Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC
President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America
Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect | Curriculum Developer | International Trainer

"I am a Boricua. A dad. A soldier. A professional social worker. An advocate. A teacher. A professor. A counselor. And a friend. And with every role, I lead with love and serve with purpose."

Biography
Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC, is a globally celebrated architect of fatherhood engagement, social policy reform, and transformative leadership development. For over four decades, he has shaped public health, child welfare, mental health, and professional education—building bridges across disciplines, communities, and continents. His career is defined by multidimensional leadership and a relentless pursuit of equity, healing, and opportunity for all. A proud father, soldier, social worker, and visionary educator, he has devoted his life to helping people rediscover hope, dignity, and purpose. His reach spans early childhood education, public health, leadership development, and fatherhood advocacy—fields that, in his hands, become pathways toward healing and intergenerational equity.

"Insights give way to dreams—developing vision—creating purpose that ends in your why."

Foundations: Service, Resilience, and Cultural Identity
Born into a low-income household and shaped by the adversity of the child welfare system, James began his journey at age 17 as a U.S. Army Combat Medic. By 22, he became one of the youngest Substance Abuse Counselors in the Department of Defense, retiring with honors and meritorious distinction in the reserves. Over more than two decades of military service, he developed expertise in trauma response, behavioral health, and law enforcement. This experience forged his devotion to discipline, compassion, and advocacy for the vulnerable.

James's service has been recognized at the highest levels: he is the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Call to Service Award (President Barack Obama), Points of Light Award (President George H. W. Bush), Meritorious Service Medal (U.S. Department of Defense), and Congressional Certificates from Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Barbara Lee, and Diane E. Watson. He is deeply honored by the Ceremonial Elder Proclamation from the Qutekcak Native Tribe of Alaska, the National Social Worker Leadership Resolution (FFCA), and hundreds of additional accolades from national, state, tribal, and community organizations.

Architect of Systems Change: Building Movements, Securing Hope
As founder and CEO of the Fathers & Families Coalition of America (FFCA), Dr. Rodríguez transformed a grassroots Arizona network into an international force with offices in California and Puerto Rico, and active partnerships across North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Australia. He was instrumental in creating one of the nation's first TANF-funded fatherhood programs, a model that generated over $75 million in resources and has been replicated nationwide. Under his leadership, FFCA's International Families & Fathers Conference—now in its 27th year—has become a global destination for educators, policymakers, and innovators, advancing justice and family well-being.

A founding steering committee member of the Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN) at Temple University, James has shaped federal research and policy, serving as principal investigator and senior research consultant on projects for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, CDC, NIMH, and the Oregon Center for Applied Science. His work has driven advances in public health, trauma-informed care, and family resilience.

Signature Curriculum Development and Thought Leadership
James is a master architect of transformational curricula and professional development, including the Advanced Practitioner Credential™ Course (NASW Arizona-approved), OAR Leadership Institute™ (Ownership • Accountability • Responsibility), FFCA DiSC Model™, Ikigai & The Power of Kintsugi™, and SAMHSA-approved Fatherhood and Mental Health Curriculum. He also developed the Strengthening Families Through Nurturing Leadership model. His trainings are lauded for blending cognitive science, neuroplasticity, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and actionable leadership strategies, and have reached over 30,000 professionals—social workers, educators, clinicians, nonprofit leaders, and public officials—across the U.S. and four continents. Over 85% of program graduates report improved outcomes, including higher client engagement and service completion.

Certified as an Executive Coach, Master Trainer for The John R. Wooden Course™, Certified DiSC® Trainer, Life Coach, Ikigai Coach, and Schema Therapy Practitioner, Dr. Rodríguez's leadership development institutes have set new standards for excellence in behavioral health and family services.

Academic Impact, Mentorship, and Global Teaching
Dr. Rodríguez's educational reach is extraordinary. He has served as faculty, lecturer, or keynote at:

University of Southern California
Arizona State University
Morehouse College
Howard University
Columbia University
Yale University
University of Houston
Clark Atlanta University
Mesa Community College
Central Arizona College
Cornell University
Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico
University of the West Indies (Jamaica)
University of Guelph (Canada)
Malcolm X College
Sobo Tribal Nation
Navajo Nation
Qutekcak Native Tribe (Alaska)
Numerous First Nations and international partners
He developed and directed over 30 undergraduate and graduate courses, established statewide programs, and has keynoted and taught from Ivy League classrooms to tribal communities. He serves on the editorial board of PHYLON: The Clark Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture, which he joined upon the appointment of Dr. Obie Clayton, Jr., and supports scholarship on race, family, and social change.

Policy Leadership, Board Service, and Community Engagement
Dr. Rodríguez's policy influence extends to every level of government. He has developed legislation for Connecticut's Fatherhood Initiative, served on Arizona and California TANF/family-strengthening task forces, and advised the New York City Mayor's Fatherhood Advisory Council, DYCD, and ACS. He has shaped policy in partnership with SAMHSA, Region II Head Start, the State of Maryland, and the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. He has provided expert testimony before the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee. He collaborates with Congressman Danny K. Davis and hosts national Fireside Policy Roundtables on equity, child support, and education reform.

His board service is cross-sectoral and visionary, including:

100 Black Men – Arizona Chapter
AGAPE Adoption Agency
Maricopa County Human Services
Fatherhood Corrections Network
Black Family Preservation Institute
And numerous national, state, and tribal boards
Public Health, Equity, and Systems Innovation
James has led multiple national initiatives addressing mental health equity, early childhood wellness, and culturally responsive care—serving Latino, African American, Somali, First Nations, and other underserved communities. His work with the Somali Association of Arizona, the Hispanic/Latino and African American Parent Depression Research Project, and tribal partners has been recognized for its transformative impact on systems and inclusion.

Author, Storyteller, and Purpose-Driven Advocate
As founder of Borinqueño Within Press and author of the forthcoming The Purpose Within—Rise Out of the Ashes Like the Phoenix, Dr. Rodríguez's story is a testament to resilience, hope, and the enduring power of purpose. He weaves together memoir, leadership philosophy, and spiritual reflection, inspiring audiences to discover their own capacity to lead and transform.

Personal Values, Humanity, and Enduring Legacy
Above all, Dr. Rodríguez is a father, grandfather, and mentor. He draws daily inspiration from his children—Antonio (Cassandra), Amber Rodríguez-Young, LMSW (Daric), and Jazmín Rodríguez—and his grandchildren, Ariston and Adalena. His life and work are an expression of core values: love, empathy, humility, and a drive to uplift others. Whether leading a boardroom, inspiring a conference, or building coalitions for social change, James delivers wisdom, practical strategies, and hope—leaving every audience moved to action.

"Leadership is not about titles. It is about being water—shaping, flowing, and giving life wherever you go." — Bruce Lee.

If your organization seeks a keynote speaker, leadership institute facilitator, or strategic advisor who brings unparalleled experience, intellectual rigor, cultural fluency, and a proven record of impact, Dr. James C. Rodríguez is the transformative presence your audience deserves.

Contact:
james.rodriguez@fathersandfamiliescoalition.org
www.fathersandfamiliescoalition.org

"Never The End, Never Goodbye, Just I love You." – Your Friend, James

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect ... Show more

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https://linktr.ee/marcellelee

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He regularly works with established security and regulatory frameworks such as NIST and CJIS, ensuring systems meet mandated standards while remaining stable and maintainable. His interests include secure system design, compliance automation, and improving the long-term resilience of public-sector technology platforms.

In addition to his public-sector role, Harshavardhan is a 3× Co-Founder, including Digitailor, an AI-powered career optimization platform.

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Her journey spans AI-powered applications, student innovation, hackathons, and technology communities, with projects exploring areas such as smart governance, education, safety, and citizen assistance. She has also been recognized through national-level innovation initiatives, including winning the Digital category at Toycathon.

As a Google Student Ambassador, Briyona actively works to make emerging technologies more accessible and encourages students and aspiring developers to experiment, learn, and build.

She is particularly interested in the space between **“What if?” and “I built it.”** Through her work, she explores how AI can help people move faster from identifying a problem to designing, prototyping, and validating meaningful solutions.

At DevFest, Briyona hopes to share not just AI tools, but the mindset and practical approach needed to use them intentionally—to turn ambitious ideas into prototypes that can create genuine impact.

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I build teams that thrive. I’m an impact-driven leader, blending innovation, creativity and agile leadership to create inclusive cultures centred on learning and delivering - and having fun doing it.

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His Wall Street–backed research, The Perfect Plan, uncovered the behavioral patterns that drive elite leadership performance. His latest doctoral study, Here Come the Girls, reveals the next global paradigm shift in leadership—forecasting that between 2028 and 2032, women’s rise to power will redefine how organizations grow, innovate, and lead. Dr. Barden’s message equips leaders to adapt, embrace inclusive collaboration, and prepare for the future of business through measurable 3× impact in growth, profit, and retention.

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As a former small charity Executive Director she understands the challenges and opportunities facing small but mighty nonprofits and teams. She is the founder of Charity Shift, a Toronto based company that offers customized fundraising plans, strategy and coaching to organizations in Canada and internationally

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A purpose‑driven leader with over 20 years of experience, Daniella has led large‑scale, multi‑stakeholder initiatives spanning digital transformation, sustainability, and enterprise AI. Her career includes driving renewable energy adoption across Latin America at GE and enabling enterprise AI adoption through strategic partnerships at AWS.
Before joining Microsoft, Daniella founded LEMA, a play‑based, screen‑free AI literacy initiative focused on child wellbeing and future readiness. She is passionate about human‑centred technology, ethical AI, and helping partners grow scalable practices that deliver both commercial success and social impact.

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Outside of his professional work, Dr. Chamblee enjoys living aboard his sailboat, mentoring future cybersecurity professionals through CyberPatriot and the U.S. Cyber Team, and managing a wildlife refuge ranch that includes a certified Monarch Butterfly Waystation.

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Her work has been recognised with the She Leads Africa 50 Under 30 Rising Motherland Mogul Award 2026 and the Global Sustainability Awards 2025, SME100 Nigeria 25 under 25 awards, among other recognitions. n 2023, she became the first Nigerian student interviewed and featured in the British Dental Journal for her work at the intersection of medicine and robotics. She has built AI projects in healthcare research and is interested in how AI, machine learning and robotics can be applied to real healthcare challenges, particularly in Nigeria.

At 22, while in her final year of med school, Irene founded Kids in LET, a nonprofit introducing children in underserved communities to climate technology.

She graduated from the University of Nigeria with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 2024, receiving distinctions and being named Best Graduating Female Student.

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Israel’s expertise extends to academic contributions, having published approximately five research papers and presented at renowned conferences, including Deep Learning Indaba, ICLR, Data Science Africa, and Data Science Nigeria. As an invited speaker and faculty member, he has shared his insights at various international forums in Africa, Europe, Asia, and America.

In addition to his technical and academic achievements, Israel has served as a facilitator with Techskill, UK, and as a teaching assistant with Neuroscience Academy, where he imparts advanced knowledge in deep learning. His influence in the technology space is further recognized through his ambassadorial roles with Zindi Africa and Data Dev Ambassador for Tableau. Israel is also a certified data trainer with Atlan Turing College, UK, following an intensive eight-week training program.

His professional certifications include credentials as a Google IT Specialist, Google Web/Mobile Specialist, Microsoft Data Scientist, and Microsoft AI Responsible Certified professional, among others. This diverse blend of experience and expertise underscores his commitment to advancing technology and data innovation on a global scale.

Israel Odeajo is an accomplished professional with over ten years of diverse experience in technology and data science. Currently, he serves as an AI Engineer and Data Coach at Join Momentum in the United Kingdom and as a Machine Learning Engineer at... Show more

Miłosz is a mobile security specialist at Reversec, having previously spent entirely too much time working in academia. Outside of technical work, his primary interests are in education and the culture of education.

Miłosz is a mobile security specialist at Reversec, having previously spent entirely too much time working in academia. Outside of technical work, his primary interests are in education and the culture of education. Show more

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Now as CEO of Rayo (an AWS Advanced Partner), Matt continues to help customers make use of cloud to deliver great outcomes for the public sector and beyond.

Matt has been working with AWS technology since 2011, including 8.5 years at AWS itself; first as a Solutions Architect, and then in a Chief Technologist role for the UK public sector team. During that time he has presented at 6 separate re:Invent... Show more

Equipping leaders to regulate pressure, repair trust, and lead in the age of uncertainty.

Shawntà Hooks is an award-winning global keynote speaker, author, and Leadership & Clarity Strategist known for unlocking clarity in high-pressure cultures. With a background as a former Fortune 100 Vice President of Automation Transformation and Certified Public Accountant, she brings rare executive credibility to the human side of leadership.

Through neuroscience-backed, multisensory experiences — integrating music, movement, mindfulness, and storytelling — Shawntà teaches leaders the bio hacks of presence, regulation, and influence. Her work reveals what’s felt but rarely named in modern organizations: how overstimulation, unregulated pressure, and emotional misalignment quietly erode performance, trust, and decision-making.

She is the founder of The Clarity Lab™ and creator of the Catch → Convert → Create™ system of nervous system regulation.

Equipping leaders to regulate pressure, repair trust, and lead in the age of uncertainty. Shawntà Hooks is an award-winning global keynote speaker, author, and Leadership & Clarity Strategist known for unlocking clarity in high-pressure cultures. ... Show more

I’m Member of Parliament, vice-President of our Telecommunications subcommittee and executive member of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) and the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) – Policy Network on Artificial Intelligence (PNAI).
Also executive member of AFSPaN, the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network, a pan-African, legislator-led platform uniting current and former parliamentarians from 28 countries to champion agricultural and food systems transformation

I’m Member of Parliament, vice-President of our Telecommunications subcommittee and executive member of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) and the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) – Policy Network on Artificial Intelli... Show more

Innovation, Strategy, and Agility Consultant with 15 years of experience driving organizational and agile transformations across industries, service areas, and teams in over 15 countries.

A recognized trainer and facilitator, I have helped develop thousands of professionals in high-performance leadership, design thinking, agile principles and practices, continuous improvement, Kanban, flow metrics, and customer experience.

As a specialist in performance indicators and business metrics, I have extensive experience implementing KPIs, Balanced Scorecard (BSC), and OKRs, enabling teams to reach new performance levels through data-driven decision-making.

Passionate about mentoring and coaching, I support teams and individuals in open innovation, business agility, agile high-performance teams, continuous improvement, performance management, and value stream optimization.

A community leader and event organizer, I have played key roles in Agile Brazil, Agile Coach Camp, Caipira Ágil, Agile Beer, and Agile Campinas, bringing practitioners together to share knowledge and advance agility. As a speaker and facilitator, I have contributed to global conferences, fostering collaboration and practical learning.

Currently serving as Executive Director at Agile Alliance Brazil, I am dedicated to expanding agile practices and mindset by supporting communities and industry events nationwide.

Innovation, Strategy, and Agility Consultant with 15 years of experience driving organizational and agile transformations across industries, service areas, and teams in over 15 countries. A recognized trainer and facilitator, I have helped develop... Show more

Pavithra Addanki is an entrepreneur, mentor, and student leader passionate about bridging the gap between academia and industry. Founder & CEO of MXC Ignite LLP, she has collaborated with leading institutions and innovation hubs to create outcome-based learning opportunities. She is Co-Founder for Sri Raagni Organics. A Startup World Cup Mentor and advocate for personal branding, she also works in data analytics and has a LinkedIn community of over 11K followers with 9,05,400 + annual impressions.

Pavithra Addanki is an entrepreneur, mentor, and student leader passionate about bridging the gap between academia and industry. Founder & CEO of MXC Ignite LLP, she has collaborated with leading institutions and innovation hubs to create outcome-bas... Show more