With expertise in the areas of leadership, community engagement, education programming, strategic planning and disaster recovery, Dr. C.J. Huff can work with you and your team to develop and implement strategies to accomplish your organizational goals.

SPEAKING AND CONSULTATION

Nothing can substitute experience. Dr. C.J. Huff has 19 years of experience in the field of education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in rural, suburban, and urban school districts. Since his retirement from public education in 2015, C.J. has traveled internationally lending his expertise, passion and insight to schools and communities across the country seeking to improve education systems and building community resiliency. Additionally, because of his tenacity and leadership following the Joplin Tornado on May 22, 2011, Dr. Huff is often called upon to provide subject matter expertise to schools and communities recovering from our nation’s most unthinkable natural and manmade disasters. 

COMMUNITY, SCHOOL, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

In 2011, Dr. C.J. Huff founded the national not-for-profit Bright Futures USA. The Bright Futures Framework was designed to engage the faith-based community, human service agencies, and businesses in partnership with schools to support children, youth, and families. Since its inception, the framework has been replicated in over 70 communities in 8 states serving over 250,000 students. The Bright Futures Framework, enhances communication between community agencies, creates partnerships allowing quick access to resources, effectively utilizes social media to engage community members at the grassroots level, builds community leadership capacity, and provides service learning activities for youth. Bright Futures has been nationally recognized as a “best practice” by the White House, Corporation for National and Community Service, U.S. Department of Education, and the National School Boards Association.

CAREER SUSTAINING BEHAVIORS FOR LEADERS DURING CHALLENGING TIMES

Novelist Arthur Golden once said, “Adversity is like a strong wind, it tears away all but the things that cannot be torn so we see ourselves as we really are.” To Dr. Huff, truer words have never been spoken. On May 22, 2011, Dr. Huff’s resolve – along with so many others in the community of Joplin – was tested in the wake of an EF-5 tornado that destroyed one-third of Joplin, Missouri. In just 32 minutes, the most costly tornado in US history was responsible for taking the lives of 161 community members and doing over $3 billion in damage to the community. As the superintendent of Joplin Schools, CJ had to quickly transition from disaster survivor to recovery leader providing comfort, support, motivation, inspiration, and vision to those who looked to him for leadership during Joplin’s darkest hour.

The successful recovery of the Joplin community is well documented. What is seldom discussed is the physical, mental, and emotional toll the ensuing response and recovery effort took on the survivors, first responders, volunteers and community leaders who sacrificed so much to make that recovery possible. In his keynote, Career Sustaining Behaviors for Leaders During Challenging Times, Dr. Huff shares his personal experiences as a recovery leader, critical lessons learned “the hard way”, and practical strategies to ensure those in leadership roles do the right things to survive and thrive under the most trying of circumstances.

DISASTER RESPONSE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY

The quality of relationships and how a community interacts are essential to communities seeking to overcome challenges facing our communities youth. Parents, human service agencies, the faith-based community, businesses, and government agencies all play an important role in any community engagement effort. Huff developed a framework for community engagement that has been replicated in over 50 communities in 7 states. Referred to as The Bright Futures Framework, the model enhances communication between community agencies, creates partnerships allowing quick access to resources, effectively utilizes social media to engage community members at the grassroots level, builds community leadership capacity, and provides service learning activities for youth. It has been nationally recognized as a “best practice” by the White House, Corporation for National and Community Service, U.S. Department of Education, and the National School Boards Association.

I hope I would have had a little of C.J.’s toughness, commitment, and tenacity had I been faced with a similar situation.

- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Radio Address

[C.J. Huff is] a model for those who study resilience.

- U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen

With unwavering courage and unshakable resolve, C.J. has led the Joplin Schools forward. He has been an inspiration to us all.

- Missouri Governor Jay Nixon’s remarks to the Class of 2012

Professional Recognition

United States Department of Education
2015 Future Ready School District
(1 of 9 in the nation)

District Administrator Magazine
2015 District of Distinction

American Association of School Administrators
2013 National Superintendent of the Year Finalist

MISSOURI ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINSTRATORS
2013 Missouri Superintendent of the Year

National School Public Relations Association
2012 Bob Grossman Leadership Award

Missouri National Education Association
2012 Horace Mann Award

eSchool News
2012 Tech Savvy Superintendent of the Year

Missouri School Public Relations Association
2012 Administrator of the Year)

People Magazine
2011 “Heroes Among Us” Award

Pittsburg State University
2009 Outstanding Alumni Award

Civic and Professional Leadership

Vice-President at Large
National School Public Relations Association
(2012-2015)

Board of Directors
Mercy Health Systems
(Current)

Board of Directors
Connect 2 Culture
(Current)

Advisory Board
Western Governor’s University — Missouri
(Current)

Board of Directors
Bright Futures USA
(2011-2015)

Member and Paul Harris Fellow
Joplin Noon Rotary
(Current)