The dream of leadership,
grounded in reality
The Everest Leadership Academy is founded on the belief that leadership is not reserved for a select few – it lives in all of us.
The Academy reaches out to promising young students who may not start out with all the advantages early on in life during their formative years.
Circumstance does not define your future, and believing in your own potential is the first step to leading others.
Real-world leadership workshops and speaking engagements.
Leadership curriculum development.
(in-person and online).
Leadership clubs.
Field trips.
(Business; Civic; Community).
What we do
Group mentoring and networking opportunities.
Affiliate programs.
Merit based Scholarships.
Educator training to support affiliates.
Coursework materials, workshop templates, marketing materials and branded merchandise.
There is a leader within each of us
If we can overcome our circumstances and society’s expectations of us.
Mindsets
Unlock hope and optimism
Intention and integrity
Responsibility and commitment
Respect and Dignity
Humility and vulnerability
Skillsets
Academic Achievement
Emotional Intelligence
(Self awareness and
relationship management)
Social skills
(Communications, persuasion and motivation)
Entrepreneurial smarts
(Make and manage opportunity)
Business smarts
(How businesses work and how to succeed within them)
Access
Proven tools and techniques from leaders who’ve“been there, done that”
First hand experience of many leadership styles in different business environments.
Group mentoring from real world leaders with relevant experience.
Financial support and scholarships.
Raymond Sozzi, Sr. is the founder of The Everest Leadership Academy. Previously, he was a business entrepreneur with a 30-year career in the computer industry, where he held the CEO role for eight different high-tech, venture-backed computer companies and orchestrated several successful turnarounds.
In 1999, Sozzi joined a growth private-equity and venture-capital firm as an executive-in-residence. In this role Sozzi acts as a confidant and advisor to founders and first-time CEOs.
He published three books: “My Life’s Journey as a CEO and Mentor,” “The Leader in Each of Us,” and “The CEO Handbook.” He is also the author of “Leadership: The Essence of Being a Mentor” which was published in Leader-to-Leader, a quarterly journal.
Founder’s Message
"I am living proof that the American Dream is still very much alive and well. As a first generation American, born and raised in the Bronx, I had to make a choice early in life. Would I become a product of my environment or a product of my experiences? I selected experiences. I felt strongly that our lives are not determined by what happens to us but how we react to what happens. It's not by what life brings us, but the attitude we bring to life. It's up to each of us to take what we're given and maximize the outcome…
…Little did I understand at a young age that in addition to a good education (the IQ subject-matter skills), leadership EQ, the so-called "people skills", are equally important as you climb the mountain to a successful conclusion. At the Everest Leadership Academy, we define success as achieving your purpose in life – being all you can be…
…Early in life, during the formative years, we must develop these EQ people skills to make a significant positive difference in life. Typically, there are a few defining moments, or inflection points, in the school years that, for the most part, define your life’s legacy."
Get the book:
The Leader in Each of Us.
The core of the teaching at The Everest Leadership Academy is Ray Sozzi’s book “The Leader in Each of Us.”
Filled with stories and lessons from the life of Ray Sozzi, founder of The Everest Leadership Academy— a journey from childhood in the Bronx to becoming a successful CEO and business leader. Packed with inspiration and practical advice this book is an essential guide to unleashing the untapped power of leadership that exists within all of us. While recognizing the hard skills of academic achievement and intellect, the book also explores the often overlooked soft skills of personal self-awareness and self-management as well as social influence and relationship management.
Awards
Kathryn Webster
Trailblazer Leadership Award, 2025.
Kathryn Webster is Founder and CEO of the TAD foundation. Their mission is to ensure that the blind and low vision community are able to compete equally with their sighted counterparts in job markets.
“Leave behind a legacy you’re proud of. That’s what I’m striving for every day—to be bold, brave, and unapologetically myself. And I hope you are too.”
Frances Hasselbein
Lifetime Leadership Award, 2018.
Former CEO of the Girl Scouts of America, Frances Hasselbein is the President and CEO if her own Leadership Institute. The Frances Hasselbein Leadership Institute is on a mission to strengthen and inspire the leadership of the social sector and their partners in business and government.
“The leader for today and the future will be focused on how to be - how to develop quality, character, mind-set, values, principles, and courage.”
L’escale Restaurant
Exemplary leadership, 2021.
This award is a testament to the commitment and ingenuity L'escale and its staff, and the leadership skills it took to ensure their customers a five-star dining experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This past year has been a very difficult one for all restaurant businesses and every member of the L'escale staff has worked tremendously hard to offer continued impeccable food and service, which our patrons have become accustomed to”. David Fletcher, Director of Operations.
Meet the team
-
Ray Sozzi
Founder
-
Sabrina Shortall
Director of Strategic Marketing
and Operations -
Sean Tummins
Director of technology and
business development -
Michael Sozzi
Director of Student Life
Advisory Board
-
Greg Taylor
Operating executive, board member, investor.
-
Marcia Radosevich
Healthcare entrepreneur, investor.
-
Dave Fall
Digital Media and operations executive.
-
Eliot Powell
CIO, City of Baltimore.
-
Aramide O. Olaniyan
Associate, Summit Partners.
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