Dustin Giannelli is a disability advocate and entrepreneur, widely recognised as CEO and Founder of HearsDustin. Diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of five, Dustin has worn hearing aids for most of his life and has transformed that lived experience into a compelling professional platform. He speaks globally on communication, accessibility, inclusion and culture, helping organisations understand how people perform best when they feel seen, heard and valued. His biggest achievement is building HearsDustin into a trusted voice for inclusive workplace culture, partnering with major global brands while remaining rooted in authenticity and impact.
Dustin’s early career was shaped by resilience, curiosity and a strong sense of self-advocacy. Growing up with hearing loss meant learning early how to navigate environments not designed with accessibility in mind. At school and through sport, he developed discipline, adaptability and confidence, while also learning the importance of clear communication. He studied Marketing at the University of New Hampshire, where he became an active public speaker within Deaf Studies programmes and developed a passion for presenting. During this time, he earned recognition at the Holloway Innovation-to-Market Competition, an experience that sharpened his entrepreneurial thinking. Alongside academic success, personal loss during university further strengthened his drive to create meaningful work, shaping the values that now underpin his speaking and consultancy.
Professionally, Dustin built a strong commercial foundation before launching his own business. He progressed through senior sales and leadership roles, including Enterprise Account Executive at 3Play Media, where he became a visible accessibility advocate within media and higher education, and Business Development Manager at Inscape, focusing on Universal Design and inclusive workspaces. Earlier, he rose to Director of Architectural Design Representation at IdeaPaint, leading national teams and strategic partnerships. In 2023, he founded HearsDustin, formalising his work as a keynote speaker and consultant. The business is recognised as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise, and Dustin has since delivered keynotes, workshops and panels for organisations including Sony, NBCUniversal, Converse, Peloton, Ralph Lauren, Princeton University and the University of Michigan. He has also served as Master of Ceremonies for Walk4Hearing New England, supporting national advocacy for people with hearing loss.
Dustin is hired because he delivers clarity, credibility and connection. His talks combine personal storytelling with practical strategies that leaders and teams can apply immediately. He covers topics including communication, accessibility, disability inclusion, mental health, leadership and inclusive culture, always linking inclusion to performance and trust. His energy on stage is matched by his ability to create safe, engaging spaces for honest conversation. For organisations committed to meaningful inclusion and better communication, Dustin brings insight, warmth and lasting impact.
Dustin Giannelli’s official speaker topics are listed below:
Be On Offence: The Mindset That Creates an Inclusive Culture
How do we advocate for ourselves and create cultures where everyone can speak up? In this inspiring keynote, Dustin challenges audiences to rethink how they approach obstacles, communication and leadership. After a defining moment at Michael Jordan’s basketball camp at age 11, Dustin created his motto, “Be On Offence.” He shares a powerful mindset framework shaped by his experience growing up with hearing loss. Through storytelling and lived experiences, he shows how individuals, leaders and allies can take proactive ownership of their voice and play a role in building more inclusive workplace cultures. This keynote resonates with ERG members, leaders and allies who want to move from awareness to action. Attendees leave with a renewed perspective on resilience, communication and the role each of us play at work.
Breaking Barriers: The Importance of Communication and Accessibility in the Workplace
The key to a successful team, relationship and business are all the same. The answer is “Communication" and the key to successful communication is “Access.” In this presentation, Dustin teaches a framework through his lived experiences to highlight why effective communication is so important in workplace culture. Dustin facilitates an interactive exercise that will shift how your teams think about collaboration and also introduces leading accessibility service providers.
Overcoming Adversity with a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA)
We all experience personal challenges, and each of us has a unique story. But what matters most is how we overcome these obstacles on a daily basis. In this impactful keynote, Dustin shares the powerful lesson of Positive Mental Attitude, instilled in him by his late grandfather, a double amputee, at a young age. Dustin empowers his audience to approach adversity with resilience and optimism, while also embracing one another’s differences.
The M&M Theory: Where Manifestation Meets Momentum
“The M&M Theory” is more than just positive thinking. This keynote reveals how vision and action work together to create lasting impact. Audiences will learn how to align belief with behaviour, build momentum through daily habits, and sustain personal and professional growth. As a follow-up to one of the previous keynotes, such as “Be On Offence”, this session deepens the conversation by focusing on actionable strategies that drive real change. It’s about what happens next, and how individuals and teams can channel inspiration into meaningful progress across the organisation.
- 2025 - Co-Founder of Paid 2 Present
- 2023 - Founded HearsDustin LLC
- 2023 - Achieved Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) certification through Disability:IN
- 2022 - Master of Ceremonies, Walk4Hearing New England
- 2021 - Enterprise Account Executive, 3Play Media, leading accessibility advocacy
- 2019 - Director of Architectural Design Representation, IdeaPaint
- 2012 - Holloway Innovation-to-Market Competition Winner, University of New Hampshire
How to hire Dustin Giannelli
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Dustin Giannelli for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
