“We need more people like Chris in the world,” says Dr. Jane Goodall. A National Geographic Explorer, experienced television host, and celebrated speaker on human connection, Chris Bashinelli has traveled the world researching what drives happiness, purpose, and belonging in life and business. He pulls from his immersive experiences in over 40 countries to help organizations boost sales, reignite employee inspiration, and build cultures of genuine connection.
Born in Brooklyn, New York to Lebanese and Italian American parents, Bashinelli’s worldview was shaped on his childhood stoop, where his friends shared more than 13 nationalities. After a decade-long acting career, including a role on the hit HBO TV series, The Sopranos, Bashinelli traded the red carpet for the road, launching Bridge the Gap, a global documentary series featured on PBS and National Geographic Channel.
Bashinelli’s adventures have taken him from living with nomads in Mongolia to harvesting tea in China and Sumo wrestling the heaviest Japanese human in recorded history. He fully embeds himself in different worlds as a modern-day cultural anthropologist — learning from Ugandan mystics, Mongolian herdsmen, Lakota suicide prevention activists, and some of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people on the planet.
A passionate advocate for mental wellness and happiness, Bashinelli has studied mindfulness and meditation for over 20 years. Following the loss of his father to cancer when he was 20 years old, he began a lifelong mission to understand the human condition. Through his service work, he has brought mindfulness to inmates across federal and state prisons and to veterans of nearly every major conflict since WWII.
As a keynote speaker, Bashinelli brings stories of adventure, interactive exercises, and exclusive content from his travels to create powerful, customized experiences for every audience. His authenticity and curiosity spark something rare and unforgettable — an alchemy of trust, laughter, and transformation. Bashinelli has headlined events for AT&T, American Express, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Million Dollar Round Table, and many more. He has also shared the stage with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder and Michael Douglas and was the youngest person ever to moderate the United Nations International Day of Peace.
Bashinelli’s most recent film explores the power of friendship with his adoptive grandfather, actor Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior on The Sopranos) and his work has been featured in Delta Sky Magazine, Lonely Planet, Huffington Post, and The Daily News Zimbabwe. He’s also an Eagle Scout and guest host on the Be Here Now podcast network. In a world hungry for meaning and connection, Bashinelli delivers — with heart, humour, and an unwavering belief in our shared humanity.
