The Call to Service
Blues guitarist until a pivotal conversation about the Navy SEALs sparked a call to serve.
About Chandler
Leadership Built For Real‑World Pressure
Chandler Comerford helps executives and teams build resilient, accountable cultures.
Drawing on a Navy SEAL background, corporate consulting, and years coaching leaders, his approach is practical, human, and results‑driven.
About Chandler
Leadership Built For Real‑World Pressure
Chandler Comerford helps executives and teams build resilient, accountable cultures.
Drawing on a Navy SEAL background, corporate consulting, and years coaching leaders, his approach is practical, human, and results‑driven.
The Journey
From Maine Musician to Elite Warrior
The Call to Service
Growing up in Maine's rugged Northeast, Chandler was a blues guitarist until a fateful exchange with his drummer who spoke about the Navy SEALs. That conversation ignited a calling to serve something greater than himself.
United States Naval Academy
Selected by congressional appointment to attend the prestigious Naval Academy, Chandler graduated with Bachelor of Science in Oceanography (With Merit) in 1995. While at the Naval Academy, he was Captain of the Boxing Team, a three-time Brigade Champion and the National Collegiate Boxing Association - 172 Lbs Champion.
National Boxing Champion1995 NCBA Champion
3× Brigade ChampionNaval Academy Boxing
BS OceanographyGraduated With Merit
BUD/s Training – Class 202
One of only 16 Naval Academy graduates selected for Basic Underwater Demolition School (BUD/s) - the most grueling military training in the world, he graduated with Class 202.
16Naval Academy graduates selected
202BUD/s Class
~84%22 of 130 people completed Class 202
SEAL Team ONE Operations
Six years of active duty with SEAL Team ONE, deploying three times across South East Asia and the Middle East, Chandler led capacity building missions training Special Forces units from allied nations, honing his leadership skills in dynamic environments.
South East Asia
Capacity Building Operations
Middle East
Special Forces Training
Allied Nations
International PartnershipsAustralian Business Leadership
Chandler left the Navy and moved to Perth, bringing elite military leadership principles and high-performance team development to Australian businesses.
24+ years consulting experience in Australia
2 Innovation Patents in IT security risk quantification
2 Innovation Patents in IT security risk quantification
Senior Safety & Risk Engineer — International Risk Consultants
Working across Australian oil & gas Mega Projects, he applied high-reliability practices and risk engineering methodologies to critical operations.
Safety & RiskRisk frameworks for hazardous operations
Operational ReadinessField-to-boardroom alignment on controls
Critical DecisionsStructured decision-making under time pressure
Founder — Vulnerability Assessment Group
Establishing a practice in Strategic Security Risk Assessments for Critical Infrastructure, Chandler secured an appointed to the Attorney-General’s Department Computer Network Vulnerability Assessment (CNVA) Panel.
SectorsPower, water, resources, government
FocusIT/OT & control-system security risk
OutcomesPrioritised mitigations & board-level clarity
24+ yrsConsulting in Australia
Rites of Passage — Intellectual Disabilities
Completing facilitator training, Chandler designed and developed a first-of-its-kind Rites of Passage program for participants with intellectual disabilities.
Professional Speaker
At the request of a school, Chandler developed inspirational talks on empowerment, choice, and high-risk decision-making. Chandler was then engaged by multiple speaker bureaus to deliver talks about his SEAL team and professional experience to audiences across Australia.
ThemesDecision-making, culture, resilience
FormatsKeynotes, facilitation, workshops
AudienceExec & frontline operational teams
Brain-Based Coaching & ICF ACC
ICFACC-aligned practice
Resilience through G.R.I.T.™
Chandler developed the G.RI.T program a research-informed framework built on four pillars.
Gratitude & GrowthWhere to focus your energy
ResetWhat to do when you are knocked down
InoculationHow to prepare mind & body
TeamSurround yourself with the right people
Safety Leadership / Human & Organizational Performance
Synthesizing his coaching, speaking and safety leadership background, Chandler designed a transformational workshop series built around HOP principles: error is normal; blame fixes nothing; learning & improvement are vital; and leadership matters.
PrinciplesError, learning, leadership, systems
ApplicationSafety-critical & high-tempo operations
OutcomesReduced blame, better learning loops
The Journey
From Maine Musician to Elite Warrior
A clean, card-based timeline for quick reading on mobile.
United States Naval Academy
Congressional appointee. BS Oceanography (With Merit). Boxing Team Captain.
BUD/S Training — Class 202
- 16USNA selects
- 202Class
- 22/130Graduated (~84% attrition)
SEAL Team ONE Operations
Three deployments across South East Asia and the Middle East; allied Special Forces training.
- Capacity building
- Allied partnerships
- Operational leadership
Australian Business Leadership
Transition to consulting, applying elite team leadership to Australian businesses.
- 24+ yrsConsulting
- 2Innovation Patents
Senior Safety & Risk Engineer — IRC
- Risk frameworks for hazardous operations
- Operational readiness (field ↔ board)
- Decisions under pressure
Founder — Vulnerability Assessment Group
- Sectors: power, water, resources, government
- Focus: IT/OT & control-system security risk
- Outcomes: prioritised mitigations & board clarity
Rites of Passage — Intellectual Disabilities
First-of-its-kind program following facilitator training.
Professional Speaker
- Themes: decision-making, culture, resilience
- Formats: keynotes, facilitation, workshops
- Audience: executive & frontline teams
Brain-Based Coaching & ICF ACC
ICF · ACC-aligned practice
Resilience through G.R.I.T.™
Safety Leadership / HOP
- Principles: error, learning, leadership, systems
- Application: safety-critical & high-tempo ops
- Outcomes: less blame, better learning loops
Clear Thinking. Steady Execution. Better Results.
Whether it’s executive coaching, safety leadership, or resilience programmes, Chandler equips organisations with practical tools to shift mindsets, improve communication, and embed new leadership behaviours that sustain performance.
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