Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Derek Brown

Derek Brown

Keynote Speaker: Author, NASM-Certified Wellness Coach & Founder of Positive Damage

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    Live Event Fee: Below $10,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Below $10,000
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Derek Brown Biography

Derek Brown is an author, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc., a company dedicated to creating a culture of mindful drinking and making room for everyone at the bar with delicious no- and low-alcohol drinks.

Previously, Brown owned Spirited Awards 2017 “Best American Cocktail Bar” Columbia Room in Washington, D.C., and was one of the nation’s top bartenders, named “Bartender of the Year” by Imbibe magazine in 2015. He was also Chief Spirits Advisor to the National Archives Foundation from 2015-2020.

Brown has gained accolades for both his bartending and thought leadership. In 2017, Playboy magazine named Brown one of "The 10 Entertainers, Thought Leaders and Heroes Who'll Save Us in 2017."

In 2019, Brown published his first book, "Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World," and was named 2020 “Author of the Year” at the Nightclub & Bar Show Awards.

Brown changed his approach to drinking in 2018, and decided it was time to be open about his struggles with alcohol and addressed his new appreciation for mindful drinking in a 2020 Vox article entitled, “Becoming a ‘mindful drinker’ changed my life.”

In 2022, Brown published his second book, "Mindful Mixology: a Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails."

For his advocacy, Brown has been recognized as a leading beverage figure affecting positive change in the global bar industry by Drinks International in 2020 in their “Bar World 100” list and as “one of the most inspirational people and places that will shape how we drink in 2023” in Imbibe magazine’s “Imbibe 75” for 2023.

Currently, Brown is co-founder of Mindful Drinking Fest and authoring a course for NASM on Mindful Drinking. He works with individuals and companies to foster mindful drinking, promote wellness, and proliferate no- and low-alcohol cocktails.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Derek Brown and other top speakers and celebrities.

Derek Brown Videos

Cocktail Conversations with Derek Brown
Derek Brown Talks T.H.I.R.S.T.
Bartender Derek Brown at Southern Efficiency

How do I book Derek Brown to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Derek Brown for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Derek Brown, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Derek Brown or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Derek Brown for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Derek Brown, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Derek Brown are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Derek Brown, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Derek Brown speak about?

Derek Brown is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Food & Beverage, Authors, Entertainers, Hospitality and Entertainment.

Where does Derek Brown travel from?

Derek Brown generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Derek Brown?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Derek Brown for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Derek Brown for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Derek Brown or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Derek Brown is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Food & Beverage, Authors and Entertainers. The estimated speaking fee range to book Derek Brown for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Derek Brown generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Kimberly Hunter, Ian Burrell and Dale DeGroff. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Derek Brown for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/12/2023.

Derek Brown Videos

Cocktail Conversations with Derek Brown
Derek Brown Talks T.H.I.R.S.T.
Bartender Derek Brown at Southern Efficiency
The History of the Cocktail with Derek Brown

Derek Brown News

  • So what's a cocktail, really? | Salon.com

    Merriam Webster defines a cocktail as "a usually iced drink of wine or distilled liquor ... "The first and most important thing to know," says Derek Brown, ...

  • How One of the Top Bar Stars Became a Champion For Not Drinking

    In 2016, Brown started therapy, and in 2018, he was admitted to an outpatient program at Inova Behavioral Health Services in Fairfax. While treatment helped him ...

  • A Conversation With Derek Brown, Bartender and 'Booze Nerd'

    Derek Brown likes to call himself a "booze nerd"--an apt description, since it captures both his extreme detail-orientedness about the craft and history of cocktails and the irreverent sense of humor that enables him to refer to mixology as just booze. He is the James Beard Award-nominated drinks guru behind the Columbia Room, a Washington, D.C., cocktail lounge that is frequently listed as one of the best cocktail bars in America.

  • How do I book Derek Brown to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Derek Brown for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Derek Brown, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Derek Brown or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Derek Brown for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Derek Brown, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Derek Brown are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Derek Brown, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Derek Brown speak about?

    Derek Brown is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Food & Beverage, Authors, Entertainers, Hospitality and Entertainment.
  • Where does Derek Brown travel from?

    Derek Brown generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Derek Brown?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Derek Brown for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Derek Brown for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Derek Brown or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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DEREK BROWN

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All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.