Stephen Balzac

Stephen R. Balzac, PhD, is a consultant, professional speaker, and former psychology professor. He is the president of 7 Steps Ahead, LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in helping businesses get unstuck and transform problems into opportunities.

Steve's background in engineering, psychology, martial arts, and competitive sports makes him a popular speaker on topics ranging from leadership, motivation, team building, interviewing skills, and sport performance to computer game design. His articles have appeared in a number of journals, including The Journal of Interactive Drama, The IBM Systems Journal, Mass High Tech, Enterprise Management Quarterly, The CEO Refresher, The Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership, Analog SF/F and the Worcester Business Journal.

Steve is a contributing author to "Ethics and Game Design: Teaching Values Through Play." He is the author of "The 36-Hour Course in Organizational Development," and "Organizational Psychology for Managers," in which he draws heavily on his experiences as an engineer, manager, and consultant. His latest book, "The LARP Effect--Creating Connection and Competitive Advantage Through Story, Ritual, and Roleplay," draws on over 30 years of LARP design, research into live gaming, and his experience using LARP for organizational and leadership development.

Steve appears in "Under the Boardwalk, the Monopoly Movie," and was the only guest to be personally panned by a NY Times movie critic.