About Us
Education For Life
Meet Our Staff
Jonathan Starr
Founder and CEO
Jonathan was the founder and headed the Abaarso School in Somaliland, breaking a decades-long drought in Somali education by matriculating over 200 students to educational institutions globally, including 7 of the 8 Ivy League Universities and MIT.
Learn More About Jonathan
Abaarso’s success has been covered by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, MSBNC’s Morning Joe, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, CBC’s The Current, and BBC. In 2017 Jonathan co-founded Barwaaqo University in Somaliland, the first all-female boarding university in the country. In 2019, he co-founded Kaabe Schools, spreading high quality Montessori-inspired K-12 education throughout Somaliland. Jonathan has spoken at The World Bank, The Nantucket Project, and several school campuses, including Marist College, which selected Jonathan’s book, It Takes a School, as its first-year student required reading. Jonathan graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University.
Jared Pfost
Westborough Center Director
Jared comes from a background in academia. He earned an MA from Brandeis University and spent several years in a doctoral program there before joining Nomizo.
Learn More About Jared
His primary academic training is in history, languages, and related fields such as anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and sociology. Jared has learned a dozen languages, both ancient and modern, and is fascinated by how people learn and communicate in many different cultures and time periods. He also has extensive training in critical methodologies and brings a keen eye for detail to any analysis of a subject. Jared has loved playing board and card games since he was a young child, so he is passionate about using them as a teaching tool to help all students develop the foundational knowledge necessary to cultivate a life-long love for learning and prepare themselves for whatever lies ahead. Jared has two young daughters and lives in Westborough with his family.
Rachel Pfost
Business Development Manager
As a high school valedictorian, graduate of Harvard University, and former public school teacher, Rachel has been passionate about learning for her entire life.
Learn More About Rachel
She received her Master’s in Elementary Education in 2019 and taught elementary school for four years before joining Nomizo. She had also previously worked in non-profit administration and development.
Rachel specializes in curriculum development, utilizing the most recent research-based teaching practices to help students learn most effectively. Rachel has two young daughters and lives in Westborough with her family.
Nomizo
How it began
In 2009, Jonathan Starr left a lucrative finance career, moved to Somaliland, an unrecognized country that had broken away from Somalia, and opened a new school with a 9th grade class. When that class graduated they received the 1st scholarships from Somalia or Somaliland to US universities in 3 decades, including a former nomad headed to MIT. After a dozen years, hundreds of students matriculating to prestigious institutions globally, including 7 Ivy League universities, and the launching of several new schools. Jonathan left that work to focus on US education. See his “60 Minutes” segment here:
The Motivation Behind Nomizo Is Simple
“If the most underprivileged students in the world can reach pinnacles of success then our wealthy country is nowhere near its educational potential”
~ Jonathan Starr
We Can Do More
Nomizo Learning Labs was created by people who know what’s possible in education and refuse to accept the status quo. We look at the essence of what leads students to be successful in life, and build programs to get all students there, regardless of differences in backgrounds, starting abilities, interests, and talents.
We Can Do More
Nomizo Learning Labs was created by people who know what’s possible in education and refuse to accept the status quo. We look at the essence of what leads students to be successful in life, and build programs to get all students there, regardless of differences in backgrounds, starting abilities, interests, and talents.
Leveling For Inspiration
What can you take on? What will challenge you at your current level without completely breaking you? At Nomizo we identify your capabilities and interests and place you in a position to succeed. Our standards push for everyone to reach the top, we’re just saying that you don’t get to the double-black-diamond expert trail by starting there; you find your level and build up step by step.
We believe in genuine learning that adapts to fit every student. Whether you are the struggling child, the uninspired student, or the thriving youth, Nomizo strengthens you today and prepares you for the future. With Nomizo, all kids can be great at something, building their confidence to take on the world.
We believe in genuine learning that adapts to fit every student. Whether you are the struggling child, the uninspired student, or the thriving youth, Nomizo strengthens you today and prepares you for the future. With Nomizo, all kids can be great at something, building their confidence to take on the world.
Nomizo Learning Labs Provides
