I first saw Chad when he delivered one of the most compelling presentations about broadening the participation of minoritized students in STEM that I had ever heard. The way he masterfully threaded criminal sociology with the culture of undergraduate STEM education fundamentally changed how I view my work. Later, as I got to know Chad, I found him to be authentic, wholly committed, and full of energy – nothing short of an inspiration. He lives the work that he does! As a keynote speaker for several of AAC&U’s STEM institutes and conferences, Chad has always been well-received, offering attendees a provocative look into their motivations and desires for a more diverse and competitive STEM workforce and challenging them to confront not only the systems and structures of oppression in STEM but also themselves.

When I first engaged with Dr. B. Chad Starks, I was navigating the kind of professional crossroads that many leaders face but few openly discuss. The landscape of modern leadership feels increasingly complex—shifting organizational priorities, evolving team dynamics, and the constant pressure to adapt while maintaining authentic leadership presence. What sets B. Chad apart is his distinctive coaching methodology. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all framework, he took the time to truly understand my unique context, challenges, and aspirations. His approach is deeply personalized, recognizing that effective coaching must meet individuals exactly where they are. B. Chad's methods are tailored with precision—addressing not just surface-level professional development, but the underlying patterns and perspectives that shape how we lead. In today's murky and uncertain work environment, where the rules seem to change constantly and the path forward is rarely clear, B. Chad's coaching provides something invaluable: clarity with compassion, strategy with authenticity. He helped me develop frameworks for decision-making that honor both organizational needs and personal values—a balance that feels increasingly elusive in modern leadership. What I appreciate most is B. Chad's ability to ask the questions that matter most, the ones we often avoid asking ourselves. His coaching creates the rare space where vulnerability becomes strength and uncertainty becomes opportunity for growth. For any leader seeking to navigate complexity with greater confidence and clarity, I cannot recommend B. Chad Starks highly enough. His work is not just needed—it's essential for anyone committed to leading with purpose in these challenging times.

I hope this email finds you thriving. I wanted to reach back out and let you know what an impact that you had here at Wake Tech. Based on conversations you lead, we were able to implement a START (STEM Academic Research & Training) Ambassador program. In this program former START Interns (those conducting undergraduate research) were trained in the art of storytelling, mentored to develop their story around START, and then invited into various math and science classrooms to share their stories. We were awarded an internal grant to compensate those ambassadors for their time. We have already seen an increase in our Hispanic student applications (10% to 25%) and a decrease in our White applications percentage (64% to 35%). We plan to install the ambassador portion as the permanent part of our program. In addition, we have made some “I am a STEM Researcher” posters with our students. I have attached a few in the email. I still hope to be able to bring you to Wake Tech to speak in front of a majority of our faculty. When it is the right opportunity, I will reach out. Until we work together again, know what an impact your have already made on me, on our undergraduate research program, and the Wake Tech faculty and administrators you spoke with. Best,

We are very pleased that we recently partnered with Dr. B. Chad Starks to lead several professional development workshops for teachers. He brings tremendous experience and a research-based approach that provides educators with real data and resources to improve instruction. His ‘Being the Messenger’ course including a presentation and curriculum that helped teachers learn new content, complete a self-reflection, and develop practical and effective strategies that they can immediately implement in the classroom. Dr. Starks’ approach and instructional style allows the participants to talk about very difficult subject-matter and problems in a way that is inclusive and productive. Our organization coordinates a large number of teacher professional development workshops and in my 12 years here, his workshops were among the mostly highly appreciated and evaluated by the participants. Dr. Starks brings a level of professionalism and passion for helping others, and in addition, he’s just a nice guy to work with to make your classroom a better place.