Joshua One 9 was formed after more than 15 years of intensive leadership in complex, mission-driven environments. Throughout his career, Ben has counseled Heads of School, pastors, CEO’s, business, government, and mission leaders in national and international contexts.

Ben Thomas is a global education leader, mission and development practitioner, and entrepreneur whose work sits at the intersection of faith, leadership, and post-conflict transformation. He holds a Doctorate in Global Christianity and Development and is the Co-Founder and CEO of B2THEWORLD, an organization committed to expanding access to education in countries recovering from war and instability.

For a decade, Dr. Thomas served as Head of School at Kigali International Community School in Rwanda, where he led one of East Africa’s most diverse international learning communities. Ben is a CESA and ACSI certified Head of School. His leadership experience spans across India, Rwanda, and the United States, giving him a rare cross-cultural lens on education, institutional growth, and global development.

A 2022 Praxis Nonprofit Fellow, Ben is passionate about redemptive entrepreneurship — building organizations that reflect both excellence and moral conviction. His personal journey has also shaped his leadership philosophy. After walking alongside his wife through a brain tumor diagnosis and recovery, he speaks with authenticity about resilience, faith under pressure, and leading through suffering.

Ben has delivered keynote addresses at Converge (2022) and Leaders Like Us (2023, 2026), and was a seminar speaker at Urbana (2022). He speaks widely on faith-driven development, global leadership, purpose in fragile contexts and building institutions that shape the future.

He lives with his family in the United States and continues to advocate for education as one of the most powerful tools for long-term peace and human flourishing.