The keynote speaker at PLA was John Wood, Founder & CEO of the nonprofit organization Room to Read. A former Microsoft executive, Wood recounted his life-changing experience during a backpacking excursion in the Himalayas. While visiting a school in Nepal he witnessed the stark circumstances under which the local children learn. The few books the school had were so precious they were kept under lock and key. Imagine his dismay when he discovered the treasured texts were cast off backpacker paperbacks the likes of Danielle Steel romances! Wood vowed to make a difference in these children's lives by providing them with proper educational resources. His initial delivery of books was conveyed by a Yak named Zak! (Wood vows one day to write a children's book about his experiences with the the above title.) Read about this inspiring story at the Room to Read website and in his memoir Leaving Microsoft to Change the World.
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