David Metler

Background

About David Metler

I believe that transforming childhood will transform everything. I received my BA in Secondary Education from The University of Michigan with a specialization in facilitating social justice dialogue. I then went on to create the first-ever Leadership Dialogues on Diversity course, which was incorporated into the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and then served with Teach for America in Detroit. I earned an MS and AbD PhD in Human Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a focus on practical wisdom in solving global social issues from parenting to changemaking and a focus on developing social justice educational programs. I created and directed the EcoWell Initiative at UW-Madison, which innovatively furthered the university commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. I taught trauma-informed mindfulness with the Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative and got trained in Mindful Self Compassion. I then served as a spiritual advisor at the University of Michigan Children's Hospital with a specialization in pediatric oncology and most recently served as the Mindfulness Coordinator for Detroit Leadership Academy. I currently am the Regional Director, Midwest with the transformative education non-profit Inner Explorer to support from the inside-out youth mental health, achievement, and school safety! I was selected as a 2022 Goldin Institute Grassroots Leader Global Fellow, trained in Social Entrepreneurship Leadership from Harvard Business School and just completed the Social Innovation for Changemaker training through the University of Cape Town. I have over 14.274 years of experience creating and facilitating creative changemaking ventures and working with leading child and family changemakers across the globe to transform childhood. In my free time, I have traveled to over 60 countries, am in the process of running a marathon on every continent, am a "Flyin Ostriches" travel blogger with my favorite ostrich/girlfriend, and I enjoys creating and performing musical comedy with my Mom-son band.