Mark Travis Rivera

Mark Travis is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, writer and choreographer whose life and work are rooted in the transformative power of storytelling. As CEO and Founder of The Professional Storyteller, he uses narrative to inspire, educate and create a more inclusive world. A proud Puerto Rican queer man living with cerebral palsy, Mark brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to his work, challenging stereotypes while championing representation and equity across industries.

Mark’s journey began in the arts, driven by a determination to dance despite his disability. While still young, he founded Market Dance Project, becoming the youngest person in the United States to lead an integrated dance company for disabled and non-disabled dancers. His vision to bridge mainstream and disability dance was further recognised when he became the first physically disabled Latinx choreographer selected for Ballet Hispánico’s Instituto Coreográfico programme. He is a member of WE CREATE SPACE, a global collective of LGBTQ leaders, and has held senior consultancy roles, including his current position with Unlock Creative.

Alongside his dance work, Mark built a career in communications and writing, contributing to respected outlets including The Bergen Record, Herald News, The Star-Ledger, Fox News Latino and The Huffington Post. Mark’s debut book, ‘Draft: An Imperfect Collection for Writing’, was published in 2017, and he has contributed to works such as Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic and Imagining: A Gibney Journal. His leadership has been recognised with honours, including the Campus Pride National Voice & Action Award for Social Justice and the Lavender Legacy Award. His speaking engagements have taken him to leading universities such as Harvard, MIT, Rutgers and NYU, as well as audiences in the UK, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, China and India.

Mark is widely sought after as a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant and facilitator because he speaks from lived experience while engaging audiences with warmth, authenticity and clarity. His TEDx talk, “Embracing Yourself, Embracing Your Potential”, exemplifies his ability to inspire self-acceptance and collective responsibility. Combining his background in the arts, his professional expertise and his intersectional identity, Mark has a rare ability to connect across differences, dismantle bias and motivate action. Whether addressing corporate leaders, academic communities or creative industries, he leaves audiences with not only a greater understanding of inclusion but also the tools and courage to practise it.