In addition to holding a doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California and a master’s in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, he has completed numerous federal government leadership development programs. These include the Army Command and General Staff College’s Leadership, Education, and Development (LEAD) course, the Organizational Leadership for Executives (OLE) program, and the Sustaining Base Leadership and Management (SBLM) course. Dr. Covert is a Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program (DLDP) graduate and a non-residence Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) graduate. In 2008, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) selected him to serve as its Meritorious Research Fellow. He has also recently completed his Society of Human Resource Management-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) certifications. In his spare time, he enjoys drawing and reading about all things related to the history of Porsche automobiles. However, in 2014, at 49, he found a new hobby – running. Within five years, he completed one full marathon and twenty half marathons across the United States. Dr. Covert and his wife Marian have been married for over 35 years and reside near Richmond, Virginia. In May 2017, Dr. Covert attended Harvard University’s Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) Program. In 2021, his military and civilian careers culminated with him achieving his longtime goal of being able to attend and graduate from the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., something he was ineligible to participate in as an enlisted SOLDIER during his time in the Army. During these courses, graduates were encouraged to identify their passions and purpose. The programs served as accelerators for him to write this book.