What are CSP and CPAE?

Speakers with these professional designations deliver a top-notch experience for your group.

Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)

The Certified Speaking Professional designation, established by the National Speakers Association, is the speaking profession’s international measure of professional platform skill. Speakers earn this professional designation by demonstrating they have a track record of proven speaking experience and expertise. These speaking professionals know how to deliver client satisfaction.

To learn more about the process of earning your CSP designation, please visit www.NSAspeaker.org for the application resources.

CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame

In 1977, NSA established the Council of Peers Award for Excellence Speaker Hall of Fame® to honor professional speakers who have reached the top echelon of excellence. Admission into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame is a lifetime award for speaking excellence and professionalism. Inductees are evaluated by their peers through a rigorous and demanding process. Up to five new inductees are named each year during the NSA National Convention.

To learn more about CPAE, please visit https://www.nsaspeaker.org/cpae/

Why do meeting planners hire speakers with the CSP or CPAE designations?

Your program will meet the mark! To a large extent, an event’s success is judged on the caliber, professionalism, and expertise of the presenter. Choosing a professional speaker who has earned the CSP or CPAE designation means you’ve selected a speaker who delivers a message that will focus, elevate, and enhance the mission of your event.

The Cavett Award

Since it was established in 1973, NSA’s strength has sprung from its Co-Founder Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE. His love, encouragement, generosity and wisdom embody the spirit of NSA today and continue to guide the Association as it grows in number and diversity.

Humility, generosity and teamwork are just a few of the qualities Cavett possessed, and in fine professional-speaking style, expressed so eloquently. Cavett once said to NSA Past President Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE, “You guys have done so much more with this (NSA) than I ever imagined.” The truth was that NSA members have simply built upon the legacy that he humbly established for us.

Likewise, Cavett displayed an uncanny ability to inspire others and share his wisdom and expertise. “A desire to help others is our most noble attribute; it gives immortal momentum to life and is our only certain path to heaven,” he would say. Hence, the Cavett Award, the highest award bestowed by NSA, was created to celebrate and honor those members whose careers demonstrate the spirit of sharing, guiding and inspiring other professional speakers.

The Cavett Award is NSA’s most cherished award. It is presented annually to the member whose accomplishments over the years have reflected outstanding credit, respect, honor and admiration in the Association and the speaking profession, and whose actions (in terms of sharing, guiding and inspiring other members) most closely parallel the illustrious career of our Co-Founder Cavett Robert, CSP, CPAE.

To see a list of The Cavett Award recipients please visit https://www.nsaspeaker.org/cavett-award/