Guest Profile

Chris Meek MBA

Chris Meek is co-founder, chairman and CEO of SoldierStrong, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on helping America’s servicemen, women, and veterans take their next steps forward. He has been recognized for his work in philanthropy with the President’s Call to Service Award (2011), March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award (2012), Syracuse University’s Orange Circle Award (2014), the ACT-IAC “Game Changer” Award (2020), and was named a “Face of Philanthropy” by the Chronicle of Philanthropy (2021).

In addition to his work as a philanthropist, Meek has been a financial services executive for over 25 years. He holds a BA in economics and political science from Syracuse University, an MBA in financial management from Pace University in New York City, and an MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in organizational change and leadership at the University of Southern California.

Meek serves as an adjunct professor at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on nonprofit management and board governance. He shares his experiences and discusses resiliency, empowerment, and leadership through adversity on his weekly podcast “Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek” via VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network’s Empowerment Channel. More information can be found at www.nextstepsforward.com. In 2022, Meek released his first book Next Steps Forward: Beyond Remembering, The Power of Action.