Ron Garan

Ron Garan

• Decorated NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, test pilot, humanitarian, and social entrepreneur
• Spent 178 days in space and travelled over 71 million miles while doing so
• Flew both the US space shuttle and Russian Soyuz spacecraft and undertook four successful spacewalks
• Co-founder of Manna Energy Limited, an initiative founded with the goal of using the carbon market to finance humanitarian projects

Ron Garan, due to his illustrious career, has become one of the most influential people in the world. His successful career has seen him take on the role of decorated NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, test pilot, humanitarian, and social entrepreneur.

One of a select few individuals fortunate enough to see the world from space, Ron Garan champions his ‘orbital perspective’ message to improve life on earth. He is lauded for not only his research while in space, but also for his humanitarian efforts.

Ron Garan has spent 178 days in space. During this time, he traveled over 71 million miles while doing 2,842 orbits of the planet. He is also one of the few people to fly both the US space shuttle as well as the Russian Soyuz spacecraft during which time he undertook four successful spacewalks. Besides his time in space, Ron also spent 18 days at the bottom of the ocean. This was for a mission in the world’s only undersea research lab Aquarius.

Later assigned to the US Agency for International Development, Ron Garan lead the Unity Node Project. The aim was the development of a universal, open-source platform enabling humanitarian organisations to work towards mutual goals.

In 2007, Ron Garan went on to co-found Manna Energy Limited. The initiative, created with the goal of using the carbon market to finance humanitarian projects, is the first organisation in the world to register a United Nations Clean Mechanism carbon credit program for water treatment.

The author of ‘The Orbital Perspective: Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from of Journey of 71 Million Miles’, Ron Garan continues to work towards a cleaner, safer, more peaceful planet. This he has proven by representing Manna as one of the ten global innovators in the field of water purification during the inaugural Launch Water Forum to his role as advisor to the social business movement.

Ron Garan Speaker

Regarding his speaking engagements, Ron Garan fills his audiences with a renewed sense of awe and wonder. He lives in the USA and presents in English.

Speaking Topics

LEADERSHIP & RISK MANAGEMENT

• Risk is the price we pay for a greater benefit
• Maintaining the ‘tried & true’ in rapidly changing environments can be the riskiest decision
• Where’s the way out if all goes South?

INNOVATION & PLANETARY STEWARDSHIP

• We don’t live on a globe
• Go after the root cause rather than the symptom
• How to work with our biosphere, not against it

EXPLORATION & COLLABORATION

• Work as one team on one overarching goal
• Break down silos in your organization
• Build a foundation of trust

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

• How to write corporate social responsibility into the DNA of your organization
• Open and transparent collaboration will fuel tremendous economic growth
• 3-Key Pillars: Interdependence, Profound Collaboration, Long-Term Thinking

EMBRACING CHANGE & TECHNOLOGY

• Turn problems & challenges into opportunities
• Take advantage of revolutionary new ways to reach customers & consumers
• Zooming out allows us to see who has the pieces of the puzzle & what picture they paint

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• People are not 1-dimensional – They are motivated by many diverse factors
• We can do well by doing good
• Give your contributions multiple lives: Invest & reinvest in self-sufficient efforts