About Michael Chase
Resilience. Leadership. Human Connection.
Beyond the Headlines
Michael Chase has lived through moments most people only witness on the news. Standing just feet from the second explosion at the Boston Marathon finish line, his life changed in an instant. What followed was not just survival, but a deliberate choice to turn adversity into purpose.
​
Today, Michael serves as a School Resource Officer, author, and nationally sought keynote speaker. He brings a rare perspective shaped by crisis, service, and leadership under pressure. His work bridges the gap between trauma and growth, fear and clarity, reaction and intentional response.
​
Organizations do not invite Michael to consult. They invite him to move people. Through raw storytelling and grounded insight, he helps leaders and teams confront challenge, strengthen culture, and remember what truly matters when it counts.
Leadership Under Fire
On April 15, 2013, Michael stood fifteen feet from the second explosion at the Boston Marathon finish line. He remembers the taste of sulfur in the air, the ringing in his ears, and the moment instinct took over. That day divided his life into before and after.
​
But this story is not about the explosion.
It is about what rose from it.
​
In the years that followed, Michael learned something most leadership books never teach. Resilience is not built in theory. It is built in the hardest moments of life. In hospital rooms, in therapy sessions, in courtrooms, in classrooms, and in conversations we would rather avoid.
​
With more than 25 years serving at-risk youth, first as a special education teacher, then as a police officer, and now as a School Resource Officer, Michael brings rare perspective from the classroom, the street, and the front lines of crisis response. His work has reinforced a simple truth: leadership is revealed under pressure, and trust is built through human connection.
Where It Matters Most
Michael does not speak about crisis as a headline. He speaks about it as a lived experience that reshaped how he leads, serves, and shows up for others.
​
In corporate boardrooms, hospital systems, school districts, and first responder agencies, the pressures may look different, but the weight is the same. Decisions carry consequences. Culture determines performance. Trust determines whether teams fracture or grow stronger.
​
Through honest storytelling and grounded reflection, Michael helps leaders and teams slow down long enough to examine how they respond under pressure. He challenges organizations to build cultures rooted in trust, courage, and accountability, not just performance metrics.
​
His message resonates because it is not theoretical. It is human. And when people feel something, they remember it.
Service has never been a title for Michael. It has been a practice. Whether in uniform, in a classroom, or on stage, his leadership begins with presence.
Recognition and Service
Michael’s work has been recognized locally and nationally. He was honored as a Hero Among Us by the Boston Celtics for his actions following the Boston Marathon bombing and received the Life Saver Award from the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee for his efforts to preserve life during a critical incident while on duty in 2017.
​
Before entering law enforcement, Michael spent more than fifteen years in education, serving students who required therapeutic and crisis support. That dual perspective as educator and officer gives him rare credibility when speaking about culture, trust, and leadership under pressure.
​
Today, he continues to serve as a School Resource Officer while speaking to organizations across the country.
At the Center of It All
Michael’s work on stage is rooted in who he is at home.
​
His recent engagement to Casey marked the beginning of a new chapter, blending families and deepening his understanding of responsibility, patience, and presence. As a father to Makena, and now to Chase and Mia, he has learned that resilience is not something you perform. It is something you practice.
​
Raising a child with unique challenges has strengthened his belief that leadership begins with empathy. The lessons he shares on stage are not drawn from theory. They are lived daily.
​
Everything he speaks about comes back to one truth. The way we show up for others matters.
Bring This Message to Your Organization
Michael’s keynote is more than a story. It is an experience that challenges audiences to confront adversity, strengthen connection, and lead with clarity when it matters most. If you are looking for a speaker who will move your people and leave a lasting impact, this is the message.