How Hope and Opportunity Are Created at Scale

by Jeff Bond

At the core of my work is helping global business, communications, and people leaders create meaningful engagement with their teams and customers. Together with my wonderful colleagues at Chat With Leaders Media and People First Elevation Team, we deliver all-hands meeting support, content, podcasts, creative, cross-cultural training, speaker coaching, and strategic advisory solutions. We are committed to unlocking the power of inclusive storytelling, shared experiences, leadership development, and mixed media to help our clients authentically connect with their most important stakeholders.

Our core values—Partnership, Inclusion, and Empowerment—guide everything we do. By fostering strong partnerships, embracing diverse perspectives, and equipping leaders with the tools to succeed, we aim to transform the way people engage while achieving meaningful work.

Outside of work, I cherish time with my wife and three children, balancing my roles as a husband and father with my professional life in Atlanta, GA. Let's connect and explore how we can create impactful media solutions for your business.

On today’s episode, Jeff Bond chats with Patrick Plonski, Executive Director of Books For Africa, the world’s largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent. Books For Africa has shipped over 54 million books and served every African country since 1988 with an annual fiscal impact exceeding $30 million.

Pat talks to Jeff about the challenges of running a logistic business with international complexities, balancing ambitious growth goals while consciously creating a culture where your workforce feels they have a strong work-life balance, and his hope for positively impacting future generations.

More About Patrick Plonski

Pat Plonski has served since 2003 as Executive Director of Books For Africa, the world’s largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent. Books For Africa has shipped over 54 million books and served every African country since 1988 with an annual fiscal impact exceeding $30 million. Books For Africa has been rated in the top three percent of all U.S. charities by Charity Navigator, partnering with organizations such as the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Peace Corps, the U.S. Library of Congress, OPEC, Merck, the African Union, and Oprah’s Angel Network. Plonski has traveled to 48 countries in his career. He has served as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences teaching coursework on world development issues.

Previously, Plonski has served as Executive Director of the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council at the University of Minnesota (1998-2003), and Committee Administrator of the Minnesota House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture (1987-1998). He holds a PhD in International Education (2009) from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s Degree in History (1994) from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in History from St. John’s University (1985). Plonski is a frequent commentator in the media on topics pertaining to development, education, and literacy in Africa.