Eddie Francis

Leadership development speaker helping students turn service, followership, and personal branding into practical action.

Eddie Francis specializes in helping students and organizations move from knowing about leadership to practicing it. With a commanding presence built on 20+ years of experience in fraternal leadership development and higher education leadership, Eddie delivers sessions that are as practical as they are memorable. With stand-up comedy stashed in his background, Eddie has a rare edge with college students. He doesn’t just teach leadership, he reads rooms so that his concepts land with timing and precision.

His impact is measurable. Post-event surveys consistently show that 100% of attendees find his presentations valuable and would attend them again. Nearly every respondent rates his sessions as Engaging, Relevant, Inspiring, Informative, and Actionable—all above 97%.

Eddie has written about fraternity and sorority leadership for more than two decades. A passionate NPHC speaker, he is the author of The D9 Leadership Blueprint: Personal Leadership, Ubuntu, and Collective Impact. He has also contributed to the Greek University books From Letters to Leaders: The Legacy of Service and From Letters to Leaders: Perseverance and How to Be a Great Fraternity or Sorority Alumnus. Additionally, Eddie has written for Watch the Yard, AFLV Connections, HBCU Lifestyle, and The Huffington Post, and he hosts the fraternity and sorority life leadership podcast, “Ethocast.”

The New Orleans native’s talks center on personal leadership, leader-follower communication, follower power, and ethical leadership. He has brought his experience and expertise to stages for the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values, the Southeastern Greek Leadership Association, the Big XII Conference on Black Student Government, the Northeast Greek Leadership Association, and dozens of colleges and universities nationwide.

Eddie’s leadership journey began as president of his Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity chapter at Loyola University New Orleans, where he also served as vice president of the Interfraternity Council. Because of his leadership, Eddie earned the Spirit of Loyola Award for Racial Understanding. He even choreographed a step routine that won second place at the ever-popular Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands and Greek Show. Eddie later served as an alumni chapter president and campus chapter advisor.

Professionally, Eddie is a communications strategist whose diverse professional background also includes mass media and talent acquisition. He earned his master’s degree in strategic leadership from Tennessee State University, and he is a member of the International Leadership Association, the Press Club of New Orleans, and the American Marketing Association. Eddie is the proud husband of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. member, Dr. Halima Leak Francis, and the proud father of Stevie.

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Contact Info

Email: eddie@greekuniversity.org

Office: 203-58-GREEK

To book Eddie for your campus or conference: bookings@greekuniversity.org

Presentations

PRESENTATION: Not the President but the MVP: From Followership to Leadership

Close the gap between officers and members by helping one understand the other. This program reframes how students understand their impact in their organizations, whether they hold a title or not.

Drawing on leadership theory and team development frameworks, participants will explore:

• The Leader-Follower Dynamic. Examine what followers contribute to team success and how different leadership approaches shape member engagement.

• Five Follower Types. Learn the diverse roles people play, from self-starters and active participants to reserved members and resisters. Understand how each type influences team culture.

• Group Dynamics in Action. Apply the “Gumbo Theory” to see how diverse personalities blend, manage conflict, and move through the stages of team formation and maintenance.

Students will be left with practical insights to strengthen their organizations from any position!

Give ‘til It’s Built: Philanthropy Beyond Photo Ops

This is an exercise in dream building. This program empowers students to develop essential leadership skills through purposeful giving and community engagement. Your students will see their time, talent, and resources as tools for meaningful change, not just photo ops for the fraternity, sorority, or campus news.

What students will learn:

• How to build a philanthropic foundation beyond fundraising by aligning national programs, causes, or community service projects with personal values.

• What it means to put their leadership skills into action through communication and collaboration.

• How to create sustainable impact by assessing community needs, telling their giving story, and measuring the effectiveness of initiatives.

Give ’til It’s Built transforms philanthropy from an abstract concept into a powerful leadership laboratory.

PRESENTATION: Lectures to Livelihood: Being the Leader Employers Need

Your students will be positioned for their first job out of college. Drawing on feedback from over 300 hiring managers at companies across multiple industries, this presentation reveals what truly matters to employers.

Your students will gain a competitive edge by gaining great real-world recruiter insights by learning to:

• Leverage on- and off-campus experiences to build their leadership skills.

• Decode employer expectations, giving them time to cultivate these skills before graduation.

• Develop a personal brand by defining and articulating their authentic strengths, skills, and aspirations.

The presentation includes a Q&A.

PRESENTATION: Lead Like You Have Sense! Making Self-Awareness Your GPS for Group Success

Inspire your students to become transformative leaders by mastering the most critical leadership skill–self-awareness. This dynamic program equips students with practical tools to deepen their sense of personal leadership so that they can maximize their impact on campus and beyond.

Students will discover:

• The Power of Self-Awareness. Why understanding their strengths, identity, and values forms the foundation to create real change.

• Five Critical Leadership Obstacles. The universal challenges every leader faces and shares, plus proven strategies to overcome these daunting obstacles with confidence and resilience.

• The Secrets to Building High-Performing Teams. Students learn practical techniques for fostering meaningful relationships and earning the genuine buy-in to drive thriving student organizations.

Formerly Lead by Leading You, this presentation ignites a passion for personal growth while giving students the frameworks they need to lead in a way that makes the campus a better community.

PRESENTATION: The D9 Leadership Blueprint: How Your NPHC Can Run the Yard!

Being part of an NPHC (or Divine Nine) organization provides an incredible platform to lead, but letters don’t automatically convert into effective leadership. This program combines personal stories and leadership research to provide a blueprint for leading with intention and creating a lasting impact to honor a legacy of leadership and change.

Your NPHC leaders and their Divine Nine peers will hear from someone who speaks their language when they learn:

• The research-based five key elements of leadership and how they apply to the D9.

• How to develop personal leadership as a foundation for leading others.

• The keys to collaborating more effectively using the Five Follower Types and the Gumbo Theory.

• What it means to create a succession plan for chapter growth (ideal for chapters with fewer than 10 members).

Formerly the Black Greek Success Program, the D9 Leadership Blueprint is ideal for NPHC informationals, leadership retreats, award banquets, or any other event where you need your D9 fraternity and sorority members to be seen for more than stepping or strolling.

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Testimonials

“I found (Followership to Leadership) enjoyable as Mr. Francis was very passionate about the topics he presented on. Throughout the presentation he told a few stories and told numerous jokes which helped keep the audience engaged which I personally enjoyed.”

“(Followership to Leadership is) engaging, thought-provoking, and worthwhile.”

“(Give ‘Til It’s Built) was an amazing session, and I can’t wait to take these ideas back to my community.”

“(Lectures to Livelihood) is an informational personal branding talk that is energetic and keeps you engaged. (Eddie) has great insight on what to put on your resume and how to word that information for the best possible outcome.”

“(Eddie was) very lively, he was super interactive, and very personable.”

“The Black Greek Success Program was very helpful to our fraternity and sorority community. This conversation sparked ideas about civility, collaboration, and creativity!”