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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.
“There are so many positive things that I can say about Mark and the Living Purposely coaching program. I am a first-time business owner, and I went to Mark for coaching to get my business started and feel more confident while doing it. Mark has a holistic approach to coaching and focuses on the client as a person and not just a business. This allowed me to grow at my own pace and still make progress without fear of judgment or disappointment. The individual coaching sessions are a gem and allow you to have that one-on-one dedicated time with Mark and really hone in on what steps are best for what is going on presently. While there is still a lot of work for us to do, I am so happy with the growth I have been able to make and where I am headed with Mark’s guidance. Not only is he extremely talented at what he does, but he is also incredibly supportive, friendly, flexible, and honest, which was incredibly beneficial to my experience. It was an amazing experience, and I look forward to working with him more in the future. If you are looking for a speaking/engagement or business coach, look no further! I am forever appreciative to Mark for all that he has done for me and his contributions to a diverse and purposeful world.”
“My experience as a coaching client with the Living Purposely program has been nothing short of life-changing. With Mark as my coach, I was able to shift my inner paradigm, cultivating a sense of compassion and radical self-love. I also re-imagined my career goals with integrity and learned to honor my deepest truth. Mark facilitated a journey of empowerment that helped me navigate a challenging life and career transition. The timing of this opportunity was perfect, and I emerged from our coaching experience as a more in-tune creator, loving friend, and well-rounded human being. Mark Travis Rivera saw a light in me and invested time, energy, and care into supporting me in nurturing my best self. I cannot express my gratitude enough.”
“Mark is extremely responsive in planning communications. His contributions to our panel conversation were insightful, inspiring, AND actionable.”
“AMDA College of the Performing Arts was incredibly lucky to have Mark do a series of faculty trainings on Inclusive Language and Movement Translation. His trainings were thorough and engaging, and he took the time to learn about AMDA before crafting the training tailored to our specific needs. His expertise and passion for improving inclusion for disabled dancers came across clearly, and I believe his trainings will have a lasting impact on AMDA’s commitment to disability justice.”
“Mark created a wonderful piece entitled ‘The Unmasking’ on my dancers. It was absolutely stunning and very well received by the entire audience at our performance!”
“Mark had attended Career Day at my school in Elizabeth, NJ, to talk with 7th & 8th graders about never giving up in life and always following your dreams. I could not have been happier with Mark’s presentation, the positive feedback from the faculty, and, most importantly, the students. We absolutely loved everything he shared with the group.”
The Diversity and Inclusion Speakers Agency has been one of the UK’s leading bureaus for inspirational figures of different races, genders, sexualities and abilities since 2020. We supply speakers for corporate and public events across the world, and cater to both in-person occasions and online webinars. Our roster includes athletes, psychologists, celebrities and more, to ensure that audiences of all industries receive tailored, impactful advice on diversity and inclusion.
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