Episode 18: Jude O'Reilley |

Jude O'Reilley is the CEO of VolunteerMatch, a non-profit platform matching inspired people with inspiring causes.  He has a lifetime of experience as a volunteer and more than 25 years of experience in technology, leadership and entrepreneurship in the private sector and in the world of social change.  A seasoned organizational leader in social innovation, he has launched more than 100 consumer and enterprise products.

Before joining VolunteerMatch, Jude was responsible for the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and funding within the Skoll Foundation community.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he led his team to quadruple grant making in one year in 2020, sustained those high levels in 2021, and redesigned and launched their flagship Award program.

Jude talks with us about his journey into social entrepreneurship, starting with the incredible influence that his resolute mother had in helping him think differently at a young age.  He shares statistical insights into the decrease of social connection the last twenty years, with volunteer participation also being on the decline.  Jude hopes to see these numbers reverse, stating that volunteering has a regenerative power to bring “greater feelings of self-efficacy, purposefulness, a sense of connection to community, and overall happiness.”   He has hope for the future, as studies have shown that both Gen Z and Milennials have demonstrated an increased desire to volunteer for social connection.  Jude also discusses the battle against performativism, the positive potential for building more robust corporate volunteer programs, and the power in pairing volunteers with a program that best fits their skillsets.

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