Mark Travis is an award-winning entrepreneur, writer, choreographer, and internationally sought-after motivational speaker whose life and work embody resilience, creativity, and inclusion. As the CEO and Founder of The Professional Storyteller, he harnesses the transformative power of narrative to inspire audiences and create a more inclusive world. His journey is one of breaking barriers, championing diversity, and empowering individuals to embrace their full potential.
Mark’s early career was rooted in both creative and academic pursuits. A proud Puerto Rican queer man living with cerebral palsy, he refused to allow physical limitations to define his ambitions. After earning a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies with a minor in Public Relations from William Paterson University, he founded the Market Dance Project, becoming the youngest person in the United States to lead an integrated dance company for disabled and non-disabled dancers. Determined to bridge the gap between mainstream and disability dance, he went on to be selected for Ballet Hispánico’s prestigious Instituto Coreográfico Programme, becoming its first physically disabled Latinx choreographer. His professional journey also included a wide range of roles in communications, marketing, and diversity leadership, blending creative artistry with strategic expertise. Alongside this, he is a committed member of WE CREATE SPACE, a global collective of LGBTQ leaders, and serves as a senior consultant for Unlock Creative.
His writing has been published in respected outlets such as The Bergen Record, The Star-Ledger, Fox News Latino, and The Huffington Post, as well as in the anthology ‘Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic’. He is the author of ‘Draft: An Imperfect Collection for Writing’ and contributed to ‘Imagining: A Gibney Journal’, where he shared the lived experience of a disabled choreographer and dancer. His leadership and advocacy have earned him honours such as the Campus Pride National Voice and Action Award for Social Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Lavender Legacy Award from William Paterson University.
What makes Mark such a compelling motivational speaker is the depth of his lived experience combined with his ability to connect across cultures and disciplines. Mark has addressed audiences at leading academic institutions, including Harvard, MIT, NYU, and Rutgers, and delivered his TEDx talk ‘Embracing Yourself, Embracing Your Potential’ to widespread acclaim. He speaks not only from a place of achievement but from a lifelong commitment to authenticity, resilience, and empowerment. Whether in the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, China, India, or beyond, Mark’s message resonates because it is rooted in the universal human desire to belong and to be seen. His unique blend of artistry, activism, and storytelling inspires individuals and organisations to challenge limitations, embrace diversity, and unlock their true potential.
