Our Esteemed Founder
Christopher J. Thomas, MPA, RBLP-T
Sergeant Major, U.S. Marine Corps (retired)
Christopher J. Thomas is a passionate strategist and senior executive leader with over 2 decades of experience, providing innovative and creative plans for solving the most complex problems through proven leadership methodologies and concepts. His expertise and earned military skills align with the recruitment and cultivation of countless organizations and industries. He is a talent acquisition specialist in Albany, NY, and leads resilient team programs that open numerous opportunities and endless possibilities for clients to achieve prosperity and success in their respective sectors and businesses.
Our founder’s dedication created impactful and satisfying results solely in different business sizes and organizations. He possesses exceedingly mastered sets of skills and analytical prowess that enable him to go beyond the expectations of our clients.
Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Public Administration. Moreover, he is a Resilience-Building Leadership Professional Trainer and a certified Everything DiSC Practitioner.
Meet Our Team of Dedicated Professionals
Our professional team has over nine decades of combined experience and expertise in numerous job industries and sectors. This enabled us to provide top-notch and most sought-after services. The results of our combined experiences and skills are impeccable, which made us the leading consulting firm in the field. We commit and pride ourselves in resolving far-fetched and difficult issues and continuously providing the best-crafted solutions and services. To Elite 9 Talent Solutions, no workplace issue is too big and difficult to resolve.
To learn more about our team, click each of the photos of any of our instructors to view their profiles on LinkedIn. Or, you may “by-name” request any of our instructors and adjunct professors in Albany, NY, when enrolling in our Building & Leading Resilient Teams Program.
James Cabarrus, MPA, RBLP-T
Talent Acquisition Specialist & Adjunct Instructor
Ebony Jeffries, MA, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Jackie Kirkwood, MBV, MA, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Ray Jones, M.Ed, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Chester Wilson, III, BAS, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Shaun Lehnert, MSM-HR, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, PMP, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Shakera Grey, MBA, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Shakera Grey, MBA, RBLP-T
Adjunct Instructor
Dr. Christopher J. Thomas, Ed.D.
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Christopher J. Thomas, Ed.D., is an executive leadership strategist, organizational development consultant, and retired U.S. Marine Sergeant Major with more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning the military, healthcare, higher education, and the private sector. He specializes in helping organizations strengthen leadership effectiveness, improve organizational culture, and develop high-performing teams through evidence-based leadership development, executive coaching, organizational diagnostics, and workforce strategy.
As the Founder and CEO of Elite 9 Talent Solutions, Christopher partners with healthcare organizations, government agencies, law firms, and businesses to address complex leadership and workforce challenges. His doctoral research explored how leadership development experiences influence staff perceptions of leadership effectiveness within a hospital system, providing a strong research foundation for his work in leadership trust, employee engagement, retention, and organizational performance.
Christopher is an accomplished speaker, educator, and leadership facilitator who combines practical executive experience with academic research to deliver actionable solutions that create measurable organizational impact. His mission is to help leaders close the gap between leadership intention and employee perception, building cultures where trust, accountability, and performance thrive.
Meet Our Team of Dedicated Professionals
Our professional team has numerous decades of combined experience and expertise in numerous job industries and sectors. This enabled us to provide top-notch and most sought-after services. The results of our combined experiences and skills are impeccable, which made us the leading consulting firm in the field. We commit and pride ourselves in resolving far-fetched and difficult issues and continuously providing the best-crafted solutions and services. To Elite 9 Talent Solutions, no workplace issue is too big and difficult to resolve.
To learn more about our team, click each of the photos of any of our instructors to view their profiles on LinkedIn.
James Cabarrus
Adjunct Instructor
