Scott Baker

Title: Ecuador Program Director
Interesting Fact: During his university years, Scott had an unusual, but fun, summer job—keeping Canada geese off a family estate. A pacifist, he convinced them to move along by quacking like a duck!

As Ecuador program director, Scott Baker oversees all leadership programming, international trips and community relations for Leaders Today in Ecuador. Drawing from his long history within the organization and widespread work overseas, Scott works with local communities and organizations to provide youth experiential learning opportunities through Leaders Today international trips.

Since joining Leaders Today in 2004, Scott has helped provide invaluable guidance to the Volunteer Now! and Life in Action programs, which annually impact more than 250,000 youth. Scott also assumed a key role in developing the Windsong Leadership Center in Arizona, working with local community groups to create and sustain development and experiential learning programs in Mexico. Scott has also been instrumental in expanding Leaders Today’s flagship leadership program, Volunteer Now!, from three to 13 schools boards across Canada. A former mathematician and business professional, Scott committed himself to a life of helping others after spending seven months in Kolkata, India with the Missionaries of Charity. During his time in Kolkata, Scott cared for the needy, assisted at an AIDS ward and taught at a school for street youth. He went on to set up a sponsorship program at the school to provide more youth with an opportunity for an education. Now 29 and a graduate of the University of Toronto with a master of science in mathematics, Scott has addressed an amassed audience of over 35,000 youth about the importance of youth leadership and active citizenship. Through full-day leadership workshops, Scott has trained a team of over 2,000 youth change-makers to take action in their communities.

In his spare time, Scott camps, plays sports, reads Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time (over and over) and studies his beloved mathematics. His favourite quote? “Charity begins today. Today somebody is suffering, today somebody is in the street, and today somebody is hungry. Our work is for today, yesterday has gone, and tomorrow has not yet come.” –Mother Teresa