John is a Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Center for Research within the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) and a Fulbright Scholar. His responsibilities encompass teaching and learning, research, and outreach. He serves as JSOU’s government lead for creative problem-solving efforts.

He is a Professor Emeritus at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University, partaking in a collaborative effort that concentrated on instructing and exploring the science of creativity. Moreover, fostered scientific and interdisciplinary innovation through his Knowinnovation (KI) and economic development through Inclusive Innovation involvement. John co-designed a Massive Online Open Course on Igniting Creativity.

His expertise in training and organizational development has been sought by various prominent organizations such as IBM, Pfizer, Coca-Cola, the British Home Office, the National Science Foundation, NASA, National Institute of Health, Harvard University’s Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the National Oceanographic Laboratory System, University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, The Pew Charitable Trust, the US Embassy in Myanmar, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

John’s professional journey includes founding and overseeing American Airlines’ training and organizational development unit for its Miami, Caribbean, and Latin American division. Before this role, he was a training and organizational development specialist at Fisher-Price Toys, and Quaker Oats.

His contributions extend to scholarly publications comprising journal articles, book chapters, and books on business, technology, engineering, and creativity. Notably, in 2017, he co-authored "Organizational Creativity: A Practical Guide for Innovators and Entrepreneurs," published by SAGE Publications. His latest co-authored book, “Infusing Creative Thinking into Higher Education,” will be published in early 2024.

In recognition of his contributions, John received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and grants from the National Science Foundation and the State University of New York. John is a Fulbright Scholar. John completed his Fulbright tenure at the Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Colombia, and served as a visiting professor at the Universidad de La Sabana and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, both in Colombia. His courses were presented in Spanish. 

John holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Manchester, England, and an M.S. in Creativity and Change Leadership from the State University of New York.