Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Thurston.
Hi Jordan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
1. The Intro
My career journey began at a Starbucks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at 16. I was visiting my grandparents and trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. As we navigated the busy coffee shop and into the covered area outside, I found an open table. Someone had left a newspaper, and as I went to move it, I read the headline: Top 10 Reasons to Get into Business. I had a discussion with my grandfather about the article, and that’s when it hit. I wasn’t sure how, when, or where, but I was determined to get into the finance industry. I was sitting in a Citibank branch in KL (where my grandfather banked), and I vividly remember a conversation in which he told me, “You need to work for a great bank like Citi.”
2. GameStop
To help me learn more about business topics, I applied for a seasonal role at GameStop. As a gamer, it was a dream to work there, but there was something more about it. I began working in 10th grade and quickly converted from seasonal to full-time. I learned the basics of sales, management, and financial management. I was promoted to Assistant Store Manager at 19 and was able to lead amazing teams and serve incredible customers, all while exceeding sales goals. After six years with the company, I decided I had learned all I could and began shifting my focus to the corporate world. But how does one make that transition?
3. Collabera
In 2016, I graduated from the University of North Texas with my Bachelor of Business Administration in Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management. Shortly after, I received a message from a recruiter at Collabera, a global staffing firm, for an Associate Account Manager role. I thought to myself, “This is my shot at getting my foot in the door in a corporate environment!” I applied and ultimately got the role, which took my sales background and expanded on it; rather than selling products to customers, I was selling candidates’ skill sets to employers. After 3 months, I was promoted to Regional Account Manager, managing IT and Non-IT staffing across Texas for Citi. 6 months after, I had the opportunity to interview for an Assistant Vice President role at Citi.
4. Citi
I became an Assistant Vice President at 23, Vice President at 25, and Senior Vice President at 26. I worked hard, learned about different businesses, led large-scale global teams, and have held several roles in IT Operations, Compliance, and Internal Audit. My rapid career progression was due to integrating process improvement into everything I did. I identified gaps and provided meaningful solutions, helping me build my brand and demonstrating my ability to deliver results. During this time, I also pursued my Master of Business Administration at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (2020) and my Doctor of Business Administration in Economics at the Swiss School of Business and Management (2023). Additionally, after 4 years at Citi, I was reminded of the discussion I had with my grandfather in the Citibank branch in KL, a conversation that I had completely forgotten until I found the picture of myself. I still currently work for Citi and celebrate 8 years this September.
5. Neopte Foundation
While pursuing my Doctor of Business Administration in Economics at the Swiss School of Business and Management (SSBM), I decided to start a nonprofit in addition to my role at Citi. I started the Neopte Foundation 3 years ago with a mission of providing purpose to youth from low-opportunity backgrounds with direction in pursuit of higher education. While we are still growing, we’ve had a tremendous impact on our communities in Texas and Pennsylvania. In 2025, we awarded 57 grants, including 50 apprenticeship licenses & tool sets for trade students and financial grants for university-bound students. And we’re just getting started!
6. Neopte Journal of Applied Mobility (NJAM)
As President & CEO of the Neopte Foundation, I stay close to educational trends and how the younger generation uses and consumes data. Through discussions with students, we identified a major gap: they want to write research papers, but there is no formal outlet for doing so without paying to publish or having a PhD co-author. This creates a significant barrier to entry, and we are solving it. A few weeks ago, I announced the launch of the Neopte Journal of Applied Mobility (NJAM). A double-blind, peer-reviewed, open source journal dedicated to investigating the “microeconomics of mobility.” Our mission is to bridge the gap between academic theory and actionable career-readiness for students who are university- and trade-bound. Specifically, we focus on the measurable impact of internships, apprenticeships, and alternative credentialing on intergenerational economic shifts. While the journal is supported by the Neopte Foundation (501c3), it is independent and considered a standalone entity.
You may be asking, how is it possible to manage a full-time job while running a nonprofit and serving as editor-in-chief of an academic journal, AND parenting an 18-month-old (a full-time job in itself)? It boils down to 4 key factors: God, Time Management, Passion, and an incredible wife who supports and encourages me to always be the best I can be and to help those around me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not – and I’m happy for that. Every career move I made, and as I took on more and more, I was always greeted with doubt. “No you can’t handle it”, “You’re taking on too much”, “You’ll burn yourself out”. Whether by friends and family, that is what I heard. Constantly. Instead of being discouraged, I turned it into motivation to further propel myself forward in my career and extracurriculars.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Neopte Foundation
A 501c3, with a mission of providing purpose to youth from low-opportunity backgrounds with direction in pursuit of higher education. We support university-bound and trade-bound students by lessening the financial and knowledge barriers to entry.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Find your passions, find your community, and invest time in meaningful relationships. Life is short, so it’s imperative you spend it doing what you love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neoptefoundation.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordancthurston/
- Other: https://www.journal.neoptefoundation.org
