Summary: Todd Simmons is an internationally recognized speaker, with prestigious credits including TEDx San Antonio and the National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS) 2024. With over 25 years of distinguished service in the United States Air Force, Todd held numerous leadership roles both internationally and domestically, culminating in his position as the Command Chief Master Sergeant of Air University, a 3-star command. In this capacity, he oversaw the largest education and professional development portfolio, impacting over 600,000 personnel.
Todd’s expertise lies in organizational change and culture, having delivered keynotes and research-based presentations to both government and corporate institutions like Amazon, NASA, the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, Robert Trent Jones Golf, PGA, and Next Jump, among many others. Known for his authentic voice, Todd focuses on building top-performing teams, managing change, redesigning organizations for optimal effectiveness, and fostering communication across diverse cultures to achieve the best outcomes.
As an accomplished author, leadership expert, professor, and internationally renowned speaker, Todd brings experiential knowledge to help future leaders navigate the complexities of leadership. His passion lies in helping individuals and organizations reach their highest potential, while his greatest source of inspiration comes from witnessing ordinary people achieve extraordinary goals.
Why would a prospective client want you to be their keynote speaker or to support their speaking event? What are some compelling aspects of your background/career/experience that we should know about?
Todd is an authentic voice in the leadership arena and excels in the art of building top-performance teams and redesigning organizational culture to achieve maximum effectiveness. His extensive leadership and life experiences gives him a unique perspective that has made him one of the most sought-after change agents in his field.
What are your primary topics/areas of expertise? Some examples may include: Conflict resolution, International Relations, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Cybersecurity, as well as specific countries or geographical regions.
My areas of expertise are:
- Leadership,
- Organizational Change Management,
- International Relations,
- Resiliency and Vulnerability,
- Suicide Prevention,
- Veteran’s Mental Health,
- Education, Team Development.
What are some positions you have held in your career that you would like prospective clients to know about?
- President/Founder of Courageous Leadership Alliance INC.
- Driven by the mission to serve, Courageous Leadership Alliance was founded in 2019, and has been a leading force dedicated and with dynamic change agents ready to assist organizations in change. It is our mission to provide organizational leaders with valuable assessment tools, comprehensive data, and innovative strategies and insights to propel both people and mission towards success and achievement.
- Command Chief Master Sergeant of Air University (3-star nominative)
- Served as the Command Chief for Air University, an accredited university that provides full-spectrum Air Force education for new and established Air Force officers, Air Force enlisted, civilians, and general officers. Served as the senior advisor to the Commander on matters affecting the professional development, education, health, welfare, morale, and employment of enlisted members assigned to over 1,300 locations around the world.
- Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Forces, Air Force Central Command
- Served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for deployed U.S forces assigned to Headquarters, Air Force Central Command. Dual hatted as the Senior leader for 40-person Security Forces Branch responsible for the supervision, equipping, training, and operational policy oversight for, physical security, fly away security, detainee operations, convoy operations, industrial security, and integrated defense for the organization’s facilities and material resources. Led 4,000-armed security forces providing combat security, personnel, and resource protection, and law enforcement to 11 U.S bases in 7 Middle Eastern countries.
- Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security (17 years)
- The Homeland Security program provides a broad understanding of the intelligence cycle, business continuity cycle, and security. The degree programs prepare graduates for entry-level career opportunities in corporate or government security operations.
What are some speaking events you’ve supported recently?
As an international sought-after keynote speaker, in the last year, I have worked with clients to include:
- U.S. Air Force (5) Major Annual Conferences
- U.S. Space Force
- NASA
- Professional Golf Association (PGA)
- Next Jump, Association for Talent Development
- Brasfield and Gorrie Construction
- Resilience Building Leader Program
- Boston University
- Columbia Southern University
- Robert Trent Jones Golf
- Amazon
- TEDx JBSA Featured Speaker 2022
…and several other government and corporate agencies.
Do you have any articles or publications? Have you been featured in any? If so, what were they?
Todd is the author of seven (7) books, All books are available on Amazon. Books are offered at a reduced price for speaking events:
- 30 Days of Courageous Leadership (Messages to Inspire Leaders)
- 30 Days of Empathetic Leadership
- Why Not Me (Born to fail)
- Destined to Succeed
- Coloring Creations (resilience toolkit)
- Life of A. Military Child (Perseverance)