DEI vs Diversity - Which Will Drive More Growth?

Colonel John Boggs is a true trailblazer and luminary in the realm of leadership coaching, development, and inclusive practices. As a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, his extensive experience spans over three decades, during which he defied the odds and commanded at every rank. This achievement places him among the elite few. But Colonel Boggs’ contributions extend far beyond his distinguished military career.

In the realm of education, Colonel Boggs served as both a trainer and educator at esteemed institutions such as the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depots at both Paris Island, SC and San Diego, CA; Officer Candidate School, and the Deputy Director of the Marine Corps Distance Learning at the Marine Corps Institute in Washington D.C. where he honed his skills and molded the minds of future leaders. Not stopping there, he ascended to the prestigious role of Professor and Dean of Faculty and Academic Programs at the esteemed Industrial College of the Armed Forces, shaping the intellectual landscape of strategic thinkers.

The Colonel’s unwavering commitment to service led him to prominent positions in high-level staffs at the Pentagon, where he demonstrated his keen strategic acumen. As the Chief of Staff of the National Defense University, the paramount institution for producing strategic leaders, he played a pivotal role in shaping the minds of the nation’s top decision-makers. Additionally, his tenure as a Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations showcased his expertise in matters of global significance.

Embracing the challenges of the business world, Colonel Boggs proved his mettle as a senior vice president of a prominent non-profit organization and as a partner in an International Business Development Firm. These experiences gave him a unique perspective and a well-rounded skill set that resonates across various industries.

Today, Colonel Boggs stands tall as a respected authority in executive leadership development, executive coaching, and fostering inclusive environments (DEI). His exceptional roster of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to burgeoning start-ups, reflects his ability to make a transformative impact across diverse organizations. Moreover, his coaching prowess has reached the upper echelons of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and the federal government, where he has worked with esteemed Admirals, Generals, and Senior Executives.

Armed with two master’s degrees, one in Management and the other in National Security Strategy, and an impressive array of certifications, Colonel Boggs brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise. A graduate of Georgetown University’s prestigious Transformational Executive Leadership Coaching program, he possesses the rare distinction of being an International Coaching Federation credentialed Professional Certified Coach and an EMCC Certified Global Team Coach. Furthermore, his mastery of Mental Fitness Coaching enhances his ability to cultivate resilient and effective leaders.

As a member of esteemed professional organizations such as the “Forbes Coaches Council” and the National Speakers Association, AZ Chapter, Colonel Boggs stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the industry. Notably, his contributions to the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have garnered attention from esteemed publications such as Forbes and Fortune, cementing his status as a thought leader in this crucial domain.

Even in his post-military life, Colonel Boggs remains committed to making a difference. He actively supports the initiatives of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation’s Arizona Campaign, advocating for the education of children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. And amidst his demanding schedule, he still finds time to share his passion for Lacrosse by coaching high school players.

Colonel John Boggs’ incredible journey embodies the essence of leadership, resilience, and dedication. With each endeavor, he continues to inspire others, leaving an indelible mark on the world of leadership and fostering inclusive environments.

Over the last 30 years, Kneko Burney Miller has conducted research with more than 100,000 business professionals around the world, particularly those in small and mid-sized businesses. She's also advised some of the largest, most successful tech companies on the planet, as well as government agencies, and non-profits. Her journey as a technology and business expert has taken her to several countries, including living in Europe for nearly a decade, where she has gained a multi-national, multi-cultural perspective, as well as knowledge and experience.      

Over her career, Kneko has also started several small businesses, including the first internet-based movie streaming service in 2006 called Eyesoda, well before Netflix was streaming movies like we know today.  And, like many entrepreneurs, this experience showed her that despite innovation, first to market status and hard work, some business ideas take more than you have at the time to make them prosper.

Maintaining a positive perspective and learning from every experience is an opportunity for each of us, and something that Kneko strives to harness into a teachable, optimizable skill.  Mrs. Miller is currently the owner and operator of several businesses, with her three principal businesses being inter-connected service and technology platforms, Change3 (a "growth" agency providing marketing, sales and operations support), BeTechly (a leading technology research think tank, helping people make better business technology decisions) and BeContently (a content delivery and demand generation platform), which form a triad for growth for the client's she serves.  

Not only is she a small business expert, but also because for the last twenty years she's been a small business owner - joining the haloed elite of American entrepreneurs.  Kneko is actively forming, operating, evolving, investing in and growing small businesses that prosper. She personally understands the hard work involved in running a small business, as well as has personal insight into the day-to-day and long-term challenges that most small business owners face.  This gives Kneko a rare perspective into growing your business happily, regardless of the size.

Kneko earned three degrees from Boston University during her four year term: a BA in Mathematics, a BA in Economics and a MA in Quantitative Economics (1996), and she also graduated from Stanford University's AEA Quantitative Economics program (1994).

"It takes more than money, more than experience and more than an idea to make your business grow and prosper.  It takes you, the business owner, setting the pace for growth by harnessing all of your potential, so that you can harness all of your team's potential, one step at a time...together." - Kneko Burney Miller