Sean Talamas is co-founder of The Leadership Cooperative, a worker-owned public benefit corporation that serves philanthropic and intermediary organizations by designing and facilitating high-stakes convenings, supporting innovation and learning agendas, and providing executive coaching for senior leaders.

Sean also serves as chair of the board of directors for LeanLab Education and as an advisor to several K-16 research and development initiatives including Purpose Commons, Behavioral Scientist, Align R&D, Thinkering Collective, Global Underwater Explorers, and AERDF. He was previously executive director of Character Lab, where he led a team to advance scientific insights to help kids thrive. During his tenure, Sean created infrastructure for over 100 world-class scientists to generate school-based research featured in top journals such as Nature and Science, promoted youth voices into the process for greater relevance, and forged strategic partnerships to distribute these findings across platforms like TED-Ed and Corn Flakes cereal boxes.

Sean began his career in the U.S. Air Force Special Operations, where he deployed to Afghanistan and trained special forces in Jordan and England. He is a Cuban American from Miami and an associate editor for the Journal of Character & Leadership Development.

A new father, Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, master’s degrees in industrial and organizational psychology and teaching, and a PhD in psychology from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.