Working with leaders, their teams and organizations to achieve exceptional performance is Sam’s passion. His educational background and extensive experience make’s him uniquely positioned to work with diverse leaders and their teams. He strives to build leadership and organizational capacity, enabling leaders and their teams to become, and accomplish, more than they thought possible. Sam’s approach assesses capabilities and expands current successes for more effective leadership and team growth that are aligned with organizational mission, values and strategy.

Sam has wide-ranging and in-depth cross-cultural experience, having resided in Africa for 12 years, and worked in more than 75 countries. For more than a decade, Sam has led Voorhies International Consulting (VIC) and other clients. His expertise and the work of VIC encompasses multiple areas of executive leadership, coaching, team and organizational development. Past roles include:

• Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Global Leadership (CGL) at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he helped raise money for a sizable endowment, created programs to reach business leaders seeking to integrate their faith into business, and spearheaded initial curriculum development for students to integrate their leadership skills and capabilities into their areas of study. Sam Voorhies became the CGL’s first executive director in 2019. Under his leadership, the CGL developed PBA Lead, a transformative leadership program for undergraduate students, and also partnered with the National Christian Foundation to deliver Life Work Leadership, a leadership training experience for marketplace business leaders in the greater Palm Beach area.

• Director of Leadership and Organizational Development in World Vision International, a global partnership of 100 offices with 50,000 staff and a budget of $2.7 billion.

• Adjunct professor in Leadership and International Development at Eastern University and Fuller Theological Seminary

• Sam had the privilege of working with Peter Drucker who served as an advisor to the global leadership program he was leading.

• Management oversight for a number of organizational leadership and executive development programs, including Pathways to Leadership, the graduate corporate university leadership development training program for 600 leaders in 80 countries.

• Founding Board member: LINGOs, Learning for International NGOs. Online training service.

• Board member: Development Associates International, a non-profit global leadership development organization working in 25 countries

• Founding board member WBECs Ethical Coaching initiative seeking to make professional coaching capabilities resources and training available to Non Profit and NGO Leaders.

• Graduate teaching: Florida State University, Eastern University, UCLA, USC, University of Colorado, Denver Seminary, Fuller Seminary, Colorado Christian University.

Education

• Ph.D. International Development Education, Florida State University: concentrations in International Development, Adult Education, Development Anthropology and Communications. Summa Cum Laude

• Post Graduate Certificate, Human Resource Management and Organizational Development, Florida State University

• M.A. in Education, Wheaton College Graduate School. Cum Laude

• B.A. in Psychology. Southeastern Louisiana University. Cum Laude

Certifications

• Highlands Certified Consultant – Natural Ability Battery

• Executive Leadership Coaching, certification through Linkage International

• The Myers Briggs Type Inventory and MBTI step II

• The Emotional Intelligence Quotient – MHS Bar-On EQ I

• The Intercultural Intelligence assessment and mapping ICQ tool – Knowledgeworkx

• Management Development diploma of merit, New Port University

• Post Graduate Certificate: Human Resource Management and Organizational Development

• Situational Leadership, The Ken Blanchard Company

Cohee, G.L. & Voorhies, S.J. – The Effect of Self-Deception on Leadership Effectiveness. Journal of Biblical Integration in Business, JBIB 2021-010 (accepted for Fall 2021)

Cohee, G. L., Voorhies, S.J. – Leading from Within: Modeling Biblical Self-Transformation. Christian Business Review, Fall 2020, 14-25.

Leadership Development and Organizational Effectiveness, The Good Steward.Com, 2004.

Selecting a Mentor / Mentee and Leading as Mentoring Ten Principles, WVI International, Training and Leadership Development Quarterly Publication. July 1997.

“Community Participation and Effective Holistic Development”, in Serving the Poor in Africa, edited by Myers, Bryant, MARC Publishers, 1996.

WVI Tanzania Leadership Review: Factors of Effective Transformational Leadership and Management Practice, December 1995.

Contribution to, Working with NGOs: A Practical Guide to Operational Collaboration between the World Bank and Non-governmental Organizations, Carmen Malena, Operations Policy Department, World Bank, March 1995; p100, Annex VII-PAPSCA Procurement Procedures.

When a Tanzania Office Went from Caterpillar to Butterfly: A Case Study of NGO Organizational Change and Development. Together, No.48, October - December 1995; pp. 15-17.

How To: Get Into The Economy. WVI News, WVI Zimbabwe, Volume 11 Number 4, December 1994; p. 20.

Development is Participation Together, No. 38, April-June 1993; pp. 14-15. A Partnership with the Government of Uganda Using World Bank Funds. WVI International, 1992.

From Fund Raising to Implementation: A Case Study of Rural Development Participation in Africa. Monrovia California. WVI International, February 1992.

Raising the Chances of Sustainability: Two Attempts. Together, No. 31, July-September, 1991.

Large Scale Development Review and Evaluation. Monrovia, California. WVI International, February 1991.

Training Relief and Development Workers in the Third World and Basic Issues in Contextualizing Leadership Development; coauthor of these two chapters in Relief and Development edited by Edgar Elliston, Word Inc., 1989.

Cross-Cultural Training in Africa: Lessons from a Practitioners Experience. Cross-cultural communications seminar. Florida State University, 1988.

Applied Anthropology and Its Application in the Task of Christian Community Development. Anthropology seminar presentation. Florida State University, 1989.

Non-Formal Education and Community Development: An Approach that Works. Development Seminar presentation at Florida State University, 1987.

The Interpersonal Dynamics of CrossCultural Communication, in Together, No.13, October 1986.

“I have known and worked with Sam as a friend and colleague since I first joined World Vision, some 15 years ago. I have found Sam to be an effective leader, a skilled coach in developing other leaders and a strategic consultant in improving organizational and program effectiveness. I highly recommend his services to leaders and organizations facing today’s challenges of effectively working in a global context.” – Rich Stearns, Former President, World Vision-USA

“Dr. Sam Voorhies has been a colleague and friend in World Vision for more than 25 years.We worked together first in Africa when World Vision still a small humanitarian organization.Sam was involved in strategic leadership as the organization grew globally to a staff of over 40,000 and a worldwide budget of $2.5 billion. Pathways to Leadership, our innovative global leadership program was extremely successful as a results of Sam’s involvement. Sam is an effective leader, a skilled coach and is good at developing future leaders.” – Dean R Hirsch, President, World Vision International 1996-2010

“As a CEO of several organizations and most recently COO of one of the largest faith-based organizations in the world, I have had the privilege of meeting some outstanding people with great talent. Few have compared to Sam Voorhies, who brings many years’ of experience in developing global leaders, assisting organizations in strategy and managing significant change, which has uniquely positioned him to coach and lead those in leadership to be successful. I am grateful that Sam has journeyed with me as a coach and mentor as well as become a wise and trusted friend to lean on.” - Glenn Williams, CEO, Outward Looking LLC, Australia

“Sam’s evaluation of and insights into my leadership style helped me focus on areas of development while also capitalizing on my strengths. Sam’s coaching and consultation was extremely helpful, and timely, as he provided me tools to better navigate the massive changes and downsizing that rocked my industry and profession (IT or Information Technology), during the past decade.” – David Kirkland, Senior Executive, Agilent Technologies

“Sam stepped up when we needed him most. He brought his technical skills, rich global experience and relational networks to help us accomplish a leadership transition and equipped us for growth and impact.” – Michael J. Mantel, Ph.D., President/CEO, Living Water International

“Sam Voorhies served as a consultant with our steering team and Leadership Development task force to help shape our Leadership Competency Framework as it was developed in-house from concept to approved document. He brought a high-level of leadership and hands-on field experience that was invaluable. His character reflected graciousness and patience with us as we embarked on a new project that had never been experienced in our organization before.” – Tina Bolding, Chief HR Officer, Food for the Hungry.

“Sam has done an outstanding job of leadership training and mentorship for our Africa Regional Leadership team. Through his executive coaching and leadership development for our three regional Directors and their teams, we saw improved performance and effective change leadership.” – Wilfred Mlay, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Africa, World Vision International

“My coaching experience with Sam saved me at least six months of work, and increased my performance by as much as 20% in overall effectiveness, critical thinking and problem solving skills.” – Fabiano Franz, Country Director, Mali

“Sam is an exceptional facilitator of leadership development. He connects with leaders at all levels in the organization and aligns his efforts with organizational priorities. He is extremely cross-culturally aware and appreciative of individual differences.” – Joe Macias, Leadership Development Specialist, MultiCare Health System

“Sam has been excellent in guiding my team’s growth in terms of professional development, more effective team work and refocusing one’s personal goals for improved performance.” – Dan Ole Shani, Senior Vice President for Governance, World Vision International

“Sam’s work with my senior team helped start a new era with our team. His excellent facilitation skills and solid leadership development experience enabled staff to open up, discuss real issues and develop an action plan which we are implementing.“ - Anita Delhaas-van Dijk, National Director, World Vision Romania

“International Needs Network held a Members’ Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka at which Sam Voorhies was the conference facilitator. Sam managed the conference in a professional and skilful manner in which all 52 multinational attendees became an integral part of the decision-making process, taking ownership of the recommendations developed. His leadership of the five-day conference developed a new enthusiasm and sense of direction for the IN Network for which we are very grateful.” – David Wilson, IN Network Board Chairman