WHO WE ARE

Our

Mission & Values

We are dedicated to promoting a pay-it-forward mentality. An emphasis on the “we” over the “me.” We call this philosophy – servant leadership. Recognizing that education is the greatest equalizer in America, LukeLeaders1248 sponsors scholarships at colleges of trade schools for children of military veterans. The scholarships are $2,000 for 4 years.


LukeLeaders1248 was founded in 2009 by Leonard J. Samborowski, a retired military veteran who served for 30 years in the United States Army. Len believed that his life was richly blessed, and he thought it was time to give back from his abundance. He walked into a high school near his home in Woodstock and offered his support to budding servant leaders. His enthusiasm and funds were well received. In 2017, Samborowski opened a second scholarship to another school in northeast Connecticut. In 2023, LukeLeaders1248 shifted focus, transitioning the scholarship to support children of military veterans. The first scholarship, fully funded by Samborowski, is established in support of children of Army Rangers. This scholarship will begin the 2023-2024 school year. 



Other branches of the military will receive similar scholarships in synchrony with fundraising events. 

Our Board


LEN SAMBOROWSKI

Director

 Through LukeLeaders1248, Len attempts to walk the talk of his personal philosophy: “To those whom much is given, much is expected.”
 
He received a BA from Bucknell University but his true education came from 30 years of service in the US Army. He learned the importance of servant leadership from command (3 company commands, 2 battalion commands) and five years on the Army Staff.
Across the scope of his military career, Len received three awards of the Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star for actions in Desert Shield/ Desert Storm, an Army Air Medal, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Wings, and a commendation for heroism. He was a senior Army aviator, qualified in fixed and rotary wing aircraft. His last assignment in the Army was as the Inspector General for the Massachusetts National Guard. Colonel Samborowski retired from the military in 2006 aboard the USS Constitution in Boston, MA.
 
Len earned a Masters in Strategic Planning from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS in 1992 and a doctorate of management from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He has published at Harvard and MIT. Dr. Samborowski now serves as the Director of the MBA program at Nichols College, Dudley MA. His research interests include the pedagogy designed to enhance grit and self-esteem. 

Len lives in Woodstock, CT with his wife, Elizabeth Bitgood. He has three children and three grandchildren. He views his life as richly blessed.



BOYD BROWN

Associate, Academic Advisor

Boyd is a retired Marine and a Criminal Justice professor at Nichols College. He includes servant leadership as a theme in all the courses he teaches. His goal is to help develop the next generation of law enforcement and security professionals into strong servant leaders for their communities. Boyd lives in eastern Connecticut with his wife and two children.


WILLIAM O' BRIEN

Associate, Legal Advisor

Mr. O’Brien received his German law training from the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, where he graduated with the German equivalent of a J.D. in 1986. In 1988, he received his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Mr. O’Brien started his professional career as a research fellow at the Max-Planck-Institute for Foreign and International Patent, Copyright and Competition Law in Munich, Germany, where he completed his master’s thesis in trademark law.

Mr. O’Brien completed his master’s thesis and received his Magister Legum in German law from the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität 1n 1992.

 

Mr. O’Brien worked as an attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and as an attorney both with private law firms and in corporations.

 

Currently, Mr. O’Brien has his own firm located in Westborough MA specializing in providing counseling, prosecution, and litigation services to international and domestic clients in the fields of trademark, copyright, general corporate and licensing law.



JAS SINGH

Marketing and Technology

Jas has more than 15 years' experience designing websites and apps that convert leads into clients. He has a PhD in Technology Management and is dedicated to researching and understanding human centered design. 


Jas is passionate about the mission of Luke Leaders and is accountable for marketing and technology.


AMY CARST

Writer

Amy Carst is a writer, speaker, and passionate advocate for human rights, both at home and on a global scale. She travels extensively, and has lived and worked in Africa, and reported from refugee camps in the Middle East. 


In her book, Expand Your Bubble, Amy interviews people from diverse backgrounds, races, and cultures. Some noteworthy interviews include Professor Noam Chomsky, best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Arun Gandhi, and the highest-paid female CEO in the United States, Martine Rothblatt. Amy is also a regular contributor to various publications, human rights organizations, law firms, medical technology companies, and financial firms.


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