Ed Franowicz, CEO and Founder
For Ed Franowicz, the founding of 21st Century Thinking represents the culmination of an almost twenty-year career in the education realm. His wide variety of experiences during this time has shaped his philosophy of how best to build the thinking and decision-making skills of young people around the world.
As a high school teacher and guidance counselor in Rome, Italy and in the Bronx, New York, Ed saw first-hand the skills that young men and women need to be successful in the 21st century and a huge gap in schools’ abilities to provide them.
His volunteer work at schools in the slums of Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Cite Soleil), reinforced his belief that above and beyond academic and even career readiness skills, that there is whole set of “life skills” that should be central to any education.
As an administrator (admissions officer) at Princeton University, he saw what elite schools are hoping for and seeking in their students – some of which he agreed with, some of which he did not.
And as one of the founders and Dean of Global Faculty of what is now a $40 million executive education platform (CEB’s Leadership Academies), Ed learned which skills are needed for effective leadership in the workplace and which of them can be taught effectively.
Ed received his Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
While he has taught thousands of high-powered executives on all continents (save Antarctica), he finds working with teenagers infinitely more enjoyable and fulfilling.
For Ed Franowicz, the founding of 21st Century Thinking represents the culmination of an almost twenty-year career in the education realm. His wide variety of experiences during this time has shaped his philosophy of how best to build the thinking and decision-making skills of young people around the world.
As a high school teacher and guidance counselor in Rome, Italy and in the Bronx, New York, Ed saw first-hand the skills that young men and women need to be successful in the 21st century and a huge gap in schools’ abilities to provide them.
His volunteer work at schools in the slums of Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Cite Soleil), reinforced his belief that above and beyond academic and even career readiness skills, that there is whole set of “life skills” that should be central to any education.
As an administrator (admissions officer) at Princeton University, he saw what elite schools are hoping for and seeking in their students – some of which he agreed with, some of which he did not.
And as one of the founders and Dean of Global Faculty of what is now a $40 million executive education platform (CEB’s Leadership Academies), Ed learned which skills are needed for effective leadership in the workplace and which of them can be taught effectively.
Ed received his Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
While he has taught thousands of high-powered executives on all continents (save Antarctica), he finds working with teenagers infinitely more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Ramsey Jay, Jr., Partner
Ramsey Jay, Jr. is a partner in 21st Century Thinking. Across his entire career, Ramsey’s mission has been is to empower young dreamers to become achievers. He is widely regarded as an expert on leadership development for at-risk youth and is an internationally acclaimed motivational and keynote speaker. He can be found regularly on nationally syndicated television and radio programs.
His message of dreaming, empowering, and achieving fit perfectly with the spirit of 21st Century Thinking.
Among his many distinctions, he has been accepted into the Socrates Society at the Aspen Institute, named a CORO Executive Fellow, selected as an International Career Advancement Program Fellow and was named by EBONY Magazine as one of the top “30 Young Leaders Under 30.”
A Wall Street trained finance executive, Ramsey is a graduate of Ventura High School where he is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. He later earned his Bachelors Degree from Fresno State, where he was a five-time all-conference track and field athlete and his Masters in Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College where he was voted speaker of the 105th graduating class.
For more information on Ramsey, visit: ramseyjayjr.com
Ramsey Jay, Jr. is a partner in 21st Century Thinking. Across his entire career, Ramsey’s mission has been is to empower young dreamers to become achievers. He is widely regarded as an expert on leadership development for at-risk youth and is an internationally acclaimed motivational and keynote speaker. He can be found regularly on nationally syndicated television and radio programs.
His message of dreaming, empowering, and achieving fit perfectly with the spirit of 21st Century Thinking.
Among his many distinctions, he has been accepted into the Socrates Society at the Aspen Institute, named a CORO Executive Fellow, selected as an International Career Advancement Program Fellow and was named by EBONY Magazine as one of the top “30 Young Leaders Under 30.”
A Wall Street trained finance executive, Ramsey is a graduate of Ventura High School where he is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. He later earned his Bachelors Degree from Fresno State, where he was a five-time all-conference track and field athlete and his Masters in Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College where he was voted speaker of the 105th graduating class.
For more information on Ramsey, visit: ramseyjayjr.com
Lidia Genovese, Partner
Lidia Genovese is a partner in 21st Century Thinking. Chair of the Perth chapter of the Australian Psychological Society, she is renowned for her work with children and adolescents. Her practical experience includes 30 years of private practice spanning therapy, research, and professional development.
A prolific trainer and mentor to her fellow psychologists, she has designed multiple highly successful programs which teach emotional intelligence and effective decision-making to troubled, resistant and at-risk youth.
Lidia embraces the 21st Century Thinking values of humor, fun, innovation, and self-expression and infuses them into all of her programs. She received her Masters of Psychology from Curtin University of Technology. She is also currently the chair of the Western Australian branch of the Australian Psychological Society and founded The CABCAA Institute - dedicated to promoting and helping develop emotional intelligence in children, adolescents and adults. Click HERE to find out more.
Lidia Genovese is a partner in 21st Century Thinking. Chair of the Perth chapter of the Australian Psychological Society, she is renowned for her work with children and adolescents. Her practical experience includes 30 years of private practice spanning therapy, research, and professional development.
A prolific trainer and mentor to her fellow psychologists, she has designed multiple highly successful programs which teach emotional intelligence and effective decision-making to troubled, resistant and at-risk youth.
Lidia embraces the 21st Century Thinking values of humor, fun, innovation, and self-expression and infuses them into all of her programs. She received her Masters of Psychology from Curtin University of Technology. She is also currently the chair of the Western Australian branch of the Australian Psychological Society and founded The CABCAA Institute - dedicated to promoting and helping develop emotional intelligence in children, adolescents and adults. Click HERE to find out more.
Matt Franowicz, PhD, Advisor
Matt Franowicz has a life-long passion for the understanding of the inner workings of the mind and its basis in neurological function.
He received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University where he focused on working memory in awake behaving non-human primates in the laboratory of Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Ph.D. He pioneered the use of neuronal ensemble recording in the prefrontal cortex to determine the rules that govern interneuronal communication and serve as the cellular basis of consciousness.
He currently is a marketing strategist in the healthcare field at Havas Life New York, where he leads the Neurological and High-Science products group, seeking insights into how Health Care Professionals think and perceive, and develops business strategy to influence and change their beliefs, attitudes, and prescribing behaviors.
Matt is a trained Tibetan Artist (Menri Style) under Master Painter Pema Rinzin, and has a deep interest and practice in mindfulness training.
Matt Franowicz has a life-long passion for the understanding of the inner workings of the mind and its basis in neurological function.
He received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University where he focused on working memory in awake behaving non-human primates in the laboratory of Patricia Goldman-Rakic, Ph.D. He pioneered the use of neuronal ensemble recording in the prefrontal cortex to determine the rules that govern interneuronal communication and serve as the cellular basis of consciousness.
He currently is a marketing strategist in the healthcare field at Havas Life New York, where he leads the Neurological and High-Science products group, seeking insights into how Health Care Professionals think and perceive, and develops business strategy to influence and change their beliefs, attitudes, and prescribing behaviors.
Matt is a trained Tibetan Artist (Menri Style) under Master Painter Pema Rinzin, and has a deep interest and practice in mindfulness training.
Larissa Gallagher, Head of Creative Services
Larissa Gallagher heads up 21st Century Thinking’s creative services for which she leverages her extensive and diverse experiences across various media including: video, radio, web, stage, and live events.
In her capacity as producer of Perth’s number 1 rated breakfast radio-show, she designed and produced content (video and text, for both social media and the web), managed live station publicity events, sourced promotional opportunities, oversaw show design content, and maintained relationships with local and national media.
In addition, Larissa has produced video content for numerous corporate clients including Northrop Grumman, Fabretto Children’s Foundation and Mediaworks. She was the singular production assistant and venue liaison to the Head Creative department for the Sydney Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, executed promotion and publicity for Live National Show Tours of BBC/ABC Children’s Classic Television, and worked on the 20th Century Fox website re-launch.
When not busy with 21st Century Thinking, Larissa works in Hollywood as a professional voice-actor. Her voice has been heard on Superbowl commercials, many corporate projects (including Coca-Cola and Apple), blockbuster films, and popular video-games and cartoons.
Larissa Gallagher heads up 21st Century Thinking’s creative services for which she leverages her extensive and diverse experiences across various media including: video, radio, web, stage, and live events.
In her capacity as producer of Perth’s number 1 rated breakfast radio-show, she designed and produced content (video and text, for both social media and the web), managed live station publicity events, sourced promotional opportunities, oversaw show design content, and maintained relationships with local and national media.
In addition, Larissa has produced video content for numerous corporate clients including Northrop Grumman, Fabretto Children’s Foundation and Mediaworks. She was the singular production assistant and venue liaison to the Head Creative department for the Sydney Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, executed promotion and publicity for Live National Show Tours of BBC/ABC Children’s Classic Television, and worked on the 20th Century Fox website re-launch.
When not busy with 21st Century Thinking, Larissa works in Hollywood as a professional voice-actor. Her voice has been heard on Superbowl commercials, many corporate projects (including Coca-Cola and Apple), blockbuster films, and popular video-games and cartoons.
