Inspirational humorist · keynote speaker · Parkinson's advocate
Raw storytelling, dark humor, psychology, and more than three decades inside Parkinson's— without the pity, platitudes, or performative optimism.
Laugh through it. Live through it. Lead through it.
Former attorney. Current pain in Parkinson's ass.
Lived experience—not borrowed expertise.
I was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson's at 24, while I was still in law school. I went on to practice law for roughly 25 years because apparently one impossible profession at a time wasn't enough.
Since then, I've lived through medication alarms, dyskinesia in court, brain surgery, falls, reinvention, and enough unsolicited advice to qualify as its own neurological disorder. I've testified before the United States Senate, written four books, and spent decades translating the reality of chronic illness into language people can actually feel.
I don't inspire from a safe distance. I stand in the mess, tell the truth, and make it funny—because laughter isn't denial. It's defiance.
See what I bring to the stageParkinson's doesn't steal movement first. It steals your sense of time.My work helps people take some of it back.
Talks that leave a mark.
Inspirational keynotes that blend humor, resilience, and actionable insight. Every program is tailored to the people in the room—not pulled from a motivational template.
Patients · caregivers · community
A signature keynote about grief, identity, resilience, and learning to laugh without pretending any of this is easy.
Healthcare · medical education · pharma
A patient-experience keynote that puts humor, dignity, uncertainty, and real human connection back into clinical care.
Corporate · leadership · general audiences
A practical, deeply human talk about psychological flexibility, honest optimism, and using humor as a tool—not an escape hatch.
Signature programs
Open a program for the complete abstract, learning objectives, takeaways, and ideal audience.
In the world of chronic illness, pain isn't always the most dangerous symptom—disconnection is. After a life-altering diagnosis, many people find themselves grieving silently, hiding their truth behind a smile, and slowly shrinking under the weight of shame, fatigue, and fear.
This keynote is a lifeline for anyone navigating the emotional and psychological aftermath of chronic illness. With raw honesty and unexpected humor, Richie shares his journey from law school to life with Young-Onset Parkinson's—showing audiences how to reclaim their voice, laugh on purpose, and turn personal chaos into meaningful connection.
By the end, audiences feel seen, heard, and reconnected to a life they still deserve to live—messy, beautiful, hilarious, and whole. They learn how to use humor as a coping tool, community as medicine, and storytelling as a radical act of healing.
Most medical training teaches students how to treat diseases. Richie teaches what it feels like to live with one. Diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson's at 24 while in law school, he brings a raw, deeply human perspective to the provider-patient relationship—infused with gut-level honesty and laugh-out-loud storytelling.
This keynote challenges the medical community to go beyond the chart and see the patient behind the symptoms: their grief, humor, shame, defiance, and desire to be heard. Doctors, students, and healthcare teams leave with a renewed sense of purpose, empathy, and insight into what patients need most—not just answers, but connection.
A practical program teaching the mindset shifts and repeatable rituals that helped Richie keep showing up—even when his body wouldn't. This is resilience without denial, humor without avoidance, and useful tools people can carry back into work and life.
Corporate teams · leadership retreats · general audiences · wellness conferences
Presentation formats
Richie's programs can be customized to fit your event's needs and audience goals.
Engaging presentations that blend personal stories with actionable insights, leaving audiences both moved and motivated.
Guided exercises, small-group discussion, and personalized strategies participants can implement immediately.
A lived perspective on disability advocacy, patient experience, resilience, and healthcare innovation.
Intimate, moderated conversations with deeper exploration and direct audience engagement through Q&A.
What happens in the room
Humor creates enough safety for people to hear the difficult thing instead of defending against it.
Clinical language gives way to the emotional truth of what illness, uncertainty, and dependence actually feel like.
Not because I hand out easy answers, but because honest stories have a longer shelf life than bullet points.
The work keeps moving.
Speaking is one room at a time. The rest of my work keeps the conversation going for the people living it every day.
Writing & community
Live conversation
Books
A few things the bio leaves out
1996Diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson's while in law school
2000Testified before the United States Senate about Parkinson's research
2008Underwent bilateral STN deep brain stimulation
2025Began a new chapter with continuous levodopa infusion therapy
TodaySpeaking, writing, advocating, and living defiantly
Bring the real conversation to your room.
Tell me about your audience, your event, and what you need them to feel when they leave. We'll build the right talk from there.