diff --git a/events/events.go b/events/events.go
index b7d2832..c42e459 100644
--- a/events/events.go
+++ b/events/events.go
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ const (
 	Delete EventType = "delete"
 )
 
+// when updating any of the interfaces here, make sure to regenerate the mocks
+//
+// mockgen -package=mock_events -source=events/events.go > events/mock/events.go
+//
+
 // Stream provides methods to interact with the event stream.
 type Stream interface {
 	// Open sets up the stream connection.
@@ -72,6 +77,9 @@ type Message interface {
 
 	// Data returns the data contained in the message.
 	Data() []byte
+
+	// ExtractOtelTraceContext returns a context populated with the parent trace if any.
+	ExtractOtelTraceContext(ctx context.Context) context.Context
 }
 
 // NewStream returns a Stream implementation.
diff --git a/events/mock/events.go b/events/mock/events.go
index 4b58a3e..aee4343 100644
--- a/events/mock/events.go
+++ b/events/mock/events.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Code generated by MockGen. DO NOT EDIT.
-// Source: events.go
+// Source: events/events.go
 
 // Package mock_events is a generated GoMock package.
 package mock_events
@@ -181,6 +181,20 @@ func (mr *MockMessageMockRecorder) Data() *gomock.Call {
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "Data", reflect.TypeOf((*MockMessage)(nil).Data))
 }
 
+// ExtractOtelTraceContext mocks base method.
+func (m *MockMessage) ExtractOtelTraceContext(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "ExtractOtelTraceContext", ctx)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(context.Context)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// ExtractOtelTraceContext indicates an expected call of ExtractOtelTraceContext.
+func (mr *MockMessageMockRecorder) ExtractOtelTraceContext(ctx interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "ExtractOtelTraceContext", reflect.TypeOf((*MockMessage)(nil).ExtractOtelTraceContext), ctx)
+}
+
 // InProgress mocks base method.
 func (m *MockMessage) InProgress() error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/events/nats.go b/events/nats.go
index 5c10a5c..1c7dcf3 100644
--- a/events/nats.go
+++ b/events/nats.go
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@ func (n *NatsJetstream) addConsumer() error {
 // Publish publishes an event onto the NATS Jetstream. The caller is responsible for message
 // addressing and data serialization. NOTE: The subject passed here will be prepended with any
 // configured PublisherSubjectPrefix.
-func (n *NatsJetstream) Publish(_ context.Context, subjectSuffix string, data []byte) error {
+func (n *NatsJetstream) Publish(ctx context.Context, subjectSuffix string, data []byte) error {
 	if n.jsctx == nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(ErrNatsJetstreamAddConsumer, "Jetstream context is not setup")
 	}
@@ -242,10 +244,24 @@ func (n *NatsJetstream) Publish(_ context.Context, subjectSuffix string, data []
 			subjectSuffix,
 		}, ".")
 
-	_, err := n.jsctx.Publish(fullSubject, data, options...)
+	msg := nats.NewMsg(fullSubject)
+	msg.Data = data
+
+	// inject otel trace context
+	injectOtelTraceContext(ctx, msg)
+
+	_, err := n.jsctx.PublishMsg(msg, options...)
 	return err
 }
 
+func injectOtelTraceContext(ctx context.Context, msg *nats.Msg) {
+	if msg.Header == nil {
+		msg.Header = make(nats.Header)
+	}
+
+	otel.GetTextMapPropagator().Inject(ctx, propagation.HeaderCarrier(msg.Header))
+}
+
 // Subscribe to all configured SubscribeSubjects
 func (n *NatsJetstream) Subscribe(ctx context.Context) (MsgCh, error) {
 	if n.jsctx == nil {
diff --git a/events/nats_message.go b/events/nats_message.go
index 886d423..424097c 100644
--- a/events/nats_message.go
+++ b/events/nats_message.go
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@
 package events
 
 import (
+	"context"
+
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
 )
 
 // here we implement the Message interface for nats.Msg
@@ -50,6 +54,14 @@ func (nm *natsMsg) Data() []byte {
 	return nm.msg.Data
 }
 
+func (nm *natsMsg) ExtractOtelTraceContext(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
+	if nm == nil || nm.msg.Header == nil {
+		return ctx
+	}
+
+	return otel.GetTextMapPropagator().Extract(ctx, propagation.HeaderCarrier(nm.msg.Header))
+}
+
 func msgIfFromNats(natsMsgs ...*nats.Msg) []Message {
 	msgs := make([]Message, 0, len(natsMsgs))
 	for _, m := range natsMsgs {
diff --git a/events/nats_message_test.go b/events/nats_message_test.go
index a03467c..e7caf2a 100644
--- a/events/nats_message_test.go
+++ b/events/nats_message_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 package events
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ func (_ *bogusMsg) Data() []byte {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (_ *bogusMsg) ExtractOtelTraceContext(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
+	return ctx
+}
+
 func TestConversions(t *testing.T) {
 	nm := &natsMsg{
 		msg: nats.NewMsg("some.subject"),
diff --git a/events/nats_test.go b/events/nats_test.go
index d363ccf..c43c251 100644
--- a/events/nats_test.go
+++ b/events/nats_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/propagation"
+	traceSDK "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/trace"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace"
 
 	natsTest "go.hollow.sh/toolbox/events/internal/test"
 )
@@ -84,3 +89,49 @@ func TestPublishAndSubscribe(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, 1, len(msgs))
 	require.Equal(t, payload, msgs[0].Data())
 }
+
+func TestInjectOtelTraceContext(t *testing.T) {
+	// set the tracing propagator so its available for injection
+	otel.SetTextMapPropagator(
+		propagation.NewCompositeTextMapPropagator(propagation.TraceContext{}),
+	)
+
+	// setup a new trace provider
+	ctx, span := traceSDK.NewTracerProvider().Tracer("testing").Start(context.Background(), "foo.bar")
+	defer span.End()
+
+	msg := nats.NewMsg("foo.bar")
+	msg.Data = []byte(`hello`)
+
+	injectOtelTraceContext(ctx, msg)
+
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, msg.Header.Get("Traceparent"))
+}
+
+func TestExtractOtelTraceContext(t *testing.T) {
+	// set the tracing propagator so its available for injection
+	otel.SetTextMapPropagator(
+		propagation.NewCompositeTextMapPropagator(propagation.TraceContext{}),
+	)
+
+	// setup a new trace provider
+	ctx, span := traceSDK.NewTracerProvider().Tracer("testing").Start(context.Background(), "foo.bar")
+	defer span.End()
+
+	msg := nats.NewMsg("foo.bar")
+	msg.Data = []byte(`hello`)
+
+	// inject
+	injectOtelTraceContext(ctx, msg)
+
+	// msg header gets a trace parent added
+	traceParent := msg.Header.Get("Traceparent")
+
+	// wrap natsMsg to pass to extract method
+	nm := &natsMsg{msg}
+
+	ctxWithTrace := nm.ExtractOtelTraceContext(context.Background())
+	got := trace.SpanFromContext(ctxWithTrace).SpanContext().TraceID().String()
+
+	assert.Contains(t, traceParent, got)
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f0d3e59..652ffef 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ require (
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.6.1
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
 	github.com/spf13/viper v1.15.0
-	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.2
+	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.3
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.16.0
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.16.0
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.16.0
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.24.0
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20230321023759-10a507213a29
 	golang.org/x/net v0.8.0
@@ -27,6 +30,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/gin-contrib/sse v0.1.0 // indirect
+	github.com/go-logr/logr v1.2.4 // indirect
+	github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2 // indirect
 	github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1 // indirect
 	github.com/go-playground/universal-translator v0.18.1 // indirect
 	github.com/go-playground/validator/v10 v10.12.0 // indirect
@@ -55,11 +60,12 @@ require (
 	github.com/subosito/gotenv v1.4.2 // indirect
 	github.com/twitchyliquid64/golang-asm v0.15.1 // indirect
 	github.com/ugorji/go/codec v1.2.11 // indirect
+	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.16.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/atomic v1.10.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/arch v0.3.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.7.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.8.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.3.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.30.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 8654fb3..6a04055 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ github.com/gin-gonic/gin v1.9.0/go.mod h1:W1Me9+hsUSyj3CePGrd1/QrKJMSJ1Tu/0hFEH8
 github.com/go-gl/glfw v0.0.0-20190409004039-e6da0acd62b1/go.mod h1:vR7hzQXu2zJy9AVAgeJqvqgH9Q5CA+iKCZ2gyEVpxRU=
 github.com/go-gl/glfw/v3.3/glfw v0.0.0-20191125211704-12ad95a8df72/go.mod h1:tQ2UAYgL5IevRw8kRxooKSPJfGvJ9fJQFa0TUsXzTg8=
 github.com/go-gl/glfw/v3.3/glfw v0.0.0-20200222043503-6f7a984d4dc4/go.mod h1:tQ2UAYgL5IevRw8kRxooKSPJfGvJ9fJQFa0TUsXzTg8=
+github.com/go-logr/logr v1.2.2/go.mod h1:jdQByPbusPIv2/zmleS9BjJVeZ6kBagPoEUsqbVz/1A=
+github.com/go-logr/logr v1.2.4 h1:g01GSCwiDw2xSZfjJ2/T9M+S6pFdcNtFYsp+Y43HYDQ=
+github.com/go-logr/logr v1.2.4/go.mod h1:jdQByPbusPIv2/zmleS9BjJVeZ6kBagPoEUsqbVz/1A=
+github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2 h1:hSWxHoqTgW2S2qGc0LTAI563KZ5YKYRhT3MFKZMbjag=
+github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2/go.mod h1:mMo/vtBO5dYbehREoey6XUKy/eSumjCCveDpRre4VKE=
 github.com/go-playground/assert/v2 v2.2.0 h1:JvknZsQTYeFEAhQwI4qEt9cyV5ONwRHC+lYKSsYSR8s=
 github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1 h1:EWaQ/wswjilfKLTECiXz7Rh+3BjFhfDFKv/oXslEjJA=
 github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1/go.mod h1:hxrqLVvrK65+Rwrd5Fc6F2O76J/NuW9t0sjnWqG1slY=
@@ -237,8 +242,9 @@ github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.1/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/h/Wwjteg=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.0/go.mod h1:yNjHg4UonilssWZ8iaSj1OCr/vHnekPRkoO+kdMU+MU=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.1/go.mod h1:w2LPCIKwWwSfY2zedu0+kehJoqGctiVI29o6fzry7u4=
-github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.2 h1:+h33VjcLVPDHtOdpUCuF+7gSuG3yGIftsP1YvFihtJ8=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.2/go.mod h1:w2LPCIKwWwSfY2zedu0+kehJoqGctiVI29o6fzry7u4=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.3 h1:RP3t2pwF7cMEbC1dqtB6poj3niw/9gnV4Cjg5oW5gtY=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.3/go.mod h1:sz/lmYIOXD/1dqDmKjjqLyZ2RngseejIcXlSw2iwfAo=
 github.com/subosito/gotenv v1.4.2 h1:X1TuBLAMDFbaTAChgCBLu3DU3UPyELpnF2jjJ2cz/S8=
 github.com/subosito/gotenv v1.4.2/go.mod h1:ayKnFf/c6rvx/2iiLrJUk1e6plDbT3edrFNGqEflhK0=
 github.com/twitchyliquid64/golang-asm v0.15.1 h1:SU5vSMR7hnwNxj24w34ZyCi/FmDZTkS4MhqMhdFk5YI=
@@ -255,6 +261,14 @@ go.opencensus.io v0.22.2/go.mod h1:yxeiOL68Rb0Xd1ddK5vPZ/oVn4vY4Ynel7k9FzqtOIw=
 go.opencensus.io v0.22.3/go.mod h1:yxeiOL68Rb0Xd1ddK5vPZ/oVn4vY4Ynel7k9FzqtOIw=
 go.opencensus.io v0.22.4/go.mod h1:yxeiOL68Rb0Xd1ddK5vPZ/oVn4vY4Ynel7k9FzqtOIw=
 go.opencensus.io v0.22.5/go.mod h1:5pWMHQbX5EPX2/62yrJeAkowc+lfs/XD7Uxpq3pI6kk=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.16.0 h1:Z7GVAX/UkAXPKsy94IU+i6thsQS4nb7LviLpnaNeW8s=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.16.0/go.mod h1:vl0h9NUa1D5s1nv3A5vZOYWn8av4K8Ml6JDeHrT/bx4=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.16.0 h1:RbrpwVG1Hfv85LgnZ7+txXioPDoh6EdbZHo26Q3hqOo=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric v1.16.0/go.mod h1:QE47cpOmkwipPiefDwo2wDzwJrlfxxNYodqc4xnGCo4=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.16.0 h1:Z1Ok1YsijYL0CSJpHt4cS3wDDh7p572grzNrBMiMWgE=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.16.0/go.mod h1:tMsIuKXuuIWPBAOrH+eHtvhTL+SntFtXF9QD68aP6p4=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.16.0 h1:8JRpaObFoW0pxuVPapkgH8UhHQj+bJW8jJsCZEu5MQs=
+go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.16.0/go.mod h1:Yt9vYq1SdNz3xdjZZK7wcXv1qv2pwLkqr2QVwea0ef0=
 go.uber.org/atomic v1.10.0 h1:9qC72Qh0+3MqyJbAn8YU5xVq1frD8bn3JtD2oXtafVQ=
 go.uber.org/atomic v1.10.0/go.mod h1:LUxbIzbOniOlMKjJjyPfpl4v+PKK2cNJn91OQbhoJI0=
 go.uber.org/goleak v1.1.11 h1:wy28qYRKZgnJTxGxvye5/wgWr1EKjmUDGYox5mGlRlI=
@@ -401,8 +415,9 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210423185535-09eb48e85fd7/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7w
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210615035016-665e8c7367d1/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220704084225-05e143d24a9e/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220908164124-27713097b956/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0 h1:MVltZSvRTcU2ljQOhs94SXPftV6DCNnZViHeQps87pQ=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0 h1:EBmGv8NaZBZTWvrbjNoL6HVt+IVy3QDQpJs7VRIw3tU=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.8.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/text v0.0.0-20170915032832-14c0d48ead0c/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=