Keynote Speaker; MBA, Duke University Fuqua School of Business; Founder of Durham Success Summit; Author of "Jimmy for the City"

Raleigh, NC, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

Derek Rhodes Biography

Derek Rhodes is a keynote speaker, civic leader, and social entrepreneur who helps organizations, universities, and emerging leaders develop institutional literacy — the discipline of reading power, incentives, and culture inside the rooms that matter. An MBA Candidate of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, a Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics (COLE) Fellow, and a Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) Fellow, Rhodes brings rare credibility to every stage: he has not only navigated elite institutions from the inside, but walked away from them to build something of his own.

Rhodes's path is a case study in purpose-driven decision-making. After graduating from Duke with a degree in Public Policy, he held internships at the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House — where President Obama personally recognized his contributions in an East Room press briefing. He went on to hold roles at Google, the Miami HEAT, the Obama Foundation's My Brother's Keeper Alliance, and Microsoft before making a defining choice: he left a Chief of Staff role at Microsoft after three months to return to his hometown of Durham, NC, and build something that mattered.

In 2020, Rhodes founded the Durham Success Summit, a leadership and workforce development organization for young Black men ages 16–24 that has grown into one of the region's most recognized programs for underrepresented youth — earning him a spot on the Triangle Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list.

He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Wilson Center at Duke Law, speaks regularly at universities, MBA programs, and private high schools across the country, and publishes The New Standard, a newsletter on institutional literacy and civic leadership.

Rhodes is also the author of "Jimmy for the City," a children's book on community leadership and civic engagement.

BOOK Derek Rhodes

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 06/24/2026.

Derek Rhodes Speaking Topics

    • How to Change the World
    • Storytelling for Change
    • Inspired to Serve: How Business Leaders and Educators Can Authentically Promote a Culture of Activism
    • Effective Changemaking 101
    • Success Summit Blueprint: Define and Design Your Life

  • Build a Bigger Table: Redefining Success for the Next Generation of Leaders

    The most dangerous lie high performers are told is that success means earning a seat at the right table. In this keynote, Derek Rhodes challenges that definition — drawing on his own path from White House intern to Microsoft Chief of Staff to nonprofit founder — and offers a new one. Real leadership isn’t about the table you get to. It’s about which table you decide to build. Rhodes gives audiences a concrete framework for rethinking ambition, reconnecting to purpose, and taking the kind of action that creates lasting impact beyond a job title.

    Attendee Results:

    • A new definition of success that is personal, ownable, and immediately actionable.
    • Language and clarity for the gap between professional achievement and meaningful impact.
    • A framework for identifying which table is worth building — and where to start.
    • Permission and practical steps to lead from where you are, not where you’re headed

Read More +

Derek Rhodes Videos

Derek Rhodes | TedX Keynote

Derek Rhodes | TedX Keynote

How to Change The World Derek Rhodes steps onto the TEDxMoreauCatholicHS stage with a blueprint for change that speaks directly to the heart of...

Derek Rhodes | Youth Mentoring Collaborative

Derek Rhodes | Youth Mentoring Collaborative

Derek Rhodes, founder and Executive Director of the Durham Success Summit, speaks on Youth Mentoring Collaborative's program consulting services and...

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  • What are the speaker fees for Derek Rhodes

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  • What topics does Derek Rhodes speak about?

  • Where does Derek Rhodes travel from?

    Derek Rhodes generally travels from Raleigh, NC, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Derek Rhodes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as , Build a Bigger Table: Redefining Success for the Next Generation of Leaders, Institutional Literacy: The Unwritten Rules That Determine Who Rises, The Microsoft Decision: What Walking Away From a Dream Job Taught Me About Purpose, Inspired to Serve: How Leaders Build Organizations That People Actually Believe In and First-Gen in the Room: Navigating Institutions Without Losing Yourself. The estimated speaking fee range to book Derek Rhodes for your event is available upon request. Derek Rhodes generally travels from Raleigh, NC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. Jackie Freiberg, Audra Wilson, Libby Gill, Erin Gruwell and Dr. Kevin Freiberg. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Derek Rhodes for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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