Joshua (Josh) Blumenthal, MEd, is an author, educator, and operations manager who believes that the most profound lessons aren’t found in a syllabus, but in the life experiences that shape us and the stories we share. While serving in Higher Education Administration, Josh noticed that people—from students to seasoned professionals—can be resistant to traditional advice, yet often connect to the reality that even the most accomplished leaders once navigated uncertainty.

Drawing on a unique professional trajectory fostering institutional growth—including his time as a Student Trustee at Brandeis University and the operational coordination of world-class sporting events and of a historic public conversation between Maya Angelou and Elie Wiesel (both featured in Volume 2)—Josh has frequently found himself “inside the room” with leaders.

In Before You Knew Us, he moves past the public persona to explore the human reality of becoming an icon. Driven by a deep curiosity to learn a little about a lot and lessons drawn from an authentic path, Josh brings his “dinner table” approach to life. Through these firsthand portraits, he offers readers a seat at the table with world-renowned leaders as they recount their own winding paths—inspiring us with the knowledge that if they struggled and overcame obstacles, so can we.

Josh earned his graduate degree from UMass Amherst. His background in nonprofit and educational leadership and major event operations serves as the foundation for his fascination with the journeys from “there to here.”