Biography

Book Leland Melvin through The Keynote Curators.

Leland Melvin is a space thought leader, astronaut, engineer, educator, and former NFL wide receiver for the Detroit Lions

Leland Melvin is the only person drafted into the National Football League to have flown in space. He was featured on National Geographic’s One Strange Rock, hosted by Will Smith, where he explained how his brain repaired itself after an injury that left him deaf and almost stopped him from ever going to space

Even after being medically disqualified to fly in space by NASA flight surgeons, Leland completed two Space Shuttle missions to help build the International Space Station. Served as the co-chair of the White House’s Federal Coordination in STEM Education Task Force, developing the nation’s 5-year plan for STEM education.

His memoir, Chasing Space, shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance and grace that align to create the opportunities for success.

Consultant on National Geographic’s second season of Mars.

Contact us for Leland Melvin’s fees and availability.

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Videos

An astronaut's story of curiosity, perspective and change | Leland Melvin

STEM Career Playbook Featuring Hyundai's Olabisi Boyle

Celebrating Black Lives In The Space Industry: An Exchange Of Leadsership Stories & Experiences

Episode 3: A Journey into Space with Astronaut/Engineer and former NFL player, Leland Melvin

Celebrating Black Lives In The Space Industry: An Exchange Of Leadsership Stories & Experiences

A Conversation: Leland Melvin and Bill Nye

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Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances

Leland looks back on his uncommon life — he was the first person in human history to catch a pass in the NFL and walk in space. Leland will examine his life through the prism of success and achievement. How did he succeed where he rightly should have failed? What motivated him to overcome injuries, setbacks, expulsions, and debilitating deafness? Leland will not only recount his path with honesty and curiosity, but he will also mine the latest thinking by researchers, authors, and academics, applying their work to his own life – and by extension giving the audience applicable takeaways.

Blog Posts

Confidence Without Vulnerability Creates Teams That Never Improve

Insights on how confidence and vulnerability coexist in high-performing teams from decorated Navy fighter pilot Jack Becker's proven debrief strategies.

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Champion Mindset Starts Where Talent Ends and Work Begins

The champion mindset that separates top performers from everyone else with insights from elite performance speaker Ross Bernstein.

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Inspiration Starts When You Start Nurturing Genuine Connections

Discover where real inspiration comes from with Chris Schembra's proven approach to human connection that transforms workplace culture and employee engagement.

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Brand Leadership Secrets That Transform Culture and Drive Business Success

Learn how brand identity drives business success from the inside out with expert insights from Denise Lee Yohn on culture, purpose, and customer experience.

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AI Guardrails Guidance Leaders Actually Need Before Scaling Technology

AI decision-making needs guardrails. Explore how keynote speakers help leaders build responsible AI governance without sacrificing innovation.

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Storytelling Expert Bruce Turkel Reveals Why Your Events Fail to Connect

Storytelling expert Bruce Turkel shares proven techniques to transform events from forgettable presentations into experiences audiences remember.

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