David W. Carter
consulting
Shift Gears. Drive What's Next.
I help individuals and organizations break through limitations, optimize resources, and achieve their most ambitious goals.
I didn’t win “Shark Tank” or land a feature on Oprah.
I didn’t lose 300 pounds and become a Navy Seal.
I haven’t stood on top of Mt. Everest.
But I did rise from this front porch at 1306 Woodland Drive,
and that climb was just as steep.
My story begins with poverty, pain, and setbacks—and it’s defined by perseverance, purpose, and possibility. I turned adversity into momentum and transformed my circumstances into a mission.
Today, I help people and organizations do the same: discover their story, ignite their potential, and rise beyond where they started.
Because your origin isn’t your limitation—it’s your launchpad.
AS SEEN ON
TESTIMONIALS
Christy Classi, CAE
Executive Director
Kansas Society of Association Executives
Dr. Carter's keynote for KSAE was engaging and inspiring. Participants continued to discuss his thoughts on leadership for the rest of the conference and found his take-aways to be valuable and thought provoking.
Elizabeth Lenherr,
Director of Learning and Development
Advisors Excel
We hired Dr. Carter to speak to our employees, with high hopes that he would come into Advisors Excel and rock the house. He did not disappoint. He was high energy, relevant, and challenging to our entire team of over 400 employees. He is an accomplished individual who brings his topics to life in a brilliant, motivating, and relatable way. Best consultant we have ever hired!
Kim Savage,
CIS Project Director
Westar Energy
Dr. Carter did an amazing job and provided great ideas for us to apply as we went through our merger.
Kris Ekeren,
Executive Director
USA Fencing
Dr. Carter gave a great session for the USA Fencing staff. I really enjoyed the presentation and the material was timely and informative. I know that our staff was inspired and appreciated the guidance.
THE SPEAKING
Leave boring in the rearview.
Working With the Best Clients and Partners.
Results Delivered.
STRATEGIC ADVISORY
KEYNOTE SPEAKING
TEAM WORKSHOPS
PERFORMANCE COACHING
BOARD DEVELOPMENT
I help organizations solve their most complex people issues by providing a broad set of services with leadership expertise.
DEI Services
I work with individuals and teams by performing an extensive and personal analysis of how lived-experiences impact inclusion. It’s a powerful solution that leads to true behavior change.
Leadership Development
1:1 and team coaching with is typically phased over 3-6 months, to help leaders build the capabilities they need to inspire and enable their teams to thrive in a disruptive world
Organizational Design
Partner with me to develop strategic direction, priorities, and purpose for a new operating framework and organizational design.
NEED A PERFORMANCE TUNE-UP?
PRICING THAT FITS YOUR GOALS
NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL-FORMULA
Every project is unique, and I consider how complex it is, size and scope, and duration.
After a quick discovery call, you’ll receive a clear estimate. From there, we’ll lock in the details — milestones, meeting rhythm, and billing — so everything runs smoothly.
Want to know what your project might look like? Book a 30-minute discovery call with me, and we’ll map it out together.
Dr. David W. Carter is an organizational development consultant, servant-leader, and classic car enthusiast who helps people and organizations discover their story, ignite their potential, and rise beyond where they started.
Rising from poverty in rural Kentucky, David’s journey began at 1306 Woodland Drive, the address of his childhood home and now the inspiration behind his professional philosophy, 1306 Elevate. The son of two illiterate parents, he learned early that growth is fueled not by circumstance but by purpose, resilience, and empathy. That foundation shaped his belief that leaders and organizations can achieve lasting transformation when empathy becomes the engine driving their work.
David draws a compelling parallel between restoring a classic car and developing leaders—both require patience, skill, and the vision to see potential where others see limitation. Recognized as a leader in facilitating civil dialogue, David has devoted his career to helping executives and teams reach higher levels of performance and to building organizational cultures where the full potential of every individual can be realized.
A trained historian, David integrates lessons from the past into contemporary leadership practice, using historical insight to demonstrate how emotional intelligence and inclusivity foster trust, engagement, and meaningful impact.
In addition to his extensive experience supporting businesses, institutions, and non-profit organizations, David has served in the United States Air Force as a combat engineer, as a police officer, and as an education specialist for the National Park Service with a focus on racial equity.
Through 1306 Elevate, David continues to honor his roots while helping others rise—proving that where you begin does not define how high you can go.