A Little Bit of My Background
A social innovator on a mission to create sustainable and disruptive social change
Marco Puccia is a social innovator bringing leadership, creativity, and passion to create sustainable and disruptive social value to the world. His interests and expertise are varied, which allows him to look at complex problems in unique and innovative ways to develop creative strategies and solutions that can maximize intended impact. In addition to running his own company, International Transparency Solutions, Marco is a blogger and consultant working to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and help individuals and organizations achieve their dreams and create social value!
Educational Background
Marco is a strong believer in the “classroom of life,” however he has equally excelled in the traditional classrooms as well. He attended Culver Military Academy for high school where he earned Honors in Global Studies for an independent research paper he wrote and presented on the economic development success story of Botswana. He also excelled in the military system, growing as a disciplined individual and inspirational leader. Marco continued his education at American University’s School of International Service, where he studied economic development with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. During his time at American University, he spent a semester living and working in Nairobi, Kenya where he briefly attended the United States International University (USIU). Marco graduated from American University cum laude and was awarded the Annette Langdon Award for Social Justice by the School of International Service in honor of his work advancing innovative approaches to global development.
Working Background
Having started his own company building websites at the age of 13, Marco has always brought an entrepreneurial spirit to everything he does. His working background extends across the public, private, and independent sectors. He served as the youngest intern in US Senator Richard Lugar‘s office, worked in the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, and assisted in building web-based platforms for governments to track foreign assistance at Development Gateway. During his time in Kenya, Marco worked for a local e-commerce company called MamaMikes.com — a for-profit social enterprise offering a transparent, accountable, and cost effective alternative to traditional cash-transfer remittances.
He started developing his company, International Transparency Solutions, after being inspired by the massive economic potential he saw in Kenya that was being hampered by a lack of access to credible information on-the-ground. In addition to Transparency Solutions, Marco runs Advancing !nnovation — a website and consulting business to support high-impact leaders and ideas. He is also a founding partner in 3PointOne — a digital marketing and brand strategy company that leverages the internet to build strong communities around brands and businesses.
