Self-Awareness. Connection.  Agency. Leading from Within.

How It All Began

It All Started Back in 2018…

A Message From the CEO

Dear Captains and Poets Around the World,

When Captains & Poets was born in 2018, we set out with a simple but powerful goal: to give young people an inner compass to navigate the world with authenticity, compassion, and resilience. And once you discover your “Leader Within, you carry it with you in everything you do.

For me, this work began as a parent looking at the world through my children’s eyes. It also brought together so many parts of who I am: teacher, executive, coach, facilitator, consultant, and leader. I am grateful everyday to be able to bring those experiences together in service of something I believe in so deeply.

What began as a Kindergarten to Grade 12 program has grown. Today, Captains & Poets has found a place in schools, sport, professional development, and organizations in 10 countries. This work is universal. The need for self-awareness, self-leadership, and leadership lives in us all.

The language of Captain and Poet helps people recognize what makes them unique, understand the different qualities a moment may call for, and see one another more fully. In a classroom, on a team, or in a boardroom, that awareness can strengthen relationships, build resilience, and help people act with greater clarity and purpose. 

As you navigate your own personal and professional journey, I invite you to ask yourself: Is the world asking you to DO more, or to BE more? This shift in perspective offers a beautiful and energizing opportunity to contribute from our strengths. Suddenly, the world’s challenges become an opportunity to show the world who we are.

As Captains & Poets continues to grow, I am deeply grateful to all who have shaped this journey so far, especially co-founder Jan Frolic, whose passion for authentic identity remains an integral part of our story. 

To the tens of thousands of Captains and Poets I have met along the way, thank you! You continue to inspire my vision for a global human curriculum.

The Poet imagined this possibility. The Captain brings it to life. I invite you to join us in discovering the language of your Inner Compass to create a world where everyone is empowered to lead from within.

With gratitude,
Jennifer Johnson
CEO and Chief Learning Officer

Founders

Jennifer Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO

B.A., B.Ed., M.A.
As a seasoned leader in education and the corporate world and a passionate change-maker, Jennifer is on a mission to empower people to be their best selves to create a better world. She holds an M.A. in Education in Curriculum, Teaching, and Organizational Learning from OISE, is a Board Member of Resilient Kids Canada, a CTI-trained coach, and holds a leadership certificate from Harvard Business School. As a parent of two, Jennifer is committed to nurturing self-leadership skills and the ability to navigate an increasingly dynamic world with authenticity, compassion, and resilience. A proud hockey mom, she is also invested in fostering positive cultures in sports for athletes, coaches, and parents—creating environments that promote Positive Youth Development in challenging times.

Jan Frolic, Co-Founder Emeritus

B.A.
Jan is a serial entrepreneur and a former corporate leader in the Diversity & Inclusion space with a focus on gender equity. She has an Honours B.A. in Sociology and is a committed advocate and continual student in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jan is passionate about building kids who will champion others. As a mother to three young adults, her most important role is to raise happy, kind, self-aware individuals to be inclusive, socially engaged and globally aware adults.

Ready to Ignite the Captain and Poet Within?

Whether you’re looking to strengthen connection, build capacity, develop confident leaders or create a more positive culture, we’ll work with you to create an experience that enables your students, team, organization, or community to ignite the Leader Within.

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