Keynote Speaker · Author · Facilitator

Leadership can rise from anywhere. Even from a prison cell.

Doug Smith was a social worker and a policy insider at the Texas Capitol, until untreated mental illness and addiction led him to prison. He rebuilt his life from that cell, and today he is the award-winning author of The Path of Rocks and Thorns: Leadership Lessons from a Prison Cell and a sought-after keynote speaker. Doug helps audiences, from people rebuilding after incarceration to senior executives, lead from exactly who they are. He does not lecture. He creates a dynamic, participative experience people feel in the room and carry out the door.

Signature Talks
Leadership Can Rise From Anywhere
Leadership is not a title or a technique. It is an identity anyone can claim, and the impact you choose to own.
Trauma-Informed Leadership
How to build teams and workplaces free from shame, where people can succeed, fail, and grow.
From Prison to Purpose
A raw, hopeful story of descent and resurrection, and the leadership forged inside a prison cell.
Investing in People With Lived Experience
What it truly takes for organizations to hire, support, and grow leaders with histories like Doug's.
What Your Audience Walks Away With
In Their Words

"Doug is an outstanding trainer and executive coach. His deep respect and interest in the wellbeing of others is the foundation of his real ability to make a difference."

DAVID MENSAH · WAVE TRAINING AND CONSULTING