Jason Barger

Jason Barger is committed to engaging the minds and hearts of people to strengthen leadership, culture, and clarity of mission, vision, and values. He is a globally recognized author, speaker, and consultant, known for creating the "Step Back from the Baggage Claim" Movement. His work has been highlighted in the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Kiplinger, and other global media outlets.

Barger's dynamic storytelling and engaging keynote speeches have resonated at global leadership conferences and with organizations such as IBM, Kaiser Permanente, Discover Card, Alliance Data, TEDx, the Society for Human Resource Management, Nationwide Insurance, Caribou Coffee, Deloitte, Wendy's, and many more. His keynotes cover a variety of topics including business growth, innovation, leadership, and organizational culture, focusing on how leaders can foster environments of engagement and service.

Before his current role, Barger led over 1700 volunteers to construct 125 houses internationally for families living in poverty and initiated the Streets Mission Project to aid the homeless in Columbus, Ohio. As the former Director of First Community Church’s Camp Akita, he designed leadership programs that emphasized joy, love, compassion, faith, and service, impacting over 1900 campers each summer.

Barger is a graduate of Denison University, where he served as Captain of the men's basketball team, and he holds a certification from Georgetown University in Nonprofit Executive Management. His commitment to community service and leadership was recognized when he received the Jefferson Award in 2004. He was also honored as a “40 Under 40” award winner by Business First in 2014 and named a "Top 200 Global Thought Leader" by PeopleHum in 2021.

As the founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting LLC, Barger collaborates with organizations dedicated to culture change, leadership development, innovation, and service excellence. He delivers speeches worldwide, advocating for positive change across various sectors.

Barger's influential book "Thermostat Cultures" has been widely successful, along with "ReMember: renewing our memberships, relationships, and focus in a distracting world," which quickly sold out on Amazon. His other works include editions of "Step Back from the Baggage Claim" tailored for specific industries, featuring collaborations with figures like Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks Coffee, Dr. Chip Souba, Dean of Dartmouth Medical School, and Christian Long, a global educational consultant.