Bill Drayton: A Life Dedicated to Empowering Communities

Bill Drayton is a renowned social entrepreneur and founder of Ashoka, a global network of changemakers. He was born in 1943 and grew up in New York City.

Bill's early life was marked by a strong sense of social responsibility, which was influenced by his family's values. His mother, a journalist and writer, encouraged his interest in social issues.

Drayton's entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age, as he started his first business, a magazine, while still in high school. This early venture laid the foundation for his future success in social entrepreneurship.

Bill Drayton's career was marked by significant milestones. He worked as a consultant for almost ten years at McKinsey & Company.

Drayton held a prominent role in the Environmental Protection Agency during President Jimmy Carter's administration. He served as an Assistant Administrator from 1977 to 1981.

One of his notable achievements during this time was launching emissions trading. He also founded the group Save EPA after leaving the agency.

Drayton's expertise and knowledge were recognized through his positions as a visiting professor at Harvard University and Stanford University.

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Bill Drayton is a highly acclaimed individual who has received numerous awards and recognition for his work in social entrepreneurship. He was elected one of the early MacArthur Fellows for his work, including the founding of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public.

Bill has been named a Preiskel–Silverman Fellow for Yale Law School and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has also been awarded an honorary degree, Doctorate of Humane Letters, by Yale University in 2009.

David Gergen has called Bill the "godfather of social entrepreneurship." He was named a "visionary" as one of Utne Reader magazine's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World" in 2008.

Bill won Spain's prestigious Prince of Asturias Awards for international cooperation in 2011 for his work promoting entrepreneurs. He has also received the John W. Gardner Leadership award and the World Entrepreneurship Forum's Social Entrepreneur Award.

Here are some of the notable awards and recognition Bill has received:

Bill Drayton is the founder and current chair of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, an organization that has contributed significantly to the public sector.

He was named as one of America's 25 Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report in 2005, a recognition of his exceptional leadership skills.

Drayton also holds leadership positions in other organizations like Youth Venture and Get America Working!, further extending his influence and involvement in the public sector.

He has received numerous awards for his contributions to society, including the National Public Service Award from the American Society of Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration.

Drayton was recognized as an early MacArthur Fellow and received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Yale University in 2009.

In 2008, Utne Reader magazine included him in their list of "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing the World", acknowledging his forward-thinking approach and impact.

Bill Drayton's global impact was recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Prince of Asturias Awards for international cooperation in Spain in 2011.

He was also an inaugural recipient of Middlebury College's Center for Social Entrepreneurship Vision Award in 2012.

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