Available to book
Dan Cnossen
Servant Leadership
Adversity
Team Building
Dan Cnossen helps organizations build resilience and leadership under pressure, drawing on his experience as a former Navy SEAL and Paralympic champion. A leadership speaker and adversity keynote speaker, he is a seven-time Paralympic medalist and Harvard graduate.
Military
Paralympics
Athlete
Veterans Day
Motivational
Harvard University
Sports Leadership
Inspirational
Dan Cnossen is a former US Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander and one of the most decorated Paralympic athletes in Team USA history.
Raised on a fifth-generation family farm in Kansas, he lost both legs in combat against the Taliban in Afghanistan and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Valor. Dan went on to become a seven-time Paralympic medalist in cross-country skiing and biathlon, including two gold medals across three Games, was named Best Male Athlete of the 2018 Paralympic Games, and was nominated for an ESPY Award. Alongside his athletic career, he earned two graduate degrees from Harvard University.
Dan's path from Navy SEAL to Paralympic champion, and on to Harvard, reflects a rare combination of physical resilience and intellectual discipline. He draws on his SEAL training, his combat experience, and his athletic comeback to show audiences how focus and adaptability hold up under the highest pressure, whether on a mission or a podium.
Audiences leave with a practical understanding of resilience, servant leadership, and collaboration, along with a clearer sense of how to keep moving forward when circumstances change without warning. Dan's stories give teams a concrete strategy for meeting setbacks head-on and rebuilding after failure.
Book Dan to give your audience a firsthand account of resilience that reshapes how they meet their own toughest challenges.
Topics, sessions and talks
Dan Cnossen led an 18-man SEAL platoon through multiple combat deployments before stepping on an IED that cost him both legs. This session draws on that experience to explore what leadership looks like under genuine pressure, when the mission is unclear, resources are limited, and failure is not an option. Dan shares the command principles, mental frameworks, and team dynamics he relied on as a SEAL officer, and how those same disciplines drive performance in competitive business environments.
After 40 surgeries and years of rehabilitation, Dan Cnossen picked up cross-country skiing for the first time and within four years stood on the Paralympic podium. By 2018, he had won six medals in eight days and was named Best Male Athlete of the Games. This session examines the mindset behind that journey: how to set audacious goals after catastrophic loss, build new capabilities from scratch, and sustain elite performance through the inevitable setbacks that define any long-term pursuit.
Dan Cnossen holds graduate degrees from Harvard in both public administration and theological studies, degrees he pursued while training for the Paralympic Games. This session explores the intellectual and emotional architecture of resilience: how high performers process adversity, find meaning in hardship, and rebuild identity after life-altering change. Drawing on his military career, his injuries, his academic work, and three Paralympic cycles, Dan offers a rigorous and deeply personal framework for thriving under pressure.
After losing both legs, Dan Cnossen chose not just to compete but to pursue a Harvard education simultaneously. Drawing on his master's degrees in public administration and theological studies, he explores the intellectual and philosophical foundations of resilience: how individuals reconstruct identity and purpose after loss, how organizations can build cultures that give people something to fight for, and why purpose is the most durable driver of sustainable excellence. This session is for leaders who want to move their teams beyond performance metrics and toward the deeper motivation that outlasts any incentive structure.
In SEAL training and deployment, the team is the margin between success and failure. Dan Cnossen draws on years of SEAL service, including leading an 18-man platoon through combat deployments, to examine what separates elite teams from average ones: how trust is built under pressure, what makes communication effective in high-stakes environments, and how leaders at every level create the conditions for consistent excellence. This session is built for organizations that need their people to perform not just in ideal conditions but in the ones they actually face.
Dan Cnossen is a former Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander, seven-time Paralympic medalist, and two-time Harvard graduate, one of the few speakers whose credentials span elite military service, world-class athletic competition, and advanced academic achievement. That range gives audiences a rare, multi-dimensional model of performance under sustained pressure.
Testimonials
often considered together
Jaco van Gass
Adversity
High Performance
Growth Mindset
Brent Gleeson
Accountability
Stephen Drum
Effective Leadership
High Performance
Dealing With Pressure
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Dan Cnossen structures his sessions around three interlocking bodies of first-hand experience — SEAL command, Paralympic competition, and graduate-level academic study — using each as a lens to examine a single underlying framework for performance under pressure. He moves between personal narrative and transferable principle, grounding each concept in a specific moment from his military career, rehabilitation, or competitive record.
Dan Cnossen speaks on SEAL leadership and performance under pressure, resilience and identity rebuilding after catastrophic loss, and goal-setting and elite performance following life-altering setbacks. He is a seven-time Paralympic medalist, including two gold medals, who was named Best Male Athlete of the 2018 Paralympic Games after winning six medals in eight days.
To get the sharpest shortlist, share your event date, audience, format, key objectives, and budget. A rough idea is enough to start. The more context PepTalk has, the more precisely the team can match a speaker to your brief. Send it via getapeptalk.com.
There is no additional cost to you beyond the speaker's fee. PepTalk's service, from shortlist to on-the-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, the team can agree preferential rates with your procurement department. Email hello@getapeptalk.com to discuss.
Booking a speaker with PepTalk starts with a short brief: your event, audience, date, budget, and format. Send it through getapeptalk.com or hello@getapeptalk.com and you'll get a shortlist within 24 hours. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, fees, travel, and logistics end to end.
Yes. PepTalk regularly handles last-minute requests and can secure or replace a speaker, host, or comedian quickly, often within days. Availability narrows as the date nears, so get in touch as early as you can. Email hello@getapeptalk.com with your requirements.
Speaker fees vary by profile, format, and location. In the UK and Europe, virtual keynotes typically start around GBP 2,000, with top in-person speakers reaching GBP 25,000+; in the US, fees run from about USD 5,000 to USD 100,000+. Share your budget at getapeptalk.com and we'll shortlist to fit.
Yes. If a speaker isn't listed, tell PepTalk their name and the team will approach them for you. The network extends well beyond the public roster, and PepTalk regularly books speakers who don't appear on the site. Email hello@getapeptalk.com with the name.
You'll receive a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours of sharing your brief. Each suggestion comes with profiles, fees, and PepTalk's recommendation on the strongest fit. If you need options sooner for an urgent event, say so and the team will move faster. Start at getapeptalk.com.
Yes. Beyond booking a single speaker, PepTalk helps shape a full programme, matching voices to your agenda, audience, and goals across a day or a series. It is a consultative service, not just a booking. Tell us about your event at getapeptalk.com.
Speaker fees vary based on factors like event location, format, and availability. The 'typical fee range' figure gives you a baseline of someone's local, in-person rate sits, and we'll confirm the exact fee when you get in touch.
Before your speakers arrive, confirm AV is tested, a green room is ready, and printed schedules are on hand. Prepare warm introductions for each speaker and brief your team on timings. PepTalk speakers come fully briefed, making event-day logistics smoother and stress-free from the start.
A keynote speaker delivers an inspiring or informative talk. An MC hosts and guides the event, keeping things on track. Entertainment — like a band or comedian — creates atmosphere and fun. Each serves a different purpose, and PepTalk can help you book the right talent for all three.
Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. Alongside direct talent, we work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies, to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.
When booking a comedian, share your event format, audience size and demographics, any sensitive topics to avoid, and the tone you're after. PepTalk makes this easy — their booking process guides you through a simple checklist so nothing gets missed and your comedian is perfectly matched to your crowd.
When booking a speaker, you'll need your event date, audience details, format, key objectives, and budget. Having these ready makes the process smooth and straightforward. PepTalk's team uses this information to match you with the perfect speaker quickly and efficiently.
Yes! At PepTalk, you can absolutely bundle entertainment and speakers into one seamless package. It's a great way to create a fuller event experience while enjoying simplified booking and better value. Our team handles everything together, making the process effortless for you.
Book a motivational speaker at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for popular speakers or large events. Top speakers get booked quickly, so earlier is always better. For major conferences or peak seasons, booking 12 months ahead ensures you secure your first choice.
Yes. Most PepTalk speakers deliver virtual and hybrid sessions with live Q&A, and virtual keynotes usually cost less than in-person because there is no travel. Tell us your platform and format and we'll match speakers experienced in online delivery. Start at getapeptalk.com.
Share your organisation's top 3 strategic priorities, current challenges, and the audience's role in delivering them. A simple one-page brief works perfectly. PepTalk speakers use this context to tailor insights that feel genuinely relevant — making your event far more impactful.
Yes! Most event entertainers are happy to tailor their act to your brand, industry, or theme. From weaving in company jokes to incorporating your branding into their performance, personalisation makes all the difference. PepTalk's entertainers specialise in bespoke experiences that feel made just for your audience.
Get the right person
Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll match you with the talent your audience won’t stop talking about.
