John Della Volpe

EXCLUSIVE
  • Director of Polling, Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics
  • Founder and CEO, SocialSphere Inc.
  • Author of 'FIGHT: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America'
  • MSNBC Political Contributor & Leading Authority on Global Sentiment, Opinion, and Influence in the Digital and Social Media Age

Youth expert, pollster, strategist, and bestselling author John Della Volpe is the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, where he leads polling initiatives on understanding American youth. Della Volpe was referred to by the Washington Post as one of the world’s leading authorities on global sentiment, opinion, and influence, and is the Founder of SocialSphere, a public opinion and analytics company. His new book, an Amazon Editor’s Pick for “Best Nonfiction,” Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America, is an impeccable investigation into how Generation Z – those born in the 1990s and early 2000s – are rising to the unprecedented challenges of their time to take control of their country and our future. The recipient of an Eisenhower Fellowship, his research focus is data-based as well as qualitative, and he has advised heads of state, military generals, and blue-chip brands around the world, unlocking the secrets to winning the hearts, minds, and loyalty of Gen Z.

Della Volpe was appointed to the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission on Media in 2011, and serves as senior advisor and pollster to President Joe Biden. His work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, TIME, and more, and he is a political contributor on MSNBC offering his insights and strategies for engaging the Millennial generation.

Della Volpe is the author of the Substack newsletter JDV on Gen Z, which puts public opinion into context while creating a pathway to understanding, empowering, and engaging Gen Z.

 


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Past Hosts Include:
  • Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
  • University of San Diego - Board of Trustees Retreat
  • Council on Foreign Relations
  • The Milken Institute
  • Aspen Ideas Festival
  • Gettysburg College
  • Duke University
  • American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
  • Bain Capital
  • University of Southern California
Rave Reviews About John Della Volpe
John’s presentation to our advisory group of CEOs about the unique challenges and aspirations of Gen Z deftly illustrated how Zoomers have been shaped by the tumultuous times they have grown up in, with significant implications for the values and aspirations they bring to their life and their work. It was clear that John has conducted extensive research that gives him a profound understanding of what matters to Gen Z, and it was refreshing to see an academic who can discuss the implications of these values for how this generation is likely to act in their public and private lives. His expertise and his engaging presentation fostered lively conversation afterward and made a lasting impression on the group.

John Della Volpe: Understanding Gen Z | The Daily Show - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with John Della Volpe
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Be Not Afraid, Help Gen Z Help You

The next great generation, Zoomers are nothing, if not distrustful of institutions, industry, and the status quo. They can be your worst enemy, or your best friend, and it all depends on you--the signals you send and the relationship you're willing to build with them. JOHN DELLA VOLPE, Harvard youth ...

The next great generation, Zoomers are nothing, if not distrustful of institutions, industry, and the status quo. They can be your worst enemy, or your best friend, and it all depends on you--the signals you send and the relationship you're willing to build with them. JOHN DELLA VOLPE, Harvard youth expert, author of the acclaimed new book FIGHT, and advisor to heads of state, military generals, and blue-chip brands around the world, unlocks the secrets to winning the hearts, minds, and loyalty of Gen Z.

Meet the Values Generation

Well before many have settled into careers or paid off their college loans, Generation Z was forced to confront the missteps and unfinished business of those who came before. Income inequality, climate change, systemic racism, mass shootings, political violence--and now the untold effects of a globa ...

Well before many have settled into careers or paid off their college loans, Generation Z was forced to confront the missteps and unfinished business of those who came before. Income inequality, climate change, systemic racism, mass shootings, political violence--and now the untold effects of a global pandemic are all adding up to record levels of depression and anxiety. But rather than turning away to let others address these issues, Harvard's JOHN DELLA VOLPE, author of FIGHT, illustrates how Zoomers are leaning in and re-making America in their own image. Through the fear and fog present in their day-to-day lives, Zoomers are building a nation that reflects their values: fairness, flexibility, and a responsibility to leave their country and the planet in a better place for future generations.

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Harvard’s Gen Z expert John Della Volpe provides a fresh, data-driven generational perspective on ‘The Daily Show’

Harvard IOP polling director and author of Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America JOHN DELLA VOLPE went onto The Daily Show to explain Gen Z’s behavior. As a polling and sentiment expert, Volpe has spoken about generational issues to the Milken Institute, Duke University, Bain Capital, and many more globally prominent hosts, sharing that “the point of any public opinion research is to give voice to a generation.”

Watch John Della Volpe on The Daily Show >>

Watch John Della Volpe in conversation with The Lincoln Project >>

Strategist John Della Volpe leverages his expertise with Gen Z trends as a policy advisor and commentator

Youth expert JOHN DELLA VOLPE has been sought after as a trusted voice in Washington and a go-to expert in the media, leveraging data – and respect – to understand Generation Z. Della Volpe serves as a Senior Advisor and Pollster to President Joe Biden, proving instrumental in parsing out the complicated possibilities for student loan debt relief, as lauded by CNN. While policy makers and the press can debate what’s in the minds of the next great generation, Della Volpe – the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics – has advised heads of state, military generals, and blue-chip brands around the world on winning the hearts, minds, and loyalty of Gen Z.

Della Volpe's insights are proving resilient against even the most dynamic polls, as he predicted in this tweet about the 2022 Midterm Election results: "One thing I know already [...] #GenZ did their job." His book Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America, an Amazon Editor’s Pick for “Best Nonfiction,” is an impeccable investigation into Generation Z – those born in the 1990s and early 2000s – which he calls the ‘values’ generation. In a recent illuminating op-ed for The New York Times, he outlined the stunning impact Gen Z will have on the Midterms, unpacking the factors at play with empathy and expertise. He has worked with The Lincoln Project and as a political contributor for MSNBC, and has been sought after for his insights by groups such as The Aspen Ideas Festival, The Milken Institute, Bain Capital, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, Duke University, and more. Della Volpe is a leading author on global sentiment and trends, and offers unparalleled takeaways about understanding and engaging with the Millennial and Zoomer generations.

Della Volpe is the author of the Substack newsletter JDV on Gen Z, which puts public opinion into context while creating a pathway to understanding, empowering, and engaging Gen Z.

Watch John Della Volpe on MSNBC >>

Youth expert John Della Volpe’s new book Fight is the “definitive account of America’s next great generation”

Referred to as “the GOAT political researcher when it comes to understanding youth,” renowned pollster, strategist, and Director of Polling at the Harvard Kenney School Institute of Politics JOHN DELLA VOLPE’s new book Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America is an impeccable investigation into the issues that matter most to young people, and how they will shape the future. Drawing on his vast experience in data-based research as well as decades of conversations with young people, Publisher’s Weekly called the book, “perceptive and informative,” saying, “this is the rare sociological study that manages to inspire.” An expert strategist, Della Volpe has acted an advisor to heads of state, military generals, and blue-chip brands around the world, offering authoritative insights about understanding and engaging with the Millennial and Zoomer generations.

Della Volpe is a credible voice in an age of digital and social media and hyper partisan politics, offering a rare, data-supported understanding of how Generation Z – those born in the 1990s and early 2000s – are rising to the unprecedented challenges of their time to take control of their country and our future. His book has been called "the definitive account of America's next great generation," and "a great read with a tremendous amount of learning for anyone in the business of marketing, selling, or otherwise engaging with the most exciting generation in decades."

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Biography

John Della Volpe is the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, where he has led polling initiatives on understanding American youth since 2000. Referred to as the "GOAT political researcher when it comes to understanding youth," John's new book, FIGHT, How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America, has been called "the definitive account of America's next great generation," and "a great read with a tremendous amount of learning for anyone in the business of marketing, selling, or otherwise engaging with the most exciting generation in decades." John appears regularly on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and has been featured in many national media outlets including The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He is the founder and CEO of SocialSphere, Inc., a public opinion research company headquartered in Massachusetts, and was a senior advisor and pollster to Joe Biden's 2020 campaign for president.