Hey there, I’m Alex Budak.

An educator, social entrepreneur, speaker, and author, I help people become changemakers— leading with character, connection, and contribution—one bold, small step at a time.

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Meet Alex

Alex Budak is a UC Berkeley faculty member, speaker, co-founder of StartSomeGood, and the author of Becoming a Changemaker.

Alex holds faculty appointments at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and School of Public Health, where his popular classes and executive programs have helped thousands of people become changemakers -- and have even inspired student tattoos.

His book, "Becoming a Changemaker," is being translated into 22 languages and was named by CNBC as a "top 5 non-fiction book everyone should be reading about work."

Budak’s change journey began when he co-founded StartSomeGood, which has helped people in over 50 countries raise millions of dollars to launch and scale new change initiatives. A graduate of UCLA and Georgetown University, he speaks on leadership, change, and meaning around the world, from Ukraine to Cambodia, and at organizations like Accenture, Lyft, and UNHCR

Alex loves travel adventures (39 countries and counting), attempting new workouts, and spending time with his two favorite changemakers: his wife, Rebecca, and their toddler son. He also once learned the hard way to never go budget skydiving.

Core values: contribution, curiosity, and possibility

Work with Alex:

  • SPEAKING

    Alex delivers authentic, actionable, and research-backed talks on leadership, change, and meaning. You'll leave with tools and strategies that can be immediately applied throughout your organization.

    BOOK ALEX

  • WRITING

    Gain new insights to help you transform yourself, your career, and the world around you. An inclusive, actionable guide to help you get unstuck, find your voice, and lead change at any level.

    BUY THE BOOK

  • TEACHING

    With appointments at Berkeley Haas, Public Health, and Executive Education, Alex works with undergraduate, graduate, and executives, helping people from all walks of life become changemakers.

    TAKE A CLASS

  • “There’s no one better than Alex to teach people how to become a transformational leader.”

    -Aaron Levie / CEO, Box

  • “Professor Budak’s Becoming a Changemaker course was life changing. It helped me find my voice and transformed who I am as a person and a leader."

    Alicia Wilson / Olympic Athlete, Great Britain & UC Berkeley ‘23

  • "Alex's talk garnered some of the brightest engagement and attendance we have ever seen!"

    Sarika Saksena / Inclusion & Diversity, Accenture

Contact

alex@alexbudak.com

Have a speaking opportunity, media inquiry, or other collaboration in mind? Let’s connect!