Place the Ladder with Chris Cassidy

Join The Holdsworth Center’s president, Dr. Lindsay Whorton, for a Place the Ladder conversation with Chris Cassidy, retired Navy SEA, former NASA Chief Astronaut and President and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. Cassidy has led teams in some of the most high-stakes environments imaginable—from combat missions in Afghanistan to the International Space Station. He’ll share stories of courage, resilience, and trust, and reflect on how those lessons can shape our own leadership practice.

Place the Ladder is a conversation series between dynamic leaders and Holdsworth’s president, Dr. Lindsay Whorton. The talks explore people’s lived experiences based on the idea that leadership is not a skill people are born with—it can be learned, explored, and studied. Learn more about Place the Ladder.

Tickets include access to pre-event reception featuring complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Chris Cassidy’s leadership journey spans battlefields, ocean depths, and outer space.

He is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, NASA astronaut, and former Chief Astronaut of the NASA Astronaut Office. Today, Cassidy leads as President and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, advancing a mission to inspire leadership and service through stories of courage.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and MIT, Cassidy spent 11 years as a Navy SEAL, completing four deployments and earning two Bronze Stars for valor.

Selected as an astronaut in 2004, he became the 500th person in space during his first mission on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Over the course of three spaceflights, he logged 378 days in orbit and 10 spacewalks, including a term as commander of the International Space Station. From 2015 to 2017, Cassidy served as NASA Chief Astronaut, overseeing astronaut training and flight crew assignments.

“Whether on the battlefield, in orbit, or here at home, leadership is about building trust, staying calm in the face of uncertainty, and always putting the team first,” Chris said.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Holdsworth Center, 4907 Ranch Road 2222, Austin, United States