Simon Sinek
Author & Founder of The Optimism Company
Robert X. Fogarty
Founder of Dear World
Human Connection · Storytelling · AI & Humanity
Speaking Fee
$50,000 – $100,000
Based In
United States
Signature Topic
Human Connection
Format
Interactive Keynote
Speaking reel
Watch Robert on stage
About Robert
Robert X. Fogarty is the founder of Dear World, the storytelling and portrait project he started in post-Hurricane-Katrina New Orleans in 2010. What began as one-line notes written on the skin of people rebuilding the city has grown into a global practice. Robert has photographed more than 100,000 people and helped share over one million human stories. His work has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, NPR, ESPN, and Oprah.
He has delivered 500+ interactive keynote programs for Fortune 500 teams, universities, hospitals, and conferences, including UBS, Accenture, Genentech, Google, PayPal, Harvard, and Stanford. In an era where AI is automating more of our work, his message has never been more timely: the most powerful thing you can do is help people feel seen.
His keynotes are part performance, part workshop, and entirely unforgettable. He does not just speak. He creates an experience that audiences carry with them long after they leave the room.
Keynote Topics
Human Connection in the Age of AI
The Power of Storytelling in Business
Building Culture Through Shared Stories
Leadership & Authentic Communication
Best For
- Corporate culture and all-hands events
- Leadership retreats and executive summits
- AI transformation conferences
- University commencement ceremonies
- Healthcare and nonprofit leadership events
Booking Robert X. Fogarty: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Robert X. Fogarty's speaking fee?
Robert X. Fogarty's fee is typically in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. Treat that as an estimate rather than a quote: the actual figure moves with event date, location and travel, session length, whether a workshop, breakout or moderated Q&A is added to the keynote, whether book copies or licensed follow-up material are included, and for the Dear World format also by how much of the audience takes part in the portrait session. Submit an inquiry with your date and audience size to get a current number and confirm availability.
What topics does Robert X. Fogarty speak on?
Human connection in the age of AI, the power of storytelling in business, building culture through shared stories, and leadership and authentic communication. The through-line is getting an audience to say something true to each other rather than listen passively.
What makes a Dear World keynote different from a standard talk?
It is participatory. Rather than delivering to a seated room for an hour, the Dear World format has attendees surface and share a personal story, which is then photographed as a portrait. Organizations book it when the goal is for people to feel something and connect with each other, not simply to be informed. Tell us your room size and schedule and we will explain how the session is run at that scale.
When is a Dear World keynote not the right fit?
A short plenary slot with fixed theater seating and no room to move. The format depends on the audience writing, sharing and being photographed, which needs time and a room that allows it. For a 30-minute session with two thousand people in fixed rows, a conventional keynote will serve the agenda better.
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Book this speaker
Robert X. Fogarty
Founder of Dear World
$50,000 – $100,000
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