Speaking events
In-Person & Virtual
Derek delivers impactful, experience-driven presentations that integrate lived experience, clinical depth, and real-world leadership. As an injured worker, case worker, accomplished business owner, and authentic leader, he brings a perspective that is both credible and deeply grounded.
Rising from modest beginnings, Derek has built a successful career as a business leader and advocate for sustainable change. His work reflects advanced professional training and a nuanced understanding of complex human systems. With extensive experience supporting military personnel and first responders, he brings deep insight into their culture and organizational challenges.
Drawing on decades in high-stress environments, Derek challenges and empowers individuals and organizational leaders to rethink their approaches to business, mental health, and resilience. He provides audiences with practical, actionable strategies to enhance organizational effectiveness, build high-performing teams, and lead with clarity and purpose.
From Broken to Unbreakable
Derek shares the powerful story of a driven, successful individual whose life was suddenly derailed by physical injury and PTSD, leaving him in a dark and uncertain place for years. What followed was not just a fight for recovery, but a relentless commitment to reclaim his life, his purpose, and his identity.
Refusing to give up, Derek rose from that darkness to become a leader, a builder, and an example of what is possible when resilience meets determination. This is more than a story of survival, it is a message of transformation, leadership, and rebuilding a meaningful life. Audiences leave inspired, deeply moved, and motivated to act in their own lives.
Leadership Under Adversity: Building High-Performance Organization
In high-pressure environments, adversity is not the exception it’s the reality. Derek draws on his journey from an employee to a successful business owner to share a powerful story of leadership under fire when his company stood on the verge of collapse and everything was at risk.
Through determination, discipline, and decisive leadership, he rebuilt from the brink transforming challenge into opportunity and rising from the ashes to create a strong, thriving corporation. This presentation goes beyond inspiration, delivering practical strategies for decision-making, accountability, and building teams that perform under pressure and sustain long-term success.
Build It Right or Watch It Fail
Building a successful business takes more than a good idea, it requires resilience, discipline, and the ability to lead through uncertainty. Derek shares his real-world journey of building a company from the ground up, facing near collapse, and rebuilding it into a thriving organization.
He highlights what truly drives success: strong leadership, smart decision-making, and the right team, while exposing common pitfalls like burnout, poor financial discipline, and loss of focus. This practical, engaging presentation gives new entrepreneurs a clear roadmap for building something sustainable and avoiding the mistakes that can take them down.
Supporting Your People When It Matters Most
Rethinking Disability Management for Psychological Injuries
Traditional disability management approaches often fall short when dealing with psychological injuries, leading to delays, conflict, and poor return-to-work outcomes. Derek breaks down what actually works, offering clear, practical strategies for assessing readiness, setting realistic expectations, and creating effective, individualized return-to-work plans.
Drawing on real-world experience, he shows how to navigate complex cases, communicate more effectively with all stakeholders, and avoid common pitfalls that lead to relapse or
prolonged absence. This presentation gives organizations and professionals the tools to improve outcomes, reduce friction, and support sustainable, successful reintegration.
Caring for Others Without Losing Yourself
Frontline professionals carry the weight of others’ trauma every day often at the cost of their own well-being. Derek speaks directly to case managers, disability professionals,
psychologists, and medical providers about the realities of burnout, emotional fatigue, and the pressure to always “hold it together.” This presentation offers practical, honest strategies to maintain personal wellness, set boundaries, and sustain a long, meaningful career while continuing to support others at the highest level.
Navigating Return to Work: Practical Strategies for Healthcare Providers
Most healthcare professionals receive little to no training in return-to-work and disability management; yet they are routinely asked to make critical decisions about a patient’s fitness for work. Derek bridges this gap by providing clear, practical guidance on core return-to-work principles, functional assessment, and navigating complex cases. This presentation equips physicians and healthcare providers with the confidence and tools to support patients effectively while balancing clinical care, workplace realities, and insurer expectations.