Bio - Joel F. Wright

For the past 3 years, Joel has worked with the Center for Creative Leadership on projects aimed at "democratizing" leadership development by making it more affordable and accessible. As a part of this initiative Joel is championing our focus on early/youth leadership development. Joel has conducted training globally for young people at places like: Duke, TISS (India), Elon University, Guilford College, UNC-G, Campus Compact, YMCA (Sri Lanka, Prague, India & US) and content developed for this audience has already traveled all over the globe. In addition, Joel has trained NGO/Not-for-Profit leaders, professors and corporate professionals locally and abroad.

Prior to his time at CCL, Joel was a consultant with Olympic University (United States Olympic Committee) -- responsibilities include program design, development, and facilitation of programs. Before the USOC, Joel worked for six years with the YMCA, including one year living and working in Sri Lanka for the National Council of YMCAs. In Sri Lanka, he was responsible for designing and conducting an island-wide YMCA directors training program, youth leadership programs, residential camping and coordinating a YMCA volunteer initiative in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami. Joel's other 5 years with the YMCA were with Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks, a conference and training center in upstate New York. During his tenure there, Joel was part of the senior Director/leadership team and designed and developed leadership and team building programs for youth, college students, corporations, nonprofits and conferences. For the past nine years Joel has played a leadership role in the annual "Leadership Forum at Silver Bay" conference and community; it's the oldest leadership conference in the United States, now 92 years old.

Prior to his transition to the nonprofit world, Joel held various other business positions. Joel brings a blend of corporate and nonprofit/NGO experience, cross-cultural/international and youth/generational perspective to CCL that enhances the programs he develops and delivers. Joel graduated from Wittenberg University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History.

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