"If I had a dime for every time I said, 'You gotta take care of yourself before you can take care of others!" I would be able to rebuild our entire community after our disaster." Dr. C.J. Huff, retired superintendent, shares his deeply personal recovery and leadership journey following the costliest tornado in US history that ripped through the heart of Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011. Known for his humor and humility, C.J. connects with audiences as he offers his candid, heartfelt, and honest assessment of his successes and lessons learned the hard way. A central part of the presentation highlights the importance of 'Career Sustaining Behaviors" (Self-Care) and the critical role educators play in the long-term recovery by becoming a model of self-care for others to follow. His 'people first' message offers opportunities for self-reflection, practical strategies to improve staff morale and teacher retention, tips on communication strategies, and thoughtful lessons balanced with empathy, humor, and inspiration to provide front-line educators the clarity needed to overcome adversity.