Garret Biss — Professional Curriculum Vitae
National Trainer, TEDx Speaker, and Veteran Transition Specialist
Garret Biss is a retired Marine Corps officer, TEDx Speaker, national trainer, and founder of Diamond Mind, LLC. His work focuses on veteran transition, military-connected student success, behavioral health workforce education, post-traumatic growth, strengths-based recovery, and justice-involved veterans.
His professional curriculum vitae includes:
selected national presentations,
frameworks and curriculum development,
organizational leadership,
publications,
certifications,
continuing-education credentials, and
military service.
Areas of Expertise
Veteran transition and civilian reintegration
Military-connected student success
Student wellness, belonging, and persistence
Post-traumatic growth and resilience
Identity reconstruction and self-efficacy
Strengths-based recovery and human flourishing
Behavioral health workforce education
Justice-involved veterans and reentry
Curriculum development and professional training
Applied positive psychology and trauma-informed practice
Current Leadership and Professional Roles
Founder and Lead Trainer — Diamond Mind, LLC
Garret leads Diamond Mind, LLC, a veteran-owned training and consulting company serving higher education, behavioral health, justice systems, corporations, and veteran-serving organizations.
Through Diamond Mind Training, he develops and delivers research-informed keynotes, workshops, curricula, consulting, and continuing education focused on military transition, veteran identity, resilience, recovery, student wellness, and post-traumatic growth.
Recovery Consultant — Opioid Response Network
Garret provides specialized training, technical assistance, and consultation to organizations serving people affected by substance use. His work emphasizes veteran wellness, peer recovery, workforce development, and practical program implementation.
Co-Founder and Executive Director — Realize U 252
Garret co-founded and leads a Level III recovery residence serving men in Eastern North Carolina. He developed the organization’s strengths-based residential curriculum, operational policies, quality-improvement systems, staff practices, and participant-support processes.
Founder and Executive Director — One Million Goal, Inc.
Garret founded One Million Goal to address global water insecurity. The nonprofit has supported more than 40 clean-water projects benefiting over 12,000 people throughout Africa and Central America.
Selected Higher Education and National Presentations
NASPA Annual Conference
From Surviving to Thriving: Lessons from Veteran Transitions That Support Student Wellness and Resilience
Garret applied veteran-informed insights to belonging, identity development, persistence, resilience, and student wellness across diverse student populations.
NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students
Helping Veterans Thrive Beyond Military Transition: Connection, Authenticity, and Meaning in the College Experience
The session introduced the CAM Framework™ as a strengths-based model for military-connected student success, wellbeing, and post-traumatic growth.
Oklahoma State University
Bridging the Gap: Overcoming Transition Trauma to Thrive in Higher Education
Garret facilitated a discussion with student veterans and delivered a campus lecture for students, faculty, staff, and professionals supporting military-connected students.
Selected Behavioral Health Presentations
Garret has presented nationally for organizations and conferences including:
NAADAC Annual Conference
Alabama Department of Mental Health
NBCC Foundation Symposium
North Carolina ATOD Conference
Georgia School of Addiction Studies
Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina
U.S. Marine Corps Insider Threat Hub
Opioid Response Network
CarolinaEast Medical Center
Frameworks, Curriculum, and Program Development
CAM Framework™
The CAM Framework™—Connection, Authenticity, and Meaning—is a strengths-based model for understanding how identity disruption, disconnection, and loss of purpose affect veterans and others navigating major life transitions.
Diamond Mind Training
Garret developed a continuing education catalog for addiction, behavioral health, peer support, higher-education, and veteran-serving professionals. Current topics include military transition, post-traumatic growth, resilience, recovery, and veteran-responsive practice.
Veteran-Informed Digital Recovery Content
Through a partnership with CHESS Health, Garret developed and delivered provider education, veteran discussion sessions, and licensed digital content supporting veteran-informed recovery and mental wellness.
Justice-Involved Veteran Programming
Garret has developed structured, non-clinical training designed to strengthen identity, dignity, agency, and engagement among justice-involved veterans. Early field applications have included veteran-focused programming within justice settings.
Recovery and Resilience Curricula
Garret’s additional curriculum-development work includes:
FIRST STEPS to Thriving in Recovery™
The Warrior Reset
Residential recovery programming for Realize U 252
Strengths-based tools for emotional regulation and resilience
Reentry and family-support survey and curriculum development
Continuing Education and Professional Affiliations
Trainer for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
NAADAC Approved Education Provider through Diamond Mind Training
Continuing education provider approved by the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board
New York Certification Board Trainer Registry member
NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education member
Certified Professional Recovery Coach
Certified RIM® Facilitator
Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology
Recovery Coach Academy graduate
Certified Human Potential Trainer
Graduate of the National Speakers Association Cavett Institute
Publications, TEDx, and Media
TEDx Talk
The Unspoken Trauma All Veterans Face
Garret’s TEDx talk explores the identity disruption, loss of belonging, emotional disconnection, and search for meaning that many veterans experience after military service.
Published Works
FIRST STEPS to Thriving in Recovery
The Spheres Approach to Happiness and Fulfillment
Charity: The Gifts of Giving
Understanding the New American Dream
His books on happiness, fulfillment, generosity, and personal development have received two Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Awards.
Media
Garret has appeared in more than 80 podcast, radio, television, and digital-media interviews focused on veteran mental wellness, recovery, resilience, identity, and human flourishing.
Selected outlets include WCTI News Channel 12, SiriusXM, CBS Radio/Live365, UK Health Radio, New Bern Live, and national podcasts.
Education
Auburn University - Master of Real Estate Development
University of Maryland - Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Military Service
Garret served in the United States Marine Corps from 1999 to 2015, completing his service as a Captain and KC-130J pilot.
His roles included:
KC-130J Aircraft Commander
Instructor Pilot
Functional Check Flight Pilot
Deputy Operations Officer
Quality Assurance Officer
Maintenance Division Officer
Detachment and aviation leadership positions
His service included global deployments and missions supporting Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. He was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Download the Full Curriculum Vitae
For a detailed record of Garret’s professional experience, national presentations, curricula, certifications, publications, leadership, and military service, download the complete PDF.
Selected Professional Endorsements
Bring Garret’s Work to Your Organization
Garret delivers keynotes, workshops, professional development, continuing education, and customized training for universities, behavioral health organizations, justice systems, corporations, and veteran-serving programs.
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