Uniting Alumni Leaders Across Continents: A New Initiative for the Alumni Leaders Academy Global
March 17, 2025
Last month, JA Worldwide’s alumni team held the first of five Alumni Leaders Academy Global sessions. The sessions aim to strengthen alumni connections, amplify voices, and celebrate regional networks. The sessions serve as both networking platforms and spaces where alumni led discussions, shaped dialogues, and shared their successes and challenges.
A Global Alumni Movement Rooted in Local Impact
Since its inception in April 2024, the Alumni Leaders Academy Global has expanded from 55 active leaders to more than 125 across 76 countries. The rapid growth of the JA Americas alumni region and the increasing involvement of alumni from INJAZ Al-Arab/JA MENA have made the Academy a true representation of JA’s global community.
Leading Alumni Voice: Stories That Shape the Future
The Leading Alumni Voice segment, new in 2025, provided an open mic for individual alumni leaders to share their personal journeys. This platform celebrated leadership through community building, entrepreneurial achievements, personal growth, and other ways. The stories underscored the shared purpose that united JA alumni: empowering youth and shaping the future.
One of the most compelling stories came from Federica Pereira, who shared her experience with neurodiversity. Diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia, she struggled in traditional academic environments but found a supportive community in JA. Through the JA Company Program, she built confidence, discovered her passion for human resources, and developed leadership skills.
Her talk “Creating Ripples” demonstrated how small actions can lead to significant change. She highlighted her work with Magdalena, a JA student with Down syndrome, who had felt overlooked in discussions about the future. In collaboration with JA Uruguay, Fede has worked to make the Entrepreneurial Skills Pass exam more accessible, breaking down complex concepts to ensure that students of all abilities can succeed. She also announced plans to create an Accessibility Inclusion Guide for JA alumni on Gather, advocating for ongoing conversations about mental health and inclusion.
Regional Showcases: Alumni-Led Sessions
In the Regional Showcases segment, alumni networks lead their own segments, showcasing major milestones, addressing challenges, and sharing lessons learned. Presenting the first showcase, Aditi Goyal, a tGELF/JA India alumna, presented the Asia Pacific region’s collective force in empowering alumni. The showcase reflected the spirit of action, impact, and support rather than hierarchical leadership. Despite being one of the youngest networks, the Asia Pacific alumni community grew rapidly:
More than 2,000 alumni joined Gather between 2024 and 2025.
Twelve active chapters engaged over 100 leaders.
More than 25 events were organized annually.
More than 1.5 million alumni across 1,000+ schools participated.
Key regional milestones included the Asia Pacific Leaders Academy in Malaysia (2023), the Emerge Conference in Portugal (2024), and the RISE Conference in Bali (2024), each strengthening the network’s momentum. Beyond events, sustained engagement efforts included mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and leadership development workshops.
Local alumni chapters provided updates on their progress and initiatives:
tGELF/JA India: The youngest AP Alumni network, engaging over 1,000 alumni graduates annually across India, Brunei, Nepal, and Bhutan. Initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, soft skills, and goal setting.
JA Philippines: More than 250 active volunteers supported alumni networking, mentoring initiatives, and sustainability-focused entrepreneurship.
JA Hong Kong: One of the largest networks, with 480,000+ alumni contributing to career development and innovation challenges.
JA Malaysia: Expanded its reach to 520 alumni in two years, launching initiatives in communication, career exploration, and community service.
JA Guam: Strengthened alumni engagement through workshops, fundraisers, and mentoring awards.
JA Korea: Hosted alumni gatherings and mentorship programs, engaging industry leaders such as the CEO of Disney Korea.
JA Indonesia: Managed 17 projects aligned with UN SDGs and hosted the first-ever JA Asia Pacific Alumni Conference.
Engagement and Learning Through Games
The regional showcase concluded with a Kahoot challenge, where alumni tested their knowledge of the Asia Pacific region’s landmarks and leaders. This lighthearted competition fostered engagement and cultural exchange, culminating in a surprise dance performance that added a memorable touch to the event.
Monthly Recaps and Global Networking Rooms
To maintain connectivity and knowledge-sharing, the Academy introduced monthly recaps summarizing regional progress, key takeaways, and standout alumni stories. Global Networking Rooms also provided dedicated time for alumni to build cross-border connections, brainstorm initiatives, and explore collaborative opportunities.
Looking Ahead: Shaping the Future Together
The Alumni Leaders Academy Global continues to evolve as a dynamic space where alumni led, learned, and lifted one another. By empowering local networks and individual alumni to shape their segments, the Academy amplified diverse voices and cultivated a culture of shared leadership and growth.
As JA alumni pushed boundaries and innovated, these sessions stood as a testament to the power of collective action. Whether celebrating victories or navigating challenges, the Academy remained a space where every story mattered and where the global alumni community thrived through collaboration and vision.
The next session will introduce a new Leading Alumni Voice and feature JA Americas alumni taking the lead in sharing their journeys.
Alumni leaders are invited to join one of the next Alumni Leaders Academy Global sessions:
March 27: JA Americas Alumni
April 24: JA Africa Alumni
May 29: JA Alumni Europe
June 26: INJAZ Al-Arab/JA MENA Alumni
Look out for more details on Gather.