Strategic Advisory Board

The 7 Pillars

GCSEN was founded on a foundational blend of 7 pillars.

Social Entreprenuership is a team effort, and GCSEN is no exception. A solid group of generous leaders who we can turn to, our Strategic Advisory Board holds up our 7 Pillars, while our Regional Hub Advisors assist in our international operations.

1. Innovation

2. Teaching and Learning

3. Community

4. Thought Leadership

5. Marketing

6. Capital Access

7. Acceleration

1. Innovation

Constant innovation of technologies, frameworks, courses, and content: 

Ignacio Despujol

Kristin Backhaus

Steve Mariotti (1953-2024)

Patricia G Eisner

John Cary

2. Teaching and Learning

Education of existing, emerging, and aspiring social entrepreneurs. Assures program quality and establish differentiation and competitive advantage: 

Stephanie Singleton

Prof. Paulo Gomes

Dr. Eric Strauss

Richard Berman

Charlie Lord

Bob Dean

Prof. Jay Rao

3. Community

Facilitating communities of social entrepreneurs within & across academic institutions. Enables lifelong social entrepreneurship learning for students and faculty: 

Julie Kantor

Jamie Kent

Jennifer Kushell

Georgia Beattie

4. Thought Leadership

Influences social entrepreneurship policies and practices through thought leadership:

Prof. Mary Kate Naatus

Michael Shuman

Charles Venti

Dennis Hanno

Imran Chowdhury

Len Green

Isobel Cunningham

Anthony Di Marco

5. Marketing

Traditional and social media marketing approaches to increase student attraction. Increases number of students interested in social entrepreneurship:

Yana Averbukh

Lauren Birnbaum

Michael Ward

 Flor Nájera

Jason Reuben

6. Capital Access

Provides easier and more effective access to all viable sources of startup funding. Increases capital available to student social ventures: 

Stephen Silver

Ben Parvey

Matthew Gilmore

Mark Ferri

 Laird Q. Cagan

7. Acceleration

Bridges learning to practice through coaching, mentoring and other business acceleration approaches. Accelerates growth and success of student social ventures, turning dreams into realized dreams:

Cameron Mckenzie

Bill Towell

Colby Creedon