Testimonials
Thank you, Marti MacGibbon, for taking the time to provide the inspiration, insights and guidance on yesterday’s virtual presentation on human trafficking and addiction. I was overwhelmed with your words and appreciate the information and advice you shared. Again, thank you for sharing – your words were heartfelt. Please accept my deepest thanks for speaking to my group.
Marti MacGibbon spoke virtually at University of California San Diego’s 2021 Human Trafficking Awareness Event. She’s a phenomenal speaker, charming the audience with her wit and candor. Marti uses her comedic skills and warm spirit to deliver information about the tragedy of human trafficking and triumph of survivorship in a palatable and hope-inspiring way. I highly recommend Marti for a speaking engagement.
It was such a pleasure meeting you last week when you spoke at the 20th Annual Alabama APSE Conference that was sponsored by the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities. You did a fantastic job as our opening keynote speaker and also in your breakout session. Those in attendance found your presentation to be inspiring, motivating, educational, informative and sometimes even humorous. You are exactly what we look for when we book a keynote for our annual conference. We like the audience to leave feeling better than when they arrived. I think the laughter, the tears, and the standing ovation were all indicative of how much everyone loved you and the information you shared…on behalf of Alabama APSE, I’d like to offer you a resounding endorsement for any group looking for a speaker that will not only inspire and motivate their audience, but will also make their planning easier and make them look very good. That’s what you did for me and Alabama APSE.
On April 5, 2018, Marti delivered an immensely impactful account of her experience of overcoming extreme difficulties such as commercial sexual exploitation, post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic violence and addiction. She engaged our diverse audience of survivors, social workers, lawyers, members of law enforcement, and other concerned professionals by utilizing her sharp sense of humor and wit. Her ability to reach such a vast array of listeners was evidenced by the constant laughs that emanated from the room. Marti used her dynamic presence to teach the audience about the intersection that exists between commercial sexual exploitation, trauma, and addiction using her own life story as illustration. Her storytelling ability made the plenary equal parts entertaining and informative, a feat that can be extremely difficult to balance in this space.
Marti’s keynote speech was enlightening, inspirational, educational and entertaining to over 600 guests in attendance. Attendees included school teachers and social workers, probation officers, judges, attorneys, health service professionals and child services case workers, to name a few. She really captured the audience by sharing her personal story and life experiences…I highly recommend Marti MacGibbon if you are looking for a dynamic keynote speaker for an event or evening.
For communities or organization seeking a speaker who tells it like it is, shares her life story, and gives 110%, I recommend Marti MacGibbon.
The Landing highly recommends Marti MacGibbon as an inspirational speaker. Our nonprofit organization invited Marti to give a keynote speech at our 2nd Annual Christmas Breakfast Fundraiser, where there were over 300 attendees including survivors, community members, law enforcement personnel, government officials, business men and women and other nonprofit agencies. She is not only an enthusiastic speaker, but also a compassionate person who truly cares…This made such a difference when she gave her keynote, because she actually connected with our mission. When she got up to speak, the audience already felt like they knew her and she had everyone both laughing and tearing up – all within 20 minutes. Marti’s personality makes her an enjoyable person to be around and her experience makes her a perfect person to learn from.
Thank you for your presentation to the Association of Women Executives in Corrections in Daytona Beach in September of 2017. Your humor mixed with your life experiences made your presentation both funny and informative. Our membership appreciated hearing your story and highly rated your workshop.
There is no doubt in my mind that Marti is one of the very best speakers I’ve heard in my 20 years of working in the substance use disorder and mental health fields. Marti has an ability to gain trust and respect immediately by the depth of her knowledge, her lived experience and let’s not forget her sense of humor. Marti delivered a message of hope, love, and courage to women in recovery and to those who work with them. I believe that the reason she has such an impact on all people she presents to is that she is clearly genuine in every regard. People in recovery can see through hypocrisy. When you hear Marti speak and get to know her as a person, you fully realize that there is nothing artificial about her — it truly comes from her heart. Marti completely caters to the crowd as she shares her story with sophistication and hilarity. I credit Marti with the success of our event.
Many of my friends and colleagues have let me know how much they enjoyed your presentations on July 19th and July 20th, and how impressed they were with your energy and message of hope and understanding. As you know, the Evansville area works collaboratively to promote drug and alcohol prevention and treatment while working with local, regional and state law enforcement; your presentation was appealing to all three types of service providers. It was also noted from those of us who attended both presentations that you never repeated a personal story, keeping the audience engaged and more aware of addiction and recovery. When the Prosecutor, Fire Chief, Coroner, law enforcement officers, drug & alcohol counselors and public take time from their busy schedules to attend a presentation, I would deem that quite a success!
As the Planner for the 2017 Women’s Recovery Conference : Keys to Sustaining Recovery, I received numerous comments from participants who loved your Keynote as well as your detailed breakout session titled, Recovery Road Trip: Keys to the Car, where you shared priceless recovery and relapse prevention wisdom. As a psychotherapist, clinical addiction specialist and conference planner, I was impressed by your unique ability to share genuine recovery experience, to offer hope within the most harrowing of circumstances, and to skillfully combine it with professional knowledge and expertise. I’d like to add that your skill as a comedian engaged the audience at the most unexpected times — you wove in stories that grasped everyone’s attention on a serious note, only to leave them almost falling out of with laughter as they identified with common human phobias. I watched you effortlessly draw people together, while warming hearts with honest, irresistible humor.
It was such a pleasure working with you at the Indiana Criminal Justice Association annual conference in October 2016. The conclusion of the conference was a huge success thanks to your keynote presentation. Your talent to share an extremely personal, heartbreaking yet inspirational story is amazing. Your story of survival mixed with humor had attendees in tears and laughter…You certainly know how to pack a room!
Thank you for coming to share your story of hope and healing with the audience at our fundraising gala An Evening of Hope. Your willingness to be the face of recovery from addiction, trauma, trafficking and homelessness helped the audience understand more about the needs of the women at Our Hope as they begin the process of turning their lives around.
Marti MacGibbon came to Ames, Iowa in Sept. 2016 to help my organization and other local providers to celebrate National Recovery Month. Marti spoke to an audience of about 500 people at Iowa State University Memorial Union about the topics of hope, resilience and empowerment when impacted by life obstacles. Marti delivered an excellent presentation, which included heartfelt messages…Marti used humor, but still sent an excellent message to the audience. The response from the audience was overwhelming, and the feedback was phenomal regarding the messages she left with all attendees. I strongly recommend Marti MacGibbon as a speaker.
Marti spoke with eloquence and meaningful insight and she demonstrated a high level of expertise in dealing with trauma-informed and victim-centered responses. Marti also demonstrated best practices when supporting this population. Most importantly, Marti is an amazing storyteller and she shared messages of inspiration and insight when dealing with this heavy subject of exploitation and substance addiction. The Santa Clara County Office of Women’s Policy is so grateful that Marti presented as we truly benefited from her expertise and we hope to have her return to the County in the future to have her train the Santa Clara County Justice System on the intersections of human trafficking and substance abuse as well as best practices when dealing with Human Trafficking Survivors.
Marti MacGibbon’s speech was more than we could have expected. Numerous attendees noted on their evaluations that they were truly enlightened and gained valuable information from her keynote address. Some of the evaluations included such words and phrases as, touching, heartfelt, an amazing person, knowledgeable, colorful, animated, funny, amazing presenter, engaging…to name a few.
Our goal was for staff to feel inspired, rejuvenated, to laugh a lot and enjoy the day. Marti was able to produce those results with her energy and humor. The audience was laughing out loud and even crying with laughter at times. Not only was she funny, but her story of how she overcome barriers in her life was inspirational. Marti presented her “game changers” to give us real exercises we can practice to stay energized, refreshed and give us the strength to sustain ourselves in the difficult work we do each day. In preparing for this event, Marti was easy to work with. She took our ideas and theme for the day and was able to prepare a presentation that incorporated everything we were looking for. Marti was responsive and listened to our needs. We highly recommend Marti as a speaker for audiences of social services staff.
Every interaction with Marti throughout the planning process was enjoyable. She was professional and always willing to make any accommodations necessary to meet the needs of the conference and attendees. Mart understood the importance of meeting those expectations. As opening keynote speaker, she delivered a powerful message about addiction and recovery. She was refreshing, engaging, passionate, and funny. Marti is honest and real and her story and message is inspiring to all.
We would like to thank you for being our Keynote Speaker for our Annual Camp Victory Women’s Weekend! Your humor started our weekend with a lot of laughter, and your keynote address was filled with triumph, hope, and encouragement to live life fully, and to look back on our difficulties in life with faith, passion and joy! As you found out, Women’s Weekend is a fun, educational and therapeutic time for women who are newly diagnosed with cancer…many of the attendees commented on how you lifted their spirits and made them appreciate their lives more, and how “progress not perfection” is important. Your honesty and openness is refreshing…
Marti MacGibbon was the keynote speaker for our Annual State Conference in September 2015. Ms. MacGibbon delivered an inspirational presentation laced with humor, honesty, and hope. Through the sharing of her life experiences with addiction, trauma and mental illness, Ms. MacGibbon showed her audience of psychiatric nurses that recovery is possible; and she gave us insight into what we as psychiatric nurses can do for others even in the most trying of times. Ms. MacGibbon provided exactly what she advertises, and does so with great authenticity and enthusiasm. I would highly recommend Marti MacGibbon as keynote speaker for other audiences of mental health professionals.
Marti agreed to come out to the Russian River Empowerment Center this Spring and present an 8-part course entitled, “Hope After Dope.” Not only was this fitting for our members, but they LEARNED from her and laughed with each other. I personally felt a connection to Marti from the moment we met and at the end of her time with us we were all sad to see her go, but the best part was what we all took away from her – be happy in recovery, be strong in your decisions, and learn to love yourself & laugh at yourself just as much. We truly enjoyed having her with us and we are all looking forward to her return to the Russian River area next year. Thank you Marti! Much love from all of us at the Empowerment Center.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and your humor with us. The entire room roared with laughter at some of your antics. You are such an enjoyable speaker. I do not believe I have ever seen our crowd give a standing ovation to anyone, yet at the end of your presentation, all were on their feet! I believe you could have had their attention for another hour! You are an inspiration to all who work in behavioral health. It reminds us why we come to work every day. It means a great deal. I hope you will visit us again soon.
What an honor and a privilege it was to hear you speak at the Indiana Council for Community Mental Health Centers Child and Adolescent Conference in July. As part of the Child and Adolescent Committee, we were honored to have you speak to the leaders of our state and tell your story in such a powerful and inspiring way. Your story is one of pure courage in the face of so many obstacles that many of us cannot even fathom. I want to personally thank you for the work you do, the courage you possess and the hope you instill in us as we continue to advocate for others, and ourselves. Thank you for being real. And thank you for being funny.
Marti’s story is so strong and personal that it is impossible not to be enthralled. As she speaks and entertains, she moves around the room utilizing humor and reality in the perfect balance. Marti has the incredible ability to make both urban 9th graders and their mid-50s teachers laugh involuntarily and then moments later, think deeply about what is important for their respective future moving forward… she delivered a message that will not be forgotten.
Marti shared some of her lived experience with addiction, domestic violence, homelessness and mental illness. More importantly, she shared strategies that can create positive change in anyone’s lives. She is a warm, dynamic and entertaining speaker who can speak on numerous topics…
Marti MacGibbon is a dynamic, motivating and effective facilitator. She provided great insight, and her personality definitely is an asset and her energy resounds… Ms. MacGibbon has a unique ability to be entertaining, professional, humorous, motivational and informative all in the same presentation. Her ability to relate personal events into the presentations enhanced their impact and allowed the attendees to grasp the message.
Your personal testimony of Human Trafficking is a very important one. It reveals the vulnerability of youth, the challenge of choices, and ultimately, the empowerment possible when someone courageously confronts evil. Your audience was very attentive and engaged. Thank you for a fine presentation.
Marti provided the keynote address — “Recovery, Hope, and the Power of Gratitude” to an audience of 400 including public officials, addiction treatment specialists, community advocates and those in recovery. Her compelling, professional telling of her story resonated strongly with our attendees. Her story and lifestyle of embracing a grateful attitude helped to set the tone for our event objective of breaking down the stigma of addiction and recovery.
We are impressed that Marti is equally comfortable addressing a large audience or a small, intimate group. She has a genuine commitment to using her story and training to make a positive impact on individuals and communities. Before each presentation, she took the time to talk to staff about the participants, and tailored her presentations to meet their needs. Marti’s speeches are positive, motivating, uplifting and energetic, and she connected with and engaged the participants.
…She held the sold-out audience in the palm of her hand…In the three days since Marti’s presentation, I have received scores of emails from appreciative attendees. Marti MacGibbon’s message is one everyone should hear. We were honored to feature her as our inaugural presenter. We could not have made a better selection.
I wholeheartedly recommend Marti MacGibbon as a speaker on the topic of human trafficking/modern slavery. The audience hung on her every word, both because her story was so clearly authentic, but also because she told it with such expert care. In addition to this skill, though, Marti has a truly unique ability to find humor…This connects with an audience in a way that few speakers can. Marti’s story — and the way she tells it — is one of empowerment.
“Thanks again Marti for your presentation and the work that you do. You are an inspiration of strength and courage. Shame and blame can easily take over one’s life and create a rock solid barrier to overcome, but with the work you do, others can see a way to break the trauma barriers.”
Marti MacGibbon’s presentation deeply touched everyone on my staff — clinicians, disease intervention specialists and support personnel at all levels. The combination of humor and tragedy motivated all of us to a higher awareness and a dedication to those entrapped in a world wrapped in pain.
Marti MacGibbon is an upbeat and passionate radio guest whose story amazes and inspires. She entertains with humor and candor, with a strong message of renewal and reinvention. Thank you, Marti!
Marti MacGibbon has a way of telling her life story that will keep you spellbound. From tragedy to success, her heart wrenching story and the humorous way she tells it will cause you to double over with laughter. I applaud her tenacity and courage.
Marti’s story as a survivor is riveting. The experiences she has had are shared by many others in our world today. We need to be inspired by the hope and courage she exemplifies so that we too will triumph over obstacles. The audience was visibly moved by her words. She is wonderful at connecting with an audience.
Her down to earth style thoroughly entranced our guests. 100% of the attendees indicated the event raised awareness of human trafficking. Marti’s presentation helped us to achieve our two major goals admirably.
The presentation you gave was articulate, impassioned, well informed, and humorous but real world — it was an incredible testimony of hope and life, grounded in your personal experience of something that few of us can imagine. Rarely does our speaker get a standing ovation, which you were given spontaneously for several minutes!
Marti MacGibbon is a speaker like no other! Her book, Never Give in to Fear, grew out of the abyss of addiction, homelessness and human trafficking. Her amazing story of hurtling these obstacles and moving into a life of prosperity and success is what makes Marti someone worth listening to. She uses humor (she is also a standup comic) and emotion to show others how they can change their professional and personal lives for the better. Your group will laugh, cry and make those positive changes in their lives.
If they make a movie of Marti MacGibbon’s Amazon bestselling memoir, ‘Never Give in to Fear,’ it’ll be The Cinderella Story as told by Quentin Tarantino.
Marti’s life walk proves that anyone can overcome life’s adversities as long as you have the conviction of your beliefs and the courage to follow through — regardless of the cost. In “Never Give into Fear,” Marti shares her story, which in fact is the human story; love, loss, sacrifice, redemption and a second chance…
Marti MacGibbon was one of the most fascinating guests we’ve ever had on the show… Even though we’re a sports talk station, I’m always looking for guests who are interesting— Marti is certainly that! Her stories are captivating; her delivery keeps the audience listening; and her positivity is nothing short of amazing. She’s an interview that will be remembered by our listeners for a long, long time!
When you hire Marti MacGibbon to speak to your group, you get energy, humor, passion, and substance. At Fairbanks, she connected emotionally with our audience. I was impressed with how Marti customized her presentation to fit our audience’s needs. By telling her powerful story of how she prevailed against all odds, your audience will laugh, cry and take action to make positive changes in their lives.
Your powerful presentation, particularly your personal story, touched our audience and surprised them. Your honesty and sincerity in discussing your life, your negative choices, and the things you learned in rebounding from them, offered an educational and empowering lesson for all of us.
I’ve seen many speakers – Marti MacGibbon is the best. Her story is unlike any other – she’s overcome unimaginable hardships, yet kept her sense of humor. You will be inspired! With a true gift for storytelling and humor, she gives a speech you will never forget.”
“For humor: She’s always been my favorite comedienne and she brings all her natural comedic talents to the table. She will exceed your highest expectations.
When something’s so good you want more – Marti MacGibbon is an exceptional and original speaker. Her sense of humor and comedic timing lift your spirit as she reveals how she overcome intense obstacles.
I highly recommend Marti MacGibbon as an accomplished, effective, and humorous speaker. I am particularly impressed with Marti’s ability to tailor her presentation to our particular audience. Marti does this with compassion, humor, and empathy.
Your talents are considerable. Your reputation preceded you, and we are happy that you were with us for our very successful event for Hurricane Katrina Relief.
Words cannot express the gratitude we feel. We had an overwhelmingly positive response from the 1200 people attending the event. Your sweet and hilarious message resonated with all of us. The audience loved you and so do we.
Marti MacGibbon told her story of triumph over tremendous adversity and trauma. She is someone I would highly recommend, as she speaks from her personal story.
Marti’s presentation was an engaging mix of narrative and humor, as well as an inspiring message about hope. Marti is a powerful speaker. I highly recommend her to other organizations.
The audience all enjoyed Marti MacGibbon. She was hilarious as well as thought-provoking.
Marti works to educate people with her energetic and passionate speaking. She showed us that it is possible to heal with humor, to come through a horrible experience with grace, dignity and wit.
When Marti MacGibbon stepped onstage that evening she was engaging, poignant, and sharp. She was honest, humorous, and took everyone on a ride through the social issues that seemingly purvey all of our times. She commanded the stage, and for one evening at least, I got something unexpected yet greatly appreciated.
Marti MacGibbon is one of those rare, gifted individuals who is willing to share her remarkable story, her strength and unyielding sense of humor with the public for the good of all. Marti will deliver an uplifting, riveting performance for your next event.
Only one speaker had me sitting on the edge of my chair, and that was Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, my mentor. Then along comes Marti MacGibbon and it happened again..While my co-host P.R. guru Pam Lontos interviewed Marti on the World Positive Thinkers Club radio show I was sitting on the edge of my chair again. Don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime and get her as your next speaker.
Marti is one of the most joyous guests we’ve ever had…she walks the walk, and talks the talk AND laughs the laugh! She will bring laughter, warmth and insight to any show.