Steve Pemberton is a visionary leader, best-selling author, and champion for human dignity whose life and work inspire hope, resilience, and purpose. From overcoming a traumatic childhood in foster care to becoming a trailblazer in human capital strategy, Steve has dedicated his career to building inclusive, people-first workplaces.

His acclaimed memoir, A Chance in the World, recounts his harrowing yet hopeful story of surviving extraordinary hardship and adversity in the foster care system. A Chance in the World has moved audiences nationwide, spawning a film adaptation and educational curriculum. His second book, The Lighthouse Effect: How Ordinary People Can Have an Extraordinary Impact in the World, challenges us to become “human lighthouses”—people who use their trials to light the way for others.

Through leadership, service, and storytelling, he continues to light the way for individuals and organizations striving for equity, compassion, and impact. With humility and grace, Steve Pemberton continues to be a force for good in the world—living proof that no beginning has to be a life sentence, and that each of us can be the lighthouse for those in need.