Pedro De Abreu

Pedro De Abreu

De Abreu at a book signing in Dubai
Born (1989-07-14) 14 July 1989
Brasília, Brazil
Nationality Brazilian-American
Alma mater Harvard University, University of South Carolina
Notable awards
  • Harvard University Leadership in Education Award
  • Coca-Cola New Century Scholar
  • All-SC Academic Team
  • Darla Moore Emerging Leader
  • Fulbright Fellowship Finalist
  • Walker Institute Scholar
  • Magellan Scholar
Website
pedrodeabreu.com

Pedro de Abreu (born July 14, 1989) is a Brazilian-born American entrepreneur, author, and public speaker. He was the co-founder of a multi-media company in Hollywood, California, and the founder and director of the nonprofit organization Check Mate Foundation.[1][2] De Abreu is currently a speaker, columnist, and researcher,[3] as well as the president of 14x Innovation Group, a brain and innovation development practice based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. [4]

De Abreu was published in a book by Marshall Cavendish, a subsidiary company to the Times Publishing Group, among 25 young entrepreneurs from around the world.[5][6]

Early life and education

De Abreu was born in Brasilia, Brazil, and grew up on the coastal city of João Pessoa, where he experienced poverty and struggled to get by as a teenager.[7] He moved to America in 2005 without knowing how to speak English. He became fluent in one year and was placed into Advanced Placement classes, including English, European history and psychology.[1] He graduated from Chapin High School and Midlands Technical College before attending the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, focusing his work on economics. De Abreu subsequently attended Harvard University, where he attained a master's degree in an emerging scientific field that brings together cognitive neuroscience, developmental cognitive neuroscience, educational psychology, education theory and other related disciplines to explore the interactions between biological processes and practice,[8][9] under Charles Bigelow Professor of Education Kurt W. Fischer and Professor of Neuroscience Charles A. Nelson III, under whom De Abreu researched the interplay of dispositions and environmental factors in the development of high performing individuals.[3][10][11]

Awards

At Harvard, De Abreu received the prestigious Leadership in Education Award, a merit-based fellowship given to top master's degree candidates with strong leadership potential.[12] De Abreu was a finalist in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.[13][14] De Abreu is South Carolina's New Century Scholar, an award given by Phi Theta Kappa, USA Today and the Coca-Cola Foundation to the state's top student.[15][16][17] De Abreu is a Fulbright fellowship finalist, TEDMED delegate, member of the SC-Academic Team, Darla Moore Emerging Leader, Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Outstanding Senior, City of Columbia Fellow, recipient of the C. Russell Hill Memorial Scholarship for Economics, winner of the 2015 honkytonk danceoff at Hong Kong dance bar in Cambridge, MA, and also a Leadership Scholar, Walker Institute Scholar and Magellan Scholar.[18] The latter for his research titled "The Development of Empathy, Leadership and Pro-Social Dispositions in Middle-School and High School Age Children: A Case Study of Peer Education and the Anne Frank Story in Brazil." [19][20][21]

Government

In April 2014, De Abreu was appointed to serve on the board of directors of the Central Midlands Council of Governments(CMCOG), one of the most influential councils in South Carolina, assisting local governments develop local and regional plans within four midlands counties (Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland), as well as providing local governments with planning and technical support to improve the quality of life within the regions. CMCOG currently consists of 14 member governments in its board of directors, and serves in excess of 725,000 people. [22][23][24]

Entrepreneur

Nonprofit

In South Carolina, De Abreu started the non-profit Check Mate Foundation,[1] which focuses on teaching chess and leadership to children with disabilities and also to underprivileged children. In an interview in 2011, he said: "Chess is just really a medium through which we try to implement leadership and character... Chess will never be on the SAT. But the patience, analytical skills, the thinking skills, the ability to do those things will be skills that will be forever in demand."[25] In another interview, he stated: "Studies have shown that chess develops logical thinking, improves concentration and promotes imagination, creativity and independence."[18][26]

Other ventures

Moofaces

Upon graduating high school, De Abreu moved with two friends to Hollywood, California, and co-founded the multi-media platform Moofaces.[27] Through Moofaces, he and his co-founders organized events, interviewed starts like Chris Tucker and Jada Smith through MoofacesTV, and provided a platform for industry friends to connect.[28][29]

International speaker

Besides the United States, De Abreu has spoken in countries like Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Brazil on the topics of human development and innovation. De Abreu has also spoken at TEDx.[30][31][32][33] Internationally, he was represented by Sabirul Islam's Teen Speakers International Bureau,[34] which also represented SuperJam founder Fraser Doherty.[35]

De Abreu at TEDx

Author

In 2011, De Abreu published his first book, detailing the hardships[36] he had to overcome in Brazil due to the lack of opportunity, and in America for not being able to speak English on his arrival, as well as practical steps one can take to achieve success. Author Scott Simson said that his book is "a must read for anyone wanting to advance their life."[37] De Abreu is currently writing a new title on science and human potential.

De Abreu writes a monthly column for Richard Branson's Virgin on the topics of science, innovation, entrepreneurship, and public speaking.[38]

In 2012, De Abreu was featured on Young Entrepreneur World: How 25 Teen-Trepreneurs Succeeded and Left World Leaders Scratching Their Heads, published by British publisher Marshall Cavendish, a subsidiary company of Times Publishing Group, the printing and publishing subsidiary of Singapore-based conglomerate Fraser and Neave.[5]

14x Innovation Group

Upon graduating from Harvard, De Abreu started, and currently serves as the president of, 14x Innovation Group, a brain and innovation development practice that specializes in building innovation capabilities in individuals and organizations in business, government, and education through workshops, consulting sessions, and keynote speeches. Drawing upon a variety of tools and research from psychology, neuroscience, and human development, 14x Innovation Group helps organizations and individuals leverage their brain power in order to achieve their full potential.[39]

Television

De Abreu hosted a biweekly segment on WLTX, a CBS-affiliated television station, called The Motivational Minute, on motivation, leadership and entrepreneurship.[40][41]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Math, Science, English, and Chess?". wltx.com. 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  2. ↑ http://www.moore.sc.edu/news.aspx?article_id=326
  3. 1 2 http://www.midlandsbiz.com/articles/16424/
  4. ↑ https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/16480
  5. 1 2 "Young Entrepreneur World: How 25 Teen-trepreneurs Succeeded and Left World Leaders Scratching Their Heads [Paperback]". Retrieved 2012-07-21.
  6. ↑ http://www.tedxcolumbiasc.com/pedro-de-abreu/
  7. ↑ http://gandbmagazine.com/mag/portraits
  8. ↑ Ansari, D; Coch, D (2006). "Bridges over troubled waters: Education and cognitive neuroscience". Trends in Cognitive Sciences (Elsevier Science) 10 (4): 146–151. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2006.02.007. PMID 16530462.
  9. ↑ Coch, D; Ansari, D (2008). "Thinking about mechanisms is crucial to connecting neuroscience and education". Cortex (Elsevier Science) 45 (4): 546–547. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2008.06.001. PMID 18649878.
  10. ↑ http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=understandings_of_consequence&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup148728
  11. ↑ http://dms.hms.harvard.edu/neuroscience/fac/Nelson.php
  12. ↑ http://www.gse.harvard.edu/admissions/financial_aid/fellowships/meritbased.html#ixzz2zP1Ojqrs
  13. ↑ http://midlandsbiz.whosonthemove.com/pressreleases/darla-moore-school-business-graduate-pedro-de-abreu-finalist-2016-forbes-30-30/
  14. ↑ http://www.prlog.org/12523651-pedro-de-abreu-14x-innovation-group-ceo-finalist-in-the-2016-forbes-30-under-30-list.html
  15. ↑ http://www.ptk.org/schol/recipients/2011/newcentury.php
  16. ↑ "Community College Journal - April/May 2011". Ccjournal-digital.com. 2011-03-29. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  17. ↑ "2011 New Century Scholars". Communitycollegetimes.com. 2011-05-04. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  18. 1 2 http://www.midlandsbiz.com/articles/11534/
  19. ↑ http://www.ed.sc.edu/News.asp?article=1092
  20. ↑ "Leadership - Office of the Provost". Sc.edu. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  21. ↑ "News | The Moore School of Business | University of South Carolina". Mooreschool.sc.edu. 2011-10-21. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  22. ↑ http://centralmidlands.org/about-us/board-members.html
  23. ↑ http://centralmidlands.org/wp-content/uploads/6.26.14_Board-Meeting-Agenda-Packet.o.pdf
  24. ↑ http://www.richlandonline.com/Portals/0/Departments/CountyCouncil/Minutes/Reg%2004-15-14.pdf
  25. ↑ http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=138076
  26. ↑ http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle.php?nid=2069#.UbLpokCTi90
  27. ↑ Hollywood Weekly April 2009 - Hollywood Weekly - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  28. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/user/moofacesTV
  29. ↑ http://www.dailygamecock.com/index.php/multimedia-11/item/5603-business-student-starts-company-earns-spot-in-teen-entrepreneur-book
  30. ↑ http://leanblitz.net/2013/01/a-visit-to-tedxcolumbiasc/
  31. ↑ http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle.php?nid=5271#.UbLum0CTi90
  32. ↑ https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/6478
  33. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/tedxyouthcolumbiasc/photos/pb.337793959590789.-2207520000.1397975724./676295039074011/?type=3&theater
  34. ↑ "Pedro De Abreu". Teen-speakers.com. 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  35. ↑ "Fraser Doherty". Teen-speakers.com. 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  36. ↑ http://theindiechicks.com/spotlights/from-hardship-to-stages-around-the-world-pedro-de-abreu/
  37. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/The-ABC-SUCCESS-Series-ebook/dp/B006Z06WTM
  38. ↑ http://www.virgin.com/author/pedro-de-abreu
  39. ↑ http://www.pedrodeabreu.com
  40. ↑ http://www.wltx.com/video/2615784684001/1/Your-Motivational-Minute-with-Pedro-de-Abreu
  41. ↑ http://midlandsbiz.com/articles/15176/

Further reading

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 11, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.