John Wood quit his successful career at Microsoft to found Room to Read after being inspired on a trek through Nepal where he discovered a school with hundreds of children but less than 20 books. He has since grown Room to Read into an organization operating literacy and girls' education programs across Asia and Africa, impacting over 10 million children. Through his work and bestselling book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood promotes the importance of education, entrepreneurship, and using business skills to make a positive social impact.

2. THE INTRODUCTION TO THE
GREAT JOHN WOOD
Few individuals choose to walk away at the height of their corporate career to
dedicate their life to a social cause.
At age 35, John Wood did just that - quitting his position as Microsoft's Director
of Business Development for the Greater China Region in order to found Room
to Read. He has never looked back.
In 1998, John took a vacation that changed his life. Trekking through a remote
Himalayan village, he struck up conversation with a schoolteacher, who invited
John to visit his school. There, John discovered that the few books available were
so precious that they were kept under lock and key - to protect them from the
children! Fewer than 20 books, all backpacker cast-aways, were available for more
than 450 students.

3. John Wood was born in January 1964, in Hartford, Connecticut, where he spent
his early childhood. His family later settled in Athens, Pennsylvania, where he
attended high school.[3] He holds a bachelor's degree from the
University of Colorado, and a master's degree in business administration from
the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.[4]
From 1991-1999, John Wood worked as an executive for Microsoft. His
positions included Director of Marketing for Australia, Director of Marketing for
the Asia-Pacific region and Director of Business Development for Greater
China.[5]

4. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Cover of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Wood took a vacation from his work at Microsoft in 1998 to trek through the
Himalayas.[5] While trekking, he met a “resource director” for the schools in the
Annapurna Circuit of Nepal, with whom he visited a primary school that contained
450 children and only a handful of books—none age-appropriate.[6] Upon seeing
Wood's reaction to the lack of books, the school’s headmaster suggested, "Perhaps,
sir, you will someday come back with books," which inspired Wood to solicit book
donations from family and friends via email sent from an Internet cafe in
Kathmandu.[7]
Leaving Microsoft was published by Harper Collins in August 2006. It was featured
on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007, with "Oprah's Book Drive" for Room to Read
raising over $3 million. Leaving Microsoft has been published in 20 languages. It was
named one of the Top Ten non-fiction books of 2006 by Hudson's Booksellers and a
Top Ten business narrative by Amazon. The sequel will be published by Penguin in
early 2013.

5. Razor-sharp business acumen honed at Microsoft, combined with a passion to
change the world makes John Wood a unique, inspiring and popular speaker
with universal appeal. His charismatic presentations focus on leadership,
entrepreneurship, business, education and literacy, philanthropy and women's
empowerment, as well as motivational messages about finding your passion in
life, thinking big, and proving that anyone, with focused vision and
determination, can make a significant impact on the world.

6. Siongaun
Benetton
Daniel