Besa CEO Matthew Goldstein announced as 2024-2025 Obama Foundation Leader

The Obama Foundation Leaders program has named Besa Founder and CEO Matthew Goldstein among its 205 global leaders for 2024-2025.

The program trains participants around the world in leadership development and civic engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private and nonprofit sectors.

“It’s an incredible honor to be chosen for this opportunity to learn from leaders around the world,” Goldstein said. “I look forward to using it to bring new ideas and fresh inspiration to the city and mission that I love.”

Goldstein is the founder and CEO of Besa—a Columbus-based, award-winning nonprofit dedicated to uplifting communities by making volunteerism easy and impactful for individuals and businesses. In 12 years, Besa has rallied over 83,000 volunteers to give nearly 200,000 hours completing 13,600 service projects, and it has helped make $97M in community impact.

As part of the six-month ObamaFoundation Leaders program, Goldstein and other dedicated changemakers will convene virtually each week for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers, and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation community. They will also have an opportunity to participate in various virtual experiences and special events, including one-on-one conversations with experienced mentors in the Foundation’s global network.

The program is divided into four worldwide regions—Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States. Goldstein is one of 100 leaders in the United States region.

The Obama Foundation Leaders USA Program, now in its second year, was inspired by the leadership values and approach of President and Mrs. Obama. The program draws on the Foundation’s “Hope to Action” curriculum to support Leaders in engaging diverse perspectives, building collective power and making tangible, sustainable progress towards a better world. The Leaders USA Program has a particular focus on strengthening democratic culture.

The Obama Foundation Leaders program is designed to further inspire, empower and connect emerging leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States to change their respective communities and the world. To learn more, visit obama.org/leaders.