Syed K. Jamal Founder & CEO Board Member Ford Fellow Executive Producer WTIA Alum Measures what matters On a mission to transform education with creative economy

Syed K. Jamal Founder & CEO Board Member Ford Fellow Executive Producer WTIA Alum Measures what matters On a mission to transform education with creative economy

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Syed’s Bio

Syed is an Indian-American entrepreneur and strategic advisor, focused on empowering young people to make informed career decisions and fostering meaningful cross-cultural collaborations. As the Chairman of the Tacoma-Kochi Friendship City Committee, he leads efforts to strengthen film and educational partnerships between India and the United States. An executive producer at 222 Pictures and a trained filmmaker (Mass Communication Research Center, Jamia, New Delhi), Syed serves on the Board of Advisors for The Way Home: Journey of Family and Faith, a documentary exploring the resilience of three generations of Tibetan women striving to preserve their cultural heritage.

Syed is also on the board of Tasveer, the only Oscar-qualifying South Asian Film Festival in the world. In this role, he is excited to build film institute partnerships to inspire and engage young people through film production and storytelling. With a dynamic career spanning media, higher education, and nonprofits in both India and the US, Syed brings a unique blend of creative vision and strategic expertise. He actively volunteers with the World Trade Center Tacoma as its India Ambassador, serves on the Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council of Tacoma, and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs through Bridge for Billions. 

Additionally, he curates transformative impact projects for Collegey.com and evaluates student initiatives for Rise, a prestigious global talent program by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust. As a leader in organizational strategy, Syed drives innovation, builds high-impact partnerships, and ensures measurable client outcomes.

His professional journey includes pivotal roles in media, academia, and international education, underpinned by his personal experience as an International Ford Foundation Fellow pursuing graduate studies in international affairs. This global perspective informs his vision for initiatives like Collegey and Branta, both of which aim to inspire and support the next generation of changemakers. In 2011, Syed joined the Fulbright Commission to advance the US Department of State’s public diplomacy efforts through EducationUSA. 

As Communications Manager, he led groundbreaking digital outreach campaigns, cultivated strategic partnerships, and conducted recruitment programs and workshops in collaboration with US Foreign Service Officers. Since transitioning from EducationUSA, Syed has consulted for leading youth and higher education organizations across India/South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. In 2015, he founded Branta, a consulting firm that bridges global education and youth networks in the US and youth-centered initiatives in emerging markets.

Syed’s expertise lies at the intersection of the creative economy, public diplomacy, social entrepreneurship, and impact-driven programming. His passion for fostering global citizenship, project-based learning, and cross-cultural innovation continues to shape his contributions to the education and creative economy sectors. 

We talk about the following and other items

Syed’s Background and Journey

The Importance of Poetry and Nature

Biking and Favorite Poets

Cultural Differences in Poetry

Empowering Youth in Career Decisions

The Future of Higher Education

The Role of College

Tacoma's Transformation and Strengths

The Creative Economy in Tacoma

The Role of Nonprofits in Tacoma

Becoming a Filmmaker

The Power of Camera Angles in Filmmaking

The Impact of Lighting on Perception

Changes in the Filmmaking Industry

The Evolution of Storytelling

Humanizing Homelessness

The Role of South Asian Film Festivals

The Importance of Social Capital

Religious and Cultural Practices in India

The World Trade Center and International Trade I

nnovation and Creativity

Immigrating to the United States

The Cost of Private Education

The Value of Public Schools

The Impact of Socioeconomic Disparities

Originality and Courage in Creativity

India-Pakistan Relations

Introducing Grid City Studio

Building Tacoma as a Creative Hub

Engaging the Community 

Syed’s Social Media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skjamal/

Personal Website: https://www.gobranta.com/ceofounder

Syed’s Advice  

I am not very good at giving advice. I would say just, think about your story a lot. You have a story. Don't underestimate your story. Your story is a collective story of your parents, your neighborhood, your neighbors, your books.

It's all part of your story, so don't underestimate your story. Please tell your story, talk about yourself, talk about, the environment you grew up in, things that bothers you. Talk about it. It matters a lot when we talk about our personal things. A lot of people, a lot of time people shy away, they avoid talking about themselves because they think it's showing off. 

I don't think it's showing off. You are at your most authentic self when you just talk about your story as your story. So please don't underestimate your stories. We might pick up one of your stories and make a movie out of it.