Mercedes was amazing - easy to work with, excited and prepared for the presentation, resonated so easily with our audience and worked into our program well, and had an inspiring story to boot. We got only great feedback from attendees and staff!
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Survivor of the Deadly Colombian Mountain Crash, Safety Speaker
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Biography
In 1995, Mercedes Ramirez Johnson narrowly survived a commercial airplane crash that killed 160 people, including her parents. As one of only four survivors of this tragedy, she vowed that she would make her second chance at life count and that she has - not only for herself, but also for the tens of thousands of people who have heard her story and her message. Transformational, passionate, inspiring and genuine. That is how clients and audiences describe Mercedes and her programs. Many speakers who have overcome great adversity are deeply inspiring, but rarely offer their audiences more than momentary motivation. Content-driven presenters provide practical advice, but are often short on inspiration. Mercedes offers both. Weaving workable solutions throughout an emotionally compelling story, she touches people's hearts and minds. Her proprietary Second Chance Living concept, an innovative mindset and approach with a proven track record, offers participants a blueprint for change along with specific tools they can use immediately in their professional and personal endeavors. In addition, her message that experience is no guarantee is having a tangible and powerful impact on safety initiatives and programs across the country. Mercedes presents to companies, associations, faith-based organizations, government agencies and higher education institutions across the U.S. and Canada. Her clients include some of America's most respected organizations, such as General Electric, Verizon, PricewaterhouseCoopers, NASA, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and numerous higher education institutions and faith based organizations. Before becoming a speaker, Mercedes spent nearly a decade in high-level sales in the pharmaceutical and medical software industries. A record-breaking, multimillion-dollar producer, she became the youngest female and sole Latino account executive at Cerner Corporation. As a result, she understands the challenges and opportunities today's professionals face and has both the capability and the credibility to cross professional, generational, gender and ethnic gaps to connect with people from all backgrounds and levels. Mercedes and her story have been the subject of considerable national and international media coverage. Her extensive media experience includes appearances on ABC's PrimeTime, The BBC, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Health Channel and as a recurring guest on nationally syndicated daytime television talk shows. In addition, numerous national magazines and major-market newspapers have run cover stories and special-interest pieces about her. Mercedes has received national awards for her work, influence and dedication to improving the lives of others. She was recognized as one of the country's top young Hispanic up-and-comers by People Magazine's Spanish edition, People en Espanol. INROADS, Inc., an international organization dedicated to developing talented minority youth, voted her Alumni of the Year. In addition, she was honored as Volunteer of the Year for Christ Haven for Children, a home for neglected children in Texas. In memory of her parents, she established a scholarship for minority students at Northwest Missouri State University, where she actively served as an Executive Member of the university's Foundation Board. Mercedes and her children reside in the Dallas, Texas and are dedicated to philanthropic support for the National MPS Society -- an organization that provides research grants and support to families living with terminally ill children. She also hosts numerous fundraisers for Make-A-Wish North Texas and has proudly served on their regional leadership council for years.
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Featured Video
Current: Preview Video
Time 06:56
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Featured Keynote Programs
Safety
Don’t Count on Second Chances
Can too much experience be a bad thing? Absolutely…if it leads to complacency. The highly experienced pilots of Flight 965 were lulled into a false sense of security that led to the deaths of 160 people. Mercedes’ one-of-a-kind safety presentation uses the factual account of the crash of Flight 965 as an anchor to drive home the dangers of complacency and the importance of situational awareness. Participants will clearly understand the difference between knowing about safety and putting safety into action.
FULL DESCRIPTION:
Can too much experience be a bad thing?
The pilots of Flight 965 were expertly trained, highly skilled and very experienced. Yet they were lulled into a false sense of security and a disregard for standard operating procedures that led to a series of human errors and, ultimately, the deaths of 160 people.
This one-of-a-kind presentation puts safety into the proper perspective and vividly demonstrates that the mistakes these pilots made are the same mistakes that anyone, in virtually any industry, can make on any given workday. Using the factual account of the crash of Flight 965 and safety investigation findings as anchors, Mercedes drives home the profound impact of individual choices and the devastating results of ignoring safety procedures. Participants will distinctly understand the difference between knowing about safety and putting safety into action.
Captivated audiences frequently comment that Mercedes’ true-life story of tragedy, survival and recovery is unlike any safety presentation they’ve ever experienced. A Hispanic woman in a male-dominated market, Mercedes is hailed as a fresh voice in the safety industry. Her genuine and personable style, combined with her knowledge of safety issues, ensures this presentation and its lessons won’t be forgotten.
ORGANIZATIONAL PAYOFFS
Professional safety associations, the U.S. military and organizations from a wide array of industries – including construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, transportation and aerospace – have utilized this topic to:
Establish and enhance a culture of safety where safety is not just a priority, but a key organizational value
Introduce or reinforce behavior-based safety success
Develop individual responsibility and accountability for safety on the job every day
Provide a memorable, world-class program that leaves a long-lasting impact
INDIVIDUAL TAKEAWAYS
Participants leave Mercedes’ presentations with a whole new mindset about safety, as well as tools they can put to use immediately on the job. Key takeaways include:
An acute understanding that safety is a mentality not a mandate
A commitment to personal accountability for safety
The inescapable truth that experience and familiarity are no guarantee and can, in fact, create a dangerous complacency and false sense of security
The hazards of disregarding standard operating procedures and taking “harmless” shortcuts
The dangers of “going through the motions” and the importance of being fully intentional and engaged in the task at hand
The significance of Situational Awareness and cross-accountability
AUDIENCE AND FORMAT
Safety: Don’t Count on Second Chances is applicable for individuals at every level who deal with safety issues, from front-line workers to safety experts. Mercedes appeals to the diverse ages, ethnicities and genders that comprise today’s workforce. The keynote format ranges from 45 to 90 minutes and is customized to your organizational climate, meeting theme and objectives.
PRAISE FOR Safety: Don’t Count on Second Chances
By far the best presentation I have ever attended for safety. Makes me completely rethink my safety policies.
– Jay Caviola, 153rd Det Commander, Army National Guard
Very informative and captivating. A message that makes you think heavily about our own safety culture and a message we can take back to our employees. Very, very well done.
– Shawn Mydynski, HSE Coordinator, Suncor Energy
Excellent tie-in of real life experience into a presentation on safety values and culture.
– James Ringwall, Health & Safety Manager, Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (Mercedes was the first woman and first non-athlete VPPPA had ever invited to speak at their national conference)
Second Chance Living™
“What will you do with your second chance today?” is the question Mercedes poses to general audiences in this transformational program. Her gripping story moves participants to put their lives in perspective and carefully consider how the choices they make profoundly affect their future. Participants will walk away with increased confidence, knowing that no matter what challenges they may face, they have the fortitude and ability to take ownership of their lives and find the fulfillment they desire.
FULL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
What will you do with your second chance?
Many people feel so overwhelmed by daily pressures and obligations that they find themselves in Survival Mode, operating with the assumption that there will always be a tomorrow in which they can fix today’s problems, right today’s wrongs and take care of the truly important things they wished they’d done today.
Second Chance Living is a transformational program that moves participants to put their challenges in perspective and to carefully consider how the choices they make will profoundly affect their future. Mercedes’ message focuses on personal success, overcoming challenges and finding authentic fulfillment. Through her gripping, poignant and yet humorous account of her plane crash and long-fought recovery, Mercedes proves that everyone can achieve their dreams.
ORGANIZATIONAL PAYOFFS
Fortune 500 companies, national associations, faith-based and women’s organizations, government agencies, major educational institutions and non-profit organizations have utilized this topic to:
Develop and inspire their members
Teach determination and leadership in the face of adversity
Provide a truly memorable program that leaves a long-lasting impact
Give participants tools they can apply to their lives immediately
INDIVIDUAL TAKEAWAYS
Participants leave Mercedes’ presentations energized with:
Increased confidence, knowing that no matter what challenges they may face in the future, they have the fortitude and ability to take ownership of their lives
An inescapable understanding of the impact of their actions and the profound difference one person can make
A healthy sense of urgency and renewed passion for life
The three choices every individual can make to thrive rather than merely survive
Awareness of the inner motivators that drive them to succeed and find fulfillment
A grateful outlook that keeps life’s challenges and opportunities in perspective
AUDIENCE AND FORMAT
Second Chance Living is applicable for everyone, from senior business executives to student athletes and all those in between. The topic applies to anyone trying to better him- or herself and appeals to both genders as well as diverse ages and ethnicities. The keynote format ranges from 45 to 90 minutes and is customized to your organizational climate, meeting theme and objectives.
PRAISE FOR Second Chance Living
Thank you for sharing your tragic yet inspiring story with us. It certainly helped us gain a new perspective on life. You helped us all realize that we CAN deal with change and that we should cherish this very special gift called life.
– M.L., CEO, Saint Luke's Hospital Foundation
I loved Mercedes’ presentation because it was told through a true-life story. Unlike other speakers, it actually left a mark. I learned some great lessons I can apply to my life, especially about not living in Survival Mode anymore.
– Participant, Providence College
This is a program for everyone…everyone needs to learn how to work and live for today.
– Terry Watkins, Sales Manager, Harrah’s
That was the most powerful presentation I have ever seen. Mercedes became a hero of mine instantly. She left the room speechless.
– Student, University of Michigan
Get It Right Today, Not Tomorrow
Do your employees and leaders too often operate in Survival Mode, putting out fires and putting off until tomorrow what should be done today? This program powerfully dispels the notion that there will always be a tomorrow in which we can finish today’s unfinished business and moves individuals to work and live with intentionality. Participants will leave fully engaged and ready to confront difficult situations, tackle complex issues, serve customers with respect and urgency, and perform their jobs with renewed passion.
FULL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Do your employees and leaders spend too much time putting out fires
and putting off until tomorrow what should be done today?
All too often we operate in Survival Mode – doing just enough to get the job done rather than doing a good job. Our goals are simply to endure the daily challenges, keep our heads above water and make it to the end of the week. Sound familiar? Individuals who routinely focus on surviving rather than thriving tend to be disengaged and unfulfilled. Organizations with Survival Mode cultures lose millions of dollars in productivity and struggle to achieve long-term profits and lasting success.
Get It Right Today, Not Tomorrow serves as a wake-up call. An eye-opening presentation that won’t be forgotten, it powerfully dispels the notion that there will always be a tomorrow in which we can finish today’s important yet unfinished business. Weaving her inspirational story of tragedy, survival and recovery with solid business content, Mercedes challenges and changes the way people think and act. Her up-front dialogue, true-life examples and on-the-job application of real-world lessons moves audiences to work and live with intention.
ORGANIZATIONAL PAYOFFS
Fortune 500 companies, leading healthcare organizations, national associations, government agencies and major educational institutions have utilized this topic to:
Develop and inspire their members
Develop their leaders
Release the untapped potential in their people
Improve employee engagement, loyalty and retention
Enhance teamwork
Increase sales and productivity
INDIVIDUAL TAKEAWAYS
Participants leave Mercedes’ presentations energized with:
A new sense of urgency and purpose and a renewed passion for work
Personal ownership and accountability for their actions and results
A blueprint for working and living with intention
A big-picture mindset and a clearer perspective of their daily challenges
An inescapable understanding of Situational Awareness and the profound difference one person can make
Insight into the inner motivators that will keep them committed and engaged from within
The three choices every individual can make that will have an immediate and positive impact on their job and the organization
AUDIENCE AND FORMAT
Get It Right Today, Not Tomorrow is applicable for individuals at every level of the organization. Mercedes appeals to the diverse ages, ethnicities and genders that comprise today’s workforce. The keynote format ranges from 45 to 90 minutes and is customized to your organizational climate, meeting theme and objectives.
PRAISE FOR Get It Right Today, Not Tomorrow
This was an awesome presentation that put a lot of things into perspective for me in my work life and with my family.
–Vivian Wilson, Implementations Group Manager, Verizon
Great passion and tie-in to sales! I will use this in training and inspiring my sales force.
– Participant, Three Eagles Communication
Very engaging and meaningful dialogue around Mercedes’ experience and how it applies to our careers and lives.
– Judy Feltmann, Senior Travel Specialist, Best Buy
Resilience
Your Most Important Muscle
“This topic of resilience is based on research and studies proving that our personal and professional resilience is an intentional habit that directly affects our feelings of fulfillment, gratitude and grit. This program includes strategies on shifting our focus to serving others, deliberately placing our stressors into proper perspective and clearing the mental fog to power forward through times of personal and professional turbulence.
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Featured Review
Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
Featured Articles & Resources
Lack of Intention, Leadership Accountability and Safety- Mercedes Ramirez Johnson
On my 21st birthday, I survived a Boeing 757 plane crash that killed my parents and 160 other souls on board in the Colombian Andes in 1995. Pilot error was ruled as the reason...
Find Similar Speakers Safety
How Do You Choose the BEST Speaker for Your Event?
We’ve had 30 years and 40,000 events to perfect the process—and we’ll do it for free.
