Jeff Toolan

Jeffrey J. Toolan
Jeffrey J. Toolan (Born August 5 1980) is an internationally recognized scholar, activist and entrepreneur. After graduating from UCLA in 2003, Toolan began a series of consulting positions research related activities [http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~iversen/PDFfiles/RogowskiMacRay2004.pdf], and nonprofit humanitarian work that led to him receiving the prestigious US Fulbright Fellowship in 2007 the eventual founding of a number of businesses including an urban activism-inspired clothing company named multeepurpose (2006) and a bioplastics consumer product company called repurpose Compostables, Inc. in (2008). He now owns and operates a number of green businesses and is an active participant in a number of international human rights, environmental and social justice related programs, organizations, and media campaigns.
Biography
Early Life
Toolan was born in Ithaca, NY to Dennis Toolan and Sue Snyder Toolan. Dennis, a molecular biologist and Sue, an artist, bought the Groton Hotel shortly after graduating from Cornell University. Toolan grew up in the Hotel and always expressed an interest in business and the environment. Toolan attended Groton Elementary and Groton High School until age 16. Toolan expressed an interest in the arts early in life, mastering various types of fine art, acting, and even comedy, clowing and traditional improv. Toolan began rescuing local wildlife and exotic animals at 11, before working at the Burnett Park Zoo at 15 and attending Cornell at 17 as part of the New Visions magnet program in Biological Sciences. After a traumatic incident involving immunocytochemistry and primate dissection,
Jeff fled to Nagasaki Japan as part of a Rotary Youth Exchange, unable to handle the horrors of dissection and high level laboratory science.
Career
Toolan spent his final year of high school at Cornell University studying advanced physical and biological sciences. Following completion of the Cornell Magnet Program, Toolan spent a year studying in a small city outside of Nagasaki, in the southern part of Japan. After that life changing experience abroad, Toolan changed courses dramatically and moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to attend UCLA. He went on to conduct research with leading University scholars in areas of political science, international relations, and economics. Toolan also continued to study language, ultimately mastering both French and Japanese. He was very active both on and off campus, and founded the Undergraduate International Relations Society in 2001. Graduating with a B.A. Degree with Honors in International Relations and Political Science from the University of California Los Angeles in 2003, he went on to pursue a number of private sector consulting positions, research related activities and nonprofit humanitarian work for the next two years.
He is an internationally recognized scholar. With his acceptance to the Rotary International Youth Exchange Programin 1998, and continuing with his ongoing research activities throughout his time at UCLA, he received the Burton L. Gerber Scholarship in International Relations [http://216.197.122.36/publications/magazine/fall(conv)2002/conv2002.pdf] and an Undergraduate International Relations Research Development Stipend. He was named a Fellow of the International Human Rights Consortium (IHRC/CIDH) in Geneva, Switzerland where he spent time covering sessions at the United Nations’ Working Group on Indigenous Populations and attending the very last two Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights with an ECOSOC NGO in 2004 and 2005. He has conducted thousands of hours of research with leading experts in the fields of political science, media and education, human rights, international law, economics, and modern conflict.
Bridging the gap between academics, public service, and private sector ethical business practices, Toolan founded an urban activism-inspired clothing company named multeepurpose in 2006. This project represents the perfect synergy of his unique background in both the business and nonprofit sectors, and his heartfelt commitment to affecting positive change. Toolan's previous work with nonprofits and his experiences meeting with officials from the International Labor Organization at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, have also alerted him to the problems with the garment industry and he is therefore committed to reinvigorating the garment industry with ethical business practices.
Returning to Academia in 2007, Toolan received the US State Department's Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research on the linkage between education and modern media on the outbreak of contemporary conflict such as Genocide. Geneva, with its proximity to major international organizations including the United Nations and International Bureau of Education(IBE), created the perfect field location for this type of cross sectional econometric analysis. While in Geneva, Toolan also completed a graduate degree in International Law and Politics at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) while conducting independent research with mentors at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations. After returning to Los Angeles, Jeff helped plan a Stop Genocide Charity Concert with Participant Media's Darfur Now at UCLA in May 2008 Toolan also organized the third annual Spalding International Brain Trust Symposium on Media, Ethics and role of the Private Sector in Conflict Resolution in the Spring of 2008. Toolan's activism and entrepreneurial activities have been featured by numerous media and television outlets, including a segment on Discovery Channel's Planet Green in 2008.
Awards
Cornell University Magnet Program Participant - New Visions Biological Sciences 1997
Rotary Youth Exchange Scholar - Sagashi, Japan 1998
Burton L. Gerber Scholarship for International Relations 2001 [http://216.197.122.36/publications/magazine/fall(conv)2002/conv2002.pdf]
Fellow of the International Human Rights Consortium (IHRC/CIDH) in Geneva, Switzerland 2003
U.S. Department of State - Fulbright Fellowship 2007
Personal life
Jeff is an avid traveler, swimmer, SCUBA Diver, and explorer who enjoys hiking, wave skiing, skiing, snowboarding and other adventure sports. He attends a number of high profile cultural and fashion events nonprofit symposiums, and charity events. Jeff now enjoys nearly celebrity status as an "A" list Activist working with a number of international organizations, celebrity personalities and NGOs including the United Nations. Recently he has been seen in the international press for his presence at a number of high profile charity events around the country ! Jeff enjoys a robust social life and spends his time equally between Los Angeles, Ithaca and New York City with frequent trips Abroad to Europe, Japan and other international points of interest. Jeff is know for his sometime outlandish fashion forward style and nearly blatant disregard for conformity. He has been know to make waves when mixing politics with his social encounters, which is one of his favorite activities.

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