John speaks openly about the suicide of his brother, Steven in 1987 and the impact it had not only on his life, but those around him.  John shines the light on the taboo subject of suicide in the family and brings much needed hope to others who have been similarly affected.  

Addiction: Sober for over 14 years, John talks frankly about his battle with the bottle, hitting bottom, and subsequent recovery.  In sharing his experience, strength, and hope with those fighting the same fight, John shows that sometimes you have to surrender to win. 

Heartbreak:  Dating and romance are difficult for many of us, and can be acutely more complicated for members of the disabled population. In his poignant discussion of his own heartbreak, John's message is clear - you are worth it! Discover also how he dealt with the grief surrounding the death of his beloved parents, something many boomers are experiencing now.

The writing process:

A first-time author, John takes you on an insider’s guide of the publishing world.  From the moment he first sat down at him computer to “put my thoughts down on paper,” to the excitement of seeing his book on store shelves, Mr. Quinn pulls the curtain back on a writer’s world – a world that few really know much about - but dream of joining.