THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND OURSELVES, THE BETTER WE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAD OTHERS.
ACADEMICS
MBA Yale School of Management
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B.S University of Michigan
INTERSTING THINGS
Lived in 1,000 Year Old Abby in France
Surfed with Great Whites in South Africa
Advised Telemedicine in Remote India Villages
EXPERTISE
Startups
Consulting
Politics & Finance
I was born in juxtaposition. With family roots in the Chicago melting pot, I grew up as a half Puerto Rican, half Lithuanian and half first generation, half second generation American.
I was born in juxtaposition. With family roots in the Chicago melting pot, I grew up as a half Puerto Rican, half Lithuanian and half first generation, half second generation American. Much of my life’s journey focused on understanding identity and finding a tribe. Early on I realized I would have to see across groups if I was to find my place, because I only knew two other people with this heritage—my brothers. The three of us pondered how to connect the nude, humanesque women from distant lands painted with jagged lines on our Lithuanian grandfather’s house and the mystic Puerto Rican island lore we heard to our rural American life. We also witnessed the economic struggle of our parents to move from the inner city of Chicago to Union Pier, MI, a small Great Lakes beach town. Where did we fit?
Since those Union Pier days of 44 peers in my high school class, I studied at the University of Michigan earning a B.S. in Economics, and at the Yale School of Management earning my MBA. I have since lived in a 1,000 year old abbey in France, surfed with great whites in South Africa, and traveled to remote villages in India to advise a telemedicine startup. I have worked in politics, consulted the federal government, and started my own company. Today, I consult Fortune 100 clients at Grant Thornton LLP.
MY PHILOSPHY
Because organizations and society face ever bigger and faster development of existential threats that require diverse collaboration for all of us to thrive, I believe we need better leadership models. These models should focus on:
01.
SELF-DISCOVERY
Relentlessly push towards self-discovery and face fears to enable growth towards our best selves
02.
AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS
Collaborate through authentic conversations
03.
GETTING RESULTS
Enact leadership models that work
01 02 03
THE LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
Self-discovery, authentic conversations, and getting results underpin my leadership framework.
A balance needs to exist between individuals seeking self-actualization and the collective needs for society. By being more self-aware and engaging in authentic conversations with others this balance becomes easier to identify and achieve. With societal threats like climate change, we need to come together. As a leader, you catalyze collaboration when you follow an authentic leadership model built with these values.