Jim Kennedy is an international best selling author, speaker, and podcaster on the topic of Leadership Development. He is a sought after speaker on the topics of raising children with disabilities and in helping people overcome obstacles to achieve personal greatness. In his first book Discerning God’s Purpose: A Father’s Journey from Tragedy to Triumph, he shares how he used his faith to lead him in the direction of his calling and how he came to rely on the words: “With God, all things are possible.” In his latest book, an anthology collaboration called Step Into Leadership Greatness: Leadership Isn’t Just A Title, Jim writes a chapter titled “Parent Leadership: Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow.”
In addition to his books, Jim has written articles on Leadership Development for publications such as The Huffington Post and The Good Men Project. Jim is also a member of Toastmasters and has served in leadership positions at the Club, Area, Division, and District levels. He is also the creator and former host of the Toastmaster Leader, the official leadership development podcast for District 66.
Before becoming a writer and a speaker, Jim served in leadership and management positions for over 28 years within the federal government and private sector. Jim began his career as a US Army Officer and has gone on to serve as a program executive, program manager, administrative manager, project manager, and Information Technology Consultant. Jim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Howard University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Webster University (St. Louis, MO), and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. He has also participated in Leadership Development programs with the Department of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) and the Urban League of Cincinnati (African American Leadership Development Program of Greater Cincinnati). Jim currently lives in Chesapeake, VA.