Listening to People. Speaking to Possibilities.

People respond to being heard. That’s what saved Randy Haveson when, at the age of 24, he reached out to a stranger at the other end of a crisis hotline to convince him not to slit his wrist. His response to being heard was to change the course of his life from one of addictive behavior to one of possibilities.

Randy knew that he had both the motivation and the gift to shift others’ perspectives and to set transformations in motion by addressing self-esteem, leadership, and addictive behavior. But to do so, people first had to know that they had been heard. In order to better speak to the possibilities that all of us have to lead more fulfilling lives, Randy pursued his master’s in “listening”.

Today, as a professional speaker with an M.A. in Counseling, Randy listens before he speaks. He listens to the Health Educators, Counselors, Student Affairs Office, Residence Life, Greek Life, College Presidents, Athletic Directors/Coaches, Student Activities Directors, and Orientation Directors who seek him out to positively impact college life and the reputation of their school.

Randy Haveson takes “listening” a step further, routinely sitting down with students -- just hours before presenting -- to hear their ideas, issues, and predisposition to the topic at hand. The ease with which he adapts his program in real time to reach his audience has both administrators AND students asking him back for more.

He has a soft spot for young adults and a gift for reaching them. Since 1986, Randy has impacted the lives of young adults nationwide. As a therapist, he has worked with high school and college students on issues ranging from substance abuse to depression and self-image. His comprehensive health education programs have received national recognition for their effectiveness and innovation. As a former university administrator on three campuses, he speaks the language of higher education.

Young adults respond to Randy’s energy, honesty, and ability to transform oversized issues into manageable pieces through stories they can relate to. He draws from his love of fiction to make the scary topics safe to talk about. And he draws from his varied life experiences – drummer, pizza delivery guy, and t-shirt printer, to name a few – to find a common ground. Randy’s ability to connect with young adults and youth spills over to fill much of his free time, whether he’s advising his local youth group or chairing the Youth Leadership Program for NSA, the National Speakers Association.

Randy responded positively to being heard and it forever changed his understanding of what it takes to “get through” to people and affect positive change. An accomplished speaker who brings the compassion of an individual in recovery, the training of a skilled counselor, and the understanding of a university administrator – Randy gets through and gets results by first listening to people then speaking to possibilities.

Randy is a two time finalist for APCA Speaker of the Year. In 2001 he was named as one of the “Best of the Best” speakers in the 25 year history of the BACCHUS & GAMMA Peer Education Network and in 2002 was named as the Showcase Speaker of the Year by the Georgia chapter of the National Speakers Association.