leaadership done right

About

Bright Helm

Bright Helm

Bright Helm was founded in 2021 as a Leadership and Executive Coaching / Organizational Development practice with a primary focus on Coaching. Its members are all former Naval Special Warfare senior leaders with a minimum of 25 years of experience in leading, managing, and mentoring high-performing Special Operations teams. Bright Helm is committed to delivering high quality and individually tailored personal and professional development through coaching and mentoring. Our goal is to ensure our clients receive outstanding one-on-one coaching so they can develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in everything they do.

 
 

David T. Salisbury - Founder

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, David Salisbury enlisted into the United States Navy in August 1989. Shortly after joining, he became a Navy SEAL, and would eventually become one of Naval Special Warfare’s top enlisted leaders.  

During his 32-year adventure, he deployed to amazing places like Kosovo, Iraq, Pakistan, Northern and Eastern Africa, Europe and parts of the Pacific. He also had the distinct honor of serving overseas with his family in Italy, Germany, and Bahrain.

In 2010 he began the first of 5 tours as a Command Master Chief, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commanding Officer and was responsible for the growth and mentorship of enlisted and officer alike. Over the next 11 years he led as part of the “Triad” (the leadership team comprising the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, and Command Master Chief) at SEAL Team THREE, Naval Special Warfare Unit THREE, Naval Special Warfare Group THREE, Naval Special Warfare Unit TWO, and finally, Naval Special Warfare Group ELEVEN. Through each of these tours he developed and honed his mentoring and coaching skills to ensure those he led were well prepared for the challenges ahead.

After retiring in 2021, he followed his passion of helping others and created Bright Helm Leadership and Executive Coaching. The company logo, the brass clad wooden ship’s wheel known as “the Helm”, symbolizes taking charge of one’s own destiny, navigating the complexities of the ocean of possibilities, and charting one’s course to success.

 David holds a master’s degree in Strategic Leadership from University of Charleston West Virginia, is a graduate of THF Cohort 30, Defense Language Institute, Joint Special Operations University Summit Course, and the Georgetown University – School of Continuing Studies – Institute for Transformational Leadership – Leadership Coaching Certificate Program.


Education

B.S. Organizational Leadership - University of Charleston West Virginia

M.S. Strategic Leadership - University of Charleston West Virginia