Jon Browning

Jon Browning is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Mentorship Initiative (GMI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between graduation and the first career jobs for underrepresented young professionals from diverse communities.

Background

• Browning has a extensive career background, having worked at Microsoft for 24 years, where he held various roles including Director of Customer Support Procurement and other leadership positions. He left Microsoft in 2014.15

Post-Microsoft Career

• After leaving Microsoft, Browning worked with the Rockefeller Foundation for four years, focusing on the Digital Jobs Initiative aimed at creating career opportunities for young people worldwide. This experience inspired him to create GMI.25

Global Mentorship Initiative

• Founded in 2019, GMI provides structured, short-term, online mentorship to college students and recent graduates, particularly those from high-unemployment areas and underserved communities. The program includes partnerships with over 50 colleges and universities and has close to 6,000 students from 100 countries, with a significant presence in African countries and among refugee students.124

Key Initiatives and Partnerships

• GMI has integrated generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and GPT-4, into its mentorship program to enhance job search and application processes. The organization also partners with major corporations like Microsoft, LinkedIn, and Expedia, and has a network of 5,000 volunteer mentors across 127 countries.14
• Browning is also the co-founder of the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition, which promotes impact hiring to support groups with limited job prospects, including refugees.35

Vision and Goals

• GMI aims to connect 250,000 young people to jobs by 2030 and supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The organization is committed to building a more equitable workforce and providing mentorship and soft skills training to help students transition from education to career.4

Awards and Recognition

• Browning has received several awards, including the 2015 Global Excellence in Outsourcing (GEO) Award and the 2019 IAOP Member of the Year. GMI itself has received a 2022 Bronze Telly Award for a video about its mentorship program.5