Hi! I’m Alex

Everyone can be a changemaker.

As a UC Berkeley faculty member, co-founder of StartSomeGood, and the author of Becoming a Changemaker, I put my heart and soul into helping people find their voice, spark change, and create impact anywhere.

Contact Me directly: alex@alexbudak.com

Literary Agent: Jeff Shreve, Curious Minds Agency: jeff@curiousmindsagency.com

Speaking Agent: Jayme Boucher, Hachette Speakers Bureau: jayme.boucher@hbgusa.com

Educator

At UC Berkeley, I have faculty appointments at Berkeley Haas, Berkeley Public Health, and Berkeley Executive Education and teach my beloved changemaker courses – which have even inspired student tattoos. I serve as Faculty Director for the Berkeley Changemaker Executive Education Program, and also direct the Berkeley Haas Global Access Program.

Author

My book, Becoming a Changemaker, brings an inclusive, aspirational, and accessible lens to creating change. It’s hailed by CNBC as a “top 5 non-fiction book everyone should be reading about work," and is being published in 12 languages. My work and writing have been featured in the Washington Post, The Guardian, USA Today, and my toddler’s preschool newsletter, and I write a regular column for INC.

Speaker

I've spoken around the world from Cambodia to the Arctic Circle and at leading universities, startups, companies and organizations like Accenture, Salesforce, and UNHCR. When I speak, there's a magical moment that I live for: when someone realizes for the very first time the potential they have to create change; where they find their own agency to make a difference for themselves and for others; and when they realize they have far more power than they ever realized.

Founder

A social entrepreneur at heart, my change journey began when I co-founded StartSomeGood. The platform has helped people in over 50 countries raise millions of dollars to launch and scale new change initiatives – from climate to education to mental health. I’ve also had the privilege of supporting founders around the world — including when I lived in Sweden and served as Country Director for Reach for Change’s incubator.

Student

I received my graduate degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, and my undergraduate degree in Geography and Political Science from UCLA which also honored me with its recent alumnus of the year award. My parents were definitely more excited about this award than when I won a PE award in middle school. One of the greatest joys of teaching is the opportunity to continue learning and growing. I love the saying “one person teaches, two people learn,” and I gain new insights and perspectives from students that shape the way I think about changemaking and help evolve my teaching of it.

Human

When not changemaking, I love food adventures, challenging workouts, and exploring the world (39 countries and counting). My worst ever life decision was going budget skydiving using a coupon; my best decision is spending time every day with my two favorite changemakers: my wife, Rebecca, and our toddler son.

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

-Jackie Robinson

BECOMING A CHANGEMAKER

INTERESTED in ALEX’s KEYNOTE topics?

Other Adventures

As I always remind my students, we are all far more than our resumes. Here are some of the things I’ve done that make me who I am.

  • I once went skydiving using a Groupon (whoops). Even the pilot of the plane was wearing a parachute (not exactly confidence inducing). Fortunately, I lived to tell the tale (I only told my Mom about my adventure after we had landed) and I’m now here to warn you: never pay half-price for skydiving!

  • I love creative marriage proposals of all kinds. I proposed to Rebecca during a special scavenger hunt in Stockholm. To prepare, I spent days scouring the city looking for the best possible place for our photos. So in addition to our beautiful waterfront photo of the magical moment when she said yes ,I also have countless outtakes of me alone on one knee all around the city.

  • Ever since high school I’ve loved coaching little kids’ basketball. All of our plays are named after cereals. But here’s our little trick: we actually only have one play: “Fruit Loops” is exactly the same as “Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” But the other team thinks we have about a dozen! 😇

  • While studying at UCLA I spent most of winter quarter camping out to get prime basketball game seats (as my winter quarter GPA will attest…) and never missed a single home game.

  • My grandparents were refugees in Shanghai, China during World War II. Once while traveling in Shanghai I was able to use an old address book my Dad gave me (all in German and Chinese) and find their exact former residence. I retraced their footsteps through backstreets alleyways — an incredibly moving experience for me.

  • I believe in breakfast for dinner; iced coffee even in winter; and am constantly in search for a city’s best burrito.

  • Two things I consistently struggle with: please don’t ask me to explain how daylight savings time or family trees work (“are you my second cousin…or my grandmother?”)

  • My favorite pump-up song to listen to before teaching is “Underdog” by Alicia Keys, and I have a soft spot for 90’s music and pop-punk. Let me know if you have any recommendations to add to the changemaker playlist I play before class!