2017-18 Board of Directors
Operation Wisdom is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are governed by a diverse group of students and community leaders with the majority of our board always coming from local high schools and colleges. The board is responsible for promoting the organization's mission and overseeing the various programs. In short, they are the engine that creates change in their local and global communities.
- Student Leaders -
Jillian Owczarzak (Chairwoman)
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Isabel Padalecki
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Sophomore at Wake Technical Community College
Mekyea wo! Me din de Jillian Owczarzak. I am a spunky, sensitive, and compassionate young member of society. I have been an active global citizen since I was first introduced to Operation Wisdom back in 2014. I am currently working towards majoring in International Relations and Global Studies with plans of getting my masters in International Studies. My dream is to someday work with a small grassroots non-profit. In my free time I enjoy reading about insects, social theories, feminist ethics, and current/past social problems. My passion for humanity and nature is heavily influenced by sociology and utilitarianism. I’ve dedicated my life to making the world a better place for all living beings. My ultimate end goal is to fill my heart with the stories of the people I encounter on my travels, and then utilize those narratives to develop a more nuanced understanding of culture, society, and humanity. I am entirely way too empathetic for my own good, which can make this journey feel a little taxing sometimes, but I have never taken the path of least resistance. Not if it means to walk through life blinded by a veil of ignorance. Genna Weaver
Senior at Heritage High School
Hello, my name is Genna Weaver and this is my fourth year with Operation Wisdom. I read about Operation Wisdom in the paper just before the start of my freshman year, and have been a passionate and committed member ever since. I traveled to Ghana with Global Expeditions in 2016, and look forward to visiting again in 2018. My goal is to earn a master’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in International Studies. I hope to teach abroad and continue learning about other cultures and global development. Danyal AnsariSenior at Heritage High School
“I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it’s like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that.” -Robin Williams No quote or saying could describe my personality any better than this Robin Williams quote. I’m known as a jokester but for some its for attention. For me it is more of a way to uplift other others lives in ways that I wish I had been uplifted. We’ve all had days where we feel the worst, and I want to do anything I can to make sure no one else feels like that. That’s why I joined Operation Wisdom in the first place; so I could help brighten someone else's day (even if will never see their smile ever). I enjoy any and every kind of sport, love watching shows like the Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, and am deeply involved in every aspect of school. I love math and am interested in being a biomedical engineering major in college. My top college is Harvard, but my undergraduate school isn’t that important to me, since I know dental school is my end goal. Right now, my jokes are what brighten people's day, but someday I will physically brighten someone's day (or at least their teeth). Hannah MathenySenior at Wake Forest High School
I was introduced to Operation Wisdom when Isabel Padalecki began the Wake Forest club. I have always had an interest in working for others with lesser chance for opportunity than me but have never had an outlet to really get into helping globally. So I was super thrilled to hear that Wake Forest would be starting up Operation Wisdom! I cannot wait to explore more of this earth and its amazing people while learning and serving in Ghana next year. In college, I hope to major in dance performance and minor in kinesiology! After that I aspire to move onto the professional world as a contemporary dancer and join a touring company. Professionally, I want to use my movement to inspire others and make people happy. I then want to go to graduate school and obtain a degree to become a physical therapist. Ellie HarrisSenior at Heritage High School
Hello friends! My name is Ellie Harris and I am a senior at HHS. I have been an active and passionate member of Operation Wisdom for the past three years. As a dedicated member of the local and global community, my goal is to major in Social Work and minor in Nonprofit Management, particularly with an international focus. I plan on spending at least two semesters in college studying abroad and working with different organizations. I love creating connections with people around the world as well as with those who share similar goals and mindsets as me. My passion for all this began right here, in Operation Wisdom. I went on the 2016 Global Expeditions trip to Ghana. That trip helped shape and refine what I want to do with my future. I am extremely lucky to have been selected to go to Ghana again with GE in spring 2018. I am always looking for ways to empower my friends and my community to use their voice to make a difference in the world. Most people think that their voice is small and won’t make a difference in the grand scheme of things: they are wrong. Every voice, opinion, and thought matters and with confidence, passion, and drive, everyone has the power to be heard. |
Senior at Wake Forest High School
Hello all! My name is Isabel Padalecki and I'm a senior at WFHS. Last year I worked on getting Operation Wisdom started up at Wake Forest and am so thankful for having been able to do so! I first heard about Operation Wisdom online, and once I read about the organization’s philosophy, I was instantly hooked. This mostly stems from my passion for human rights. I discovered my passion for responsible global citizenship during a “Doctor as Advocate” summer class at Brown University, and ever since then I have been hoping to attend law school to become an international human rights attorney someday. Operation Wisdom has allowed this passion for the well being of our global society to manifest into action; it has empowered me to be a global citizen, even though I'm only 17 years old! The philosophy of global togetherness is incredibly powerful and I'm honored to be a part of the board again this year. Taylor Eaton
Senior at Rolesville High School
Hello! I'm an upperclassman at Rolesville High School, and I am connected to Operation Wisdom through my dad (John Eaton at Simply Home AV) who has been a sponsor for the past three years. My hopes are that as Rolesville High School grows, Operation Wisdom can grow with us too. In college, I'd love to major in Architecture and minor in Spanish language and literature. My interest in Operation Wisdom stems from my love for the Spanish language. As you learn a language, you learn about other cultures that differ from your own. I think Operation Wisdom is an amazing chance for students to view cultures and global issues that are outside of their daily lives. I'm proud to be a link from the Operation Wisdom organization to the OW Club at Rolesville High, and I am excited for the upcoming year! Kara HaseltonSenior at Heritage High School
Hello! My name is Kara Haselton and I’m currently a senior at Heritage High School. I absolutely love being a part of Operation Wisdom. It has taught me so much about the world and how I need to be engaged and stand for what I believe in. It’s helped me to develop a greater global perspective and I hope that it continues to do so. I am a mini-entrepreneur, I have started my own “business” and sell my work at various craft fairs. I’m also an aspiring photographer. My dream career that I’m striving for is to be an ethnographic photojournalist, using the medium of photojournalist to educate, break down the barriers between cultures, and promote cultural understanding. Operation Wisdom has impacted my life immensely and I’m honored to have a leadership role with this great organization. Graham SavageSophomore at Heritage High School
Hi! My name is Graham Savage, a sophomore at Heritage High and this is my second year of Operation Wisdom. I enjoyed learning about Operation Wisdom under Ben and Ian, and I am still hoping to learn new things about leadership this year. I have enjoyed partaking in the store last year, and this year I am glad to be taking up a leadership role. I feel like the best way to assist in solving international obstacles is through fundraising and extending global connections. The store allows my group to connect with many different non profits such as Beads For Life and Global Mamas. I am very excited to learn more while in the board this year. Parker SavageSophomore at NC State University
Hello everyone, my name is Parker Savage and this is my sixth year with Operation Wisdom. I was introduced to the organization by Mr. Macleod my freshman year of high school, and then traveled with Global Expeditions during my sophomore and senior years at Heritage. I have really grown a lot through the program and would love to give back in anyway that I can. I am currently at NC State pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and minoring in Medical Anthropology while preparing for med school. I hope to work in the field of Global public health after graduation and help bring medical treatment to those who need it most in the developing world. |
- Community Leaders -
Miles Macleod - Educator
Heritage High School
My name is Miles. I started a tiny non-profit years ago to help some schools in West Africa. During this time, I learned three invaluable lessons that I hope can shape Operation Wisdom: 1) I know a lot less about helping the world than I originally thought. I approached my first non-profit mission like too many people - with a false notion that I had all of the answers. Fortunately, it didn’t take too long for me to realize that the best people to solve Ghana’s educational obstacles was the people in Ghana. 2) Partnerships matter. Just because I didn’t have all the answers, doesn’t mean I didn’t have anything. I had a lot of connections, I had a community full of resources, I had specific skills in writing and speaking -- all of these could be used effectively when I was a part of a team. 3) My greatest global impact was not to be made in some faraway land. Instead, I learned that the greatest impact a teacher could have was in educating students on how to become conscientious global citizens and giving them a platform to make sustainable solutions and global friendships. Rebecca Hatcher - Educator
Rolesville High School
My name is Rebecca Hatcher, and I'm excited to be the advisor for Rolesville High's Operation Wisdom Club. I have the opportunity to work with students as they explore different cultures and become global leaders. Operation Wisdom gives them a platform to not only learn about global issues, but also cause social change through dedicated service. Seeing students make a pledge and take action to help others is inspiring. |
Erin Meyer - Educator
Heritage High School
Hello everyone! My name is Erin Meyer and I am proud to serve as a club advisor for Heritage High School. Ever since I was in high school I’ve been interested in learning service, and I am very grateful to be a part of Operation Wisdom. My favorite aspects of this organization are creating partnerships with organizations and learning about what we’re doing and who our efforts benefit. I am excited to continue working with Operation Wisdom and I look forward to watching our students become global citizens and become leaders themselves. Jessie Yates - EducatorHeritage High School
My name is Jessie Yates and I’m proud to be one of the club advisors at Heritage High School. I was born and raised in Kenya, East Africa and attended an international school in Nairobi until I returned to my family’s home state of NC for college. My school exemplified the learning service approach that Operation Wisdom hopes to teach and implement for our students. I have personally seen how this mindset molds and benefits students for a lifelong worldview of compassion, awareness, and international diplomacy. It was this mindset that opened doors for me to work as an HIV/AIDS Awareness intern while I was in college, a tutor for at risk students in downtown Durham, and a substitute teacher in a Somali refugee school. I am honoured to play my part in preparing the same background and opening the same windows to today’s students in NC. |
Check out our student-created by-laws!
| pw_constitution_2nd_draft.doc |
