John Della Volpe oversees the day-to-day operations of SocialSphere, Inc. while also working closely with blue-chip private and public sector clients from around the world to develop insights and strategies for more effective listening, engagement, communications and branding initiatives.
John has spent much of the last 20 years at the intersection of politics, business strategy and technology -- where his clients have ranged from successful candidates for President, Prime Minister, Governor and Senator -- to many of the world's leading brands and institutions such as De Beers, General Electric, Harvard University and the United States Marine Corps.
In 2000, John partnered with undergraduates from Harvard to launch the Biannual Youth Survey of Politics and Public Service at the Institute of Politics. This survey, which he still directs, is considered one of the seminal pieces of research on this emerging generation, commonly referred to as Millennials.
John's thought leadership on the global uses of social media and the impact that the Millennial Generation is having on our economy, culture and future has led to numerous appearances in the media and at major conferences. In 2011, John was honored to be selected as a delegate to the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission on Mass Media. Some of his recent keynote and plenary addresses have included venues such as medienwoche@IFA in Berlin, Web 2.0 Kongress in Munich, the Digital Culture Conference in Taiwan, Swissnex Boston, the Sungard Summit on Higher Education and Netroots Nation.
Many of his insights were included in Don Tapscott's Grown Up Digital, one of 2008's best business books according to the Economist.
In 2008, John was honored to receive an Eisenhower Fellowship, for which he traveled and blogged extensively throughout China and Korea (including a day in North Korea) to study the impact that Web 2.0 technology and Millennials are having on the economies, politics and cultures of Asia. In 2010, his collaboration with Eisenhower Fellow Rabia Garib led to his participation as judge of the Pakistani blog awards.
In addition to his full-time responsibilities at SocialSphere, John also serves as Director of Polling at Harvard University's Institute of Politics, President of Eisenhower Fellowships New England Alumni Council, the Board of Advisors of the University of Massachusetts Civic Initiative and his town's youth baseball and softball association. He recently became a mentor at Year Up, and encourages his friends to do the same.
Personal insights:
John lives outside of Boston with his wife and three children. He enjoys coaching youth sports, including basketball, baseball and softball. After his son was seriously injured when he was hit in the face by a line-drive off a metal bat (thankfully, he is now fully recovered and still playing), he became a national advocate and spokesperson for encouraging youth baseball leagues and associations to switch to safer metal or wooden bats. |
