John L. Keller

Background

About John L. Keller

Accomplished and mission-driven Director of Programming and Training with over 11 years of international leadership experience spanning humanitarian response, nonprofit management, program development, and educational consulting. I bring a unique blend of operational excellence, strategic planning, and cross-cultural insight—rooted in personal and professional experiences across the U.S. and East Africa.As Founder & Executive Director of the nonprofit Maati Koo, I led climate-smart, school-based food initiatives across Ethiopia, building agricultural systems that improved student health and community food security. My background also includes emergency leadership roles during high-impact disasters, such as Hurricanes Milton and Helene, where I coordinated multi-agency shelter and relief operations for over displaced individuals.I thrive at the intersection of program innovation, people leadership, and cross-sector collaboration. From designing SOPs adopted by national Peace Corps offices to building volunteer networks across multiple countries, my work has always focused on driving scalable, sustainable change. As a trilingual communicator (Afan Oromo, English, basic Amharic), I bring cultural fluency and empathy into every project. Key Strengths & Highlights:• Founder & Executive Director, 501(c)(3) nonprofit• Emergency Manager – Shelter Operations, Asylum Support, Refugee Services• International Program Management – Kenya, Ethiopia, U.S.• Co-leader of national Peace Corps virtual recruiting strategy• Created universally adopted SOPs for CRM tracking and event support• Engaged Peace Corps leads with personalized communications• Led multicultural teams, hired and supervised international staff and volunteers• Built partnerships with secondary schools, universities, and community leaders• Extensive business, policy, and data reporting skills• Board Member – Teachers for Vietnam | Former President – Caring for Camo🧭 Core Competencies: Full-Scope Project & Program Management Strategic Planning & Policy Interpretation Training Design & Cross-Cultural Delivery Emergency Operations & Humanitarian Response International Relationship Building Data Tracking | SOP Development | CRM Proficiency Complex Problem Resolution & Decision MakingLet’s connect if you're looking for a globally experienced, results-focused leader who brings compassion, clarity, and execution to every initiative.