Christopher Stitt is an author, leadership coach, and keynote speaker who helps organizations and their leaders navigate complexity with clarity and confidence. Drawing on over twenty-five years of global experience, he brings grounded insight into how teams make better decisions, communicate under pressure, and build cultures that perform in the face of change.
Chris is the author of Scaling Pyramids: Leadership Lessons from a Mid-Level Bureaucrat—a candid look at how everyday professionals can build influence, credibility, and impact from wherever they sit in an organization.
The book and its accompanying keynotes and workshops help entry- and mid-level employees chart a leadership path through complex systems—demonstrating that meaningful leadership isn’t reserved for those at the top.
He is also a co-author of the Organizational Risk Culture Standard, a framework that helps leaders understand how organizational attitudes toward risk shape decision-making, accountability, and trust. Senior leaders benefit from Chris’s perspective that bridges theory and practice—shaped by years of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing crises, and advising senior decision-makers in dynamic environments.
In recognition of his extensive contributions through published articles, speaking engagements, and podcast appearances, Chris was named a 2025 Top 40 Thought Leader in Safety and Security by the Life Safety Alliance.
Christopher serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member at George Mason University, where he helps prepare the next generation of national security professionals through courses in homeland security.
He also teaches at the Institute of Presilience, contributing to its graduate certificate and diploma programs in Organizational Risk. There, he helps seasoned professionals explore the deeper connections between leadership, culture, and the management of risk in complex environments.
Christopher’s career includes senior leadership roles in security, emergency management, and organizational development with the U.S. Department of State. He has twice served as the International Programs Chief of Emergency Planning and later as Deputy Regional Director for the Americas and Caribbean.
He has served in five U.S. embassies across Central America, Africa, and the Middle East, and has worked in more than forty countries around the globe.
After transitioning from government service, Chris founded CrisisLead, LLC, where he serves as CEO and helps corporate clients through security and risk consulting—including governance and policy development, risk assessments, crisis preparedness, and speaking engagements
Quantic School of Business and Technology
Institute of Presilience
Institute of Presilience
National Intelligence University
Georgetown University
Ohio University
Institute of Strategic Risk Management
ASIS International
International Association of Emergency Managers
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Through his writing, teaching, and speaking, Christopher brings a steady and credible voice to the challenges of modern leadership. His sessions engage audiences not with theory alone, but with lived experience—helping leaders build cultures of trust, foresight, and accountability that endure long after the event ends.