About Seth
In the association world, Seth helps leaders innovate and adapt to today’s disruptive landscape.
His work with organizations such as the American Nurses Association, the CFP Board’s Center for Financial Planning, Inteleos, and the Thriving Earth Exchange of the American Geophysical Union has been instrumental in tackling bold goals that address major societal issues while enhancing the reputation of the associations behind them.
Seth has served on public boards, including the American Geophysical Union, Council of Better Business Bureaus, and Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. His eclectic background spans corporate consulting, street theater, mindfulness training, human potential development, and crisis intervention, giving him a unique skillset to develop innovative solutions.
"Kahan informs leaders on how they can strategically and logistically enact change.”
–Bill George, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School
Seth Kahan is a visionary leader and has served as a trusted advisor to over 100 association CEOs and prominent global figures, including the president of the World Bank, the director of the Peace Corps, and senior managers at Royal Dutch Shell. Renowned for his expertise in business strategy and Grand Challenges, he is a highly sought-after thought leader in driving transformational change.
He has taught leadership for the World Bank Institute, NASA, FEMA, U.S. Geological Survey, and CIA, helping boards of directors navigate market-size challenges through strategy and innovation. Associations like SAE International, Endocrine Society, and the Project Management Institute have benefited from his guidance.
Seth is an accomplished author, his books include the bestseller Getting Change Right, and Getting Innovation Right, Visionary Leadership: Associations in the Age of Disruption, and Building Beehives: A Handbook for Creating Communities That Generate Returns.
Designated a visionary by the Center for Association Leadership and a thought leader by the Society for Advancement of Consulting, Seth’s insights have been featured in CEO Update, Fast Company, and Associations Now.
"Seth brought us a ‘formula’ for change and helped coach the senior leadership team and key change project teams through the formula. One key change he was instrumental in supporting was our desire to have our staff (in the Americas) become more mobile. Seth supported the design and enterprise-wide implementation of our ‘Mobility Marketplace,’ which caught fire and has gotten enormous traction in eight months.”
–Kathleen Flanagan, President
CEO of Abt Associates
View list of organizations that have benefited from Seth’s strategy, leadership, and innovation. View Seth's complete CV.
To find out how Seth can bring his skills to address your organization’s goals, call him at (301) 229-2221 or email seth@visionaryleadership.com.
