Purple Heart Marine Combat Veteran
Bestselling Author | Global Keynote Speaker
Founder & CEO Allison is the creator of Adversity Leadership®, a leadership methodology that helps leaders and organizations perform under pressure, navigate uncertainty, and build resilient cultures in rapidly changing environments. His work is informed by a lifetime of leading through adv
ersity across multiple industries, sectors, and high-consequence environments. Born in Jamaica, Michael experienced firsthand the impact of disaster, displacement, and uncertainty before immigrating to the United States. At 17, he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a Sergeant and Platoon Section Leader with 1st Marine Division. During combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq, he was wounded by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), earned the Purple Heart, and led Marines through some of the most demanding conditions imaginable. Following his military service, Michael faced another battle: navigating PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and the difficult transition from military to civilian life. Rather than allowing adversity to define him, he committed himself to understanding how people think, adapt, recover, and perform under pressure. Over the next two decades, Michael built a diverse leadership career spanning transportation, government, technology, higher education, entrepreneurship, and organizational development. He led large-scale railroad operations for Norfolk Southern, managed multimillion-dollar technology initiatives for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, served as Director of Military and Veterans Affairs at Florida Atlantic University, and helped build an INC 5000-ranked company serving residential, commercial, and government clients. Complementing his practical leadership experience, Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems, an MBA in Applied Management, studied Homeland Security and Emergency Management, completed the University of Florida Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, and pursued advanced study in brain science, trauma, resilience, and human performance. Today, Michael works with executives, organizations, government agencies, universities, and leadership teams seeking to strengthen decision-making, culture, adaptability, and performance in high-pressure environments. His signature frameworks including Adversity Leadership®, Break The Bottle®, Protect The House®, Leadership Re-Entry™, and LECQM 2.0™—provide leaders with practical systems for creating clarity, developing courage, building trust, and sustaining performance when the stakes are high. Leadership is revealed during times of pressure. His mission is to equip leaders with the mindset, systems, and leadership disciplines required to perform when it matters most.
