At a moment of inequality and division, who is advancing the vanguard of economic and social progress to bolster under-served communities? Whose work is fostering the inclusive growth that ensures every individual thrives? Who will set the ambitious standards that mobilize whole industries, challenging their peers to reach new altitudes of social impact? 

In 2025, Impact Next — an editorial flagship series from NationSwell — will spotlight the standard-bearing corporate social responsibility and impact leaders, entrepreneurs, experts, and philanthropists whose catalytic work has the potential to shape the landscape of progress amid urgent need for social and economic action.

For this installment, NationSwell interviewed John MacPhee, CEO of The Jed Foundation (JED).

NationSwell: What brought you into the field? Was there a moment, a relationship, or an experience that galvanized your commitment to driving social and economic progress?

John MacPhee, CEO, The Jed Foundation: I spent 20 years in the corporate world, working in transportation and pharmaceuticals. It wasn’t a deliberate choice at first — I needed to pay the bills — so I worked hard, learned as much as I could, and advanced. Over time, though, I began asking bigger questions: What’s my purpose? How can I make the world a better place? That led me to shift from the corporate sector into the “for-purpose” world, using my knowledge of healthcare to make a difference. I went back to school for health policy and eventually joined The Jed Foundation, a systems-change organization focused on mental health and suicide prevention for teens and young adults nationwide.

The mission resonated with me on many levels. I’ve seen loved ones struggle with alcohol and drug use, and we’ve lost family members to overdose. I faced my own battles with mental health and problem drinking as a young adult, even failing out of college, before getting help and returning to school and graduating. Those personal experiences made JEDs focus on supporting young people through systems-change feel deeply aligned with my own story.

A final turning point came through my mother. While dying of cancer, she told me she felt I had “lost my way”  — that the boy she raised, who once dreamed of being a math teacher and basketball coach, and she was worried that I had drifted from my purpose or “why”. Her words pushed me to reconsider my path. Fifteen years ago, I made the switch into the nonprofit and public health world, and I’ve been committed to this purpose-driven work ever since.

NationSwell: Looking back at the scope of your career, how have your thinking, your leadership style, or your philosophies evolved over time?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: I came up in a hard-driving corporate environment, spending ten years in a fast-growing pharmaceutical company where I learned how to run and build businesses. I brought those skills with me into the nonprofit space, but it’s different: In the corporate world, it’s often easier to motivate teams because incentives are more consistent; in the nonprofit world, people are driven by a more varied set of motivations, and connecting with them requires a more tailored approach to each team member. 

That was an adjustment for me, but I’ve carried over the business practices I learned in corporate to help guide how we run JED today.

NationSwell: What would you say defines the present societal and economic moment? Which trends are filling you with optimism, and which are giving you more pause or concern?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: We’re in a moment of dramatic change. Technology is moving at incredible speeds — AI today, social media, and the iPhone just 15–20 years ago — and that pace is reshaping the environment for mental health. Despite the challenges, I remain optimistic because the world is full of beauty, good people, and numerous examples of people helping each other. Unfortunately, those stories rarely get told; instead, we’re flooded with negative headlines that distort the balance of what’s truly happening. It’s important for all of us, and especially for young people, to intentionally seek out joy, progress, and good news to stay grounded.

At the same time, I worry about the polarization in our public discourse. On complex policy questions like immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights, gender-affirming care, and parental involvement in schools, earnest people can and do disagree. But, the way these debates are unfolding too often vilifies individuals and entire groups, which not only deepens division, but also creates legitimate fear for people and the communities they love. Policy debates could be approached with more humanity and kindness; instead, they’ve become another source of harm. All of this makes the current environment especially tough for young people, who are navigating rapid change, overwhelming narratives, and a climate of fear and division.

NationSwell: What are you seeing in the field right now that’s not getting enough attention?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: We need to ensure young people see a fuller picture of the world — one that includes the good alongside the challenges. Hope is warranted, but it’s something we have to fight for and intentionally lean toward.

When it comes to technology, I think the conversation is often misplaced. The real issue isn’t simply whether social media or technology is “good” or “bad,” but how it’s been wrapped up in profiteering. As a society, we normally protect children from aggressive marketing, whether it’s for medicine, tobacco, or other harmful products. Yet we’ve allowed an industry to capture seven or eight hours of young people’s lives every day through addictive algorithms, monetizing their time and relationships without meaningful guardrails. The question for youth mental health isn’t just about technology itself, but about how we’re going to protect children from being exploited in this way.

NationSwell: Is there a signature social or economic project or initiative you’re working on right now that you’d like to lift up?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: We partner with youth-serving organizations, including schools, districts, and community-based groups, around a simple yet critical idea: If you serve youth, you must prioritize their mental health and take purposeful, planned action to reduce suicide risk. That means following best practices, and we support this through programs like our District Mental Health Initiative with AASA, The School Superintendents Association, JED High School, JED Campus, and our community-based organization model.

For leaders, whether in schools, nonprofits, or even workplaces, mental health is both a responsibility and an opportunity. It requires building environments where people feel connected and a sense of belonging; where coping and problem-solving skills are nurtured; where it’s acceptable to say “It’s OK not to be OK.” Just as important are the systems to notice when someone is struggling, respond appropriately, connect them to care, and ensure policies and supports are in place.

NationSwell: What is the North Star of your leadership?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: My North Star is improving the environments around young people. That’s what our team is focused on every day — working as hard as we can, in as many ways as we can, to create conditions where youth can thrive.

In this space, there are many peer organizations I admire. The Trevor Project stands out, especially as we fight proposed funding cuts to LGBTQIA+ services within the 988 crisis line. In just the past two years, more than a million people in crisis have used those services, much of it delivered by Trevor. Active Minds is another organization I deeply admire, mobilizing students on high school and college campuses to advocate for mental health. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) advances research, advocacy, and support for suicide loss survivors. I also look to organizations like the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), the Child Mind Institute, and Sesame Workshop, which has done important work around children’s mental health.

It’s inspiring to be part of a field where so many organizations, each with their own approach, are contributing to the same larger mission.

NationSwell: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting involved or helping out in the mental health space?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: For anyone looking to get involved, organizations like The Jed Foundation, NAMI, and AFSP are great places to start. But more broadly, it really does take a village. Each of us can be a mental health champion in our own communities. That begins with vulnerability — showing through your own example that it’s OK not to be OK, and creating space for open conversations.

At JED, we tell young people that if they’re struggling — or worried about a friend — they should reach out to a trusted, caring adult. The question is: are you that adult in the lives of young people around you? And more importantly, do they know it? Whether you’re a parent, an aunt, uncle, neighbor, coach, or friend, make it explicit: Let the young people in your life know you’re a safe harbor, someone they can turn to without judgment.

At a grassroots level, those simple assurances can be incredibly powerful. Paired with resources and guidance from organizations in the field, they create the culture of support young people need.

NationSwell: Could you recommend any insightful resources of book reports, podcasts, articles that have influenced your thinking, either past or present?

MacPhee, The Jed Foundation: I’m constantly reading and reviewing for my job, but when I have free time, I mostly listen to music. I keep a personal YouTube playlist of about 100 songs that I’m always tweaking — swapping a few out, but keeping a core set the same. It’s been played over 18,000 times, which makes me wonder: Is this a great way to unwind, or a huge missed opportunity where I could’ve read countless books or listened to podcasts instead?

The playlist leans heavily toward blues and blues rock — lots of Tedeschi Trucks, Ruthie Foster, PJ Harvey, Buddy Guy — with some Massive Attack and a little Pearl Jam thrown in. It definitely shows my age in some of the choices, but it’s what helps me relax and recharge.