Federal trial attorney. Gulf War veteran. Magician. Keynote speaker on influence, storytelling, and performing under pressure.
A keynote that entertains, surprises, and leaves your audience with tools they'll actually use."
Speaking & Training
Keynotes
A high-energy keynote that entertains, surprises, and leaves your audience with tools they'll actually use. Available for conferences, associations, and corporate events.
Workshops
Half-day and full-day sessions that go deeper — teams leave with practical storytelling skills they can use immediately in presentations, pitches, and leadership conversations.
Business Development Storytelling
For client-facing teams: use story to earn trust faster, stand out, and move deals forward.
What Clients Say
"Michael doesn't just show up and give a talk — he shows up prepared. He reached out to me in advance, did his homework on our audience, and came in ready to deliver. And deliver he did. Our offices are still talking about his keynote months later. If you want a speaker who keeps a room genuinely engaged from start to finish and leaves them with something real, Michael is your person."
— Chad Hackman, Partner, Alair Homes
"We've brought Michael back every year — and that says everything. His programs on storytelling and persuasion consistently earn our highest evaluation marks. He has a rare ability to make federal employees laugh while delivering content that actually changes how they communicate. Innovative, practical, and genuinely unlike anything else we offer our staff."
— Angela D, Learning & Development Manager, Federal Agency
“Michael has spoken to our organization twice, and both times he delivered exceptional results. He conducted interviews with our members in advance and tailored the program to our unique needs. Our team was thoroughly impressed, and I would eagerly invite him back for future engagements.”
— Kevin R. Sullivan, President, Finger Lakes Funeral Directors Association
"I've sat through a lot of presentations. Michael is genuinely different. He has a rare ability to combine humor, sharp insight, and ideas you can actually use, and he held the room from start to finish. The time flew by."
— Jeffrey M. Senger, Esq., FCIArb, Former Acting General Counsel, U.S. FDA; JAMS Mediator & Arbitrator; Author, Federal Dispute Resolution
About Michael
Michael Chaleff has spent his life at the intersection of service, persuasion, and performance. He served as a Naval officer during the Gulf War, navigating minefields in the Persian Gulf. He went on to become a DOJ trial attorney handling high-stakes federal cases. For more than three decades he has also performed as a professional magician and mentalist — work that taught him as much about human perception as any courtroom.
Today Michael brings all three worlds to the stage — delivering keynotes that entertain, challenge, and leave audiences with tools they actually use.
Ready to turn ideas into influence?
Let's talk about your next event.