Michael Sheldrick
Co-Founder, Global Citizen
Author, FROM IDEAS TO IMPACT:
Influencing and Implementing
Change in a Divided World
Michael Sheldrick is a policy entrepreneur, author and a driving force behind the efforts of Global Citizen to end extreme poverty and build climate resilience. As a Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer, he leads the organization's campaigns to mobilize support from governments, businesses, and foundations. Michael is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and the author of the Amazon best-selling book, From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World (Wiley: 2024).
With a career that spans the world of pop and policy, Michael has worked with an impressive roster of international artists such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Priyanka Chopra, Rihanna and Usher, as well as prominent political leaders including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and former Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.
He has co-produced some of the world's most impactful social campaigns and events, including the annual Global Citizen Festival in New York, the Guinness World Record-winning virtual concert One World: Together At Home, and the Nelson Mandela 2018 centennial celebration, Mandela 100. These initiatives have reached millions of people in over 150 countries and helped secure over $43 billion in support for local and regional organizations working to provide access to essential resources such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience.
Michael's personal journey is deeply tied to his belief in policy as a tool for systemic solutions. Despite struggling academically growing up, the support of a dedicated teacher helped him rise from the bottom to the top of his class. At 23, while still a university student, he co-founded Global Citizen, starting with in-kind donations only and building it into the global movement it is today. His experiences drive his commitment to using policy to address the world's most pressing needs.
In 2021, he served as a 'friend of the COP26 Presidency' in Glasgow, securing commitments from 17 major companies including American Express, Cisco, Starbucks etc. for the UN's Race to Zero campaign. During the same year, he facilitated pledges from businesses and regional governments to protect and restore 157 million trees. Since 2022, he's been a member of Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Bridgetown Initiative, focusing on unlocking finance for climate resilience.
A sought-after speaker and author on policy advocacy, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, Michael has shared his insights at conferences and summits worldwide. His insights have also featured in leading outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Hill, HuffPost, Nikkei and Fairfax Media, and his voice heard on major news networks such as ABC, BBC, France 24, Sky News and CNN.
Michael serves on the board of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the Benjamin Franklin House in London, the Steering Committee of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Advisory Boards of the Elba Hope Foundation and the Nigerian Solidarity Support Fund. He is also a co-host of the Global Town Hall, a North-South, East-West meeting featuring world leaders and leading minds to connect with global citizens.
Accelerate your real-world, social impact by driving systemic policy changes
As Co-Founder of Global Citizen―an international education and advocacy organization with the mission to end extreme poverty worldwide―Michael Sheldrick has worked with governments, businesses, foundations, the artist community, and everyday citizens to distribute over $40 billion around the world over the past decade. Now, in From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, he delivers an inspiring and insightful discussion on how to implement social impact by driving policy change.
An indispensable guide for individual changemakers, philanthropists, CSR and ESG professionals, policymakers, corporate foundations, and higher education students, this book features an overview of pressing challenges to avoid, an eight-step playbook for mastering policy entrepreneurship, and diverse examples spanning historical movements like the Transatlantic Slave Trade and FDR’s New Deal to contemporary battles for climate justice, energy transition and gender equality.
At its core, this uplifting book equips readers with the tools to craft their own impactful narratives that can inspire countless more success stories, reinforcing the idea that we are not prisoners of fate and that actual change begins with us.
At the East Hampton Library, NY, discussing the intersection of impact, policy and popular culture with Alec Baldwin.
Michael Sheldrick TEDx talk shows how unlikely partnerships can transform lives and spark real change.
"From Ideas to Impact" gives us reason for hope. It proves change can happen when we begin dialogues with those whose actions we
may not like!
Jane Goodall
— Founder - the Jane Goodall Institute
Mick's message combines optimism, inspiration,
and practical ideas... Read this book if you want to feel more empowered to takeaction.
— Ben Rhodes Former Deputy National, Security Advisor to Obama
"Mick, over the years, has taught me [Sabrina] almost everything I know about advocacy... He's as
generous with his mind as he is with his heart.
— Idris and Sabrina Elba, Artists and UN Goodwill Ambassadors
Good ideas do not belong only to the powerful and privileged... Mick has shown in his own life, and in this book, how ideas can be unlocked and unleashed for good.
— Dr Tedros, Director-General of the WHO
Editorial Reviews
Review
"In these challenging times when politicians are failing to provide leadership, when multilateral peace and security institutions are wrecked from within, From Ideas to Impact is timely and offers pathways to solutions, solidarity and partnership from ground up, from periphery to center."
―Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor Leste and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
"Mick Sheldrick was with us at the beginning as we shaped the Bridgetown Initiative. In the face of unprecedented challenges, his book bridges idealism with essential pragmatism and outlines how everyone can participate urgently in the crucial task of acting today to save tomorrow. A must-read for those ready to turn solidarity into impactful action."
―Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Co-Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocates
"Democracy requires committed citizens who take action and work for what they believe in… Mick has made an impact on many lives through his work combating climate change, giving more children access to education and achieving the end of extreme poverty. He has also inspired thousands of others to drive the change they seek."
―Erna Solberg, former Prime Minister of Norway (2013-2021)
"I know Mick Sheldrick well as we are both members in the board of the Ban Ki-moon Centre and I admire his manifold activities in the field of sustainable development, education, and information. In addition, he is an excellent organiser. In a world testing the resilience of institutions like the United Nations, Mick Sheldrick masterfully unveils their enduring impact on our daily lives notwithstanding geopolitical tensions. With flair, he distils compelling insights, guiding readers to unearth common ground in our turbulent era. This is a book for the times, sharp and incisive."
―Dr. Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria (2004-2016)
"Get ready for a must-read! Michael Sheldrick shares the story of the inspiring South African advocates who fearlessly catapulted period poverty and girls' education to the political stratosphere. This timely book serves up practical lessons for anyone seeking to make a real difference."
―Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South Africa and former Head of UN Women
"Drawing lessons from our work together with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, this book offers actionable steps to make a difference and drive social impact. It brings the sustainable development objectives at the heart of the global community where each citizen has a role to play for the planet, prosperity and people."
―Jean Todt, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety, and Michelle Yeoh, Oscar-winning actress and UN Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador
"This book postulates bringing civility back to society through consistent, ethical action, and by appealing to our shared hopes over fears; thereby, equipping policy entrepreneurs to overcome division and create a more just world for all."
―Tony Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, Executive Chair of Ascension Capital
"To create the world we owe future generations, we need to think differently and act now. And yet most people, including leaders, succumb to the prevailing sense of powerlessness and apathy. Mick's book From Ideas to Impact is a clarion call to action. He provides an easy-to-read, inspiring guide on how we can all lead change, and accelerate progress to a greener, more equitable future."
―Simon Mulcahy, President, TIME
"Behind the glitz of their concerts and festivals, Mick Sheldrick and the Global Citizen community have built an impressive campaigning model based on popular engagement, strategic storytelling and coalition-building. Aspiring change-makers the world over have much learn from their example."
―Mark Malloch-Brown, President of the Open Society Foundation and former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN
"Michael Sheldrick brings a new take to the struggle to move beyond no longer competitive fossil fuels and onto cheaper, cleaner renewables from the outlier in the 'Anglo-Saxon' world. But his scope is far broader ― how do you make progressive policy in only partially progressive societies, where private individualism still has a deep hold? And his argument should remind us all that we need to keep tethered in the unique past that shapes every policy struggle worth fighting."
―Carl Pope, senior climate advisor to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and co-author of New York Times Bestseller Climate of Hope
"Michael leads by example, inspiring everyone he meets including Prime Ministers, Presidents, philanthropists and rock stars, with his clear goals and strength of purpose. And in the book, Michael insists that what he has done others can do… At a time of global polycrisis, Michael gives us more than reasons to be hopeful; he actually tells us how to go about effecting meaningful change in our world."
―Melissa Parke, former minister, Australian Government and Executive Director, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
"In his new book From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World, Michael Sheldrick provides an inspiring roadmap for global citizens seeking to make an impact. Michael’s book gives hope to those who are frustrated with the growing challenges faced by social entrepreneurs, urging them to master the art of policy entrepreneurship. From Ideas to Impact is a valuable guide for those ready to bridge the gap between great ideas and policy impact, inspiring action for a better collective future."
―Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Nigerian investor and philanthropist
"In a world facing immense challenges, it can feel impossible to affect policy but Michael breaks things down, gives compelling examples, and empowers us all to do what we can in our own spheres of influence. He should know, he's been doing it for over 15 years as a Co-Founder of Global Citizen."
―Dr. Márcia Balisciano, Director of Benjamin Franklin House and Chief Sustainability Officer, RELX
"Michael Sheldrick challenges us to go beyond the rhetoric of empty promises and the ubiquitous calls to action. From Ideas to Impact is a must-read for current and aspiring development leaders and practitioners."
―Glenn Denning, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and author of Universal Food Security
"It is very rare you come across a book, which has all the hallmarks of becoming the standard reference for its industry, in this case civil society organizations. Mick Sheldrick, Co-Founder of Global Citizen, interlaces global climate politics, organizational playbook ingenuity and personal 'war story' observations in a writing style as if you were in the room. A book to cherish and an act hard to follow."
―Frank Van Gansbeke, executive scholar in residence at Middlebury College
"Coming up with ideas is easy but making an impactful difference is hard. In From Ideas to Impact, Mick Sheldrick not only provides a roadmap for the journey to transformational change, but the book also serves as an instruction manual for making it happen. As Co-founder of Global Citizen for over a decade, Mick has catalyzed civic actions and policy advocacy to bring about collective impact. In these pages he shares inspirational stories and provides examples of how to accelerate global social impact by driving systemic policy changes. I’m a better leader because of Mick's wisdom. This book allows Mick's wisdom to be shared with the world. Read. Learn. Act!"
―C.D. Glin, President, PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact, PepsiCo Inc.
"Real power comes from movement building that gets citizens involved in diverse forms of personal action at massive societal scales. We grow bold leaders and lasting action from the roots. No organization has done this better than Global Citizen, and Mick Sheldrick's From Ideas to Impact shares the secret sauce behind these efforts and insightful curation of other changemaking we all can learn from."
―Jad Daley, President and CEO of American Forests
"Michael Sheldrick charts a course through some of the most challenging issues of our time… He illuminates successful efforts in translating seemingly abstract concepts, such as 'just transition', into impactful policy changes that enhance people's lives and help advance social justice."
―Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization
"From Ideas to Impact outlines practical steps to influence policy, emphasizing that impactful leaders are cultivated, trained, equipped, and empowered. Philanthropies can support policy entrepreneurs if they are willing to rewrite their playbook and embrace a new era of effective, sustainable change."
―Dan Pallotta, entrepreneur and author of Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential
"This very timely book has practical advice for those who are distressed about the way the world is going, and want to know how to help do something about it. This book reflects knowledge and understanding of working through extraordinary achievements in international conflicts, and is a must read."
―Dr Sue Boyd AM, former Australian Diplomat
"A world in which yesterday's playbook of big-tent consensus building no longer works. Thankfully, Michael draws on his deep experience and that of others to lay out how to make positive change happen. This kind of thinking is needed more than ever."
―David McNair, Executive Director at ONE.org, co-founded by Bono
"Parts of the world are literally on fire, while the news media reports on political and economic elites generating more problems than solutions… From Ideas to Impact describes what has worked, what has not, and why in order to get past the cynicism that could otherwise prove ruinous. As a leading global changemaker himself, Sheldrick is exactly the right messenger for this crucial message.
―Evan Lieberman, Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa and Director of the Center for International Studies at the MIT
"This inspiring book by Mick Sheldrick reminds us not only to have faith in the power of idealism and collaboration, but also provides a super useful toolbox for civil societies across the world to achieve game-changing results in their work even as the odds are stacked against them."
―Dino Patti Djalal, former Ambassador of Indonesia to the US and Founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia
"A highly readable and accessible study of the role of advocacy in bringing about fundamental change in our societies and achieving global public goods. Strategic thinkers, policy-makers, activists and philanthropists will all benefit from this lucid and practical guide to an increasingly important dimension of today's world."
―David Donoghue, former Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN and Co-Facilitator of SDG 2030 Agenda
"From Ideas to Impact draws important connections between policy change and social impact, whether readers come from business management, government, or social issues circles. The teachings apply equally to all facets, painting an intriguing picture of a 'policy entrepreneur' who can spearhead these connections and changes. The eight-step review of how a policy entrepreneur hones vision, enacts it, and drives changes that lead to the betterment of humanity as a whole may seem to harbor lofty ideals (and, it does); but behind the visionary hope lies a pragmatic, down-to-earth focus on how systems and policies work―and why and how they can fail."
―D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
