L. Lavon Gray, PhD, MBA, CSP

Organizational Conflict Specialist…

Award-Winning Author…

Business Owner…

Professor…

NCAA Football Referee…

These are just a few of the hats worn by Dr. Lavon Gray.

From conference rooms filled with bully bosses and passive aggressive co-workers, to college football stadiums filled with screaming coaches and out of control fans, when it comes to conflict, Lavon has seen it all.  More importantly, he learned to thrive in the middle of the chaos! As a result, over the past thirty years Lavon has accumulated more than 7,000 hours of platform experience helping leaders across the United States resolve conflict, gain traction, and lead their organizations to healthier futures.

Lavon holds the designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association (NSA), which places him among the top echelon of professional speakers in the world. The Certified Speaking Professional designation, established in 1980, is the speaking industry’s international measure of professional platform skill and has only been earned by 17 percent of NSA members worldwide.

A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in political science, Lavon also holds a PhD with a specialization in administration and an MBA in entrepreneurship and family enterprise from Louisiana State University (Shreveport), as well as certificates in mediation from Northwestern University, conflict resolution from Cornell University, and leadership and persuasion from Harvard University. A certified speaker and leadership coach with The John Maxwell Team, Lavon has written five books, including Never Wrestle with Pigs: A Survival Guide for Dealing with Difficult Personalities, and developed the Blue Hen OCI Health Index to help organizations identify their internal conflict levels and develop strategies that promote organizational health.