Julio Zelaya
Julio Zelaya is the keynote speaker senior teams trust for their most decisive moments. A bilingual, bicultural voice for both Americas, he helps organizations make the decisions that define what comes next, combining Penn-level academic rigor, real-world AI expertise, and stage energy that moves a room. Julio is Academic Director of the "Implementing AI in the Classroom" program at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, where he also serves as faculty, and Senior Principal in the Innovation & AI Practice at The RBL Group. Each year he works with close to 125,000 leaders in more than 20 countries. In 2026, Education Technology Insights featured him on the cover of its "Leadership Perspectives" edition as a "Judgment Education Architect," alongside his article "When Intelligence Gets Cheap, Judgment Gets Expensive." An educator for 27 years (he started teaching at 19), Julio is also a serial EdTech entrepreneur. He co-founded Escolaris, Guatemala's first accredited online K–12 school, and Bright Domino, and he built and sold his first company. He is the author of five #1 Amazon bestsellers in Spanish, has co-authored with Steve Forbes and Brian Tracy, and his work has been endorsed by Marshall Goldsmith, Kevin O'Leary, and Verne Harnish. He holds an MSEd from Penn GSE, where he is completing his EdD, an MBA from INCAE, and a doctorate in Human Dynamics and Mental Health. He is a CALI X-Ponential Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and a member of EO. His forthcoming book, The Voltage Mismatch, explores how the person you share your life with shapes everything else, including how you lead and how you work. Two things most audiences don't know: at age 10, he was mayor of Guatemala City for a day, and he has written and produced more than 50 original songs. His work comes down to one idea: design the moment, win the outcome.
Appears in 3 Episodes
Encouraging Dissent for Better Outcomes
In this episode of the Practitioner Scholar podcast, host Julio Zelaya sits down with Dr. Marikay Forst, a distinguished alumna of the Penn Chief Learning Officer prog...
Grit and Growth: Keys to Success for Women Lawyers
In this episode of the Practitioner Scholar podcast, hosted by Julio Zelaya, we meet Dr. Milana Hogan, the Chief Talent Officer at Sullivan and Cromwell, LLP. Dr. Hoga...
The Serious Research of Workplace Fun
In this episode of the Practitioner Scholar, host Julio Zelaya sits down with Dr. Janet Duliga, a distinguished executive and alumna of the Penn CLO Executive Program....
