Paul Deegan

Mountaineer, Environmental Advocate, Award-Winning Author

Travels From Travels From:
Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Paul Deegan Biography

Paul Deegan's passion for remote and wild places was ignited on April 20, 1985, when he survived a high-speed car crash by being thrown through the back window. Hours later, a policeman by his hospital bed remarked, "You should have died today." This moment spurred Deegan to vow that he would make every day count.

Two years after the accident, at age 17, Deegan proposed and co-led a significant environmental initiative—a 47-strong team tasked with cleaning up decades of accumulated waste at the base of Mount Everest. This experience sparked his interest in mountaineering, leading him to explore many of the world's most challenging and lesser-known mountain ranges. Deegan's adventures have included traveling along a frozen Himalayan river in a gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon and exploring the Eastern Pamirs, where he led an expedition that made first ascents on previously unclimbed peaks. His stories have been published in over 250 articles in prestigious publications including The Times of London and Geographical.

Everest has been central to many of Deegan's expeditions. He was a member of an expedition during the 1996 "Into Thin Air" storm, a tragic event that marked the worst disaster in Everest's history at that time. Despite initially vowing never to return to Everest after this ordeal, the mountain's allure proved irresistible. After an eight-year break, Deegan made a final attempt to summit Everest, achieving his goal 15 years after his first awe-inspired gaze towards its peak.

An award-winning author, Deegan received accolades for his book "The Mountain Traveller’s Handbook," which was honored at the U.S. National Outdoor Book Awards. As a motivational and leadership expert, he addresses audiences from corporations like Motorola and GlaxoSmithKline to innovative platforms like the Do Lectures.

Deegan is not only committed to his adventurous pursuits but also to aiding environmental and social causes. He donates at least 1 percent of his gross income to charitable organizations, delivers at least 20 percent of his talks pro bono, and offsets the carbon emissions from all his air travel. He has contributed to scientific research, assisting scientists studying ocean acidification on Arctic sea ice, and continues to engage with the communities that support his expeditions, such as the Sherpas in the Everest region.

When not climbing mountains, writing, or speaking, Deegan enjoys culinary experimentation, often trying to recreate exotic dishes from his travels. His explorations have led him to sample unique foods from raw chicken in Tokyo to fermented mare's milk in the Pamirs—a testament to his adventurous spirit both on and off the mountains.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/08/2024.

Paul Deegan Speaking Topics

  • Overcoming Disaster: Drivers of Individual Determination on the Roof of the World

    The 1996 Into Thin Air storm claimed the lives of 11 climbers and was the worst catastrophe in the history of Everest. Paul Deegan, who was on the mountain when the storm struck, vowed never to return. Yet eight years later, Deegan broke his promise and made a final attempt to reach the top of the world. Why did Deegan go back? How did he overcome extreme self-doubt about his chance of survival? And after such a long hiatus, would he be able to fulfill his lifetime ambition? During this presentation, Deegan reveals a trick of the mind to reduce the fear of failure, how a rocking chair can help you make your next big decision and why the best way to achieve an ambition is to forget about it.

  • Into The Unknown: Leading Your Team in an Uncertain World

    At the turn of this century, most people thought there was nowhere left on Earth to discover. Then Paul Deegan organized an expedition to an unexplored range of mountains. Members of his team made ascents of previously unclimbed peaks, saw snow leopards and camels and encountered nomadic communities who had never met people from outside the former Soviet Union. To prepare for this groundbreaking enterprise, Deegan drew on his experiences as a leader and team member on expeditions to Alaska, the European Alps and the Himalayas. In this presentation, Deegan explains why he ensures that every member of his team is more talented than he is, illustrates his philosophy of invisible leadership and describes why there can be no room for passengers on any team.

Paul Deegan Videos

  • TEDxPhoenixville - Paul Deegan - The Benefits of Risk - YouTube
  • What's stopping you from Doing? - Paul Deegan

Paul Deegan Books

  • The Mountain Travellers Handbook: Your Companion from City to Summit
    The Mountain Travellers Handbook: Your Companion from City to Summit

FAQs on booking Paul Deegan

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    Paul Deegan generally travels from Philadelphia, PA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Paul Deegan is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Overcoming Disaster: Drivers of Individual Determination on the Roof of the World and Into The Unknown: Leading Your Team in an Uncertain World. The estimated speaking fee range to book Paul Deegan for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Paul Deegan generally travels from Philadelphia, PA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Stacy Allison, Ed Viesturs, Neal Petersen, Robyn Benincasa and Vince Poscente. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Paul Deegan for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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