In 2009, John had a chance to travel through India as part of a graduate school service learning trip. During that guided trip, John had a chance to meet and learn from social entrepreneurs who have worked in some of toughest conditions and yet still had enormous impact on their communities. Since then, John has dedicated his career toward expanding access to transformational educational experiences for all students, regardless of background. He deeply believes in the power of hands-on, community centered, experiential learning as a way to build both hard and soft skills, as well as deepen one’s sense of self and purpose.
Expertise:
- Service learning
- Leadership development
- Career preparation
- Environmental science
- Program design and innovation
Achievements:
- Founding team member of two nationally-recognized nonprofit education startups – Braven and TEACH.org
- Lead creator of the Climate Leaders Fellowship, which has been externally validated (by researchers from Boston College’s Purpose Lab) as fostering significant growth in personal sense of purpose, critical consciousness, and basic psychological needs in high school students.
Education:
- M.A., Education, Stanford University
- M.B.A., Stanford University
- M.A., Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University
- B.A. Environmental Science and Public Policy, Harvard University
What makes you proud to work at Rustic Pathways?
By far, the thing I’m most proud of is seeing the impact that our high school students in the Climate Leaders Fellowship have on their local communities, as well as the growth they demonstrate during the 3 month Fellowship experience. These Fellows have created and expanded new initiatives within their schools and cities that have inspired others to take action to benefit their communities and reduce the harm of climate change. It is always inspiring to see what needs each Fellow decides to focus on, and the creative solutions they come up with to address those needs. They are the future leaders our world will need to continue tackling the many challenges we face as a society and civilization.
What is the most fulfilling aspect of your job?
I enjoy every opportunity I have to interact directly with students involved in the Climate Leaders Fellowship. I especially cherish the relationships I am able to build with the Fellows who have participated for multiple Fellowship cycles and taken on various leadership roles (e.g., Student Facilitator, Cohort Co-Director) over time.
What have your own international travels entailed?
After traveling a lot for work, I earned enough frequent flier miles to redeem a free “around-the-world” ticket, which I subsequently used to travel for several months, and had some of my most memorable international travel experiences. Highlights included a walking safari in Tanzania, hiking the Annapurna Circuit in central Nepal, and backpacking through New Zealand. I have traveled internationally on numerous other occasions, but that extended around the world trip remains one I will always cherish.
How did you first go about getting a global perspective?
The first experience that cemented my sense of self as a global citizen came in 2004 when my work as a management consultant brought me to Indonesia for three months to help with recovery efforts after the devastating tsunami. I had the privilege of getting to live and work alongside local leaders to aid in the recovery and travel across Southeast Asia, and it was a life-changing experience to spend an extended period of time immersed in a completely different environment where I gained insight on both the differences and similarities of what life is like across different cultures.
Read more about the Rustic Pathways team. Join the Climate Leaders Fellowship.