The “Stakeholder Spotlight” is a new occasional series of posts highlighting people who are helping to advance Learning Life’s work. Our second post in this series features Sherry Mueller, Ph.D., a widely admired American citizen diplomacy leader, and a strong supporter of Learning Life’s Family Diplomacy Initiative. For more information on ways you can support Learning Life, click here.
What is your current occupation?
I am a Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the School of International Service (SIS), American University, Washington, D.C., teaching a graduate Practicum entitled “Cultural Diplomacy and International Exchange.” I am also the President of the Public Diplomacy Council, a nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in the professional practice, academic study, and advocacy for public diplomacy.
Please tell us more about you.
I grew up on a farm in northern Illinois and went to the last of the one-room school houses. There was one teacher for all eight grades. If you were bright you would be asked to help teach the younger children. By the time I was in the fifth grade I was teaching second graders spelling and reading. I think this experience was the first step in defining me as an educator. And I am still teaching. I am preparing to teach a practicum fall semester on cultural diplomacy and international exchange at the School of International Service at American University, my undergraduate alma mater. I have always enjoyed teaching because I view it as an intellectual journey of joint learning. I always say, if my students are learning as much as I am, we are having a successful semester.
Why did you decide to support Learning Life?
I donate to Learning Life because I passionately believe in the power of citizen diplomacy. There is an urgent need to connect people — to help them appreciate their differences but, most importantly, to help them appreciate their common human aspirations. That is the mission of Learning Life.
Democracy Learning Community Planning Starts!
On Wednesday, February 23, Learning Life held its first of ten anticipated meetings to plan the DC-MD-VA Democracy Learning Community (DMV DLC) in light of challenges of authoritarianism, polarization and participation inequality in the USA. The meetings will culminate in a report to be released by January 2023. The report will envision what a fully developed DLC could look like, drawing on the diversity of ideas and existing solutions to invigorating democracy in communities and metro regions in the USA and abroad. The report will also provide an action plan with specific activities that metro Washington DC stakeholders are willing to move forward with in 2023.
The 2022 planning meetings are the next step in the development of the DMV DLC, following on the first successful step: Learning Life’s Democracy Dinners. The Dinners were launched in June 2019 to bring together metro DC’s many democracy sector professionals to talk in small groups of 8-12 participants about the challenges and possibilities for democracy at local to global levels. The Dinners, conducted via Zoom since the Covid pandemic, are intended to help build a network in support of the development of the DLC, and since 2019, Learning Life has successfully built a growing list of close to 4,000 metro DC democracy professionals we invite to the Dinners, and over 150 people who have attended the Dinners once or more. “Our nation’s capital region is an opportune place to bring diverse, knowledgeable and connected people together to think creatively about how to strengthen democracy at a local level. In line with Learning Life’s mission to spread learning in everyday life beyond school walls, our intention here is to cultivate a democracy learning community that encourages wider participation, collaboration, and dialogue across our many lines of difference,” said Learning Life’s founder, Paul Lachelier.
To learn more about the DMV DLC, or get involved, click here.
Joe Toles Joins Board of Directors
Learning Life is pleased to announce that Joe Toles — nationally acclaimed father to eight young men adopted from foster care, mental health counselor, and foundation founder — has joined our Board of Directors. Joe will serve as Board Chair in 2022, and joins Treasurer, Khadija Hashemi, and Secretary, Suzanne Lachelier, on the Board. Joe has been involved with Learning Life’s since 2020, when he participated in the Family Diplomacy Initiative‘s international food culture project. He also participated in FDI’s 2021 series of international dialogues on forces impacting family health and safety, and is preparing to participate in this year’s FDI family storytelling training.
“I am thrilled to have Joe join the Board of Directors because he exemplifies the caring our intertwined yet divided world desperately needs. He also brings substantial experience in nonprofit leadership and communications. We’re really proud to have him as one of our family diplomats, and now as our Board Chair to help lead Learning Life’s growth.,” said Learning Life’s Founder & Director, Paul Lachelier. Learn more about Joe from his bio and Rachael Ray Show video below.
Joseph Toles is a New York State-licensed Mental Health Counselor, founder of The Joseph Toles Foundation, entrepreneur, and father of eight adopted young men. He received his MS in Sports Psychology from Brooklyn College, and he specializes in the comprehensive assessment of adolescent needs. A former Division One All-American Track and Field Athlete at Auburn University, Joseph also earned the honor of leading the Tigers team as Captain. Having grown up in the New York State foster care system, Joseph has dedicated his entire professional career to working in community-based schools and nonprofit service agencies. In 2005, Joseph formed The Joseph Toles Foundation so he could expand his work of supporting families beyond what could be done via a social service agency. At age 49, Joseph opened his home to adolescents who had also grown up in the foster care system. To date, he has adopted eight sons, his most recent son, Trenton, in winter 2022. Joe believes that a loving family is the best way to help a child who has been placed in the foster care system. In 2016, Joseph retired from his full-time responsibilities as a counselor in the public school system to evolve. He has since assisted professionals seeking a license as a Mental Health Counselor by teaching graduate courses at Alfred University, hosted a series of video shows for The Dad, created multi-media videos, which he distributes via social media, and authored his first book, The Spirit of Christmas. Joseph spends most of his time working towards educating and encouraging people to learn more about the plight of children who are living their lives in the foster care system. He uses his own story to demonstrate the power positive connections can have on a child, and how family is the most powerful elixir.
Learn more about Learning Life’s boards here. Learn more about each member of our Board of Directors, and other Learning Life people here.
The “Stakeholder Spotlight” is a new occasional series of posts highlighting people who are helping to advance Learning Life’s work. Our second post in this series features Sherry Mueller, Ph.D., a widely admired American citizen diplomacy leader, and a strong supporter of Learning Life’s Family Diplomacy Initiative. For more information on ways you can support Learning Life, click here. 