Natalie Stavas

Natalie Stavas was running the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 when the bombs went off. Without hesitation, she ducked under the police tape and ran toward the blast, performing CPR and first aid on victims for more than 90 minutes before finally stopping to finish the race. A pediatrician, endurance athlete, and one of the most compelling voices in the speaking world, she speaks on resilience, servant leadership, the why behind extraordinary action, and what her experience at the finish line taught her about what human beings are capable of when purpose overrides fear.

Running Toward the Bombs
Stavas’s story is extraordinary not just because of what she did but because of the equanimity and clarity with which she describes it. Her account of those 90 minutes — the medical decisions, the fear, the strangers helping strangers — has moved audiences at medical conferences, corporate events, and leadership summits alike. She does not describe herself as a hero; she describes herself as someone who had the training and was in the right place.

Medicine, Purpose, and Human Connection
Stavas is a pediatrician whose work with children in resource-limited settings and underserved communities has deepened her understanding of health equity, purpose-driven service, and the factors that make human beings resilient in the face of genuinely traumatic circumstances.

Natalie Stavas delivers keynotes on resilience, servant leadership, purpose-driven action, and the extraordinary capabilities that emerge when human beings commit fully to something larger than themselves.

Running Towards Chaos

An avid runner, Natalie’s philosophy for success is…. “You Run Towards.” This philosophy was never more apparent than on April 15th 2013. She had just run 26 miles and was about to finish the Boston marathon when the bombs detonated at the finish line. Instead of turning around and running away with the crowd, she ran towards the chaos and saved 4 lives that day.

Natalie Stavas attacks every obstacle with the same attitude:  “You run towards that which you fear, that which challenges you, that which is oppositional.” Natalie speaks to audiences about her experience as a first responder and what ultimately led her to make that fateful decision to run into a terrorist attack.

Natalie Stavas’ “Run Towards Chaos” keynote will ask the audience to reflect on chaos in their own life and how they respond. She will talk about real life chaos both internal and external and discuss the ultimate decision of literally “running into chaos” and how to deal with the consequences. Natalie will explore why we should all consider ourselves people who “run towards” and discuss how we find meaning in our chaotic lives.