Meet Our Founders
Simon Holzapfel
Chief Purpose Office
Simon is co-founder and CHRO of Teal Education Partners, a coaching consultancy for learning organizations. He is a former Head of School, former Director of Studies, and a current edu-preneur. He was in the initial cohort of leaders trained at NAIS’ Innovation Strategy Lab and is on the Executive Board of Boston University’s Agile Innovation Lab.
Jeff Burstein
Chief Student Advocate
Jeff is an innovator, founder, consultant, speaker and Enterprise Agile Coach with over 20 years’ experience as an Enterprise Agile Coach. Jeff helps companies and government agencies discover a better way of working by applying agile frameworks and methodologies.
Wes Sutkin
Chief Talent Officer
Wes has experienced remarkable changes in the Talent Acquisition industry over the last 20 years, holding contributor and leadership roles on both agency and corporate recruiting teams, leading TA functions doing 9,000+ hires per year and leading solution architecture teams in RPO and SaaS video recruitment.
Jeff Burstein
"Inspired by student insights, we discussed the possibility of offering an internship opportunity where students could work in agile teams, tackling real-world problems in a safe and supportive environment. This idea laid the foundation for what would later become the L-EAF Lab.”
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A Foundation Built on Core Values
The L-EAF Lab builds on the core values of the LEAF.org's (Learning - Educational Agile Framework) scaling framework which focuses on scaling agility in educational institutions. Students in the L-EAF Lab work collaboratively, with L-EAF values, using the WorkFLOW agile methodology in a FLOW@Scale environment. These values include Collaboration, Transparency, Integrity, Adaptability, and Openness to Possibilities, forming the bedrock of a mission to empower students to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Nurturing Transparency and Responsibility
"At L-EAF Lab, transparency is key. We believe in open communication at all levels, providing students with a clear view of their progress and encouraging them to take ownership of their learning journey," adds Simon Holzapfel. "Students are able to trace their work and the work of their team all the way up to a 6-36 month strategic objectives."
The organization is dedicated to the well-being of students and instills a sense of responsibility and ethical conduct in all activities. Teams are coached on how to build, maintain, and rebuild trust through training in commitment and system integrity. Students are provided with structured time constraints to develop their time management and self-awareness skills without feeling overwhelmed.
Fostering Adaptability and Growth Mindset
"We foster a growth mindset, encouraging students to embrace challenges and learn from them," says Jeff Burstein. "The work in the Lab is low pressure, and the pull-based working conditions create simple valves for dissipating stress. We believe that with the right mindset, anyone can achieve their goals."
Collaborative Future for Education
L-EAF Lab.org, LLC represents the types of company which openly collaborates with L-EAF.org and companies within the COllaboration$Education.org network on our shared objective of improving education for all students regardless of constraint and under the auspices of the Educational Agility Institute (www.EducationalAgility.org - “Real agile? You’ll know it, when you feel it”) .
The L-EAF Lab invites educators, institutions, and students to join us in redefining the future of education. If you would like to get in contact with us, please reach out!