Stephen Mansfield

Stephen Mansfield is a New York Times best-selling author and a popular speaker who coaches leaders worldwide. He is also a Leadership Coach deeply involved in social causes, notably advocating for the Kurds.

He grew up largely in Europe due to his father’s career as an officer in the U.S. Army. After a youth filled with sports, travel, and mischief, he attended college in the U.S. and earned a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy. For the next decade, he lived in Texas where he completed two master’s degrees, hosted a radio program, and began acquiring a reputation as a speaker of both depth and humor.

In 1991, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to join the leadership team of one of the nation’s top mega-churches. He quickly became the senior leader of that church and continued in this role for eleven years. During that time, he earned a doctorate, worked among the Kurds of Kurdistan, and advised numerous national leaders. In these years, he also launched the writing career for which he has become internationally known. His first book, on Winston Churchill, was a Gold Medallion Award Finalist. He also wrote widely acclaimed biographies of Booker T. Washington and George Whitefield, as well as a number of other highly regarded books about history and leadership. In 1997, the governor of Tennessee commissioned Mansfield to write the official history of religion in Tennessee for that state’s bicentennial.

In 2002, Stephen decided to give himself fully to writing, speaking, and training leaders. Not long after, he wrote "The Faith of George W. Bush", which landed on the New York Times best-seller list twice and won numerous national awards. The book was a source for Oliver Stone’s acclaimed film "W", which chronicled Bush’s rise to the presidency. This international best-seller led to a string of influential books over the following decade. Mansfield wrote "The Faith of the American Soldier" after he was with U.S. troops in Iraq in 2005. He also wrote about the ascent of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy in "Benedict XVI: His Life and Mission." His book "The Faith of Barack Obama" was another international bestseller and captured broad media attention both in the U.S. and around the world during the presidential race of 2008. The book "Killing Jesus" is such a gritty, powerfully written retelling of the death of Jesus Christ that Publisher’s Weekly called it “masterful.” In his book "The Miracle of the Kurds", he recounts the fascinating story of the Kurds. Having lived among them and known them as friends, Mansfield tells of both the greatness and the great sufferings of these amazing people. It’s a remarkable story of hope reborn in Northern Iraq. His work on this subject was named “Book of the Year” by Rudaw, a leading Kurdish news service.

In recent years, Mansfield's popularity as a speaker has nearly eclipsed his reputation as an author. He speaks widely about leadership, the lessons of history, and the forces that shape modern culture. His speeches are rich in history and infused with an endearing brand of humor. He has spoken at schools like Harvard and the United States Military Academy, for many of America’s leading corporations, and at gatherings of executive leaders around the world. He has given a TEDx talk titled “The Kurds: The Most Famous Unknown People in the World” and offers keynote speeches on topics such as reclaiming masculinity and the impact of faith trends on society.

Out of Mansfield’s own leadership experience, his research, and his many years of advising leaders have come his current commitment to coaching senior executives. He has worked with political leaders, educators, corporate executives, authors, and media personalities to draw out their leadership gifts, extend their communication skills, and increase their impact upon the world. He is also a Senior Fellow of Public Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he teaches and coaches current and future leaders. Additionally, he holds a position as a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Faith and Culture and serves as an Ambassador for the Center for Christian Statesmanship.

Mansfield lives in Nashville and Washington DC with his wife Beverly, an award-winning songwriter and producer.