R

Reed Shafer-Ray

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Founder and CEO at Mountaintop International | Board Chair at Lead For America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Jobs verified_user 0% verified
  • Sigma Squared Society
    Fellow
    Sigma Squared Society
    Oct 2022 - Current (3 years 11 months)
    Sigma Squared Society is a non-profit organization and global community of the world's most ambitious young founders selected for their impact-driven ventures and their ability to transform broken industries.
  • Mountaintop International
    Founder and CEO
    Mountaintop International
    Jun 2022 - Current (4 years 3 months)
    Mountaintop International is a nonprofit that builds the inner capacity, or “human infrastructure,” of local leaders worldwide in order for their communities to flourish. In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose "Mountaintop" speech called for a locally led movement to stir our global consciousness, we are proud champions of a global revolution that puts people first so that every community can lead its own future. Mountaintop's fellowships support the world's most promising leaders to deepen and scale their impact. Our Fellows receive world class leadership training at institutions like the Harvard Edmond & Lily Safra Center of Ethics and NYU Stern Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing, 1:1 mentorship and professional coaching,
  • freelance
    Speaker
    freelance
    Mar 2018 - Current (8 years 6 months)
    Serves as speaker as part of rallies, panels, leadership events, and podcasts. Below is a list of featured speaking engagements: -"Israeli-Palestinian Peace: Elusive Regional Leadership" (January 2024). Maryam Forum Foundation panel on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Other speakers included Mohammed Alghanim CEO of Hamad S. Alghanim Group of Companies; Eric Cantor, Vice Chair of Moelis & Company; Samer Khoury, CEO of Consolidated Contractors Company; Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman of S4 Capital; and Yossi Vardi, Chairman of International Technologies. Moderated by Nik Gowing, Founder and Director of Thinking the Unthinkable. -"Proximate Leadership Forum" (September 2023). Panel hoste
  • O
    Chief of Staff
    Organize
    Jun 2022 - Jun 2023 (1 year 1 month)
    After anonymously donating part of my liver to a six year old boy, I joined Organize to advocate for organ donation reform in the United States after I learned that organ procurement organizations fail to recover as many as 28,000 lifesaving organs every year. Organize, led by Greg Segal, is a nonprofit pushing for federal reforms in the organ procurement system. Organize was awarded an “Innovator in Residence” position in the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 2015-2016, and has worked with the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (now Arnold Ventures), the Bridgespan Group, and the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Lead For America
    Co-Founder and COO
    Lead For America
    May 2018 - Sep 2022 (4 years 5 months)
    -Co-founded and managed growth of $9m/year non-profit focused on building the next generation of transformational leaders to tackle our country’s toughest challenges. Lead For America’s flagship program is a selective, one year, full-time fellowship program for high-potential young professionals to address critical challenges in their hometowns. -To date, Lead For America has placed more than 300 Fellows in 30+ states, has become one of the earliest stage nonprofits to receive a national AmeriCorps grant, and has partnered with organizations like Land O’Lakes, Microsoft, the Mayo Clinic, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to launch fellowship tracks in broadband connectivity and Covid vaccine equity. -Since Lead
  • The Harvard Crimson
    Columnist
    The Harvard Crimson
    Aug 2017 - Dec 2017 (5 months)
    Wrote biweekly column critiquing Harvard College’s efforts to serve its mission of intellectually transforming its students in pursuit of citizen leadership.
  • Massachusetts State Senate
    Legislative Intern
    Massachusetts State Senate
    Jun 2017 - Jul 2017 (2 months)
    Served in the office of a Massachusetts State Senator. Wrote legislative hearing summaries, bill summaries, legislative research memos, letters of testimony, press releases, and dozens of letters to constituents.
  • Harvard University
    Research Assistant to Dr. Yascha Mounk
    Harvard University
    Jan 2017 - May 2017 (5 months)
    Conducted research, fact checked, and edited Dr. Mounk’s book The People Versus Democracy.
  • Harvard Kennedy School
    Research Assistant for Professor David Gergen
    Harvard Kennedy School
    Sep 2016 - Dec 2016 (4 months)
    For Professor David Gergen, CNN analyst and professor at Harvard Kennedy School, produced daily news briefings and wrote memos preparing Gergen for meetings, speeches, and CNN broadcasts
  • I
    Public Service Liaison
    Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School
    Aug 2016 - Dec 2016 (5 months)
    Organized 3-hour voter registration drive in Allston neighborhood of Boston before 2016 presidential election, registering several and reminding countless others to vote
  • Enough Project
    Communications Intern
    Enough Project
    Jun 2016 - Jul 2016 (2 months)
    Sent office-wide news reports, wrote meeting briefs, edited organization's website, crafted new PR initiatives, researched news outlets for solicitation in East Africa, and wrote blogs.
  • Public Citizen
    Research Intern
    Public Citizen
    May 2016 - Jul 2016 (3 months)
    Researched illegal advertising targeting young girls on Instagram and SnapChat, drafting letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting action. Letter was reported on by The Washington Post, ABC News, and Buzzfeed News, and led to FTC requiring an “#ad” disclosure on sponsored Instagram posts.
  • Harvard
    Legislative Advocate
    Harvard
    Jan 2015 - Dec 2017 (3 years)
    Co-founded and organized six "Lobby Days," an ongoing day of action occurring each semester bringing 50+ volunteers to the Massachusetts State House to advocate for legislation. Worked with volunteers to draft and pass a "red flag" law to temporarily prevent dangerous and suicidal individuals from possessing firearms.
  • Harvard University
    Research Assistant to Dr. Ian Storey
    Harvard University
    Dec 2014 - Dec 2015 (1 year 1 month)
    Undertook archival research at Massachusetts Historical Society for book project on Puritan roots of American democracy
  • Harvard International Review
    Staff Writer
    Harvard International Review
    Aug 2014 - Dec 2016 (2 years 5 months)
    Published articles on international relations concerning Somalia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Argentina, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Magazine has 30,000+ print subscribers in 70 countries
  • University of Oklahoma
    Research Intern in the Laboratory of Dr. Marc Libault
    University of Oklahoma
    Jun 2013 - Aug 2013 (3 months)
    Used qPCR protocols and transformations of E. coli to test differentiation of genes within root hairs of glycine max (soybean) under saline stress conditions
  • US House of Representatives
    Intern for Congressman
    US House of Representatives
    Jul 2012
    Attended committee meetings and congressional hearings, preparing informational memos for Congressman. Organized mail, answered constituent calls, and inputted data on federal grants using Excel.
Education verified_user 0% verified
  • N
    Norman High School
    NORMAN HIGH SCHOOL
  • Harvard University
    A.B, Concentration: Social Studies; Secondary: Mathematical Sciences
    Harvard University
  • Stanford University Graduate School of Business
    Master of Business Administration - MBA
    Stanford University Graduate School of Business
  • Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies SAIS
    Master of Arts - MA, International Relations
    Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies SAIS
Projects (professional or personal) verified_user 0% verified
    Awards verified_user 0% verified
    • Harvard University
      Elliot L. and Anne R. Richardson Fund for Fellowship in Public Service
      Harvard University
      The Richardson Fellowships are intended for students contemplating a career in public service and provide the opportunity to spend a year gaining concrete experience with the issues that their public service career would address.
    • O
      Oklahoma Academic All-State Scholar
      Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence
      "The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence 2017 Academic All-State class is comprised of 100 top public high school seniors, selected from 551 nominations statewide, hailing from 77 schools in 68 Oklahoma school districts."
    • M
      Marshall Scholarship Alternate
      Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
      - "The Marshall Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for "intellectually distinguished young Americans [and] their country's future leaders" to study at any university in the United Kingdom."
    • M
      Fourth Annual MVP Peace Award
      Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence
      Presented by Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence with keynote speaker David Hogg. Given "for your courageous advocacy and action in 2018 to reduce gun violence across the Commonwealth." For work establishing law which allows removal of firearms from suicidal or dangerous individuals.
    • T
      Martin Peretz Fund for Undergraduate Research Recipient
      The Commitee on Degrees in Social Studies
      "The Martin Peretz Fund for Undergraduate Research provides up to $2500 in funding for senior thesis research projects."
    • E
      Edmond J Safra Undergraduate Fellow
      Edmond J Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University
      A competitive fellowship awarded to eight to ten undergraduates each year who are pursuing research and writing with an ethics dimension, and who wish to develop their talents in modes of inquiry that are essential to tackling critical moral issues in public life. The fellowship includes a $500 stipend for summer research, as well as a semester-long seminar course in the spring.
    • N
      National Merit Scholar
      National Merit Scholarship Corporation
      One of 9,000 students nationwide awarded for "outstanding academic promise," as well as extracurricular activities and leadership.
    • C
      Mentoring in American Politics (MAPS) Fellow
      Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University
      "The goal of MAPS is to support original research by undergraduates in their freshman, sophomore, or junior year."
    • US Department of Education
      U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist
      US Department of Education
      One of three males in the state of Oklahoma recognized: the program is meant to "honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors."
    • Harvard Innovation Labs
      Venture Incubation Program (VIP) Fellow
      Harvard Innovation Labs
      "The Venture Incubation Program (VIP) is a resource-rich program designed to help current Harvard students and select alumni pursue entrepreneurial ventures while diving deep into the world of innovation and business."
    • I
      Emerging Leaders Network
      Interfaith America
      "Interfaith America’s Emerging Leaders Network is composed of more than two thousand diverse, multifaceted, innovative, and motivated individuals, who influence how healthcare, business, non-profits, religious communities, government, and other sectors engage with religious diversity."
    • World Economic Forum
      Davos50 Awardee
      World Economic Forum
      Named one of 50 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Shapers selected worldwide for a full scholarship to attend the 2024 WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The scholarship included full access to all events inside the Davos Congress Centre and meetings exclusive to the Global Shapers community including with Diane von Furstenberg and Al Gore.
    • E
      Lester Kissel Summer Grant in Practical Ethics Recipient
      Edmond J Safra Center for Ethics
      "Harvard College sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply for a Lester Kissel Grant in Practical Ethics to support research and writing that make contributions to the understanding of practical ethics."
    • U
      Mitchell Scholarship Finalist
      USIreland Alliance
      - "The George J. Mitchell Scholarship is a fellowship awarded annually by the U.S.-Ireland Alliance funding graduate study in Ireland." - One of twenty candidates invited to an interview (interview offer declined)
    • H
      Director's Intern
      Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics
      "The Institute of Politics Director's Internship program arranges paid summer internship opportunities for returning Harvard College undergraduates interested in exploring a summer in politics and public service."
    • R
      Rhodes Scholarship Finalist
      Rhodes Trust
      - "The Rhodes Scholarship, named after the British mining magnate and South African politician Cecil John Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford." - One of fifteen students from the Oklahoma-Texas district to be selected for an interview for two available Rhodes Scholarships.
    Publications verified_user 0% verified
    • H
      A family Schism: ISIL, al-Qaida, and the New Civil War
      Harvard International Review Oct
    • T
      Only Snakes Can Judge
      The Harvard Crimson Oct
    • T
      Loving Yourself For a Cookie
      The Harvard Crimson Sep
    • T
      The Tragedy of Selling Out
      The Harvard Crimson Nov
    • N
      Moral Entrepreneurs, Mountaintop and Social Impact
      Narratives Podcast Nov
    • F
      How Global Leaders Can Restore Trust With Young People
      Forbes Jan
    • H
      The Argentine Dinner: Pride, Patriotism, and Wine
      Harvard International Review Aug
      A blog analyzing the food, culture, and national character of Argentina.
    • E
      The Unheard Voices of South Sudan: How The International Community Can Help Bring Peace
      Enough Project Jul
      Examines the oft-overlooked public stances of civic society organizations within South Sudan, giving an inside look on South Sudanese opinion concerning foreign intervention in the July 2016 conflict.
    • H
      Somalia and the Pursuit of Peace
      Harvard International Review Dec
      Analysis of the ongoing civil war in Somalia. Examines the effects of decentralization, terrorism, and internal dissension on the stability of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
    • T
      "Friendly Competition"
      The Harvard Crimson Oct
    • H
      Walking a tightrope: the US role in Syria
      Harvard International Review Jan
    • F
      Lead for America: Encouraging Graduates to Return Home
      Front Porch Republic Dec
    • U
      The Gates of Integrity: The Ethics of Exclusion at Harvard and Beyond
      Undergraduate Thesis Jul
    • H
      Shadows in Pakistan: Critiquing the Drone War
      Harvard International Review Apr
      An exposé on American drone strikes in Pakistan.
    • H
      The DRC’s Violent Campaign Trail to 2016
      Harvard International Review Jan
      Critiques the outsized role Rwanda and Uganda play in stirring conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including influencing the results of Congolese presidential elections.
    • H
      The Sri Lankan Phoenix: Growth and Reconciliation on a War-Torn Island
      Harvard International Review Nov
      Reviews the ethnic hatred between the Sinhalese and Tamils that had spurred on a recent twenty-five year long civil war. Points to a refinished train line connecting the Tamil north with the Sinhalese south as symbolic of the increasing ties of the two groups, and, as economic development has grown rapidly due to increased investment from China and India, the future for Sri Lanka looks bright.
    • T
      Why Harvard Fails at Transformation
      The Harvard Crimson Sep
    This is a community-created genome.