Roy Casagranda Keynote Speaker

Expert in political science, history and philosophy
Former Professor of Government at Austin Community College (ACC)
Avid storyteller with a large following on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram

Roy Casagranda's Biography

Dr. Roy Casagranda (aka Dr. Roy) is an experienced and prolific keynote speaker, and has delivered talks on topics as varied as the history of Ancient Egypt, US election politics, the history of energy, the Aztecs, and the causes of WWII.

From the beginning of his academic career, Roy rejected the pedantic style of delivery in favor of a storytelling format. This decision drove Dr. Roy’s academic career towards public scholarship where he has received some fame on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Dr. Roy’s talks have been described as cinematic. In plain language, he weaves humor and evocative description into a compelling narrative in order to break down complicated concepts and historical events. His encyclopaedic wealth of information affords him the ability to make surprising connections, see patterns others can’t see, and to ground elusive topics into compelling human stories.

He runs the Austin School (soon to be rebranded) YouTube channel which has over 125k subscribers and over 12.5m views. He has one historical fiction novel out, The Blood Throne of Caria, and another on the way. He serves as an advisor to Safe Space Pictures Foundation and is currently involved with the production of a movie, a Netflix series, and a documentary film.

In 2024 he published a chapter on US foreign policy in the Middle East in Josef Mühlbauer’s Kritische Friedensforschung: Konzepte, Analysen, & Diagnosen (Critical Peace Studies: Concepts, Analysis, and Diagnoses).

Dr. Roy currently serves as an Expert with the United Arab Emirates University where he teaches courses in political science, history, and philosophy. He was previously a Professor of Government at Austin Community College.

Historical:

The history of Egypt, Arab history, the Roman Empire, Aztec history, the US Civil War, the Cold War, the Modern Middle East, and WWII.

Political:

The US Presidency, leadership, US domestic policy analysis, ideology, international relations, political philosophy, and decision-making processes.

Philosophical:

Ibn Sina, Heidegger, Habermas, Arendt, Marcuse, Hobbes, Locke, Wollstonecraft, Machiavelli and Plato.

He is a prolific keynote speaker and public scholar who brings history, politics and culture to life through cinematic storytelling that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish.
He translates complex events, from Ancient Egypt to modern geopolitics, into clear narratives that help leaders understand power, conflict and the patterns that shape today’s world.
He combines encyclopaedic knowledge with humour and plain language, making sophisticated ideas accessible and memorable for broad corporate and public audiences.
He has built a major digital following through the Austin School channel and social platforms, demonstrating rare ability to communicate big ideas at scale and connect with diverse audiences.
He draws on academic expertise and recent work on US foreign policy in the Middle East to offer timely context that sharpens strategic thinking and decision-making.