Leader-in-Residence

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General J. H. Binford Peay III ’62 Leader-in-Residence

Named in honor of VMI’s 14th Superintendent General J. H Binford Peay III ’62, the VMI Leader-in-Residence (LIR) program is an important part of the Center’s efforts to educate, engage, and inspire cadets, faculty, and staff to develop as leaders.

The Leader-in-Residence program brings to post people of stature within their fields whose distinguished careers exemplify the citizen-soldier model. Their residency amounts to a two-week visit over the course of the academic year. They interact primarily with cadets in various formal and informal settings, including the classroom, in barracks, and during athletic activities such as club sports. This individual gives the keynote address at the Superintendent’s Leadership Dinner and also meets with the faculty and staff.

The “residency” aspect of the program allows cadets and faculty to explore the full range of leadership issues the leader has faced during their career. Both the LIR and members of the VMI community benefit from a mutual exchange of ideas to test their understanding of leadership concepts, explore how these concepts have been used in practice, and investigate the broad range of challenges leaders face today.

2025-26: Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Scott Mann

Biography

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours all over the world, including Colombia, Iraq, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a warrior storyteller and the founder of Rooftop Leadership, where he shares the rapport-building skills he learned in Special Forces to help today’s leaders make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust engagements.

Scott is the author of the instant New York Times Best-Seller, “Operation Pineapple Express,” a third-person narrative detailing the harrowing stories of the veterans, volunteers, and Afghan Allies who navigated the US abandonment of Afghanistan in August of 2021. He has since founded Operation Pineapple Express Relief, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the emergency needs of our Afghan Allies, including safe passage out of Afghanistan and unforeseen resettlement needs.

Scott’s greatest accomplishment is his family; he has three grown sons, which now gives him the newfound opportunity to chase Monty, his wife of 27 years, around their Tampa home as often as possible.

To learn more about Scott’s whole body of work, visit ScottMann.com.

Current Topics of Interest and Areas of Expertise

Writer and actor in the one-man play “11 Days: The Story of Operation Pineapple Express” coming to VMI on Wed., Feb 11
Bringing the power of storytelling to communities
Addressing moral injury and veteran mental health issues
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
Unique perspective on the Taliban and their threat
Airstrikes in Afghanistan and their effect on Afghan citizens
Political leadership surrounding the decision to leave the region
Current state of Afghanistan and its Civil War
S. military and government leadership
Cost of war for servicemembers and their families
Stability in the Middle East
Firsthand perspective on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Building trust in high-risk, conflict zones
Producer and star of the play and film “Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret”

TEDx Talks

The Generosity of Scars: https://youtu.be/_szAosvdWdM
Rooftop Leadership: https://youtu.be/M78sDuehUnk
Surrounded on Purpose: https://youtu.be/61eEC1-L6RI

Social Media & Podcast

The Rooftop Podcast

2024-25 Leader-in-Residence: Amber Smith, former Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense

Combat Veteran, Pilot, Author, and Public Commentator

Amber Smith has over 15 years of experience in leadership, communications, public speaking, and branding. She has mastered performance under pressure as one of the few women to fly the United States Army Kiowa Warrior helicopter into enemy fire in some of the world’s most dangerous combat zones. As a communications executive, Pentagon official, TV analyst, press secretary, pilot in command, and combat leader, she is used to overcoming obstacles, working in lightning-fast and rapidly evolving environments where the stakes are high, and errors come with disastrous consequences. Amber’s winning attitude and proven ability to perform flawlessly in demanding environments have led her to thrive in a high-stress world and persevere through even the toughest challenges while mastering work-life balance. Amber is the bestselling author of Danger Close and Unfit to Fight.

2023-24 Leader-in-Residence: Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Chris Burns

36-year Army Veteran – Special Forces Officer – Corporate Coach – Experienced leader in the nonprofit and corporate sectors

Brig. Gen. Chris Burns, U.S. Army (Retired), is a distinguished leader with a career spanning over 30 years. Commissioned in 1987 as a distinguished ROTC graduate from the University of Connecticut, he began his military journey by joining the Rhode Island Army National Guard, where he trained as a Special Forces Officer. Throughout his career, Burns held various roles in special operations, including multiple deployments for Operation Enduring Freedom. His final post was Assistant Commanding General at U.S. Special Operations Command Central from 2014 to 2016.

As the Senior Advisor at IWC, Burns brings over 34 years of strategic leadership experience, emphasizing collaboration and innovative solutions. His expertise encompasses training, project management, strategic planning, and team leadership.

Burns is well-educated, holding a master’s in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College (2009), an MBA from Western Connecticut University (2006), and a bachelor’s in economics/politics from the University of Connecticut (1987). Additionally, he is an active member of several military associations, reflecting his commitment to service and leadership.