BEE BLOESER  –  AUTHOR, SPEAKER, STORYTELLER

Book this popular speaker and feel immersed in a world few have experienced . . .
Click Here to Contact Bee! 

REVIEWS

fullsizeoutput_b45“Bee will engage and move you deeply while sharing her personal journey in Africa during the eradication of smallpox. With a backdrop of corruption, genocide, and oppression of women, she still provides an insightful tapestry of victories won and hope for the future. I highly recommend her to your group.” — Linda Herzog, J.D., Tucson

“Incredibly beautiful, evocative, powerful–with such relevant perspective for what’s being iterated in our midst today and showing us what it’s truly about.” — Sally, Santa Barbara

“Our members found Bee’s program so engaging they have requested additional presentations from her. What made her talk exceptional was not only the fascinating nature of her subject, but also her evident skill as a public speaker. Thoroughly enjoyable.” — Jill Breedon, Curriculum Committee Chair, Vistas Lifelong Learning Inc., Santa Barbara

“A riveting account. . . .makes the facts come alive—the devastation of the disease as well as heart-rending post-colonial realities. . . A ‘must-hear’ for all.” — Kay M., Tucson

“You put us right in the middle of those walls! I could smell it!” — Larry Q., Santa Barbara

Book Clubs

“My Ladies of Literature book club loved Bee’s memoir for the gripping story, her fact checking and her descriptive writing. These are readers who have been tough critics of acclaimed books, let alone new releases! Our experience was enhanced by Bee’s willingness to join us for a meet-the-author session. Thanks, Bee, for sharing an important world health disease eradication effort and relating it to our recent pandemic issues!” — Sally Lanyon

“Bee did a Meet-the-Author event with our Westmont College faculty/ faculty wives book club. The person we fell in love with while reading about her many adventures in Africa was even more endearing in person. I’m so impressed with her perseverance, commitment to supporting her husband in eradicating smallpox under crazy conditions, and writing it all in a captivating book. One amazing woman!” — Bridget Jensen

Book Club Discussion Guide available.

Universities

“The students were mesmerized and inspired by her zoomed presentation. Many contacted me afterwards to express their appreciation, particularly for her advice to them, which remains so relevant in their young careers. This was a field practicum class of advanced and graduate students from several disciplines, including public health, pre-med, nursing, global studies and social services.

“I will definitely have Ms. Bloeser speak in the future and am listing VACCINES & BAYONETS as an optional reading assignment for some of my classes. I heartily recommend her and her book.” — Michele Devlin, DrPH, RN, EMT, Professor of Global Public Health University of Northern Iowa, Adjunct Research Professor, U.S. Army War College

“When Bee shared her story with my Infectious Disease class, I was reminded there is simply no substitute for learning from those with first-hand experience. Not only was Bee’s presentation on the eradication of smallpox informative and compelling, but it was also a gracious invitation for students to engage directly with her. I highly recommend Bee as a speaker as well as her book Vaccines and Bayonets, which will captivate any reader interested in being inspired by one of humankind’s greatest success stories.” — Steve Julio, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Westmont College

“This is an important book, both a personal historical memoir and a recounting of the successful mission to eradicate smallpox in the late 1960s and 1970s in the face of civil unrest, violence, and xenophobia. The politicization of this vaccine campaign should, in the day and age of Covid 19, resonate with some of the challenges our world continues to face. Vaccines and Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War will be of interest to scholars and practitioners examining the intersections of epidemiology with human behaviour, the social determinants of health, and medical anthropology, among others. Written in easily accessible language, it will also appeal to general readers. In examining events from some 50 years in the past, Bloeser has ironically captured a sense of the types of challenges the world faces in today’s era of climate change, including the rising spread of infectious diseases worldwide and how we are to deal with them.

A guest presentation by this author would be valuable to students in a variety of disciplines, including health related fields, medical anthropology, international studies and political science.”Blanca Schorcht, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, former Dean, Arts, Social and Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia

 

WATCH & LISTEN:

NPR Issues & Ideas radio show

beeandtom




The Open Highway podcast


Todd Ortloff Show on KONP 1450 AM – February 8, 2022. 

Politics & Life Sciences (PLS) with Dean L. Fanelli, Ph.D.

Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Santa Barbara, California based author Bee Bloeser

Elizabeth Stewart’s Arts Radio Shows 

SIGNATURE TALKS

  • Sending Smallpox into History—A wife’s behind the scenes look at the most astounding campaign in public health history—eradicating humanity’s most feared disease. What does it mean for us?

  • If You Scream in Africa and Nobody Hears—In the midst of The Terror, Bee’s husband is on the frontline for health and American security. One of only two American women in the country, she and their two young children are isolated in an isolated country. What allowed the authoritarian president to weild such power? What can we learn?

    ALSO AVAILABLE

  • Fighting Smallpox in Africa—An overview of both the victory over smallpox and the geopolitical environment faced by the campaign and by a public health family.

  • SPECIAL-INTEREST TALKS

  • Women Hidden behind Walls—We visit women denied even a primary education. We’ll glimpse hope for the future in girls who’ve escaped and have even completed advanced degrees.

  • An Empty Harbor: When a Dictator Burned all the Boats—The colorful history of the harbor four blocks from the author’s Equatorial Guinea home (in 1970). Bonus features: the harbor’s real-life appearance in Frederick Forsyth’s The Dogs of War and a glimpse at Churchill’s secret WWII harbor raid that became the genesis of Ian Fleming’s 007 escapades.

  •  

WHAT’S HER STORY?

fullsizeoutput_6b3The author and two young children followed her smallpox-fighter husband to West Africa–first to a country that was always in the news and then in one that should have been. The first, Nigeria. The heartbreaking images of starving Biafran babies were seen around the globe. The second, Equatorial Guinea. In the vise of a bloodthirsty dictator. The world didn’t even know the place existed. Bee kept cryptic notes and hid them in the sock drawer. She now reveals a story which previously reached the outside world only by diplomatic pouch. She is the author of the newly released first-person history VACCINES & BAYONETS: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War.

Bee Bloeser has lived in Africa, the Middle East and Native American nations. She is a member of Toastmasters International and PEO, a philanthropic education organization that funds education for women and girls.

SPEAKING/PERFORMING EXPERIENCE

Public speaker: e.g. Pepperdine University, Santa Barbara Yacht Club, various philanthropic and service organizations; storyteller

B.A., Speech/Theatre; M.A., Speech-Language Pathology, teacher, actress, barbershop quartet singer.

CONTACT BEE FOR BOOKING DETAILS

E-mail: bee@beebloeser.com  Cell phone: 520-631-0762

Bee is based in the Santa Barbara, California, area.

ZOOM bookings welcome.

WHAT ELSE DO PEOPLE SAY? 

“I so much appreciated your presentation of African women. . . .not easy to take it in when women here are fighting for things the African women can hardly imagine. Your presentation opened eyes. Thank you so very much.” — Judith Muller, Organizer, Santa Barbara Yacht Club Monday Forum

“On behalf of Delta Kappa Gamma I would like to thank you for your presentation. . . .interesting and inspiring. . . .significant impact in the lives you touched. The members and guests truly enjoyed your presentation and learned a great deal. Thank you.” — Renate Krompasky

“What struck me the most was your passion.” — Laura M.

“Your presentation was so fascinating our members are still talking about it six months later!” — Kathryn L., Delta Kappa Gamma, Tucson

“It was such a good talk you gave our chapter. Everyone really enjoyed the photos and [hearing about] the marvelous work you did with W.H.O.” — Linda McMillin

“Thank you for your wonderful story at the Festival of Books. I loved your interaction with the audience….” — Gloria M., Tellers of Tales organizer

“I was flooded with memories of Africa–flashes of feelings, smells, visions. We were so energized, and I was struck by your sincerity. You are an inspiration. Thank you.” — Joan Milner

“Your topic has been among the few to draw an audience from other walks of life. Thank you so very much….” — Pamela A., Sisters in Crime

“Bee is an engaging knowledgeable speaker who supplements her presentations with photographs and personal experiences that will move you deeply while educating you about the incredible journey that led to the eradication of Small pox. I highly recommend her to your group.”  — Linda Herzog, J.D.

“Thank you!! It was a wonderful program. We all want to hear more. We hope you’ll do another program next year.” — Nancy B.