Leah Okimoto

About Leah Okimoto

My passion is inspiring children to think \"outside themselves\" and get out into the community and start using their positive, caring energy, ideas and natural desire to help others. I firmly believe that only when people turn their focus outward are they able to find true purpose, fulfillment and happiness. My hope for young people is that they will start to regard themselves as members of a larger community and world who possess unique qualities that they can mobilize for the good of others. I also believe that children need to have the opportunity to experience their capacity for good in person, with real human interaction. They need to feel the joy and the inner spark that is lit when they know they have impacted someone else\'s life for good, because they know their lives matter and are needed by the world.

Experience

1. Founder & Executive Director

   Aaron\'s Presents

   Jan 2014 — Present · Merrimack Valley and North Shore, MA

   Aaron’s Presents offers a unique opportunity for young kids (8th grade and below) to carry out positive projects of their own design that help or benefit others. In the process, they gain valuable, practical life and leadership skills and start to view their lives, at every age and stage, in terms of what they can give to the world. We piloted the program in 2014 with 12 wonderful projects done by 27 kids, and now, to date, we have mentored over 800 children ages 7-14 in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore who have led 300+ projects benefiting over people in their communities and

Education

• Marlborough High School

  High School Diploma

  1990 — 1994

• Harvard University

  Bachelor's degree

  1994 — 1998

Skills

• Program Management
• Community Outreach
• Leadership Development
• Public Speaking
• Volunteer Management
• Leadership
• Management
• Program Development
• Teaching
• Research
• Editing
• Nonprofits
• Project Management
• Fundraising