233: This CEO Is Fighting Blindness and Redefining Leadership | Jason Menzo
Jason Menzo, CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, joins Damon Lembi for an inspiring conversation on mission-driven leadership, team building, and the power of authenticity. With nearly $1 billion raised toward groundbreaking gene therapy research, Jason shares his journey from the private sector to leading a world-changing nonprofit—unpacking what it takes to balance moonshot ambitions with day-to-day wins, build high-performing teams, and create a culture rooted in trust and belonging.
Read the full breakdown of Jason Menzo’s episode on Learnit.
Key Leadership Lessons from Jason Menzo’s Journey:
Lead with authenticity: Letting people show up as themselves fosters stronger collaboration, engagement, and results.
Hire for fit, not just skill: High-performing teams thrive when aligned on purpose and culture.
Balance empathy with accountability: Mission-driven leadership means caring deeply—while making the tough calls that keep the mission alive.
Turn moonshots into milestones: Break massive goals into realistic, measurable steps to sustain motivation and progress.
Innovate with impact: AI, venture funding, and creative talent deployment can accelerate transformation in any field.
Connect with Jason Menzo:
LinkedIn: Jason Menzo
Website: Foundation Fighting Blindness
RD Fund: Retinal Degeneration Fund
Jason leads the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the world’s premier organization advancing treatments and cures for blinding diseases. With over two decades of experience in vision research and leadership, Jason blends scientific passion with people-first leadership to drive innovation and hope worldwide.
Explore more episodes of The Learn-It-All Podcast on Learnit.com to gain leadership insights from top experts.
Learn more about how Learnit helps organizations and follow The Learn-It-All Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.