
Speaking
Professional storyteller, certified coach, and mentor.
Inspirational keynote speaker Anthony Alvarado has directly educated and trained over 250.000 young people, mentored hundreds, recognized by White House ONDCP for outstanding service to others, featured in FORBES as a movement maker, and a distinguished alumni recipient who is traveling the country and living out his wildest dreams over the past decade.
Lets do this
Leading mental health and recovery advocate, trainer, and facilitator, Anthony Alvarado has received standing ovations from hundreds of public high schools (not easy to do with teens), middle schools, colleges, national conferences, national rallies, and speaking at events with crowds over 8,000 people.
Forbes Magazine calls Anthony a "movement maker" and he is recognized as one of the best motivational speakers that provide a message of hope and resilience while educating through storytelling.
Having presented to over 250.000 people across the United States, Anthony's professional storytelling ability leaves audiences educated, engaged, and empowered to take action in their lives; often mobilizing the community for a case for good.
Anthony has been recognized for his service in recovery by James Carroll, Director of the White House Office of the National Drug Control Policy. Also for his commitment to humanity and expertise by Senator Tammy Baldwin, for leading change and decreasing stigma statewide in Wisconsin from Rep. John Nygren, for preventing addiction in youth by Rep. Amanda Stuck, and given the honorable “Exemplary Service” award from The Outagamie County Pre-Action Network.
With his team, he has received an Official Proclamation from Appleton's Mayor Tim Hanna to recognize September 12 as “Rise Together Day” in honor of Rise Together’s dedication to the community.
Keynote topics

Anthony is empathetic and I believe a safe person to talk to about anything, sees the good in people, and believes there is goodness in all others.

I see Anthony as a leader in every room he enters and is at his best when he is modeling true vulnerability. He knows how to love others unconditionally, is changing the world, and an expert in pain and fear.

Greatness, true greatness! I see humility. I see someone who says "I can & we can". Anthony is confidently vulnerable, someone that makes me feel safe and secure in my own skin. A man of openness and acceptance
Unpacking Emotional Baggage - letting go during the shitstorms of life
Participants of this short talk will hear real-life examples of adventure, failure, and triumph and walk away with a new perspective on how to:
-
Stop, lean in, and embrace the mess.
-
Find your internal map through self-awareness.
-
Survival toolkit: mantras, mindset, self-care, and more.
Life isn’t always easy, but when we take the right steps to overcome emotional baggage we learn to identify our feelings, process our emotions, and let go.
Stressed Out? How to find help when feeling overwhelmed.
Nearly 90% of adults, and 70% of college students, say they are experiencing emotional distress or anxiety according to a study in 2022. It is no secret that people’s mental health has been greatly impacted over the past two years due to things like the COVID pandemic, inflation, their finances, various forms of grief, or missing what was, parents, being maxed out, students being at a loss, and now War - leaving many of us feeling overwhelmed.
Participants will learn practical steps to help prevent feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed while hitting on key takeaways such as:
-
Signs of burnout.
-
How to take a mental break.
-
Easing stress by taking action.
We can learn how to handle stress, even in the most stressful situations, in healthy ways that go beyond eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.
Creating Healthy Habits in a World of Distractions
People today seem to have more distractions than ever before with social media, multitasking, activity addiction, and the laundry list of daily tasks that seem to pile up. Participants will learn how to change the habits that will change their life while benefiting from key takeaways like:
-
Don’t expect perfection.
-
Commitment ebbs and flows.
-
One habit to the next.
There are plenty of habits for success. From morning routines to your favorite exercise regime, healthy habits are more than self-care. Learn how to form lasting healthy habits & drop unhealthy habits that are holding you back.
Your Story Can Make a difference: advocate for mental Health and addiction recovery
Sharing stories can make you feel alive, confident, aware, courageous, compassionate, and more connected to others. Whether you are sharing your personal account or your business story, what you are telling others matters. Good storytelling doesn’t only help people remember you, but it also can motivate and encourage people to encourage others. Advocacy itself is a powerful and important catalyst for change. In this powerful, interactive talk, Anthony Alvarado will show you how to make a long-lasting impact on the world around you by providing key takeaways from the past 10 years of working in the community such as:
1. The science behind storytelling.
2. The power of language and influencing others.
3. Personal advocacy vs. community action.
5. Choosing the platform that works for you.
6. Get others to join your movement.
When we start speaking out, we often find out that we are much more alike than we are different. Since getting launched, Anthony has helped thousands of young people share their stories and inspire others to create social change and now he is teaching others to do the same.
Some recent speaking engagements
Key presenter at the 51st Annual ASAM Conference - Innovations in Addiction Medicine and Science w/Penn State College
Key presenter at 34th Annual National Prevention Conference
Keynote @ The Now is the Time Conference 2018 @ UW Whitewater
Keynote @ Mind, Heart, and Teaching Symposium @ UW Oshkosh
University of Houston: ARHE's 9th Annual Collegiate Recovery Conference
Marian University
UWGB
SAMHSA's New England ATTCs Adolescent Conference: Effective Approaches to Engaging & Treating Teens
SAMHSA’s “Road to Recovery” expert panel in Washington DC
The National NAADAC Conference
NEIAS of Addiction Studies State Conference “2016 New England School of Best Practices in Addiction Treatment”
Young People in Recovery National Leadership Conference
Wisconsin's and the Las Vegas Statewide Recovery Rally
UW Marshfield Mental Health State Conference
Northwoods Coalition Statewide Mental Health Conference
WI State Mental Health Conference
WI Statewide School Resource Officers Conference
Statewide Children Juvenile Justice Conference
Wisconsin Family Based Services Association Conference
Nurses Association WI State Conference
United Way Teen Symposium
Pre-Action Network Prevention Conference
Human Service Association Statewide Conference