Book Ross Pambrun for your event
Ross Pambrun is an international keynote speaker, futurist and storyteller whose experience spans artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, healthcare, firefighting, cybersecurity, Indigenous culture and organizational leadership. This unique background allows him to connect emerging technology with the realities facing people, communities and organizations.
Named the 2026 Most Compelling Calgarian by the Calgary Herald, Ross has also spoken at the Wall Street Journal Future of Everything Festival in New York City on the social progress of artificial intelligence.
Using humour, storytelling and real-world experience, Ross makes complex subjects accessible and relevant. Whether exploring responsible AI adoption, leadership through uncertainty, cybersecurity risk or Indigenous relationships, he connects big ideas with practical human experience.
His background as an emcee, actor and musician further shapes his engaging stage presence and natural ability to connect with audiences.
AI, cybersecurity & the human future
Ross is CEO of The Memphis Group, an award-winning artificial intelligence company and 2023 Innovation Award winner. The company applies AI, machine learning and cybersecurity approaches to help protect communities and values at risk from wildfires and environmental threats around the world.
This work places Ross at the intersection of emerging technology, risk and human responsibility. His presentations explore the opportunities of AI alongside the challenges organizations must navigate, including literacy, ethics, bias, trust, cybersecurity and responsible implementation.
Studies at MIT, Harvard and the Alan Turing Institute have further strengthened his expertise in AI, ethics and innovation.
Ross also speaks extensively on cybersecurity, exploring cyber risk leadership, cyber literacy, security culture and the convergence of AI and cybersecurity. His focus goes beyond technology to examine how people, leadership and organizational systems shape security and resilience.
Leadership built through experience
Ross' approach to leadership has been shaped by environments where decisions carry real consequences.
Before working in AI, he built VIP Occupational Health into a national success and led the company through a successful sale. That entrepreneurial experience informs his presentations on transformation, purposeful growth, resilience and change management.
Ross also spent seven years as a Registered Nurse in advanced critical care and more than 25 years as a firefighter, rising to the rank of Captain. He has received service medals from the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta and the City of Calgary.
He is also an Emeritus Chief Science Officer in Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine with the Calgary Firefighters Burn Treatment Society.
Together, these experiences give Ross a practical perspective on resilience, emotional intelligence, organizational culture and leading people through change in the age of AI.
Keynote topics with real-world relevance
Ross Pambrun's keynote presentations span five core areas:
- Artificial Intelligence: AI literacy, ethics, bias, trust, cybersecurity and responsible adoption.
- Change Management & Leadership: resilience, systems thinking, emotional intelligence, culture and human-centred transformation.
- Indigenous Peoples & Culture: reconciliation, relationship building, sovereignty, community and heritage.
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship: curiosity, storytelling, continuous learning and purposeful growth.
- Cyber Security & Cyber Innovation: cyber risk leadership, AI-cybersecurity convergence, cyber literacy and responsible security culture.
With a strong Métis heritage, Ross also speaks about navigating the Indigenous landscape and strengthening relationships through informed conversations around reconciliation, community, sovereignty and heritage.
A storyteller on stage & screen
Storytelling is central to Ross' approach. His experience in healthcare, emergency response, business and technology provides a wealth of real-world stories, while his work in entertainment helps him turn those experiences into memorable presentations.
Ross completed a 100-episode podcast series featuring guests from diverse backgrounds and appears weekly on the five-time nominated treasure-hunting television show Red River Gold, filmed across Canada and the UK and aired internationally.
For organizations looking to book Ross Pambrun, his keynotes combine technological insight with real-world leadership experience. He helps audiences understand how technology is changing the world, how leaders can respond to uncertainty, and how curiosity, empathy and responsible innovation can help organizations navigate what comes next.