A Master of Pivots
Ravi's journey as a rock star, aviator, cultural diplomat for the US Department of State, and keynote speaker is an inspiring example of how to pivot and succeed in an ever-changing world.
He is the first American-born descendant of India’s Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty. However, Ravi pursued his passion for music and in 1997 became the guitarist of triple-Grammy-nominee, Hanson, performing at the White House, Madison Square Garden, Saturday Night Live, Today Show, and more.
Following the global financial crisis of 2008, he pivoted and became a pilot and aviation speaker helping the industry attract new students. Upon being diagnosed with an inner-ear condition that affected his balance, he pivoted again in 2015, this time toward his roots in politics and became a cultural diplomat for the US Department of State, creating cultural programs in Russia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Indonesia.
A highly respected advocate for education, Ravi is also the founder of Ravi Unites Schools—a large network of international K-12 schools (that span the socio-economic spectrum) whose classes participate in peer-to-peer real-time audio-video interactions—and author of PIVOT: Empowering Students Today to Succeed in an Unpredictable Tomorrow.
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Bob Moje: Founding principal of VMDO Architects. For over 36 years, he has been involved with the planning and design of educational facilities for institutional clients. His personal mission is to create learning environments that enrich the lives of students and leave an indelible mark on school communities.
Mary Luehrsen: Executive Director of the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation and Sr. Executive of NAMM overseeing the organization’s federal level policy development and government relations efforts effecting access to music education and global commerce in the music industry.
Jeffery Sexton: 30 year career with US Dept. of State Foreign Service, holding public affairs and cultural diplomacy posts in India, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Australia, Korea, China, and Hong Kong after serving six years in the U.S. Army in Germany as a Soviet military analyst.
Mary Beth Pelosky: Expert in educational policy and leadership including fellowships with Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), US State Dept./ConSed Brazil Principal Exchange, and George Mason’s Confucius Institute (China); and a former public school principal, administrator, and teacher.