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Peter Dankelson    

Partner at Pete's Diary, Guitarist with Hearing Loss & Craniofacial Differences

Peter Dankelson has been called, “A champion of the human spirit,” by Stevie Dacanay of the band Buckcherry and a “Difference maker in life,” by Mike Babcock, NHL Head Coach 2002 - 2019 and a 2x Olympic Gold-Medalist.

Dankelson motivates audiences to live their best life by choosing a positive mindset and finding self-acceptance. He shares his medical journey with Goldenhar Syndrome, living life with a facial difference, and overcoming his hearing loss and other disabilities to teach himself how to play the guitar. He demonstrates how music helps him express his emotions, and he encourages audiences to find their own creative outlet.

Dankelson has been honored as a Patient of Courage by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Champion of Hope by Global Genes. He is an ambassador for Children’s Craniofacial Association, the frontman for the Pete’s Diary band, and the co-author of his autobiography, "How I Learned to Rock My Life: The Peter Dankelson Story." He has performed with professional musicians including Joe Bonamassa, Tyler Bryant, Jared James Nichols, Dirty Honey, and Buckcherry. Music Radar named him one of 2020’s Best Online Guitar Personalities.

Speech Topics


Gratitude, Positivity, and Living a Life That Matters

How to Rock Your Life

This session shows how being your own hero starts with being kind to yourself. You know that little voice inside your head? It can either build you up or it can tear you down. That's why words matter. They shape what you believe about yourself and how you feel about your life.

Using an example of your life as a book, this session shares how every day is an opportunity to write a new chapter, edit an old one, and decide what’s consuming the most pages. What’s the biggest chapter in your book? What type of character are you?

Rocking your life is about becoming the best version of yourself. It means honoring your past but not allowing it to consume your future.

Rocking your life means:

  • Choosing courage over fear
  • Practicing gratitude
  • Accepting things you can't change
  • Learning from failure
  • Never giving up on yourself
  • Finding your tribe
  • Pursuing your passion
  • Reminding yourself to laugh once in a while!

Peter Dankelson, with a dose of humor, shares how he practices these strategies in his own life. Every session ends with Peter taking classic rock song requests. Audiences feel like they’ve just attended a motivational concert!

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