Cameron Yarbrough is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Torch, a pioneering leadership development and coaching platform built on the philosophy that great leadership starts with personal growth. Launched in 2017, Torch was founded with the mission of unlocking the full potential of leaders by combining human insight with scalable technology. Cameron’s diverse background as a licensed psychotherapist, executive coach, and entrepreneur has deeply informed the company’s values and offerings, setting Torch apart in the crowded field of HR tech and leadership development platforms.

From its earliest days, Torch reflected Cameron’s personal journey—a fusion of mental wellness, mindfulness, leadership development, and enterprise strategy. With over two decades of experience spanning organizational psychology, psychotherapy, and mindfulness instruction, Cameron brought a uniquely holistic perspective to how leadership should be cultivated. He envisioned a world where leaders weren’t just efficient but emotionally intelligent, self-aware, and connected to purpose. This philosophy became the foundation of Torch’s platform, which now supports thousands of leaders and teams across global enterprises.

Cameron’s early professional years were rooted in human development and mental health. Before starting Torch, he was a licensed therapist and executive coach, working closely with professionals at companies like Facebook, Airbnb, and Stripe. His focus was always on blending introspection with performance—helping leaders not only to grow but to transform. As a certified mindfulness teacher and facilitator at Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Interpersonal Dynamics Lab (affectionately called "Touchy Feely"), he guided MBA students and corporate executives in emotional literacy, feedback cultures, and leadership presence.

Torch was born from Cameron’s belief that what he was doing in one-on-one settings could be scaled using technology to support leadership at scale. Alongside his co-founder, Keegan Walden, Cameron set out to build a product that brought together the best in behavioral science, coaching methodologies, and data-driven insights. From the beginning, Torch differentiated itself by offering coaching that was measurable, integrated into work workflows, and tailored to the specific needs of leaders across levels—from first-time managers to C-suite executives.

As CEO, Cameron led Torch through its formative growth years, turning a concept into a category-defining platform. Under his leadership, the company expanded its client base to include Fortune 500 firms, fast-growing startups, and mission-driven nonprofits. Companies like Zendesk, LinkedIn, Allbirds, and Reddit turned to Torch to support leadership development, manager enablement, and high-potential talent growth. Cameron built a team that shared his belief in human-centric leadership and scaled Torch’s coaching network to include hundreds of world-class coaches, psychologists, and facilitators.

Torch’s platform evolved under Cameron’s guidance to offer more than just coaching. It became a comprehensive people development system—offering 360-degree feedback, coaching analytics, mentorship programs, DEI support, and skill assessments, all in one ecosystem. The platform used AI to match clients with coaches and to generate meaningful progress reports that aligned with business KPIs. In doing so, Torch helped HR leaders make the business case for leadership investment—a crucial step in transforming coaching from a luxury to a strategic necessity.

In 2022, Torch announced a $40 million Series C funding round, backed by lead investor 137 Ventures, and supported by existing investors including Norwest Venture Partners, Initialized Capital, and Obvious Ventures. This milestone marked a new phase of growth for the company—further validation that leadership development was not just a niche offering but a core driver of business resilience and innovation. Cameron’s leadership during this period was instrumental in setting the vision, raising capital, and ensuring cultural alignment during rapid scaling.

In 2024, Cameron transitioned out of the CEO role into his current position as Executive Chairman. In this role, he continues to shape the company’s culture, mentor senior leaders, and guide long-term strategic direction. He remains deeply involved in product innovation, especially in areas that blend behavioral science with technology to drive better leadership outcomes. His voice remains central to Torch’s public presence, from industry thought leadership to investor conversations and partner relations.

Cameron’s influence extends far beyond Torch. He is a frequent speaker on the intersection of leadership, mental health, and organizational culture. His insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, TechCrunch, and Forbes, and he often shares his thoughts on emotional resilience, vulnerability in leadership, and building cultures of feedback. He advocates for a new model of leadership—one rooted not in command-and-control paradigms, but in authenticity, empathy, and accountability.

He believes that the future of work depends on how well we develop our leaders. As remote and hybrid work reshape organizations, Cameron emphasizes the importance of connection, psychological safety, and intentional leadership. He often cites the idea that leadership development is no longer optional—it’s the very foundation of sustainable business growth and employee wellbeing. Through Torch, he is helping organizations operationalize this belief with tools that turn insight into action.

Cameron’s personal journey also includes a deep dedication to mindfulness and meditation, which he began practicing in his early 20s and later formalized through teacher training. These practices are not just part of his personal life but deeply embedded in Torch’s DNA. He introduced mindfulness-based leadership workshops, designed executive retreats focused on self-awareness and empathy, and infused the platform with reflective tools that help leaders grow beyond performance metrics.

Torch’s success under Cameron’s leadership is as much about its impact as its revenue. Customers consistently report improvements in team performance, engagement scores, retention, and internal promotion rates as a result of Torch’s programs. These outcomes reflect Cameron’s belief that better leadership leads to better lives—for employees, managers, customers, and communities.

Today, Cameron continues to mentor aspiring founders, advise HR tech startups, and support initiatives focused on mental health in the workplace. His work bridges the worlds of therapy, technology, and business strategy, offering a model for how leaders can bring their whole selves to work and build organizations where people thrive.

In an age where burnout is rampant, trust is fragile, and change is constant, Cameron Yarbrough offers a rare kind of leadership—grounded in self-awareness, guided by science, and committed to the flourishing of others. Through Torch and beyond, his legacy will be one of transformation: helping individuals become better leaders, and helping organizations become better places to grow, belong, and lead.