Damon West
Keynote speaker and author
Damon West is a college professor and keynote speaker who co-wrote The Coffee Bean with Jon Gordon. He draws on his own path from prison to recovery.
1 summary 15 min of listening
About Damon West
Damon West holds a master's degree in criminal justice and works as a college professor and keynote speaker. At the University of North Texas he started at quarterback in Division 1 football until an injury ended his playing career. He later turned to hard drugs, and his methamphetamine addiction led to a sentence of sixty-five years in a Texas prison. During his incarceration, a conversation with a seasoned convict led to a spiritual awakening. West came to see that, like a coffee bean changing under heat and pressure, he could change the environment around him. He left prison after more than seven years and now lives in recovery. His first book, The Change Agent, is his autobiography and appeared about three years after his release. West co-wrote The Coffee Bean, a book built around that lesson, with Jon Gordon. He shares the message with schools, churches, athletic teams, businesses, conferences and correctional facilities across the country, including college football teams.