CATALYST 2025: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders

May 22, 2025

This month, JA Worldwide hosted our first-ever CATALYST event in New York City. The gathering of JA alumni, global business leaders, and champions of youth empowerment honored the belief that peace is built through opportunity, and opportunity begins with education.

At JA, we believe that when young people have the skillset and mindset to succeed, they don’t just transform their own futures, they strengthen families and build more resilient communities. Today, JA delivers more than 19 million student learning experiences every year. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a student in Ghana who launched her first company; a student in the Philippines who opened the first bank account in her family; a refugee in Italy rebuilding his life through a JA work-readiness program.

The centerpiece of the evening was a powerful fireside chat moderated by JA New York alumna Afnan Faiza, a first-year student at Baruch College studying marketing management. Afnan spoke with two visionary leaders: Marc Lore, founder and CEO of Wonder, National Basketball Association (NBA) team owner, and longtime JA volunteer, and David Meltzer, JA Global Council member, JA alumnus, and globally recognized entrepreneur and business coach.

Together, the three participants explored what it means to give back, mentor the next generation, and lead with purpose. Afnan led the discussion with the acumen of a seasoned professional, while David and Marc shared personal stories of impact. They emphasized their commitment to a future where every young person has access to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive—a mission deeply aligned with JA’s global work.

Following the fireside chat, David Meltzer was honored with the JA Legacy of Leadership Award, recognizing his lifelong commitment to empowering the next generation of young entrepreneurs and leaders. During the remarks honoring David, he was commended for saying “yes” to numerous requests and opportunities to support JA, including speaking at the JA Global Youth Forum in Mexico, featuring JA students on his Apple TV series 2 Minute Drill, traveling to Vienna to speak at the JA Global Alumni Summit, inviting JA Worldwide CEO Asheesh Advani to be a guest on his TV show Office Hours, serving as the Chief Chancellor for JA University, and hosting multiple book launch events for the book Modern Achievement to raise funding for JA. In a heartfelt speech, he accepted the award and shared the impact of his JA journey as a student, volunteer, and now as a contributor to JA University and the JA Worldwide Global Council.

Charles and Jean Kim

Charles Kim, a longtime JA supporter and co-founder of Alpine Global, opened his New York City home to host this special occasion. A JA alumnus from Northbrook, Illinois, Charles credits his participation in the JA Company Program with sparking his entrepreneurial journey. Today, his philanthropic work, including rebuilding Junior Achievement of the U.S. Virgin Islands and establishing the YS Kim Foundation, remains focused on equipping youth with the tools to succeed.

The evening also marked the introduction of JA Leaders for a Day, an immersive experience that pairs a JA student with senior business executives for a full day of shadowing, mentorship, and exposure to high-level decision-making. Through JA Leaders for a Day, young people get a glimpse into the professional world, giving them connection, visibility, and inspiration, while the executives have the opportunity to understand the hopes, priorities, and creativity of the next generation.

CATALYST was more than a celebration, it was a call to action, a reminder that real change begins when leaders invest in the next generation. Together, we're not just imagining a better world—we're building it.