We imagine a world in which all people feel justice is administered with dignity and fairness.
Simon Sinek
Founder
Simon is a spark that ignites passion and ideas. He envisions a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work they do. As an unshakeable optimist, he believes in our ability to build this world together.
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A trained ethnographer, Simon is fascinated by the people and organizations that make the greatest and longest lasting impact. Over the years, he has discovered some remarkable patterns about how they think, act, and communicate, and also the environments in which people operate at their natural best.
Simon may be best known for his TED Talk on the concept of WHY, which has been viewed over 60 million times, and his video on millennials in the workplace—which reached 80 million views in its first week and has gone on to be seen hundreds of millions of times.
He continues to share inspiration through his bestselling books, including global bestseller Start with WHY and New York Times bestsellers Leaders Eat Last and The Infinite Game, as well as his podcast, A Bit of Optimism (one of the top 10 business podcasts in America). In addition, Simon is the founder of The Optimism Company, a leadership learning and development company, and he publishes other inspiring thinkers and doers through his publishing partnership with Penguin Random House called Optimism Press.
How The Curve Came to Be
The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 was a significant turning point in the movement to modernize policing in the United States. Though there were incidents of abuse of authority and use of excessive force for years, George Floyd’s murder created a national reckoning. There was such shock and such a ground swell of emotion and self-reflection across the country that any argument to maintain the status quo in policing was simply no longer defensible.
In the weeks after Floyd’s murder, Simon Sinek reached out to some of the more forward-thinking police chiefs and sheriffs that he had met over the years to invite other like-minded police leaders for a Zoom call. The first few calls felt more like therapy. The chiefs and sheriffs had an opportunity to vent their emotions, to say things they wanted to say about their own profession that, in the past, would have been more complicated to say publicly.
The group then started to grapple with what was the real cause of the abuses and excesses. It wasn’t sufficient to say “racism” or “racist cops.” As we dug deeper, we came to realize that culture was the common theme. And if culture is set by leaders, the general lack of effective leadership training in the profession was either contributing the problem or at least not providing any guidance on how to fix it. And though there are fine examples of good leadership and strong cultures in the profession, there needs to be more. This was where they needed to focus.
The Curve was formed to support early-adopter leaders in policing to help them evolve their cultures and build their leaders. Our work comes directly from the chiefs and sheriffs who are “ahead of the curve,” already embracing modern theories of leadership and evolving their cultures for the better, combined with some of Simon Sinek’s work and others like him. The Curve is committed to advance the profession away from traditional policing towards the more modern One-by-One policing and to change the definition of what a healthy police culture is.
Executive Board
Chief Jack Cauley
Jack Cauley has served as Castle Rock Police Chief since 2012, following a distinguished career that began in 1984. He spent over 25 years with the Overland Park Police Department in Kansas, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Chief Cauley holds degrees in criminal justice and public administration and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. A nationally recognized leader in police culture, he developed the One-By-One Policing philosophy—an approach that prioritizes compassion, care, and a supportive environment for officers and the community alike.
In 2018, he was honored as Simon Sinek’s Igniter of the Year and featured in The Infinite Game for his transformative leadership. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is a founding member of The Curve, a nonprofit advancing modern, human-centered policing.
Chief Cauley’s influence extends beyond Castle Rock. In recognition of his contributions to the policing profession, the International Association of Chiefs of Police appointed him to its Board of Directors in 2021.
Regarded as a national expert in police culture, Chief Cauley is frequently invited to speak to audiences both nationally and internationally, engaging with police organizations and private-sector leaders alike. He is also a founding member of The Curve, an innovative leadership nonprofit dedicated to advancing the profession beyond traditional policing toward modern One-By-One Policing, redefining what a healthy police culture should be.
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Executive Director Chief Chris Hsiung (ret.)
Chris is a founding board member and Executive Director of The Curve. He previously served as the Undersheriff at the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office (CA) and before that, was the 11th Police Chief of the Mountain View Police Department (CA), where he dedicated over 28 years to serving the Mountain View community.
Chris is an internationally recognized speaker and writer, specializing in adaptive leadership cultures, digital engagement, and crisis communications. Chris also serves in several leadership positions on multiple boards, including his position as Chair on the Int’l Assoc. Of Chiefs of Police Human and Civil Rights Committee, advisor for Government Social Media, fellow for the Future Policing Institute, and as board member on the Global Advisory Council for the Crisis Ready Institute.
Colonel Matthew Packard
Colonel Matthew Packard serves as the 9th Chief of the Colorado State Patrol, a role he assumed in 2017 after a diverse career that included assignments in field operations, accident reconstruction, homeland security, investigations, hazardous materials, executive security, communications, and training.
Colonel Packard is a passionate advocate for wellness in policing, believing that those who serve must also be supported to thrive personally and professionally. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and the FBI National Executive Institute. He serves as Vice President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Chairperson of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and a board member of The Curve. He is married and the proud father of three children.
Chief Doug Shoemaker (ret.)
Doug Shoemaker is a dedicated law enforcement professional with over 33 years of service, most recently retiring as Chief of Police for the Denton (Texas) Police Department. Doug’s career has been driven by a deep commitment to building stronger communities through compassionate, collaborative policing. His leadership journey also includes serving as Chief of Police for the Grand Junction (Colorado) Police Department for 4½ years and nearly 27 years with the Jefferson City (Missouri) Police Department.
Throughout his career, Doug has focused on creating positive organizational cultures that emphasize empowerment, resilience, and continuous growth. He believes in fostering environments where individuals feel valued and supported, allowing for the personal and professional development of both officers and the communities they serve. Doug is passionate about police-public partnerships and the power of community involvement, and he has always worked to lead in a way that promotes trust and mutual respect. He is also honored to be a Founding Board Member of The Curve, a groundbreaking initiative co-founded with renowned author and speaker Simon Sinek.
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Chief Derick Miller
Derick Miller serves as the 11th police chief for the Irving Police Department (TX). A native of Benbrook, Chief Miller joined the Carrollton Police Department in 1992 as a reserve officer. Since then, he worked his way up through each rank and was appointed police chief of the Carrollton Police Department in 2017.
Chief Doreen Jokerst
Doreen Jokerst is the Chief of Police for the Overland Park Police Department (OPPD), serving Overland Park, Kansas.
Chief Jokerst is a nationally recognized public safety expert and policing leader with a strong track record of developing and implementing collaborative, forward-looking initiatives. Her career spans extensive experience in both public safety and emergency management, and she is deeply engaged with national and international public safety organizations. Chief Jokerst’s leadership focuses on initiatives that foster trust, transparency, and collaboration.
Recognized as a national expert in policing, Chief Jokerst is frequently invited to lead and participate in national educational initiatives. She has worked with a wide range of organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Reentry Initiative, the Justice Clearinghouse, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, among others. She is also a founding member of The Curve, an innovative leadership nonprofit that helps police leaders modernize policing practices to advance justice, dignity, equity, and fairness.