What i do
Speaker, Performer, Educator
As a cancer survivor and musician, I share my story and perform original music for organizations and charities, and at various types of conferences and events. I am a TEDx Speaker, and I also do speaking engagements about my work in technology.
Musician, Composer, Playwright
I write, record, and perform music, and have done so for film, TV, video, and musical theater. I have released several albums, I am a published songwriter, and I wrote a musical about my experience with cancer.
Technology Director
I enjoy bringing people and systems together to solve problems. I work at Georgia State University, using high tech and high touch to help our students succeed.
Author
I wrote a book about my experience with cancer called "Having a Ball at Thirty: How I Got Through Cancer by Writing a Musical." I also have an article published in a cancer journal.
“AMAZING! The play was brilliant!”
“Best class EVER!!!”
“Innovative…Thank you for bringing this to us!”
![IMG_9617](https://tomwillner.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_9617-rotated.jpg)
“Wow. Thank you so much for putting this into the conference schedule. I sure learned a lot and will spend time thinking about this perspective when I get back to work. Powerful presentation. Great speaker and music.”
![IMG_3973b](https://www.tomwillner.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IMG_3973b.jpg)
“Always open to entertaining new ideas and creative solutions”“Keeps things in perspective, offers alternative viewpoints”“Willing to stretch beyond where technology was to make us a better team and organization”“Upbeat, energetic, creative and focused”
![Tom-Willner-20170502-IMG_0284](https://tomwillner.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Tom-Willner-20170502-IMG_0284.jpg)
What I've Done
About Me
I love to solve problems. Whether it’s a problem with things or people, if you give me something that’s broken or dysfunctional, I’ll do everything I can to fix it.
In order to do that, I need to be able to figure things out. I guess that’s why I geek out over data, and I love education. It’s what I love about working in higher education and at Georgia State University in particular.
I am also a big fan of the arts – the “A” in STEAM. I am fascinated by science, technology, and math, and I’m an engineer by training. But music was my first love. I have been a musician since I was five, and I love composing and performing music.
In fact, when I became a cancer survivor, I wrote a musical about my experience. I have used my musical to teach healthcare workers about the patient experience and clinical empathy. I continue to use my stories and music to help others learn through arts experiences.
Personally, I am so fortunate to be married to an amazing woman and to be the father of three wonderful kids. My family is the most important part of my life. I also love to run. Long-distance running is my meditation – helping both my physical and mental well being – and it taught me that the key to achieving success comes one step at a time combined with a strong dedication to the finish line.
There you have it. That’s me in a nutshell. If I can be of service to you or your organization, I would love to hear from you.
Latest POSTS
Global Top 50: Government Innovators 2023
I’m honored to be in the Global Top 50: Government Innovators 2023 for Public Sector Network. The 2023 Global Top 50 Government […]
Christmas A Cappella Major Mashup
https://youtu.be/ubfoES9RC-E The holidays are my favorite time of year, so I wanted to ring in the Christmas season with music. I made […]
Featured in Public Sector Podcast
Honored to be featured in the Public Sector Network (Certified B Corp) podcast speaking with Phil Ventimiglia about the innovative work at Georgia State University. #studentsuccess #thestateway […]
Want to improve your speaking?
Want to improve your speaking? I have some book recommendations and more. 2023 has been a good year for speaking for me. […]