Breakfast Leadership Show How To Transform Your Leadership and Belong: Insights from Cordell Carter, Esq.
Cordell Carter, Esq. Convenor | Leaders, Ideas, and Experiences Cordell Carter, Esq. is a dynamic leader, speaker, and advisor known for his relentless pursuit of a world where everyone belongs and has opportunities to thrive. As the long-term executive director of the Aspen Institute Socrates Program (2017-2024) and founding director of the Project on Belonging, Cordell curates transformative, off-the-record leadership seminars in capital cities across the globe, shaping the perspectives of over 1,500 leaders annually.
Cordell’s passion for creating inclusive spaces led him to establish the Festival of the Diaspora in Medellín, Colombia—a powerful summit (deemed the secular tent revival) uniting diasporic communities across the Americas. As the founder of Expectant Advisory, LLC, he helps leaders and boards navigate their inclusion and belonging journeys with thoughtful strategy and foresight. His leadership journey spans prestigious roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IBM, Seattle Public Schools, and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. He is a sought-after speaker and facilitator on belonging, inclusion, post-secondary success, and the democratic ideals that hold our society together.
Cordell is also the author of the groundbreaking keynote series, "Becoming an Inclusive Republic," a forthcoming book of the same name, and the producer of the documentary “The Road Trip to Belonging." In recognition of his expertise and leadership, Cordell was appointed by President Biden to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and has received numerous accolades, including being named a 2023 Minority Executive Making Moves, a 2021 Champion of Change for Computer Science Education, and a distinguished Eisenhower Fellow to China. Cordell also serves as a Board Director for Concordia, Orbit Capital, Oasis Fresh Markets, Redemption Holdings, and the International Advisory Committee of Danubius University (Galatz, Romania). Finally, he is a limited partner with the Fvlcrum Fund and Mendoza Ventures.
His influence stretches far and wide. He has spoken in 15 countries and 20 U.S. states on topics such as liberal democracy, belonging, and civic faith. Cordell’s leadership extends to corporate boardrooms, advising companies like SkillStorm in their mission to upskill underserved communities. He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Washington, and his thought leadership continues to shape the national and global conversation around equity, inclusion, and the future of democracy.