John Anner is working to make the world a better place for all humankind while also enjoying lots of time spent outdoors.
John is a Senior Philanthrophic Advisor at the Movement Voter Project. John’s passion is conserving and enjoying the world’s oceans. He is an avid diver, and co-founder of Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, an environmental organization based in Hawaii that works to limit water pollution from cesspools and septic tanks.
Background
John was born in New York City in 1960. At present, he lives on Fire Island, not far from New York City.
Affiliations
John is the chair of the board of directors of WAI, and was previously the board chair of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the Coral Reef Alliance.
Adventures
Motorcycle Racing. For seven years, John raced motorcycles as an amateur with the American Federation of Motorcyclists.
Cycling. John is a former bike racer and member of the Berkeley Bicycle Club and rides regularly.
If not on his bike you may find John doing other activities such as scuba diving, freediving, paddleboarding, kayaking, spearfishing, backpacking or triathlons.
Travel & Languages
John is or was reasonably competent in French, Spanish, Pulaar (Fulani) and Vietnamese and can still order a meal in any of those languages.
John in Mauritania, West Africa during Peace Corps
BRIEF TIMELINE
1982: Graduated Tufts University. BA in Political Science, Senior Honors Thesis comparing agricultural policies in Tanzania and Cuba.
1985: Finished two-year term as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mauritania, West Africa. Worked with local farmers to develop irrigated rice fields and vegetable gardens.
1987: Graduated UC Davis, MS in International Agricultural Development. Won PhD scholarship to Cornell, but had to withdraw after one semester due to personal reasons.
1989-1997: Publications Director, Center for Third World Organizing. While at CTWO, I incubated the Independent Press Association.
1996-2002: Founder and Executive Director, Independent Press Association. Membership organization of independent periodicals based on a business model that was 90% earned income and 10% philanthropic donations.
1996-2006: Volunteer chair of the board, The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, founded by Van Jones.
2002-2015: CEO of the East Meets West Foundation, later rebranded as Thrive Networks. Large international development agency with offices in nine countries in Asia and West Africa. Helped launch Medical Technology Transfer Services, now a global company manufacturing infant-care medical equipment for hospitals in low-resource countries.
2016: Interim CEO of The Dream Corps, founded by Van Jones. Financed and launched Megaphone Strategies, a PR company working on environmental and human rights issues.
2017: Graduated from Walden University with a PhD in Public Policy and Administration. Dissertation was a statistical analysis of the use of impact measurement in social enterprises.
2017: Interim Chief Financial Officer, the Kohala Institute, based on the Big Island of Hawaii.
2018-2020: Director of Global Business Development, Women for Women International. Program shut down during COVID.
2021: Interim Chief Operating Officer, The Coleridge Initiative. Helped spin out independent non-profit organization from New York University.
2022: Senior Organizational Development Consultant, Movement Voter Project.
2023 - present: Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Movement Voter Project.
Best way to reach John: johnanner@flintworksconsulting.net