{"id":8813,"date":"2025-10-22T09:56:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/?p=8813"},"modified":"2025-10-22T09:56:49","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:56:49","slug":"colombian%e2%80%91american-entrepreneur-and-brain-surgery-survivor-launches-leadership-fellowship-for-diverse-professionals-across-the-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/?p=8813","title":{"rendered":"<strong>Colombian\u2011American Entrepreneur and Brain Surgery Survivor Launches Leadership Fellowship for Diverse Professionals Across the U.S.<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>John Moreno\u2011Escobar, a Colombian\u2011American entrepreneur and survivor of a life\u2011threatening brain aneurysm, has launched <strong>PODER Collective<\/strong>, a cutting\u2011edge leadership fellowship designed to transform the lives of emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds across the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The program, currently active in South Florida, recently graduated its first cohort of 17 fellows and plans to expand into the New York \/ New Jersey area later this year. PODER Collective is <strong>nomination-only<\/strong> and combines neuroscience\u2011based training, personal development, and professional leadership skill-building to help underrepresented leaders break barriers in business, education, social enterprise, and civic sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRepresentation alone isn\u2019t enough,\u201d said John Moreno\u2011Escobar, Chief Visionary Officer of PODER Collective. \u201cWe want to build leaders who are conscious, empathetic, and resilient\u2014people who can lead with integrity across identities, industries, and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Diverse Founding Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PODER Collective was co-founded by a dynamic, multicultural team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>John Moreno\u2011Escobar<\/strong>, Colombian\u2011American, leads the vision and strategy.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A co\u2011founder from <strong>Mexico<\/strong>, who brings experience in organizational development and cross-cultural leadership.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A co\u2011founder from <strong>Brazil<\/strong>, specializing in neuroscience and emotional intelligence techniques.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This leadership trio reflects the fellowship\u2019s commitment to diversity\u2014not just among its fellows, but at its very core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Backstory: Survival, Purpose, and Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreno\u2011Escobar\u2019s life journey underscores why he created this fellowship. Immigrating to New York City at age 18 with just $100 in his pocket, he navigated the challenges of assimilation and self\u2011reinvention. He rose through roles in education and nonprofit sectors, eventually building a reputation for leadership grounded in service and authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, he survived open\u2011brain surgery after a sudden aneurysm\u2014a brush with mortality that shifted his entire perspective. As Moreno\u2011Escobar puts it, \u201cWhen you see life through that lens, leading with purpose becomes nonnegotiable.\u201d That epiphany crystallized his mission: to help leaders from all backgrounds step into roles of influence, grounded in values and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Makes PODER Collective Different<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PODER Collective distinguishes itself from conventional leadership programs in several key ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Collective leadership spaces<\/strong>: Co\u2011designed by co\u2011founders Juliana Faus (Brazil) and the Mexican co\u2011founder, these immersive experiences foster transformation through group practices, peer-to-peer coaching, and intentional vulnerability\u2014not just lectures.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Neuroscience-based training<\/strong>: Tools rooted in the science of brain and behavior help fellows understand decision-making patterns, emotional regulation, and resilience under pressure.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Holistic development<\/strong>: Beyond professional growth, the curriculum attends to purpose, identity, and well-being\u2014so fellows lead not just skillfully, but sustainably.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community &amp; network access<\/strong>: Fellows join an ever-growing ecosystem of changemakers, gaining access to mentors, resources, and collaborative opportunities across sectors.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>New Initiatives and Growing Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the core fellowship, PODER Collective recently launched <strong>PODER Talks<\/strong>, an invitation-only series of leadership conversations spotlighting voices from business, education, wellness, and social innovation. Plans are also underway for the <strong>Latino &amp; Diverse Leadership Conference<\/strong>, slated for South Florida in 2026, which will bring together leaders of varied backgrounds for cross-pollination, learning, and alliance-building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why the Timing Is Crucial<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Con debates swirling around DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programming, many organizations have narrowed or defunded such efforts. Yet the need for transformative leadership development\u2014especially for underrepresented groups\u2014remains urgent. PODER Collective is not about checking off demographic boxes: it\u2019s about <strong>elevating leadership potential<\/strong> across diversity lines and ensuring voices historically left out have the tools, confidence, and support to lead at the highest levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTrue equity emerges when institutions transform from within,\u201d Moreno\u2011Escobar states. \u201cThat requires leaders who bring consciousness, courage, and connection\u2014regardless of their background.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About PODER Collective<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PODER Collective is more than a fellowship\u2014it is a movement. Through neuroscience-based training, peer-led community, mentorship, and immersive experiences, the organization equips diverse leaders to show up boldly, influence meaningfully, and lead with integrity across sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information, visit<a href=\"http:\/\/www.podercollective.com\"> <strong>www.podercollective.com<\/strong><\/a> or follow John Moreno\u2011Escobar on Instagram at <strong>@JohnMorenoEscobar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>John Moreno\u2011Escobar, a Colombian\u2011American entrepreneur and survivor of a life\u2011threatening brain aneurysm, has launched PODER Collective, a cutting\u2011edge leadership fellowship designed to transform the lives of emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds across the United States. The program, currently active in South Florida, recently graduated its first cohort of 17 fellows and plans to expand into [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8814,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[222],"tags":[196,253,3797,2663,248,3698],"class_list":["post-8813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-business","tag-entrepreneur","tag-fellowship","tag-leadership","tag-success","tag-u-s-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8813"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8815,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8813\/revisions\/8815"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}