Objectives:
- Discuss elements leadership, building trust, and getting results- Explore how is leadership is lived out in a professional environment- Inspire listeners to take steps toward greater trust and greater results
Participant Bios:
- Jake Harriman is the founder and CEO of Nuru International, a US-based social venture that empowers individuals living in remote and rural areas to combat extreme poverty in their communities.
Jake was inspired to found Nuru after being faced with the effects of extreme poverty in war-torn regions of the world during four tours of duty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. There, Jake witnessed the most severe levels of poverty and developed a deeply-held belief that many 21st century ills including terrorism and occupation can only be eradicated by ending extreme poverty. A Bronze Star-recipient and Stanford University Graduate School of Business alum, Harriman has been honored as a White House as a “Champion of Change,” selected as a Dalai Lama “Unsung Hero of Compassion,” and featured in profile pieces by Forbes, The Huffington Post, ABC News, and more. Jake is a graduate of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2015 and discusses his inspiring journey to found Nuru, equipping leaders to take charge of their own destinies and communities, and unlocking innovative approaches to age-old problems.
Born in rural West Virginia, Harriman attended the US Naval Academy before serving seven and a half years as an Infantry and Special Operations Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps. He led four operational deployments, including counter-terror operations in the Horn of Africa and two tours of Iraq. Jake’s experiences in combat convinced him that the “War on Terror” would not be won on the battlefield alone—and that the coordinates of someone’s birth place should not dictate the opportunities they are presented with throughout the course of their life. Jake left military life to enroll at Stanford where, with the assistance of roughly 30 peers and professors, investments from Silicon Valley, and donations from around the world, he moved to Kenya and founded Nuru International.
Nuru operates in the poorest districts of Kenya and Ethiopia and focuses on four major areas of need: hunger, economic shocks, preventable diseases, and quality education. Based on thorough research of the successes and failures of the last 50 years of international aid relief, Nuru’s programs have to date enabled over 130,000 people to lift themselves out of extreme poverty through programs aimed at increasing crop yield, introducing entrepreneurs to new markets and capital, and counseling local leaders on modern educational and medicinal advancements. Nuru’s ultimate goal is to create a thorough roadmap to eradicating poverty that can be shared with NGOs worldwide. Nuru’s latest project is in far northeast Nigeria in former Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram caliphate territory.
From 2017 to 2019, Jake helped draft, introduce, and work to pass groundbreaking new legislation called the Global Fragility Act of 2019, which will equip America with new authorities and resources to prevent conflict and stabilize some of the most fragile regions of the world that pose a growing threat to US and global security.
- Scott Linklater is a native of rural Washington having grown up in the heart of apple and cherry country in Okanogan. Scott has earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington State University, a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Idaho, and a doctorate degree in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.
Scott is a learning and development practitioner with experience directing training efforts at Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and Red Lion Hotels Corporation. Currently, Scott is the Vice President – Learning Design at Northwest Farm Credit Services.
Scott has published books and academic research with a focus on leadersh
