Joan Lunden Keynote Speaker

Award-Winning Journalist & Former Co-Host of ABC's "Good Morning America"
Bestselling Author
Breast Cancer Survivor and Health & Senior Advocate

Joan Lunden's Biography

An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, television host, and motivational speaker, Joan Lunden has been a trusted voice in American homes for more than 40 years. For nearly two decades, Lunden greeted viewers each morning on Good Morning America, making her the longest-running female host ever on early morning television.

Lunden continues to be one of America’s most recognized and trusted journalists, making her a sought-after speaker for events across the country. As an ardent health and senior advocate, she has testified before the Food and Drug Administration advocating for mandatory mammogram reporting and before the Congressional House Ways and Means Committee in support of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

She is the host of the PBS television series Second Opinion with Joan Lunden and the Washington Post podcast series Caring for Tomorrow, which explores the future of healthcare. Lunden also serves as ambassador to the Poynter Institute’s MediaWise for Seniors program, which educates individuals over 50 on media literacy — helping them separate fact from fiction online. Recently, she served as a visiting professor at Lehigh University’s College of Health, where she taught “Population Health and the Media.”

One of the most visible women in America, Lunden has graced the covers of more than 60 magazines and books. Her New York Times bestselling book, Why Did I Come into This Room: A Candid Conversation About Aging, offered a candid and often humorous look at the realities of aging and resonated deeply with audiences nationwide.

Her new memoir, Life Beyond the Script — to be released on March 3, 2026 — reflects on her extraordinary life and career as a journalist and television host, highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped her journey and the lessons learned along the way.

In June 2014, Lunden was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. An eternal optimist, she transformed her diagnosis and treatment into an opportunity to advocate for others. She shared her battle in her book Had I Known, inspiring countless readers with her honesty and strength.

Lunden continues to engage with Americans daily through her website, JoanLunden.com, and her social media platforms. She has also served as a national spokesperson for organizations including the American Heart Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, American Lung Association, American Red Cross, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Colon Cancer Alliance.

Joan Lunden truly exemplifies today’s modern working woman — resilient, compassionate, and endlessly inspiring.

My Journey with Breast Cancer

In this speech, Joan shares her journey with breast cancer, why she went public and what she learned through her experience. From breast cancer myths, risk factors women need to know about, and tips for enduring the cancer journey, Joan talks about the hard decisions, and the silver linings she discovered along the way.

Caregiving & Boomers

66 million Americans are caregivers for someone they love. With people living past 100, there is an increased demand for family members to serve as caregivers. From informational documents to balancing your health as a caregiver, Joan shares her personal journey of caring for her aging mother while raising a family and managing her career.

Leadership & Success

From small-town weather girl to earning the seat as co-host of the top morning TV show in the country, Joan shares her perspective on leadership and strategies for success from her personal journey to the top. With insights from the most successful people in the world, Joan shares her discoveries, including her say “yes” attitude.

Women’s Empowerment

Joan helped pave the way for working women in America after a long career in a male-dominated industry. Joan has a unique perspective with tips and anecdotes that transcend any industry. In her empowering talk, Joan shares how she navigated it all with optimism, determination, and of course, her witty sense of humor.

Health & Wellness

Joan advocates for how essential it is to live a vibrant, active, and engaged lifestyle to protect yourself from chronic illness. She discusses heart health, diabetes, cancer and general women’s health & wellness. Joan shares the changes she made to live a healthier lifestyle and the importance of putting yourself and your health first.

Motivation & Inspiration

In her motivational talks, Joan shares personal inspirational mantras and secrets for living life with a positive attitude. Joan gives tips about how to seize opportunity and inspires audiences with her “expect to win” philosophy. By saying yes to challenges, Joan talks about how she was able to overcome obstacles and create her own success.

Moderating

Joan is a veteran in guiding discussions and making panelists feel comfortable. She brings her own insight to a panel discussion, while skillfully navigating the personalities of the experts on the stage. Joan moderates and leads panel discussion on a variety of topics; from the role of women in media, health & wellness, breast cancer, caregiving and leadership.

Joan Lunden 2025

Reset Yourself in 2023 w/Joan Lunden | She Rises Studios Podcast

Fearlessness in the Face of Adversity with Joan Lunden

Population Health Colloquium Series: The Media's Role in Guiding Populations During Health Crises

Dinner Keynote: Joan Lunden

Books by Joan Lunden

Why Did I Come Into This Room?

Had I Known

Life Beyond the Script

Comments & Testimonials

Joan Lunden's participation drew a huge crowd to the inaugural event, and she electrified the room with her inspiring life story and commitment to women’s health and wellness. She is an incredibly engaging and thoughtful speaker, and her participations was a critical component to the success of the event.

Joshua Krakoff Chief Operating Officer of JCC Rockland

Joan, thank you for your passion and commitment to helping women and their families live longer, stronger, healthier lives.

Nancy Brown Chief Executive Officer of American Heart Association

The women of Greenville are STILL talking about your visit; you made quite an impact on our community and brought such positive energy to us. I cannot thank you enough for your generous spirit and kindness - to say the least, you've left big shoes to fill in the years to come.

Bonny Breuer Women to Women, Greenville, South Carolina

Joan, you were terrific at the Austin Go Red For Women Luncheon!! We all appreciated your graciousness and your message about health, prevention of heart disease, were impactful. So many of us felt you were talking specifically to us and that was a gift. Thank you for your amazing energy, humor, and presence.

American Heart Association

"Joan Lunden was so gracious and so perfect for opening our state conference! Her passion for family caregiving and senior care was quite evident in her remarks and we truly appreciated her interest in home care and hospice. It was such a joy to welcome her and to have her as part of our conference."

Pennsylvania Homecare Association

"Joan was wonderful! I have been inundated with emails and phone calls since yesterday. Everyone is giving me positive feedback: Joan was engaging, funny, heartfelt, approachable, and so very nice! The entire day was a huge success."

Valley Hospital Foundation