“We are going to all die today.” On August 20, 2013, Antoinette Tuff, a school bookkeeper, heard those words and made a life changing choice. Rather than run in fear from a potential school shooter waving an AK-47 assault rifle, she chose to stay and negotiate. Antoinette used “Tuff Tactics: Compassion, Confidence, and Control” to convince the shooter to put down the weapon and surrender. That day she saved more than 1,000 lives at the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in the Atlanta metro area. This is the only school active shooter situation in the US that ended without death or injury to school students, faculty, parents or shooter himself.

She has been acclaimed by President Obama, lauded a CNN Hero, wrote a bestselling book, and inspired a Lifetime network movie “Faith Under Fire: The Antoinette Tuff Story” starring Grammy Award winner Toni Braxton. Antoinette has presented to large groups including Chicago Ideas Week, Texas School Safety Center at Texas State, Women’s Food Service Forum, Public Schools of Robeson County – North Carolina, Embassy Consulting Services, Destiny Christian Fellowship and Credible Behavioral Health Software.

Today, she is the executive director of Kids on the Move for Success. Antoinette’s mission is to ensure children feel safe, learn that STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) fields are available to all, and serving others is critical to a full life. Kids on the Move for Success believes Tuff Tactics: Compassion, Confidence and Control are foundational elements in the success of children now and in the future.