About

More information than you'd ever want to know about Ron Culberson

Hospice Social WorkerSocial Worker — Manager — Leader

Ron Culberson began his career by serving people at the end of their lives as a home care social worker at Hospice of Northern Virginia (now Capital Caring).  After several years, he became Manager of Counseling Services where he ultimately supervised a large department of social workers, chaplains, and bereavement counselors.  Ron’s goal was to develop an excellent department of clinicians and to encourage his staff to find balance in the serious work they were doing.

Working with the National Hospice Organization, Ron lead a team of social workers to develop national standards for social work in hospice care. These standards helped pave the way for high quality social work services for end of life care.

Ron eventually became the Director of Quality Service at Hospice of Northern Virginia.  After being trained at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, he developed and managed the organization’s first quality improvement and customer service program.  This effort was instrumental in training staff in customer service, implementing a process improvement program, and preparing the organization for accreditation.

AuthorWriter — Columnist — Blogger

Ron Culberson is the author of four books:

Ron is a contributing author for:

Ron has written for the Huffington Post, The Herndon Observer, patch.com, and numerous other magazines and journals.

Hall of Fame SpeakerStoryteller — Humor Expert

Image of CSP Designation

From 1996-2023, Ron Culberson delivered hilarious and inspirational presentations to more than 260,000 people in over 1,300 organizations. In 2001, he received the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and in 2014, Ron was inducted into NSA’s CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame®.

Ron is also funny.  But he also knows about the mechanics of humor. In fact, his graduate thesis focused on the relationship between humor and depression. Ron believes that there is much more to humor than a punchline and that when coupled with a foundation of excellence, it can help us manage stress, become more creative, and ultimately achieve a higher level of contentment in life and work.

Image of CPAE Award

First ResponderEMT — Firefighter

In 2020, when COVID cleared his speaking calendar, Ron went back to school and became a Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). In 2021, he completed his Firefighter 1 training and currently serves his community as a member of Wintergreen Fire and Rescue.

Documentary Producer“Pep Banned,” The Movie

Photo of Ron Culberson and UVA Pep Band reunion

In 2014, Ron began a journey to produce a documentary about his college band. The University of Virginia (UVA) Pep Band was an irreverent scramble band that entertained crowds from 1974 until it was dis-banded by the university in 2002. In 2023, nearly 140 former band members came back to UVA to reconnect, heal some old wounds, and perform one last show. It was truly an extraordinary experience and will be the highlight of a film that strives to tell the band’s story.

For more information: Pep Banned

VolunteerService — Community

Ron believes in volunteerism and spends a significant amount of time serving his community. He participates on a number of boards and committees, cuts wood for disadvantaged families, drives an ambulance, and emcees recognition events in addition to other volunteer roles. Also, Ron has chaired committees, run fundraisers, and was president of a national association board. The following are a few organizations in which Ron has served:

National Speakers Association (2012-2013 National President)
Wintergreen Fire and Rescue (EMT, Firefighter, and Board Member)
Jefferson Area Board for Aging
UVA Club of Charlottesville
Rotary International, Herndon, VA Club (Board Member)
Rotary International, Abingdon VA Club
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Capital Caring
Vienna Presbyterian Church
Rockfish Presbyterian Church
The Art Gliner Center for Humor Studies
The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
The Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic
Habitat for Humanity
Miriam’s Kitchen
Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity

It’s not about the days in your life, but the life in your days. —Abraham Lincoln