Brad D. Smith became president of Marshall University in January 2022 after a globally recognized career in leadership and philanthropy. Formerly CEO and executive chairman of Intuit, Brad co-founded the Wing 2 Wing Foundation with his wife, Alys, to support education and entrepreneurship in Appalachia. The foundation's Ascend WV program recruits remote workers to West Virginia. A Marshall alumnus with a bachelor’s in business administration, Brad is committed to empowering future leaders. A proud “boy from Kenova,” Brad champions opportunities for his home state and its people.

Mike has dedicated his career to higher education, serving as a football coach, instructor, and administrator at multiple colleges and universities. Throughout his tenure, he contributed to several conference championships, coached numerous All-Conference and All-American athletes, and mentored countless current teachers and coaches across the Midwest and beyond. As the President and Founder of Via Crucis Leadership, LLC, Mike is a dynamic speaker who brings passion, humor, and heartfelt stories to audiences. He emphasizes essential leadership skills based upon his “Handful of L’s” as a foundation for those striving to navigate and lead in today’s complex, “Chaordic” world (forces of chaos & order colliding). Guided by his mission of “1-0 Every Day in Every Way: Living life creating a transformation of self and others.” Mike inspires individuals to unlock their potential, embrace resilience, and foster meaningful change in themselves and others. Mike also serves as the President of the Chris Norton Foundation and was featured in the acclaimed documentary “7 Yards.” He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree and continues to lead with purpose and impact.

Ben Eden is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the creator of the Eden Model, a transformative framework designed to help high-achieving leaders evolve from the inside out. With a background as an HR executive and as the author of How We See Ourselves, Ben has developed a unique ability to guide successful business owners and corporate leaders who, despite their outward achievements, seek greater clarity, balance, and fulfillment. Ben specializes in helping those who carry the weight of performance realign with their true selves, enabling them to lead with increased confidence, deeper connections, and greater time freedom. His work combines practical leadership wisdom with profound insights into personal identity, making him a sought-after guide for leaders looking to make meaningful transformations.

Robert Yarnall is the VP of Development & Impact at the Robert Irvine Foundation. A retired Master Gunnery Sergeant with 25 years of service in the USMC, Robert also spent 20 years as a civics teacher and coach. In addition to his military and teaching career, he is a community leader, involved in local government and charitable organizations, and a small business owner.

Isaac G. Lee, a native of Lubbock, Texas, is a graduate of Texas Tech University and a retired Marine Corps officer and aviator. Over his two decades of service, Isaac completed seven overseas deployments, including four combat tours in the Middle East. He served as the Commanding Officer of an operational CH-53E squadron before retiring in 2017. Now residing in San Diego, California, Isaac works as an operations executive and dedicates his free time to volunteering for fellow veterans and enjoying time with his family. A fan of baseball and football, Isaac is also the author of HANGAR 4, his first book.

Dave Rosenberg, a former F-14 naval officer and founder of Locked on Leadership, is a top authority on radical accountability. As the premier expert in this field, he equips military-minded leaders with tactical strategies to build high-performance teams that exceed expectations. His approach goes beyond transforming individuals into self-directed achievers; it fosters a culture of excellence that remains mission-ready long after motivation fades.

Dr. Christina Bates is a mom to two sweet girls, an entrepreneur, a leader, and an animal lover with three dogs, two cats, one bunny, and one guinea pig. Passionate about all things military, especially weapons systems, she is dedicated to helping leaders and organizations excel and realize their full potential. She believes that God has a purpose for each of us, and in small but impactful ways, she supports leaders and members of organizations in living out that purpose.

Rob Roy is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, with 21 years of service in the SEAL teams, including over a decade with the elite SEAL Team Six. After retiring, he transitioned to entrepreneurship, founding Trident Coaching and Consulting to deliver transformative leadership programs. Rob is an award-winning executive coach, a sought-after public speaker, and the author of Leadership Lessons of the Navy SEALs: The Art of War. His leadership training programs, including "Leadership Under Fire" and "Battlefield to the Boardroom," have received accolades, including multiple YPO-WPO BEST of the BEST awards. Rob's insights on leadership, resilience, and team-building have been featured on Bloomberg TV, Fox News, and NBC.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Brabner’s journey from infantry combat leader to military robotics innovator shows how leadership can transform even the largest organizations. In this episode, he shares raw lessons from combat, where the absence of simple tools like soldier-borne sensors cost lives, and how those experiences fueled his drive to reshape the military’s approach to unmanned systems. Brabner reveals how visionary leadership—rooted in Boy Scout values, hardened in Ranger School, and tested in combat—has turned fragile, expensive assets into modular, mission-ready tools that give soldiers a decisive edge. His story is a powerful reminder that disruptive change requires both innovation and leaders willing to challenge the status quo.

To overcome failure, you must first change how you see it. In this powerful entry of the Anti-Fragile series, we explore how the Power of Perspective (POP) transforms failure from a stopping point into a starting line. Drawing from military leadership, personal stories, and timeless wisdom, this article reveals eight practical truths that help leaders build unshakable mental resilience. You'll learn how to train with intensity, embrace failure as a cycle of growth, remove excuses, and develop a battle plan grounded in purpose and persistence. Whether you’re in the fog of uncertainty or facing your next big decision, this is your call to shift perspective, take action, and become the leader your team needs.