Humble Beginnings
The CEOs and senior GovCon leaders of today weren't always sitting in the corner office. They weren't born in suits with a handbook for success and a direct path to leadership. In fact, before many of these executives came into positions of powers, they had rather humble beginnings -- no corporate family tree or unlimited access. Many had to find their way on their own with little to fall back on. This podcast will share the stories of high school part-time work, first jobs and early-career decisions, decades before the CEO appointments and the board memberships. We'll learn about the unconventional paths to success, the ones most of us can relate to.
Humble Beginnings
A Modern Renaissance Man: The Stories, Passions & Perspectives that Led Michael Jung to ICF
In this episode of "Humble Beginnings," we chat with ICF's Michael Jung about the unpredictable path he took to executive director of the company's climate center. Jung, born in Korea, shares the story of the first American his father met and how it influenced him to pursue medicine. When Jung and his family came to the States, they landed in Appalachia Kentucky after a few extreme climate-related incidents moved them out of other areas.
Eventually, Jung went to Yale and studied environmental science and East Asian studies. His passion and interest in the environment stems from many aspects of his life, from essentially being a climate refugee to his time in boy scouts. An immigrant mentality also drove lots of his extracurriculars. Jung didn't just have hobbies, he excelled in them. He tells us about being a U.S. Fulbright Fellow, a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a former competitive ballroom dancer, a backpacker and more. Plus, hear how he snagged a career with ICF after it was the "one that got way" right after college, and what landed his family in Oregon.