The Power of Connection

For Mauli Whitney, growing up at JIS was more than just an education; it was an immersive lesson in global citizenship and responsibility that would linger long after she left the Cilandak campus at the end of Middle School. Today, having built a career in international education and social impact, she can directly connect those formative years with her work for the Obama Foundation, where she helps future leaders develop the skills needed to drive meaningful change.

“It was such a unique gift to grow up with friends and teachers from all around the world. This early immersion in diverse cultures shaped how I see the world and taught me what it means to be a global citizen,” she says, recalling fond memories of Uniting Nations (UN) Day and class trips crossing islands and borders. “This multicultural learning environment deepened my cross-cultural awareness and sense of responsibility to take care of the planet and each other. It was these values instilled in me at JIS that ultimately led me to begin my career in the international education nonprofit sector.”

Mauli also experienced JIS through the lens of a multigenerational Dragon family. Her father, Andrew Whitney, taught at both Pattimura (PEL) and Pondok Indah Elementary (PIE), and her mother, Ratna, was a Teaching Assistant at PEL. They instilled in her the importance of education, but also supported her involvement in a variety of extracurricular pursuits — from sports to musical theater. 

 “I had the freedom to truly explore my passions and stumble through different paths to find my own way at my own pace. Naturally, I ended up attending college at a small liberal arts school where I gained exposure to a broad array of disciplines,” she explains. “While I still don’t feel like an expert in any one particular area, this posture of open-mindedness, curiosity, and commitment to lifelong learning has been a constant throughout my journey.” 

Even after college, Mauli felt fueled by the excitement of being open to the melange of possibilities that lay before her. She may not have had a specific career path in mind, but she remained bolstered by how much she “cared about the world and believed in the power of international education” — like a beacon drawing her forward. It wasn’t long before she landed a position at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, where she administered State Department-funded exchange programs. 

She describes the work as being deeply rooted in the belief that public diplomacy — “authentic human relationships” — had the profound impact of bridging divides.

“Unsurprisingly, this was a role that demanded a deep capacity for empathy, cultural awareness, and commitment to shared prosperity across borders – all of which were shaped through my early years in Jakarta.”

It was also the start of a thoroughly rewarding career that would have a wide-reaching social impact, eventually leading Mauli to the Obama Foundation and its “mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world”. As part of the Global Leadership Program team, she supports social change leaders from various backgrounds as they go through their fellowship experience. 

“My role involves supporting all aspects of the design and implementation of the Obama Scholars program, which focuses on developing skills that are needed in today’s world: storytelling, bridging divides, driving collective impact, and – perhaps most critically – grounding your leadership in your values,” she explains. “Getting an up-close look at how many young leaders are committed to driving change in their communities is deeply inspiring and helps keep me hopeful in a time when hope is hard-earned.”

Another highlight of her work is coordinating annual meetings with program participants and Barack Obama, and watching their reaction as they realize how down-to-earth the former president is. A servant leader in every sense of the word, Mauli believes what truly stands out about him is his ability to make every person he meets feel valued — no matter who they are.

“I’ve seen how he treats a young kid from the South Side of Chicago with the same dignity and respect as he would a world leader. It is clear how much of a difference it makes to make every person feel seen and heard.”

Mauli experienced this for herself at their very first encounter, which became a full-circle moment that brought back warm memories of her life in Jakarta. They connected over their shared ties to Indonesia, the country that shaped both of their formative years.

“The first time I met him, he asked the origin of my name,” she recounts. “When I shared that I’m from Indonesia, he seamlessly transitioned to speaking in Bahasa Indonesia, and we had a brief conversation about his time growing up in Menteng. That was a pretty neat experience!”