- Winner of CBS Survivor: Africa
- Co-founder of Grassroot Soccer (GRS)
- Cancer survivor and global health advocate
Ethan Zohn redefines the word "survivor" in more ways than one. Not only did he win the 1-million-dollar prize on CBS Survivor: Africa, but he also used that victory as a springboard to an extraordinary life of entrepreneurship, social purpose, and advocacy. His journey is nothing short of remarkable, showcasing perseverance, accomplishment, and an enduring spirit in the face of unimaginable challenges.
In 2002, after winning the $1 million prize from Survivor: Africa, Ethan co-founded Grassroot Soccer (GRS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of soccer to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. With a strong focus on empowering young people, GRS developed a soccer-based HIV prevention curriculum, which has since educated over 700,000 young people across Southern Africa. GRS has expanded its reach to over 40 countries worldwide by partnering with global organisations. Ethan’s leadership has been instrumental in building a robust network of donors, including Nike, the Gates Foundation, USAID, FIFA, and others.
In August 2008, Ethan launched the Grassroot Soccer UNITED campaign, an international, youth-led movement to end HIV/AIDS in Africa. To bring attention to the cause, he embarked on a world-record-breaking 550-mile journey, dribbling a soccer ball from Boston to Washington, D.C. This campaign embodied the spirit of youth-driven activism and further solidified GRS’s impact in Africa and beyond.
Ethan’s dedication has also extended to founding the GRS Endurance Team, which has raised over $2 million through marathon participation. Despite his battles with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Ethan has continued to compete in marathons, inspiring others to contribute to the cause. His commitment to health, both personally and globally, remains central to his life’s work.
Today, Grassroot Soccer is a leader in global health education, providing life-saving HIV/AIDS education to more than 18 million young people across 60 countries. Ethan’s vision of a youth-led movement continues to inspire and mobilize communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa.
As an international keynote speaker, Ethan delivers powerful presentations deeply rooted in personal strength. He inspires audiences to confront life's questions, challenges, and opportunities with unwavering determination and character. With his remarkable sense of humour, honesty, and vulnerability, he offers keynotes that encourage audiences to view crises as opportunities to make a meaningful impact. If you are seeking inspiration to weather the storms of life or overcome obstacles at work, tune in to Ethan's story and learn how to survive and thrive.
Ethan's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
In 2020, millions of Survivor fans got to see 20 previous winners from the reality show’s storied past return for another shot at victory and a $2 million prize. And while each of them had a journey to getting back to the island, season 3 winner Ethan Zohn may have the most inspirational story of them all. Because up until seven years ago, not only was it up in the air whether Ethan would be playing Survivor again in 2020, it was unlikely he would even be alive to see season 40. This keynote tells the story of his journey through cancer and back to the island and what he learned about himself and human beings along the way.
Why we recommend booking Ethan
Booking Ethan Zohn will empower your team or business with the unparalleled resilience and determination he embodies, having triumphed over life's most daunting challenges, including cancer and the competitive world of reality TV. His journey from professional athlete to social entrepreneur and cancer survivor offers invaluable lessons on leadership, perseverance, and leveraging personal trials for global impact.
It was very inspirational, and Ethan was personable & authentic, and I appreciated how he weaved SoftwareOne's values and business into his message.
Jacqui OBree, Global Leader - Professional & Team Development
Global Leader - Professional & Team Development
Everything was terrific! Ethan was such a fantastic speaker and was truly a pleasure to work with. The room was literally still during his recounts of his experience as a patient. There's a lot of great feedback about his discussion online through various Tweets, Blogs, etc. I have a few patient advocates who approached me as they'd really love to follow in his footsteps - he is an inspiration. After a day of technical and controversial discussions regarding reaching the patient and tracking their online behaviour - it was refreshing to bring it home with the heart behind patient wellness & healing.
Institute for International Research (IIR)
Thank you so much for an excellent speech today, Ethan. You did a truly great job! So many wonderful things you shared in an authentic way; really helped to cut through the corporate language that we use on a daily basis. I wanted to share with you a message I received when I got back to my desk (on top of the loads of positive feedback instantly at the event). The note below is from a colleague who appreciated your speech. This type of feedback makes all of the hard work so satisfying, thank you again for an excellent job
Institute for International Research (IIR)
