Douglas Ferguson

Douglas Ferguson is a seasoned entrepreneur and human-centered technologist with over 26 years of experience.

He currently serves as the president of Voltage Control, a facilitation academy that helps develop leaders through certifications, workshops, and organizational coaching with a focus on facilitation mastery, innovation, and play.

Douglas has played a pivotal role in transforming leaders, innovators, and creatives from renowned organizations such as Nike, U.S. SOCOM, Google, Air Force, Gap, Tesla, MSU, and many more.

Prior to leading Voltage Control, Douglas held CTO positions at various Austin startups, where he directed product and engineering teams utilizing agile, lean, and human-centered design principles.

During his tenure at Twyla as CTO, Douglas collaborated closely with Google Ventures running Design Sprints, which he now brings to companies worldwide.

Engaged in the Austin startup community, Douglas contributes by serving on non-profit boards, mentoring startups, and advising early-stage ventures.

Douglas is renowned for his expertise in facilitation, leadership, collaboration, innovation, culture, meetings, and Design Sprints, and has authored four impactful books on these subjects.

His thought leadership contributions can be found in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Innovation Leader, with regular features in The Future Shapers.

Additionally, Douglas hosts a weekly podcast titled Control the Room, where he shares insights on various aspects of facilitation and leadership.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Douglas enjoys activities like patching up his Modular Synth, boxing, pilates, and photography.

He is an alumnus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, having studied Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry during his academic journey.