SkillForge Consulting Services delivers keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, and customized training programs that forge skills, spark engagement, and drive measurable results for organizations.
Whether you need an energizing keynote for 500 attendees or an intimate leadership workshop for your executive team, every engagement is customized to your goals and audience.
Engaging presentations on AI in education and business, leadership development, and organizational change. Available for conferences, leadership summits, and corporate events of any size.
Interactive, hands-on sessions that go beyond lecture. Participants leave with practical tools, frameworks, and action plans they can implement immediately. Ideal for professional development days, retreats, and team-building events.
End-to-end development of multi-session training programs tailored to your organization’s specific competency goals. Includes needs assessment, curriculum design, facilitation, materials, and post-program evaluation.
Live and asynchronous virtual programs that maintain the energy and interactivity of in-person sessions. Experienced in synchronous instruction platforms, webinar facilitation, and online course development for distributed teams and remote learners.
Advisory services for organizations working through change, launching new initiatives, or building internal capacity. Areas of focus include strategic planning, program development, community engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Dr. Stephen C. Smith brings over two decades of senior leadership experience spanning education, organizational management, and executive administration. He holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) from the University of Virginia, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry.
Throughout his career, Stephen has served in roles including Director of the Central Virginia Governor’s School, Assistant Superintendent for Lynchburg City Schools, and President & CEO of the CVGS Foundation. He has managed multi-million-dollar budgets, negotiated complex institutional partnerships, and led organizations through periods of significant growth and change.
Stephen founded SkillForge Consulting Services to channel this breadth of experience into helping organizations and their leaders build the skills, strategies, and systems they need to thrive. His presentations are known for being engaging, practical, and grounded in real-world experience. Outside his consulting practice, Stephen donates whiskey-education events as fundraisers for nonprofit organizations.
While the typical format is listed below, each topic can be provided as a keynote, half-day workshop, or multi-session training. series. The specific topics and focus can be customized to your group and goals.
This one-hour presentation traces the development of artificial intelligence from Alan Turing’s early thought experiments to deep learning, large language models (LLMs), and today’s generative AI boom. Participants will gain historical context for understanding how AI reached this moment and where it may be headed next.
This one-hour presentation introduces the major concepts behind modern artificial intelligence, including the differences among artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural networks. Participants will learn common AI terms, explore leading providers and models, examine practical professional and personal uses, and consider both recent breakthroughs and emerging concerns.
This one-hour presentation examines artificial intelligence’s most exciting frontiers and most serious risks. Participants will explore advances in medicine, robotics, and protein folding, while also considering concerns related to job displacement, energy consumption, lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), mass surveillance, and the challenge of rogue AI.
This 2.5-hour workshop moves from the content of the one-hour keynote into a hands-on workshop. Each participant chooses an individual learning path based on current AI accounts and expertise. Activity guides range from “Creating Free AI Accounts with Major Providers” to “Exploring Reputable Prompt Libraries” and “Prompting: Current Best Practices” all the way to “Working with Protocols, Skills, and Projects.” SkillForge consultants provide expert assistance throughout the work time. A recap and Q&A session rounds out the experience.
This 2.5-hour workshop is designed for participants who are already familiar with popular AI models, have paid accounts, and are ready to move beyond basic use. Participants will explore tools such as Gems, Skills, Projects, and workflow supports, discuss current developments and cautions related to AI agents, and receive guided time to apply AI to their own professional projects.
This 2.5-hour workshop helps educational leaders understand, evaluate, and apply artificial intelligence in school settings. After an introductory overview, participants move into hands-on activities ranging from opening free accounts and learning basic prompting to using AI for presentations, research, and data analysis. The workshop concludes with recent developments, implementation considerations, and question-and-answer time.
| Organization / Group | Date | Presentation Type |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford County Public Schools Administrators | June 2026 | Artificial Intelligence: Patterns, Predictions, and Practice |
| Schewels Home Annual Business Meeting | May 2026 | An Introduction to Modern Artificial Intelligence: Patterns and Predictions |
| Virginia Tech School Leaders Institute: Aspiring Superintendents Program | April 2026 | Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Workshop for Educational Leaders
Customized for aspiring superintendents: AI-assisted division intelligence briefs, interview practice and coaching, and a First-90-Days plan with slide deck. |
| Virginia Tech School Leaders Institute: Recently Appointed Administrators Program | February 2026 | Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Workshop for Educational Leaders |
| Westover Alumni Program: University of Lynchburg | April 2025 | An Introduction to Modern Artificial Intelligence: Patterns and Predictions |
| Westminster Canterbury University Program | March 2025 | An Introduction to Modern Artificial Intelligence: Patterns and Predictions |
| Life at Lynchburg Program, University of Lynchburg | November 2024 | An Introduction to Modern Artificial Intelligence: Patterns and Predictions |
| The SPHEX Club of Lynchburg | January 2024 | The History of Artificial Intelligence: 1950 to Today |
Looking for something different? Every engagement is customized. Let’s talk about your needs →
Whether you have a specific event in mind or want to explore how SkillForge can support your organization, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect. Reach out using the form or contact me directly.