Contact Author and Speaker John Otterbacher

Although one of his most popular presentations is entitled “What Dying Taught Me About Living,” John’s emphasis is always on living with passion and purpose, finding adventure in the ordinary and opportunity in crisis. While conversant in corporate, political, educational, and health care systems, John’s focus always returns to the human dimension, the ingredients of a rich life. John’s history as a survivor, college professor, legislator, psychologist, and long-distance sailor, and motorcyclist gives him many topics about which he can speak comfortably:

• What Remains: finding the adventure in aging
• Sailing Grace: A true story of dying, coming back to life and going to sea
• Sea Change: What dying taught me about living
• Solo: Lessons learned sailing across the Atlantic alone
• Living the Dream: The energizing effect of living out beyond our fears
• Taking the helm: The chemistry of leadership
• The bankruptcy of victimhood and the power of personal responsibility
• The power of attitude: Why optimism and humor make sense
• The value of slowing down and paying attention; doing less and experiencing more
• The healing power of love and relationship
• How we change the world
• Slowing down and waking up

John tailors each of his presentations to the questions, interests, challenges and needs of the group he is addressing. However serious his subject matter, he delivers his story with a disarming and self-deprecating sense of humor.