Presidential Fellowship alumni continue to demonstrate their commitment to the program and the broader GW community by leading professional development seminars for current fellows and graduate students across the University.
Former Presidential Fellow, Josh Lasky, led a webinar titled "From GW to Global Impact: Building a Career That Scales" during Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. GWU graduate students had the opportunity to learn how to turn early career choices into opportunities for meaningful, large-scale impact.
Josh started the session by sharing his journey from The George Washington University to leadership roles spanning higher education, consulting, and corporate sustainability, now serving at Microsoft, reflecting on how his GW experience shaped his path. He explained to students how to identify and pursue roles with an outsized impact and offered practical lessons on prioritization and time management. Overall, the session offered candid career advice for navigating uncertainty, making strategic decisions, and building a purpose-driven career.
View the webinar here: https://youtu.be/UW7qTKSSP7k
Josh is a strategic and versatile leader with nearly two decades of experience advancing sustainability and social impact across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors. He currently serves as Senior Program Manager for Carbon Strategy at Microsoft. Previously, Josh was Interim Assistant Vice President for University Resilience at The George Washington University, where he led Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, and Sustainability. During his tenure, GW achieved a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and earned a Platinum STARS rating. He also led major initiatives, including a building decarbonization study, a long-term renewable energy agreement, and a significant expansion of the university’s composting program. Earlier, Josh served as Managing Director and Chief Strategist at LINK Strategic Partners, helping grow the firm’s client base and build its sustainability and strategy practices. Josh holds degrees in public administration and political science from GW, serves on the board of Climate Ride, and is the author of Every Step is a Gift, a memoir about caregiving and resilience.