north central lecture series

October 16th, 2013
Chris Bashinelli
"Bridge the Gap"

 

Chris Bashinelli (The Sopranos, HBO) was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After years of reading headlines about world hunger, human suffering and extreme poverty, he decided to move to Tanzania. Now he travels to impoverished areas worldwide to find out first hand how the other half of the world lives. Chris is the producer and host of Bridge the Gap, an internationally recognized travel series that fosters intercultural dialogue by highlighting stories of everyday life around the world.

Chris traveled to Tanzania with a Sony handycam and came home with a newfound meaning for life. He returned to New York to face tragedy and within two years would bury his father due to cancer. These turbulent times forced Chris to find meaning, and he did so in Bridge the Gap.

Chris is the founder of the socially-conscious production company, Bridge the Gap TV. He’s interviewed everyone from Ben and Jerry to NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo, and has formed partnerships with the world’s leading non-profit organizations, including the Jane Goodall Institute and Do Something.

Chris’s experience is in the world of film, with credits ranging from The Sopranos (HBO), to An Inconvenient Truth Special on MTV. He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts (Cum Laude) from Marymount Manhattan College. He is an Eagle Scout and a United Nations Guest Speaker. He has spoken at international youth conferences and emceed in the UN General Assembly Hall with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Chris is determined beyond measure to produce wide-reaching, socially-conscious media.

Chris traverses the globe from Tanzania to Thailand as host and executive producer of Bridge The Gap, a new TV show (premiering on PBS TV later this year) where he discovers what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes for one day.

He's interviewed some of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People on the planet, and at 26 years old, has become the United Nations “go-to-kid” for all things youth, Brooklyn, and cultural exchange.

 

Chris' passion and charisma have made him a celebrated speaker and emcee at home and abroad.

FREE ADMISSION - TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 3rd