A Value-Driven Vision for Early Childhood Education with Guest Isabelle Hau

From France To Silicon Valley: How Isabelle Hau Became a Scholar and Philanthropist in Early Education

Isabelle Hau, the first executive director of the Stanford Transforming Learning Accelerator, joins us on the podcast today. Isabelle founded and led the U.S. education practice at Omidyar Network and, in 2020, spun off Imaginable Futures, a global philanthropic investment firm that supports organizations across public, private, and social sectors in Brazil, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the United States.

Isabelle was born and raised in the South of France to a deeply loving family. Coming from humble beginnings, she benefitted greatly from France’s universal preschool system. In her early years, Isabelle gained confidence in her own vision when a kindergarten teacher encouraged her to take on a leadership role in a school play. Looking back, Isabelle fondly remembers her early childhood educators for their support and belief in her abilities which helped her grow into herself. Their nurturing outlook has inspired Isabelle in her adult career, prioritizing a value-driven vision in her own investment enterprises.

In my discussion with Isabelle today, she brings us through her journey from southern France to Silicon Valley and how she achieved her goal of blending the scale of a for-profit company with the heart and values of a non-profit in order to make a mission-driven impact in the education sphere.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Isabelle’s experience with the education system in France compared to the U.S.
• What inspired Isabelle to seek out investment opportunities
• The benefits of allowing children to be children for as long as developmentally necessary
  

Supporting Resources:

• You can connect with Isabelle Hau on Twitter at @Volcoucou and on Linkedin

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EPISODE CREDITS:

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