Jake Harriman

Jake Harriman is a mission-driven changemaker and decorated Marine platoon commander whose combat experiences in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia profoundly shaped his mission to create a better world. Two powerful realizations drove him to found his renowned nonprofits: the devastation of poverty as a root cause of conflict, and the urgent need to heal the fractures within his own country. Confronted by the extreme poverty that fuels violence and destabilizes communities, Harriman launched Nuru International in 2008, a groundbreaking organization that focuses on eradicating poverty in fragile regions around the world.

Upon returning to the United States after his time in combat zones, Harriman was unsettled by a different kind of conflict—the growing polarization tearing apart the very nation he and his fellow veterans had fought to protect. Convinced that America’s greatest threat isn’t external but internal, Jake founded The Brickyard in 2021, a national civic and service organization rebuilding trust the only way it’s ever been built: locally, in person, shoulder to shoulder. With chapters growing across the country, The Brickyard is proving that Americans don’t need to agree to show up for each other. Jake shares what it takes to rebuild a fractured country — one gathering, one service project, one neighbor at a time.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Harriman speaks to audiences about his journey from the battlefield to the front lines of social change. In his talks, he reveals powerful strategies for taking ownership of one’s community and using innovative solutions to tackle even the toughest challenges. By emphasizing resilience, leadership, and action, Harriman inspires each listener to tap into their own talents to serve others, reminding them that positive change is achievable for anyone willing to take the first step.

A decorated combat veteran, Harriman has been honored by the White House as a “Champion of Change,” selected as a Dalai Lama “Unsung Hero of Compassion,” and featured in profile pieces by Forbes, The Huffington Post, ABC News, and more. He is also a graduate of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2015, and has served as a senior advisor at the McChrystal Group since 2021.

Born in rural West Virginia, Harriman attended the U.S. Naval Academy before serving seven and a half years as an Infantry and Force Recon Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps. He led four operational deployments, including counter-terrorism operations in the Horn of Africa and two tours of combat in Iraq. Harriman’s experiences in combat convinced him that the “War on Terror” would not be won on the battlefield alone — and that the coordinates of someone’s birthplace should not dictate the opportunities they are presented with throughout the course of their life. Jake left military life to enroll at Stanford Graduate School of Business where, with the assistance of roughly 30 peers and professors, investments from Silicon Valley, and donations from around the world, he moved to Kenya and founded Nuru International.

From 2017 to 2019, Harriman helped draft, introduce, and work to pass groundbreaking new legislation called the Global Fragility Act of 2019, which equips America with new authorities and resources to prevent conflict and stabilize some of the most fragile regions of the world that pose a growing threat to US and global security.

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