Meet our new Executive Director, Juan!

You might recognize our new Executive Director…Juan M. Muro, previously our Sr. Manager of Customer Experience, is taking the helm of Free Geek as of May 16th!

Prior to his time in the nonprofit world, Juan worked at Starbucks as an Operations and Training Store Manager leading teams and helping to develop talent from within the organization. Juan has put those skills to use at Free Geek and has been working to make the organization better since his arrival in 2018. At Free Geek he has brought operational excellence, ability to build great teams and a people centric lens to delivering impact. 

“Juan has been positively transforming Free Geek ever since he started working here. Through leading by example he has always strived to make this organization accountable, equitable, kind, transparent, thoughtful, and innovative. Juan has huge dreams for Free Geek & I'm beyond excited to see them become reality.”--Kyle Kasner, Free Geek Board Chair

Juan’s leadership doesn’t only apply to Free Geek, he and his former foster siblings formed a group called FAYCES dedicated to influencing systemic change for the foster care community in San Diego County where he grew up. In partnership with the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and Child Welfare Services Juan and his peers advocate for policy changes that positively enrich the lives of past, current and future foster youth. With his experience in operational excellence and nonprofit leadership Juan found himself perfectly placed for the Executive Director role at Free Geek.

In preparation for this role, Juan recently  graduated from the Executive Leadership Academy at WVDO and received his Nonprofit Tech Readiness Certificate from NTEN. He has spent the last four years in service to the Free Geek community. Growing up in the poor neighborhoods of Escondido, California, Juan and his family had little access to resources, especially technology. Juan received his first laptop through a scholarship after entering the foster care system. At Free Geek Juan is able to break down barriers and enable access for others.

Hilary Shohoney, our outgoing Executive Director has been working with Juan for the past two years to prepare him for this role and the organization for this transition. They’ve been working together to reimagine a Free Geek where we work actively to include everyone in our digital future and break down the barriers that enable full inclusion. Hilary is proud of her work and is so excited to hand the organization to Juan who will undoubtedly move the organization further toward these goals.. Free Geek is very excited for Juan's direction of Free Geek's future! Thank you Juan for all the work you have and continue to put forward for the organization and thank you Hilary for your leadership.