About this episode:

In this special edition of The Business Elevation Show, I am joined by two extraordinary leaders—Tom Eddington and Jim Garrison—for a conversation on the State of the World Forum and its urgent mission for our times.

Tom Eddington is an author, executive coach, and business advisor whose work bridges leadership, media, and consciousness. As Vice President of the State of the World Forum, he is helping to shape a paradigmatic shift in how we live and lead, bringing more compassion, awareness, and flourishing into the world.

Jim Garrison is the President of the State of the World Forum 2025–2030, a revival of the groundbreaking initiative he co-founded with President Mikhail Gorbachev, Senator Alan Cranston, and Secretary of State George Shultz. Jim’s remarkable career spans global leadership, diplomacy, education, and philosophy—from directing nuclear policy in Washington, DC, to leading the Esalen Soviet-American Exchange Program, to founding Ubiquity University and Humanity Rising.

Together, Tom and Jim will share the vision behind the re-emergence of the State of the World Forum (14-18th December in Washington DC) at a time of converging global crises and possibilities.

We’ll explore how leadership, consciousness, and collaboration can help humanity meet this pivotal moment, and what it means for each of us to play our part in shaping a sustainable, flourishing future.

More about Jim Garrison:

Jim Garrison is President of the State of the World Forum 2025–2030, a revival of the original Forum he co-founded in 1995 with President Mikhail Gorbachev, Senator Alan Cranston, and Secretary of State George Shultz to build a global network of leaders committed to a sustainable civilization.

He is also the founding President of Ubiquity University (since 2005) and Convener of Humanity Rising, a global broadcast launched in 2020.

Over his career, Jim has combined leadership in education, diplomacy, spirituality, and social impact. Early roles included Director of Nuclear Policy for the Jesuit Conference in Washington, DC, and co-founder of the Radiation and Health Information Service in Cambridge, England.

In 1980 he co-founded the Christic Institute, working on nuclear policy and the Karen Silkwood case. From 1985–1990 he directed the Esalen Soviet-American Exchange Program, before co-founding the International Foreign Policy Institute with Eduard Shevardnadze in 1991. At President Gorbachev’s request, he founded the Gorbachev Foundation/USA in 1992.

Most recently he served as Director of the Washington, DC Office of the New Paradigm Institute, focusing on government disclosure around Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Educated at Santa Clara, Harvard, and Cambridge, Jim is the author of seven books spanning theology, politics, and power.

Born in China and raised in Taiwan, he grew up speaking Mandarin and brings a lifelong global perspective to his work.

More about Tom Eddington:

Thomas Eddington is an author, Executive Coach, Business Advisor, and media Producer.

As a scholar of Conscious Leadership, he is passionate about bringing more compassion, consciousness and flourishing into the world which he does through his coaching and advisory work, film and media projects, and Board positions.

He is the Vice President, State of the World Forum, an organization focused on creating a paradigmatic shift in human consciousness. Tom holds an M.S. in Organization Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from Ubiquity University.