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World Economic Forum targets group of emerging young leaders with leadership training and mentorship opportunities 

Mayor Kasim Reed, Ambassador Andrew Young and Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant hosted a reception this evening at the W Hotel in Downtown Atlanta for candidates interested in applying for the Forum of Global Shapers, Atlanta Hub. More than 50 young leaders will be selected over the next three years to proactively and positively impact the global agenda through the Atlanta Hub for the Global Shapers Community.

“The incoming class of Atlanta Global Shapers will use their talents to foster fresh ideas and entrepreneurial solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing our city,” said Mayor Reed. “They will also collaborate with other Global Shapers worldwide to share ideas and best practices on tackling global problems. I am delighted to be a part of an initiative that will benefit Atlanta and the region while also giving our young, emerging leaders a platform to grow professionally.”

Read the complete story on Mayor Kasim Reed and the City of Atlanta website here.

The biographies of the first three founding members of the Forum of Global Shapers, Atlanta Hub are provided below It is anticipated that an additional 15 members of the Atlanta Hub will be selected before end of 2011. 

Blake Canterbury

Blake is the Founder and CEO of beremedy – the simplest way to help other people. beremedy is an organization that uses social media to connect those in need with those that can help. It’s based on the concept that there are the resources in every community to meet the needs of that community. beremedy has been named one of the “3 best twitter usages worldwide” by CNN (3/20/11).  To date, they have helped thousands of people and they’re just getting started. 

Noah Downer

Atlanta native Noah Downer serves as the International Affairs Liaison for the City of Atlanta, where he coordinates Atlanta’s global relationships with local, national and international agencies.  

A City of Atlanta employee since November 2007, Downer earned his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a concentration in International Business from Georgia State University in 2007 and his Masters in International Business from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State in 2010.

Downer’s graduate and professional work has taken him across Latin America and includes projects with Universidade Salvador, the leading MBA program in the Brazil’s burgeoning Northeast; immersion language studies in Portuguese and Spanish in Brazil and Mexico; and continuing coursework in Argentina and Brazil. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

Jossie Duffy

Josie is originally from Atlanta and went to college at Columbia. While in school, Josie studied Creative Writing and Political Science and worked for Mayor Kasim Reed, A.G. Kamala Harris, and the New Yorker. After graduating Josie worked for The Bronx Defenders, and this past summer she interned for the Equity and Excellence Commission at the Department of Education. Ultimately she hopes to work in criminal justice and prison reform. Josie is particularly fond of country music, Ohio State football, Ballet, and ice cream; but she likes pretty much everything except cold weather and cheese. Josie is currently a 2L at Harvard Law School.

Two of the selectees, Blake and Noah, are pictured above with GSAH founding currator John Hope Bryant and GSAH Organizing Committee member, and fellow YGL Jamail Larkins.

A special thank you to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed for his vision and commitment to the Forum of Global Shapers, Atlanta Hub, as well as Sonji Dade and the rest of the mayor's very capable team for their support here.  Aditional thanks to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart, who serves on the founding Organizing Committee for the Forum of Global Shapers, Atlanta Hub.

 

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